My words have become law; I truly have no desire to display my divine power before others.

A moment ago.

On the second floor of the Lan Yue Fang, there is a private room, number seven in the "Tian" section.

This room overlooks the lake. Pushing open the carved wooden window reveals the shimmering waves of Xiaojing Lake and the octagonal pavilion in the center of the lake adorned with colorful lanterns.

The windows were half-closed, shutting out the noisy music from the lobby downstairs, leaving only the warm fragrance and laughter inside.

Inside the room was a rosewood octagonal table, on which were already laid out fifteen dishes, seven meat and eight vegetable.

A jar of 30-year-old "Daughter's Red" wine in the middle was opened, and the aroma of the wine mixed with the aroma of the food made people feel slightly tipsy.

Five young men in fine clothes sat around the table. Each of them was dressed in luxurious attire and wore jade ornaments at their waists. They were clearly scions of prominent families in Wen'an County.

The group had no interest in the courtesan competition below. To be honest, given their backgrounds, they could easily send any so-called courtesan they asked for.

However, due to their strict family rules, they dared not use the family's reputation to do such things outside.

Otherwise, their legs really will be broken.

The man in the main seat was about twenty-three or twenty-four years old, with a fair complexion and a scholarly air about him.

But now, with the effects of the alcohol on his face, his cheeks were flushed, making him less refined and more like a spoiled brat.

His surname was Lü, and his given name was Yang. His father, Lü Wenyuan, was a fifth-rank official in the Ministry of Revenue.

He was transferred to Jingyang Prefecture as the Prefectural Assistant Prefect, in charge of the prefecture's finances and taxes, wielding real power.

Lü Yang did not live with his father.

Instead, he was staying temporarily in Wen'an County, ostensibly to prepare for next year's provincial examination, but in reality, he spent his days mingling with this group of young masters.

"Brother Lü, your sword is truly excellent!"

The speaker was a plump young man surnamed Zhou, sitting to the left of Lü Yang. His family owned the largest silk shop in Wen'an County.

He stared at the sword at Lü Yang's waist, his eyes filled with envy.

Lu Yang smiled smugly, took the sword from his waist, and pulled it out halfway with a clang.

The sword reflected the candlelight, gleaming with a cold, autumn-water-like light.

The hilt is inlaid with a sapphire the size of a pigeon's egg, and the scabbard is covered with black sharkskin. The mouth and end of the scabbard are engraved with cloud and thunder patterns in pure silver, making it exceptionally luxurious.

"This sword is named 'Autumn Water,' and it was sent to me by my father from the capital last month."

With a flick of his wrist, Lü Yang drew the sword from its sheath and twirled it in the candlelight.

"Look at this steel—it's refined steel made using the 'Layered Wave Forging Method', a secret technique passed down by the Ministry of Works' Ordnance Bureau. It's said that it takes 108 repeated forgings to achieve this texture."

Near the spine of the blade, fine, wave-like forging patterns can indeed be seen, flowing erratically in the light.

"It's more than just good at making steel mouths!" said Young Master Li, who was sitting opposite him. He was the son of the county magistrate and usually liked to show off his refined tastes.

"Look at this sword ornament—the sapphire is the 'Tears of the Sky' from the Western Regions. It's so big, it's worth at least five hundred taels of silver."

The cloud and thunder pattern on this silver ornament was carved according to the specifications for "swords of feudal lords" in the "Record of Trades" of the Zhou Dynasty. It's very particular!

Several young men gathered around to look, marveling at the sight.

Lu Yang grew increasingly smug, placing the sword across his lap and lightly stroking its blade with his fingers.

"This sword is not only beautiful, but also incredibly sharp. I tested it the other day; it could cut through three stacks of copper coins with a single stroke, without damaging the blade at all."

"Brother Lü, why don't you demonstrate a sword technique and show us your skills?"

A tall, thin young man on the right urged him on.

His surname is Chen, and his family owns a money exchange. He's a master at flattering people.

Lu Yang had already drunk about 70-80% of the wine, and this provocation immediately aroused him.

"Alright! Today I'll show you the 'Flowing Cloud Sword Technique' I've been practicing diligently for the past six months!"

He got up and walked to the empty space in the center of the private room.

The other four people quickly moved their chairs back to make room.

Lu Yang stood with his sword in hand, took a deep breath, and his eyes suddenly became more serious.

He did indeed study martial arts under a master from a young age. Although he couldn't be considered a master, he could still perform a set of sword techniques quite well.

"First move, Clouds Rise and Dragon Soars—"

The sword spun with him, drawing an arc of light.

Lu Yang's steps were interlaced, his movements unleashed, and his sword light, like a bolt of lightning, wove a silver net under the candlelight.

He muttered incantations, reciting the names of the sword moves one by one:

"Second move, Wind Sweeps Away the Clouds!"

"Third move, churning sea of ​​clouds!"

"The fourth move: The clouds part to reveal the moon!"

The sword whistled through the air, and his robes fluttered in the wind. Although his strength and speed weren't top-notch.

But the imposing presence, combined with the extremely luxurious "Autumn Water Sword," was quite pleasing to the eye.

The four young men clapped and cheered, while the maid pouring the wine covered her mouth and chuckled, her eyes filled with admiration.

After finishing a set of sword techniques, Lü Yang sheathed his sword and stood up, slightly out of breath, but his face was full of pride.

"how?"

"Excellent swordsmanship!" Fatty Zhou gave a thumbs up.

"Brother Lü is skilled in both literature and martial arts. He will surely pass the provincial examination next year and become a scholar-general who excels in both."

"You flatter me." Lu Yang said modestly, but the smile in his eyes was unmistakable.

Young Master Chen's eyes darted around, and he suddenly said.

"Brother Lü, your swordsmanship is excellent, but it is ultimately just ordinary martial arts. I heard a storyteller say the other day..."

A true sword immortal can fly on their sword and take a person's head from a thousand miles away. Brother Lü... do you know how to fly on a sword?

There was a moment of silence in the private room after these words were spoken.

Lü Yang chuckled: "Brother Chen, you jest. Sword control is a divine skill; we mere mortals..."

Before he could finish speaking...

The Autumn Water Sword in his hand suddenly trembled slightly.

Lu Yang was taken aback and looked down. There was nothing wrong with the sword; the vibration just now was so slight it seemed like an illusion.

"What is it?" Young Master Li asked.

"It's nothing, maybe my hand was shaking..." Lu Yang shook his head.

However, the sword vibrated even more noticeably the next moment.

It wasn't a vibration, but rather... a tremor. It was as if something was awakening inside the sword, trying to break free from the wielder's control.

"This sword..." Lü Yang frowned and gripped the hilt tightly.

A sudden change has occurred!

"Buzz—!!"

The Autumn Water Sword emitted a clear and resonant cry, and the sapphire on its blade suddenly shone with a dazzling light!

It wasn't a reflection of candlelight, but rather a deep blue radiance bursting forth from within, like the ocean itself!

"What's going on?!" Fatty Zhou jumped up from his chair in surprise.

Lu Yang felt the hilt of the sword in his hand was burning hot, and he could barely hold it.

The sword's cry grew louder and louder, and the blue light grew stronger and stronger.

The entire sword began to tremble violently, its tip pointing upwards, as if it were about to fly out of my hand!

"Brother Lü, what's going on?" Young Master Chen shouted.

"This...this sword moved on its own!"

Sweat beaded on Lü Yang's forehead as he strained with all his might to press the sword down.

But the power of that sword was astonishing, as if another invisible hand was wrestling with him.

The stalemate lasted for a moment.

Lü Yang was ultimately no match for the opponent's strength.

"Clang!!!"

The Autumn Water Sword flew out of his hand, but did not fall to the ground.

It hangs in mid-air.

The sword lay horizontally, three feet off the ground, its azure light flickering like breath. The tip trembled slightly, pointing towards the door of the private room.

The room was deathly silent.

The five young masters and two maids all stared wide-eyed and gaped, watching this illogical scene unfold.

The sword... is floating in the air by itself?

"Controlling...controlling a sword..." Young Master Li's voice was hoarse as he pointed at the sword in the air, "Brother Lü, you...you still say you can't control a sword?!"

"I...I don't know!" Lü Yang stared blankly at the suspended sword. "This sword...it...it..."

Before he could finish speaking, the Autumn Water Sword suddenly moved.

It slowly turned, the tip of the sword aimed at the door, and then—

"Whoosh!"

It transformed into a streak of azure light and burst forth into the sky!

It didn't just pass through the crack in the door; it pierced right through the one-inch-thick carved wooden door!

Amidst the flying sawdust, the sword disappeared into the corridor outside the door, leaving only a hole the size of a human head in the door, its edges as smooth as a mirror.

Inside the private room, everyone was petrified.

Five breaths passed before Lü Yang let out a miserable scream:

"My sword—!!!"

He rushed to the door and looked out through the hole. The corridor was empty; there was no sign of Qiu Shuijian.

Only faint noises could be heard from downstairs, as if some disturbance had occurred.

"Chase it! Chase it now!" Lü Yang roared, turning around. "That's something my father got from the capital for eight hundred taels of silver! If we lose it, I'll have my legs broken!"

The four young masters then realized what was happening and hurriedly got up.

Fatty Zhou was the fattest and slowest. When he got up, he knocked over a chair and fell flat on his face.

The two maids were already huddled in the corner, trembling with fear.

Ignoring the pain in his hand, Lü Yang flung open the broken door and rushed into the corridor.

The others followed behind him, running noisily toward the stairs.

As they passed the next private room, they vaguely heard exclamations coming from inside:

"Fire downstairs!"

"Murder! Murder!"

"Run!"

Lu Yang's heart skipped a beat, but at that moment his mind was filled with the Autumn Water Sword worth eight hundred taels of silver. He gritted his teeth and rushed downstairs.