Chu Yun opened the box and cried out in surprise. "Ah, the Drunken Snow Blade!"
The Drunken Snow Blade trembled faintly in its wooden box. When it saw Chu Yun, it let out a joyful ring. Its blade gleamed like snow, its graceful lines flowing with a beauty that was both wild and elegant.
Chu Yun frowned. "The Drunken Snow Blade belongs to you, Dad. How can I accept it?"
Shu Tianhao smiled, reached into the box, picked up the Drunken Snow Blade, and handed it to Chu Yun.
The blade shook violently in his hand, as though an ice dragon were struggling with all its might. In that brief moment, Shu Tianhao's veins bulged, his face flushed red, and heat rose from his entire body. He was clearly exerting every ounce of strength to control the Drunken Snow Blade.
Chu Yun took it, his face full of astonishment.
Something miraculous happened: the Drunken Snow Blade immediately fell still. It no longer trembled, but grew as docile as a kitten. A soft ring came from its blade, and even a faint scent of wine wafted from it.
"This is..." Chu Yun exclaimed in surprise.
"The Drunken Snow Blade has acknowledged you as its master." Shu Tianhao sighed with satisfaction. His gaze held no regret at losing his beloved blade, only wholehearted approval.
White-Browed Alchemist chuckled and explained gently, "It's perfectly normal that the young island master doesn't know this. This blade is a Demon Weapon. When an object is used often and infused with emotion, it can develop a spirit over time and become a Demon Weapon. Demon Beasts, Demon Weapons, and Demon Plants are the three great branches of Spirit Beast Masters."
How could Chu Yun not know? He was merely surprised that the Drunken Snow Blade had acknowledged him as its master.
"Demon" did not narrowly refer to Demon Beasts. It was a general term for things that had developed a spirit. Spirit Beast Masters were people capable of controlling such spiritual beings.
Demon Beasts were only one kind of spiritual being. Chu Yun's Heavenly Fox, Old Fish King's Sea Spider, and Remnant Wolf's Beacon Smoke Wolf were all Demon Beasts.
Another kind was Demon Plants. They were mostly cultivated for production. Old Red Spear's Jade Sea Kelp and Old Monkey Qiao's Copper Bell Coconut Tree were examples.
The third kind was Demon Weapons. Certain man-made objects, when used often and infused with emotion, developed a spirit. Shu Tianhao's Drunken Snow Blade belonged to this category. It was precisely with this Demon Weapon that Shu Tianhao could stand against Remnant Wolf's Beacon Smoke Wolf.
In my previous life, I inherited the Drunken Snow Blade after my adoptive father died. But Dad is still alive now. How could this Demon Weapon have acknowledged me as its master? Strange! Chu Yun wondered.
"A Demon Weapon will choose a new master only when its current master has died. But your situation is rather special. On the battlefield that day, Island Master Shu was on the brink of death, so the Drunken Snow Blade was nearly masterless. At that very moment, Young Island Master Chu went into battle and wielded it. You poured all your emotions and fighting spirit into it, awakening the spirit within the Drunken Snow Blade. That was how it changed masters."
White-Browed Alchemist explained from the side.
"I see." Chu Yun finally understood. At the time, the Drunken Snow Blade had mistaken Shu Tianhao for dead. On top of that, Chu Yun had poured into it the emotions he had accumulated over twenty-three years and the fighting spirit he had kept bottled up for just as long. That was why the Demon Weapon had acknowledged him as its master.
"In that case, I'll accept the blade." Across the whole world, only he could wield the Drunken Snow Blade. Now that he understood this, Chu Yun didn't stand on ceremony and accepted the Demon Weapon.
"Good, good, good." Shu Tianhao nodded repeatedly, then drew a deep breath and advised him, "The Drunken Snow Blade has been the treasured weapon of the successive island masters of Shu Family Island. Countless forebears poured their spirit into it, and it symbolizes the authority of Shu Family Island. Behind it lie the pride and dignity of warriors. Don't let this blade down. If you get the chance in the future, do your best to raise its cultivation, too."
"I understand." Chu Yun nodded. Demon Weapons could also breathe in spiritual energy and absorb Demon Crystals to raise their cultivation. The Drunken Snow Blade was a Great Demon Weapon, with forty-five years of cultivation behind it.
White-Browed Alchemist's eyes held a smile. "The Drunken Snow Blade is a Great Demon Weapon. The fact that the young Chu Yun can wield it at such a young age shows just how astonishing his spiritual radiance is. He's like an uncarved jade stone: a little polishing will turn him into a fine piece of jade. I only hope that when you reach Heavenly Song Academy, you won't slack off. Work hard, and don't disappoint Heaven's favor."
"Heavenly Song Academy? Dad, what's that about?" Chu Yun asked, taken aback.
"Heh heh heh, I've already recommended you for admission to Heavenly Song Academy. It's an excellent place, rich in resources and home to nearly all the young talents of the All-Star Archipelago. You'll have to work hard." Shu Tianhao patted Chu Yun on the shoulder, smiling.
The unexpected good news left Chu Yun at a loss. "But I didn't come first in the coming-of-age ceremony..."
"Foolish boy. Who says first place in the coming-of-age ceremony guarantees admission to Heavenly Song Academy? The academy only accepts young people who've been recommended from each island. First place in the ceremony is just one of the criteria for a recommendation. After what you've done, even saving your old man's life, if I didn't recommend you, everyone on the island would call me senile and incompetent..."
"Dad..." Chu Yun choked up and was about to speak.
Just then, a servant came to report, "I beg to inform the island master: an envoy from Ning Family Island has arrived with a large quantity of gifts."
"Someone from the Ning Family..." Shu Tianhao furrowed his brows, then relaxed them. "Show him in."
"What? They want a marriage alliance with me? And it's Ning Yiyi..." A short while later, after hearing the envoy's purpose, Chu Yun was so moved that he rose from his seat.
He knew of Ning Yiyi. She had the beauty of a flower and the moon, but she was vain and proud of her looks. She loved watching her admirers fly into a rage and fight over a single word from her. In his memories, once the All-Star Archipelago descended into a time of chaos, she remarried five times, climbing higher with each marriage. In the end, she even married her own cousin, the Ning Family Island master of that generation, becoming one of the few women of immense power and influence in the All-Star Archipelago.
And someone like her wanted to marry into his family?
Ever since I was reborn, everything has changed. I never imagined I'd become entangled with someone like her. With the situation shifting so much, how long will I be able to hold on to the advantage of knowing what's to come? Chu Yun couldn't help sighing inwardly.
"A marriage alliance?" Shu Tianhao frowned.
The Ning Family envoy, however, wore a broad smile. He had caught every movement Chu Yun made and assumed the young island master was a dashing youth who admired the Ning family princess's fame and was now too excited to contain himself.
"Heh heh heh, Ning Yiyi has an excellent talent for Spirit Beast Mastery. She's also beautiful enough to be unforgettable. She has quite a reputation at Heavenly Song Academy, and her admirers could stretch down an entire street. Heh, since ancient times, beauties have been matched with heroes. Young Island Master Chu is a hero in every sense of the word. He kept a low profile until he struck, then slew Remnant Wolf—a feat that shook the region and is well worth boasting about. A hero and a beauty: what a splendid match!"
White-Browed Alchemist spoke with a laugh, his words full of significance.
The Ning Family envoy's face brightened, the corners of his mouth lifting high. He could barely contain his delight. It seemed this mission had succeeded.
The odds had been high from the start. Ning Yiyi was the Ning Family Island master's own granddaughter, a true Ning princess. Though still young, her fame had already spread throughout the All-Star Archipelago.
What young man didn't admire her? What handsome youth didn't adore her?
"This Young Island Master Chu may be a peerless fighter, but he's still just a boy. Look at how delighted he is... Heh."