Beginning with the Ubume Bird-Chapter 373 - 10 Dream Underworld
Chapter 373: Chapter 10 Dream Underworld
Chapter 373: Chapter 10 Dream Underworld
Having finalized their itinerary, the next morning at dawn, Li Yan specifically rented a horse-drawn carriage from the post station. Together with Flying Thunder, the two horses set off out of the city gates. There was no need for further mention that Cao Yongchang, the fugitive, was naturally hidden inside the carriage.
“Lord Governor,”
the Gatekeeper Officer hurried over, redness still in his eyes.
“What’s wrong, brother, didn’t sleep well?”
Li Yan walked at the forefront, chatting up the Gatekeeper Officer with a friendly smile.
“Lord Governor, you don’t know, something bizarre happened last night at General Li’s residence. First, several jars of old wine suddenly went missing from the cellar. Those were imperial wines gifted to us—General Li has cherished them for many years without even drinking them. Additionally, there were over a dozen black dogs guarding the backyard. I had just seen them a few days ago, all looking smart and sharp—yet, out of nowhere, four of them died mysteriously last night with knife wounds on their bodies. And in the middle of the night, someone saw a golden light in the southern part of the city, causing quite a commotion. Right now, General Li is furious and has ordered us to strictly inspect all merchants coming and going, insisting that we catch this thief!”
He then glanced at the carriage behind Li Yan and said with a smile, “Of course, we wouldn’t need to trouble ourselves with Lord Li’s carriage.”
Li Yan nodded absentmindedly, “It’s just that General Li has given the order, and I’m concerned that it might trouble the brothers.”
His words were polite, but he did not give any indication he would step aside.
The Gatekeeper Officer gave the silken-covered carriage a sidelong glance, then patted his chest, “If Lord Governor says there’s no need to search, then of course there’s no need to search. You’re treating us brothers like outsiders by saying that.”
Cha Xiaodao, hidden in the carriage, shook his head as he listened, “Corruption, oh, the corruption.”
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Cao Yongchang chimed in from the side, “Once we’re out of Liaodong, it won’t be this troublesome.”
After thanking the Gatekeeper Officer, Li Yan drove the carriage out of Guangning.
The climate in the north had become increasingly strange over the years. It wasn’t even the end of summer, but if the people of Guangning left a bucket of water outside overnight, it would certainly freeze into a lump of ice. There had even been several heavy snowfalls around July.
The Divine Emperor had issued several Decree of Self-accusation for this, essentially saying, “Frost in June is a result of my moral failing; I look to Heaven blah, blah, blah.”
However, according to Heavenly Master Tao, this was a sign of the dissipating Dragon Tiger Qi, the lifeforce of the nation. These Taoists could relate everything back to Dragon Tiger Qi, which disdainful scholars of the court found contemptible. Comparatively, their methods of coercing the Divine Emperor to author a Decree of Self-accusation were hardly more commendable.
Li Yan and his companions, three in total, were currently caught in a heavy snowfall.
Peering out of the carriage, Cao Yongchang curiously observed Li Yan and Cha Xiaodao.
Amidst the torrential snow, the two sat outside the carriage, one smoking a rolled cigarette, the other occasionally taking sips from a liquor gourd. And yet, there were only a few scattered specks of snow on their shoulders and heads, barely even damp. As the snowflakes nearly reached them, they would naturally drift away to either side.
Ordinary people might overlook such a detail, but Cao Yongchang was extremely surprised.
Li Yan staying untouched by the snow was one of the effects of “Destiny Yak,” similar to his ability to walk on water, his eagle-like vision, and bat-like hearing—abilities that weren’t too grand, but certainly not insignificant.
Actually, since returning from the bitter winter, Li Yan had always felt an incomplete sensation regarding his physical abilities, which he believed had yet to be fully developed.
Cha Xiaodao, on the other hand, possessed the same unfazed demeanor thanks to the power of Uḍḍiyāna Bandhuka.
“Uncle, were you and the warrior born with these skills, or did you acquire them later in life?”
“Let’s say it was acquired,” Cha Xiaodao glanced at Cao Yongchang, “But you’re out of luck. I can’t teach you.”
“Oh.”
Cao Yongchang replied gloomily.
“You have your own strengths, no need for idle thoughts,” said Cha Xiaodao, and Li Yan took over halfway, “How about this, you call me Mr. Li, and I’ll teach you a thing or two?”
Cao Yongchang’s eyes rolled around before he ultimately shook his head, “No calling, no calling.”
Li Yan chuckled and turned to Cha Xiaodao, “Keep an eye on the road for me; I’m going to take a nap.”
Cha Xiaodao nodded, Li Yan placed the vermilion Sword Box on his lap, leaned against the carriage, and heavily closed his eyes.
But in less than a quarter of an hour, Li Yan abruptly opened his eyes.
Cha Xiaodao glanced sideways, “What’s wrong?”
Li Yan shook his head. He hadn’t dreamed in over half a year, but in the brief moment just now, he had an unusually horrific nightmare of a mountain of corpses and a sea of blood. He then woke up abruptly and couldn’t detect anything unusual.
Without thinking much, Li Yan lay down to sleep again. Yet to his dismay, he had the nightmare again, with ghastly and horrific blood-covered faces, mutilated corpses, skies filled with pools of blood, and sinister blood-red thunder. Li Yan knew it was a dream, but this time he couldn’t shake himself awake. The corpses surged toward him from all directions, some with faces Li Yan recognized, others he did not remember.
Countless bloody hands reached for him. Li Yan looked around and found no weapon, so he could only dodge and block with furrowed brows. Suddenly, from the horizon came a thunderous shout.
“You murdering butcher, do you now understand that evil ghosts claim lives as retribution, implacable in their pursuit!”
No sooner had the voice faded than a long iron chain covered in barbed hooks snared around Li Yan’s neck!
Li Yan, who had been passively dodging and parrying, suddenly sparkled with brilliance in his eyes as he lunged forward, his hands catching the barbed iron chain. His palms, strengthened by Destiny Yak, were impervious to knives and spears, and yet the chain’s spikes easily pierced his skin and flesh, sinking into his bones.
In pain, Li Yan roared like a tiger. He sank into a horse stance, yanked back, and forcibly dragged the other end of the chain towards him, pulling out of the sea of corpses an Ox Ghost Envoy towering over four meters tall!
Li Yan grabbed the chain, rolled on the spot, clutched the ghost envoy’s trouser leg, flipped on its back with two somersaults, and viciously looped the chain around the ghost envoy’s neck.
“You!”
The Ox was both shocked and enraged.
Li Yan clenched his teeth, twisted his arms to tighten the chain, and the barbs gouged into the Ox Ghost Envoy’s neck. The gradually breaking bones emitted a chilling sound.
Li Yan’s eyes were bloodshot, the barbs also piercing the palms of his hands, causing blood to flow freely, but he paid it no mind.
Crack~crack~crack~
The four-meter-tall Ox Ghost Envoy collapsed to the ground, and it was about half a minute before Li Yan finally let go, both hands covered in wounds exposing his bones.
Without hesitation, Li Yan had acted first to kill the ghost envoy that had come to claim his life!
Once again he opened his eyes, still in the carriage amidst the snowstorm.
“Interesting.”
A cold smile appeared on Li Yan’s lips.
“Has someone arrived?”
Cha Xiaodao raised an eyebrow and asked Li Yan, who had been jolted awake twice against the carriage.
“It’s nothing, I can handle it.”
Li Yan shook his head and closed his eyes again, soon his breathing evened out.
…
Eerie winds howled, blood clouds plummeted.
Li Yan looked around. He was standing beside a bridge, surrounded by desolate mountains and wild springs, with wailing and sneering sounds intermittently heard. Every now and then he could see stakes nailing living people, and blue and green Evil Ghosts flaying and extracting bones. It was a horrific sight beyond words.
A ghostly howl rose from behind Li Yan: “That surnamed Li is in for a world of trouble. Yama is waiting to measure his punishment, sending him to the Eighteen Layers of the Miry Plough Hell!”
Just as Li Yan was about to turn around, his own voice came from behind.
“But it seems to me that with my body as strong as steel and iron, even King Yama can’t break me!”
