This was the first time Du Chengfeng encountered a weapon that could rival that heavy long saber.
The sword, even while sheathed, exuded an evil aura. One could hardly imagine how many it had slain.
What intrigued Du Chengfeng the most was that this was a sword.
Unlike a saber, a sword is double-edged, sharp on both sides, making it inherently more difficult to wield than a saber.
For killing, a saber suffices. But a sword is something only highly skilled martial artists would choose as their weapon.
"Let me see..."
Originally feeling a bit drowsy, Du Chengfeng suddenly became alert and instinctively reached for that longsword with his right hand.
Without a doubt, once he polished this sword, he'd surely obtain the martial arts technique he needed most!
Just then, a large hand grabbed Du Chengfeng's wrist.
"This sword, you mustn't touch it."
A voice rang out in front of Du Chengfeng.
"Go inside and inform them, a guest has arrived."
"...I'm the only one here."
Du Chengfeng looked up, only then noticing someone hanging onto the sword.
The man before him was about six feet tall, with sharp brows and bright eyes, though his face bore a knife scar, resembling those common swordsmen in Jizhou. However, unlike them, he wasn't dressed in form-fitting attire suitable for action but rather wore wide sleeves, looking like a scholar.
Du Chengfeng was certain he didn't know this person.
"So, what do you want with me?"
"You? You're the only one here?"
The scarred man was momentarily taken aback.
"I'm looking for a grinding craftsman named Du Chengfeng, you..."
"Yes, that's me."
Upon hearing this, Du Chengfeng beamed.
Turns out business had come knocking. It seemed asking the Yang family to spread the word had worked. In a matter of days, a swordsman had come to him for blade sharpening.
And right off the bat, it was a top-quality piece.
"Just give me the sword, I'll sharpen it before I sleep, giving you time for breakfast and tofu soup."
But as Du Chengfeng was about to take the sword and get to work, the scarred man stepped back.
After sizing up Du Chengfeng, the scarred man even furrowed his brow.
"Is it really you? You're the grinding craftsman?"
"What's the problem?"
Du Chengfeng also furrowed his brow.
"If you're looking for Du Chengfeng, I'm the only one here. If you're looking for the grinding craftsman... don't I look like one?"
"No, you don't."
The scarred man shook his head.
"Not at all."
"...What do you mean by that?"
Hearing this, Du Chengfeng, sleep-deprived, became a bit irritable.
"Either sharpen it or leave. I haven't even slept, no time to quarrel with you."
"Sorry, I mean no quarrel."
The scarred man continued shaking his head.
"I'm saying, whether or not you are, we'll only know by testing."
"You..."
As soon as he spoke, Du Chengfeng instinctively fell back.
A sharp sword tip grazed his forehead, taking a lock of hair with it.
Landing and rolling, Du Chengfeng steadied himself. But before he could fully compose, a glint of sword light darted toward his throat.
Judging from this stance, it seemed intent on killing him on the spot!
"Why?"
This was the first thought that flashed in Du Chengfeng's mind. He couldn't comprehend the situation. He was about to rest, and this scarred man had come for him. Despite revealing his identity, the other still refused to acknowledge, even drawing his sword in a deadly attack.
Though after seeing the memories attached to those fierce blades, he understood it might reflect the ruggedness of the northern frontier. But still, on an early morning, whom had he provoked?
But now, whom he'd provoked was unimportant.
He only knew he had to survive!
"Yah!"
With a shout, Du Chengfeng, crouching, swiped his hand.
Sand and pebbles flew at the scarred man, enveloping him!
"Underhanded tactics... trivial."
Confronted with the incoming sand and pebbles, the scarred man merely raised his left arm. His wide sleeve deflected all of them like a shield.
Yet at that moment, he suddenly felt a tightness around his waist.
As if two sturdy roots had wrapped around his belt.
"Get up!"
In an instant, the scarred man's world spun.
Even while airborne and unable to exert force, he twisted his waist and arm mid-air.
The sharp blade swept, and his longsword drew another arc!
"Apologies."
With those words, the longsword was already at Du Chengfeng's throat.
But then, a sharp pain arose at the scarred man's neck.
It was a knife, an old kitchen knife with dried bloodstains.
As the sharp edges rubbed, blood seeped from the scarred man's neck.
"...I now believe you're the grinding craftsman."
Despite the kitchen knife at his throat, the fallen scarred man laughed.
"I've practiced swordsmanship for fourteen years, now for fifteen. To tie with me proves you're no ordinary person."
"That's because you're inept."
Du Chengfeng squinted, disinterested in the man's eloquent nonsense.
"Fifteen years of practice, only to be bested by a novice like me? If you've progressed so poorly, it's as if your swordsmanship was imparted to a dog."
As he spoke, Du Chengfeng prepared to thrust the knife deeper.
"That's not the right perspective."
Faced with Du Chengfeng's aggressive words, the scarred man only shook his head.
"If my skills were truly for a dog, I couldn't wield this sword."
As he spoke, the scarred man met Du Chengfeng's gaze.
"Just like you. If you were truly ordinary, you couldn't grind blades."
"..."
After a moment's silence, Du Chengfeng was the first to put away his knife.
There was no point continuing. It was better to ponder what breakfast awaited after his nap than to futilely duel with a stranger at his doorstep.
But as Du Chengfeng turned to leave, the scarred man called to him.
"Earlier, I was rude. I merely wanted to test, given the sword's value, I couldn't be careless, no harm was intended."
Saying this, the scarred man sheathed his sword, then unfastened his belt, handing the sheathed longsword over with a bow.
"Cui Yuan of Youzhou, I humbly ask you to sharpen my sword."