The temple master sighed deeply, "Back in the day, I was so captivated by the sword techniques and footwork of body-sword arts that I foolishly neglected the foundation of Qi cultivation. Without strong Qi and blood, how could one wield a long sword? Without sufficient spiritual power, how could one perform the steps of the celestial dance? How could one speak of bravery or adaptability? Now that I think about it, those who criticized me for practicing a mortal's sword were not wrong. I have indeed disgraced the body-sword arts."
Yun Qi, not good at comforting others, simply said, "Master, you are too hard on yourself."
The old master, with his back to Yun Qi, stroked his beard and sighed.
In reality, Master Zhenwei was squinting and glancing sideways at Yun Qi, "Yun Qi, though I am now half a skeleton with my youth long gone, the sword I carried in my younger days remains as new as ever, stored in its case. Every autumn night, it rings like a dragon's roar, yet I am ashamed to face my old friends!"
Yun Qi was unsure what the master was getting at.
The master continued, "Come, since you're here today, let's take advantage of your youthful energy and go take a look!"
Without waiting for Yun Qi's response, the master grabbed his wrist and led him away.
Despite claiming to be half a skeleton, the master walked with vigorous strides, and soon they arrived at his residence, "The House of Shame," a rather peculiar name.
The master asked Yun Qi to wait in the main hall while he went to fetch the sword.
The House of Shame was sparsely decorated, with only a few potted plants as embellishments.
Soon, the master returned to the main hall, sat beside Yun Qi, and placed the sword case on the table between them.
His hands trembled slightly as he slowly opened the case.
A cold aura emanated from within.
Yun Qi leaned in to look and was immediately struck by the sword's beauty.
It resembled a sword from the Song dynasty, exuding the unique charm of Song swords—elegant yet powerful, like a slender old dragon.
The sword was slightly slender and long, about three feet six inches in total length.
Currently sheathed, its main body was black, but not glossy, resembling a deep pool.
The hilt and pommel were silver-white, shaped like rolling clouds or waves, with silver threads wrapped around the sheath's mouth and tip, forming cloud and water patterns.
Interestingly, while Song swords typically had two protective rings on the sheath for wearing, this sword had none, only a jade loop in the middle, a pre-Qin style.
The jade loop, made of mutton-fat jade, was carved into the shape of a coiling dragon, seemingly about to plunge into a black pool, with one claw reaching into the pool and the other outside, creating a hollow space.
The dragon-shaped jade loop softened the sword's otherwise sharp appearance.
"What a beautiful sword!" Yun Qi exclaimed.
The old master's gaze on the sword was particularly tender, but he did not touch it.
Instead, he said to Yun Qi, "Pick it up and take a look."
Delighted by the sword and with the master's permission, Yun Qi nodded and reached out with his left hand to grasp it.
The sword felt cold, like the waters of an autumn morning, chilling to the bone.
It was also heavier than expected, contrasting with its slender appearance.
Yun Qi held the sword with one hand, resting it on his leg and examining it closely.
Upon closer inspection, he realized that the black of the sheath and hilt was not paint or any ordinary metal but resembled some kind of animal horn, though he couldn't identify which.
It was unusually cold and deeply black.
The hilt, pommel, sheath mouth, and tip seemed to be made of a silver-like metal, possibly the same material.
If not for Yun Qi's belief that the old master wasn't wealthy enough, he might have thought it was pure silver.
"Draw the sword," the old master instructed.
Yun Qi stood up, gripping the hilt with both hands, feeling as if he held two pieces of ice.
"Clang!"
The sword slid out of its sheath, radiating a cold light, as if moonlight was hidden within.
Yun Qi looked at the blade, about two feet five inches long, gleaming like silver, resembling the moon, a mirror, frost, or autumn water.
Below the cloud and water-patterned hilt, two characters were inscribed in ancient script: "Autumn Water."
This was the sword's name.
"Autumn Water," Yun Qi murmured.
The old master, seated in his chair, watched Yun Qi holding the sword, his gaze lingering on Autumn Water.
"From the moment I first saw Autumn Water, I was enchanted," the master said wistfully.
"At that time, the Sword Casting Mountain was about to cleanse a batch of swords. As you know, the Sword Casting Mountain has too many swords, with countless gathering dust in the sword vault. It was fate that led me to Autumn Water that day."
Yun Qi nodded.
The Sword Casting Mountain had many sword vaults, filled with swords from various sources—captured in battles, offered by subordinate sects, crafted by disciples, or donated by elders and disciples who, before their passing, chose not to bury their swords with them.
The sword vaults held many swords, but the Sword Casting Mountain never freely distributed them.
Even true disciples had to pay in gold or complete tasks set by the elders to obtain a sword from the vault.
Periodically, the Sword Casting Mountain would take a portion of the swords from the vault to cleanse in the Sword Pool.
If someone fancied a particular sword, they could bid for it, often at a lower price than usual.
Unfortunately, Yun Qi had bad luck.
In his year at the sect, the Sword Casting Mountain had not opened the vault for cleansing.
But Master Zhenwei had encountered it.
He clearly remembered it was his third year in the sect, still wielding only a standard iron sword issued to him as a registered disciple of the Sword Casting Mountain.
He was frugal, taking on many miscellaneous tasks at the Affairs Hall, saving up money and metal ores.
He had not invested in his iron sword, as he didn't particularly like it, hoping to save enough for a more desirable sword.
However, his high standards meant his savings were insufficient for the sword he truly desired.
Until the day news spread that the vault would be opened for cleansing.
He knew his chance had come.
He stayed up the night before, waiting by the Sword Pool.
During the cleansing, the dazzling sword light nearly blinded him.
Like those around him, he strained his eyes, tears streaming down his face, searching through the light.
Until he saw Autumn Water.
Autumn Water was not as agile as flying swords, darting and fighting in the pool, nor did it possess the abundant sword intent of magical swords, churning the water.
It simply stood quietly in the Sword Pool.
Master Zhenwei was instantly captivated.
He desired such an ancient yet elegant sword.
When he saw a flying sword collide with Autumn Water without budging it, he immediately decided: Autumn Water was the one.
Perhaps only he noticed the flying sword being repelled by Autumn Water amidst the dazzling light, or perhaps Autumn Water's plain appearance left it unnoticed by others, allowing him to acquire it.
He offered all his money and metal ores, valuable to sword cultivators.
Though it wasn't enough, the elder overseeing the cleansing handed Autumn Water to him, returning the metal ores, kindly informing him that Autumn Water was a dual-natured sword, a personal sword.
He remembered the elder's joy, smiling and telling him that while the Sword Casting Mountain excelled in flying and magical swords, it could still teach body-sword arts.
He should cherish the sword and study hard.
If the time came when they couldn't teach him, they could always seek help from the Stone Forest—after all, they were all part of the same family.
Receiving Autumn Water made him happy, believing he was a hero recognizing a treasure.
He practiced sword techniques diligently by day and slept with the sword by night.
He became even more frugal, converting all his savings into metal ores to refine into Autumn Water.
However, reality later showed that while the sword was indeed a treasure, he was no hero.
He had failed Autumn Water, his teachers, and the elder who had handed him the sword.
These thoughts flashed through his mind in an instant.
He had relived the day he met Autumn Water countless times.
With a calm expression, he said, "Yun Qi, I wish to give Autumn Water to you. Will you accept it?"
Yun Qi was astonished.
Such a precious sword, to be gifted to him?
"I am unworthy. When I left the sect, taking Autumn Water with me was wrong. I should have returned it to the sword vault, but I couldn't bear to part with it! Yet, after selfishly taking it, I dared not face it, only storing it in its case, hanging it high on the wall. But the sword, being sentient, rings every autumn night as the metal energy grows stronger. I feared it would leave, yet in my heart, I hoped it would transform into a dragon and depart. These conflicting feelings are hard to express."
The old master's hands, hidden in his sleeves, clenched and trembled slightly.
Yun Qi sighed inwardly, feeling a pang of sorrow.
Was this the origin of the name "House of Shame"?
"Yun Qi, take Autumn Water. How can you travel without a treasure to protect yourself? If you truly don't like it, when you return to the sect, please take it back to the Sword Casting Mountain."
The master looked at Yun Qi, his eyes filled with hope.
For both emotional and logical reasons, Yun Qi had no reason to refuse.
He also loved Autumn Water deeply.
What was there to be coy about receiving such a precious sword?
Yun Qi sheathed the sword, bowed, and said, "Thank you, Master, for the sword."
The old master laughed heartily, as if a great burden had been lifted.
"Good child, good child! Come, sit. I have more to give you!"
The master pressed Yun Qi back into his seat and hurried to the inner room, his steps even lighter than before, not forgetting to take the sword case with him.
Just as Yun Qi saw the master leave the main hall, he heard a thud.
Had the master just thrown the sword case away?
Yun Qi smiled and looked down at Autumn Water again.
What a beautiful sword! He hadn't managed to acquire a sword in the sect, yet just after leaving, someone had gifted him one, and with such earnestness.
It felt like a dream.
Was it fate?
As for flying swords and magical swords, Yun Qi didn't dwell on them.
With such a personal sword in his arms, what more could he want? He would think about it later.
The old master, returning and seeing Yun Qi's fondness for the sword, felt deeply comforted.
He brought a small box and sat beside Yun Qi, placing it on the table between them.
Opening the box, Yun Qi saw about a dozen fragments, some golden, some stony, ranging in size from that of a chicken egg to a red bean.
Some looked like ordinary road gravel, while others shimmered faintly.
"These are some metal ores I've collected over the decades in the mortal world. There used to be more, but I exchanged the rest for dual-natured metal and water ores with some alchemists. Now, they are all yours. Their quality may not match those from the mountains, but don't disdain them."
Master Zhenwei pushed the box slightly towards Yun Qi, smiling.
Yun Qi, unable to refuse, stood up and bowed in thanks.
The old master chuckled and gestured for Yun Qi to sit, asking, "Have you ever fed a sword before?"
Yun Qi shook his head.
Without a sword, how could he have fed one?
The master continued to smile, his joy evident since Yun Qi accepted Autumn Water.
He explained, "The sharpness of a flying sword lies in its tempering, the power of a magical sword in its wielding, and the strength of a personal sword in its feeding. Yun Qi, think about it. Earlier, I mentioned that the key to body-sword arts lies in forming momentum, but momentum ultimately rests on the sword. If your sword is inferior, a single move or change in technique could cause it to break under the force. Thus, a body-sword must be strong—strong enough to destroy anything, yet also strong enough to bear the momentum it creates."
The master's explanation was clear, and Yun Qi nodded repeatedly.
"To strengthen a personal sword, it must be fed with metal ores regularly. This is the real expense. So, when you said flying and magical swords are costly, that's not entirely accurate."
Yun Qi felt a bit embarrassed, admitting, "As an outsider, I shouldn't have spoken out of turn."
The master waved it off and asked, "Can you perform fire techniques? Can you summon magical fire?"
Yun Qi nodded.
Currently, to quickly open his heart palace, fire techniques were his primary focus.
"Feeding a personal sword isn't difficult. With the right metal ores, here, take this and try it now."
The master picked a blue-green metal ore from the box and handed it to Yun Qi.
"This is called 'Flowing Gold Sinking Sand,' a type of Xin metal. Autumn Water, being dual-natured with metal and water, prefers Xin metal and Gui water. Summon your fire, melt it, and once it turns to liquid, drip it onto the sword. Autumn Water will naturally absorb it. Over time, with patience, Autumn Water will become increasingly resilient after absorbing a hundred metals. Moreover, some metal ores have unique properties, and Autumn Water can inherit some of these traits after absorbing them. So, in the future, when seeking ores for Autumn Water, pay attention to these details."
Yun Qi nodded, channeling his fire-attribute spiritual power to easily conjure a flame in his palm.
He tossed the Flowing Gold Sinking Sand into the fire, slowly refining it.
The master watched Yun Qi's palm flame and sighed, "When I first left the mountains, I still had spiritual power. But the mundane world's disturbances and my aging body caused my Qi absorption to decline daily, gradually depleting my power until I became no different from a mortal. Eventually, I couldn't even feed Autumn Water anymore."
Yun Qi nodded in agreement.
In just a few days outside the sect, he had already noticed the scarcity of spiritual energy in the mortal world.
No wonder major sects occupied spiritual mountains, rarely cultivating in the mundane world.
"It seems a bit slow. The Flowing Gold Sinking Sand is hard, cold, and fire-resistant. Let's try another one."
After a while, seeing the slow melting of the Flowing Gold Sinking Sand, the master suggested switching to another ore.
"No need."
Yun Qi shook his head.
He then placed the sword across his knees, holding the flame in his right hand and forming a seal with his left, pointing at the ore in the fire, softly uttering a word:
"Burn!"
Instantly, the Flowing Gold Sinking Sand began to melt.
The old master looked at Yun Qi, even more satisfied.
Moments later, the Flowing Gold Sinking Sand had turned into a pool of liquid metal.
Yun Qi extinguished the flame and let the liquid drip onto Autumn Water.
Like rain falling into a pool, the liquid metal left a blue-green mark on the sword, and Autumn Water emitted a clear ring.
"Autumn Water is pleased," the old master said with a smile.
With the task completed, the master no longer kept Yun Qi.
He gave him the remaining metal ores and sent him on his way.
Before parting, the master advised that feeding a personal sword should not be rushed.
Wait until Autumn Water had fully absorbed the metal before feeding it more, as overfeeding could lead to impurities, making the sword brittle.
To tell if the sword had fully absorbed the metal, simply check if any discoloration remained on the blade.
However, the master chuckled, saying that few sword owners faced this issue, as finding metal ores was usually much slower than the sword's consumption.
The dozen or so ores he had saved wouldn't last long for Autumn Water.
Yun Qi took the advice to heart, bowing deeply in sincere thanks.
The old master waved him off, watching as Yun Qi departed.
But as Yun Qi left, the smiling master suddenly felt a chill on his face.
Reaching up, he realized it was a tear.
He was crying!
Why was he crying? He was so happy, happier than he had been in years!
Was this what people meant by tears of joy?
The old master was momentarily puzzled.
He returned to his quarters, habitually avoiding the wall where the sword case had hung.
Sitting on the edge of his bed, he suddenly remembered something and scolded himself with a laugh,
"Old fool, you're confused. Autumn Water has a new master, a young man with talent far beyond yours. Why are you still hiding? No need to hide anymore. Tomorrow, I should change the name of the House of Shame!"
The old master felt he should face things openly.
He raised his head and looked directly at the wall.
The wall was empty, nothing there.
For some reason, a wave of sadness washed over him, his nose tingling unbearably.
The old master collapsed onto the bed, weeping bitterly.
New book presented, seeking comments, reviews, likes, and collections.
(End of Chapter)