Chapter 0001: The Hundred Slicing Blade
My family has been engaged in this profession for generations. Although I never had the opportunity to handle it while my father was alive, I have certainly read a lot about the records of various treasures from each generation in my family. The various characteristics of this sword remind me of a historically renowned treasure sword—the Baipi Dao
The middle-aged man glanced at me and asked, "Young lad, are you capable of taking charge?"
After seeing this middle-aged man, I had a rough idea in my mind and asked, "As a person from Shaanxi, how did you end up here in Shanxi selling goods?"
Xiao Tian, I will not be going.
This statement is not a deception; this hundred-edged blade is undoubtedly a national treasure. Those who lack sufficient strength to handle it will find themselves unable to sell it, and if it falls into their hands, it becomes a disaster. One can never tell when the news might leak, leading to imprisonment and dire consequences. I have some understanding of the people in this antique street; they neither have the capability nor the courage to possess such an item
However, while I was still busy upstairs, I suddenly heard a series of arguments coming from downstairs, so I ran down immediately
I let out a long sigh, a hint of a bitter smile appearing on my face: "If the price you offer is reasonable, I might consider it. Brother, don't doubt that I'm saying this to negotiate; this item of yours has an unsavory origin and is quite frightening. I estimate that in this entire street of antiques, I'm probably the only one brave enough to want it!"
I know that my father's death is certainly not as simple as it seems, but since Uncle Li won't speak about it, I have no way to find out. Moreover, for the sake of survival, I can only take over my father's antique shop, even though my fate is not suited for this line of work. Fortunately, with Uncle Li's help, I am able to balance my studies.
The one who brought back the bad news was an antique dealer who went with my father. I have asked Uncle Li how my father passed away, but Uncle Li said that I cannot know yet, as it would not be beneficial for me. He said he would tell me when I am capable enough.
After going downstairs, I discovered that Uncle Li was arguing with a middle-aged man, around forty years old, dressed in camouflage attire and carrying a long, coarse cloth bundle on his back. Uncle Li was persistently pushing the man outside while saying, "Sorry, we do not accept 'ghost goods' here"
I am the owner here
As for me
This earthy smell is quite distinctive. Although I have not been involved in this line of work before, my family has been engaged in it for generations, and I am quite knowledgeable about it. The moment I catch a whiff of this scent, I can tell that this person is a tomb raider
I smiled; at that moment, I was truly too excited to notice the worry on Uncle Li's face. Little did I know then that it was precisely because of my greed this time that I nearly lost my life
I am somewhat astonished; what on earth has this middle-aged man stumbled upon? He has actually managed to produce a hundred exquisite blades. Such renowned swords and sabers have always been the stuff of legends. Forget about legendary artifacts like the Xuanyuan Sword or the Summer Yu Sword; to date, only one sword, the Wu King Fuchai Sword, has been unearthed, and it was sold for an astronomical price. When my grandfather was alive, he often said that his greatest regret in life was never having handled a divine weapon. I never expected that this would come to fruition in my time.
People often say that ancient jade is not as valuable as Ming and Qing jade, but that is merely nonsense. The truth is that ancient jade is extremely rare, with very few pieces having survived. Those that are well-preserved, of good craftsmanship, and in excellent condition can fetch astronomical prices, making them exceedingly rare. Consequently, the market is flooded with replicas that are worth very little, leading to the misconception that ancient jade is less valuable than Ming and Qing jade.
I originally thought he would ask for an exorbitant price, but he only asked for 10,000. It seems this guy really doesn't know the business. However, I didn't dare to show any hint of this on my face and pretended to hesitate for a long time before finally nodding: "Alright, seeing that your family is quite in difficulty, let's go with 10,000."
Upon seeing these six small characters, my expression immediately changed
If I can afford to acquire it, I would dare to take it. The connections my father left me can definitely help me get this thing out!
I grasped the hilt of the sword and swiftly drew out the treasured blade, which emitted a soft hum in an instant, revealing a glimmering cold light that startled me greatly
At a glance, I can tell that this blade is undoubtedly genuine, as the patina on the hilt is something that can only be accumulated over time and cannot be faked. Moreover, judging by the luster of the jade, it is likely that it has been around for at least a thousand years, belonging to ancient jade. Setting aside the blade itself, just the hilt alone is probably worth a considerable amount of money
For a time, I found myself in a prolonged state of hesitation
demonic goods
However, this "wild goods" are also of varying quality, and those without discernment truly cannot handle it. My father is the kind of person with a "keen eye". For instance, ten years ago, he went to the countryside to collect "wild goods". Passing by a farmhouse, he noticed a woman poking the stove with a black object. At a glance, my father recognized that the black object was actually a Bamen Han sword, which was said to have been unearthed by the woman's husband while farming. As a result, the woman used it as a fire poker. Later, he spent 200 yuan to acquire the Bamen Han sword from her, and then resold it for 430,000 yuan!
This is a rare occurrence in recent years, and the entire antique community has been thrown into chaos
... ...
The middle-aged man, noticing my silence, couldn't help but ask with some concern: "Young man, can you take this thing of mine?"
Having accomplished this deal, I felt an undeniable excitement within me. I recalled my father's previous methods and thought that if I could get this thing out, I would become a millionaire. The feeling was beyond words. In that moment, I excitedly waved my hand and said, "Alright, Uncle Li, let's finish work early today to celebrate!"
Thus, under the protection of my father, I lived a stable life for over twenty years, without suffering hardships or enduring any grievances, and my days were relatively peaceful, until the incident that occurred six months ago, which brought some changes to my otherwise unchanging life trajectory
The Hundred Slicing Swords are said to have been forged under the orders of Cao Cao during the Eastern Han Dynasty. He gave three to his son and kept two for himself. It is said that they could cut through hair effortlessly, unmatched in sharpness, capable of slicing through gold and jade without difficulty, hence the name "Hundred Slicing." However, no such swords have ever been unearthed in later generations, making them similar to the "Top Ten Famous Swords," both having become legends.
Moreover, some local villagers have also joined in.
Uncle Li's expression changed as soon as he saw me come down. He opened his mouth as if to say something, but finally let out a gentle sigh and said: "Xiao Tian, this person is from Shaanxi. Right now, the most ghostly goods are coming from the Qinling area in Shaanxi. Without even looking, one can tell that this item is most likely from there, with a probability of eight or nine out of ten!"
To be honest, I am not very inclined to ask for it
After all, antiques are euphemistically referred to as ancient artifacts, but they are ultimately burial items, things belonging to the deceased! Engaging in this trade is akin to robbing from the hands of the dead; one must wonder, if one's fate is not strong enough, what good can come from encountering such things? My family has been involved in this for generations, and the strange occurrences associated with collecting antiques are not few. It is only natural for my family to have taboos regarding this, and my name, Tianzhong, was also derived from this.
Thus, I found myself leading a life of constant back and forth between the antique shop and the university. Unfortunately, after half a year, the antique shop had not seen much business, and the savings my father left me were dwindling day by day. Not only was I anxious about this, but I also found myself preoccupied with the cause of my father's death, and I had hardly slept well during these past six months
The moment I saw this knife, my eyes lit up; it is not that the knife itself is particularly outstanding, but rather it is the handle that caught my attention
Upon hearing my words, the middle-aged man turned pale and said: "Young lad, this item was something I nearly risked my life to obtain, at the very least..."
But what I did not expect was that after my father left, he never returned
My father said that the Dragon Boat Festival is the day of the year when the yang energy is at its strongest, and the Dragon Boat Festival is also known as the Tianzhong Festival. He named me Tianzhong in hopes of harnessing the energy of heaven and earth to compensate for the weakness of my yang in the eight characters.
It is said that he later died in a large tomb, and since then, his descendants have never been buried again. In my generation, we have completely avoided antiques; there is no way around it. I am a premature baby, and my mother passed away early due to complications in giving birth to me, which has left me inherently weak. In my father's words, my fate is not strong enough, and I lack sufficient innate yang energy, making me more susceptible to encountering unclean things than the average person. Engaging in the antique trade is practically akin to courting death.
I silently thought to myself that I had misjudged, and quickly began to observe more closely
However, with such a formidable weapon, can I afford to acquire it with the meager inheritance left to me by my father
So cheap...
I smiled and waved my hand, taking a step forward to stand in front of the middle-aged man, scrutinizing him from head to toe. I hadn't noticed it from a distance earlier, but now that I stood beside him, I was immediately struck by the strong earthy smell emanating from him
What could possibly be the matter
The middle-aged man, while stubbornly refusing to go out, spoke in Mandarin with a strong Shaanxi accent: "You haven't even looked at my goods yet. How about you take a look first and then we can talk? If you like it, even if you offer a little less, that's fine. My brother is counting on this money for his life!"
As soon as my father heard this news, he could hardly sit still. He immediately packed his things and rushed to the Qinling Mountains to collect "wild goods." "Wild goods" is a term used in the antique world, referring to antiques that have been buried by illiterate villagers in rural areas. The vast majority of antiques in today's antique market belong to the category of "wild goods"
Uncle Li sighed, appearing to be deep in thought, hesitating to speak. After a long while, he suddenly said: "Xiao Tian, since you have accepted this item, I won't say much more. However, if you encounter anything unusual, you must inform me immediately"
I carefully examined every detail of the knife in my hand for a long time, and finally let out a long breath—there should be no mistake, this is definitely one of the legendary Five-Edge Hundred-Slice Knives!
The handle of the knife is entirely made of jadeite, and it has been some years since its creation. The oxide layer on it, in our terminology, is particularly thick due to the long period it has been buried underground. As a result, other minerals have seeped into the surface and penetrated deep within, forming some shiny substances similar to mica flakes, which are quite beautiful
After I gave him the money, I also left him a phone number, so that if he had anything in the future, he could come to me. I could tell that this man had probably discovered a significant tomb. A tomb that could yield such a hundred daggers is likely not an ordinary one. Perhaps there will be more valuable items in the future.
Before he could finish speaking, I interrupted him with a wave of my hand: "How much do you want? Just name a price, and I'll see if I can accept it. If I can, I'll take it; if not, you can try elsewhere!"
That day, I was attending class as usual, but my father's assistant, Uncle Li, suddenly came to my university and without saying a word, took me away in his car. Later, I found out that my father had an accident
My name is Ge Tianzhong, and I have just turned twenty this year. I was born into a family with a long history in the antique business, with my family engaged in the trade of antiques for generations. It is difficult to count how many generations have been involved with this, but according to my father, our ancestors began dealing in antiques as far back as the late Eastern Han Dynasty. However, at that time, what they were doing could not really be called trade; it was essentially a matter of making a profit from the dead with empty hands.
I smiled and said, "Why don't you take your things out and show them to me?"
Those who have been tomb raiders for years carry a distinct odor—this earthy smell is different from that of someone who works the fields. This particular stench is quite pungent, reminiscent of the foul odor that arises from water that has been stagnant for a long time and has developed moss.
Although this knife has been buried underground for an unknown period, it is remarkably well-preserved. Aside from the severe corrosion of the sheath, the blade shows almost no signs of damage, making it extremely rare and valuable
Things are good, and it doesn't matter if they are ghostly goods
On this day, as usual, after finishing the large class at 10 o'clock in the morning, since I had no more classes for the day, I went to the antique shop that my father had left for me
I widened my eyes at that moment
This blade has a subdued blue light, and when drawn, it emits a sound reminiscent of a "dragon's roar." The spine of the blade is straight and thick, with a length exceeding 70 centimeters. Judging by its craftsmanship, it is likely a "forged blade" that appeared after the Eastern Han Dynasty. The blood groove is exceptionally deep, and one can only wonder how many lives this blade has taken. Even now, the blood groove displays a strange dark red hue, a result of having drunk human blood. Engraved on the handle are six small characters—"A hundred cuts with the blade, a heart not easily swayed." One can only wonder how many lives this blade has taken. Even now, the blood groove displays a strange dark red hue, a result of having drunk human blood. Engraved on the handle are six small characters—"A hundred cuts with the blade, a heart not easily swayed."
Therefore, my father's behavior of going to the Qinling Mountains to collect "wild goods" is quite normal. I was aware of this matter at the time and did not inquire further. After all, there is such a large burial site in the Qinling Mountains, and due to factors like rain erosion and landslides, antiques are likely to be exposed on the surface, making it highly probable for them to scatter among the people. Going to collect "wild goods" could very well lead to a significant profit.
As soon as I heard this, my brows furrowed immediately—"ghost goods" is also a term used in our line of work, referring to the items excavated by tomb raiders. Such goods are not only illegal, but there is also a high probability that items freshly dug from a grave are contaminated with malevolent energy, which is detrimental to people. While the physical harm may be minor, one fears attracting a series of malevolent occurrences, so generally, people do not dare to accept ghost goods
Thinking of this, I blocked the exit and said: "Uncle Li, wait a moment."
The man hesitated for a long time before gritting his teeth and saying: "Ten thousand, is that acceptable?"
It was about a month before my father had his accident, when a group of tomb raiders discovered a burial site in the Qinling area. This burial site is quite ancient, containing many large tombs, most of which date back to before the Sui Dynasty. This group of tomb raiders only plundered one tomb, yet they managed to bring out over two thousand pieces of antiques that flowed into the antique market. Moreover, it remains unknown which of the raiders let the news slip.
I estimate that this knife can be sold for at least seven figures, and it will definitely start with a five. It is absolutely a national treasure, and being caught with it could lead to a death sentence
This is the benefit of collecting "surplus goods"; if luck is on your side, you can make a substantial profit in one go. This is how it is in our line of work: we may not operate for half a year, but when we do, we earn enough to last for six months
Because my father had connections to get this bastard out, I also have the contact information of those people he left behind in his lifetime. Uncle Li cannot possibly be unaware of this. What is going on with him today
... ...
However, my father's shop used to definitely dare to accept ghost goods; otherwise, he would not have gone to the Qinling Mountains to collect "wild goods"
I know that as long as I do not clarify my father's matters for a day, I will not find peace for a day. My father and I rely on each other, and inexplicably, he is gone. No matter what I say, it is impossible for me to let it go.
Indeed, my ancestor was a tomb raider
In a short period, the number of people going to the Qinling Mountains for "mining at Baoshan" is countless; in fact, they are all a group of tomb raiders, using the pretense of mining at Baoshan to facilitate their trade of digging mountains and excavating tombs
Sigh, don't mention it, something happened, my younger brother is seriously injured. We came to the Armed Police Hospital here in Taiyuan because we know someone.
Clang!
Upon hearing that I was the boss, the middle-aged man's eyes visibly brightened. He hurriedly took down the long, narrow coarse cloth bundle from his back, opened it, and handed me a knife with a severely corroded sheath.