The sky had turned completely black, a void like a curtain of darkness. Pale green lanterns flickered, glowing and dimming in turns—each one lit by ghostly energy, fueled by the spirit of the Specter of Azure.
It had been a long time. The Ten Swordmasters had left the table, leaving Lord Shenyan to drink alone. Carrie had been pouring wine for him earlier, but at his urging, she too departed.
I had been waiting for ages. The dishes and wine on the table remained untouched; even a taste was bland and flavorless. The debate yielded no results. I was surprised—Lord Shenyan was a Ghost Sovereign, yet he always treated his followers with respect, never issuing direct orders, but choosing to discuss matters with them.
It was completely different from what I remembered of the Yin Chou Group, the Dream Group, and the Redhair Group. There was no clear hierarchy—more like friends than subordinates, yet not quite. Just now, the Ten Swordmasters had been quite forceful with Lord Shenyan; no one could agree on anything.
I was confused. I understood the saying: 'A snake without a head cannot move.' Major decisions must be made by one person. If everyone speaks at once and their hearts are not united, disaster is sure to follow. It was the same when Ji Yun'er was alive.
"Ethan Zhang..."
Lord Shenyan finally spoke, his gaze shifting to me. I nodded.
"You may wonder why, as a Ghost Sovereign, I do not issue commands to those who should be my subordinates. Such a simple, obvious thing."
"Indeed, they don't seem like your subordinates."
Lord Shenyan nodded, tilting his head back for a sip of wine. His eyes glimmered with a trace of drunkenness.
"Govern by doing nothing; difficult things in the world must be done when they are easy, great things must be done when they are small. Do it before it exists, govern before chaos arises."
I looked at Lord Shenyan in confusion. I remembered what he quoted was from the Dao De Jing—I understood the meaning, but I couldn't see how 'governing by doing nothing' related to their discussion.
"I've been away from here for exactly 397 years, never once returning. For humans, that span is enough to witness the rise and fall of eras. For ghosts, such time means nothing."
I started to understand the sorrow Lord Shenyan was carrying.
The translation of 'Perry Min' for '裴旻' is consistent with the glossary. No change needed, but confirming the translation aligns with the established glossary entry.
I asked. Lord Shenyan nodded, then shook his head.
"They are all renowned swordmasters. No matter where or when, the swords in their sheaths are always sharp, never dulled. What worries them now is that if they keep interfering, the peaceful Living World will once again be plunged into chaos and bloodshed—a sight they've witnessed far too many times."
"But someone still has to do what's necessary."
I said, and Lord Shenyan nodded.
"Go down and take a look, Ethan Zhang. The streets here are lively at night."
I gave a soft reply. Lord Shenyan leaned back, gazing at the sky. I floated up and drifted down the mountain. Glancing back, I saw the graceful woman following me. I nodded to her; she hadn't left earlier, but had waited in a small pavilion below, apparently wanting to speak with me.
As soon as I reached the foot of the mountain, I heard the sounds of celebration from within the city. Every household had lanterns lit at their doors, the fiery red glow illuminating the entire city in brilliant light.
"Brother Zhang, please."
The graceful woman said, and I nodded, following her. She wore a white gauze dress with a red shawl, her hair styled in a round, high bun with strands of black falling at her temples. Small, silver, hook-shaped earrings dangled from her ears. Her gait was elegant and refined, and her mature yet gentle face always wore a kind smile.
Fireworks shot up into the sky, exploding with thunderous noise. Multicolored lights lit up all of Swordspire City, dazzling displays bursting overhead. The ghosts in the city watched quietly, as the graceful woman beside me came to a stop.
I looked over. It was a distinctive three-story building—Last Sword House. The three characters were written plainly, yet with a feminine elegance, as if dancing across the sign.
With a creak, the door opened. Carrie bounced out, giggling, and threw her arms around the graceful woman.
"Madam, let's go play at the temple fair over there!"
The graceful woman shook her head. Carrie noticed me and made a face, clearly displeased. I smiled awkwardly.
"Carrie, go find someone else to play with. I have something to discuss with Brother Zhang."
On the second floor, I saw two slender swords hanging on the wall—one was a slightly curved short sword, the other an ordinary longsword. Both blades gleamed with an extraordinary brightness. Though I knew little about swords, it was clear these were remarkable.
"Brother Zhang, my surname is Gongsun. Everyone calls me Madam Gongsun."
I nodded in realization—so she was Madam Gongsun. Memories flickered in my mind; though I didn't know her story, I'd heard bits and pieces, and recalled a famous poet had written a long poem about her.
Madam Gongsun walked over to the stove on the balcony and began to brew tea.
"No need to trouble yourself. I can't taste anything anyway."
But Madam Gongsun still prepared a pot of tea, performing a formal tea ceremony. She poured me a small cup, then sat down gracefully, her skirt settling gently to either side.
"Brother Zhang, may I see the sword you're holding?"
I nodded and reached out. Belle slowly appeared in my hand.
"It truly is a fine sword."
Madam Gongsun examined Belle's blade with great care.
"Such a beautiful sword—it must have been crafted by a famous master from the Warring States period, perhaps even Ou Yezi himself."
I nodded and told her the sword was forged by Ou Yezi. Madam Gongsun looked astonished, then delighted, and asked about it. I briefly explained who Ou Yezi was.
"Alas, no matter the era, the world is always full of disappointments."
By now, the noise outside had faded away; most of the ghosts had gone home.
"Miss Gongsun, what is your relationship with Lord Shenyan? Why do you oppose his proposals?"
This was the biggest question in my mind. Madam Gongsun smiled and replied.
"It's not opposition, but caution. We have all faced life and death, and often consider the dangers facing the world. But times have changed—the world no longer needs swordmasters."
I was deeply puzzled, but after a brief conversation with Madam Gongsun, I left. She didn't say much more, only asked a simple question about Lord Shenyan's affairs in the Living World.
Leaving Madam Gongsun's home, I saw dawn breaking. Many ghosts were already up and busy. Everything here felt like a dreamland—whatever existed in the Living World could be found here. Madam Gongsun had said that when they arrived, this place was just forest and mountains; it took them decades to build it up bit by bit.
The power of the Underworld cannot reach this place, and even Madam Gongsun isn't sure what it truly is.
I wandered aimlessly through the streets, uncertain how long Lord Shenyan would stay. I was anxious, having already found the Heartfruit. Suddenly, a hand hooked around my neck. I clenched my fists, only to realize it was the middle-aged man who'd praised my sword. He had a stubbled face, wore a plain gray robe with a red sash at his waist, his hair tied in a ponytail, a blade of grass between his teeth, and a few faint scars on his face.
"Did that woman chatter your ear off?"
I smiled awkwardly and shook my head.
"Excuse me..."
"Brother Zhang, my name is Perry Min."
I gave a small nod—his name sounded familiar, as if I'd heard it somewhere before.
Perry Min released me. I looked him up and down, puzzled—he was the only one among the Ten Swordmasters whose sword I hadn't seen.
"My sword? It was stolen years ago."
He seemed to read my thoughts. What he said stunned me—someone had actually stolen his sword. The ghostly energy around him was even denser than Zifeng's. My curiosity was piqued, so I followed Perry Min to a bun shop, where he ordered two big baskets of buns and started eating.
"Not eating, Brother Zhang?"
I shook my head. Perry Min sighed helplessly.
"My sword was forged by the same person as yours—Ou Yezi."
I gasped in surprise.
"Was it crafted by Ou Yezi?"
"It's called Sevenstar Abyss, also known as Dragon Spring Sword."
Suddenly, a memory surfaced—Xu Fu's deceitful face flashed in my mind, recalling the time he fought me on Jiuyin Island with a deep blue sword.
"Was it Xu Fu?"
I quickly asked. Perry Min looked at me strangely, then slapped his forehead.
"No, the sword Xu Fu wields is also crafted by Ou Yezi and called Zhanlu. The one who stole my sword is still at large."
Soon, Perry Min finished eating and floated up from his seat.
"Brother Zhang, come have tea at my place later—it's halfway up Swordspire Peak. I'd like to carefully examine the sword in your hand. Could you tell me its name?"
"Belle."
Perry Min left, but thinking about it now, whoever managed to steal Sevenstar Abyss from him must be formidable indeed.
After he left, I planned to wander around some more. Suddenly, I sensed a strange aura. With a whoosh, I floated upward, scanning all around. The streets were now filled with ghosts, and I drifted among them, releasing streams of ghostly energy.
It was only for an instant, but I was certain—I had just sensed a murderous intent among these ghosts, an icy-cold feeling I couldn't possibly mistake.
"What on earth is that?"
I closed my eyes, and dense black ghostly threads spread rapidly to the edges of the city.