Chapter 289: Open the Door and Open the Sword Box

Beacon Fires Amuse the Lords

Chapter 290: Opening the Gate, Opening the Sword Casket

Perhaps due to the emergence of the renowned sword, Su Su shivered, just beginning to regain consciousness. Xu Fengnian drew the sword from his sleeve, tapped its Golden Thread hilt with a flick of his finger, and knocked the former Crown Prince of Western Shu unconscious on the spot. The old scholar's lips trembled with anger again.

When the Golden Thread sword returned to Xu Fengnian's sleeve in front of the blind female zither player, Xue Songguan snorted. The Golden Thread struggled and trembled in the air, losing its balance. The old scholar, observing with a detached eye, was perceptive about worldly affairs. He grew warier of this frivolous Beiliang heir, noting that even though the overall situation was clearly settled, Xu Fengnian still didn't forget to test and attempt to eliminate Xue Songguan.

Xu Fengnian, with a thick-skinned smile, released his control over the flying sword Golden Thread. Xue Songguan had no intention of politely returning it; with a flick of her index finger, she pulled the flying sword towards her. She then pressed two slender fingers of her left hand onto the blade. She was a true Finger-Profundity master, adept at discerning the subtle. The flying sword, meticulously crafted by Deng Taia, had an exquisite texture that was like a wordless sword manual. Within the Four Realms of the First Rank, and regardless of whether their current realms had advanced or approached the Land Immortal stage, three geniuses were undeniable, each having stood out in a particular realm: the white-robed monk Li Dangxin in the Vajra realm, Cao Changqing who commanded eight measures of martial prowess, and Deng Taia, who proved the dao through technique in the Finger-Profundity realm. In the battle in the Rain Alley, combined with this Golden Thread, which could be called a trump card, the blind zither player had witnessed a total of ten flying swords. Now, touching the blade, she knew it held profound knowledge. Xue Songguan estimated that this 'Butcher's Son' seemed to possess a great treasure without realizing it, suspect of 'picking up sesame seeds while losing watermelons' – focusing only on nurturing a 'sword embryo' but oblivious to the profound sword dao meaning contained within the flying sword itself. She also lacked the kindness to enlighten him.

Xu Fengnian discarded the Golden Thread sword, unconcerned that the 'female devil' wouldn't return it, and ignoring Zhao Dingxiu's angry glare. He walked into the courtyard and stared intently at the dark ebony casket that held the Spring and Autumn Sword. The sword casket was intricately carved with intricate, unadorned inscriptions and talismans. Most of the top-ranked sword craftsmen in the world were proficient in Qimen Dunjia, and since the blacksmith surnamed Qi was qualified to forge a sword for the Sword Emperor of Western Shu, he was naturally among the best.

If a sword sheath was like an inner garment, then a sword casket was like an outer robe. This particular sword casket, however, transcended that category; it was more like a cage, preventing the sword's martial aura from escaping. In literary circles, the chess world, and the martial arts world, there was a common habit of venerating the ancient and disparaging the modern. People often believed that ancient poetry and writings were superior, and that older martial arts manuals were more valuable. Little did they know that worldly affairs were like a game of chess: later generations, standing on the shoulders of their predecessors, made increasingly refined moves. Fortunately, in the chess world, there were Huang Longshi and Xu Weixiong, and in the martial arts world, Wang Xianzhi and Li Chungang. They had all ushered in new eras that would benefit generations to come. Now, with the emergence of a Spring and Autumn Sword, it could almost be said to teach people today not to envy the ancients.

The blacksmith saw Xu Fengnian reach out to touch the sword casket and gently said, "Be careful."

Xu Fengnian touched the sword casket, then recoiled and looked down, seeing fresh bloodstains seeping from his hand. The fierce martial aura contained within this sword was unlike anything he had ever encountered.

The blacksmith, who once held the sword for the Western Shu Sword Emperor, chuckled, "My job is only to forge a good sword. How you retrieve it, and how you contain its sword energy afterwards, that's your business."

Without turning his head, Xu Fengnian said, "Wu, go find an inn for Sister Zither Player."

The young man, carrying a large bow and quiver, nodded and said, "Alright!"

As Xue Songguan's two fingers released the Golden Thread, it instantly returned to the sword pouch in Xu Fengnian's sleeve. The blacksmith, himself one of the few top sword dao masters of his generation, secretly nodded at this sight. No wonder Xu Fengnian could fight so dangerously against this Finger-Profundity realm woman in the alley; the Prince of Beiliang had indeed raised a good son with a similar disposition. The blacksmith then thought of Su Su, the Crown Prince of Western Shu. Su Su was, of course, an alias; both characters 'Su Su' were homonyms for 'Shu.' As for why he was named Su Su, one would have to ask the old scholar Zhao; the blacksmith had never quite understood it all these years. Perhaps the old scholar simply missed the taste of the crispy cakes sold by street vendors in Western Shu?

The blacksmith walked to the furnace and looked at the sleeping young man. Unlike the old scholar, he, a mere iron-worker and sword-smith, didn't dwell on national vendettas. He simply felt that it was good for this young prince, left to grow up among common folk, to live happily. Whether the kingdom was restored or not was up to fate. He remembered that a great river flowed through Western Shu, and the Sword Emperor, whose fame was second only to the Sword God Li Chungang, had once said that a sword's momentum was like a river flow, naturally stronger when flowing from a higher position downwards. Holding the sword, the blacksmith felt that the same principle applied to being human. After all, only Li Chungang could defy the odds and 'open the heavenly gate with a sword' like that. The 'Wooden Horse Ox' sword move was far from conventional wisdom.

The old scholar, with hands behind his back, walked into the backyard. The blacksmith carried Su Su. The backyard had two cramped rooms. When Su Su was little, he used to cry and wet the bed in the middle of the night, and the old scholar would almost spend the entire night by the door, waiting on him. In contrast, the blacksmith himself slept soundly, or perhaps he was too engrossed in forging the sword from the extraterrestrial profound iron. Every time he thought of this, the blacksmith couldn't help but smile. It was truly difficult for an old scholar who had spent his life in academia to act as both father and mother in his old age. He wondered how many times the little prince had tugged at the old scholar's beard, only to giggle afterward. The blacksmith felt that the old scholar's expression of helplessness back then showed more human warmth than his angry rebukes against the emperor's incompetence in the imperial court years ago.

Xu Fengnian stood motionlessly in the courtyard, slowly circling the sword casket.

The young bodyguard left his bow in the courtyard and walked out of the gate with the blind zither player. She had wrapped the broken guqin in a cotton bag and carried it on her arm, looking like a gentle young woman returning from buying groceries. The young man glanced at her, finding it amusing. He was by nature an optimistic person who couldn't hold onto worries. He teased, "Sister Xue, I accidentally broke your beloved guqin. You won't suddenly kill me, will you?"

The female zither player softly shook her head and said, "No, I won't."

The young man, codenamed Wu, asked curiously, "Sister Xue, aren't you a high-ranking 'great devil' on the Northern Mang list? Don't 'devils' kill people without reason?"

She smiled. "I don't know why I'm on that list. I've only killed six people, actually. Except for the first one, the rest were people others paid me to kill. Perhaps it's because those I killed were all close to the Vajra realm."

The young man, with a child-like heart, chuckled, "Sister Xue, if a woman's abilities are so high, be careful not to get married later. Think about it, even if you're not an infamous 'great devil,' what man wants a wife who can fight better than him? Isn't that right? I wouldn't dare; I'd definitely look for a wife who only knows needlework and embroidery. But I'm poor and not handsome. My master used to worry that I wouldn't be able to find a wife."

The blind woman said softly, "Following the Prince of Beiliang, are you still afraid of not finding a wife?"

Wu, the young man whose arms reached past his knees like a monkey from the deep mountains, walked on the alley's bluestone path. He looked into the distance and said in a deep voice, "I'm just afraid of dying suddenly one day, that's why I don't dare find a wife."

Upon reaching the inn's entrance, the young man quietly vanished into the night.

The next day, at dawn, Su Su, having slept soundly, tried to sit up with a graceful 'carp flip,' but instead landed heavily on the bed board. The poor wooden bed creaked. Rubbing his waist, Su Su felt a bit disoriented. How did he wake up in bed? Hadn't he met a woman waiting for someone in the rainy night yesterday? He vaguely remembered a tall, slender figure holding an umbrella at the end of the alley. Such seemingly lofty individuals, when encountered normally, would make Su Su grumble enviously for half a day. As he walked out of the room, which no matter how neatly the old scholar tidied it, would surely be messy the next day, he remembered the old scholar's frequent saying: 'If you can't sweep one room, how can you sweep the world?' At first, Su Su would let it go in one ear and out the other. But later, tired of the nagging, he retorted, 'You get me a 'world' to sweep, and I promise to make this room spotless!' After that, the old man never nagged him about it again, which made Su Su feel a little bad.

The old scholar was moving out a few pots of orchids, a sight Su Su was used to. He went to the front room where Uncle Qi was still diligently clanging away at the iron. Su Su flexed his arm, compared his muscles to Uncle Qi's, and felt a little deflated. Suddenly, he caught sight of an unfamiliar figure standing in the courtyard. He jogged over for a closer look, eyes wide, and angrily demanded, "Who are you?"

For an entire night, Xu Fengnian had been meticulously separating the strands of sword energy flowing from the sword casket. The cracked earth beneath him had been unknowingly flattened by his pacing. He turned and glanced at the former Western Shu royal orphan, but said nothing.

Su Su frowned, then realized. He jumped up and down, sneering, "I remember you! You're that fool who got swindled out of money yesterday under the old willow tree! A grown man crying, was it for the money or what?"

Xu Fengnian turned around, his face cold.

The old scholar Zhao Dingxiu, who had come to the front room, said helplessly, "Don't be rude."

Given Su Su's dull senses, he naturally couldn't perceive the abundant sword intent hidden within the sword casket. The sword energy, being sentient, wouldn't actively harm ordinary folk like Su Su who didn't practice martial arts. Su Su stepped over the threshold, intending to go out and fool around with his cronies. His entire life he had dealt with penniless people, and although he suspected this lavishly spending young master in front of him might be a bit addled, he wasn't someone Su Su liked to be around. Ultimately, he would feel uncomfortable and inferior. Su Su decided to ignore what he couldn't see. He walked past Xu Fengnian and the strange casket, inadvertently noticing the banana plants at the foot of the wall. Their leaves were torn to shreds as if chewed by a rabid dog. Instantly, he became furious. He climbed onto the wall, hands on his hips, and yelled at the neighboring courtyard, "Fatty Wang, get out here for Grandfather Su! Last time you secretly picked my banana leaves to wipe your backside, I let it go. But this time, are you in heat or what? Why are you scratching my banana plants? What scratching? Go scratch your idiotic wife's breasts!"

From the neighboring courtyard came an angry roar. A portly man, his flesh quivering, pulled up his trousers while grabbing a hoe and charging out. "Su Bing (Crispy Cake), feeling too good about yourself, huh? Yelling like a funeral early in the morning! I'll skin you alive!"

Su Su nonchalantly threw a few punches at the wall's parapet, imagining himself incredibly formidable. Then, squatting on top of the wall, he said with a grin, "Still want to climb the wall? Come on, come on! With your build, you could suffocate your wife in bed; be careful not to crush her to death. If that happens, you'll really be begging me to cry at her funeral."

The fat man couldn't climb the wall, and his hoe couldn't reach Su Su. In a fit of pique, he simply swung and threw it away. Perhaps he had exhausted most of his strength on his wife's belly last night, losing his aim, and the hoe landed in the alley. Su Su was about to make a few more jokes when he turned and saw the hoe, as if by fate, flying directly towards a passing woman. Startled, he quickly leaped, trying to intercept the hoe. But the mud wall, softened by the sudden rain, caused him to stumble and almost fall face-first. He instinctively closed his eyes. When he opened them, he was suddenly startled to find himself held in her embrace. Su Su was momentarily dazed, unsure what to say. The fat man opened his door and, seeing this scene, was also dumbfounded. Su Su, this kid's ancestral grave must be smoking green, to be embraced by a woman? Fatty Wang shook his head. He ran to retrieve the hoe, truly afraid of hurting someone. For common folk, every copper coin was hard-earned; where would they get spare money for compensation? If someone really died, especially if they were a high-ranking person from Northern Mang, his entire family would have to pay with their lives and be buried with them.

The blind female zither player set Su Su down. After he stood steadily, he smiled shyly, "You've seen me make a fool of myself."

It was early morning, and the night rain had cleared the dust, making the air fresh and pleasant, and the light exceptionally clear. Su Su got a good look at her. She wasn't beautiful, but she was refined and quite likable, like a girl from a wealthy neighboring family, without much pretense. He liked her very much.

Su Su scratched his head and asked, "Miss, were you waiting for someone last night, the young master with the saber in the courtyard?"

She nodded.

Su Su habitually slapped his forehead. Sure enough, 'birds of a feather flock together' – they were all a bit eccentric. With that thought, Su Su looked at Xu Fengnian with a touch of pity. He led her into the courtyard, and from behind, Fatty Wang, who was squatting by the door watching the spectacle, yelled, "Oh, Su Bing, you're getting somewhere! You're bringing women into the courtyard now, first time since you were born! Why don't we light some firecrackers to celebrate?"

Su Su stepped over the courtyard gate, pulled his head back, and angrily cursed, "Fatty Wang, if you keep yelling nonsense, tonight I'll bring my brothers to your house to listen in! 'Golden spear never falls, seven times a night man' – I think you're more like someone who gets on the horse and immediately gets off again!"

The fat man was about to charge forward and give him a good beating, but hearing the courtyard gate slam shut, he could only grumble and go home to catch up on sleep. He spat vehemently, thinking, 'I have a wife to warm my bed, do you, kid?'

Later, Su Su learned that the old scholar had gone to the private school and announced he wouldn't be teaching for a few days. Uncle Qi continued to hammer iron. The blind woman simply sat in the backyard; she didn't seem to be daydreaming, but she also didn't talk much. Occasionally, the old scholar would chat with her, and she would answer his questions one by one. As for the nameless young master, Su Su couldn't figure him out at all, so he bothered to ignore him. He just sat in the backyard, admiring the blind woman's somewhat reserved demeanor, like a young lady. As for the old scholar's talk about 'seeing no evil,' Su Su didn't take it seriously at all. Later, the old scholar, from some unknown corner, pulled out half a string of coins, which greatly cheered up Su Su, who had often lamented over the years, 'Even a clever housewife cannot cook without rice.' He made a rich lunch with both meat and vegetables, pleasing in color, aroma, and taste. Miss Xue, the blind girl, was equally refined and shy while eating, taking small, dainty bites. Su Su found her delightful to watch. The old scholar secretly kicked Su Su's foot under the table several times, but Su Su remained motionless, like a mountain, showing great composure.

Su Su knew that the young master with the saber had gone back to the front courtyard to stand and stare, still holding his rice bowl.

The old scholar would occasionally go over to watch for a while, then return shaking his head. Su Su wasn't without questions, but the old scholar kept his mouth shut, not revealing a single detail. This disappointed Su Su, who had initially thought they had a wealthy distant relative. Fortunately, Miss Xue sat quietly nearby, which made Su Su feel much better.

For the next five days, Miss Xue came every morning and left every evening, without fail.

Finally understanding that the young master surnamed Xu was still obsessively staying in the front courtyard, Su Su was puzzled. If there was a beautiful girl right in front of you, staring at her for five days without blinking would surely make you sick, right?

One day, Su Su sat on a small stool in the backyard, chatting desultorily with Miss Xue.

The old scholar walked back from the front courtyard, hands behind his back, murmuring to himself, "Where there is utmost sincerity, the Six Ding spirits descend; where the Taiyi star burns brightly at night, diligence and hardship can always move Heaven. Since he possesses such a distinguished family background yet endures such hardship with such perseverance, I, Zhao Dingxiu, have misjudged and underestimated him."

Su Su heard him indistinctly and asked loudly, "Old man, what are you mumbling about?"

The old scholar sat down in silence. After a long pause, he said, "We're moving. We're going south."

Su Su rolled his eyes. "Do we even have the money? Besides, what would we do down south? It's perfectly fine here, no moving!"

The old scholar seemed to pity Su Su's misfortune and resent his lack of ambition. He raised his voice, "I said we're moving, so we're moving! Why can others, born into wealth and nobility, endure hardship, but you cannot?!"

Usually, Su Su didn't mind being scolded by the old scholar, but with a woman present today, he felt a bit provoked. "We have a perfectly good, stable life, so why should I suffer hardship? Wandering around like a stray dog, is that fun?!"

The old scholar was furious, his voice trembling. "A fine stray dog! Yes, you are a stray dog!"

The old scholar's eyes actually welled up. Pointing at the young man, he gritted his teeth and said, "Of my three million households in Western Shu, who hasn't been a stray dog for twenty years?!"

Su Su, completely bewildered, mumbled incoherently, feeling utterly confused. But seeing the old scholar's rare loss of composure, he dared not argue further.

The quiet blind female zither player softly said, "Old scholar, in truth, Young Master Su is not wrong. In life, everyone simply seeks to avoid suffering. For someone like me, in the martial world, all I ask is not to be at the mercy of others."

The old scholar was not a stubbornly unreasonable or pedantic person. He simply shook his head, choking back tears. "But he's different! He's Su Su!"

Su Su wasn't actually upset because of the scolding. Seeing the old scholar's tears streaming down, he felt a strange pang of sadness and his own eyes reddened. He sobbed, "Yes, I'm Su Su! But I'm just Su Su, who grew up here."

The old scholar, who had always lectured Su Su for over twenty years while sitting upright and sternly, fell silent. The spirit that had kept him upright, for reasons unknown, collapsed, as if his backbone had bent.

Su Su's heart tightened. He hastily wiped his face, his expression flustered, and quickly said, "Old man, whatever you say, I'll listen. Just don't scare me."

The old scholar sighed heavily, stood up, and walked back into the house.

Only Su Su remained, having made a mistake but unaware of what it was. Forgetting that a woman was beside him, he hung his head and sobbed.

Xue Songguan hesitated, then gently patted the back of his hand, which was clenched into a fist on his knee.

He grasped her slender hand tightly, like a drowning man grasping a straw. He looked up, crying, "Tell me where I went wrong, I'll go apologize to the old scholar. I don't want him to be sad, and I want to be successful too! But I really don't know what to do!"

The blind woman, without her guqin, smiled gently. With her other hand, she wiped away the tears from his face and softly called, "Su Su."

Front courtyard.

For the past five days, he had countless times recalled the 'Heavenly Gate Opening Sword Strike' by the Guangling River.

He took a deep breath.

Xu Fengnian put one hand behind his back and extended the other. Countless strands of sword energy, abandoning their usual violent nature, gently coiled around his arm.

He said calmly, "Open the gate!"

The sword casket opened wide.