Lin Xuan took it down. It felt surprisingly heavy in his hand. Holding the sword, he turned and returned to the stone chamber where they practiced swordsmanship.
"Look, what's this?" Lin Xuan asked, handing over the ancient sword.
"What an antique-looking sword!" Li Mochou's eyes lit up. "Dear, where did you find it?"
"It was hanging in Grandmaster's room," Lin Xuan replied casually. "It's probably one of her belongings."
Su Quan carefully took the sword. Its length and weight were just right for her.
She lovingly stroked the scabbard, then felt a layer of dust on the hilt.
"It seems like no one's used it for a long time." Naturally neat and tidy, she felt sorry to see the treasured sword covered in dust. "I'll fetch some water and clean it."
With that, she set the sword on the stone table and went to get water.
Before long, Su Quan returned with a basin of clear water and a clean, soft cloth.
Standing by the table, she looked so gentle and virtuous that she seemed less like she was cleaning a sword and more like she was caring for a cherished work of art.
She rolled up her sleeves, revealing an arm as white as a lotus root, dampened the cloth, and began carefully wiping the dust from the hilt.
"Hm?" Su Quan let out a surprised little gasp.
The hilt, originally a dull, dark wood, had been touched by the water, and now faint blue light seeped out from the carved lines and patterns!
The light quickly gathered, slowly tracing out a shape by the guard. It coalesced, then finally formed the lifelike image of a tiny flower!
The flower was no bigger than a fingernail. Its petals were slender and oddly shaped, and its entire form glowed a