Chapter 55: I Really Am His Grandson
“……”
After hearing Lu Yibei’s request, Jiang Li turned to look at the broken sword on the ground, pondered for a moment, and nodded, “Alright.”
Lu Yibei was taken aback, “Hmm? You’re agreeing just like that? Aren’t you coming to take a look?”
She had thought that asking this troublesome woman to agree to act alone in this situation would surely take a lot of persuasion.
But to her surprise, Jiang Li accepted without much hesitation.
A Jiang Li who is so agreeable must be a problem somewhere.
Could it be there’s some kind of conspiracy?
For a moment, Lu Yibei felt a bit out of her depth.
Jiang Li shot Lu Yibei an eye roll and said casually, “Is it useful to go along?”
“Even if I stop you, you’ll definitely just talk a bunch of nonsense to distract me, and then seize the opportunity to sneak away, right?”
“Wow, don’t act like you understand me so well, alright? If you keep being careful, I might misunderstand that you’re in love with me!” Lu Yibei teased.
Jiang Li tilted her head, looking at Lu Yibei’s cheeky expression, rolling her eyes, “You’re overthinking it. I already have someone I like.”
d*mn! What explosive news! A girl who lives like a ‘machine’ in a hunting urban legend actually likes someone else? Something feels off! Lu Yibei thought to herself.
Her gossip-loving soul stirred, and if it weren’t for the current identity limitations, she would have dragged Jiang Li along, chatting throughout the night until she dug out all the details about the guy.
While Lu Yibei was lost in thought, Jiang Li interrupted her train of thought, “Alright, have you decided where to test these things yet?”
“This…” Lu Yibei furrowed her brows slightly, “Can’t we just find a place where no one is around?”
Jiang Li looked at Lu Yibei, her gaze almost like she was looking at an idiot, shaking her head, “Of course not. Testing unknown spirit energy items has a strict procedure.”
Lu Yibei had no idea what unpredictable consequences could arise from casually trying out these unknown spirit energy items, but Jiang Li, who had been working at the Siye Association for several years, knew all too well.
A few years ago, when she just joined the Siye Association, she had the fortune to witness a cataclysm-grade spirit energy item that resembled a flintlock g*n at the Siye Association Headquarters.
According to the operative from the Siye Association who showed her, that spirit energy item had a subtle connection to the explosion at Wang Gong Factory during the Apocalypse era, suggesting that someone had recklessly attempted to use it without understanding its specific effects.
So, while Jiang Li did not oppose Lu Yibei testing the spirit energy items she had obtained tonight, for safety’s sake, she absolutely could not let her be reckless.
With that thought in mind, Jiang Li spoke sternly, “You definitely cannot just pick any place. If you can’t think of a suitable testing location, I can recommend a place to you.”
“Where?” Lu Yibei asked curiously.
Jiang Li did not directly answer Lu Yibei but stood up, brushing off the dust from her clothes, “Wait here for a moment, I’ll take you there.”
————
Ten minutes later.
On a road leading to the outskirts of Huacheng, a matte black motorcycle zoomed past, carrying two girls under the glow of the orange streetlights.
On the back seat, Lu Yibei wrapped her arms around Jiang Li’s slender waist, wearing her cat ear helmet.
In the confined space of the helmet, a faint lingering fragrance filled the air.
The scent was pleasant, reminiscent of the fragrance that occasionally wafted from Jiang Li’s hair.
Having lived so long, Lu Yibei had never even held a girl’s hand; how could she have seen such a scene?
From the departure by the riverside to their destination, she was dazed, her mind flooded with a haphazard mixture of impractical fantasies that would easily raise eyebrows if discussed, enjoying an unprecedented tranquility.
When she snapped back to reality, Jiang Li had already stopped the motorcycle near the ruins of the Flower Language Sunshine Resort Hotel.
“We’re here, get off?” Jiang Li said calmly.
“Oh!” Lu Yibei replied hurriedly, pulling her hands back from Jiang Li’s waist.
After getting off and removing her helmet, she looked a few hundred meters away at the area of charred earth and the building ruins that resembled the skeleton of a giant; her expression shifted slightly.
“……”
d*mn it, why did she suddenly bring me here?
Is she fed up and doesn’t want to pretend anymore, simply bringing the suspect to the crime scene?
As Lu Yibei anxiously pondered, Jiang Li suddenly turned around, looking directly into her eyes, causing her heart to race, nearly confessing in hopes of leniency.
“Not long ago, a very terrifying urban legend originated here, causing significant destruction, and all residents within a five-kilometer radius have been evacuated.”
“Due to the lingering spirit energy fluctuations, even the urban legend has vanished.”
“Here, you can freely display your abilities without worrying about innocent people being affected,” Jiang Li said.
So she didn’t know yet! It makes sense, I look quite different now compared to how I did back then… Lu Yibei thought, secretly breathing a sigh of relief.
Seeing Lu Yibei hesitating and remaining silent, Jiang Li mistakenly thought she was waiting for her to leave but didn’t know how to speak, so she mounted the motorcycle alone, tidying her long golden hair while casually saying to Lu Yibei, “I’ll be off now. Contact me when you’re done here.”
As her voice faded, the sound of the engine sprang to life, gradually disappearing from Lu Yibei’s sight.
Watching Jiang Li’s silhouette fade away, Lu Yibei felt that she seemed different from when they first met at the Siye Association or in that burning building.
What exactly has changed?
For a moment, Lu Yibei could not put her finger on it.
“Forget it, whatever she is now, it has nothing to do with me!” Lu Yibei murmured, placing her guitar bag on the ground, crouching down and pulling out the ancient sword, scrutinizing it closely, “The most important thing right now is to study this ancient sword.”
“Earlier, you called me grandson, right? Later I’ll make you call me Dad!”
Lu Yibei placed the ancient sword on a piece of rock that had been burnt black from thick smoke, using the light from her phone to carefully examine the broken sword she had exchanged for two family heirloom kitchen knives.
The design of the ancient sword resembled early bronze swords, shaped like willow leaves, intricately carved with complex patterns, and a flicker of fire visibly flowed through the designs. However, due to the breakage of the sword, the full extent of the patterns could not be seen.
What puzzled Lu Yibei was that such an ancient sword actually had a sword core.
She remembered seeing a book on swords from the Spring and Autumn and Warring States period in Professor Ma’s office, which stated that the swords from that period were “without guard or pommel.”
But this ancient sword had the form of an early bronze sword while also possessing a level of craftsmanship comparable to modern lathe-polished ring-shaped sword cores. This combination was quite strange.
“Hiss—!”
Suddenly, Lu Yibei thought of a serious question, taking a deep breath and murmuring softly, “Oh no! Could it be a counterfeit?”
Realizing the seriousness of her concern, Lu Yibei quickly grabbed the ancient sword, gently tapped the sword body, and shouted, “Hey, hey, is the sword spirit there? Come out and meet me!”
“I am the sword bone, tough and glass-hearted!”
“Come on, baby, please turn around!”
“Bankai!”
……
The command was incorrect; the other party refused to respond.
“……”
After a chaotic shouting session, seeing the ancient sword show no sign of reacting made her increasingly anxious.
Having paid such a large price to obtain it, if it wasn’t a product of the Eastern Jin but rather some faux item, wouldn’t that be a huge loss?
In a fit of embarrassment and anger, she yelled, “I’m your father!” and threw a burst of red flame.
A fireball the size of a basin zoomed towards the broken sword. Just before it was less than a finger’s breadth away from the blade, it suddenly hovered in midair for two seconds, followed by the surrounding stagnant air seeming to awaken, transforming into a whirlwind that swirled around the sword’s body, creating a white vortex.
Lu Yibei was blinded by the swirling black ash lifted by the fierce wind, shielding her mouth and nose with her hands. In the midst of the darkness, she heard a chorus of bells and drums.
That grand, resonant sound felt like a sacred ceremony, striking at her soul, cleansing it.
Soon, everything fell silent.
Lu Yibei cautiously lowered her hands from in front of her and looked at the broken sword, which remained undamaged amidst the impact of the fireball. Her eyes were filled with uncertainty.
It actually absorbed my spell formula?
Watching the ground surrounding the ancient sword revert from black to the original color of the soil, Lu Yibei shook her head, dismissing the first thought that popped into her mind.
No, it’s not absorption; it feels more like…
Purification?
Awesome, this time it’s no loss, and I even made a small profit!
Lu Yibei secretly rejoiced, ready to reach out and reexamine the ancient sword, but a sudden change occurred.
A pure, clear light, resembling mountain spring water, condensed from the blade, and the majesty of steel erupted from within; it shot out in all directions.
The light became increasingly dazzling, radiating brilliance that tore through the darkness, announcing the arrival of the light.
The light erupting from the blade surged forward like a torrential river, embodying an indomitable spirit that sought to purify, disintegrate, and destroy everything around it.
Lu Yibei was caught off guard, instantly enveloped by the sword’s light. She shrugged helplessly, feeling her eyes grow hotter as she stared at the strange flowing light emerging before her. She gave up resisting and lay on the ground, skillfully letting herself sink into darkness.
————
Like countless times before, Lu Yibei felt herself gradually fragmenting, spreading like an intangible gas amidst the unintelligible murmurs, her body continuously sinking.
Then suddenly, her back touched the cold, hard ground, and she awoke on that familiar rooftop.
Opening her eyes and looking at the sky, she froze for a moment; this familiar sky, still heavily polluted, displayed a dirty gray-blue, but compared to previous sights that looked like the heavens were about to collapse, it was much easier on the eyes.
“Hey, proxy player! I’m here! What’s going on this time? Explain it to me!”
Lu Yibei yelled, sitting up with a stretch and scanning for that mysterious girl she seriously suspected was another “self.” Instead, she saw an unexpected scene.
On the dilapidated rooftop, a rusted water tank lay toppled on the ground. The breeze swirled the debris up into a dance. The mysterious girl didn’t appear; instead, a man dressed in a dark long gown, carrying a box, with long braids, stood with his back turned, as if he had crossed over from the late Qing Dynasty, holding a sword.
And the sword in the man’s hand was the ancient sword.
An intact ancient sword.
The strangely styled blade shimmered with silver light, sometimes transforming into blooming lotus flowers, at other times morphing into soaring cranes and clouds, radiating a sense of purity.
Lu Yibei, “……”
What on earth is this?
Not only did the shopkeeper vanish, but they also produced such a peculiar-looking strange uncle?
I wonder if the Great Qing has fallen already?
While Lu Yibei silently criticized the suddenly appearing man, she cautiously stepped back, maintaining a safe distance. The man holding the sword seemed to sense something and abruptly turned around.
Seeing the man’s face, Lu Yibei’s pupils constricted sharply, her body trembling slightly from a surge of emotion.
That face, she was all too familiar with; she had seen it almost every day for the past several years.
Indeed, the man looked nearly identical to her father, Lu Ming.
It’s over, it’s over, it’s over, I must have been happily sent away by that ancient sword.
Otherwise, why would I see my father’s ghost?
This place can’t be the underworld, can it?
But didn’t “The Book of Siye” say that there’s no such thing as a netherworld in this world?
……
While Lu Yibei was caught in a battle of wits, her mind overflowing with chaotic thoughts flashing by like a barrage of bullets, the man resembling her father approached her and cupped his hands together.
“Greetings, miss. I am Qing Ji. May I ask for your name?”
Lu Yibei, “……”
He doesn’t recognize me?
Well, it makes sense. Even if my father saw me like this, he probably wouldn’t recognize me.
But, what did he say his name was? Doesn’t matter, he feels off!
“Wang Buliu.” Lu Yibei replied flatly.
“Ah? Isn’t that…?” Qing Ji scratched his cheek; wasn’t that a medicinal herb used for promoting bl**d circulation and resolving lumps? How could someone have that name?
Though reluctant to inquire about that due to the young lady’s dignity, he ultimately refrained from questioning Lu Yibei.
“Lady Wang, you have my respects.” Qing Ji politely replied, stepping forward to sit cross-legged a few meters away from Lu Yibei.
Throughout the process, Lu Yibei scrutinized the man before her, who resembled her father quite a bit, always on alert for the complete ancient sword in his hand.
Noticing Lu Yibei’s gaze occasionally drifting toward the ancient sword, Qing Ji seemed to sense something and chuckled, “Oh? You seem very interested in the sword I hold?”
Lu Yibei didn’t dare say a word, just nodded repeatedly like a chick pecking at rice.
She was somewhat afraid of her father, and unfortunately, the man in front of her had the same face as him.
So…
People are scared!
“This is a cherished heirloom of my master, called Ling Tai Purification. It’s just a pity…” Qing Ji spoke, a fleeting hint of sadness flashing in his eyes as he shook his head, “Let’s not mention it. Let’s not mention it!”
“By the way, I have a question that puzzles me. I hope you can clarify it for me.”
Lu Yibei nodded, saying weakly, “Go ahead.”
“What you see now should be a remnant image left by me within Ling Tai Purification, originally meant to provide blessings for future generations. I just don’t understand how this Ling Tai Purification came to be in your possession?”
As Qing Ji spoke, his expression remained unchanged, but his gaze abruptly turned cold. The subtle shift made Lu Yibei feel as if his demeanor had instantly transformed from a soft-spoken scholar to a swordsman capable of striking down the enemy from ten paces away.
“This… this…”
Lu Yibei stammered for a moment. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed Qing Ji inching closer, making a decisive decision; she gritted her teeth and blurted out, “It’s an heirloom, yes, it’s my family heirloom!”
“Oh?” Qing Ji squinted, sizing Lu Yibei up, and inquired, “May I ask, does your husband’s surname happen to be Lu?”
“……” Lu Yibei fell silent for a moment, feeling as if she was grasping something important, yet not daring to confirm. She lightly replied, “Yes, how do you know?”
Upon receiving Lu Yibei’s affirmative answer, Qing Ji’s brows relaxed, and the cold aura surrounding him gradually dissipated, revealing a bittersweet smile as he sighed, “Then that’s it.”
“It’s just that I wonder, what is your husband’s name?”
“Lu, Lu Yibei…”
“Hmm?” Qing Ji frowned, “What is your father’s name?”
“Lu Ming.”
“Still not right…” Qing Ji mumbled, continuing to press, “What about Lu Ming’s father?”
“Lu Bayi,” Lu Yibei replied. Upon seeing Qing Ji frown, she realized he might continue probing further and preemptively added, “Lu Bayi’s father is Lu Yuebo; I don’t know anything further.”
“Exactly, exactly! Lu Yuebo is indeed my son!”
“……”
As Qing Ji’s words fell, a sudden silence enveloped them, and then…
They both pointed at each other in astonishment, exclaiming in unison, “You are my great-grandfather!/You are my great-grandson’s wife!”
Qing Ji, “……”
His great-grandson’s wife is so beautiful; my great-grandson must be quite capable!
Lu Yibei, “……”
I thought I was going to take care of him, but it turns out I really am his grandson…
This is awkward. If I tell him now that I am Lu Yibei, will he kick me out on the spot with that sword?
While Lu Yibei anxiously considered this, Qing Ji came a bit closer and asked, “Great-grandson’s wife, may I ask you, is there any chance you are pregnant?”
Lu Yibei, “???”
