Fairy, Don’t Be Afraid, I’m Blind

Chapter 13: Retrieving the Sword

Early morning.

The bright sunlight spilled over the streets and alleys of the southern district.

The southern district was the busiest area in Chuyun City. The long streets were filled with people, bustling and lively. Between the white walls, rooftops stretched endlessly, their corners and eaves pointing upward. In front of every shop, long banners used to attract customers fluttered gently in the wind.

You Su, clutching a steaming bun, made his way purposefully through the streets. Before heading home with his breakfast, he needed to retrieve his sword.

“Wang’s Blacksmith Shop” was a small shop, but it was the best blacksmith shop in Chuyun City. This was solely because the only blacksmith, Blacksmith Wang, was not only a skilled swordsmith from a prestigious school, but also a master of the Water Condensation Realm.

This was why his forge could boldly operate in the heart of the city’s busiest district. The influential figures of Chuyun City were all happy to patronize his business, despite Blacksmith Wang’s notoriously eccentric temper.

You Su was not one of those influential people. He had only visited the shop once as a child, when his master brought him to buy his first sword. He had used that sword ever since.

As he wondered whether Blacksmith Wang would recognize the sword as one of his own creations when reforging it, You Su couldn’t help but feel the swift passage of time.

Upon entering, the heavy scent of raw iron hit him, and You Su couldn’t help but wrinkle his nose. The walls were decorated with an array of exquisite weapons, reflecting dangerous and sharp glints of light.

Blacksmith Wang was lying on a rocking chair behind the counter. He was an elderly man with dark skin, a square face, thick lips, and deep wrinkles etched into his face. However, his arms were unusually muscular for his age.

Noticing You Su’s entrance, Blacksmith Wang glanced at his attire and took a puff from his pipe. “A rare guest. Here to buy a sword?”

“Blacksmith Wang, I’m here to get my sword back.”

As if he had expected this, Blacksmith Wang got up and went to the back room, returning with a simple, ancient sword with a jet-black body. He casually tossed the sword to You Su, who steadily caught it.

“Take a look. See if you’re satisfied,” Blacksmith Wang said as he lay back down.

You Su drew the sword and carefully ran the palm of his hand over the blade of his old friend. The chips and wear were gone, leaving only a smooth, polished surface.

Gripping the hilt, You Su couldn’t help but give it a few light spins. The familiar, effortless control gave him a sense of comfort. In his heart, he joyfully called out its name – Black Pine – and the sword seemed to respond with a faint tremor.

Blacksmith Wang had forged countless swords, but he remembered every single one of them. Yet, when he took Black Pine from the girl’s hands, he barely recognized it as his own masterpiece.

He couldn’t help but recall that morning long ago when he was proudly admiring his magnum opus. A man had barged in with a blind child and snatched it away, leaving only a cryptic phrase as payment. The man had pompously declared that a good sword deserved a good wielder, and this child would make the sword famous across the five continents. Blacksmith Wang couldn’t defeat the man, so he could only seethe in frustration.

Later, that cryptic phrase helped him break through to the Water Condensation Realm, granting him decades of additional life. His anger subsided, but he felt sorry for his sword. Now, seeing the marks on Black Pine, he realized that the man had spoken the truth. He knew full well how difficult it was to wear Black Pine down to such a state.

That was why he accepted the girl’s thirty silver coins – because that was all she had. The materials he used to reforge Black Pine were beyond the value of mere mortal currency. The Water Condensation Realm was his limit, and with the little life he had left, he wanted to see how far this sword and its wielder could go.

Suppressing the urge to continue admiring the sword, You Su sheathed it and bowed respectfully. “Blacksmith Wang, my junior sister’s thirty silver coins were just a deposit. I’ll pay the rest now.”

You Su was no stranger to the value of swords. Thirty silver coins could never achieve such a reforging.

Blacksmith Wang raised an eyebrow and sneered, “You’re sharp, but you can’t afford it.”

You Su wanted to say that he had money, but then he realized that no amount of mortal currency could compare to the value of a true immortal’s sword.

Seeing You Su’s hesitation, Blacksmith Wang cracked a dry smile. “Of course, I’m not running a charity. If you want to keep the sword, you’ll have to promise me one thing.”

You Su tightened his grip on the sword, and then suddenly relaxed. He was in no position to make promises to others when he could barely protect himself.

“Don’t be so quick to return it. You don’t even know what I’m asking,” Blacksmith Wang said, exhaling a cloud of smoke. “The swords forged by the Treasure Forging Sect are unparalleled in the world, and the swords crafted by Sect Leader Venerable Ye Qing are sought after by countless cultivators. Unfortunately, I had a minor conflict with Venerable Ye Qing. All I ask is that you promise to defeat a cultivator who wields a sword forged by Venerable Ye Qing.”

You Su was taken aback. He hadn’t expected an old blacksmith in this remote town to have a connection with someone like Venerable Ye Qing. Only those in the Void Realm could be given the title of Venerable, and in the five continents, Venerables stood at the pinnacle of the cultivation world.

Seeing You Su’s hesitation, Blacksmith Wang sat up straight and snorted. “I’m not asking you to fight Venerable Ye Qing. What are you afraid of? There are many incompetent cultivators who rely on their connections to get their hands on a venerable’s sword. Why are you scared of them?”

“But…”

As if afraid that You Su might refuse, Blacksmith Wang quickly added, “Besides, I don’t have many years left. Just promise me. Once I’m dead, how will I know if you’ll keep your word?”

“Please don’t say that. I promise,” You Su said, reluctant to return the sword. Besides, he couldn’t find a more suitable sword in such a short time. “Rest assured, I always keep my promises.”

Blacksmith Wang nodded in satisfaction and took another puff of his pipe.

At that moment, two young men dressed in luxurious robes and exuding an air of arrogance entered the shop. Their faces, initially filled with flattery, turned dark when they noticed You Su. The shorter one pointed at You Su, ready to confront him, but his companion stopped him, remembering that they were in the old eccentric’s forge.

Through their unique and familiar auras, You Su recognized them as the two who often gave him trouble – Wu Ping, the shorter one, and Wu Cheng, the taller one. They were disciples of the Shou Xiao Sect, the largest sect in Chuyun City.

Not wanting to cause any trouble, You Su wrapped Black Pine and said goodbye to Blacksmith Wang.

“Blacksmith Wang, I’ll take my leave.”

“Go ahead,” Blacksmith Wang nodded, then turned to Wu Ping and Wu Cheng with a stern expression. “Why aren’t you two leaving?”

Wu Cheng, though annoyed that the blind man had earned the old man’s favor, maintained a polite demeanor. “Blacksmith Wang, don’t be angry. We’re here on our master’s orders to inquire about an important matter.”

“What is it?”

“Uncle He from our sect has been missing for the past five days. Although Uncle He is a bit eccentric and prefers to be alone, someone usually spots him from time to time. But this time, no one has seen him. Our master has sent us to investigate. Have you seen him?”

“I haven’t seen him. Now get out,” Blacksmith Wang said, tapping his pipe to shake off the ash, dismissing them without ceremony.

As for You Su, who hadn’t gone far, he quickened his pace upon hearing the words “Uncle He”.