Old Master Song seemed to have drifted into a memory, and we dared not speak more. Not for any other reason, but simply because of the bloodstained weapon in his hand, which was enough to silence anyone.
After a minute or two, Old Master Song spoke again, "When this was in my hands, it killed two hundred and three enemies, but their blood was not worthy of staining my old companion."
Hearing about the two hundred and three enemies, my spine went cold. I could imagine the look and aura he must have had when facing the enemy. But now, back in civilian life, he had subdued that aura, which could strike fear into the hearts of anyone. His sharpness was always directed at the enemy.
This was the true nature of a war veteran.
Suddenly, Old Master Song's expression changed, and for a moment, the man sitting in front of me was no longer a limping carpenter, but a battle-hardened veteran. His gaze became sharp and resolute as he held out the bloodstained dagger to me, speaking firmly, "The blood on this comes from the blood of one hundred and eight of my comrades. It's blood shed in the defense of home and country. It's the blood I infused into the steel with the Song family secret technique. It represents the iron will of my one hundred and eight comrades."
A chill ran down my spine, not from fear, but from an overwhelming surge of emotion.
Old Master Song softened his tone a little and suddenly asked, "Do you dare accept it?"
I was momentarily stunned.
If this was just a blood-stained weapon from killing enemies, it could only be considered a fierce blade, one that could suppress typical evil spirits with its malice. But with Old Master Song's words, the blood on this weapon was not just from killing—it was from his comrades' deep commitment and undying will.
I felt no malice on the blade, only a reassuring sense of strength. And with the blood of exactly one hundred and eight warriors, corresponding to the celestial and earthly powers, the value of this weapon skyrocketed. It seemed like something unique in the world.
Holding it meant not just suppressing evil, but destroying it.
Without evil, nothing could withstand it. Without malice, nothing could remain.
The value of this weapon was immense. I didn't dare to make a decision on my own, so I sought help from my uncle.
He replied, "Yangyang, with this, you could carve out a path in the mysterious world. But you must think carefully. If you ever use it for evil, even if Old Master Song forgives you, the souls of his one hundred and eight comrades will not."
I understood my uncle's point. If I ever committed a wrong in this lifetime, the consequences would likely be far worse than death. And could I truly walk this path without losing my way, staying true to my purpose?
I hesitated.
With the blood dagger in my hand, the small tricks of the Luban Sect would be nothing in front of me. But even without it, I could still solve the matter using the feng shui formations.
I wasn't afraid of the responsibility, but I feared being shackled by it in the future.
Moreover, I didn't believe that I could just use the dagger whenever I wished. I would need the approval of those one hundred and eight warriors first.
Old Master Song seemed to notice my hesitation and a hint of disappointment flashed in his eyes.
I felt a bit ashamed.
After all, times had changed. There were fewer and fewer people willing to sacrifice selflessly like they did in his time.
Just as I was about to refuse, Huang Jiu suddenly knelt in front of Old Master Song with a thud, lowering his head and saying, "Old Master, look at me. I, Huang Jiu, have cultivated for two hundred and sixty years without harming anyone or doing anything to stain my conscience. I want to inherit your blood dagger and punish evil while promoting good!"
Both my uncle and I were stunned. I was even more shocked—I've seen shamelessness, but never to this level.
Huang Jiu continued to wait for a response, so I kicked him three meters away, making him kneel in front of Old Master Song instead. Not for any other reason, but because Huang Jiu had made such a big deal of it, and I was starting to suspect there were other benefits to the dagger that I hadn't noticed yet.
Seeing me kneel to receive the dagger, Old Master Song showed some satisfaction in his eyes.
Huang Jiu climbed back up, still wanting to argue with me, but Old Master Song had already placed the blood dagger in my hands.
As soon as I touched it, I felt like I could hear the sound of a battle charge, the terrifying screams of soldiers on the battlefield. But in an instant, the blade returned to calm.
I raised the dagger and made a gesture toward Huang Jiu. He was so frightened he darted three meters back and hid behind the sofa.
Old Master Song returned to his usual old man demeanor, taking out a leather sheath from under the box and handing it to me, saying, "Don't let me down. And remember what your uncle just said."
I quickly promised, "Don't worry, Old Master, I will never dishonor you or your comrades."
"Good, take it and go kill those members of the Luban Sect. Over the years, the evil they've done is more than just a few."
I took the blood dagger and bowed three times to Old Master Song.
This was the proper respect.
Even though Old Master Song had only told me the weapon's origins, I knew it was no ordinary item and deserved my deep respect.
After handing over the blood dagger, Old Master Song began rummaging through his toolbox to prepare something to suppress the Heart Split Axe on Tingting's chest.
Although there were three days, I didn't dare delay. Since the members of the Luban Sect were motivated by greed, the best way to draw them out was to display wealth.
I found a shoebox and went to my room to pick thirty-six pieces of jewelry from the dead woman's dowry.
I was shocked when I touched them. With the shoebox as a measure, there were at least three or four hundred pieces of jewelry and accessories.
After choosing the items, I asked Huang Jiu to let out a fart in the box to help with tracking, but he refused, fearing the dead woman would come and kill him.
I grabbed him by the neck and slammed the blood dagger on the bed, saying, "Do it my way, and I'll explain it to her later. Or I'll just kill you right now."
Under threat, Huang Jiu reluctantly agreed.
The entire bedroom stank terribly, making it hard to breathe. But there was no other way; if we did this outside, the Luban Sect might notice. Once they were on alert, things would get complicated.
I opened the window to air out the room, then took Huang Jiu and my uncle out. In the car, I asked Huang Jiu if there were any other benefits to the blood dagger.
Huang Jiu gave me a resentful look, refusing to tell me. He just said I would understand after using it a few times.
I also asked my uncle about Old Master Song's background, but he couldn't explain much either. He said he only found out today that Old Master Song was a veteran.
Back at the shop, I placed the shoebox of jewelry on the tea table, deliberately leaving the lid open.
While in the back room with my uncle, we were working on some ritual tools. By evening, we headed to a nearby restaurant for dinner.
Huang Jiu, chewing on a chicken leg, said, "Li Ge, I think your method is too stupid. They won't fall for it."
I didn't think so. It wasn't about being clever, but in comparison to greed, stupidity was nothing.
We had dinner for two hours, and when we returned to the shop, the shoebox on the tea table was gone.
Without a word, my uncle and I quickly packed up our things and headed out.