The Blade-Wielding Legend
Chapter 29: Returning Light

Chapter 29: Chapter 29: Returning Light

Bandits smashing kilns was nothing unusual.

"Smashing kilns" was a slang term in the pugilistic world, referring to raiding the big households of the wealthy.

The Great Xuan Dynasty had just passed its centennial, land annexation had become increasingly serious, and coupled with the power of clans, there were as many rich and powerful gentry as there were hairs on a cow.

They weren’t afraid of commoners covered in mud, nor did they fear the laws of the court, because every time a new official took office, the first thing they had to do was to cozy up to them.

Like Li Family Castle’s Li Huairen, at least, he played by the rules.

Li Yan had heard that some local gentry and rich tyrants bullied the common people and didn’t regard human life at all—slap you with a charge of violating clan rules, and they could beat you to death at will.

Local officials didn’t dare to say a word.

These landlords and gentry were only afraid of bandits.

Therefore, they each built tall walls and big courtyards, hired Protectors for defense, and often donated to the local Divine Fist Association, seeking to curry favor with forces from the pugilistic world to protect themselves.

But generally speaking, bandits rarely massacred villages.

It was not because they were kind-hearted, but because they did not want to kill the goose that laid the golden eggs.

Commoners were like grass, and the gentry were like sheep.

Where there was grass, there would definitely be sheep.

They could live happily for a while after pulling off a heist.

In some places, there was even collusion between bandits and the gentry, who would plunder under the guise of suppressing bandits every so often.

But this time, it was somewhat out of the ordinary.

From the Capital came a eunuch hiding his identity, bandits from the region of Qi and Lu, massacring villages...

No matter how you looked at it, it was not just about money.

At this thought, Li Yan’s brow furrowed, and he continued to ask, "Since you encountered bandits, why didn’t you report it to the officials in Xianyang City? How did you end up in such a state?"

"Alas, don’t mention it..."

Sha Lifei’s face was full of misery, "Daoist and I returned to Xianyang City under cover of night, and just as we were about to report to the authorities, we found that someone had already beaten us to it."

"Who was it?"

"It was a red-dressed concubine of Landlord Lu and the head Protector Zhao Cheng, clad in mourning garb, crying and wailing, claiming she was pregnant with Landlord Lu’s child, and pleading for the government to do justice..."

"Cowardly, it’s clear at a glance that they are the inside traitors colluding with the outside bandits."

"I wanted to expose them, but the Daoist pulled me away and we left."

"Not daring to take the main roads, we crossed mountains and ridges to reach Li Family Castle."

You could hear that Sha Lifei was still dissatisfied and confused.

Li Yan scoffed, "The Daoist did the right thing. If you dared show your face, you would be lucky to leave Xianyang City alive."

Sha Lifei was stunned, "Why?"

Wang Daoxuan had finished eating by now, belched, shook his head, and sighed, "I didn’t dare say much on the road, but that Landlord Lu is a eunuch!"

"A eunuch?!"

Sha Lifei was completely shocked, and then began to sweat profusely.

He was a slick operator; how could he not sense something fishy?

The slaughter was a cover-up, bandits would not fear this—spreading the word would rather enhance their reputation. The only possibility was they didn’t want to leak information, and the only ones who could possibly be connected to a eunuch were the royal family...

The internal traitor was left behind, indicating that this affair was not over yet...

"What... what should we do?"

At this thought, Sha Lifei suddenly felt his head grow heavy.

Li Yan shook his head and said, "It’s not easy to handle. Several bandits acting together, with bandits coming from other provinces as well—it implies this matter involves many parties, and it’s very likely that someone from the government is involved. Getting entangled in it would mean death."

"Lie low for now, wait until the commotion dies down before we talk."

"It’s busy with people in the village, better to hide in the mountains. I will bring you food, and after things have calmed down, then go out to gather information."

"Well, we have no other choice."

Sha Lifei and Wang Daoxuan looked at each other, both feeling helpless.

"Right, Daoist, there’s one more thing I need to ask of you..."

...

Returning to the village, it was the time when roosters crowed.

Li Yan sneaked back into his room, then pretended to have just woken up. After getting up, he fed the chickens, drew water, started a fire to cook, and after boiling a pot of corn porridge, he began practicing his boxing in the courtyard.

First were the ten Pan Gong moves, followed by boxing techniques and saber skills.

As if none of the previous night’s events had ever happened.

But he knew, everything had changed.

Success in Storing God meant he had stepped into the Mystical Sect; there was also the matter of investigating his father’s cause of death and the dark hand that oppressed his family. There were indeed many issues.

But he could not leave yet, as his grandfather’s condition was getting worse.

After removing the curse from the tablet, he did seem to regain his spirits for a while, but it didn’t last long. These days, he was even more listless and sleepy, often sitting outside in a daze.

He would sit for a whole day, and he might even forget his own name.

It just happened that Wang Daoxuan came last night—his skills as a Daoist were acceptable, at least better than the local quack doctors. Li Yan asked him to disguise himself as a traveling doctor to treat his grandfather.

"Practicing medicine and healing, saving the world and helping people..."

After breakfast, someone was heard hollering at the top of the village—it was Wang Daoxuan.

He was still dressed in his tattered Daoist robe, but his left hand carried a small banner, and his right hand jingled a string of bells, immediately attracting the attention of the village kids, bustling and crowding around to watch.

In this isolated small village, the arrival of a stranger was a big deal.

And this attire was also carefully chosen.

The banner was freshly written, tearing up a piece of Sha Lifei’s shabby clothes.

The string of bells in his hand, also known as the tiger prop, was a tale that the Medicine King once encountered a fierce tiger seeking treatment because it had a bone thorn stuck in its mouth. The Medicine King, fearing the tiger might harm someone, placed the tiger prop in the tiger’s mouth. After the tiger recovered, it became the Medicine King’s mount.

Among medicine peddlers, those who traveled streets providing medical services were known in underworld slang as "pushing the bundle."

The tiger prop was their emblem.

As the saying goes, "From rags to a doctor’s robe in one morning."

Wang Daoxuan, in his days wandering the pugilistic world, often disguised himself as a traveling doctor when he couldn’t find work, so he had these items readily available.

Li Yan, having prepared in advance, immediately greeted Wang Daoxuan and invited him into his home.

"I’m fine, I can eat and drink, what sickness is there to look at?"

The old master was clearly somewhat resistant, reluctant in heart and spirit.

Li Yan hurriedly said a few kind words, and with Wang Daoxuan’s conversation and demeanor making one feel as if bathed in the spring breeze, the old master just darkened his face and didn’t say much more.

After a session of inquiry and pulse diagnosis, Wang Daoxuan smiled and said, "The elder’s body is not bad, it’s just that he’s aged, and his spirit is not too good. Some sour jujube kernels, Poria cocos, and licorice soaked in water, drink a bit every day, and that’ll do."

"I said there was no illness, making a fuss over nothing, wasting money."

Li Gui complained verbally but was obviously relieved.

After speaking for a while, he even started snoring drowsily again.

However, Li Yan had already sensed something was amiss. After leaving the room, he pulled Wang Daoxuan aside to a quiet place and asked worriedly, "Daoist, what is really going on?"

Wang Daoxuan’s expression also turned grave as he stroked his beard and shook his head, "The elder indeed has no particular illness, but his vital energy has declined, and it’s due to age."

"But when I was taking his pulse earlier, I secretly used Divine Skills and found that the elder’s Divine Soul is weak, I fear that this might be the true cause."

"What exactly has happened?"

Li Yan fell silent for a moment, then roughly explained the matter of the curse, puzzled, "The suppression technique has been broken, why would it still be like this?"

After these days, he had come to trust Wang Daoxuan, so he told him the truth.

"That’s not surprising."

Wang Daoxuan sighed, "Such suppression techniques, the particularly vicious ones, can take a person’s life within a few days, and then there are those that affect subtly, destroying families and households."

"The person who took action, probably didn’t want to draw attention."

"Not only does this technique drain Qi Fortune, thinning the male offspring of a family, but it also invites trouble, attracting evil spirits. The elder may not perceive it, but subconsciously, he’s been resisting it."

"Perhaps the reason you’ve been able to live peacefully until now is because the elder has been protecting you."

"After all, he’s an ordinary person, like drawing a bow and nocking an arrow without releasing it, consuming vital energy and blood to maintain it. With the suppression technique broken, there may have been some relief for a while, but the excessive drain on the Divine Soul and his advanced years mean that there’s likely not much time left..."

Li Yan had his suspicions, but his heart still trembled at the confirmation, "Is there any way to save him?"

"Difficult."

Wang Daoxuan shook his head, "This isn’t an illness, but the end of his time is nearing. Take this time to accompany him well."

"Remember, if the elder suddenly wishes to eat something cold, then it’s time to prepare for what comes after."

"Why?"

"False Yang rising on the surface, reflection of the returning light."

...

Just as Wang Daoxuan was sent out the door, a crowd of villagers stopped him.

It was difficult for villagers to receive medical attention; with common ailments like headaches and fevers, they usually made do with homemade remedies, only going to the city for treatment as a last resort.

Not often did a traveling doctor come by, so naturally, they wanted to invite him to take a look.

Li Yan was not in the mood, and couldn’t be bothered to respond.

After returning to his room and seeing his grandfather still deep in sleep, Li Yan stayed silent for a while, then turned around to go to the Stable at the back, leading out the horse that Landlord Lu had given them, and finding Du Daya, who managed the carts.

"Uncle Du, help me sell the horse, and do me a favor."

"Brother Yan, you say."

"Please invite a theatre troupe to perform in the village for a few days."

"Remember, find some other pretext..."

...

Two days later, a theatre troupe arrived in the village.

According to the troupe’s leader, when he was young and destitute in the pugilistic world, on the brink of starvation, he had been given food at Li Family Castle, which saved his life.

Now he had come to repay the favor, performing for five days in a row.

The villagers, naturally, didn’t care about this; whoever arranged the kind deed was fine by them – they just wanted to watch, as they hardly ever got the chance, and even people from surrounding villages traveled miles to join the spectacle.

Every night at Li Family Castle, candles illuminated the darkness, the sounds of joy and laughter were abundant.

For grandfather Li Gui, who had no other hobbies besides watching plays, it was pure delight.

In previous years, the mere news of a performance had him heading out early, taking Li Yan on a donkey cart to watch a play, but as his health had deteriorated these past years, and walking became difficult, he could only stay at home.

Occasionally, he would reminisce about having the chance to go watch a play in Chang’an.

Li Yan couldn’t bring a famous actor from Chang’an, but a rustic troupe from Lantian would do.

"Investiture of the Gods," "Shooting Nine Suns," "Tales of Loyalty and Righteousness"...

For several days, the grand voice of the Qin Opera echoed throughout the village.

The old master thoroughly indulged his passion until the days of the troupe’s performances ended, and even after they left, he continued to roar at home:

"With a command that shakes mountains and rivers,

Men don their armor and mount their horses,

All sons, young and old, join in the cry,

Urging the troops forward to the battlefront..."

Off-key, but filled with a desolate and robust spirit, it seemed to bring back memories of his youth’s days of war and strife; each time he sang, he would gaze blankly into the distance.

"Yan boy, why do I feel so hot? I would like to eat something cold..."

When Li Yan heard this, tears fell from his eyes as he restrained his sorrow and smiled, "Grandfather, wanting to eat something cold is easy; I’ll get it for you."

Creating ice from Saltpetre wasn’t anything extraordinary, such a method existed in the pugilistic world.

Li Yan prepared some and even mixed in some syrup.

The old master ate with gusto and then looked toward him reluctantly:

"Boy, after I go, you may have to follow your father’s path. It’s fate, and grandfather can’t stop it, but there are a few words you have to remember."

"Grandfather, you speak," Li Yan was already kneeling on the ground, unable to stop the tears.

The old master looked into the distance, his voice somber:

"Boy, from now on, you’ll be on your own. Remember..."

"Better to be hated than pitied."

"Better to be feared than fooled."