Screams and barking erupted, chaos breaking loose in an instant.
The lantern held by a beggar fell to the ground, igniting dry grass. Flames and thick smoke billowed, driving the wild dogs into a frenzy.
The remaining beggars scattered in all directions.
"Point's blown, watch for hidden darts!"
"Loose the snakes, make him a ghost!"
"Don't spook that clear breeze!"
They dodged the dogs while shouting in coded slang.
The jargon of the martial world, though unique to each region and gang, shared a common tongue across the rivers and lakes. With enough exposure, one could decipher it.
Translated, it meant: "We're exposed, beware of hidden weapons," "Release the snakes, kill him," and "Don't disturb that ghost."
Such words might fool an outsider, but Li Yan understood them clearly.
Beggars were experts at handling snakes, and since they had secret methods to control wild dogs, it was no surprise they'd use snakes to ambush him.
But "Don't disturb that ghost" made Li Yan's heart sink.
This was likely the beggars' backup plan.
Inviting a troublesome entity during a deity-summoning ritual could lead to unpredictable consequences.
With this thought, he abandoned stealth, leaping from the hillside and charging down the slope.
Woof! Woof-woof!
The already agitated pack of wild dogs immediately spotted him.
These beasts, brimming with ferocity, split their attention—some chased the fleeing beggars, but most bared their fangs and lunged at Li Yan.
Worse still, the beggars untied their tattered sacks, flinging them open. Instantly, a dozen black snakes shot out, slithering swiftly across the ground toward him.
Clang!
Li Yan's expression remained steady as he drew his Guanshan blade.
With a focused thought, the Three Talents Demon-Suppressing Coin tassel on the blade swayed side to side.
Having crossed the threshold of the Mysterious Gate, his mind had successfully nurtured a divine spark. Though he had yet to construct a mental pavilion, and the deity he visualized was only a vague orb of light, he could already wield this ritual weapon.
Guided by his divine intent, the tassel's malevolent aura spread instantly.
The blade gleamed like ice, radiating a chilling presence.
According to Wang Daoxuan, the Three Talents Demon-Suppressing Coin, when combined with a court-bestowed plaque, formed a subtle yet vicious suppression formation, capable of operating on its own.
Taken alone, the coin created a "force."
This force, though steeped in sinister energy, was fierce and unyielding, perfect for subduing evil.
The wild dogs, mere mortal flesh, had long fed on human corpses, absorbing traces of sinister aura, making them highly sensitive.
"Whine~"
The moment Li Yan drew his blade, the dogs bristled, as if facing their nemesis, and scattered in all directions.
The black venomous snakes fled too.
These creatures, even more sinister, turned back—some slithering into the sacks, others suddenly rearing up to strike at the beggars.
Clearly, the snakes had gone rogue.
The beggars, caught off guard, were stunned but experienced in handling snakes. Listening to the rustle of movement, they clawed the air, seizing the snakes by their vital points and stuffing them into pockets.
But in that brief moment, Li Yan closed the distance.
Splat!
Before one beggar could react, his throat was slashed, blood spraying as he collapsed, clutching his neck, gurgling "hgh-hgh" before going still.
An older beggar nearby, far more seasoned in combat, leaped back while swinging his dog-beating stick downward with a whistle.
This move, called "Stick Strikes Dog's Head," was used against vicious dogs. As the dog pounced, the beggar would retreat to create distance, then swing the stick vertically to strike a vital point.
When used on a person, it didn't always aim for the head.
The stick, a long weapon, could shatter a wrist's bones with a single strike, disarming the opponent. The beggar would then step forward, jabbing diagonally at the throat.
If the opponent dodged, it created space to retreat.
The old beggar had a clever plan, but Li Yan was faster. As he cut down the first beggar, he rolled to the side, evading the stick.
The old beggar retracted his weapon, twisting his body for a sweeping strike.
But as Li Yan rose from his roll, he grabbed a handful of dirt and pebbles, flicking them with a snap of his wrist.
The old beggar was pelted in the face.
Panicking, he tried to retreat, only to feel a chill at his neck. His vision spun—Li Yan had severed his head.
In a life-or-death fight, Li Yan's swift blade showed no mercy.
"Hard target, wind's tight—scarper!"
Seeing Li Yan's ferocity, the remaining beggars turned and fled.
The beggar sects of the world were vast and varied, a mix of all sorts.
Though these were trained fighters from the beggar's den, they typically bullied ordinary folk. Against martial peers, they relied on numbers, dogs, and snakes to catch opponents off guard.
But against a ruthless foe like Li Yan, with their dog and snake tactics broken, they could only flee in disgrace.
Li Yan snorted coldly, giving chase.
In such a perilous situation, he couldn't afford to be reckless.
He needed to know why these beggars were sabotaging them.
The fleeing beggars scattered, their lanterns abandoned. Familiar with the terrain, they dove into dense thickets.
Though Li Yan's supernatural sense of smell tracked their positions, these slippery rogues were elusive. Some even vanished into grave pits.
There were hidden tunnels beneath the chaotic graveyard!
Li Yan cursed inwardly. As he ran, he stooped, grabbed a stone, and flicked it with a twist of his wrist.
"Ow!"
A beggar was struck in the back of the head, stumbling and crashing into a tree, his head buzzing, vision darkening.
Clang!
As he tried to rise, a cold sensation met his neck—Li Yan's Guanshan blade rested there.
"Who sent you? Why attack us?"
Li Yan wasted no words, his voice icy.
To his surprise, the beggar, pinned by the blade, showed no fear. Grinning with rotten teeth, he puckered his lips and began whistling.
"Courting death!"
Li Yan's brows shot up. With a flick of his wrist, he slit the beggar's throat.
Whistling at midnight was a grave taboo.
Especially in a place like this chaotic graveyard, thick with sinister aura.
Wang Daoxuan had explained this to him.
In ancient times, before writing existed and knots were tied to record events, hunters used gestures and whistles.
These were the origins of hand seals and shamanic chants.
Similarly, white symbolized bitter cold, red symbolized blood.
These concepts were etched deep in the soul and bloodline, passed down through generations. Even today, many techniques were tied to them.
Some sects and folk shamans still used whistles to aid in spells for summoning or controlling spirits.
This beggar was clearly trying to drag him down with him.
But it was too late.
As the beggar's throat was cut, a sudden gust of eerie wind surged, icy mist swirling, accompanied by faint shouts of battle.
At the same time, Li Yan caught a cold, bloody scent.
It was slightly weaker than the cold altar's frenzied soldiers, lacking the beastly musk, but brimming with killing intent, like rusted blades.
A soldier soul!
Li Yan's eyelids twitched, and he quickly retreated, sheathing his blade.
Wang Daoxuan had told him about these yin entities.
This land of Shenzhou had never lacked wars.
From ancient tribal battles to the struggles of Shang and Zhou, to every dynastic change, countless died in conflict. Where sinister aura gathered, tangled with bloodshed and unyielding spirits, soldier souls emerged.
In some places, they amassed in droves, forming passing yin armies.
These entities roamed the earth, often recruited as spectral forces.
Soldier souls despised the aura of weapons. Once sensed, driven by lingering memories, they'd charge like wild dogs.
Once, a town near a yin army's path echoed with ceaseless battle cries. A charlatan priest, full of bravado, urged villagers to brandish kitchen knives, clashing blades to scare the spirits away.
Needless to say, not a soul in that town survived.
Though Li Yan wielded the Three Talents Demon-Suppressing Coin, he'd faced frenzied soldiers before and knew these entities defied normal logic.
Avoid them if possible, lest another life-flame be snuffed out.
Whoosh~
The eerie wind grew stronger, the cold, bloody scent rising from the graves, drifting and seeping into the beggar's corpse.
Crack!
With an unnatural twisting of bones, the corpse stood upright.
Li Yan held his breath, retreating slowly.
He wanted to steer clear, but to his surprise, the corpse staggered toward him, the icy blood aura growing thicker.
Li Yan halted, a fierce glint in his eyes, his hand gripping the hilt.
It seemed this thing couldn't be shaken.
But the soldier soul had made a mistake. Its yearning for a body led it to possess the corpse.
A body was both a vessel and a cage.
Destroying the body would only force it to seek another, but with the Three Talents Demon-Suppressing Coin, Li Yan could seize the chance to slay it.
"Hold on!"
Just as he prepared to act, a sound came from behind…
*(End of Chapter)*