The Sword Embryo Was Stolen

Yang Xiao glanced at Xu Qinglan.

He had never met her before, and he had no interest in remembering the names of Qingzhou's prominent families. Whether she was a fairy or a family's eldest daughter had nothing to do with why he had come.

So he looked away and turned back to the pool of pale golden water.

Xu Qinglan walked up to Lu Chenyue and bowed slightly.

"Master."

A rare warmth entered Lu Chenyue's eyes. He raised a hand in acknowledgment, then turned to Yang Xiao and Yan Tieyi. "This is my disciple, Xu Qinglan."

"Greetings, my lords of the Demon Suppression Division."

Xu Qinglan turned to them and dipped in a formal bow.

Yan Tieyi hurried to return the greeting. He was far more solemn than usual, bending lower than he normally would as he clasped his hands.

Yang Xiao clasped his fists and gave a brief acknowledgment.

It was neither perfunctory nor particularly warm, just the customary greeting between strangers.

Xu Qinglan's gaze rested on his face for an instant, then dropped to the Army-Breaking Spear beside him, lingering there a while longer.

Yang Xiao noticed her look and felt distinctly odd.

It was exactly how Lu Changgeng had looked at his spear.

What, you recognize it too?

They had only just met. Neither knew the other, and neither intended to ask many questions.

Xu Qinglan withdrew her gaze and stepped back beside Lu Chenyue, her expression unchanged.

"What you see here is the Sword Pool." Lu Chenyue led them closer and stopped at the edge of the stone platform, his hands behind his back. "But it isn't the water that makes it the Sword Pool."

He pointed vaguely toward the center, his expression grave.

"A Sword Embryo rests at the bottom."

"A Sword Embryo?" Yan Tieyi