Buzz...
Upon hearing the clang of the sword, Xiang Yu's expression suddenly became somewhat dazed. He slowly placed the sword against his neck, and then a smile gradually appeared on his lips.
Hao Jiu was startled and immediately put the sword into his storage space. "Xiang Yu! What are you doing!"
"God of Wine, you guessed right. This sword is indeed strange. It seems to have understood what I just said and even tried to control me. However, God of Wine need not worry. I was just pretending to be controlled by it to see what it wanted me to do. It seems this sword is not so friendly to me." Xiang Yu smiled coldly.
Hao Jiu thought to himself that it would be strange if things were friendly. He had originally intended to use a provocation tactic to lure the snake out of its hole, so he didn't mean to be polite when he had Xiang Yu deliver the message.
"It's just a tantrum, nothing serious. Since we can communicate, let's begin the formal negotiations. Let Xiang Yu relay the message."
The sword reappeared, and Xiang Yu grabbed it in his hand.
"You must be some kind of shady old ghost, right?" Xiang Yu picked up the sword and examined it repeatedly, repeating Hao Jiu's words to him in his mind.
Then, Xiang Yu paused for a moment, and said, "God of Wine? Heh heh, pretending to be a god. He's just got some skills, how dare he call himself a god? If you're so capable, show yourself, don't sneak around having Xiang Yu relay your message. Xiang Yu, you don't need to be so nervous, just relax, I'm just using your body to talk to you."
"Is King Xiang alright?" Hao Jiu asked Xiang Yu in his heart.
“It’s alright. He released me after he finished speaking. His control wasn’t very strong. I can take it back whenever I want,” Xiang Yu replied.
"Don't be careless. This old fox is very cunning and might deliberately feign weakness to lull us into a false sense of security. From now on, don't let him control you anymore. His lies are the least credible thing." Hao Jiu didn't believe that the other party only had this much ability to dare to challenge them.
"The god of wine is absolutely right. So what do we do next?" Xiang Yu became extremely alert.
Hao Jiu's eyes lit up with a sudden idea. "Go down and tie up anyone so he can possess them."
"Alright." Xiang Yu gave his horse, Wuzhui, a signal, and charged straight towards the Han soldiers who were cleaning up the battlefield in the distance.
Then.
As the black horse flew low overhead, Xiang Yu casually pinched the soldier, causing him to faint. Xiang Yu then lifted the soldier high into the air.
The whole process was very fast. Even if other people around saw this, they would at most see a cloud carrying the person away, and no one would believe it if they told others.
"Hehe, you are quite cautious, but you are overthinking it. I have no ill intentions towards Xiang Yu." The unconscious soldier suddenly spoke.
Hao Jiu appeared above Xiang Yu's head, and the Sagittarius Gold Cloth spread its wings, striking a very cool pose.
"You're overthinking it. King Xiang simply finds you dirty. I am right in front of you, can't you see me?"
Old Ghost hurriedly opened his pair of dark ghost eyes and looked around with his peripheral vision, but he couldn't see where the other party was. He became more and more wary. He didn't expect the other party's ability to hide to be so powerful. But how could he show weakness at this time?
"Hmph! How dare you insult me, you brat! Let me tell you the truth, I only used one-tenth of my power before. Killing him would have been as easy as turning my hand!" Old Ghost glared at Xiang Yu and said.
"You've only used one-tenth of your power, while I haven't even made a move yet. You don't need to bluff. I know you wouldn't dare do anything to Xiang Yu, because you're afraid of me."
Chapter 173 Jiang Shang
"Because you're afraid of me." Hao Jiu folded his wings, so even ghosts couldn't see him; his pose was pointless.
Old Ghost felt a chill run down his spine. So Xiang Yu had indeed broken free of control on his own? Xiang Yu's soul was far stronger than that of an ordinary person. If the God of Wine were to help him, even with the aid of his secret techniques, he probably wouldn't be able to control Xiang Yu's suicide. However, he could still manage to interfere with Xiang Yu when he was fighting a powerful enemy.
"I admit you have some skill, but it would be a big mistake for me to say that I am afraid of you."
"My abilities are beyond your imagination. Reversing time and traversing space-time are nothing to me, and killing you is even easier. If you are not afraid of me, why do you keep hiding and dare not show your true face?" Hao Jiu sneered.
"When have I ever been afraid of you? I haven't been hiding either; it's just that it's inconvenient for me to show myself right now." The old ghost's heart skipped a beat. Reversing time, traversing space and time? This is nothing compared to what he's made of.
Hao Jiu changed the subject, "Actually, there's no need for us to be enemies. I am Xiang Yu's guardian angel, and you are Xiang Yu's sword. Shouldn't we work together?"
The old ghost snorted coldly, "Nonsense! A sword is a sword, and I am I. Don't confuse the two! My home is within this sword. I have no interest in mortal affairs. Don't disturb my peaceful cultivation any longer. You should know that I am not someone to be trifled with. If you push me too far, hehe, you, my guardian deity, can try to see if you can protect him!"
"Hahaha... I was just about to test your full power. Come on, hurry up, I won't let the God of Wine make a move," Xiang Yu said arrogantly.
"I won't fall for it!" Old Ghost immediately backed down. Why would he kill Xiang Yu for no reason? He only wanted to provoke Xiang Yu to commit suicide for the sake of face and to test him.
"Oh dear, I kindly bestowed upon you a great fortune, yet you, old ghost, repay kindness with enmity. What kind of logic is this? I think you should stop borrowing someone else's body and quickly reveal your true form so we can have a proper talk. If you please me, the benefits will be plentiful. It's just a meeting; with your abilities, it shouldn't be difficult, right?" Hao Jiu raised an eyebrow.
"I have no desires or wants, and I don't need your good fortune. Let's skip meeting." The old ghost knew perfectly well that there was no such thing as a free lunch. Even if there was good fortune, it wasn't so easy to obtain. The key was that his true body couldn't leave the city.
Hao Jiu scoffed, "Even immortals can't be without desires, and you? Oh~ I see, so you can't get out, which is why you deliberately provoked me. You just want to get out, don't you? Simple, I'll do you a good deed today and break this sword, letting you out for a stroll. Xiang Yu, find a good spot and smash the sword!"
Hao Jiu had long suspected that this guy wasn't a sword spirit, but rather an old ghost sealed within the sword, and now it seemed he was right. He just didn't know who he really was.
"Huh?" The old ghost looked completely bewildered. "You've misunderstood. I've finally found a secluded place for cultivation and have no intention of coming out. We're quite destined to meet; you are Xiang Yu's guardian deity, and I reside within Xiang Yu's sword. Yet, on our first meeting, you want to demolish my home. What kind of logic is that?"
Hao Jiu raised an eyebrow. It seemed that it wasn't as simple as sealing. The other party seemed to be inseparable from this sword. Or rather, simply destroying the sword would not give the other party true freedom, and might even do more harm than good.
"In that case, let's not smash it for now. Would you like to invite me to your home for a visit?"
"Well, it's not that I'm unhospitable, it's just that other people can't get in here," the old man said awkwardly.
"Hmph! You neither want to come out nor say that others can enter your house. Do you look down on me? This is outrageous! How dare you mock me like this! Xiang Yu! Find a place to smash your sword!" Hao Jiu roared.
Old Ghost's lips twitched repeatedly. Why would this guy smash a sword so easily? You have to understand, this is a precious sword with hidden power; it's valuable and very sturdy.
"Hehe, this sword is not so easily destroyed. In this world..." Before the old ghost could finish speaking, he saw a long halberd appear out of thin air in Xiang Yu's hand. It looked quite extraordinary. If it was a divine weapon, it might really be able to destroy this sword!
"I suppose this divine halberd would be enough to destroy this sword," Xiang Yu murmured.
“Of course, the Ruyi Divine Halberd has the power to destroy the heavens and the earth. It can easily smash a mere broken sword. But this sword seems to have some tricks up its sleeve. Without some padding underneath, it might not be easy to smash and could easily sink into the ground,” Hao Jiu pondered.
"Wait, a broken sword? This is a treasure with a secret within! I'm not bragging, but there's only one like it in the world, and it was Xiang Yu's sword. Wouldn't it be a waste to destroy it?" The old ghost was anxious; if the sword was destroyed, he would be finished too.
"Only one? Come and see!" Hao Jiu said, then conjured several more identical swords from Xiang Yu's arms. "I don't really need this one, so let's just smash it."
Old Ghost was dumbfounded. He could sense that these swords were real, but how could this be!
"I have heard that the stones of Mount Tai are extremely hard, which would be perfect for making a base." Xiang Yu turned his horse around and headed towards Mount Tai.
“That suits me perfectly. These soldiers are useless now, let’s throw them away,” Hao Jiu said casually, then put away the rest of the swords.
"Wait! I did not mean to deceive you, but the conditions for entering this sword space are too harsh. Even if I were to leave, I might not be able to enter again. Moreover, I am now only a remnant soul. I can survive in this sword space, but if I were to leave, I would inevitably perish."
Old Gui hastily backed down, a hint of pleading in his eyes. He truly couldn't afford to gamble; as long as the sword was there, his soul was there; if the sword died, his soul would die too. The key issue was that he felt he couldn't stop the other party from destroying the sword, and he couldn't intimidate them. He was too uncertain about the outcome.
"What are your conditions? Tell me. Don't try to play the victim. If you dare to tell another lie, you can expect your sword to be destroyed and you to vanish." Hao Jiu secretly breathed a sigh of relief. Regardless of whether this old ghost was telling the truth or not, at least it proved that he did not have enough strength to resist, otherwise he would not have given in.
The old ghost sighed, "Ah, that's a long story. In short, you can only enter the moment a person dies. I'll explain it to you in more detail next time."
I'm not trying to elicit sympathy; I'm genuinely injured, both physically and mentally. This time, I've overexerted myself and have to go into a deep sleep for a while.
However, please rest assured, since Xiang Yu is now the master of this sword, I will certainly lend a hand if needed. Farewell..."
"Stop! If you dare to leave now, don't blame me for destroying your sword! Xiang Yu!" Hao Jiu cursed inwardly, thinking that this old ghost was really unreliable.
"I haven't left yet, I'm still here. But I really can't hold on much longer, I might lose control of this body at any moment, I hope the God of Wine will understand." The old ghost's voice was a little off.
"You can rest, but how long do you want to rest? If I want to find you again, how do I find you? What's your name? Why does this sword have a space, and when did you enter it? Explain clearly before you leave," Hao Jiu asked in quick succession.
The old ghost breathed a sigh of relief. "This sword was forged by an immortal. It has its own space inside. I've been inside for about a thousand or eight hundred years, but I can't remember exactly how long it's been."
The god of wine tells me I only need three days of rest, after which Xiang Yu can knock on my sword and summon me at any time. My name is Jiang Shang. That concludes my reply. Farewell…
Holy crap!
Jiang Shang, Jiang Taigong, Jiang Ziya?
What a joke!
Chapter 174 The Emperor's Sword
Holy crap!
"Wait a minute! What did you say your name was?" Hao Jiu asked in shock.
However, the old ghost did not answer and seemed to have already left.
"Xiang Yu! Smash your sword!" Hao Jiu roared.
“God of Wine, there’s no need to waste time testing him. Now that we’ve said this much, even if he’s faking it, he can guess that we won’t destroy the sword so easily. Let’s make a decision in three days. He just said his name was Jiang Shang, could it be Jiang Ziya, the Jiang Taigong who helped King Wu of Zhou overthrow King Zhou of Shang?” Xiang Yu asked doubtfully.
"Xiang Yu, don't easily believe that old ghost's nonsense. If he's Jiang Ziya, then I'm the Jade Emperor. He's really unreliable. How could Jiang Ziya be sealed in a broken sword?"
"We don't need to wait three days. We can take out another sword and ask it. If it doesn't match the old ghost's testimony, we can just destroy the sword. Do you really think I'm reluctant to part with a broken sword that can be copied?" Hao Jiu sneered.
"Ahem, I just remembered that if I burned a little bit of my essence, I could continue chatting for a while longer. What did the God of Wine mean by what he said earlier? Does he mean that you can not only replicate this sword, but also that there is an old man inside those replicated swords?" The old ghost's voice appeared again.
Xiang Yu's forehead veins throbbed. "As expected, it's all lies. Who exactly are you?"
Old Ghost said awkwardly, "Uh, people's hearts are treacherous. I just gave a false name because I'm used to slipping up. But then I thought about it and realized that neither the God of Wine nor Xiang Yu are treacherous people. That's why I came back to tell you my real name. My name is Shou. You can just call me Shou, or Lao Shou, Shou Lao, or Shou Jun."
"Your name is Shou?" Hao Jiu's lips twitched violently. Did people in ancient times not Google their names before naming their children?
“Exactly,” the old ghost replied.
"What's your surname?" Hao Jiu asked again.
"I dare not deceive the God of Wine, and I have forgotten my surname. It seems that people have always called me Shou. I hope the God of Wine will forgive me. My soul was injured and I slept for a long time before waking up. My remnant soul's memories are inevitably incomplete, and I really can't remember the events of a thousand years ago very clearly. However, I vaguely remember that I seem to have a grandson named Jiang Shang. Perhaps my surname is Jiang?" The old ghost once again said something astonishing.
What?!
What the hell?! I have a grandson named Jiang Shang!
Hao Jiu's lips twitched violently. "Which Jiang Shang? The one who helped King Wu of Zhou overthrow King Zhou of Shang?"
"Uh, I don't know, I can't even remember what my grandson looks like."
But after I woke up, I also learned about history. The Jiang Shang you mentioned must be a legendary figure who only took office when he was over seventy years old, right?
If I were really his grandfather, I probably would have died long before him. How would I know what he did?
However, given my wisdom, I suspect my grandson might actually do something truly extraordinary.
"In that case, from this day forward I shall be called Jiang Shou, the grandfather of the legendary Jiang Shang!" the old ghost said shamelessly.
Hao Jiu thought about it and agreed. There really weren't many people in ancient times who could live past seventy. Jiang Ziya started his official career at seventy-two. If his grandfather were to live, he would have to be at least a hundred years old. It was unlikely.
"Forget it, stop making up relatives. I'll just call you Shoujun from now on," Hao Jiu said helplessly. He wasn't afraid that the old ghost was lying, since he could easily distinguish the real from the fake by verifying the replicas of the old ghosts in the other swords.
"Thank you for your understanding, God of Wine. Uh, may I ask, God of Wine, were I also copied by you using your great supernatural powers in the other swords?" the old man asked cautiously.
"This is a long story. You're currently burning your life force, so let's talk about it another time. It wouldn't be good if it burned out completely," Hao Jiu said in a tone that seemed to be concerned for the older man.
"Haha, God of Wine, please speak freely. This old man can still hold on. My essence won't be burned away so easily," the old man laughed.
Hao Jiu smiled slightly, "Since you can continue chatting, why don't we talk about what we didn't have time to explain in detail earlier, such as how to enter the space and the origin of this sword? Questions and answers should be answered in order, don't you think?"
"Huh?" The old man was taken aback. "Uh, well then, I'll explain in detail. To enter the space within this sword, only the current overlord or emperor can commit suicide with this sword. Even feudal lords might not be able to get in."