Chu Yi's slender fingers paused slightly on the rim of the celadon teacup, and amidst the warm, misty tea, his deep gaze thoughtfully swept across the bustling inn hall.
Canglan Inn, a century-old establishment, stood at a crucial point on the official road, its copper bells, hanging from upturned eaves, jingling in the evening breeze.
People from all walks of life gathered here; merchant caravans unloaded their goods, the swords of Jianghu Martial Artists clanged, and the storyteller's gavel echoed one after another.
For them, as newcomers to the Jianghu, it was indeed the most suitable first stop.
More importantly, in this mixed place, they might find a better way to earn yi points.
Chu Yi's gaze swept across the hall, lingering for a moment on several figures who were clearly Jianghu people.
"Bang!"
In the center of the hall, a burly man with a full beard suddenly slammed the table, making the bowls and dishes clatter.
The veins on his thick arms bulged, and the Nine-Ring Broadsword at his waist rattled with his movements.
"Have you all heard? The boundless abyss devil token has reappeared in the Jianghu!"
This announcement, like a loud bell, instantly silenced the noisy inn; even the clinking of cups from the private rooms on the second floor stopped.
After a moment of dead silence, a louder wave of clamor erupted.
"Tsk! Gao Laosi, this old news has long been widely spread in the Jianghu! You don't need to tell us!"
A lanky man at the next table curled his lip in disdain, deftly twirling his bamboo chopsticks between his fingers, "I thought you had something new!"
His deliberately drawn-out ending drew agreement from the surrounding diners, some even scoffing.
The bearded big man, Gao Laosi as the lanky man called him, instantly flushed, his bell-like eyes glaring fiercely at the lanky man.
He gulped down a bowl of strong liquor, the amber liquid dripping down his beard, soaking dark stains into his coarse cloth shirt.
"Hmph! Who said I only know this?"
He deliberately paused, and only when everyone's attention refocused did he proudly lift his chin, "I also know... where that boundless abyss devil token is now!"
These words were like sparks thrown into a pan of oil, and the entire hall instantly boiled over.
The carved wooden window of a private room on the second floor creaked open, and two taels of Small change flew out, drawing a shining arc in the air.
"Clang!"
The silver landed in front of Gao Laosi's table, spinning, followed by a young man's clear yet deliberately mature voice: "Speak quickly! If the news is true, this Young Master will have another generous reward."
Chu Yi's fingertips unconsciously rubbed the teacup; the cool touch of the celadon brought him back to his senses slightly.
When Chu An beside him put down his wine bowl, the amber liquid was still gently swaying.
Even Chu Yue, who had been burying her head in her food, suddenly stopped, wiping her greasy little hands haphazardly on her shirt, her almond eyes sparkling with curiosity.
The three of them simultaneously looked towards the center of the hall.
Gao Laosi, seeing the gleaming silver fly over, was extremely agile, sweeping it into his sleeve without any delay or politeness.
Only after he had done so did he realize that everyone's eyes were fixed on him; he grinned, revealing a mouthful of uneven yellow teeth.
He lowered his voice mysteriously: "That boundless abyss devil token is now—at Swordsmith Villa!"
"Whoa!"
As soon as these words were uttered, the hall instantly erupted into chaos.
Everyone whispered among themselves, with various expressions; some were so shocked they couldn't close their mouths, some were full of suspicion, discussing in low voices with those beside them, and others had flickering eyes, wondering what they were plotting.
As soon as these words were uttered, the hall erupted in a clamor, everyone discussing animatedly.
"Nonsense!"
The lanky man immediately slammed the table, his iron abacus clattering.
"What kind of place is Swordsmith Villa? That's one of the top forces in the Jianghu!
The Old Villa Master, 'Heavenly Sword' Xiao Tianjue, is an peerless powerhouse of the Great Grandmaster Realm, and is even ranked eighth on the Heavenly List; it is said that he has already touched the threshold of the True Martial Realm.
There are three Grandmaster Realm powerhouses openly stationed in the Villa, and who knows how many other experts are hidden there. How did you know such a secret?"
Gao Laosi snorted, his large, fan-like hand slapping his chest with a thud: "I just came from the Swordsmith Villa's territory and saw all kinds of experts rushing there with my own eyes! The news is absolutely reliable! It will spread throughout the Jianghu within two days!"
As soon as Gao Laosi finished speaking, the hall immediately erupted into a commotion.
A scholar-like man with a judge's brush at his waist suddenly slammed the table, the brush tip making a shallow dent: "Wait! If Swordsmith Villa truly obtained the boundless abyss devil token, such a heaven-sent Opportunity, they would be too busy hiding it; how could the news easily leak out?"
"Exactly!"
A scar-faced man next to him echoed, the knife scar on his face twisting as he spoke, "Although Swordsmith Villa is strong, it ultimately doesn't have a True Martial Realm expert overseeing it.
If the news is true, they would have probably already been targeted by the Burial Soul Demon Sect; could they protect it?"
Gao Laosi calmly stroked his beard and chuckled: "This brother has hit the nail on the head."
He looked around, deliberately lowering his voice: "Precisely because of this, Swordsmith Villa also knows that the news cannot be kept secret, so they decided to proactively announce it.
He paused, keeping everyone in suspense, then continued: "I heard that, a month from now, they will hold a 'Sword Debate Assembly,' sending out hero invitations to invite all the heroes of the world to discuss this matter together. By then..."
Before he could finish speaking, an old man with two swords on his back stroked his beard and took over: "Sword Debate Assembly... with Swordsmith Villa's foundation, they indeed have the confidence!"
The old man narrowed his eyes slightly, a hint of reminiscence flashing within them, "They possess the 'Thousand Forged Profound Iron' mine, and over the years, the divine Sharp Weapons forged in the Villa are countless; how many Jianghu heroes take pride in obtaining a weapon from Swordsmith Villa.
This Sword Debate Assembly, I'm afraid, will be quite a show to watch."
"That's Li Wuyuan's token!"
A Martial Artist with a face full of knife scars excitedly slapped the table, making the bowls and chopsticks jump, "Li Wuyuan entered the True Martial Realm at thirty, becoming the youngest True Martial Realm powerhouse in history!
He reached the pinnacle before he was a hundred years old, sweeping through the Jianghu with no rivals! I heard his Legacy is hidden within that token; whoever can comprehend its mysteries..."
His words stopped abruptly, and a greedy glint flashed in his eyes.
A cold sneer came from the corner; everyone looked over, only to see a figure cloaked in a black cape drinking alone. "What kind of person was Li Wuyuan? Are his things so easy to obtain?"
A hoarse voice came from under the cape, "Thirty years ago, how many Great Grandmasters died in the Jianghu fighting for this token? Even True Martial Realm powerhouses fell!"
Hearing this, everyone's expressions varied.
Some had greedy flames flickering in their eyes, while others showed apprehension, unconsciously touching their personal weapons.
"Nonsense!"
The lanky man jumped out again, his iron abacus clattering, "How could you, a Jianghu wanderer, know such secret matters?"
It's unclear whether this lanky man had a long-standing grudge against Gao Laosi or for some other reason, but whenever Gao Laosi made a move, he always eagerly jumped out to obstruct him, specifically targeting Gao Laosi's weaknesses, completely messing up the situation.
Gao Laosi's face instantly turned red, and he puffed out his neck, shouting: "My third grandaunt's second nephew's daughter's little uncle's big sister-in-law's godson's classmate and good friend works as a handyman at Swordsmith Villa! This news is absolutely true!"
The hall immediately erupted in laughter.
A young man dressed as a scholar teased: "Good heavens, this relationship is more complicated than the mechanisms on that boundless abyss devil token!"
Chu Yue burst out laughing, quickly covering her mouth with her sleeve.
Chu An shook his head helplessly, whispering, "This network of relationships... is certainly unique."
Chu Yi, however, thoughtfully rubbed his teacup, his gaze directed out the window.