The sword Shi Zhu held was one he had found a few months earlier while catching fish in a little stream outside town.
At the time, the sword had been buried deep in the mud underwater. He had waded in barefoot and felt around for fish, only to lay his hand right on its hilt.
When he pulled it out, he found an ancient, simple design and a keen blade. A slight shake sent Jin light shimmering across a whole stretch of water.
He tried spearing a fish with it and sliced half its body off in a single stroke. It was incomparably sharp; when he tried it on stones, every one split beneath his hand.
He fell in love with it at first sight, made a sheath from bark and hemp cord, and brought it home to keep under his bed. Sometimes, when he went into the mountains, he carried it on his back. A light swing killed any venomous snake or savage beast he met; nothing could withstand it. When danger approached, it would even ring out on its own to warn him.
Now he brought the sword out to face Xiao Chan.
Furious, Xiao Chan pointed a finger and released her flying sword. It became a streak of yellow light, aiming to cut off a lock of Shi Zhu's hair to frighten him before she forced him to surrender the sword in his hand.
Little did she know that Shi Zhu's treasured blade was one of the Nine Palaces Divine Swords used by the ancient Yellow Emperor Xuanyuan in his great battle against Chiyou!
The Nine Palaces Divine Swords corresponded to the Nine Stars of the Mystic Gates. Shi Zhu's was the foremost of the nine, engraved with the Tianpeng Star, whose nature was the most treacherous