Not knowing whether it was due to the emergence of a legendary sword, Su Su suddenly shivered and began to regain consciousness. Xu Fengnian flicked his sleeve, releasing his sword, and struck the hilt of Jinlu, knocking the former crown prince of Xishu unconscious once again. The old scholar was furious, his lips trembling in anger.
As the Jinlu sword returned before the blind female lute player, Xue Songguan coldly snorted. The sword trembled and struggled in midair, uncertain whether to advance or retreat. Observing this with a worldly gaze, the old scholar grew more cautious of the flirtatious Beiliang prince. Despite the situation seemingly being settled, Xu Fengnian still attempted to eliminate Xue Songguan. Xu smiled broadly, releasing his grip on Jinlu. Xue, however, had no intention of handing the sword back so easily. She flicked her finger, drawing the sword toward her, then pressed it down with two slender fingers of her left hand. As a genuine Zhi Xuan expert, she was highly perceptive of the subtlest details. The sword, crafted by Deng Tai’a, bore exquisite patterns akin to an unwritten sword manual.
Among the four pinnacle realms, regardless of one’s current cultivation or proximity to the realm of terrestrial immortals, three geniuses stood out: Li Dangxin, the white-robed monk in the Jin Gang realm; Cao Changqing, who possessed eight-tenths of the celestial aura; and Deng Tai’a, who had mastered the Dao of sword through arcane techniques in the Zhi Xuan realm. In that rain-soaked alley, plus the secret weapon Jinlu, the blind lute player had witnessed ten flying swords. Now, as she touched the blade, she realized its profound secrets. Xue estimated that this son of a butcher might possess a great treasure without knowing its value, perhaps neglecting its deeper sword meaning while merely nurturing its embryonic form. She had no intention of enlightening him.
Xu Fengnian, having released Jinlu, was unconcerned about the female demon returning it, ignoring the angry glares of Zhao Dingxiu. He walked into the courtyard, gazing intently at the sandalwood box containing the Spring and Autumn sword. The box bore intricate and ancient inscriptions; top swordsmiths across the land often mastered the arcane arts of geomancy. Since this smith, bearing the surname Qi, had the qualifications to forge swords for the sword emperor of Xishu, he naturally ranked among the best. If the sword sheath was akin to an inner garment, then the box was like an outer robe. This particular box, however, transcended that analogy—it was more like a cage, preventing the sword’s killing aura from escaping.
In literature, chess, and the martial world, there was a common prejudice favoring antiquity and belittling the present. People always believed that poetry and prose were better in ancient times, and martial arts secrets grew more precious with age. They failed to realize that worldly affairs were like a game of chess, with each generation standing on the shoulders of their predecessors, making increasingly refined moves. Fortunately, in the world of chess, there were Huang Longshi and Xu Wei Xiong; in the martial world, there were Wang Xianzhi and Li Chungan, who ushered in new eras of prosperity lasting centuries. Now, the emergence of the Spring and Autumn sword could be seen as a sign that the present could rival the past.
As the blacksmith saw Xu Fengnian reaching out to touch the sword box, he softly warned, “Be careful.”
Xu Fengnian extended his hand to the box, then withdrew it, noticing fresh blood seeping from his palm. The sword’s murderous intent was the strongest he had ever encountered.
The blacksmith, who had once carried the sword for the sword emperor of Xishu, chuckled, “I only forge a good sword. How you retrieve it and later subdue its aura is your concern.”
Without turning his head, Xu Fengnian said, “Wu, find a guesthouse for the lute player.”
The youth, carrying a large bow and quiver, nodded, “Sure thing.”
As soon as Xue Songguan released Jinlu, it instantly returned to Xu Fengnian’s sleeve. The blacksmith, a master swordsman in his own right, nodded approvingly. No wonder he had fought so fiercely with this Zhi Xuan woman in the alley. The Beiliang king had indeed sired a fine son with a similar temperament. The blacksmith then thought of his own former crown prince of Xishu, Su Su—of course, a pseudonym. The name Su Su was a homophone for Shu, and why he bore the surname Su and the given name Su, only old scholar Zhao could explain. Over the years, he had never quite figured it out. Perhaps the old scholar had fond memories of the fragrant pastries sold by street vendors in Xishu? The blacksmith approached the furnace, gazing at the sleeping youth. Unlike the old scholar, he was a simple blacksmith with no interest in national grievances. He felt it was enough that this lost prince could live happily in the common world. Whether to restore the kingdom or not was left to fate. He recalled a great river flowing through Xishu, where the sword emperor, second only to the sword god Li Chungan, once said that sword force was like a river, flowing naturally downward and thus generating greater sword energy. The blacksmith, who had carried the sword, believed that perhaps the way of life was similar—only Li Chungan had ever opened the heavenly gates by going against the current. The sword Muma Niu was an exception, not the norm.
The old scholar strode into the backyard with his hands behind his back. The blacksmith picked up Su Su, entering the narrow rooms in the back. As a child, Su Su often cried at night and wet the bed, forcing the old scholar to stay by the door all night. The blacksmith, on the other hand, slept soundly, often engrossed in forging a sword from a piece of celestial iron. Every time he thought of this, the blacksmith couldn’t help but laugh. It was hard on the old scholar, who had spent his life in scholarship, to now act as both father and mother in his old age. How many times had the young prince pulled out his beard, only to giggle afterward? The blacksmith thought that the old scholar, with his helpless expression at those moments, seemed more human than when he once scolded the emperor for his foolishness in the imperial court.
Xu Fengnian stood motionless in the courtyard, slowly circling the sword box.
The young assassin left his bow in the courtyard and walked out with the blind lute player. She carried her broken lute wrapped in cloth, like a gentle maiden returning from the market. The youth glanced sideways, finding it amusing. Naturally carefree, he teased, “Sister Xue, I accidentally broke your beloved ancient lute. You won’t suddenly kill me, will you?”
The female lute player gently shook her head, “No.”
Curious, the youth known as Wu asked, “Sister Xue, aren’t you a top-ranking villain on the Beiman list? Don’t villains kill people without reason?”
She smiled, “I don’t know why I made the list. I’ve only killed six people, except for the first, all were hired hits. Perhaps it’s because all my targets were close to the Jin Gang realm!”
The boy, with a child’s innocence, laughed, “Sister Xue, a woman with such high skills might have trouble finding a husband. Think about it—even if you weren’t a notorious villain, who would want a wife who fights better than him? Like me, I’m scared to find a wife. I’ll definitely look for a girl who only knows embroidery, though I’m not rich or handsome. My master used to worry I’d never find a wife.”
The blind girl softly replied, “With the Beiliang prince, you needn’t fear finding a wife.”
The youth Wu, with arms long like a mountain ape, walked on the cobblestone path, gazing into the distance, solemnly saying, “I fear dying suddenly one day, so I dare not take a wife.”
Arriving at the guesthouse, the boy silently vanished into the night.
The next morning, after a full sleep, Su Su tried to leap up with a graceful somersault but ended up crashing heavily onto the wooden bed, making the fragile frame creak. Rubbing his waist, Su Su was confused—how had he ended up in bed upon opening his eyes? Wasn’t he in a rain-soaked alley last night, meeting a woman waiting for someone? He vaguely remembered a tall figure with an umbrella at the alley’s end. Normally, such an imposing figure would have prompted Su Su to mutter sarcastically for hours. He stepped out of the room, which the old scholar always tidied, only to be left in disarray the next day. The old scholar often lectured, “How can you clean the world if you can’t even clean your room?” Initially, Su Su paid no heed, but later, tired of the nagging, he retorted, “Give me a world to clean, and I’ll keep this room spotless.” Since then, the old man had stopped nagging, leaving Su Su feeling a bit guilty.
The old scholar was moving some orchids outside, which Su Su found normal. He went to the front room, where Qi Shu was still diligently hammering away at his ironwork. Su Su flexed his arm, comparing his muscles with Qi’s, feeling discouraged. Suddenly, he noticed a familiar yet somewhat unfamiliar figure in the courtyard. Rushing over, he widened his eyes and shouted, “Who are you?”
Throughout the night, Xu Fengnian had been unraveling the sword energy emanating from the sword box. The torn earth had been unknowingly flattened underfoot. He turned and looked at this heir of the former Xishu royal family but said nothing.
Su Su furrowed his brow, then suddenly realized, jumping up mockingly, “I remember now! You’re that fool who got scammed out of money under the old willow tree yesterday. Big man, were you crying because you heartache ( heartache) the silver or what?”
Xu Fengnian turned coldly away.
The old scholar Zhao Dingxiu, arriving at the front room, helplessly said, “Don’t be rude.”
With Su Su’s dull senses, he naturally couldn’t perceive the sword’s potent aura. The sword energy, though sentient, wouldn’t actively harm ordinary people like Su Su, who didn’t cultivate martial arts. Su Su stepped over the threshold, planning to go out and play with his usual rowdy friends. He had always associated with poor folks, and though this wealthy young man seemed a bit foolish, he wasn’t someone Su Su wanted to get close to. In truth, he felt uncomfortable around such people, easily feeling inferior.
He decided to ignore them and walked past the person and the strange box. Accidentally spotting the banana leaves by the wall, shredded like they had been gnawed by a dog, he flew into a rage. Climbing onto the wall, he shouted at the neighboring courtyard, “Wang Feibiao, come out, you bastard! Last time you stole my banana leaves to wipe your ass, I let it slide, but this time, are you catcalling or what? Why are you scratching my banana plants? Go scratch your idiot wife’s tits!”
A roar came from the neighboring courtyard. A fat man, his belly jiggling, hurriedly pulled up his pants and grabbed a hoe, shouting, “Su Su, your skin itchy for a beating? Yelling so early in the morning! I’ll kill you!”
Su Su, on the wall, threw a few punches, thinking himself mighty, then crouched and grinned, “Want to climb the wall? Come on, come on! With your size, you’d suffocate your wife in bed. Be careful not to kill her. Then you’ll have to beg me to yell for you.”
Wang Feibiao couldn’t climb the wall, and his hoe couldn’t reach Su Su. In a rage, he hurled the hoe, probably having exhausted his strength on his wife’s belly the night before, missing badly and flying into the alley. Su Su was about to taunt him further when he saw the hoe heading straight for a passing woman. Startled, he leapt forward instinctively to block it, but the rain-soaked wall was soft, and he stumbled forward, closing his eyes in reflex. When he opened them again, he suddenly found himself in her arms. Su Su was momentarily stunned, unsure how to speak.
Wang Feibiao opened the door and, seeing this, was equally astonished. Could it be that Su Su’s ancestors had brought him good fortune? He hurriedly went to retrieve the hoe, fearing he might have injured someone. In a poor household, every copper coin was hard-earned. If someone died, especially someone from the second tier of Beiman, his whole family might be executed in retribution.
The blind lute player set Su Su down, who stood up, blushing and stammering, “Sorry, sorry.”
The early morning air was fresh after the night rain, making the light especially clear. Su Su looked at her closely—she wasn’t beautiful, but she was delicate and pleasant, like a girl from a wealthy family in the neighborhood. He liked her very much.
Scratching his head, Su Su asked, “Young lady, were you waiting for the young man with the sword last night?”
She nodded.
Su Su instinctively slapped his forehead. Of course, birds of a feather flock together. Both were a bit odd. With this thought, Su Su looked at him with pity. He led her into the courtyard. Behind him, Wang Feibiao, squatting by the door watching, shouted, “Oh, Su Su, you’ve grown up! Bringing a girl into the courtyard for the first time since birth! Should I set off firecrackers to celebrate?”
Stepping over the courtyard gate, Su Su turned back and shouted, “Wang Feibiao, keep shouting, and tonight I’ll bring my brothers to listen at your wall! Let’s see how many times your ‘golden spear never falls’ lasts!”
Wang Feibiao was about to charge forward when the courtyard gate slammed shut, leaving him to grumble and return home for more sleep, spitting angrily, thinking to himself, “I’ve got a wife to keep me warm, do you have one, kid?”
Later, Su Su learned that the old scholar had informed the private school he wouldn’t be teaching for a few days. Qi Shu continued his blacksmithing, while the blind girl sat quietly in the backyard, not appearing to be daydreaming but rarely speaking. Occasionally, the old scholar would chat with her, and she would answer briefly. As for the unnamed young man, Su Su couldn’t figure him out and decided not to bother. He sat in the backyard, admiring the blind girl’s shy demeanor. As for the old scholar’s advice about not staring at women, he ignored it. Later, the old scholar somehow produced half a string of coins from a corner, making Su Su, who had often lamented his inability to cook without ingredients, very happy. He prepared a sumptuous lunch with meat and vegetables. Xue, the blind girl, ate as delicately and shyly as ever. Su Su found her endearing. Under the table, the old scholar stepped on Su Su’s foot several times, but Su Su remained unmoved, displaying great composure.
Su Su noticed that the sword-wielding young man took his bowl and went back to the front yard to stand and stare blankly again.
The old scholar occasionally went to check on him, then returned shaking his head. Su Su wasn’t without curiosity, but the old scholar remained tight-lipped, disappointing Su Su, who had hoped this might be a wealthy distant relative. Fortunately, with Xue nearby, Su Su felt better.
For the next half a month, Xue came in the morning and left at dusk, unfailingly.
Finally learning that the young man, named Xu, remained in a trance in the front yard, Su Su was puzzled. He thought to himself, “If there were a beautiful girl standing in front of you, wouldn’t you get tired of staring for half a month?”
That day, Su Su sat on a small stool in the backyard, chatting idly with Xue.
The old scholar walked back from the front yard, muttering to himself, “Sincere effort can move even the gods. If someone with such a prestigious background is willing to endure hardship, then I, Zhao Dingxiu, have underestimated him.”
Su Su, hearing this vaguely, shouted, “Old man, what are you saying?”
The old scholar sat down silently for a long time before saying, “We’re moving. South.”
Su Su rolled his eyes, “Do we have the money? Besides, what’s there in the south? It’s fine here. I’m not moving!”
The old scholar seemed both sorrowful and angry, raising his voice, “I said we’re moving! Why can he endure hardship despite his wealth, while you cannot?!”
Normally, Su Su would just endure the old scholar’s scolding, but with a woman present, he got angry, “Why should I leave a good, stable life to suffer like a stray dog? Is that fun?!”
The old scholar was furious, his voice trembling, “Good! A stray dog! That’s exactly what you are!”
He pointed at the young man, his eyes brimming with tears, “Do you know how many of our three million households in Xishu have lived like stray dogs for twenty years?!”
Confused, Su Su stammered, unsure what to say. Seeing the old scholar’s rare display of emotion, he dared not argue further.
The quiet blind lute player gently said, “Old scholar, Su Su isn’t entirely wrong. In life, everyone just wants to avoid suffering. Even in the martial world, I’m no different—I only seek not to be forced into things.”
The old scholar, though often stubborn, was not entirely unreasonable. He simply shook his head, choking back tears, “But he’s different. He’s Su Su!”
Su Su wasn’t upset because of the scolding, but seeing the old scholar’s tears made him inexplicably sad. His eyes reddened as he sniffled, “Right, I’m Su Su! But I’m just the Su Su who grew up here!”
The old scholar, who had scolded Su Su for twenty years with a stern demeanor, fell silent, his spirit seemingly broken, like a bent spine.
Su Su’s heart tightened. Wiping his face in confusion, he hurriedly said, “Old man, whatever you say goes. I’ll listen. Don’t scare me like this.”
The old scholar sighed heavily and stood up, returning to the house.
Left behind, Su Su, unsure of his mistake, lowered his head and wept, despite the presence of a woman.
Xue Songguan hesitated, then gently patted the hand he had clenched on his knee.
Like a drowning man grasping a lifeline, he tightly held her delicate hand, looked up, and cried, “Tell me where I went wrong. I’ll apologize to the old scholar. I don’t want him to be sad. I want to amount to something. But I really don’t know what to do!”
The blind woman, without her lute, gently smiled. With her other hand, she wiped away his tears and softly called him, “Su Su.”
Front yard.
During these half a month, countless memories of that sword opening the heavenly gate on the Guangling River resurfaced.
He took a deep breath.
Xu Fengnian extended one hand while keeping the other behind his back. Countless threads of sword energy, usually violent, now coiled gently around his arm.
He calmly said, “Open!”
The sword box flew open.
Tai Sui Yellow Amulet Paper FuLu Taoist Love Talisman Traditional Chinese Spiritual Charm Attracting Love Protecting Marriage