【One】

“Spring Breeze Pen” wasn’t always called “Spring Breeze Pen.”

However, it was always a dagger.

Long before the capital of Daliang was anything more than a swamp, before the oceans turned into mulberry fields, this dagger had already killed countless people.

【Two】

“Ancient times” is a broad concept; nothing that happened during this period seems surprising.

The dagger, having drunk too much blood, unconsciously developed a consciousness.

At that time, it didn’t have a name.

The first person it killed after becoming self-aware shouted in his dying breath, “Damn, this thing is a demon!”

The dagger didn’t know what a demon was, but it sounded cool.

It called itself Little Demon.

【Three】

Back then, the universe was in chaos, and tribes fought wars for hundreds of years.

The dagger’s owner changed one after another, with countless hands holding it, thrusting it into countless warm chests.

As an ancient divine weapon, it witnessed many battles that later became myths, knowing many secrets unimaginable to future generations.

For instance, a man who became a war god after killing the enemy’s leader actually tripped and accidentally stabbed the enemy in the back.

Or an emperor whose mysterious death sparked numerous conspiracy theories actually died from severe dehydration after eating something bad.

Knowing so many secrets but unable to share them was quite lonely.

【Four】

After killing thousands of people, the dagger developed a new skill.

It discovered that its consciousness extended into a dark, vast void. The souls of those it killed were automatically swallowed into this void, imprisoned there.

Ordinary souls would dissipate after a short time, but those filled with resentment would try to break free and return to the world.

They made the dagger emit a low hum at night, like a dragon’s roar, filled with malice and resentment.

The reputation of “soul-devouring weapon” spread far and wide. The dagger was quite pleased. Now it had these souls for company and was no longer lonely. It spent its days in the void gossiping with them.

【Five】

What was it like to be imprisoned by the very dagger that killed you and to have it constantly gossip in your ears?

In short, the souls grew increasingly resentful, often making the dagger hum incessantly.

Time passed, and the world changed. For the dagger, the change came when, after another kill, it was picked up by an old monk.

The old monk, with a kind face, weighed it and said, “This weapon has caused too much bloodshed. It cannot continue to harm the world. Let me help the souls find peace.”

【Six】

The dagger was placed in a small, decrepit temple, listening to the old monk recite scriptures day after day.

The old monk died, and his disciples took over the task, continuing the cycle for generations.

A hundred years passed, then two hundred. The resentment of the souls gradually dissipated, and they vanished one by one.

The dagger, now without company, felt as if it was turning back into an inanimate object.

One day, a massive earthquake struck. The temple, having withstood centuries of wind and rain, collapsed, crushing all the monks inside.

The dagger fell into the rubble.

It lay in the desolate valley as the ruins turned to dust, grass growing over its body. Exposed to the elements, it slowly rusted.

Just when it felt like disappearing was a good idea, a hand picked it up.

【Seven】

The owner of the hand was a young man full of spirit and vitality.

The dagger had seen countless beauties turn to bones over the ages, so no face surprised it anymore.

What did surprise it was that someone had braved the wilderness to venture into such a desolate place, seemingly having a lot of fun.

The handsome young man flicked the dagger with his fingers, surprised by the low hum, and laughed, “Not bad, this thing might be a divine weapon after some polishing.”

He said this while casually swinging it around, its sharp edge cutting through the air like a shooting star.

The young man, with a mischievous tone, said, “Dagger, since fate has brought us together, you’ll follow me from now on. What should I name you?”

He asked his companion.

His companion frowned and said, “Hmm… Fire Cloud Demon God?”

【Eight】

The young man said, “…That sounds impressive, but this dagger looks quite old. It needs a name that sounds more storied.”

The companion thought hard and said, “Now that you mention it, there’s a phrase from my old world.”

【Nine】

Now Xun is growing old, forgotten are the “Spring Breeze Pen.”

Little Demon now had a new name.

It didn’t like the name much, thinking it wasn’t as cool as Fire Cloud Demon God. But it couldn’t protest.

Moreover, “Spring Breeze Pen” soon became famous alongside its owner’s name.

Later, it learned that the young man who picked it up was the greatest martial artist of his time.

His name was Gu Jiu.

【Ten】

The man asked, “And then?”

“I became Gu Jiu’s dagger.”

“Was he powerful?”

“He was invincible, incredibly handsome, and everyone wanted to be his friend. But those days didn’t last long. Some of his friends were discovered to be otherworldly beings, leading to an attack on them.”

“There were already travelers from other worlds back then?”

“Yes, scattered and insignificant. Gu Jiu’s brilliance made him a target. He was tricked into fighting his friends. Unable to cope, he killed them and then crippled his own martial arts, leaving everyone thinking he was dead… To me, he might as well have been.”

The man asked, “And then?”

“He hid in a small village, living as a bamboo craftsman for the rest of his life. He took in a foolish boy and raised him. The boy liked him, and he liked the boy, but he was even more foolish, never expressing his feelings. Instead, he tucked me into a bundle and gave me to the boy. Who knows what he meant by that?

“Years later, the boy became the leader of a sect, but he couldn’t be buried with Gu Jiu, so he took me to his grave.

“Eventually, a man named Zuo Dao became the sect leader. Knowing I was a powerful weapon, he dug up the grave to present me as a treasure… And that’s how I ended up with you.

“And then, you got killed by me.”

【Eleven】

Spring Breeze Pen sighed contentedly in the vast, dark void, “It’s been so long since I’ve talked this much gossip. It’s satisfying. You’re a good listener. I appreciate that.”

The man, diligently listening, smiled. He had a cold, beautiful face.

Spring Breeze Pen earnestly advised, “Your life is over, but make sure your resentment doesn’t dissipate too soon. If it does, you’ll leave, and I won’t have anyone to gossip with.”

“I won’t leave,” the man said softly.

【Twelve】

“I’ll stay here with your new owner.”