The Blade-Wielding Legend
Chapter 128 - 106: Desolate Tomb Fox Worshiping the Moon_2

Chapter 128: Chapter 106: Desolate Tomb Fox Worshiping the Moon_2

"This woman has a problem!"

Li Yan was startled, but his expression remained composed as he clasped his hands in greeting, "Senior, you’ve caught me off guard."

Han Kun couldn’t help but give a wry smile, "Qinfang, don’t scare the junior."

After speaking, he explained, "Li Yan, this is Chu Qinfang, a senior from the Mystical Sect. On the pugilistic world’s grapevine in Shan State, no one is more well-informed than they are."

So that’s how it is...

Li Yan once again performed the clasped-hand salute customary in the pugilistic world, "I’ve seen the senior."

In the Hidden Eight Gates of the Mystical Sect, all members were women.

Since they belonged to the underworld, they surely weren’t engaged in any legitimate business. But within the Mystical Sect, there were also various subdivisions, such as those who specialized in using their feminine charms for deception, known as Seductive Fiends, as well as others like the Wind-and-Fire Fiends.

The white-clothed concubine who harmed Landlord Lu was a Seductive Fiend.

The woman before him was a Gold Swallow, who often utilized brothels to trade information or make connections.

Establishments like Wind Rumor Hall in Fengyang County generally conducted local business, serving desperados and the unlucky.

While Gold Swallows often did business with wealthy clients, officials, and the privileged of the pugilistic world, commanding much higher fees, hence the name Gold Swallows.

"Please, sit down and speak."

The relationship between Han Kun and Chu Qinfang was clearly not ordinary. He spoke as if he was in his own home and waited for the three to be seated before turning to look at Li Yan, "I haven’t asked yet, what brings you to Manchuan Town?"

Li Yan hesitated for a moment, but thinking that his business was legitimate and also needing assistance from others, he spoke frankly.

Of course, he didn’t mention anything related to the Mystical Sect.

"Oh?"

After hearing his story, Han Kun showed a hint of admiration and nodded in approval, "A righteous act should indeed be pursued with all one’s efforts. Journeying a thousand miles to deliver a coffin is also considered a fine tale. A young man should indeed have some spirit of heroism."

He then turned to the woman opposite him and smiled, "Qinfang, this young man is much more scrupulous than we were back in the day. You can’t just think about money when it comes to this matter."

Chu Qinfang gave Han Kun a white look with implied affection, "You sure know how to play the good guy, but why put me down?"

It seemed like a rebuke, but in reality, it was somewhat flirtatious.

Having said that, she turned to Li Yan and said earnestly, "It’s just a piece of information, not a big deal, but this matter is somewhat complicated."

"Firstly, there’s Qiao Sanhu. He only has the cultivation of Hidden Energy, but the reason he can run rampant and unchallenged is all thanks to his cousin, Yue Fazhong."

"Take my advice, you cannot afford to offend that man. Just complete your task and that’s it; don’t get involved in the grudge between Lv San and him."

"Also, as for Zhang, the gang leader of the Cao Gang at Manchuan Pass, Han Kun, you should send a message explaining the situation. They are keeping an eye on Lv San, to avoid any misunderstandings."

"Oh?"

His words piqued Han Kun’s interest, and he smiled, "Zhang Baijiao is one to take advantage but never suffer a loss. What’s so special about that Lv San that he values him so?"

Chu Qinfang whispered, "I only heard about it too, that Lv San is adept at taming beasts, with almost supernatural methods. Sometimes when the Cao Gang encounters trouble from water snakes or huge turtles, they ask for his help."

Han Kun was momentarily taken aback, "So he has such skill. That Zhang Baijiao! I almost capsized at Luoshui and he never breathed a word, still pretending to be my brother all the time."

"He wishes."

Chu Qinfang laughed, "Everyone knows what Lv San wants to do, but Zhang Baijiao doesn’t want to offend Yue Fazhong, so the situation is at a standstill."

"Now, Lv San is barely considered a worshipper, the difficult kind to talk to."

Hearing this, Li Yan grew impatient and promptly clasped his hands, "Senior, where exactly is Lv San hiding?"

Chu Qinfang smiled, "He has enemies and is always on the move, but I know that every midnight, he practices in the Black Wind Gully outside the town."

Han Kun was curious, "What’s so special about that place?"

Chu Qinfang said meaningfully, "The ancient battleground between Qin and Chu, with tombs scattered all around and snakes and foxes aplenty; if you’re not a Magician, you might not even find your way there."

"Thank you, senior."

Li Yan quickly stood and clasped his hands, "To avoid missing the hour, I must take my leave. Please excuse me."

After seeing them nod, he turned and left.

Once he left, Han Kun began writing a message and handed it to a subordinate, "Deliver this to Zhang Baijiao for me."

"Yes, gang leader!"

The subordinate immediately saluted and departed.

Han Kun then waved his hand to signal everyone around to leave. Once the courtyard was empty, he turned with a grave expression and spoke solemnly, "Qinfang, have there been any developments regarding that matter?"

"Difficult!"

Chu Qinfang responded with a wry smile, "There’s been quite a stir in Chang’an. After Chief of Staff Chang Xuan returned, he schemed to capture and kill the Thousand Households Yu Chen and even obtained evidence of his collusion with the Maitreya Sect."

"At the moment, Chang Xuan has been promoted to the rank of Thousand Households, exclusively in charge of the secrecy of firearms. That man’s schemes run deep, and trying to get information from Chang’an is hopeless now."

Han Kun’s eyebrows furrowed tightly after hearing this. "I’ve witnessed the power of this thing myself. If the Pai Sect gets a hold of it..."

"You can rest assured on that account."

Chu Qinfang shook her head, "In the capital, many people are also trying to gather information. As of now, the only clear facts are two matters."

"One is that this new form of gunpowder may require a special Heavenly Spirit Earth Treasure as a primer, and the formula is complex. I’m afraid it’s not something easily mass-produced by those in the pugilistic world."

Han Kun’s expression eased slightly. "That’s more like it. Without it, many things won’t change."

"You’re wrong."

Chu Qinfang said with deep significance, "Just two days ago, I heard that the Emperor has already issued a decree, commanding the Captain Bureau’s various garrisons to select elite talents to head to the capital, and Han Mo of the Ministry of Industry has suddenly been promoted to Chief of Staff."

Han Kun was stunned and remained silent for a while before sighing,

"The pugilistic world, I’m afraid, is about to become much more troublesome..."

...

Gurgle!

In the darkness, a night owl suddenly hooted.

Whoosh!

Li Yan swung his stick, flinging a venomous snake out of the grass.

He looked at the sky, his mind slightly at ease.

After leaving Manchuan Town, he hurriedly raced toward the back mountains, fortunately arriving at Black Wind Gully before midnight.

Ahead was a ravine on the side of a mountain, covering a decent area with large, mottled ancient bricks scattered on the ground, mostly already shattered.

Judging by the layout, there had once been a military fortress on top, but it might have been destroyed in the Qin-Chu wars. Now even the remnants of walls had vanished, and the path down the mountain had been washed away by mudslides, leaving only the option to climb.

Indeed, this was a superb hiding place.

But what was that Lv San doing hiding here, and what was he practicing?

As Li Yan pondered, his expression suddenly changed. He promptly took out some mugwort, formed a hand seal around it, and simultaneously recited an incantation, "Nuogao, alone opens the line of Wang Jia’s great-grandson..."

He was intimately familiar with the Baopu Mountain Climbing Skill, quickly cloaking his bodily aura. Even when a bird landed on the tree above him, it failed to notice.

Of course, his sense of smell remained very sharp.

Li Yan could sense the rise of many fox-like fetid odors.

Different from ordinary wild beasts, they carried a cold Evil Qi.

With his left hand clutching the mugwort and hand seal tightly, his right hand worked the Yang Jue hand seal, his smell superpower instantly activated.

While utilizing the Mountain Climbing Skill, no other spells or Hidden Energy could be used, as they would disrupt the skill, but employing Divine Skills was not included.

In a flash, all the scents of the mountaintop surged into his nostrils.

Li Yan’s eyes narrowed, and he walked forward quietly, without making a sound. He then hid in the grass to watch what lay ahead.

In Black Wind Gully, the land was relatively flat, with many broken walls reduced to simple earthen ramparts.

Large and small foxes, either lying on the ground or standing on the ramparts, all focused their gaze on a single grave.

The grave was quite ordinary, akin to those found on battlefields.

Sometimes, when the corpses of soldiers were difficult to manage and scattered limbs were numerous, they would be buried together in a large pit.

Most times, these were nameless mounds.

If done with some care, there might be a marker to explain.

Such mounds generally had little value, and because of the thick Yin Evil Qi, they were seldom visited by tomb robbers.

However, at this moment, there were continuous sounds coming from within this particular mound.

Swoosh!

Suddenly, something flew out, tumbling along the ground—it was a human skull.

Then, a shadow slowly crawled out from the grave and said in a deep voice, "This one will have to do, make do with it."

A white-browed old fox heard this and immediately approached. Standing on its hind legs and carefully lifting the skull with its forelimbs, it placed the skull atop its head.

Chitter chitter chitter!

The surrounding foxes kept chirping.

And the old fox, with the skull set firmly on its head, began a ritual of Fox Worshiping the Moon...