Who would spend twenty superior-grade spirit stones to buy a rusty, unsheathable scrap sword?
If not hopelessly clever, then hopelessly foolish.
And yet, someone really did appear, loving it so much he could hardly put it down.
If it were any ordinary person, he would have gladly accepted the spirit stones and laughed at the ignorant fool in his heart.
But the one buying the sword now, though only at the Foundation Establishment Stage, had yesterday crippled the Duan Family Young Master of Tianji City, and overnight driven off several waves of cultivators eyeing the woman’s ring.
Such a deeply hidden expert, and yet he was interested in a rusty, useless sword?
What’s more, this sword—one that even a Nascent Soul Elder couldn’t draw from its sheath—had been pulled out by him!
Something was off. Something was very, very off.
He had been selling here for eight years now, entering the mountains once a month, picking up countless scraps and treasures, but he had never seen anything special about this sword.
Could it be he’d misjudged it and the sword held a mystery he’d missed?
But looking at Yan Hanzhou’s chilling murderous intent, the stall owner dared not make a move and tried to break the ice with a smile, “No, no, no, that’s not what I meant—”
Ning Yin folded her arms, watching him with leisurely ease, “Usually, when someone says ‘that’s not what I meant,’ it’s exactly what they mean. You want to go back on your word, not sell to us, right? Don’t think just because we’re new to Xiuxia Town, we don’t know your rules here. If you renege, just say it— which hand do you want to lose?”
“…Miss, it’s like this: I’ve been in Xiuxia Town for eight years, found countless rare treasures in that time. To tell you the truth, I picked up this sword my very first time in the mountains. It’s been on my stall for eight whole years—no one’s wanted it, and I even had friends with Golden Core and Nascent Soul cultivation check it.”
“It’s just a useless sword nobody wants. The two of you are the first straightforward customers I’ve met in all my years here. I can tell you’re not ordinary people, true dragons and phoenixes among men. As they say, only a hero is worthy of a fine sword, and only a fine sword suits you both. But how could this piece of junk be worthy?”
“Besides, selling this scrap sword for twenty spirit stones… If I really took it, I’d feel guilty and lose sleep!”
“So you’re having a sudden pang of conscience?”
“You two are generous. You said twenty spirit stones, and you just handed them over! How could I betray your trust? Even if I were a swindler, I couldn’t bear to cheat you!”
“So that’s it. You think the sword isn’t worth twenty superior-grade spirit stones, and you don’t want to sell it against your conscience?”
“Exactly!”
“That’s easy!” Ning Yin smiled slightly and turned back to Ye Shangqiu’s stall, picking out ten of the twenty superior-grade spirit stones.
“Since you think the sword isn’t worth twenty, then sell it to me for ten. Boss, you’re the most conscientious seller I’ve met. Don’t worry, next time you have good stuff, I’ll be your first customer.”
Ye Shangqiu looked at the ten superior-grade spirit stones in her hand, then at the rusty sword in Yan Hanzhou’s, and gave a guilty laugh. “No, what I mean is, this sword isn’t even worth one superior-grade spirit stone…”
“I get it! You want to give it to us for free?” Ning Yin suddenly understood and nudged Yan Hanzhou with her elbow.
“Aiya, put the sword away, put it away! The boss is such a good person; we misunderstood him.”
She turned as if to go back and retrieve the remaining ten superior-grade spirit stones.
Noticing the murderous intent in Yan Hanzhou’s eyes, Ye Shangqiu, a veteran of the cultivation world, felt a chill run down his spine, as if needles pricked his back, the shadow of death looming overhead.
He could have slapped himself.
That mouth of his—really deserved a beating. Not only did he lose his wife, he lost his soldiers too!
But on second thought, it wasn’t a total loss.
At least he was certain these two were far from simple. In a few days, when the Jiuyi Mountain Miasma dissipated, following them might just bring great fortune.
Weighing his options, he compromised, “All right, all right! Ten spirit stones it is! Let’s call it making a friend. I’m Ye Shangqiu. May I ask your names?”
Ning Yin paused, turning back. “Ye Shangqiu? You’re Ye Shangqiu?”
Ye Shangqiu was startled. “Oh? Do you know me, fellow cultivator?”
Realizing her reaction, Ning Yin smiled. “Who in Xiuxia Town hasn’t heard of Ye Shangqiu? If fate wills it, we’ll meet again. Thank you for today, Boss.”
With that, she left the bustling marketplace with Yan Hanzhou.
Once out of the market, Ning Yin couldn’t wait to find out what kind of sword could make Yan Hanzhou stop in his tracks.
She lowered her voice and asked, “Just what kind of sword is this, that it caught your eye?”
Yan Hanzhou unsheathed the sword. Mottled rust was deeply etched into the blade, its original patterns long faded, not a trace of spiritual energy circulating.
“Ye Shangqiu wasn’t wrong. This sword has quite a history. But it’s been sealed for a thousand years, covered in rust, and without a trace of a Sword Spirit. Naturally, no one could tell. His luck was good to find it in Jiuyi Mountain.”
Ning Yin didn’t doubt Yan Hanzhou’s judgment.
In his past life, he’d been a formidable expert at the Tribulation Ascension stage. Though he’d failed to ascend, he was still unmatched, with experience and insight beyond ordinary people.
“If it’s sealed, with no Sword Spirit and rusted like this, is it still usable?”
“In general, a Sword Spirit never strays far from its blade. The Sword Spirit must still be somewhere in Jiuyi Mountain. Find it, and the sword will be usable again.”
Suddenly, Ning Yin grew excited, “If it’s such a storied sword, sealed for a thousand years—do you think it could be Lingxiao Immortal Lord’s life-bound sword?”
Yan Hanzhou looked at her. “Wouldn’t you know better than me if this was Lingxiao Immortal Lord’s sword?”
“Me?”
“Didn’t the novel mention it?”
The novel never mentioned such a sword.
Xiuxia Town was just one of the locations where the protagonist searched for treasures.
Many stories happened here, but if the rusty sword at Ye Shangqiu’s stall really was a legendary sword used by Lingxiao Immortal Lord a thousand years ago, why had neither the main cast nor any named supporting characters ever discovered its secret? Why was there not a single hint or mention of it, not even a side description, in the novel?
Ning Yin shook her head. “No.”
Yan Hanzhou paused in his steps.
“What is it?”
“The Sword Spirit and sword body are born together. This sword’s body is covered in rust—not the work of a day or two. If it goes on like this…” Yan Hanzhou gently wiped at the mottled marks on the sword.
“A thousand years—if the Sword Spirit isn’t found and returned soon, when the sword body finally shatters and vanishes, the Sword Spirit will also dissipate into the world.”
“Then it’s pretty lucky to have met us. When the miasma in Jiuyi Mountain clears in a few days, Ye Shangqiu will definitely come looking for us. We can use his knowledge of the area to search for treasures and find the Sword Spirit—twice the result with half the effort. If this really is Lingxiao Immortal Lord’s life-bound sword, you’ll have struck it rich!”
Yan Hanzhou seemed thoughtful. “Who exactly is this Ye Shangqiu?”
“He’s the NPC who leads the protagonist into Jiuyi Mountain. Foundation Establishment cultivation, been in Xiuxia Town for eight years, enters the mountain daily to search for treasure. With him around, the protagonist had a much easier time.”
“But his ending wasn’t great—obsessed with the treasures in Jiuyi Mountain, he was seduced by demons and monsters, fell to demonization, and ended up as one of the monsters guarding Jiuyi Mountain’s treasures, trapped there forever.”
Speaking of the treasures Lingxiao Immortal Lord left scattered in Jiuyi Mountain, Ning Yin couldn’t help but click her tongue.
“Do you know how many artifacts he left here? Rare Heavenly Grade Magical Artifacts—bracelets, golden hairpins, feathered robes, you name it. You always argued that Lingxiao Immortal Lord never had a fiancée, but if not, who were all those bracelets and hairpins for? Himself? That’s why I say, even wild history has some basis, not all of it’s nonsense!”
As she said this, Ning Yin suddenly realized something and muttered, “One becomes red by being near cinnabar, black by being near ink… Looks like you’ve really led me astray. Now I’m starting to think about competing with the main cast for treasures.”
Yan Hanzhou: “……”
“Honestly, I admire Lingxiao Immortal Lord. He could let go of his artifacts—companions of many years—and scatter them across the Nine Provinces for the fated to find. Look at those family ancestors or sect Elders who couldn’t progress and had to die sitting in meditation: they all left their treasures to loved ones or descendants. No one has Lingxiao Immortal Lord’s magnanimity. No wonder he’s honored as the Immortal. This kind of thinking is beyond us villains.”
“But there are still many cultivators who are ungrateful, blaming him for leaving the treasures in such a dangerous place as Jiuyi Mountain. For a thousand years, countless cultivators have died here seeking these legendary artifacts, and they call him devious, a hypocrite.”
Ning Yin sighed, “Lingxiao Immortal Lord has quite a few haters, with all sorts of rumors. But as you said, on the Jiu Zhou Continent, strength is respected. He was a Tribulation Ascension expert; though his end is unknown, his legend lives on.”
“The strong admire the strong, the weak stir up trouble, but at least in Nine Provinces there are always great scholars to defend him. Such a legendary figure—pity he’s just a backdrop. I’ve always been curious what he looked like; is there a portrait?”
Yan Hanzhou rubbed his throbbing temple. “Enough. There’s no such great love for the world, just something he did in passing.”
Ning Yin gave him a look. “See, I knew it. You’ll never understand Lingxiao Immortal Lord’s way of thinking. That sword in your hand might well be his life-bound sword—can’t you say something nice? No one’s asking you to sing his praises.”
“Honestly, are you… jealous of him?”
“?”
“Envious?”
Yan Hanzhou almost laughed out loud in exasperation, unwilling to continue the topic, and strode ahead.
Ning Yin pouted and hurried to catch up.
Maybe because the Jiuyi Mountain Miasma hadn’t cleared in recent days, the streets of Xiuxia Town were jammed with people, especially the street in front of the inn, where the crowd was packed tight.
Before they even reached the inn, Yan Hanzhou squinted at the distance down the long street, stopped, and turned to Ning Yin.
“This morning the innkeeper told me the food at Liangxiaolou is the best in town. Want to try it?”
Ning Yin eyed him skeptically. “I just ate not long ago.”
“The innkeeper said that even if you don’t come to Xiuxia Town for the treasures in Jiuyi Mountain, you have to come for Liangxiaolou’s food. It’s just down the next street. Go ahead and order— I’ll join you after I finish some business.”
Ning Yin cut straight through his words. “That excuse is so lame and clichéd. You want to send me away so you can go do something, right?”
“Kill someone. Want to come?”
Knowing Yan Hanzhou never joked, Ning Yin considered, then admitted, “Is it a powerful person? If I go with you, will I just be a burden?”
Yan Hanzhou nodded.
“All Foundation Establishment cultivators, and I’m still a burden?” Ning Yin grumbled, but said, “Fine, I’ll go to Liangxiaolou. Be careful.”
As Ning Yin walked off, the warmth faded from Yan Hanzhou’s eyes, leaving him cold and grim.
When he reached the inn, a crowd of cultivators were peering inside, all with a look of gossipy anticipation.
Inside, several men in the attire of yesterday’s Duan Family Young Master’s guards stood watch, eyes sharp as hawks, scanning the crowd outside with icy vigilance.
The innkeeper stood obediently to the side, nervous, glancing outside now and then. When he saw Yan Hanzhou approach, he pointed him out, “He’s back, he’s back! Elder, look—he’s back!”
A silver-haired Elder sat with eyes closed in the main hall.
Yan Hanzhou entered the hall, calm and fearless, surveying the surroundings.
Most of the guards had early Foundation Establishment Stage cultivation, but the Elder seated on the dais was at the early Nascent Soul Stage.
The innkeeper greeted Yan Hanzhou in a low voice, “This is an Elder of the Duan Family from Tianji City, here about yesterday’s matter.”
At that, the Elder said, “Please, young friend, sit.”
After Yan Hanzhou had pressed the Duan Family Young Master’s face into the dirt yesterday, he never expected the matter to blow over easily.
The Duan Family of Tianji City was a storied cultivation clan, standing tall for a thousand years. Even their guards were Foundation Establishment cultivators—proof of their deep heritage.
He sat down at the seat.
The silver-haired Elder wore a gentle expression, sipping tea. He didn’t look like he was here to punish, more like to apologize. “I am of the Duan Clan of Tianji City. Yesterday I heard my junior offended you. I’ve come to apologize and hope you can forgive him.”
Yan Hanzhou understood. The Duan Family’s reputation was one of fiercely protecting their own, but today they had changed tactics. A Hongmen Banquet, no doubt.
As expected, the Elder’s tone changed, “I asked the innkeeper about it, and learned it was just a quarrel over a guest room, but I don’t understand—why did you cripple my junior’s spiritual roots? Do you not know that for a cultivator, destroying their spiritual roots means a lifetime severed from the path?”
As he finished, the Elder slammed his teacup down, “Bang!”—a wave of pressure, vast and overwhelming, exploded from his palm and bore down on Yan Hanzhou!
Yan Hanzhou’s expression didn’t change. A steely gleam appeared in his eyes as he unleashed a surge of Zhenqi, imbued with the might of his soul, meeting the Elder’s pressure head-on.
Boom—
The two auras collided mid-air, sending shockwaves through the room. Tables and chairs were shattered in an instant as if struck by a hurricane.
The air stilled. The surrounding guards drew their swords in alarm.
The silver-haired Elder squinted, his teacup crushed to powder under the weight of their combined force.
But with that exchange, he’d more or less grasped the youth’s foundation: young in years, yet so daring and skilled, his spiritual perception vast and unfathomable.
No wonder he dared stand against Tianji City.
A talent like this—what a waste to kill. But if not killed, he’d become a disaster.
He waved his sleeve, signaling the guards to sheathe their swords. “Young friend, with such cultivation at your age, I assume you’re here in Xiuxia Town to enter the mountains and seek treasure. Why offend the Duan Family? In the Nine Provinces, having one more ally and one less enemy is no bad thing.”
Yan Hanzhou was not cowed by the Elder’s veiled threat. “May I ask the status of yesterday’s junior? What is your blood relation?”
“Just a collateral clan member, no blood relation.”
“In that case, why trouble yourself for some troublemaking collateral? If I had such a reckless child in my family, I would cripple his roots myself.”
“Insolence!” One of the guards behind the Elder shouted, “What right do you—”