The Blade-Wielding Legend
Chapter 404 - 246 Headless Knight_2

Chapter 404: Chapter 246 Headless Knight_2

After setting the plan, a few men immediately set off on horseback.

Along the way, seeing these strangers, the local people either bowed their heads to avoid eye contact or stared suspiciously, with unfriendly expressions.

The turmoil caused by the Headless Knight was clearly significant.

Upon reaching the city gate, the group was stopped again, but when Li Yan produced a black Daoist certificate, the soldiers immediately turned respectful, even offering to guide them.

After politely declining, they entered the city.

Dangyang County, though a historically noted county town, was not large, having been rebuilt several times after several wars.

Being inland without a ferry port, its commerce was not flourishing.

After making some inquiries, the group headed for the largest inn in the town, planning to settle in before doing anything else.

However, just at the entrance of the inn, they were stopped.

"Please halt!"

A man in a brocade robe rode up on horseback, accompanied by several servants, his face filled with urgency.

This man was tall, with sturdy features, dark complexion, and long beards reaching his chest. As soon as he approached, he quickly dismounted and bowed respectfully, "Could you be Young Hero Li from Yichang?"

Li Yan narrowed his eyes slightly, "And you are?"

"The humble Guan Peide."

This man, smiling, bowed again, "Upon hearing of Young Hero Li’s arrival in Dangyang, I hurried here without delay to invite you to my residence to show some hospitality on behalf of the landlord."

Li Yan was puzzled, "I don’t believe we are acquainted, sir?"

"Hahaha..."

The elder did not mind and laughed while stroking his beard, "At the full moon feast held by the Yan family in Yichang, I had urgent matters and sent my eldest son, Guan Shanxing. Naturally, he heard of Young Hero Li’s deeds."

"A promise worth a thousand in gold, traveling a thousand miles to deliver medicine — everyone praises you. Wouldn’t it be a pity to miss out on meeting a righteous man like Young Hero Li?"

Although the words were pleasant, Li Yan did not believe them.

The man had come too quickly, and seeing the mud on his shoes indicated he had come from outside the city on urgent business.

Li Yan guessed that the city soldiers had accidentally let slip, and this man had followed.

Li Yan did not conceal it and spoke calmly, "Mr. Guan, there is something else you wish to discuss, isn’t there?"

"Ah..."

Guan Peide sighed, "I just arrived at the county government and met with Magistrate Zhang who told me of Young Hero Li’s visit, so I rushed over without delay."

Li Yan’s mind stirred, "Very well, thank you for the effort."

According to the merchants, because of the Headless Knight, the people of Dangyang County were in a state of panic, and the Guan Family, in anger, had offered a substantial reward.

It seemed they were truly in a rush.

It was a good opportunity to gather some information.

Nothing is better than a good reputation.

The incident at the Yan family’s full moon feast in Yichang had been spread among the gentry of the city who could read the room well.

The Captain Bureau, City God Temple, and even Lei Zhen, a great figure in the pugilistic world, all spoke highly of Li Yan, clearly recognizing his genuine abilities.

Why would they neglect such a person?

The Guan Family did not reside within the city but in the Guan Family Village outside the city, owning thousands of acres of good farmland and certainly counted as a local aristocratic family.

Once out of the city, Li Yan directly inquired, "Mr. Guan, did you seek me out over the Headless Knight affair?"

"Has Young Hero Li already heard?"

Guan Peide was startled, a flicker of delight in his eyes, "Could it be that Young Hero Li has taken up the task from the City God Temple to deal with this issue?"

"Not exactly."

Li Yan shook his head, "I am here for another matter and just happened upon Dangyang, hearing about this issue."

Guan Peide looked a bit disappointed, "That’s true, the Southwest is in chaos currently, and experts from all walks have been summoned away."

"I even went to Purple Cover Mountain Cave, but the situations in several families were the same, sending disciples who were not up to the task and were nearly harmed by the Headless Knight."

Li Yan pondered, "Did they discover anything odd?"

Guan Peide grimaced, "If we could find the cause, why would I be in such a rush?"

"Next month is the ’Single Blade Meeting’ at the Guan Ling Temple Fair, with gentry from both Jingzhou and Yichang attending. If we can’t resolve this issue, rumors will inevitably spread."

"My ancestor is the Emperor Guan, bestowed by the court. If we let culprits succeed, how can my Guan Family face our ancestors?"

"That makes sense."

Li Yan nodded his head and carefully inquired about the matter.

The course of events was almost exactly as the merchant had described: the Headless Knight, dressed as Emperor Guan, was killing people everywhere, disappearing without a trace, causing panic.

During this period, Guan Ling had also been frequently struck by lightning.

The Guan Family was in a state of desperate anxiety.

Li Yan said in a deep voice, "I heard Mr. Guan is offering a substantial reward and many witches and wizards have come. Have they found anything?"

"Ah, don’t mention it."

Guan Peide said irritably, "I am so anxious that I can’t think of any solution. Even the legitimate disciples of the Mystical Sect from Purple Cover Mountain couldn’t identify the cause, so what could they do?"

"Most of them are frauds, using tactics from the pugilistic world, trying to deceive us for some money. Fortunately, we in the Guan Family are also from the pugilistic world and exposed their fraud."

"There was one, the rice witch, well-known from near and far, who truly has skills. But when she communicated with gods through rice, she somehow violated a taboo and directly passed out. She hasn’t woken up yet."

"Oh, where is she?"

"She is in the mansion, being looked after."

After hearing this, Li Yan exchanged looks with Wang Daoxuan.

Communicating with God through rice undoubtedly awakened the rare Intention Spirit Root, enabling her to sense information not detectable by ordinary magicians through spells and objects.

Among the six Divine Skills, it is the most mystical.

Her encounter with this strange incident, leading to coma, definitely indicated a major problem...

...

Guan Ling was fifteen miles north of the city, and the Guan Family village was outside of the city, seven miles away. It wasn’t long before everyone arrived at the village.

This village was ancient, with many of the family homes built on massive boulders, clearly remnants from ancient military fortresses.

The layout of the village was also meticulously arranged.

One could vaguely discern the military formations, orderly and strict.

There were several large clearings in the village where young boys practiced Boxing, with bare torsos loudly shouting, their bodies all sinews.

However, they were practicing Tang Hand Boxing.

The style, also known as "Tang Hand," meaning "scattered hand technique for blocking and parrying," was widely popular during the Tang Dynasty, hence the name "Tang Hand Boxing."

Seeing Li Yan’s curiosity, Guan Peide said somewhat sheepishly, "After many years of warfare, the ancestral martial arts have been lost, so the Guan family descendants mainly practice Tang Hand Boxing."

Just then, they passed by a house.

A crowd was gathered there, helping with the placement of the ridge beam.

Li Yan was about to leave when he suddenly stopped, sniffed the air, and narrowed his eyes, "What is going on here?"

Guan Peide explained, "It’s a family with the surname Wu, foreigners in the village, who started building their house before the New Year."

"Even though there is trouble in the village, we can’t delay."

"Let’s take a look first."

Without another word, Li Yan dismounted and walked over to watch.

Guan Peide, though puzzled, had no choice but to follow.

In Ezhou, the ceremony of raising the ridge beam is generally led by a master carpenter.

The owner had placed a square table in the middle of the hall, with two bricks on it, and the wooden beam rested horizontally on the table.

Additionally, there was an incense bowl, two red candles, two tea bowls with a bundle of aromatics and a slice of Yellow Paper, a wine jug, three wine cups, and two bags of rice cakes as offerings.

Woodworkers stood on both sides, and a rooster tied up was thrown under the table.

The owner, a slim, dark man, lit the candles and incense, knelt respectfully, his face full of piety, muttering incessantly.

The carpenter, holding the ink box, walked to the table and shouted, "Do not say that Lu Ban has come late, it is just the time to raise the beam. Do not say that Lu Ban has come too early, for now is the perfect moment to raise the beam!"

After that, from the head of the beam to the tail, he hung a five-foot-long piece of cloth on it, and tied an ax to the handle of the beam.

Lighting several sticks of incense, he bowed to the beam wood and exclaimed, "O fine wood, listen to the wind, call out ’fine wood’, listen clearly.

"You were on the fairy mountain, growing beneath steep cliffs, a rare and excellent material, now fully matured, ready to be put to great use, must ensure safety in all matters, we bring you here especially!"

After saying this, he took the rooster from under the table to the front.

While shouting, he pinched the rooster’s comb, spreading the comb blood at various spots on the wooden beam, chanting, "The golden rooster flies over the beam, descendants prosper in court!"

As soon as these words fell, he widened his eyes.

Blood, bright red and fresh, began to seep from the wooden beam...