Chapter 22-Part 6

A thousand thoughts flashed through her mind at once.

She scrambled to her feet and ran toward the door.

The jade sword was hidden under her pillow, but she regretted not keeping it in her arms.

“Looking for this, aren’t you?” The little old man leaped up, yanked the pillow aside, and pulled the jade sword out from under it.

Teng Yuyi felt a sudden wave of despair.

The little old man wasn’t afraid of the sword at all.

“Who are you? What are you doing here?” She tried to steady herself.

“I advise you not to touch that sword. It can handle demons with centuries of cultivation. A small thing like you could be reduced to ashes at any moment.”

The little old man put his hands on his hips and laughed.

“Girl, I love how you lie through your teeth. You’re clever enough—can’t you guess who I am?”

“I can’t, and I don’t want to,” Teng Yuyi quickly retreated to the door.

“The sun’s still bright outside. If you’re not afraid of your soul being scattered, feel free to chase me.”

As she turned to open the door, the old man stomped his foot.

“Foolish child, I am the spirit of this sword!”

The spirit of the sword? Teng Yuyi was half-convinced.

Last time, Jue Sheng and Qi Zhi had tried to trick her jade sword away, telling her all about sword spirits, like the soul-locking beast Ling Chengyou carried, which supposedly housed a spirit fond of drinking sugarcane juice.

“You don’t believe me?” The old man rolled up his sleeves, jumped onto the sword, muttered a few words, and soon disappeared into the sword.

In no time, a faint red glow flickered from the sword, and the little old man emerged again.

Teng Yuyi was stunned.

If the old man were something evil, how could he merge with a Taoist artifact?

The old man patted the jade sword.

“Now do you believe me?”

Teng Yuyi stopped in her tracks, still suspicious.

“Are you really the spirit of the sword?”

“I am! I am!” The old man stomped his foot in frustration.

“If it weren’t for you helping me through a calamity, I wouldn’t have bothered lowering myself to see you.”

Teng Yuyi opened her mouth, too shocked to know whether to stay or leave.

The old man snorted.

“Why aren’t you saying anything? Don’t you have questions?”

Teng Yuyi stammered, “I—you—”

She composed herself and asked, “This… Sword Immortal Elder, you said I helped you through a calamity. What exactly do you mean?”

“Sword Immortal Elder? Hmph, I have a name. Just call me Xiaoya.”

“Xiaoya?” Teng Yuyi’s expression grew strange.

The old man was displeased.

“Haven’t you heard the saying, ‘My life is limited, but knowledge is unlimited’? I wouldn’t dare call myself ‘unlimited,’ but ‘Xiaoya’ is hardly too much. My first master, the Revered Qinglian, gave me this name. Since it’s our first meeting, you should address me properly.”

(T/N: Xiaoya, can be translated as xiǎo=little/small and yá=limit/boundary/edge.)

Teng Yuyi frowned and raised her hand.

“Wait, let me get this straight. I came across this sword on my way to Chang’an and have kept it with me for days. Why have you never shown yourself before?”

Xiaoya stroked his beard.

“Though I ended up in your hands, I was still trapped in the sword. Whether I can be used by you depends on your own fortune. A few days ago, you encountered that young demon lord with the surname Lin, and he cast a Sha Ling Huan spell on me. That was the first calamity I faced since my return. Only when you helped me break the spell did you truly release me. If you didn’t have the ability, I would have disappeared within three days, and I’d just wait a few decades or even centuries for the next owner.”

Teng Yuyi paused, thinking.

If the old man was telling the truth, she should be grateful that she sought out Ling Chengyou in time.

Despite some troubles, she managed to keep the sword safe.

She asked in confusion, “But if you’re a Taoist artifact, why would you face calamities?”

“A divine weapon like me can’t be used by just anyone!” Xiaoya blew his beard.

“Do you know how I came to be? When the Immortal Yuan Yangzi was cultivating at the Palace of Heavenly Splendor, I was the jade tablet in his hands, used to record disasters across the land. Over time, I developed spiritual awareness. One day, the Revered Qinglian, a disciple of Yuan Yangzi, requested a magical artifact from him, and the master gave me to him. Qinglian felt the jade tablet was too small and inconvenient, so he forged me into this little jade sword. Not only do I choose my master, but Qinglian also placed a restriction on me. Whenever I meet a new owner, I must face a calamity. If the calamity isn’t resolved, I cannot be wielded.”

Teng Yuyi smiled.

“So, Xiaoya, I’m your new master, then?”

Xiaoya muttered under his breath, “My previous masters were either respected Taoists or chivalrous swordsmen. This is the first time I’ve met a little girl like you. Do you think I’m happy about it? I’m stuck with you, knowing I’ll only get to play around a bit—it’s a huge waste of my potential.”

Clearing his throat, he said loudly, “Though you barely passed the test yesterday, whether you’re a suitable master remains to be seen. If you don’t treat me well, I’ll find another owner. That Lin boy isn’t bad. He often exorcises ghosts and demons, and his skills are passable. Following him would put my talents to good use.”

Teng Yuyi snorted inwardly.

Lin Chengyou?

The old man was doing it on purpose.

He knew full well she and Lin Chengyou didn’t get along, yet he deliberately provoked her.

If he really had the luxury of choosing, would he be rambling on like this?