Spirit

The Old Dragon King reminisced for a good while.

A strange expression appeared on his face without him realizing it.

He said, "Eh? When was this sword placed here? Why don't I have any recollection of it at all?"

"Even you don't remember it, Senior Dragon King?" Su Qing frowned involuntarily upon hearing his words and asked.

The Old Dragon King chuckled and said, "The Dragon Palace treasury is massive, after all. Items are sent out and brought in all the time. How could I possibly remember every single thing clearly?"

Su Qing's lips twitched slightly at that...

She had thought this small Fish-gut sword was so mysterious that even the Old Dragon King didn't know its origins!

As it turns out, he just forgot?

Then again, there was nothing wrong with what the Dragon King said.

With so many items in the treasury, even she couldn't remember everything, let alone the much older Dragon King.

Seeing Su Qing deep in thought, the Old Dragon King reached out and picked up the rust-covered Fish-gut sword, examining it closely in his hand.

"Though I have no memory of when it arrived or what its properties are, the fact that it made it into my treasury means it shouldn't be anything ordinary."

He noticed Su Qing's interest in the rusty little sword and gave it a few more looks...

But realizing he truly couldn't recall anything, he didn't bother thinking further and handed it directly to her, saying:

"If you're interested, just take it. As I said, you can take whatever you want from the Dragon Palace treasury! It doesn't matter if you take several pieces."

The Old Dragon King wasn't afraid of Su Qing emptying the treasury...

He could see that she wasn't that shameless.

At most, she would take a few dozen items.

To him, that was inconsequential.

So, it was better to be generous.

Su Qing's eyebrows raised slightly as she took the Fish-gut sword from the Old Dragon King's hand.

"Speaking of which, Senior, did you even forget its name?"

"Not that... though I thought you already knew its name!"

"How so?"

"...It's written on the shelf." He pointed to a small tag on the shelf where the Fish-gut sword had been. "There are too many items here, so markers have to be left on the surface, lest I forget..."

"......"

But you still forgot, Su Qing thought to herself.

"However, I truly did forget its origin. But if you really want to know... I can have someone check the treasury records. Every treasure entered usually has one."

"Then I'll trouble you, Senior."

Su Qing nodded. She looked at the small Fish-gut sword in her hand, then at the words 'Ancient Sword' on the tag, feeling speechless.

Well, no wonder the Dragon King couldn't remember its function; with a name like that, she wouldn't remember it either.

It was too generic.

It would be a wonder if anyone could remember it!

"It's a small matter. Let's keep looking; take whatever you like," the Old Dragon King said with a smile.

Su Qing nodded slightly and put the small sword into her Sleeve Universe.

She followed the Old Dragon King around the treasury for a while longer, picking two or three more treasures that she had a slight interest in.

She had originally wanted to find some items that were useful to her...

But after realizing she wasn't lacking anything,

She simply took what caught her fancy!

She treated them as novelties to play with.

Besides, in the event she actually needed them later, it wouldn't be a loss!

However, Su Qing was a little worried. "I took a weapon; Leng Xiang won't be mad at me, will she? Mmm, probably not? If she had an issue, she would have mentioned it long ago."

Su Qing shook her head, bid farewell to the Dragon King, and went to find Ao Ying.

Two people had come to her last night; aside from the Dragon King, there was Ao Ying. Now that the matter with the Dragon King was settled, she still had to visit Ao Ying.

Su Qing soon arrived outside Ao Ying's chambers and knocked on the door.

A loud commotion followed from inside, as if someone was in a panic and had knocked something over.

Outside the door, Su Qing raised an eyebrow, wondering what the girl was up to.

Shortly after, Ao Ying hurriedly opened the door.

Just that her face was flushed red, looking as though she were drunk.

However, Su Qing didn't smell any alcohol on her... clearly, she hadn't been drinking.

This made Su Qing even more curious about what the girl was doing in her room.

"Sister Xiao Qing, why are you here?" Ao Ying touched her own face and asked guiltily.

Su Qing tilted her head. "Didn't you come looking for me yesterday? I was curious about why, so I came to ask. But now I'm more curious about what you were doing in your room."

Ao Ying shook her head quickly, waving her hands in a panic. "No... nothing. I was just startled when you came and accidentally tripped, that's all."

Ao Ying seemed so flustered that she was out of breath, gasping between her words...

Su Qing looked at her with suspicion.

The girl was obviously lying...

Su Qing could tell that much.

But... after thinking it over, she decided not to pry.

If someone didn't want to say, it was clearly a secret...

Choosing to pursue it would only make her annoying.

Who doesn't have a few little secrets?

Su Qing nodded and said, "I see... Then remember to be careful. Don't be such a klutz."

"I know... I know. Don't worry, Sister," Ao Ying sighed in relief and nodded quickly.

"And yesterday..."

"Yesterday? It was actually nothing much. I just wanted to chat with you... but you were asleep, so I went back," Ao Ying answered hurriedly.

In truth, Ao Ying was too embarrassed to say what she wanted to do yesterday.

She had been coaxed into coming over by her mother.

Since Su Qing was already asleep, she had given up and returned.

Su Qing looked at her suspiciously but nodded. "I see. I thought you needed something important."

This girl seemed to have many secrets lately.

Ao Ying shook her head quickly. "What major business could I have with you? By the way, when are we going back to the Changbai Mountains?"

She changed the subject as fast as she could, trying to steer the conversation as far away as possible.

"Well, there's nothing left to do in the Dragon Palace for now. Tomorrow, we'll say goodbye to my mother-in-law and return. But we'll have to come back in a month. If you want to spend more time with her, you can stay."

"I'd rather go back with you. I've nearly developed calluses on my ears from Mother's nagging lately. She's too fierce..."

Speaking of her mother, Ao Ying recalled the experience of being lectured all night and shuddered.

Su Qing's lips twitched. Every daughter really was afraid of being pressured into marriage.

Besides, her mother-in-law was indeed fierce.

"Since you're going back too, that's settled then." Su Qing smiled. "Then I'll head back for now..."

Ao Ying hadn't invited her inside, clearly because there was something in the room she hadn't tidied up yet. Otherwise, with her personality, she wouldn't let Su Qing stand at the door.

So she didn't continue to bother her, letting Ao Ying tidy up on her own.

To save Ao Ying from getting even more flustered.

Seeing that Su Qing was about to leave, Ao Ying nodded quickly. "Mhm, mhm! Take care, Sister."

Su Qing waved her hand, turned, and left Ao Ying's chambers to return to her guest room.

Once Su Qing had left, Ao Ying exhaled a long sigh of relief and quickly shut the door.

She went back to her table and hid the so-called secret manuals her mother had given her... she didn't dare look at them anymore.

These things were definitely not good; she really couldn't imagine what Su Qing's expression would be if she saw them.

"The manuals Mother gave me... I never thought they'd be this kind of thing." Ao Ying sighed deeply and slumped onto the table dejectedly. "Though it really is just like Mother's personality..."

She closed her eyes, intending to clear her mind.

Instead, her head was filled with all sorts of chaotic things.

"......Maybe I should look a bit more. What if, just what if I need them later?"

Ao Ying suddenly sat up straight, nodded firmly, and pulled the books out to study them carefully.

She... was a dragon, after all.

After leaving Ao Ying, Su Qing quickly returned to her guest room.

She sat on her bed, took out the Fish-gut sword, and examined it closely.

Meanwhile, Leng Xiang transformed into her human form and stood beside Su Qing, her gaze also falling upon the rust-covered Fish-gut sword.

"Master..." After watching for a while, Leng Xiang suddenly spoke. "This sword..."

Su Qing looked up at Leng Xiang and asked, "What's wrong? Are you worried that I'll throw you away now that I have this sword?"

Leng Xiang shook her head. "Master wouldn't throw me away; I'm very clear on that. It's just that there seems to be a faint spirituality within this sword. This spirit feels like an infant."

Su Qing looked at the Fish-gut sword in her hand with surprise.

"You mean..."

"If this sword is guided a little... it seems it could give birth to a sword spirit." Leng Xiang took the Fish-gut sword from Su Qing's hand. "Perhaps I can make use of this on my end as well."

"You can use it?"

"Mhm... also, the rust on the outside of this sword seems to be fake. Looking at it from afar earlier didn't reveal anything, but now that it's in my hand, I can feel it."

As Leng Xiang spoke, her hand shook, and spiritual power poured in, instantly shattering the rust on the surface to reveal its original form.

She handed the Fish-gut sword back to Su Qing. "This seems to be its true appearance."

Su Qing looked at the short sword in her hand, feeling slightly surprised.

It was a cyan short sword, looking ancient and unadorned, yet hiding a sharp edge.

"How did you know?"

"Master... I am a sword too!" Leng Xiang smiled slightly. "The sword of sword arts."

"Uh... you don't need to explain further; I know what you mean." The mood Su Qing had just been building was completely ruined by Leng Xiang's sudden explanation.

Leng Xiang smiled and said, "Master... this sword is very ancient. The material of the blade is also very special, unlike any material I know. But it's certain that this Fish-gut sword is very powerful..."

"How does it compare to you?"

"If it were at its peak, I might not even be a match for it." Leng Xiang thought carefully before answering seriously.

Su Qing's gaze narrowed slightly, feeling quite surprised.

"It's actually more powerful than you?"

Leng Xiang nodded slightly, not refuting it at all.

Su Qing looked at it for a while before setting the sword down and asking:

"By the way, you said this sword is useful to you... but how?"

Su Qing was also quite curious about this...

After all, it couldn't be that Leng Xiang also wanted a weapon, right?

One sword wielding another sword? The thought was a bit strange.

Leng Xiang beamed and said with a smile, "Mhm, let's keep it a secret for now!"

"Huh?"

"By the way, Master, can I keep this sword with me for a while?"

"That's fine. But what exactly are you going to do?"

"You'll find out later! The sword spirit within will be of great use to me." Leng Xiang said with a smile, "Also... could you share a strand of your spiritual essence with me?"

Su Qing raised an eyebrow, even more confused, but she nodded after thinking for a moment.

It was just a strand of essence; it wouldn't hurt to give it away.

Besides, Leng Xiang wouldn't do anything strange with it.

Thus, Su Qing formed a hand seal, separated a strand of spiritual essence, sealed it onto the small sword, and handed it to her along with the sword.

After Leng Xiang took it and thanked her, emerald-green branches began to coil around the hilt of the small sword, quickly swallowing the entire blade and sprouting small plum blossoms.

Su Qing watched this scene, a trace of confusion in her eyes.

But asking would be useless, so she simply didn't ask.

Once Leng Xiang was finished, the result would surely be revealed, wouldn't it?

However, the strand of spiritual essence Su Qing had just sealed onto the sword sent back some information.

That was, Leng Xiang was also channeling her own spirituality into the sword, and it was intertwining with Su Qing's essence.

At the same time, the weak sword spirit seemed to be starting to recover its strength.

Like an infant...

Breathing quietly and gently.

Su Qing didn't know if that was the right way to describe it... but those were the emotions and feelings being transmitted back.

As for the entanglement between the spiritual essences, honestly, it was quite strange.

After a moment, Su Qing shook her head and stopped monitoring that strand of essence.

At this rate, it wouldn't be long before the result was revealed.

Leng Xiang looked at Su Qing, her smile remaining; she was happy that Su Qing trusted her and that Su Qing never doubted she might destroy the sword.

However, she indeed wouldn't destroy it.

If she were going to destroy it, she wouldn't be personally nurturing that newborn sword spirit.

"Good child, grow up quickly," Leng Xiang said to the weak sword spirit, as if talking to herself.

And at the same time, the Fish-gut short sword in her hand vanished just like that.