Taking the Sword

Morning.

Bright sunlight streamed down on the streets and alleys of the southern part of the city.

The southern district was the most prosperous area of Chuyun City. The long street was bustling with people, a lively scene. Between the white walls, rooftops stretched in continuity, with upturned eaves. Each shop hung long banners and signs to attract customers, dancing in the wind.

You Su, clutching a steaming bun, weaved through the streets with purpose. Before taking breakfast home, he had to retrieve his sword.

"Wang's Iron Shop." The shop wasn't large, but it was the best iron shop in Chuyun City. This was solely because its sole blacksmith, Master Wang, not only hailed from a renowned lineage with exceptional sword-forging skills but was also a master of the Condensing Water Realm.

This was why his single iron shop could brazenly operate in the bustling downtown area. Influential figures in Chuyun City were happy to patronize his business, despite Master Wang's notoriously eccentric temper.

You Su was not an influential figure. He had only visited once when he was very young. It was when his Master brought him here to buy his first sword, which he had used ever since.

He wondered if Master Wang would recognize this sword as his own work when he reforged it. Thinking of this, You Su felt a sense of time flying by.

Upon entering, he was hit by the heavy scent of raw iron, and You Su couldn't help but wrinkle his nose. The walls were adorned with an impressive array of weapons, reflecting a dangerous and sharp light.

Master Wang lay on a rocking chair behind the counter. He was a dark-skinned old man with a square face, thick lips, and deep and shallow wrinkles on his countenance, but his arms were robust for his age.

Seeing You Su enter, Master Wang glanced at his attire and took a puff of his pipe. "A rare visitor. Come to buy a sword?"

"Master Wang, I'm here to pick up my sword."

As if he had expected it, Master Wang got up and walked to the back room, bringing out a simple, ancient longsword that was entirely black. He casually tossed the sword to You Su, who caught it steadily.

"Take a look. Are you satisfied?" Master Wang lay down again.

You Su drew the sword and gently ran his palm over his most familiar old friend. The nicks and wear marks had vanished without a trace, leaving only a smooth and delicate glaze to the touch.

You Su gripped the hilt and couldn't resist twirling it a few times. The feeling of it being an extension of his arm brought him a sense of peace. You Su joyfully called out its name in his heart, Ink Pine, and the Ink Pine Sword seemed to respond with a slight tremble.

Master Wang had forged countless swords, but he remembered every single one he had ever made. However, when he took Ink Pine from that girl, he almost didn't recognize it as his own creation.

He couldn't help but recall that early morning. He was admiring his masterpiece with pride when that person barged in, leading a blind child, and snatched it away, leaving behind only a cryptic remark as payment. That person had even pompously said, "A good sword deserves a good person. This child will make this sword famous across the Five Continents." He couldn't defeat that person and could only feel indignant.

Later, that cryptic remark helped him break through to the Condensing Water Realm and granted him decades of extra lifespan. His anger subsided, but he still felt a pity for his sword. Now, seeing the mottled marks on Ink Pine, he finally understood that the person's words were not empty. He clearly knew how difficult it was to use the Ink Pine Sword to this state.

That's why he accepted thirty silver from the girl. It was because the girl only had thirty silver, and the cost of materials for his reforging of Ink Pine was already immeasurable by mortal currency. The Condensing Water Realm was his limit. With his remaining lifespan, he also wanted to see how high this sword and its owner would reach.

You Su suppressed the urge to continue admiring it and sheathed the sword. He raised his hand in a bow and said solemnly, "Master Wang, my Junior Sister's thirty silver was just a deposit. I'll settle the remaining amount now."

You Su was also a connoisseur of swords. Thirty silver could absolutely not achieve such a reforging effect.

Master Wang raised an eyebrow and sneered, "You're quite clever, but you can't afford it."

You Su wanted to say he had money, but then he remembered that no matter how much money he had, it was still mortal currency. A true immortal sword couldn't be measured with worldly money.

Seeing You Su's hesitant expression, Master Wang chuckled, his withered lips curling into a smile. "Of course, I'm not running a charity. If you want to take the sword, you have to promise me one thing."

You Su tightened his grip on the sword, then suddenly relaxed it. He could barely protect himself now, how could he make promises to others?

"Don't rush to refuse. You haven't even heard what it is yet," Master Wang exhaled a puff of smoke. "Swords forged by the Treasure Forging Sect are peerless in the world, and swords crafted by their Sect Master, Venerable Ye Qing, are highly sought after by countless cultivators. I, though untalented, had a minor dispute with Venerable Ye Qing. You just need to promise me that you will defeat a cultivator who wields a sword forged by Venerable Ye Qing."

You Su hadn't expected that an old blacksmith in such a remote small town could be connected to someone like Venerable Ye Qing. It was important to note that only powerful cultivators in the Void Glimpse Realm could be addressed as Venerable. Above the Five Continents, Venerables were absolute apex figures in the cultivation world.

Seeing You Su hesitate, Master Wang sat up straight and snorted, "I'm not asking you to fight Venerable Ye Qing himself. What are you afraid of? There are plenty of incompetent cultivators who rely on their backgrounds to obtain swords forged by Venerables. Why would you be scared to fight them?"

"But..."

As if afraid You Su would refuse the sword, Master Wang quickly added, "Besides, I don't have many years left to live. If you promise me now, how will I know if you've done it after I'm gone?"

"Please don't say that. I promise." You Su truly couldn't bear to return the sword, and besides, he couldn't find such a suitable sword in a short time. "Don't worry, I will definitely do what I promise."

Hearing this, Master Wang took a satisfied puff of his pipe.

Just then, two more youths in luxurious clothing and imposing demeanor entered the shop. They had been fawning, but upon seeing You Su, their expressions turned sinister. One of the thinner youths pointed at You Su, about to question him, but was stopped by his companion. Only then did he remember that this was that eccentric old man's iron shop.

Through a unique and familiar aura, You Su sensed that these two were the ones who often bullied him. The shorter one was Wu Ping, and the taller one was Wu Cheng. They were both disciples of Chuyun City's largest sect, the Sky Guard Sect.

You Su didn't want any more trouble, so he put away the Ink Pine Sword and took his leave from Master Wang.

"Master Wang, I'm leaving."

"Go on." Master Wang nodded, then his tone changed, and he asked Wu Ping and Wu Cheng with a displeased expression, "Aren't you two going to scram?"

Although Wu Cheng was annoyed inwardly as to why that blind boy could make the eccentric old man speak so amiably, he maintained politeness on the surface. He said with a fawning smile, "Master Wang, please don't be angry. We've come on behalf of our Master to inquire about an important matter."

"What matter?"

"Our Uncle-Master He from the sect has been missing for five days. Although Uncle-Master He is eccentric and prefers to be alone, he is occasionally seen. This time, however, he's nowhere to be found. Our Master has specifically sent us to investigate. Have you seen him, Master Wang?"

"Haven't seen him. Get lost." Master Wang tapped the ash from his pipe, unceremoniously dismissing them.

You Su, who had not yet gone far, quietly quickened his pace upon hearing the name "Uncle-Master He."