A Thousand Gold for Bones, The Sword Named Bushou

Capital City, Thousand Gold Stage.

This is the largest gambling house in the capital, and also the place where information flows the fastest. At this moment, two large characters are prominently displayed on the huge red sandalwood plaque in the center of the main hall.

[Qin Family's Prodigy, Qin Wuji, Wins (10 to 1 payout)]

[Grand Princess's Mansion Sword Attendant, Ji Ye, Wins (50 to 1 payout)]

The odds were outrageously disproportionate.

"Ten to one? This Young Master Qin is a sure win, but the profit is too small, not even enough for tea money."

"Nonsense! That's Qin Wuji! A monster with one foot already in the Meridian Opening Realm, rumored to be able to defeat even renowned elders of the older generation in under ten moves. And this Ji Ye, I've never even heard of him, how could he possibly win?"

Gamblers crowded around the tables, clutching banknotes, most wanting to bet on Qin Wuji. Although a mosquito's leg is still meat, it's better than a meat bun thrown to a dog.

"Everyone, everyone! Hold on a moment!"

The bookie, a middle-aged man with a ruddy complexion, waved a fan in his hand, smiling and pressing his palms down.

"I know everyone trusts Young Master Qin's abilities. But we who run a gambling house value fairness. I don't mind revealing some inside information."

He lowered his voice, feigning mystery, and said:

"This Attendant Ji is a hidden master personally scouted from the martial world by the Grand Princess. It's said that on the day he joined the mansion, he only used one sword at Tingxue Tower to make 'Water-Severing Sword' Liu Bai surrender his sword. It even caused the Princess to personally offer him tea."

A gasp rippled through the crowd. Liu Bai's name carried significant weight in the Capital City.

"Moreover," the bookie closed his fan with a snap, tapping the table, "think about it, what kind of status does the Grand Princess have? She is the current Emperor's own sister, known as the 'Female Prime Minister'. Would she send an unknown nobody to disgrace herself at the Qin family's venue? Behind this... there must be guidance from a master, a hidden trump card!"

With these words, the originally one-sided sentiment began to waver.

Gamblers share a common ailment: they fear losing, yet always believe they can strike gold. A fifty-to-one payout, if this dark horse actually pulled off an upset, it would mean becoming rich overnight, with no worries for the rest of their lives.

"Damn it, fortune favors the bold! I'm betting ten taels on Ji Ye!"

"I'll bet five taels too! The Grand Princess's judgment can't be wrong!"

Banknotes began to pile up in the "Ji Ye" section.

The bookie's smile deepened.

The water is muddied, making it easier to catch fish. If Ji Ye wasn't hyped up as a dark horse, how could the turnover at Thousand Gold Stage double?

There was no vulgarity of gold and silver here, only a chilling coldness.

Hundreds of famous swords hung on the walls, some ancient, some magnificent, each exuding a heart-stopping sharpness. These were the imperial family's collection of centuries, and the treasure trove of countless swordsmen's dreams.

"To do a good job, one must first sharpen one's tools."

Xiao Hongxiu walked ahead, pointing to the wall of famous swords, her voice clear and cold, "Your iron sword is fine for killing street thugs. Against Qin Wuji's 'Chixiao', it would shatter on contact."

Ji Ye followed behind her, still carrying the fifty-wen iron sword.

In a duel between masters, a hair's breadth difference meant life or death. The quality of the weapon often determined who survived. His current iron sword indeed couldn't block the Qin family's legendary sword, capable of slicing through iron.

"Choose one."

Xiao Hongxiu stopped, turning to look at him. "Here lies 'Juque', a relic of the former dynasty's master blacksmith Ou Yezi, and 'Tanlang', forged from Western cold iron. As long as you can wield it, it's yours."

Ji Ye's gaze swept across the famous swords.

Juque was heavy and powerful, suitable for battlefield charges, but not for his swift sword style.

Tanlang was sharp, but its sword energy was too fierce, prone to backlash.

Liuguang was agile, but lacked the ruthless decisiveness for killing.

His gaze finally moved past the gleaming famous swords, settling on a corner.

There sat a dark iron box. The box was unlocked, covered in dust, as if forgotten for many years.

But Ji Ye's [Martial Dao Heavenly Eye] could see that the aura emanating from this box was more ferocious than all the famous swords in the room combined.

It was a pure, unreserved aura of death.

"I want to see that."

Ji Ye pointed at the iron box.

Xiao Hongxiu followed his finger, her brow furrowing slightly.

"Open it."

A figure in black stepped forward and lifted the iron lid.

Dust billowed up.

Inside the box lay a sword.

The blade was extremely narrow, dull gray all over, covered in fine cracks, as if it could shatter at any moment. The hilt was made from the bone of an unknown beast, bone-white and rough, exuding an ominous aura.

There was no scabbard.

Because it didn't need to be hidden.

"This sword is named 'Bushou'."

Xiao Hongxiu's voice was somewhat cold. "Forged in his later years by the 'Desperate Swordsman' Yan Shisan three hundred years ago. The blade is made from the most brittle piece of meteorite from outer space. Although incomparably sharp, it is also extremely easy to break."

"The past sword masters all met bad ends. Often, when the sword broke, the person died with it."

"An ominous sword, named Bushou."

Ji Ye walked forward and reached out to grasp the pale bone hilt.

Cold.

Bone-chilling.

It was like grasping ten thousand years of unmelting ice, or like grasping Death's hand.

Conversely, the Myriad Forms Furnace Body within him activated on its own. He forcibly suppressed the chill, transforming it into an even sharper edge.

"Hum."

The sword body trembled slightly, the cracks seeming to shift, emitting a low hum that craved blood.

"A good sword."

Ji Ye raised the sword and swung it gently.

There was no sound of wind.

The air before him seemed to be directly cut open, a wound that took a long time to heal.

This sword, for the sake of ultimate sharpness, had sacrificed toughness, sacrificed its lifespan.

It was like an assassin burning their life to seek revenge.

"Are you sure you want it?" Xiao Hongxiu looked at Ji Ye. "This sword is too brittle. If it encounters Qin Wuji's Chixiao, it will break with the slightest carelessness."

"Why would I clash head-on?"

Ji Ye looked at the cracks on the sword body, his eyes as calm as a pool of dead water.

"It's brittle because it exchanged all its lifespan for sharpness."

He raised his hand and lightly flicked the sword's spine.

"If a person has no lifespan, they seize every moment."

"If a sword has no lifespan, it strikes a killing blow."

As long as he severed the opponent's throat before it broke, what did it matter if it was brittle?

Xiao Hongxiu looked at Ji Ye for a long time, then suddenly smiled.

"A madman with a ferocious sword, they are indeed a perfect match."

She waved her hand.

"Take it."

Ji Ye didn't look for a scabbard.

He tore off a piece of cloth from his clothes, casually wrapped the grayish-blue sword body, and slung it over his back.

"Thank you, Your Highness."

Ji Ye turned and walked out.

As he reached the doorway, the sound of the evening bell rang out.

Dong—dong—dong—

The dusk in Capital City always carried a touch of melancholy.

"In three days, it will be the Old Madam of the Qin Family's eightieth birthday."

Ji Ye stopped, tilted his head slightly, and looked in the direction of the Qin manor.

The lights there were brighter than those in the imperial palace.

He touched "Bushou" on his back, and the corner of his mouth curved into a sinister arc.

"The Old Madam's eightieth birthday."

"I'll bring 'Bushou' to offer my congratulations."

"This gift is substantial enough."