Chapter 265: 257 Prelude

Flowers bloom and fall, spring departs and summer arrives; the new buds on the trees have aged, and the sweltering heat of midsummer gradually dissipates.

In the blink of an eye, half a year has passed since the Talisman Conference in mid-spring. The legends of that conference have gradually been forgotten, and the banquets of the martial arts world's heroes have long since turned to new topics.

As July draws to a close, the south still longs for a wisp of breeze at the end of summer, but the north is already in early autumn. Jichun City, in the far north of Yunzhou, is already steeped in chill, as if it were the crisp and refreshing season of autumn.

At this time, it is actually the best time for Jichun City. People in the city are willing to call upon friends and companions to go out and have fun, and one can even see tourists from the south escaping the heat. In another two months, when the white-furred winds from the northern snowfields arrive, every household will bolt their doors and windows, and there won't even be a dog on the main street.

It is just that, after July this year, there have been a few too many tourists escaping the heat, and among them, people who look to have extraordinary status are a bit too frequent. It is as if they are not here to escape the heat, but to attend a temple fair in this remote place.

Because there are many outsiders with spare money, the teahouses and wine shops that were once cold and desolate have become unusually lively, packed with guests day and night. The teahouse owners rack their brains to prepare good tea and wine to attract customers during the peak season, and even the storyteller, who usually gets by telling old scripts, has changed to fresh topics.

"As the saying goes—though I don't need to say it for you all to know—the reason Jichun City has such a scene today is not for the marketplace, nor for the martial arts world, but for a hidden sect outside the world: Zhuoyu Villa."

On the second floor of the Huichun Building in the west of Jichun City, a storyteller who looks quite learned is holding forth. The teahouse is packed, with half the people busy eating, drinking, and chatting, while the other half stretch their ears to listen to his ramblings.

"Speaking of this Zhuoyu Villa, most of us old folks in Jichun City have heard of it. It is said to be a paradise on Jiugao Mountain, a residence of immortals. There are flowers that never wither in the four seasons and grass that remains green throughout the eight periods. There are also immortal fruits, auspicious trees, fine grains, and auspicious crops, too numerous to count. Just close your eyes and imagine: whatever a Dong Tian Fu Di looks like in your imagination, that is what Zhuoyu Villa looks like."

As he says this, someone in the audience makes a scoffing sound, though it is unclear if it is in admiration or mockery.

"Originally, legends are just legends. You listen to them, but who among us can see them with our own eyes? Only in these past few days has news from the mountain gradually trickled down, and it is confirmed beyond doubt. Not only is Zhuoyu Villa real, but they are also going to throw open their mountain gates to host a grand event called the 'Sword Casting Conference.' They are inviting experts from all walks of life: officials from the Imperial Court, masters from the martial arts world, hidden sects, and learned masters. Wind, clouds, dragons, and tigers—all are among them. Why have they come? To witness the birth of a sword."

"Some ask, what kind of sword is this? If I knew, would I still be sitting here? I only know that a sword can create a Sword Guest, a high and unreachable master. Every sword has magical abilities; moving mountains and overturning seas, or chasing stars and catching the moon, is nothing to them. As for this specific sword, it is perhaps the most mysterious sword in the world today. Because this is an unborn sword; even an immortal wouldn't know what it looks like. It is hidden deep within Jiugao Mountain, bathing in the essence of the sun and the moon, enduring a thousand hammerings, and once it emerges from the furnace as a sword, it will shock the world."

At this moment, an old patron interjects, saying: "What? The Sword Casting Conference is about to be held, and the sword hasn't been cast yet? Then what the hell are they holding it for?"

The storyteller laughs and says: "That is where you don't understand, isn't it? This is called a Sword Casting Conference, not a Sword Viewing Conference. You can't wait until the casting is successful to call people to come and look. Fine, everyone arrives, and you take a sword out of the warehouse and say, 'This is what I cast, everyone take a look.' Who would know if you cast it yourself or bought it somewhere? It must be that when the sword is about to be successfully cast, you call everyone over to see the birth of that sword with their own eyes."

Someone below laughs: "Then if the sword casting fails, didn't the guests come for nothing?"

This remark is a bit offensive. The storyteller pauses, scans the room, and discovers it is a fresh face, not very old, most likely someone who traveled thousands of miles to join the fun. Not knowing the background, he finds it hard to say more and mumbles: "Actually... that is impossible. If there wasn't a ninety-nine percent certainty, how would they dare to summon people here? The Sword Smith knows what he is doing. Since they are holding it, it means it is about to succeed; it is just a matter of time. According to the date, the Sword Casting Conference will be held in nine days, so this sword will surely be born within ten days."

"Some might say, if the sword is cast successfully, we wouldn't know, would we? How is this any different from listening to a story? I tell you, that is not necessarily true. It is said that when a divine sword is formed, the heavens and earth weep, and when the Sword Furnace opens, ghosts and gods are startled. In a few days, you will see: the heavens will change color, lightning will flash and thunder will rumble, and it will seem as if there is the sound of ghosts crying—that is the sword casting succeeding."

Just then, someone lets out a "pfft" of laughter. It comes from a table in the corner, where two young people, a boy and a girl, are sitting. Both look clean and handsome, and are dressed decently; they are also fresh faces. The one who laughed is the young girl.

The storyteller glances over and feels that although the girl only gave a faint smile, there was a very obvious sense of mockery in her expression. He can only pretend not to see it; customers cannot be offended, especially these fresh faces in the last few days. Whether they are wet-behind-the-ears youngsters or old men and women who can barely walk, as long as they are new faces, they could be powerful outsiders. He has always preferred to muddle through such things.

So he makes a ninety-degree sharp turn and says: "We can only watch the situation of the Sword Casting Conference from afar, but the Sword Casting Conference is not just a big event for Zhuoyu Villa; it is also closely related to our Jichun City. Have you shopkeepers made money these past two days?"

Someone below chuckles; these past two days, heroes from all directions have been coming and going, truly taking care of all the businesses in the city. It could be said they earned half a year's worth of money in just a few days.

"And that's not all; there will be many more influences in the future. Someone might say, the Sword Casting Conference is ultimately the business of Sword Smiths and Sword Guests, what does it have to do with me? Earning some money today is already rare, why talk about the future? But I say this Sword Casting Conference concerns every single person in Jichun City. It is not a matter of the heavens, but a matter right beside us. If you can't figure out this logic, let me tell you—this has to start with our Marquis."

The storyteller is just getting into the swing of things when someone below laughs: "I say, sir, you already told this part yesterday."

The storyteller is stunned and says: "Did I?"

The people below jeer: "You did!"

"You've been saying it for days!"

"You start from the beginning every day to ramble on about this part, isn't this just padding?"

The storyteller shows no embarrassment and says: "Oh my, I forgot. What did I say before?"

He is a long-time resident storyteller, and many of the people below are regular customers who have listened for years. Amidst the jeering, they also support him, joking and chiming in:

"You said that Zhuoyu Villa has gained the reputation for sword casting, and in the future, it will be a center for Yunzhou. Many people seeking swords will come to Jichun City to eat and stay, and the businesses in the city will all benefit!"

The storyteller says: "Right, right, right, that's what I said."

"You said Jichun City has become an important town, and since it's registered in front of the Marquis, there will definitely be policy benefits, like road repairs and such."

"Right, right, right—"

"You also said that in the future, Art Tools will drop in price, everyone will be able to afford them, and every household will have a share."

"That's right—"

"You also said Zhuoyu Villa is going to open its doors to take in disciples, and our people will be able to become Talisman Sword Masters and even Sword Guests—"

"That I did not say!" The storyteller quickly stops them and explains: "Good heavens, how would I dare to guarantee things for those Sword Smiths? No matter how many disciples they take, not everyone can become a Talisman Sword Master. However, being close to the water gives one the first chance to see the moon; if your child has the aptitude, it's true that there will be opportunities..."

Amidst the laughter, someone says in a sinister tone: "The Sword Casting Conference is the target of everyone's arrows; it will likely not succeed."

The laughter stops abruptly, and the atmosphere suddenly becomes stiff, just like someone throwing a large block of ice into hot water, instantly stopping the boiling and turning the large teahouse into a pool of stagnant water.

The storyteller's face turns ashen, and he says in a muffled voice: "Who? Who said that? I didn't say it, I never said such things! Whoever said it, stand out."

He could pretend not to hear if someone said something unpleasant earlier, but this sentence was like a bayonet drawing blood; there is no room for turning back. If he lets it slide, it would seem as if he agrees.

Then someone says calmly: "Hmm, you didn't say it, I said it. I've stood out, what are you going to do?"

A person stands up from the crowd, wearing black clothes and a bamboo hat, with a veil hanging down to cover most of their face. Their build is medium, making it impossible to tell their gender, and their voice is also indistinguishable as male or female.

It stands to reason that such a person would be very eye-catching and easily spotted anywhere, yet they were sitting in the crowd and no one had noticed, as if they had suddenly appeared. It wasn't until they stood up that the few people nearby scrambled away, as if avoiding snakes or scorpions.

The person slowly walks forward, all the way to the storyteller. The storyteller cannot suppress his fear and stands up to dodge, and the person naturally sits in the chair in the middle.

"I said it: the Sword Casting Conference will not succeed."

"Why? The people of the world do not want it to succeed."

"To put it mildly, how much evil did Xue Xianyun commit back then? Doesn't he know it himself? How many enemies did he provoke back then, and now, which of those enemies is willing to let him have an easy time?"

"Like master, like disciple; his disciples have been causing trouble outside, acting arrogantly at the Sword State Conference, and even made enemies with the bandits of Lingzhou. The rest of his enemies, whether in the open or in the dark, are too numerous to count."

"Oh, and there is a certain force whose name cannot even be mentioned that has long had its eyes on Zhuoyu Villa. Their power is incomparably strong, and they are vengeful; would they let this opportunity pass?"

"To put it broadly, Yunzhou should not have produced a Sword Smith. Above, there is the Imperial Court. The forces of the world's Sword Smiths, if they don't enter the world, that is fine, but those who do are all under the control of the Four Great Overseers of the Imperial Court. Yunzhou insists on setting up its own house—doesn't this violate a taboo? The Gaoyuan Marquis was already like a local emperor; civil administration, military, and taxes are all self-contained, which is no different from a separatist regime! Now, even sword casting must be grasped in his hands. Can the Imperial Court allow this?"

"And there are other feudal lords; who doesn't have ambition? If there is a chance, who would watch Yunzhou grow strong? Who wouldn't be happy to see the Sword Casting Conference destroyed?"

They speak unhurriedly, seemingly without emotion. The crowd cannot see their expression, but everyone feels they are sneering.

"Zhuoyu Villa has quite a bit of ability. The Imperial Court, Warlords, rebels, robbers, Sword Smiths, Sword Guests, Martial Artists—is there any force they haven't offended? To be an enemy of the whole world to this extent, they are truly talented. With so many enemies, they should have cast the sword in secret; if they succeeded, that would be one thing, but they actually dared to openly hold a Sword Casting Conference. It is truly stupid to the extreme. They actually called people over before the sword was even cast."

"What 'matter of time'? Although a sword is not easily destroyed, as long as it is not born, it is not a sword; it can die in the womb. It is what they call 'pointed at by a thousand fingers, dying without illness.' With a sword receiving so many curses, how can it be born? Each of these ten days could be its death date. I'll say this: the Xue family's sword-casting dream will inevitably end in nothing."

"As for you all, you are nothing but grass and ants, so don't have any beautiful dreams of benefiting. Just stay honestly in Jichun City for these ten-odd days and live out your lives. I have said all I have to say; take care of yourselves."

After saying this, the crowd's vision blurs, and their figure is like a shadow, disappearing from who knows where.