Matchless City

Sword Lodge on the Back Mountain

A child sat by the lake cracking melon seeds, meticulously dropping each shell into an iron bowl beside him. A middle-aged swordsman stood at his side and asked softly, “Yushu, are melon seeds really that enjoyable?”

“Master, is practicing swordplay that interesting?” the child countered.

The middle-aged swordsman paused, then shook his head, “There’s nothing particularly interesting about practicing swordplay. But I’ve been practicing since childhood, and if I go a day without it, life seems to lose its meaning.”

“Master, when will you start teaching me swordplay?” the child asked.

“Don’t rush. You’re naturally gifted – every stroke of your cultivation is crucial.” The middle-aged man lowered his head with a self-deprecating smile after speaking. “My master once said I was born for the sword, but alas, decades have passed, and Li Hanyi, who entered the world so many years after me, has become the Snow Moon Sword Immortal, while I remain where I started.”

This middle-aged man was Song Yanhui, the current lord of Matchless City. Even Wen Hujiu, the current head of the Wen family, had praised him as a natural sword prodigy when they first met, showing that the Matchless City elders weren’t merely flattering him about his talent. Unfortunately, Song Yanhui was born in too brilliant an era – there was Bai Li Dongjun, who could be called a Sword Immortal or Blade Immortal yet preferred to be known as the Wine Immortal; the unparalleled Spear Immortal Sikong Changfeng; Li Hanyi, the Snow Moon Sword Immortal who emerged latest yet astounded the world in the battle against the Devil Cult; Zhao Yuzhen, the Daoist Sword Immortal who gained fame without leaving his mountain; Luo Qingyang, the Lone Sword Immortal who ruled his city; and Xie Xuan, the Scholar Sword Immortal who reached immortal realm with a single stroke. There were also the dazzling Thunder Gate Twins, the peerlessly romantic Eight Young Masters of North Li, and Tang Lianyue of the Tang Clan who could stir up storms with a sleeve. Their existence made Song Yanhui, who might have otherwise been renowned throughout the world, seem ordinary.

People knew Matchless City remained one of the strongest sects in the martial world, but they also knew Snow Moon City was stronger.

They knew Song Yanhui’s swordplay was first-class with few equals, but they also knew any of the Five Sword Immortals surpassed him.

Moreover, though his swordplay was powerful and his position high, he was an extremely uninteresting person – so uninteresting that he would even reject someone as beautiful as the Fallen Sunset Fairy.

Song Yanhui gazed at the calm lake surface and sighed softly, “This is my last chance.”

The child called Yushu continued unhurriedly cracking melon seeds, “Master, I see you come to this lake every day, but you never do anything. Is there some treasure hidden in it?”

“Indeed there is – it’s Matchless City’s most precious possession.” Song Yanhui raised his right hand sharply upward. Ripples appeared in the lake as a large, elongated case emerged from the water. The case appeared to be made of iron, painted red, particularly dazzling under the sunlight.

“What is this…” Yushu stood up, gazing at the case in amazement.

“This is Matchless City’s most precious treasure – the Matchless Sword Case!” Song Yanhui shouted, then waved his hand again, bringing the case to his side. “Inside are thirteen famous swords, including the Great Ming Vermilion Bird, ranked second on the Famous Sword Register!”

“If it’s matchless, why isn’t it ranked first?” Yushu asked.

“The first is the Emperor’s Sword, while the Great Ming Vermilion Bird is the sword of the martial world – naturally it can be called matchless!” Song Yanhui slapped the sword case forcefully. “Rise!”

The sword case trembled violently as if something within sought to break free. This trembling continued for a long while, but even as the lake’s surface returned to calm, no sword emerged. Yushu’s expectant gaze turned to disappointment, while Song Yanhui’s initially proud expression gradually fell into melancholy.

“As expected.” Song Yanhui sighed softly. “I’ve practiced swordplay for thirty years, and only today did I come here to open the Matchless Sword Case, yet I’m still not its chosen master. Such is heaven’s will.”

Yushu asked, puzzled, “Can’t the sword case be opened freely?”

“The case has a spirit – it will only open and release its swords when it meets a swordsman worthy of being its master,” Song Yanhui shook his head. “But since Matchless City’s founding lord ascended to immortality, no one has been able to open it.”

“Let me try,” Yushu said eagerly.

Song Yanhui frowned slightly, “You haven’t even begun learning swordplay.”

“Perhaps because I haven’t learned swordplay, the sword case might prefer someone like a blank sheet of paper?” Yushu stepped forward and placed his hand on the case.

The sword case remained motionless.

Song Yanhui shook his head, “Nonsense…”

But at that moment, the sword case suddenly opened silently. A sword shot out and landed before the child. The blade was pure white as if carved from fine jade, with an unusual ruyi scepter shape, appearing especially elegant and refined in the sunlight. The child stared in wonder, “This sword is so beautiful.”

Song Yanhui also stared, murmuring, “This is… the Jade Ruyi from the Matchless Sword Case?”

“The case opened for me?” Yushu stepped forward and grasped the Jade Ruyi’s hilt, swinging it gently. The lake’s surface exploded as if struck by lightning, a massive wave erupting as sword energy burst from the Jade Ruyi, immediately knocking Yushu unconscious. The sword flew from his hand, returning to the case, which closed once more.

Song Yanhui stepped forward to catch the fallen Yushu, staring at the Matchless Sword Case, his heart unable to calm for a long while. Finally, he carried Yushu on his back, picked up the sword case, and left the Sword Lodge.

In the lodge, a white-haired elder emerged. Watching the two figures disappear, he stroked his beard and smiled, “It seems our Matchless City can still be truly matchless under heaven.”

Song Yanhui hadn’t carried Yushu far before the child hazily regained consciousness. He asked, confused, “Master, did the sword case just open? Did I open it?”

Instead of answering directly, Song Yanhui said, “In my youth, I once struck with my sword. That stroke pierced the clouds, turning them sunset red, causing even the southward-flying swallows to turn back for a look. From then on, Master renamed me Song Yanhui. Today, I’ll give you a new name as well.”

Yushu scratched his head, “What name will Master give me?”

“From now on, you’ll be called Wushuang,” Song Yanhui said calmly.

“Wushuang?” Yushu frowned, “What about my surname?”

“You don’t need one – just Wushuang. In the future, when people speak of the Matchless Sword Case or Matchless City, it will all be because of you, because you are Matchless.” Song Yanhui smiled, “Master has faith that what I couldn’t achieve, you certainly will.”

“But Master,” Yushu quickly accepted the name but had different thoughts, “the things you couldn’t do – I might not want to continue doing them.”

[Note: “Wushuang” means “matchless” or “peerless” in Chinese, matching the name of the city (Wushuang Cheng/Matchless City)]