Volume 1: Tian Nan ? Xuan Qing Chapter 11: Drunken Slumber Asking Heaven, Boiling Wine Debating Sword

  Then, Mian Luren had already instructed the crowd to take good care of "Hei Yun" Bao Ju, and also walked up from behind with Lian Wanrou, who was smiling all the way.

  "Look, Lian Wanru is asking: 'Sixth Brother, why doesn't my little sister Jiang'er come down the mountain to see me? My mother has taught me a new set of sword moves and I was just about to practice them!'"

  Luozhi Han heard that even a girl like Lian could have someone to care for her, and he thought of himself being alone and unaccompanied. Yesterday, he was still laughing and chatting with his senior brother and master, and in the evening, he was heroic and chivalrous, going to Zhangjia Village to rescue people and punish the wicked. Now, however, he is separated from his master by life and death, his senior brother has returned to Nanhai, and he is alone, with a thousand miles of water and mountains between them. His heart suddenly felt sour, and he walked even more slowly.

  Luren smiled and replied, "Little Shifu is always thinking about practicing sword with you every day. It's just that August 18th is our sect's memorial ceremony and the Sword Conferring Ceremony. My master ordered her and all the other disciples to focus on their practice. If not for this, she would have come down the mountain to find you long ago!"

  Lian Wanrou was also very pleased to hear that: "My elder brother said the same thing, well, August 19th is just four days later, when are you going back? I know, my father had already cast ten good swords at the beginning of the month.

  When I saw my father engraving the names of your ten senior brothers on the sword, he was very serious and careful. Even when my brother and I sneaked into the Sword Pavilion, he didn't notice.

  "You guys, what are you sneaking into the Sword Pavilion for? To see my sword? Haha, I get it! You're going to see Second Brother's sword, aren't you? I thought only I was anxious, but it turns out Second Brother is too! However, even Master's Sword Pavilion is an extremely important place. It's not a place to have fun, so it's better if you don't go there often." Ruruon smiled and said with surprise.

  He continued, "Tomorrow, Shifu and the two of us will have to leave. On August 19th, we'll be inviting all the seniors and masters from the entire Tian Nan martial arts world to attend our grand ceremony. Many sects from the Central Plains will send representatives, including Shaolin, Wudang, and Kunlun, who are said to be sending their elders as well. It's going to be a lively event! Of course, Shifu and your mother will have to come too. You can join us and play with Little Shimei then!"

  He suddenly paused, looked at Lian Wanrou and smiled: "And your junior brother on the ninth day! The other day when we were practicing sword together in the back mountain, he often mentioned that you haven't gone to the mountain to play for a long time, and he also misses you very much!"

  Lian Wanrou knew she had misspoken, but seeing Lu Lun misguess the reason for her and her brother's trip to Jian Tai, she didn't correct him, instead playfully making a silly face.

  Then I heard the name "Chu Jiu Xiao Shixiong" again, and suddenly laughed, laughing like a spring flower, the chrysanthemums in the courtyard also lost their color. Yan Ran Wu Shuang: "Chu Jiu Xiao Shixiong, it's been two months since he returned from Diancang, I haven't seen him at all, is he still so clever and cunning? These past two days, my big brother has been telling me about Chu Jiu Xiao Shixiong and his adventures on Mount Diancang, one moment practicing swordplay, the next climbing mountains to catch birds... I really couldn't help but laugh, it's great that I'll be seeing him soon!"

  Lian Wanrou suddenly seemed to have thought of something, and said: "En, Sixth Brother, is my big brother going with you all tomorrow too? That's great, I'll go ask Mother, Mother will definitely let me and Big Brother leave first!"

  After finishing speaking, she happily ran forward, passing by Luo Zhihan's side, and went to the main hall to find her mother.

  Luozhi Han only caught a whiff of the fragrance on the girl's body, like musk and orchid, comforting beyond compare. Looking at Lian Wanrou's back, he was momentarily stunned, and once again thought of his own solitary loneliness. Even this lovely girl's mouth had someone else in it, not recognizing or caring about him, a pang of sourness arose in his heart.

  Luren arrived just in time and smiled as he patted Luo Zhihan's right shoulder, saying: "Brother Luo, let's go!" The two of them entered the main hall together.

  At this time, it was almost noon. In the hall, a good wine table had already been set up.

  Gu Baiyun caught a whiff of the fragrance from afar, reminiscent of spring bamboo shoots after rain and green bamboo in an empty mountain. The aroma was rich yet subtle, pure yet not overpowering. His heart filled with joy, he let out a hearty cheer: "Good wine, good wine!"

  He was delighted in his heart, seeing Lian Ri also nodding silently, and continued: "Brother and sister's wine brewing skills are indeed advanced and refined. I only know that this bamboo leaf green is brewed with Qing Shan Ling Sun, and has the fresh taste of Kongshan Xintu, but this floating and lingering fragrance that cannot be waved away, I don't know what it is brewed with? Gu Mou loves wine, but doesn't know either, so please teach me, brother and sister?"

  At this moment, there was only one middle-aged woman with a very elegant and refined appearance, standing at the table with Lian Wanrou. Obviously, Gu Baiyun's relationship with them was deep, so although there were many servants in the Zhuang family, Madame Lian had personally gone to the kitchen to cook and warm wine this time.

  At that time, Mrs. Lian was personally warming wine in the hall, and Lian Wanrou was already by her side, explaining that she would go to Diancang Mountain with her elder brother tomorrow, but Ye Lanmo just smiled and didn't say a word.

  As soon as the last word of Gu Baiyun's words was heard, a group of people had already walked over. Ye Lanmo smiled and first said: "Lanmo has seen Big Brother Gu, it's been several months, how are you?"

  Gu Baiyun rushed forward and held Ye Lanmo's elbows with her hands, not letting him kneel down. The disciples of Diancang behind her all came forward to pay their respects to her.

  After waiting for Lu Lun and Luo Zhihan to finish their bows, Ye Lanmo smiled and said: "What Brother Baiyun said is correct. In the past ten years, I have indeed added Qing Shan Ling Sun to the aged wine of bamboo leaves, but only to enhance its flavor and aroma. I specially added Chen Cao to it. The taste of Chen Cao is sweet and cool, and after being blended with the wine for ten years, the flavor of the wine has become even more mellow."

  Gu Baiyun had always loved swords and enjoyed wine. Upon hearing Ye Lan's words, he found them to be entirely reasonable. After some further contemplation, he indeed felt the same way, and his heart was filled with admiration. Later, during the banquet, he naturally became more unrestrained, repeatedly exclaiming "Good wine!" as he drank several more cups.

  After having the wine and dinner, Gu Baiyun and Lian Rifu, Lu Shaohang, Lian Tian, Lu Lun, Luo Zhihan, Lian's wife Ye Lanmo and Lian Tanru went to the main hall to drink tea. Then they went to Lian Rifu's study, ordering the servants to clean up the dining hall and not to disturb them in the study.

  Luo Zhi saw that the study was quite large, but the furnishings were very simple, with only a large desk and several high-quality brushes and inkstones. The walls of the study were adorned with some paintings and calligraphy, which gave off a refined and elegant atmosphere. There were also some plain chairs around the room. On the wall in the center hung a couplet: "Drunk and asleep, asking heaven what sword to forge tomorrow; Brewing wine and discussing swords, tomorrow's clear mind seeks the words of the fisherman."

  Day after day, he devoted himself to forging swords, and was somewhat disdainful of worldly affairs. Although he had already become a famous swordsmith in the Jianghu, he still couldn't overcome a major obstacle in his craft, which left him with an unfulfilled sense of ambition. Hence, he wrote this poem to express his feelings, while "Yu Yan" is an ancient famous sword from a previous dynasty, and in the second part of the poem, he encourages himself with this very sword.

  Luozhi Han felt that this was not the study of the number one swordsmith in Tiannan, but rather the study of a scholar. He also saw that Lian Yifeng was approachable and humble, famous throughout Tiannan yet not arrogant, wealthy and noble yet not extravagant, and he couldn't help but feel a deep sense of reverence.

  He looked up at Lian Wanrou again, feeling that she was also elegant and refined. Lian Wanrou happened to be looking at him too, their eyes met, and they both felt a slight tremble before quickly lowering their heads.

  "Even your study is still so simple, one day I'll send some strange stones to decorate it!" Gu Baiyun said with a hearty laugh.

  Lian Rong had known Gu Baiyun and others for a long time, so he just laughed it off and didn't take it to heart. He then invited Gu Baiyun to sit in the guest seat: "Brother Gu, please!" Gu Baiyun also stopped being polite, smiled and sat down.

  He then invited his wife and a group of younger generations to sit down. Lu Shaoxing and others hurriedly made a bow: "Thank you, Master Lian!"

  Lian Ri Feng exchanged a few pleasantries with the crowd, waited until someone had served the best tea, and then retreated. Only then did he turn around, mobilize his inner energy, push and pat the bookcase leaning against the left wall, and the bookcase slowly turned over.

  On the back of the bookcase, twelve swords were hung, and below them was a row of eleven scabbards. Among the ten swords, the style of the scabbard was exactly the same, three feet two inches long and two and a half inches wide. The names of ten people were carved on the hilt of the sword.

  The sword body shone with a cold and clear light, faintly visible. For several days, the ten fingers of the flute master had been plucking the strings on the back of the guqin, one by one, and before everyone could see clearly, the ten swords simultaneously emitted the sound of dragon chanting, crisp and unparalleled, almost uniform.

  Gu Baiyun couldn't help but praise: "The 'Flowing Star Forging Sword' 14th style is indeed as fast as a shooting star, and these ten swords shine brightly with lingering sounds, truly a great sword!"

  I received letters from Lin Shixiong and Bai Yunxiong, informing me that the ten long swords need to be cast for use at the Dongyue Festival ceremony on August 19th this year and the Seventh Generation Grand Disciple Sword Granting Ceremony. Time is of the essence.

  Ben and Nei Zǐ rushed to the bottom of the dry spring cave in the Daba Mountains, wanting to dig out the stone iron essence at the bottom of the cave. After two months, they defeated the "acid and alkali" at the bottom of the cave and finally didn't waste their efforts, digging out the stone iron essence and transporting it back on a fast horse.

  Xia Jianlu spent another month casting, and it was finally completed at the beginning of this month. It's considered not to have failed the trust placed in him, and he also has an account to give to Bai Yun and Dian Cang. "For several days, the sword path has been sharp. The fine steel is cast into a sword that is both flexible and sharp, and it matches Dian Cang's swordsmanship and sword meaning. It's indeed a good sword for Dian Cang's disciples to use.

  He had been stroking the blade of one of the swords for days, his eyes filled with infinite tenderness, as if he were a young man gazing at his beloved with passionate eyes, yet speaking of the sword's origin and forging process with great ease.

  Although Luo Zhihan did not understand the "Shen Mang Mountain Villa" and Shi Tie Jingying, he secretly thought to himself that as the current master of Shen Mang Mountain Villa in Tian Nan, the number one swordsmith in Tian Nan, Shen Mang Mountain Villa was the number one swordsmithing mountain villa in Tian Nan. There were at least several hundred types of swordsmithing materials within Shen Mang Mountain Villa. He had actually gone all the way to Da Ba Shan's Kuang Quan Dong to excavate Shi Tie Jingying, which made this material extremely precious.

  He had the "Meteor Forging Sword Fourteen Styles" martial arts, so powerful that even Madame's divine light was retracted, deep and profound. It seemed that her martial arts were also high, yet she still dug for two months. What was this "acid and" thing, he didn't know himself, but Lin Feng personally escorted him back to the mountain villa, naturally exhausted and perhaps with several fierce battles.

  He himself is the number one sword casting master in Nantian today, and it's enough for ordinary disciples of the Sword Gate to cast swords, but surprisingly, all ten swords were cast by him personally, and he spent a whole month on each one.

  Such hardships, such twists and turns, he simply brushed it off with a light tone, this is truly a chivalrous hero, with both bravery and benevolence, making people admire.

  Gu Baiyun had been friends with Mr. and Mrs. Lian for over twenty years, how could he not know about these things? Especially since he knew that the acid bird was a strange creature from the five elements, a monster of the earth system, a bird-like creature shaped like a snake, with four wings, six eyes, and three legs, extremely ferocious. According to legend, this monster guarded the Dabashan mountain range. Mr. and Mrs. Lian had actually fought a fierce battle with it for the sake of the stone iron essence in the depths of the Kuquan cave. How could this be considered a small matter?

  He immediately stood up, very solemnly, with his hands clasped together, and bowed deeply: "Lian Xiongdi, thank you for helping Dian Cang forge these ten good swords. The generations of Dian Cang will never forget this!"

  Lu Shao Hang and Lu Lun immediately stood up and bowed down, Lian Tian although is the son of Lian Ri Feng, but this bow is to pay respects for the casting of the sword, also followed suit and bowed down.

  This batch of long swords is extremely important to Dian Cang, so even someone like Gu Baiyun personally brought only a few powerful disciples to retrieve the swords and return them to the mountain, without bringing any unnecessary people. They were efficient and solemn, and had already sent their disciples ahead of time to prepare, making sure everything was perfect.

  This time Lian Ruo didn't dodge, and calmly accepted a bow. He then personally helped Gu Baiyun up: "Brother Gu, your words are too heavy!"

  Two people burst out laughing, and all the disciples followed suit.

  Luren Ding Shen looked over and saw a sword with his own name engraved on it, he was exceptionally excited.

  When Lu Shao Hang saw it, he saw that although his senior brother was usually calm and composed, he could still see that he was also very happy and joyful, but his face was still relatively calm. Although the two had long known that this batch of swords contained their own swords, now that they saw them in person, they were still extremely excited in their hearts, only Lu Shao Hang appeared much calmer than Lu Lun.

  On the back of the cabinet there is also a shorter and narrower sword, which has a similar hilt and blade, apparently cast in the same batch, but without a name engraved on the handle.

  Gong Yu Baiyun stared at the sword, seemingly puzzled. He explained: "I heard Ruo Er mention when she returned from Diancang last time that Meng Er didn't have a sword yet. I knew that the rules of the Cang Sect are very strict and since Meng Er wasn't one of the top ten disciples this time, he wouldn't be able to get a sword. However, August 19th happened to be Meng Er's seventeenth birthday, so we used this sword as a gift from 'Shenmang Mountain Villa'. This sword doesn't have Meng Er's name engraved on it and is slightly shorter by a few inches, making it suitable for a girl to use. It also doesn't conform to the style of the Cang Sect disciples' swords, so it doesn't count as violating the sect rules."

  Gu Baiyun hadn't spoken yet, when Lian Rong continued to say: "After a few years, when Meng'er is qualified to have her own sword, I'll forge another good one to exchange for this one. Lin Zhangmen will have nothing to say then, haha! Moreover, it's also very necessary for a girl to have a sword of her own for self-defense."

  "This idea was thought of by me, and in the future, little sister Meng will be able to accompany me in truly practicing swordsmanship. Mother, big brother, Sixth Brother, do you think my idea is good?" Lian Wanrou was extremely delighted, smiling as she asked her mother Ye Lanmo and Lian Tiandao, also glancing at Lu Lun.

  "Yes, yes, that's great! If Little Sister didn't have a sword this time, she would definitely cry and make trouble every three days, and might even come to pester us for a sword. The mountain would be restless if that happened. But since she has her own sword now, we can finally be at peace!" Among the many senior disciples of Mount Penglai, Rulun's personality was the most gentle, despite his exceptional martial arts skills. He had the best relationship with Little Sister and a group of other junior brothers and sisters.

  He was actually afraid that his junior sister would snatch his sword to play with, so he was overjoyed and said to his master.

  "I knew it, you little demon! Now that we've reached the top of Cangshan Mountain, all the flowers, grasses, trees, birds, and beasts will be doomed!" Gu Baiyun loved Lin Meng'er and Lian Wanrou just as much as their father did. In her heart, she thought that Little Rou was a clever girl with a heart as fine as silk, and that Lin Meng'er having a sword to protect herself was the best thing that could have happened. However, she said...

  "No, no, when little Shifu had only a wooden sword, she naturally went to fight with the flowers, grass, trees, birds and beasts on the mountain. But after a few days, when we have this good sword, we will definitely make the mountain lively again!" Lian Wanrou said innocently and cutely, revealing her white teeth as she smiled in her mother's arms.