[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-the-cursed-blade-s-walk":3,"chapter-the-cursed-blade-s-walk-the-cursed-blade-s-walk-chapter-712":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","The Cursed Blade's Walk",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},2263017,4415,"Chapter 712: Bronze Relic, Malevolent Spirit Stone","the-cursed-blade-s-walk-chapter-712",712,"\u003Cp>Hearing Yan Jiuling’s words, Li Yan’s pupils contracted sharply.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had long confirmed this matter himself, but from two other angles.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>First was Shengang—this substance once existed abundantly in the mortal realm; the mighty beings in the Classic of Mountains and Seas, including various divine beasts, inherently possessed Shengang, enabling their astonishing powers, but now it had become myth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Second was the Heavenly Code, whose core principle was to prevent the Dalaofajie from influencing the mortal realm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The only thing he was unsure of was how this passage actually existed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Little Brother Li! You’ve finally arrived!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At that moment, Zhao Lüzi rushed forward several steps, his voice muffled and clearly weary.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Brother, you’ve worked hard…” Li Yan patted his shoulder.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On the way here, Yan Jiuling had already explained the reason.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After Zhao Lüzi arrived at Qiankun Academy, the secret artifacts were just being transported from Mount Taodou, and there was a shortage of talent skilled in soil analysis.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On one hand to help Li Yan find spiritual objects, on the other to serve at the academy going forward, he naturally couldn’t refuse.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hahaha… Master Zhao’s experience has been invaluable to this old man.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Bai Chenshan, Director of the Imperial Astronomical Bureau, also approached, his face lean and wearing tortoiseshell spectacles.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though his body was caked in dirt, his bearing remained elegant.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Greetings, Director Bai.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Yan smiled and bowed, though inwardly he had raised his guard.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had long heard of Bai Chenshan’s name, but this was their first formal meeting.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This man excelled not only in astrology but also in earth mastership and other esoteric arts, making him renowned throughout the Xuanmen.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet in the “Nine Gates Yin Xu,” Zhao Qingxu had demanded he kill Bai Chenshan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The reason remained unknown, so caution was necessary.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Bai Chenshan was unaware of Li Yan’s thoughts, nodded slightly, and kept his smile warm, “I’ve long heard of Little Brother Li and the ‘Twelve Yuan Chen.’ Today, I finally meet you.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Your Excellency flatters me.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Yan offered a polite reply, while Yan Jiuling stepped forward and whispered a few words.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Bai Chenshan stroked his beard, hesitating, “Technically, this artifact should not be disclosed, but Little Brother Li has persistently pursued this matter, and his intelligence was essential in locating it—so he is an exception. Rest assured, Minister Pei won’t mind.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With that, he turned and summoned a Regional Military Commissioner to lead the way.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The group passed through the courtyard and entered the left wing of the rear yard.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The wing had clearly been converted into a storage room, built entirely with cement mortar like that used by the Divine Machinery Camp—solid, heavy, with no windows on any side, and only a massive stone door flush with the wall, airtight and sealed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Bai Chenshan and the Regional Military Commissioner took out the keys and inserted them simultaneously into two lock holes on the stone door.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Boom—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The heavy stone door slowly slid open with the dull groan of mechanical hinges, releasing a scent of camphor wood, dust, and cold metal.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Several Regional Military Commissioner members stood guard outside, while Yan Jiuling personally lit the surrounding firepots with a tinderbox.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As the light settled, the first thing to come into view was a massive stone slab half-embedded in a custom wooden frame.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The slab’s surface was not smooth; it was inlaid with bronze bas-reliefs, ancient and thickly coated in verdigris.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Yan had never seen this craftsmanship before, but what drew him more was the imagery upon it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the center of the strange bas-relief stood a bronze divine tree of extraordinarily complex structure.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Its trunk twisted like a dragon, winding upward and branching into nine tiers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Each tier was coiled with ancient totems or peculiar symbols, each unique.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Around the divine tree were scattered, indistinct silhouettes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Bird-headed human forms, tiger-tailed star-crowned figures, deer-antlered staff-bearers… each bizarre and archaic.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Below the bas-relief were carved numerous fragmented, archaic strokes of text.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Is this the Bronze Divine Tree?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Yan frowned slightly, uncertain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Bronze Divine Tree?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Bai Chenshan looked surprised, then shook his head, gazing raptly at the bas-relief, “This is clearly Jianmu.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Yan then remembered that Sanxingdui had yet to be excavated, and “Bronze Divine Tree” was merely a name from his past life.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Moreover, this artifact differed considerably from the one he had seen in his past life.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He suppressed his inner shock and asked thoughtfully, “Mount Taodou is the foremost of the Five Sacred Peaks, revered as the Eastern Peak. The Xuanmen’s greatest masters have left their footsteps here for generations. How could such a prominent wonder remain undiscovered?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The key lies in its location.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yan Jiuling pointed to faint, almost imperceptible water stains and moss fossils along the slab’s edge, “This artifact was not found atop Mount Taodou’s main peak or near its temples. We combed every remote, treacherous valley and deep ravine in the mountain’s rear, following vague hints in Xu Fu’s ‘Quest for Immortality.’”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“According to those sent, they finally found it… in a cave beneath a deep pool.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The local chronicles of Mount Taodou record that centuries ago, a ground dragon turned, causing the area to collapse and be buried under rubble.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Yan nodded. “And what do these characters mean?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“These are Shang-Zhou bronze script.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Bai Chenshan stroked his beard, “It reads:… Jianmu, nine branches of heaven, the Master reveals Shen’s descent, like stars, like Qi, Fuxi’s dragon body, riding clouds upon earth, Huaxu’s footprints, completed in seven days, essence of Leize, entering the mortal realm, the Fajie opens, connecting to Dalaofajie…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing this, Li Yan’s heart trembled inwardly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Since entering the cultivation path, he had studied many ancient texts—he understood every word.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It mentioned Jianmu, divine descent, appearing as starlight and Qi.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>More crucially, Huaxu trod upon divine traces and gave birth to Fuxi.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fuxi came from the Dalaofajie!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before he could speak further, Bai Chenshan spoke with a mysterious tone, “The Shijing says: ‘He wove nets to hunt fish and sacrifice, thus the world called him Paoxi.’ That is Fuxi—legend says he was born from Leize, surely a divine being, and later the Fuxi clan emerged.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“This artifact must be kept secret—if it leaks, someone will surely exploit it to stir chaos.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I understand,” Li Yan replied solemnly, nodding.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Since ancient times, many have used apocryphal prophecies to incite unrest—even when none existed, they fabricated them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Myths should remain myths forever.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Beside him, Bai Chenshan gazed at the bas-relief and sighed, “No wonder Emperor Qin Shi Huang believed Xu Fu’s words—they may have truly intended to use this ascension array to restore Jianmu…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Yan’s eyes narrowed. “That would violate the Heavenly Code and inevitably bring great chaos!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Combining his past-life knowledge, he now had a rough hypothesis.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Dalaofajie might be another peculiar dimension.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The ancient immortals and gods may have descended carrying immense power from the Dalaofajie, enabling their divine feats.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But as more descended, the mortal realm would be disrupted.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Great Flood may have arisen for this reason—and then, it wouldn’t merely be the slaughter of living beings.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His words were a warning to Bai Chenshan, to deter the old Daoist from developing any dangerous ideas.\u003C\u002Fp>",1197,"2026-06-19T18:28:35.913Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","dac8bc0cad3c6fb89533ea0ec63ba275d9b4f9b7ca92629e867175279207588e","the-cursed-blade-s-walk-chapter-713","the-cursed-blade-s-walk-chapter-711",801,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fthe-cursed-blade-s-walk-cover.jpg"]