Chapter 877 (1): River of Stars Emerges

At Tiger Hill Sword Pond, a sword spirit stirred.

Not only did Zhao Changhe and Tang Wanzhuang feel an uncanny sense of deja vu, but even Tang Buqi, now leading the encirclement of Tiger Hill, stood at the edge of the sword pond with a somber glint of remembrance in his eyes.

In Ling Ruoyu’s arms, Dragon Bird was all but bouncing with excitement, incessantly boasting about its former glory.

It had been here when the vicious sword from the Sword Emperor’s tomb nearly razed Gusu to the ground. Below the surface, the battle had belonged to Zhao Changhe and Sisi; on the surface, the heroes had been Dragon Bird and Tang Buqi. Dragon Bird had struck down the vicious sword, while Tang Buqi had stood his ground as the final bastion of defense, facing death without flinching. That moment had cemented him as the rightful heir of the Tang Clan. A youth once considered aimless was reborn into a man of substance—a man of his own, who was no tool[1] of anyone.”

In time, the Sword Emperor’s tomb was confirmed to be nothing but a decoy. The impenetrable core that none had dared to disturb was eventually breached by the Demon Suppression Bureau, only for it to reveal an elaborate farce. It had been an empty shell, guarded with grand illusion. The tomb was later filled in, leaving Gusu once more in peace.

Ling Ruoyu had little patience for Dragon Bird’s endless boasting. That battle had not involved Zhao Changhe, and it certainly had not involved River of Stars. According to Dragon Bird, she alone had fought some image or manifestation of a sword, yet somehow the tale was told as if that sword were River of Stars.

Still, there was no interrupting her. Anyone with knowledge of that old battle could not help but feel a chill of recognition at today’s events. The moment was eerily familiar, echoing the past. “So the sword does rise from Tiger Hill. Just as it should be.”

When Zhao Changhe and Tang Wanzhuang arrived, they witnessed a long, pitch-black sword slowly rising from the pool, hilt up. Mist curled around it, shrouding it in an ethereal glow. The sky had not yet turned dark, but the air was saturated with a profound sense of night. It felt as if time itself had slowed, as though they stood in a silent realm divorced from the noisy crowds surrounding them.

“It’s River of Stars...” many murmured. “This overwhelming sense of the night sky. This must be the legendary River of Stars...”

“The pressure coming from it is immense, and the sword qi is just terrifying. No ordinary person could approach it.”

“Of course not. The Tome of Troubled Times says that River of Stars crafted a realm unto itself to imprison the heavenly demon. It’s a divine artifact among divine artifacts. Mortals could never hope to touch it.”

“But the Marquis of Wu is a close friend of King Zhao and at the third layer of the Profound Mysteries. He should be capable of doing so, right?”

“Prime Minister Tang is here as well!”

“With River of Stars appearing here and now, it’s destiny. Heaven’s timing and the land’s blessing all align. We’ve got nothing to fear.”

Zhao Changhe glanced at Tang Wanzhuang. She was smiling faintly. That told him all he needed to know—she already understood.

The sword before them was nearly indistinguishable from River of Stars. Others might be fooled, but Zhao Changhe would never mistake it. This was not the real thing. Yet the aura it exuded was uncannily similar; its appearance and forging technique were identical. Aside from a few unique materials found only within the Night Palace, it was nearly a perfect replica.

And therein lay the answer: not even Tang Wanzhuang was so intimately familiar with every detail of River of Stars. Only someone like Zhao Changhe, who had partially forged it himself and studied it endlessly, could know it so well. To forge a replica this convincing, only one scenario was possible: Huangfu Qing, Lady Three, Ye Jiuyou, and Yue Hongling must have all worked together to forge the sword. Huangfu Qing must have provided the flame, and Lady Three was the blacksmith. Then, the sword was imbued with the essence of the night sky and given just the right sword intent by Ye Jiuyou and Yue Hongling respectively.

This sword was certainly a fake River of Stars, but at the same time, it was an absolutely real treasure.

Ling Ruoyu frowned as she studied the weapon. Something about it felt... off.

“Birdy, is this really River of Stars?”

“What do you think?”

“I don’t know... It just doesn’t feel quite right.”

Dragon Bird paused. “Have you ever seen River of Stars?”

“No...”

“Then what makes you think it’s not?”

“I don’t know... I just thought River of Stars had to be... grander, maybe?”

“River of Stars, grand? That sword is a mute idiot. It’s thick-headed and dim. It’s only good for stabbing people in the ass.”

“That sword can’t be River of Stars.”

“Why not?”

“Because if it were River of Stars, it would’ve already flown over here to smack you for talking like that about it.”

Dragon Bird: “...You’re getting clever, huh?”

“So what now? Should we warn the Marquis of Wu?”

“His aunt is right here. What are you sticking your nose in for? Are you planning to become his aunt, too?”

Ling Ruoyu turned her head. Sure enough, Tang Buqi had spotted his aunt and Zhao Changhe arriving. With their presence confirmed, his heart settled. He clasped his hands behind his back and declared, “Let this marquis give it a try.”

Chin held high, he stepped boldly toward the edge of the pond, preparing to walk upon the water.

Whoosh!

Sword qi erupted in every direction.

Tang Buqi was forced into a hasty retreat, his brocade robe shredded into tatters.

The once solemn, dignified, and virtuous Marquis of Wu flushed red all the way to his ears. He turned and shot a death glare toward Zhao Changhe in the crowd. His expression said it all:

This is your sword, right? Can’t you have it show me a little respect?

Tang Wanzhuang turned her head away, unable to bear the sight. Zhao Changhe, too, averted his eyes and transmitted a thought.

“Who told you that was River of Stars? Your aunt and I are still analyzing the situation, and you just had to charge in and play the hero?”

Tang Buqi: “...Fuck.”

The crowd was in uproar. “Even someone like the Marquis of Wu can’t approach the divine sword!”

Tang Buqi stroked his beard and said with great composure, “I was simply conducting a test. It appears the sword repels those who draw near according to their cultivation level. If a stronger practitioner were to approach, the backlash would likely be even more severe.”

Someone ventured, “But aren’t you a friend of King Zhao? Shouldn’t River of Stars recognize you? Must King Zhao himself approach before anything happens?”

Tang Buqi replied smoothly, “Ever since my dear uncle took a kick to the head from a donkey, no one really knows what goes on in that mind of his. Why don’t you give it a try?”

Zhao Changhe: “?”

Tang Buqi went on, “Besides, I heard that my uncle suffers from a certain... dysfunction. That might explain the sword’s hostility toward us virile, potent men. I suggest sending in a woman to try instead.”

Zhao Changhe: “¿”

A flying embroidered shoe struck him squarely, sending Tang Buqi soaring through the air and crashing straight into the sword pond.

Whoosh!

Sword qi surged. Tang Buqi was instantly carved up, and he started howling as he clutched his groin and scrambled out of the pond like a man fleeing death.

Countless guests wiped cold sweat from their brows and bowed deeply. “Prime Minister...”

Tang Wanzhuang said calmly, “River of Stars may reject anyone, but it will not reject me. I’ll retrieve it myself.”

Zhao Changhe gave a small nod.

Tang Buqi’s antics had not been entirely pointless. They gave Zhao Changhe the final piece of the puzzle.

Yes, the sword was a fake, crafted by his own women for one purpose: bait. It was planted here at the Tang Clan’s birthday banquet, under the very eyes of Tang Wanzhuang; it would naturally mislead any demonic agents into believing it was the real thing. Their forces would gather here, thinking to seize the sword... when in truth, Lady Three and company were already waiting by the Eastern Sea for the real River of Stars to awaken and flee.

The banquet’s massive guest list provided the perfect cover for demonic agents to act, making this the ideal trap. After years of hunting, the Demon Suppression Bureau had struggled to distinguish between those possessed and controlled by demonic qi and those that were truly the demonic agents of the Heavenly Dao. But here, they would finally unmask the pretenders in one decisive stroke.

Pity the poor birthday host, utterly unaware of how valuable his own banquet had become. Even Tang Wanzhuang might not have been fully briefed on the scheme—just subtly manipulated by the women of the Four Idols Cult into playing her part. But clearly, she had seen through the game and was now cooperating.

As for any threat of chaos? There would be none.

Because the one pretending to be the sword spirit within the fake River of Stars... was Ye Jiuyou herself. And with Piaomiao hiding in the shadows as well, they had more than enough strength to protect everyone present and annihilate any demonic infiltrators who dared show their hand.

That earlier backlash Tang Buqi suffered from “the sword’s natural defenses”? That had been a controlled, measured warning. But when he joked about Zhao Changhe being impotent—well, that was an invitation to die. Insulting Jiuyou’s man in front of her? If not for his technical status as a “friend of her husband,” that little joke might have flipped on him... permanently.

Tang Wanzhuang stepped onto the water, and sure enough, the fake sword responded gently to her approach. There was no sword qi burst, no resistance. It let her grip the hilt without a fuss, just as the real River of Stars would have done.

But the moment she tried to lift it, the sword refused to budge. As if it were sulking, unwilling to follow her.

Tang Wanzhuang smiled faintly and unleashed her full strength.

Just then, a horrifying burst of black light exploded from the depths of the pond, shooting straight toward her back.

Bang!

Tang Wanzhuang spun and struck with a palm, meeting the black light head-on. Though her body only swayed slightly, the blow was real.

At that precise moment, at least half the guests surrounding Tiger Hill suddenly drew their weapons and held them to the throats of those beside them. In the blink of an eye, Tiger Hill transformed into a den of demons. Black mist rose from countless hidden agents, their auras converging into the air above, where a demonic face materialized and roared, “Tang Wanzhuang! Let go of River of Stars, or this place will drown in blood!”

1. This is actually a pun on his given name, which literally means “no tool.” ☜