The Blade-Wielding Legend
Chapter 68: Pass through the Yin, Extinguish the Hall Entrance

Chapter 68: Chapter 68: Pass through the Yin, Extinguish the Hall Entrance

The moon was dark and the wind high, and the sound of shoveling continued.

Li Yan and Sha Lifei worked hard digging, while Old Wu sat in meditation nearby.

His meditation posture was somewhat peculiar.

He lay on the ground facing the sky, legs bent, soles together, somewhat resembling a yang-resting position, but with palms misaligned in a strange hand gesture.

After a moment, he suddenly opened his eyes, flipped up like a carp, and his expression changed entirely, his eyes becoming bright and sharp.

"All right!"

Glancing at the deep pit on the ground, Old Wu said in a deep voice, "There are deities three feet above, and three feet below one reaches the underworld. This distance is enough. Lift the coffin!"

Upon hearing this, Li Yan and Sha Lifei quickly tossed aside their shovels.

First, they scattered Five-Colored Soil, then poured a bottle of rice wine, and finally lifted a nearby thin-shell coffin, placing it slowly into the pit.

What is a thin-shell coffin?

The coffin has its significance, usually seven feet three inches, hence the saying "A coffin of the world seven feet three is enough to bury all the Han."

But this is only among the common folk, the royal nobility have different standards.

Of course, distinctions exist among the common folk as well. Wealthy families use fine sandalwood or Phoebe, long-lasting and decay-resistant.

However, the poor cannot afford such materials, and the thickness of the coffin board is less than three inches, hence called a thin-shell coffin.

Because when such coffins are buried, they are often dug up by wild dogs, who break the boards with their heads to eat the corpse, they’re also known as "dog head knock."

Old Wu wasn’t burying, so a dog head knock sufficed.

After placing the coffin, Old Wu picked up some Paper Money, reciting a scripture meaning not to disturb the Wandering Ghosts, while making gestures.

Li Yan could smell, a few strands of Ground Yin Qi were being drawn up, surrounding the coffin, forming the pattern of the Southern Dipper’s six stars.

After completing these, he took off his shoes, placing them one face up, one down in the coffin, then slowly lay inside, clutching the "Hook Paper" in his hand.

"Remember!"

Old Wu said gravely, "At cock crow and daybreak, if the copper bell rings, then break the earth and open the coffin immediately, if the bell does not ring, you must burn the coffin directly, never open it!"

"Burn it?!"

Sha Lifei was shocked, "But, Senior, you..."

Old Wu shook his head, "Don’t worry about me, if you don’t want to die, burn it, because if the bell doesn’t ring..."

"What comes out definitely won’t be me!"

With that, he slowly closed his eyes.

Li Yan and Sha Lifei exchanged a glance, both helpless.

They were witnessing the true Yin Skill for the first time and didn’t understand its mysteries, so they could only follow orders.

They slowly closed the coffin lid, without fastening it with nails.

Moreover, there was a pit hole on the coffin, Li Yan first inserted the copper bell-strung hemp rope into the hole, seeing Old Wu grip the rope tightly inside, only then did he and Sha Lifei shovel dirt to bury the coffin.

Afterward, following Old Wu’s predetermined positions, according to the Southern Dipper’s six-star layout, they lit six oil lamps, and hung the copper bell on a tree, marking the completion.

Cluck, cluck!

Tied to a nearby tree was a large rooster, scratching the dirt for insects.

Sha Lifei shook his head, "This method seems quite eerie, I wonder if it will work?"

"Just follow Senior’s instructions."

Li Yan said in a low voice, "Uncle Sha, remember, if the Yin Wind rises later, throw the Paper Money to prevent Senior’s body from being coveted."

Sha Lifei swallowed, "What if those things don’t cooperate?"

Li Yan slowly attached the Three Talents Demon Suppressing Coin Blade Tassel, calmly saying:

"If words don’t work, then it’s time for action."

...

Meanwhile, in Xianyang City, unrest loomed.

"Bang—bang bang!"

"Midnight has arrived, the air is dry, beware of fire!"

The old watchman slowly walked through the old street.

Passing a dark alley, the old man suddenly felt a chill, tightened his coat, and quickened his pace.

Having served as a watchman for many years, he had developed a sharp ear. In the stillness of night, he could hear the breathing of many people in the nearby dark alley.

Of course, the old man didn’t meddle.

The Changping Warehouse wasn’t far from here, with the government garrison stationed there.

If something happened, it wouldn’t be his responsibility.

The large blacksmith shop across the alley was also the Iron Blade Gang’s base. These people were domineering in their day and often bullied him as well, so he couldn’t be bothered to interfere.

After experiencing decades of storms, he had seen too much.

The Wang Family of his youth, a prominent family, filled with skilled individuals, even related to the palace, once called the King of Xianyang.

Unfortunately, one royal decree wiped the entire family from existence.

In his middle age, the Gao Family produced several Dan Strength experts, renowned throughout the Guanzhong area. Even large sects from other provinces had to greet them.

Yet they offended some mysterious force and were wiped out overnight.

Compared to this, the Iron Blade Gang was nothing.

In the pugilistic world, there was always someone stronger...

...

Once the old man left, two people slowly emerged from the dark alley.

One wore a sheepskin jacket; he was the man who had cleaned up after the attempted ambush of a beggar outside the Wendao Temple alley that night.

The other was Luo Shihai.

The man respectfully greeted, "Senior Luo, you can stay home. We can easily eliminate the last resistance of the Zhou Family."

Luo Shihai snorted, "The Iron Blade Gang harbors a Jiang Zuo Magician planning to steal my treasure. We mustn’t let him go!"

"Of course, rest assured, Senior."

The sheepskin-clad man nodded and then his expression turned cold:

"Move!"

At the command, a group of men clad in black rushed out.

They wore black scarves on their heads and wielded short wooden rods.

Each rod was about an arm and a cubit long, one end slightly thick, the other thin.

Called ’Whip Rods,’ also known as ’Mule Whips,’ these weapons were popular in Shan, Gan, Ning, and Jinzhou regions, with ancient origins, and many Martial Artists had practiced with them. The most famous was the Xintention Liuhe Whip Rod.

However, using them collectively signified the Carriage Shop’s presence.

The newcomers were from Taixing Carriage Shop.

Once out of the alley, they hastened toward the blacksmith shop’s surrounding walls.

As the Iron Blade Gang’s base, the blacksmith shop wasn’t ordinary, as it had connected the surrounding shops and built walls over two people high, resembling a small fortress.

Yet, these barriers couldn’t stop the Carriage Shop thugs.

In teams of three, two would clasp hands to boost the third into the air, whereupon the third would hoist the others up.

With swift actions, they quickly scaled the high walls.

Crash—crash!

The sound of pots shattering arose.

The Iron Blade Gang hooligans had placed earthen pots below the walls as a night alarm.

"Who goes there?!"

Gang members awoke and rushed out with short blades.

Usually, these hooligans would not gather in such numbers, especially at night, as they frequented brothels, gambled, and drank... each had their own haunts.

However, recent events were unstable. The White Ape Gang was destroyed by the government, prompting the gang leader to order everyone to stay at the base and avoid trouble.

Seeing a group of black-clad men jumping down, the Iron Blade Gang was initially startled, but realizing there were fewer than thirty intruders, they felt emboldened.

"Where do these bastards come from?!"

"Brothers, let’s spill some blood!"

The Iron Blade Gang members clamored and fought with the intruders.

But upon engagement, they realized something was amiss.

These black-clad men were silent and the power of their whip rods was astonishing, striking, chopping, lifting, pulling—movements were crisp and efficient, easily breaking the wrists of their opponents, causing the knives to drop.

This was the Whip Rod, a non-iron weapon, yet short, savvy, fierce, and versatile.

The flying whip rods accompanied by relentless pounding and screams filled the air.

They were facing a true pugilistic gang!

The Iron Blade members were taken aback.

Originally roughnecks on the streets, they had trained some martial arts but had been weakened by indulgence, only being able to bully ordinary people.

Depending on the protection of the government’s rules, they could act the rogue, forcing downcast Jianghu people to submit.

Against these true tough folks, they were just beaten.

Soon, the ground was filled with fallen people.

Taixing Carriage Shop struck hard; they didn’t aim for critical areas like the Baihui or temples but left these hooligans’ limbs broken.

Even after recovery, they would likely remain disabled.

Moreover, the cost of medical care for so many people, plus caretaking, would be enough to drag the Iron Blade Gang down.

But if neglected, the gang would dissipate entirely.

After disabling the remaining gang members, the black-clad men of Taixing Carriage Shop continued to search the blacksmith shop thoroughly.

"Find Zheng Hebei quickly!"

"And that Magician!"

"Search everywhere, look for hidden paths!"

The black-clad men went through each room but conspicuously skipped past one chamber, not even looking as they leapt past.

In the chamber, two Yellow Talismans were pasted on the wood window, a small altar on which a black Wandering Soul Vase was open, a Yin Wind swirling with incense ash inside.

Behind the altar, a man with disheveled hair had a Tai Chi Diagram drawn in vermillion on his forehead; it was the Jiang Zuo magician hiding with Zheng Hebei, Old You.

He busily formed mantras, chanting spells with a forehead full of cold sweat.

Meanwhile, outside the courtyard, several shouts rang out.

"Reporting to the leader, no one was found!"

"Senior Luo, should we..."

"Forget it, he’s likely hiding with the old monkey, let’s go."

"Retreat!"

At the command, the Carriage Shop men dispersed, leaving only the Iron Blade Gang hooligans in agony on the ground.

Only then did the Magician Old You breathe a sigh of relief, retracting the altar, trembling all over.

He only knew spell-casting to harm others, not martial arts.

If caught, he would surely receive a beating.

How did Luo Shihai find out about his schemes?

With the Zhou Family declining, the Iron Blade Gang was no place to stay anymore!

Old You’s eyes flickered with uncertainty, but he smirked coldly, secretly heading toward Gang Leader Zheng Hebei’s room while the members lay injured in the courtyard...

...

While the Iron Blade Gang endured catastrophe, commotion stirred by the trees near the river outside the city.

Crash—crash!

As midnight arrived, a Yin Wind suddenly rose, startling flocks of birds into flight.

Li Yan commenced the Yang Jue, immediately detecting a rotten, cold scent from afar, carrying a sticky sensation, rising from the ground.

"Uncle Sha, quickly!"

With his alert, Sha Lifei hurriedly grabbed a handful of Paper Money and scattered it into the air.

"Passing friends, mountains and rivers have their paths, may our wells not intrude upon each other..."