Su Muyu poured himself a cup of wine and gazed at the person before him, suddenly overcome by a sense of familiarity. Not long ago, he too had worn a demonic mask like this, concealing all his emotions beneath it. Su Muyu smiled faintly. "Hall Master Ji still speaks in such enigmatic ways."
"Enigmatic, you say." Ji Ruofeng murmured softly, "I thought I was being quite clear."
Su Muyu tapped his fingers lightly on the table. "Did that child from the Xie Family who uses a bow tell you?"
Ji Ruofeng shook his head. "I have my own judgments."
"Hall Master Ji, have you ever visited that Ten Thousand Scrolls Tower?" Su Muyu asked solemnly.
Ji Ruofeng neither confirmed nor denied. "I know a thing or two about it."
"The top floor of the Ten Thousand Scrolls Tower is called the Land of No Delusion. It contains the most secretive information about the major mysterious sects in the martial world—Dark River, the Carefree State's Soaring Wind Sect, and..." Su Muyu slightly raised an eyebrow.
"And the Hall of Know-All." Ji Ruofeng chuckled. "Our Hall of Know-All claims to know everything under heaven, so naturally we look down upon places like the Ten Thousand Scrolls Tower. Yet, ironically, the tower holds information about our Hall. Such a thing would be better burned. If it remains, it must not fall into others' hands."
Su Muyu lowered his head in thought for a moment, then took out a book from his robes and placed it on the table. "The Hall of Know-All's shelf holds the fewest scrolls—only this one book. I retrieved it from the Ten Thousand Scrolls Tower but have not read it."
Ji Ruofeng's hand rested lightly on the book, as if it held great significance to him. "Patriarch Su is a wise man. Fortunately, for now, we are not enemies. If the day comes when the Hall of Know-All and Dark River stand opposed, Patriarch Su will be the first person I must kill."
"I did not bring this book to curry favor with Hall Master Ji." Su Muyu also extended a finger to press down on the book. "After all, I could have simply let it burn in the fire, and this matter would never have arisen. I brought this book to negotiate a condition with Hall Master Ji."
"Who was the murderer behind the fall of Swordless City all those years ago?" Ji Ruofeng murmured softly.
Su Muyu frowned slightly. "It seems Hall Master Ji already knows my identity."
"I've heard rumors of the battle outside the Ten Thousand Scrolls Tower. The Tideborn Sword of Swordless City—I haven't seen it in many years." Ji Ruofeng smiled faintly. "Who would have thought? The Patriarch of the Dark River Su Family is actually a descendant of Swordless City. If this were to spread, many in the martial world would find it hard to believe."
Su Muyu said gravely, "Chang He and I were both born as Nameless Ones, not members of Dark River's three families."
"Nameless Ones... Patriarch Su, in front of the Hall of Know-All—especially its Hall Master—you should be careful not to reveal certain information too easily." Ji Ruofeng withdrew his hand and took out a brush and a notebook from his robes, jotting down a few lines. "Dark River once had a Nameless Ones project, seeking children with exceptional talent from outside the three families to train, eventually bringing them under the three families' banners and bestowing upon them the surnames of those families."
Su Muyu frowned. "Yet I only spoke three words."
"Since this is the Hall of Know-All, naturally we should derive thirty words, three hundred words, even three thousand words of information from just three." Ji Ruofeng closed the notebook. "This single sheet of paper is worth a hundred taels of silver. The one recording that Patriarch Su is the young master of Swordless City is worth a thousand. As for the book in your hands...""I guess a hundred thousand taels," Su Muyu smiled.
"Too low," Ji Ruofeng picked up a chopstick and tapped Su Muyu's palm before snatching the book away. "More expensive than the answer you wanted. So I'll make this deal with you. The mastermind behind Swordless City's downfall—you should have found the answer in Ten Thousand Scrolls Tower, but you're uncertain and want confirmation from me."
"Correct," Su Muyu didn't deny it.
"When Swordless City emerged, there were no Five Great Sword Immortals in the world, and the sword energy of Northern Li was far weaker than now. Your father was called the Sword God, claiming that when his sword was drawn, the world would be without swords. His Autumn Water Sword roamed the rivers and lakes, unmatched. But that city to the east claimed to be peerless under heaven. What does 'peerless' mean? The first lord of Peerless City once said: peerless in swordplay, peerless in blade techniques, peerless in internal energy. How easy was it for your father's Swordless City to take the word 'great' from above their heads?" Ji Ruofeng paused before continuing, "So your father had a Sword Way duel with Liu Yunqi, then-lord of Peerless City. The outcome remained unknown in the martial world, but not long after, Swordless City suddenly vanished from the jianghu."
"My father won that battle," Su Muyu said solemnly. "He returned in high spirits and told me his victory wasn't what pleased him most—it was meeting someone who could walk the Sword Way alongside him."
"Your father considered Liu Yunqi a kindred spirit, but Liu had already laid a death trap for him," Ji Ruofeng replied.
"I understand," Su Muyu nodded.
"Peerless City's decline over the years has much to do with its lords' character. If successive generations are all petty men, the 'peerless' title won't need others to snatch—they'll lose it themselves. Like how Snow Moon City is now the foremost in the martial world." Ji Ruofeng stood up. "The current lord Song Yanhui has good character but is too constrained, forever one insurmountable step from becoming a Sword Immortal. If you seek vengeance against Peerless City, he'll be your greatest opponent."
Su Muyu lowered his head slightly, seemingly deep in thought.
"That incident was Liu Yunqi and his close followers' doing alone—the Peerless City elders weren't informed, and Song Yanhui knew nothing. If you seek revenge, they'd be utterly bewildered. But Liu Yunqi isn't dead yet—he's been secluded in Peerless City's Sword Hut for years." Ji Ruofeng continued.
"What does Hall Master Ji suggest?" Su Muyu asked.
Ji Ruofeng looked startled, then laughed: "Though born of Dark River, Lord Su, I sense the aura of a swordsman about you. I believe there's a better way than murderous revenge."
"Oh? I'm all ears," Su Muyu replied.
"How about this arrangement—the Dark River Patriarch issues a Sword Challenge to Peerless City?" Ji Ruofeng said brightly. "If such spectacle comes to pass, I'll surely come watch. Farewell, Lord Su."
"My respects to Hall Master Ji," Su Muyu bowed his head.
After a few steps, Ji Ruofeng turned back: "Lord Su, I'd like to offer advice. Leave Dark River. I know what you're trying to do, but for centuries Dark River has dealt only in killing. Changing that with just a few of you is too difficult."
Su Muyu picked up the wine jug on the table and drank deeply with rare boldness: "That needn't trouble Hall Master Ji.""Consider it my mistake," Ji Ruofeng waved his hand and left.
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