Chapter Forty-Nine: Eliminating the Golden Blade Python

Amidst their terror, a distant howl of wolves echoed across the cliffs. Lan Wutong sighed, “I would rather be devoured by wild wolves than be turned into one of those drugged puppets.” With that, she drew a dagger from her belt, intent on ending her own life.

Li Chongyuan hastened to stop her, but just then Lin Qingli spoke up, “Do you know why there are no dogs in that village? Jiwa said all the dogs had been killed, but why? I suspect dogs must pose a threat to the drugged puppets, so they’re forbidden.”

Li Chongyuan’s eyes lit up. “That’s right! Don’t you have the power to summon animals? Why not try calling for some wild dogs?”

Lan Wutong replied gloomily, “Where would we find wild dogs in a place like this? Even if there were, I can’t summon them. I can only call snakes, insects, mice, creatures like that.” Suddenly, her eyes brightened. “But there are wild wolves here, aren’t there? Wolves are much the same as dogs.”

Lin Qingli asked, “If you can’t summon wild dogs, how will you summon wild wolves?” Lan Wutong answered confidently, “I have my methods.” Just as she finished speaking, the trunk of the tree they were clinging to shook violently, nearly toppling them. She dared not delay.

She took a bamboo flute from her bosom and began to play a mournful tune.

Soon, wild bees swarmed from the mountains. Dao Jinmang laughed. “Lan Wutong, don’t waste your efforts. These drugged puppets are immune to blades and spears. Do you think they’ll fear your wild bees?” Yet after a moment, the bees dispersed.

Meanwhile, the drugged puppets pressed the attack on the tree. Suddenly, wolf howls resonated through the valley. Dao Jinmang turned in shock and saw hundreds of wild wolves racing along the gorge. Lan Wutong had summoned the bees to the cliffs to drive the wolves toward them. Though fierce, the wolves could not withstand the bees’ stings and had no choice but to flee into the valley.

Starving, the wolves caught sight of the many drugged puppets. With a howl from their leader, the pack sprang forward, tearing into their prey.

The puppets struck out with their hands, but the wolves were agile and dodged easily, sinking their teeth into flesh. Soon, the puppets were reduced to ravaged husks.

Crafting these puppets had been no small feat, and Dao Jinmang’s heart ached. He grabbed handfuls of powder from his medicine pouch and scattered it. Any wolf that touched it convulsed and died instantly. The rest of the wolves, wary, kept their distance, circling him, while Dao Jinmang found himself unable to escape.

In desperation, he blew his bone whistle, summoning the puppets to his aid. But the wolves, clever and relentless, attacked the puppets’ legs and joints. Before long, the puppets’ limbs were ripped away, leaving only writhing torsos on the ground. The wolves feasted, and in moments, nothing remained of the puppets but blood and bones.

Witnessing this, Dao Jinmang cried out, spitting blood as he staggered. The wolves, waiting for their moment, pounced and tore out his throat, devouring him utterly.

Thus ended Dao Jinmang, who had ruled Miaojiang for decades—falling at last to the jaws of wolves.

After their feast, the wolves were still unsated. The lead wolf’s green eyes fixed on the three atop the tree. Lin Qingli cried, “Lan Wutong, why are they staring at us?” Lan Wutong replied with a smile, “We just gave them such a meal—perhaps they are grateful!”

But the lead wolf crouched and howled, and the pack surged to the base of the tree, scratching furiously at the earth with their forepaws. Li Chongyuan shouted, “This is bad! These beasts mean to eat us!” Already weakened by the puppets’ assault, the tree listed dangerously as the wolves dug at its roots. It tilted, dangling just a few yards above the ground, swaying precariously. The wolves, wild with excitement, leapt and snapped at the air.

One wolf leapt so high its claws nearly grazed Lin Qingli’s toes, the fetid stench of its breath making her scream in terror. Lan Wutong acted swiftly, playing her flute again. Soon, the wild bees returned, and the lead wolf, remembering their sting, fled with a howl, the pack streaming after him like a tide.

The three climbed down, drenched in cold sweat. Dao Jinmang’s body was nowhere to be seen, only a bloodstained patch remained, glinting with something bright. Lan Wutong picked it up: Dao Jinmang’s bone whistle for commanding the puppets. “This whistle is a true treasure for the poison arts,” she said cheerfully, tucking it away.

Lin Qingli exclaimed angrily, “That Jiwa, what a villain! I gave him so much silver, yet he lured us here as food for the puppets. I won’t rest until he’s dead!” With that, the three hurried toward the village.

Jiwa was sitting dazed on a stone mill in the central square, gazing at the pale sky. Seeing the three approach, he shrieked and ran toward the stilt house, but Li Chongyuan leaped forward and seized him. Jiwa babbled incoherently, “Mercy, ghostly master, mercy!”

Lan Wutong snapped, “We’re all very much alive. That so-called immortal of yours is the real ghost now!” Jiwa, hearing this, actually sighed in relief. Lan Wutong dragged him aside for questioning.

She returned with furrowed brows. “Dao Jinmang deserved a thousand deaths. Being eaten by wolves was too easy a fate.” As it turned out, Dao Jinmang’s ambitions were boundless. Hearing that the Jade Immortal intended to invite both the righteous and the wicked of the martial world for a grand debate, he came at once—not to seek reconciliation, but to incite conflict, plunging the realm into chaos so that he might lead the Witch Cult to seize the Central Plains. Knowing the Jade Immortal’s skills surpassed his own, he brought the puppets as his trump card, hiding them in this remote Yao village to avoid detection.

Upon arriving in the village, Dao Jinmang began slaughtering all but Jiwa, whom he deemed too dull to be a threat and kept as a slave. The rest he killed to feed the puppets, ordering Jiwa to exterminate all the dogs, since their bites could damage the puppets. He left Jiwa behind to tend the puppets, commanding him to find living victims to feed them, but this place was so isolated hardly anyone ever came. Terrified, Jiwa dared not flee and was forced to hunt wild game for the puppets’ sustenance. Before departing, Dao Jinmang forced a drug down Jiwa’s throat to keep the puppets from attacking him—its odor was the strange scent Li Chongyuan and the others had noticed before.

Dao Jinmang then went to Blackstone Mountain, intending to await the Jade Immortal. He encountered Lan Wutong instead and, desiring her for his experiments, planned to turn her into a puppet and use her to destroy the Golden Silkworm Sect from within. After his defeat in the duel of poisons, he hurried back to the village, only to fall into his own trap and meet his end at the wolves’ teeth.

Lan Wutong said, “This man only did these things because Dao Jinmang forced him. He tried to stop me from entering the village, not wanting me to die, and just now he hid the truth from us, so his humanity is not entirely lost. Let’s spare his life for that. The drug Dao Jinmang gave him is highly toxic—he likely won’t live many more days. Let him be.”

Li Chongyuan sighed. By now, dawn had broken. Unwilling to linger, the three gathered their belongings and departed.

“Master, Zhang Yizhi is about to make his move.” Nan Xianwen stood respectfully in the secret chamber. Opposite him, Zhang Jianzhi smiled. “He’s still young. I thought he’d wait until the year’s end, but he’s moving now. What is his plan?”

“He’s not very shrewd. What else could he do but transfer that group from Youzhou into the capital, disguise them as palace guards, and suddenly launch a coup?”

“Excellent. Let him try. Tell Jing Hui to let them in. The moment they draw their blades, our men will be ready—even the emperor won’t be able to save him then.” Cui Xuanli interjected, “That’s all well and good, but what about the palace gates?”

Zhang Jianzhi replied, “That’s a complication. Zhou Rui, though skilled, is rigid and stubborn. With him on guard, Zhang Yizhi’s lot won’t get in.” Nan Xianwen smiled, “No need to worry, Elder. Zhang Yizhi has already made arrangements. Early tomorrow, the Command of Crane Control will dispatch Zhou Rui to Jiangnan on urgent business, and Liu Du will take over the palace gate. Liu Du is already one of their trusted men.”

Cui Xuanli said, “So that’s their plan. Let Jing Hui be on alert—once they’re inside, surround them and take them all in one fell swoop. With Liu Du as their inside man, it’s best to be cautious. I’ll have people investigate his background just in case.”

The next morning, Zhou Rui, Commander of the Imperial Guards, received orders from the Command of Crane Control to depart for Jiangnan at once, and Liu Du replaced him as gatekeeper. At midnight, Zhang Yizhi left the Poisoned Guanyin outside the palace gate as backup, donned the uniform of the Imperial Guards along with his most trusted followers of the Crane Sect, and marched straight for the Daming Palace.

At the entrance, Liu Du let them pass without hesitation. They followed the usual patrol route, moving toward the Hall of Hanyuan. Inside, Zhang Jianzhi knelt before the dragon couch. Empress Wu Zetian, looking weary, asked, “Minister, what brings you here at this hour?”

Zhang Jianzhi spoke solemnly, “Your servant accuses Zhang Yizhi, Command of Crane Control, of plotting rebellion!”

Wu Zetian was taken aback, then smiled. “Elder, do not make such wild claims. The Fifth Prince would never rebel. I know you dislike him, but you mustn’t make baseless accusations.”

“The rebellion is tonight!” Zhang Jianzhi insisted. At that very moment, a cry rang out from outside, “Halt! Trespassers will be killed without mercy!” A scream followed. Shangguan Wan’er’s eyes flashed as she moved to shield Wu Zetian.

A voice sounded outside, “The Fifth Prince requests that Her Majesty abdicate!” It was unmistakably Zhang Yizhi.

Wu Zetian seemed struck by a heavy blow. Her spirit collapsed, and she stammered, “Is it truly you, Fifth Prince? I don’t believe it… You would never betray me!” Turning to Shangguan Wan’er, she said, “Wan’er, open the door. I must see with my own eyes to believe.”

Shangguan Wan’er nodded, cautiously unbolting the heavy doors. Outside, the corpse of the guard lay sprawled. Zhang Yizhi stood at the threshold, sword drawn, exuding murderous intent. Wu Zetian trembled, pointing at him with a shaking hand, her voice breaking, “So… so it is you, Fifth Prince. Well done…” She closed her eyes, saying no more, as tears streamed down her face.