Chapter 750: Chapter 84: Where is Li Guanyi in Jiangnan?!
The weather gradually shifted from hot to a hint of coolness, bringing a comfortable breeze.
When the wind blew, the bells on the carriage tinkled lightly.
The lands of Central State span a thousand miles around; they are roughly comparable to Jiangnan. No, in fact, they are even a bit smaller than the domain covered by the influence of the Jiangnan Eighteen States, but this smallness is relative to the likes of Chen Country and Ying Country.
For the common folk, this was still a vast and expansive place.
Here resided various lords and masters; when the caravan arrived, there was no longer a rush to travel further inward. Shi Wu and the caravan leaders were discussing where to go next.
And during rest ti, Shi Yisong, the young boy, would pester Li Guanyi.
Li Guanyi had acquired a four-foot section of Lingyun Wood in the Red Dragon secret realm, cutting it crudely with Elder Zu’s knife. The blood of an Exotic Beast had soaked into the deepest part of the wood, not showing on the outside but making the material exceptionally hard.
Initially, Shi Yisong disliked it, but later realizing its impressive hardness, he eagerly awaited for Li Guanyi to fashion it into a wooden sword. Now sitting there, he sighed with yearning and said,
“Ah, Taoist, have you not finished making my wooden sword yet?”
Li Guanyi responded with a gentle smile, “Making this wooden sword is not so simple.” He was not skilled at crafting wooden swords. It was Murong Longtu, the elder, who instructed Li Guanyi on how to create this wooden sword—hamring and shaving away.
Just like the wooden sword Murong Longtu himself had made in his youth.
Under the old man’s guidance, Li Guanyi re-enacted the process.
Yet Li Guanyi discovered that this was not re carpentry or sword-casting. Every movent the old man taught him to carve this wooden sword was precise and serene, with each one appearing like a refined sword move.
It was as if Murong Longtu had conveyed the path of his Sword Dao realm to Li Guanyi in such a way.
He was crafting this wooden sword.
The old man taught him hands-on, carving the sword from the heart of the wood.
It seed that in Li Guanyi’s heart, the condensing of the Sword Madman Murong Longtu’s lifelong mastery of the Sword and his sword moves was being etched. It left such an imprint in his heart. They had already entered Central State and were so distance from the Imperial Palace where the Great Emperor resided.
The wooden sword was now nearly fully carved.
Li Guanyi used an ordinary small knife to shave off a piece of wood, making the edge of the sword thinner and sharper. He then handed the wooden sword to Shi Yisong, saying, “Want to give it a try?”
Shi Yisong held the sword, swinging it around joyfully.
However, Li Guanyi noticed an issue. He reached out to take back the sword and said with a smile, “It’s still not quite there.”
“I’ll continue to refine it a bit more.”
Shi Wu returned, this ti bringing out so liquor with a slightly regretful expression on his face, “Elder sir, are you really not going to continue traveling with us?” Murong Longtu replied, “No, the three of us, my grandchildren and I…”
He reached out to gently stroke the hair of the girl beside him, adding, “We are actually planning to go to Central State City—yes, to the Great Emperor’s Imperial Palace City.”
Shi Wu, sowhat lost in thought, said, “The Great Emperor’s Imperial Palace, huh?”
“It must be a grand ho with lots of at to eat every day, all of the highest quality goods available, not to ntion the world’s best rice that only exists in the smallest of quantities.”
He laughed sowhat bashfully with his honest deanor, “We’re just farrs, traveling rchants. We have no idea what life is like for the Emperor. It must surely be the best in the world, right? Co on, after today we’ll part ways. Let’s have sothing nice today.”
Shi Wu warmly invited everyone, setting up a wooden board on stones to make a table. He poured murky wine into black ceramic bowls. There were dishes, good dishes—peanuts, cooked cabbage dressed with vinegar, smashed cucumbers topped with garlic.
There were also slices of braised at they had bought, as they drank with Murong Longtu by the roadside. After taking a sip of wine and picking up so peanuts to throw into his mouth, Shi Wu’s expression, which seed as though it had been crumpled up by the trials of life, suddenly relaxed and beca animated.
“We can’t go there.”
After drinking, his face bore a longing smile as he explained:
“It’s hard to do business in Central State, and the costs for stalls and the per-person fee at the city gates are too expensive. You might be busy for a while there and still not make much money. We’re planning to do business in so of the more outlying cities of Central State.”
“We’ve heard that there’s quite a crowd there. Many people who can’t stay in the Capital end up there. We’ll trade there, then buy so of Central State’s specialties.”
“Coming and going we can make a little profit, thus not having wasted our efforts on this journey. Once we return, we can support our families, pay our taxes, afford new seeds, and even buy so nice fabric for our wives.”
“It hasn’t been a wasted year.”
“As for you, Elder, you’re probably going to see what all the fuss is about with the Sword Madman, right?”
Murong Longtu took a drink and picked up a peanut, rolling it between his fingers. He blew off the thin husk and said casually, “Yes, just to see what the commotion’s all about.”
Shi Wu patted Murong Longtu’s shoulder and advised, “Be careful over there. With so many people, it can get pretty chaotic. I’m worried there might be many rough characters and thieves. Rember to stay alert to pickpockets, and there’s no need to get into a serious dispute with them.”
Shi Yisong squatted nearby, watching Li Guan sitting cross-legged with a carving knife dancing in his hands, finally etching the last traces of the sword. As the final cut was made, Li Guanyi felt an understanding of the Sword awaken within him.
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