Chapter 266: 258 Friend or Foe

After an inexplicable accident, the teahouse doors were thrown wide open, and all the guests scattered in a rush, fearing that if they were too slow, they would be implicated in something.

Once the crowd dispersed, the teahouse owner immediately closed the doors and put up the boards, seeing that they likely wouldn't dare open for business for the next few days. Businessmen like them feared trouble most of all, yet someone had just caused a massive scene; although they hadn't smashed tables or bowls or fought and injured anyone, it was even more severe than that. Being timid, the businessman naturally hurried to close the doors to avoid disaster.

But as the owner calmed down slightly after closing the doors, they discovered that even the storyteller had vanished into the crowd at some point, and they couldn't help but burst into a string of curses.

A young man and woman followed the flow of people out; they were the very two who had sneered upon hearing the "earth-shattering, ghost-weeping" claims. They were not as flustered as the other guests, their expressions showing at most a bit of annoyance.

"Really, a disgusting fellow just popped up out of nowhere," the young girl complained after exiting the crowd. "That storyteller might be blowing hot air, but he was funny. It was a perfectly good bit of entertainment, and he had to go and ruin it. Who is he trying to gross out? What's the point of scaring teahouse patrons? The teahouse is full of idlers, most of whom don't even know what Sword Casting is. Does he think he can scare people from Zhuoyu Villa?"

The youth beside her, looking about seventeen or eighteen and rather thin, mused, "Indeed. That person's arrival was strange, and their movements were nimble. I didn't even see clearly the footwork they used to leave; their strength is quite formidable. For an expert like that, there is really no need to show off in front of ordinary people. It is completely meaningless."

The girl smiled. "Unless..."

The youth tilted his head to listen, and the girl continued, "Unless that fellow truly hates Zhuoyu Villa and cannot bear to hear a single word of praise. He couldn't stand hearing the storyteller praise Zhuoyu Villa, so he had to get on stage and curse them out, determined to ruin the situation."

The youth chuckled twice and said, "That's not impossible. We've been in Jichun City for a few days now, and from my observations, half the people who have come to this city harbor ill intentions. Most of the rest are just here to watch the spectacle; there isn't much friendliness, just the locals joining in the commotion out of a sense of pride. It seems Zhuoyu Villa is truly quite hated." As he spoke, he gestured with his chin toward a middle-aged man who looked very scholarly as he passed by.

Jichun City is currently a place where hidden dragons and crouching tigers reside; any random pedestrian on the street could be a person of hidden depth. Those who look scholarly might be some Talisman Sword Master or even a Sword Smith, and those who look imposing might just be experts from some faction.

These people are here to attend the Sword Casting Conference, but many seem in no rush to head up the mountain—these people are the ones with issues. Guests who truly harbor friendly or even neutral intentions naturally seek to contact Zhuoyu Villa upon arriving in Jichun City, and some have already been taken up the mountain by the villa. Those who linger in Jichun City and refuse to leave are likely, in part, those who haven't received an invitation and have come here to watch the excitement from afar, while the motives of others are even harder to say.

The girl nodded as well. "True. I didn't know before I came. Zhuoyu Villa was obscure; I hadn't even heard of it before. It was only this year, when they produced a genius Disciple at the Talisman Conference—oh, two of them—that they became famous. Later, there was the matter of the Sword Casting, and I heard the name again, which is how I remembered this sect. I thought it was a small, reclusive sect; I didn't expect it to be a sect that attracts so much trouble."

The youth said, "Each generation of newcomers replaces the old. Today they produced a genius who is famous for a time; perhaps back in the day, they also produced such a genius who once led the way, only for everyone to forget over the long passage of time?" He lowered his voice. "It's just that they are a genius who attracts trouble. If they have truly made so many enemies, then the Sword Casting might really be cut short. We all know that the few days when the sword is pulled from the furnace are when it is closest to success and also most prone to failure. Because the fusion of all materials happens in that instant, failure leads to collapse. It only takes someone to sneak in and interfere, and all the effort of the Sword Casting goes down the drain. Haven't there been enough accidents over the years? Even in our own Directorate, we've had such incidents."

The girl nodded, then suddenly smiled again. "I believe Zhuoyu Villa has enemies, but isn't it an exaggeration to say the whole world is their enemy? That person said many absurd things, for instance about the Imperial Court—saying the Imperial Court doesn't allow Yunzhou to have Sword Smiths, speaking as if they were jealous of talent. That is looking down on us too much. Not to mention the Imperial Preceptor, what status do we, the Sword Casting Four Directorates, hold? How many Sword Smiths are registered with us? What does one or two more matter? Do they really think we are all narrow-minded people? If you ask me, their situation of being besieged is actually because they don't trust our Profound Water Directorate and won't communicate with us. If they were truly registered and on record with the Imperial Court, who would dare to openly challenge them, aside from rebels? This is all because they are too selfish."

The youth said, "This is, after all, Yunzhou. All the feudal lords under heaven, especially in the border counties, are like this. Fortunately, the Gaoyuan Marquis is not a rebel; he is the least likely to oppose the Imperial Court."

The girl said, "Indeed, everyone in the Imperial Court knows the Gaoyuan Marquis is still trustworthy. That is why we came. The Sword Smiths in the north fall under the jurisdiction of our Profound Water Directorate. They don't understand, so we came proactively. We won't blame them; I just hope they don't fail to appreciate our kindness..."

Suddenly, a chill ran down her spine, and she turned around abruptly.

Behind her was the bustling street, with countless people coming and going; there was nothing unusual.

Yet, she had clearly felt a cold, piercing gaze fixed upon her just a moment ago.

She pursed her lips, knowing something was amiss, and not daring to speak further, she pulled the youth along and they hurried away.

After they left, a woman in white wearing a Veil Hat by the side of the street smiled slightly, turned, and walked into a shop nearby.

That shop was different from ordinary shops; the six storefronts facing the street were all closed, as if it hadn't opened for business. Only a small door was open at the very end, and there was no sign, just a small plaque with the two characters "White Jade" written on it.

The woman in white entered and saw that the shop was clean and tidy. At the very front was a counter, and in the middle were a few sets of tables and chairs; it didn't look like a shop, but rather like an elegant tea room.

A woman dressed in a capable manner stood behind the counter. Seeing the woman in white enter, she came forward and said, "Welcome. Please have a seat, guest. How should I address you?"

The woman in white smiled. "Black Widow."

The woman was stunned for a moment—just for the blink of an eye—and immediately smiled. "It is Manor Master Yin, isn't it? I have long admired your name. I didn't expect you to arrive so early. Please, take a seat. What would you like to drink?"

Black Widow looked at the other woman with great appreciation; clearly, this young woman was very capable, able to recall her identity and nickname without needing to look it up, and her response was appropriate. Her own villa had no such talent.

The young woman poured water for Black Widow and brought out a gift box. "Welcome to the Sword Casting Conference; our villa is honored by your presence. This is your pass to go up the mountain, as well as a small gift for you. With this pass, you can freely attend the Sword Casting Conference, sightsee in the villa, participate in our 'White Jade Flourishing' activities, and redeem gifts. Finally, there is a number inside for a lucky draw. We will have a lucky draw on the last day; perhaps there will be a surprise."

Black Widow nodded politely. "Will I be able to see Azhao when I go up the mountain?"

The young woman smiled. "You can see him in the next few days, but currently, Manager Tang is still casting the sword. According to the plan, the sword will be pulled from the furnace ten days from today. Right now, Fourth Senior Sister is in charge of affairs in our shop, while Eighth Senior Brother is responsible for picking up and dropping off distinguished guests at the mountain. However, he went to Zhongtian Prefecture today to specifically pick up some people and will return tomorrow. If you are not in a hurry, why not wait until tomorrow and go up the mountain together at Runcao Ferry? If you are in a hurry, I can contact someone to specifically escort you..."

Black Widow said calmly, "I am not in a hurry..."

Just as she was speaking, someone dashed in with a 'whoosh' at the door, drenched in sweat and looking quite disheveled. The person took one look and saw there was an outside guest, so they hurriedly restrained their behavior, straightened up, and tugged at their clothes, actually appearing somewhat scholarly.

The young woman asked in surprise, "Mr. Liu? Why have you come?"

The man said, "Something happened at our teahouse. Is it convenient?" He glanced at Black Widow.

The young woman said, "Wait a moment." She returned to the counter, called out a young Disciple from inside, and let Mr. Liu go in with him to talk.

Seeing the two go inside, Black Widow said thoughtfully, "I have seen this person before; he is the storyteller, is he not? Could he also be a distinguished guest you invited? Seeing his unsteady gait, he seems to be an ordinary person."

The young woman smiled and explained, "He is an ordinary person. We have a partnership with him; he helps us promote the benefits of our Zhuoyu Villa to passing merchants and the local elders."

Black Widow chuckled. "So that's it. I was wondering why the teahouse was always bragging about your conference. It seems your high-profile promotion has made many people unhappy. There isn't just one or two people causing trouble in the open and in the shadows. If this continues, will the Sword Casting Conference be alright?"

The young woman glanced at Black Widow. She did not know Black Widow, so naturally, she could not speak her heart, but she smiled brightly. "Of course it will be fine. They have racked their brains to cause trouble, but do you think we have done nothing for the past half-year? Everything that needed to be arranged was arranged long ago. The Sword Casting Conference is for everyone to appreciate and celebrate together, not for petty villains to destroy."

Black Widow said, "I see quite a few people with bad intentions outside. Do you have enough manpower?"

She asked in detail, and the young woman became even more confident. "Why wouldn't we have enough? We don't just have enemies; we also have many friends. This time, we are not just facing the strength of my own family; every friend is a source of strength."

Black Widow smiled. "Oh? Then I count as a friend of Azhao, right?"

The young woman was stunned again. To say yes, she didn't actually know this person; to say no, the person had called him "Azhao" so affectionately, how could she not give a response? She smiled immediately. "Of course you do. Otherwise, why would Senior Brother Tang specifically invite you? Once you are up the mountain, we will inevitably need to rely on your strength."

Black Widow smiled. "According to what you say, I am in no hurry to go up the mountain."

The young woman was stunned.

Black Widow smiled. "What can I do if I go up the mountain? I am not a Sword Guest, nor do I understand Rune Formulas. My meager martial arts are not something you would look highly upon, and I am embarrassed to even mention them. The only thing I haven't forgotten is the insidious and ruthless training I received since childhood. I think I am more useful staying at the foot of the mountain; after all, half of those dissatisfied with you are concentrated right here in Jichun City."

The young woman swallowed slightly and said, "Do you intend to..."

Black Widow did not answer, but instead said, "There are still nine days until the Sword Casting Conference, right? Then I still have a few days, and I must hurry to get some things done."