Chapter 10: The First Feast

Everyone turned toward the voice and saw Zhou Qingwan appear not far away, her expression calm as she regarded the scene. Two other outer sect disciples stood beside her, clearly a temporary team.

Li Mao’s face instantly darkened, and he forced a strained smile. “Senior Sister Zhou, why are you here as well?”

Zhou Qingwan replied coolly, “Is this Sword Sink Valley your family’s property? Why shouldn’t I be here?”

Her gaze swept over Bai Yue Ning, giving her a slight nod, then returned to Li Mao. “Since we discovered this together, by the rules, everyone gets a share.”

Li Mao’s eye twitched. Zhou Qingwan, though only at the eighth level of Qi Refining, was famed among the outer disciples for her fierce swordsmanship and uncompromising style. If it came to a fight, his trio might not gain the upper hand.

He shot Bai Yue Ning a vicious glare, looked again at Zhou Qingwan, and finally gritted his teeth. “Since Senior Sister Zhou has spoken... let’s go!”

With his two companions, he left reluctantly, his back radiating unwillingness.

Bai Yue Ning let out a silent sigh of relief, her nerves easing somewhat.

She looked at Zhou Qingwan, her gratitude sincere. “Thank you, Senior Sister, for resolving the situation.”

Zhou Qingwan strode closer, her gaze falling on the gray cloth bundle behind Bai Yue Ning, then glancing at the pile of rocks.

“It’s nothing, I just happened to pass by.”

“You’re lucky to have found this place. Something’s buried below—it’s emanating strong energy fluctuations.”

“Luck? It was my precise guidance that led us here!” Ye Ming grumbled in Bai Yue Ning’s mind.

“But Senior Sister Zhou, for all her cold demeanor, has sharp eyes.”

Bai Yue Ning ignored Ye Ming’s complaints and said to Zhou Qingwan, “Would you like to join us, Senior Sister...?”

“No need. We have other targets.” Zhou Qingwan cut her off. “But you must be careful. Li Mao holds grudges; if you meet him again, avoid him if possible.”

With that, she decisively turned and left with her companions.

In the blink of an eye, Bai Yue Ning was left alone beside the heap of stones.

“That Li Mao? With me here, what is there to fear?” Ye Ming scoffed. “But now that they’re gone, hurry and dig—I can hardly wait!”

Impatiently urged by Ye Ming, Bai Yue Ning wasted no time and carefully moved aside the loose rocks.

Beneath the rubble was not a complete weapon as she’d hoped, but a nearly broken ancient sword, its blade almost severed in two.

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The blade was covered in dark rust, yet its elegant lines still hinted at its original form. In the guard was set a gemstone, long since dulled.

“This is it! Though it’s a bit damaged, its foundation is solid. Let me ‘devour’ it!”

Even through the gray cloth, Bai Yue Ning could feel Ye Ming’s excitement, his sword trembling slightly.

She picked up the broken sword—it was heavier than she’d expected.

She wrapped the fractured edge in the gray cloth, as before.

This time, the absorption was slower and far more intense.

The sword shuddered violently, as if resisting with its last strength. A deeper, dark golden glow surged forth, pouring madly beneath the cloth.

Ye Ming’s blade emitted a low hum, the cloth stirring without wind.

Bai Yue Ning clearly sensed the sword’s resistance rapidly draining away.

Within moments, the trembling ceased. The broken sword lost all its spiritual essence, reduced to a handful of dull metal shards.

“Ah!” Ye Ming let out a long, almost moaning sigh of satisfaction.

“Exhilarating! This is a true tonic!”

An immense, purer surge of warm energy flooded from the sword hilt into Bai Yue Ning’s body—powerful, yet unexpectedly gentle.

She quickly sat cross-legged, guiding the force through her meridians.

Her spiritual power visibly grew denser and fuller, her meridians widened and strengthened under the stream, and even her dantian and qi sea seemed to expand.

The omnipresent pressure of sword qi now felt as gentle as a breeze.

She could even “see” the fine cracks that remained on Ye Ming’s blade rapidly healing, vanishing at astonishing speed.

The entire sword was revived with a subdued azure glow, its texture seemingly transformed.

“How does it feel?” Ye Ming’s voice was lazy and smug after his feast.

“This is leagues above those scraps—my battered body finally feels restored!”

Bai Yue Ning slowly opened her eyes, savoring the abundant spiritual power and newfound strength, and exhaled deeply.

The effect was remarkable—Sword Sink Valley was indeed the right place to come.

“It’s truly effective,” she suppressed her joy, keeping her tone steady.

“My appetite’s been spoiled now. Ordinary fare won’t satisfy me anymore.”

Ignoring him, Bai Yue Ning rose, flexing her limbs. She felt lighter, stronger, in the best condition she’d ever known.

“Don’t get carried away,” Ye Ming reminded her.

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“The commotion just now might attract others. Besides, it seems there’s something else beneath these stones.”

At his words, Bai Yue Ning focused on where the broken sword had rested.

She swept aside the remaining metal scraps, uncovering a palm-sized piece of black metal.

Its shape was irregular, with razor-sharp edges, and its surface was smooth as a mirror and icy to the touch, yet it gave off no energy at all.

“Huh? What is this?” Ye Ming wondered.

“The energy just now definitely came from the broken sword, but this thing—I feel nothing special about it.”

Bai Yue Ning picked up the metal shard, examining it closely.

It was neither gold nor iron, exceptionally tough; she tried cutting it with her new sword, but not even a scratch appeared.

Turning it over, her gaze froze.

On the reverse were several strange symbols, twisted and crooked, utterly unlike any script or rune she knew.

“What kind of gibberish is this?”

“Looks like random scribbles—completely incomprehensible.”

Yet Bai Yue Ning felt a sudden stir within.

The style of these symbols gave her an inexplicable sense of familiarity, as though she’d seen them somewhere before, though she couldn’t recall where.

She pondered for a moment, then carefully tucked the mysterious metal shard into her robe.

“Why keep this junk?” Ye Ming asked, puzzled.

“Instinct,” Bai Yue Ning replied simply.

Years of cultivation had taught her that in places like this, every anomaly might conceal a secret.

“All right, keep it if you think it’s useful.”

Ye Ming dropped the matter, his attention quickly shifting.

“Let’s find the next one! That feast whetted my appetite—I sense good things beckoning from several directions!”

He grew lively again, impatiently pointing the way.

Bai Yue Ning clenched her fist, feeling the surge of strength within, glanced at the cold metal shard in her robe, and gazed toward the depths of the shadowy valley.

Sword Sink Valley, a place of peril and opportunity, was only beginning to reveal its secrets to her.