The autumn atmosphere in Xinye City grew thicker, and the fragrance of medicinal herbs filled the backyard of the county government. After escaping from Yunmeng Marsh, Liu Bei (styled Xuande) and his two sworn brothers, though not fatally wounded, had suffered severe strain and exhaustion. Especially Guan Yu (styled Yunchang), whose left arm had been burned by the green dragon's venom and was still wrapped in medicinal cloth. He sat quietly on the couch, gazing at the withered leaves falling outside the window, his brows furrowed tightly, his heart filled with unwillingness.
The fierce battle with the green dragon still sent shivers down his spine when he thought about it. The blue-gold scales were indestructible; his usual plain saber, when struck against them, had its blade curled and the tip chipped, and was eventually lost in the chaos. As a fierce general, a weapon was his second life. Now, without a handy weapon, how could he protect his lord if Cao's army attacked again? Guan Yu unconsciously stroked the dragon horn in his arms. The blue-gold horn was warm as jade, with faint dragon qi circulating around it. The moment his fingertips touched it, a majestic spiritual energy surged into his body along his meridians, revitalizing his spirits.
This dragon horn was obtained after slaying the green dragon. Legend had it that it was the essence of the divine dragon, containing infinite power. Since the day he got it, Guan Yu had been thinking of forging it into an unparalleled weapon. Only such a divine artifact was worthy of his skills, and only then could he have an extra layer of confidence to protect the country and the people in these troubled times.
"GuanYu Brother, how is your injury?" Liu Bei pushed the door open and entered, holding a bowl of medicinal soup in his hand, his expression full of concern.
Guan Yu stood up and clasped his hands in salute, his voice steady: "Thank you for your concern, Elder Brother. I am much better. But thinking about the battle in Yunmeng Marsh, my weapon was destroyed, and I feel uneasy. Now Cao's army is eyeing us covetously; if I have no handy weapon, I fear I cannot live up to the responsibility."
Zhang Fei (styled Yide) followed in, saying in a rough voice: "Second Brother is right! That green dragon was truly ferocious—ordinary weapons can't hurt it at all. That dragon horn is a divine object; if it can be forged into a weapon, it will surely be infinitely powerful!"
Liu Bei nodded: "I have the same thought. The other day, I heard that forty li southwest of Xinye, there is a Zitong Mountain (literally Purple Copper Mountain), where a skilled craftsman lives in seclusion. It is said that he can melt gold and stone and forge divine artifacts. If Second Brother is willing to go, I will send someone to prepare horses and dry rations to assist you on your trip."
A flash of light appeared in Guan Yu's eyes, and he clasped his hands: "Thank you, Elder Brother! If this matter succeeds, I will surely clear obstacles for you and invite Mr. Kong Ming (Zhuge Liang) out of the mountain as soon as possible!"
Early the next morning, Guan Yu, dressed in black strong clothes, hid the dragon horn close to his body, mounted a jujube-red warhorse, and galloped alone toward Zitong Mountain. Along the way, the autumn wind howled, and the road was rugged. After traveling for about half a day, the outline of Zitong Mountain came into view. True to its name, the entire mountain was dark purple, as if cast from a single piece of purple copper. The mountain walls were steep, with jagged rocks and swirling mist, exuding an air of mystery.
There was no path at the foot of the mountain, only overgrown thorns and tangled ancient vines, making it impossible for the warhorse to move forward. Guan Yu simply dismounted and walked on foot, carrying a temporarily found short knife at his waist. He pushed aside the thorns with his bare hands and climbed up the mountain. The mountain was covered with towering trees that blocked out the sun; sunlight filtered through the gaps between the branches and leaves, casting scattered spots of light. The air was moist and fresh, mixed with the smell of soil and ore. Occasionally, the cries of unknown birds and beasts could be heard, but not a single figure was seen, adding a touch of seclusion and weirdness.
After climbing for about an hour, a flat area finally appeared ahead. Under a thousand-year-old pine tree stood a simple wooden hut. Around the hut were hundreds of ore stones of varying sizes, and several furnaces burning brightly. The red furnace fire reflected the surrounding air, making it slightly distorted. The door of the wooden hut was open, and the sound of "ding ding dang dang" iron forging came from inside, with a brisk rhythm and great strength.
Guan Yu was overjoyed and stepped forward quickly. Inside the wooden hut, an old man was forging iron with his upper body bare. The old man was about sixty years old, with white hair and beard, but his face was ruddy and his muscles were firm. His bronze-colored skin was covered with fine sweat beads and faint burn scars. He was tall with strong arms, holding a thousand-jin heavy iron hammer in his hand. Every time he struck, he accurately hit the iron block on the anvil, sending sparks flying everywhere.
The old man's face was covered with wrinkles, but his eyes were sharp as an eagle's. He stared intently at the ironware in his hand, as if the whole world was only him and the weapon in his hand. The interior of the wooden hut was simple. Except for forging tools such as furnaces, anvils, and iron hammers, there was only a wooden bed and a wooden table. On the table were several yellowed ancient books, and the corner was piled with various rare ores and forging auxiliary materials. The air was filled with the smell of iron filings and charcoal fire.
Hearing the sound of footsteps, the old man slowly raised his head. When he saw Guan Yu, a trace of surprise flashed in his eyes, which quickly turned into admiration. He put down the iron hammer and clasped his hands in salute: "Is the visitor the Marquis of Hanshou Ting, Guan Yu, styled Yunchang?"
Guan Yu was slightly moved, not expecting his reputation to reach this remote mountain. He quickly clasped his hands in return: "It is me. I have long heard that the old master is highly skilled and can forge divine artifacts. I came here specially to visit today with a request."
The old man laughed loudly: "General Guan's name is thunderous! My name is Qin Jishi. I have been obsessed with forging all my life. It honors my humble hut to have the general come in person! Whatever the general needs, just say it. As long as it is within my power, I will not refuse!"
While speaking, Qin Jishi led Guan Yu to take a seat and poured him a bowl of hot tea. Guan Yu took the teacup and said straightforwardly: "Old master, a few days ago, my elder brother and I went to Wolong Mountain to invite Mr. Kong Ming. Unexpectedly, we encountered a green dragon in Yunmeng Marsh on the way and managed to slay it by luck, obtaining a dragon horn. I want to ask the old master to forge this dragon horn into a handy weapon. I wonder if the master can help me?"
Upon hearing this, a flash of light appeared in Qin Jishi's eyes: "A dragon horn? General, please take it out for me to see!"
Guan Yu lifted his skirt, took out an object from his inner lining—the dragon horn was wrapped in a layer of soft silk. He pinched the edge of the silk with his fingertips, moved as gently as if holding fragile colored glaze, and slowly unfolded it. As soon as the dragon horn appeared, a faint blue-gold halo filled the wooden hut, even the jumping firelight of the furnace seemed to be suppressed, becoming much softer.
This dragon horn was about three chi long, entirely warm blue-gold, not a single color, but interspersed with light and dark shades, as if flowing light was slowly circulating inside the horn. The horn was covered with fine dragon patterns, natural growth lines not carved, winding from the root to the top. Every line was clearly distinguishable, like the imprint of a real dragon's scales shrinking. When touched with fingertips, a slight concave-convex texture could be felt, carrying an ancient vigor.
What was even more strange was that a wisp of indistinct spiritual energy lingered around the dragon horn. Tiny light spots could be seen with the naked eye circulating around the horn. It felt warm as jade in the hand, dispelling the charcoal heat in the wooden hut, but at the same time exuding an indescribable sense of heaviness—not the weight of an ordinary object, but the thickness containing majestic energy, as if holding not a section of beast horn, but a thousand-jin keel.
Qin Jishi had already held his breath, staring fixedly at the dragon horn, his hands trembling slightly uncontrollably. When Guan Yu handed the dragon horn to him, he almost piously stretched out his hands and took it carefully, fearing that a little force would profane this divine object. He brought the dragon horn close to his eyes, his nose almost touching the horn, squinted his eyes to carefully examine every dragon pattern, and gently stroked it with his finger pads, feeling the strange texture of warmth and thickness intertwined.
Spiritual energy poured into his body along his fingertips, making his meridians tremble slightly, and the strain from years of forging was faintly relieved. Qin Jishi remained silent for a long time, his eyes full of shock and obsession, as if he had met the treasure he had been pursuing all his life. After a long while, he slowly raised his head, let out a long sigh, and his voice was filled with uncontrollable excitement: "It is indeed the horn of an ancient divine dragon! General, do you know that this dragon horn is no ordinary object in the world, but a divine treasure nurtured by the spiritual veins of heaven and earth!"
He paused and said slowly: "Legend has it that in ancient times, heaven and earth were chaotic, and floods raged. When Yu the Great controlled the floods, he encountered a green dragon guarding Yunmeng Marsh. This dragon was transformed by the spiritual veins of heaven and earth, with the responsibility of guarding the water veins of Huaxia. To control the floods, Yu the Great made an alliance with the green dragon: the green dragon helped Yu the Great dredge the water systems, and Yu the Great set up a Bagua Seal (ancient Chinese divination symbols that can ward off evil spirits) to protect the peace of the green dragon clan. Thousands of years have passed, and the spiritual energy of the green dragon has gradually transformed, making it an ancient divine beast. Its horn gathers the power of dragon qi and spiritual veins, indestructible and containing infinite power, making it the top material for forging divine artifacts!"
Qin Jishi became more and more excited as he spoke: "I have forged all my life and seen countless rare ores, but I have never seen such a pure dragon horn! It is a heaven-sent opportunity for the general to obtain this divine object! What kind of weapon does the general usually use?"
Guan Yu said: "I am used to using a plain saber. Back then, in front of Hulao Pass, it was with a plain saber that I beheaded Hua Xiong while the wine was still warm. Unfortunately, after years of fighting, the weapon was destroyed, and now I am in need of a handy plain saber."
A look of understanding flashed in Qin Jishi's eyes, and he pondered: "The dragon horn belongs to yang and contains dragon qi, making it most suitable for forging a plain saber. I already have a plan in mind: I can melt and forge this dragon horn into a 'Green Dragon Crescent Blade'. This blade will take the dragon horn as the core, supplemented by rare ores such as black iron and red copper. The blade will be carved with green dragon patterns, and the hilt will be inlaid with dragon scales. It will not only be infinitely powerful but also connected with the general's aura, complementing each other!"
Upon hearing this, Guan Yu was overjoyed and quickly stood up to clasp his hands: "If this blade can be forged, the old master will be my benefactor! Guan Yu is deeply grateful!"
Qin Jishi waved his hand: "General, no need to be polite! Forging such a divine artifact is the wish of my life. The general can return to Xinye first, and come to pick up the blade in a month. During this period, I will do my best to live up to the general's trust!"
Guan Yu thanked him again, left fifty taels of gold as a deposit, and then turned around and went down the mountain.
A month passed in the blink of an eye. During this month, Guan Yu trained his troops every day, but he was thinking about the upcoming Green Dragon Crescent Blade all the time. Early on the appointed day, Guan Yu couldn't wait to mount his warhorse and gallop toward Zitong Mountain.
Ten li away from Qin Jishi's residence, Guan Yu saw from a distance that auspicious clouds lingered over the valley, and colorful rays of light reflected the sky, inspiring awe. Guan Yu's heart shook, knowing that the divine artifact was about to appear, so he quickly accelerated his speed and galloped forward.
When he was close to the wooden hut, Guan Yu dismounted. A huge plain saber stood on the protruding rock on the mountainside, like a god, exuding a majestic momentum.
This was the world-famous "Green Dragon Crescent Blade"!
The blade was nine chi and five cun long, weighing one hundred and eighty jin. The blade was narrow and long, shaped like a crescent moon. The blade edge was cold and sharp, like autumn water, shining with blue-gold light, with faint dragon qi circulating. On the blade, a lifelike green dragon was carved, with its head held high, its body winding, its tail spreading, and its scales clearly visible, as if it would jump out of the blade in the next second and soar through the clouds. The hilt was three chi long, made of thousand-year-old red sandalwood, hard in texture and warm in touch, wrapped with five-colored dragon beards extracted from the dragon horn, extremely tough. At the end of the hilt was inlaid a huge luminous pearl, with a smooth and moist luster, emitting a soft light in the sun, which could illuminate the road ahead even in the dark.
The blade base was made of black iron, in the shape of Bagua, faintly echoing the Bagua jade pendant around Guan Yu's waist. Carved on it were the seal characters "Green Dragon Crescent Blade", with bold and powerful strokes, exuding an air of dignity. The entire blade had a majestic shape and momentum, not only showing the murderous aura of a divine weapon, but also containing the sacred dignity of a divine dragon, making people awe-inspiring at the sight.
"General, the divine blade has been waiting for you for a long time." Qin Jishi's voice came from behind. He had a smile on his face, looking tired but unable to hide his excitement.
Guan Yu turned around and clasped his hands: "Old master, you have worked hard! This blade is indeed extraordinary in momentum. Guan Yu is deeply grateful!"
Qin Jishi smiled: "I'm glad the general is satisfied! Forging this Green Dragon Crescent Blade was no easy task. To forge this blade, I not only used the dragon horn, a divine object, but also integrated dozens of rare ores such as Western Regions black iron, South China Sea red copper, and Kunlun cold jade. These ores are all my life's collection, and each contains powerful spiritual energy."
He paused, recalling the forging process, his eyes full of emotion: "In the days when forging the blade edge, I burned the furnace to a high temperature of a thousand degrees and exhausted all my skills to melt the dragon horn and various ores into one. But just as the blade edge was about to take shape, I encountered a bottleneck—I couldn't perfectly integrate the dragon qi with the power of the ores no matter what. Just as I was at a loss, dark clouds suddenly covered the sky, a golden light fell from the sky, and a green dragon broke through the wall, turning into a blue-gold stream of light and merging into the blade edge."
"Immediately afterwards, a solemn voice came from the air, claiming to be a divine general under the command of Veda Bodhisattva in the Western Heaven, sent by Veda Bodhisattva to help. The voice said: 'Guan Yu is a loyal and righteous man, with the responsibility of saving the world and comforting the people. This Green Dragon Crescent Blade shall be a weapon to protect the Han Dynasty. Now I bestow the power of the divine dragon upon it to help him slay demons and evil spirits, and uphold the Han Dynasty. After the blade is completed, it shall recognize its master and return to its heart, sharing the same heart and mind with Guan Yu to face national disasters together.'"
After finishing speaking, Qin Jishi looked at Guan Yu solemnly: "General, this blade is a divine-gifted artifact, containing the power of the divine dragon and the will of the Bodhisattva, which is extraordinary. Please step forward and hold the hilt. If the blade is destined for you, it will recognize you as its master."
Guan Yu's heart was agitated. He walked slowly to the Green Dragon Crescent Blade. He took a deep breath, stretched out his right hand, and slowly grasped the hilt.
At the moment his fingertips touched the hilt, a majestic dragon qi instantly surged into his body along his palm, perfectly merging with his own internal strength. Guan Yu only felt his blood boil all over his body, his meridians unblocked, and a cool feeling came from his left arm, which had been burned by the dragon's breath, and the injury was completely healed in an instant. He could clearly feel that a wonderful connection had been established between himself and the Green Dragon Crescent Blade. The blade seemed to have become a part of his body, connected with his mind. With a single thought, the blade could feel his intention.
Countless swordsmanship moves poured into his mind in an instant, including those he had learned on weekdays and the peerless swordsmanship passed down from ancient times, as if the Green Dragon Crescent Blade was teaching him the methods. Guan Yu's eyes shone brightly. He held the hilt and waved it gently. The plain saber let out a howling wind, and the green dragon patterns on the blade seemed to come to life, shining with blue-gold light.
"What a blade!" Guan Yu shouted loudly, holding the blade with both hands, jumping up and practicing in the yard.
Guan Yu's hands holding the blade were as steady as a rock. His internal strength surged out along the five-colored dragon beard hilt, crashing into the dragon qi hidden in the blade. He twisted his waist, his red strong clothes fluttering. The Green Dragon Crescent Blade drew a blue-gold arc in his hand, as swift and sharp as thunder breaking through the sky, tearing through the air with overwhelming momentum. Every time he struck, the blade was surrounded by visible dragon qi, like a wandering blue-gold light belt, carrying majestic sword qi and rolling up the sky full of dust—the dry mud grains were pulled by the qi, turning into rotating dust columns, rolling up and down with the sword moves, and actually forming miniature tornadoes in the yard, sweeping all the gravel and wood chips on the ground into them, spinning and flying.
The moment the blade passed through the air, the sharp howling sound gradually intensified, initially like a tiger's low roar, then gradually rising to a dragon's roar shaking the world, making the branches and leaves of the ancient pine outside the yard rustle, and the distant valley echoed with bursts of deafening sounds. As he moved his body, the air flow in the yard was completely disrupted. The originally stable air was cut to pieces by the sword qi, forming countless invisible air blades. The surrounding ore stones and forging tools were wrapped by this overbearing qi, all lifting off the ground, as if controlled by an invisible hand, quickly avoiding along the trajectory of the sword moves. Some ore stones collided with each other, making a "ding ding dang dang" crisp sound, but none dared to approach within three chi of Guan Yu's body, as if fearing the dragon's power in the blade.
Guan Yu's figure shuttled in the yard, as fast as lightning. His red figure and the blue-gold sword light intertwined, forming a dazzling light curtain, sometimes stretching like flowing clouds, sometimes contracting like condensed frost. He sometimes bent down and swept the blade horizontally, his arms exerting force, muscles tensing. The blue-gold sword qi swept out like a silk ribbon. Where the sword qi passed, the hard bluestone ground instantly split into a deep gully. The edge of the gully was as smooth as a mirror, faintly glowing with the scorch marks of dragon qi burning, and gravel rolled down along both sides of the gully. Sometimes he lifted his breath and stabbed vertically with the blade, the dragon qi condensed at the tip of the blade forming a cold star, with indestructible sharpness, stabbing straight into the sky as if to pierce the firmament. The green dragon patterns on the blade suddenly lit up, and the dragon beards seemed to flutter in the wind, echoing the sharpness of the blade tip. Sometimes he spun around and swept horizontally, the plain saber hanging in the air like a full moon. The blue-gold sword light spread out, stirring up all the chaotic air flow around, forming a huge air ring. Where the air ring passed, even the furnace in the corner of the yard trembled slightly, and the furnace fire surged several feet high under the blow of the qi. The red light reflected on the sword light, adding a bit of majestic momentum.
The more he practiced, the more refreshed he felt. The depression and fighting spirit accumulated in his body were all vented. His phoenix eyes turned red as if on fire, his red face became even redder due to exertion, and sweat beads on his forehead rolled down his cheeks, splashing small water drops on the ground, but it did not affect his movements at all. When the sword moves reached their peak, Guan Yu suddenly stopped, stepped on the ground with both feet, and his body rose into the air. The blue-gold sword light swirled around him, like a dragon coiling around his body. He shouted loudly, his voice shaking the four fields, holding the hilt tightly with both hands, pouring all his internal strength and the dragon qi in the blade into it. His arm veins bulged, and the blade suddenly burst out with thousands of feet of blue-gold light. The green dragon patterns were vivid, as if a real green dragon was about to break out of the blade.
"Roar!" With a earth-shaking roar, Guan Yu waved the blade with both hands and struck hard—a blue-gold sword qi several zhang long, wrapped with a huge green dragon phantom, burst out from the blade. The green dragon phantom had clear scales and claws, fluttering dragon beards, and red eyes like blood. It opened its blood-red mouth and roared, rushing toward the distant mountain wall. This strike gathered Guan Yu's lifelong skills and the power of the divine dragon, unstoppable. Where it passed, the air was torn, making a harsh scream, and the ground was split into a long deep gully.
"Boom!" A thunderous noise echoed. The green dragon phantom hit the mountain wall of Zitong Mountain hard. In an instant, the rocks cracked, and gravel poured down like heavy rain. Huge boulders fell from the mountain wall, making a dull rumble when hitting the ground. Smoke filled the air like a black wave, quickly sweeping the entire valley and covering Guan Yu and the small yard. The boulders under their feet trembled slightly, the furnaces and tools in the yard shook violently, the distant ancient pine rustled, leaves fell, and even the birds and beasts in the mountains were shocked by this power, not daring to make a sound.
When the smoke cleared slightly, a huge sword mark several zhang wide appeared on the solid mountain wall. The edge of the sword mark was neat and smooth, glowing with the afterglow of blue-gold dragon qi. The surrounding rocks were scorched black and crispy by the dragon qi, with faint green smoke curling up. Gravel was still slowly sliding down along the sword mark, and the sound of collisions continued.
"Refreshing! Refreshing!" Guan Yu laughed loudly, his voice loud and resounding through the valley. "With this divine blade in hand, what fear do I have of demons and ghosts in the world?"
Qin Jishi stepped forward and smiled: "The general and the divine blade are connected in heart and mind, which is a match made in heaven! From now on, this Green Dragon Crescent Blade will be the general's right-hand man, helping the general gallop on the battlefield and protect the country and the people!"
Guan Yu came to his senses, took out a bag of gold and silver from behind the horse, and handed it to Qin Jishi: "Old master, this is a small gift, not a respect. Please accept it! Thank you for forging such a divine artifact for me!"
Qin Jishi declined: "General, I forged this blade not for money, but to fulfill my lifelong wish and help the general uphold the Han Dynasty. Please take back this gold and silver and use it to recruit soldiers and horses to restore the Han Dynasty!"
Guan Yu insisted: "Old master worked hard for a month and consumed countless rare materials. If you don't accept it, I will feel uneasy! Please must accept it!"
Seeing Guan Yu's firm attitude, Qin Jishi had to accept the gold and silver, sighing: "The general is loyal and righteous, which I admire! May the general hold this blade in the future, sweep the troubled times, and return peace to the people of the world!"
Guan Yu clasped his hands: "Don't worry, old master! Guan Yu will never live up to the trust of the divine blade or your expectations. I will swear to assist my elder brother, restore the Han Dynasty, save the world and comfort the people!"
After speaking, Guan Yu lifted the Green Dragon Crescent Blade. The hilt felt steady in his hand, and the blade was light. He turned over and mounted his horse, placing the Green Dragon Crescent Blade horizontally on the saddle. The blue-gold blade shone brightly under the setting sun.
"Take care, master! We will meet again someday!" Guan Yu clasped his hands to Qin Jishi, clamped his legs on the horse's belly, and the warhorse let out a neigh, carrying him galloping toward Xinye City.
The afterglow sprinkled on the mountain road of Zitong Mountain, stretching Guan Yu's figure long. He rode his warhorse, held the Green Dragon Crescent Blade, faced the setting sun, and galloped forward, his heart full of lofty ideals and aspirations. The blade of the Green Dragon Crescent Blade reflected the light of the setting sun, like a swimming green dragon, moving forward side by side with him.