Yet, at this moment, Yu Shouchung spoke with remarkable composure: "I merely informed you that during the Northern and Southern Dynasties period, Helian Bobo once forged a Great Xia Dragon Sparrow Saber of this specific design. As for whether this saber was forged by him, I am no antiques appraisal expert, so how could I possibly determine that."

"Alas..." Yu Feibai was deeply disappointed.

However, Wang Guan, standing nearby, remained outwardly impassive, a faint smile playing on his lips instead. After all, he had already examined it with his special ability and knew the age of this Great Xia Dragon Sparrow Saber was exceedingly ancient. Even if it wasn't forged by Helian Bobo, it must be from the same era.

"Why the sigh?" Just then, Yu Shouchung spoke, "I never said it wasn't."

Yu Feibai froze, bewildered. "Dad, what do you mean by that?"

"I just wanted to tell you that the forging technique for this type of straight blade was already lost by the late Tang Dynasty."

Yu Shouchung drew the Great Xia Dragon Sparrow Saber, carefully examining the luster of the blade, and murmured, "Moreover, patterned steel weapons like this were considered core high technology in ancient times, not something easily replicated. Besides, patterned steel was rare and expensive; any craftsman who obtained it would want to forge a famous sword or blade of their own, not imitate someone else’s. Therefore, as long as you confirm this blade is an antique, there is a seven or eight in ten chance that this is the Great Xia Dragon Sparrow Saber recorded in historical texts."

"It is an antique, absolutely an antique."

Upon hearing this, Yu Feibai's face lit up with joy. "It was dug up from the mountains, how could it not be an antique?"

"Dug up from the mountains?"

Yu Shouchung frowned, an aura of stern authority radiating from him without him raising his voice.

"That farming family said the iron casket containing the saber was dug up from the mountains while tilling the land," Yu Feibai replied smoothly, quickly changing the subject to offer praise. "Dad, the ancient techniques for forging swords and blades were truly reaching the peak of perfection. Look at this Great Xia Dragon Sparrow Saber; it has been passed down for over a thousand years, yet its sheen is still so bright, its sharpness undiminished."

"What is that? The Sword of Goujian, King of Yue, unearthed in the Huguang region, has endured over two millennia, yet the blade shows not a speck of rust," Yu Shouchung said calmly. "If preserved properly, remaining rust-free for a thousand years is no great feat. However, this Great Xia Dragon Sparrow Saber was once rusted. It must have been re-quenched and forged by someone with supreme skill to restore it to its current like-new brilliance."

"What?"

In that instant, Wang Guan and Yu Feibai were stunned.

"Ding..." At this moment, Yu Shouchung extended a finger and lightly flicked the Great Xia Dragon Sparrow Saber. A crisp, melodious sound echoed in the air. He looked completely at ease, unconcerned. "What's so strange about that? It just shows you don't know much about ancient weaponry; you failed to notice that the thickness of this blade is slightly less than comparable weapons."

"Look at the faint, almost invisible seal script engraved on the edge of the blade; you should know that a layer of metal has been ground away from the surface. And just listen to the sound when flicked—crisp and clear, indicating the blade is thinner. If it were its original thickness, the sound would be a dull zheng zheng, carrying a certain heaviness."

It seemed Yu Shouchung was quite knowledgeable about cold weapons. He gently brushed his finger across the blade surface, expressing a touch of regret. "For the Great Xia Dragon Sparrow Saber to survive over a thousand years, it would require either continuous inheritance with devoted care and maintenance from its owners, or being buried directly in an environment with very little air exposure. Otherwise, the blade surface would certainly be mottled with rust."

"However, perhaps by chance, this rusted treasure fell into the hands of someone discerning. Knowing the Saber's provenance, they felt heartache that such a treasure was gathering dust. So, they hired a highly skilled artisan to re-quench it, melting away the rust and impurities, and then re-polished it, restoring the blade to its brilliant, sharp appearance."

Saying this, Yu Shouchung shook his head and sighed, "A pity; that person's good intentions ended up doing harm, causing the Great Xia Dragon Sparrow Saber to completely degrade into a mere decorative piece."

"Degrade into a decorative piece?"

Yu Feibai pondered this, but Wang Guan, standing beside him, finally understood everything.

The Great Xia Dragon Sparrow Saber, having been re-quenched and forged, regained its sharp, brilliant facade, but the molecular structure within the blade had likely been destroyed. Although the degree of destruction might not have been severe, the undeniable fact was that the blade's thickness had been reduced.

In other words, the original Great Xia Dragon Sparrow Saber was a lethal weapon forged under the orders of Helian Bobo, a practical battle saber. But a thinner blade meant its practical cutting power was diminished. Where the edge could once easily cleave through twenty or thirty layers of iron armor, it might now be incapable of piercing them, or it might chip, roll its edge, or even break entirely when striking armor.

No wonder Zhang Xianzhong, upon acquiring the renowned Great Xia Dragon Sparrow Saber, merely stored it away as a collectible rather than using it on the battlefield. That was why there were no historical records of its use in combat.

Of course, the reduction in the Great Xia Dragon Sparrow Saber's practicality did not mean its value would decrease. On the contrary, if the saber had remained rusty, no matter how ancient its history, its price would never have reached its current level.

But now, with its edge gleaming and its surface radiating brilliance, its presentation was superb. If put up for auction, it would surely attract intense interest from major domestic and international tycoons.

Wang Guan, however, had no intention of auctioning it. He decided to keep this item for himself. As for its practicality, he wasn't planning on engaging in physical combat with it anyway, so he didn't care in the slightest.

Meanwhile, Yu Feibai held the same view, smiling widely. "Dad, what's there to regret? This is the age of firearms; no matter how excellent a cold weapon is, it’s meant for display. As long as the blade's condition is intact and it retains a certain level of sharpness, it’s more than enough."

"That's true."

Yu Shouchung relaxed slightly and advised, "It's a fine piece; take good care of it. However, what I said earlier was merely my deduction; it might not be entirely accurate. If you are serious about verifying it, you should send it to the relevant research institutions for detailed testing."

"Don't worry, Dad, we will when we have time," Yu Feibai replied quickly. "It’s already noon. I’ll take Wang Guan out for lunch, and then I’ll drive him back to the convalescent home. His injury hasn't fully healed and he still needs a couple more days of rest."

"Mmm!" Yu Shouchung nodded, sheathed the Great Xia Dragon Sparrow Saber, and returned it to Wang Guan.

Following that, Yu Shouchung retreated to his room for his afternoon nap.

In that instant, Yu Feibai felt a sense of immense relief, and Wang Guan also let out a deep breath.

Standing next to Yu Shouchung, both of them felt suppressed. This was mainly because Yu Shouchung’s aura was too commanding—truly worthy of a high-ranking official, his every word and gesture constantly exuding an atmosphere that commanded obedience.

"Now you know why I'm reluctant to join the military," Yu Feibai sighed. "I'm already tightly controlled at home; if I join the barracks, my entire life will be under his command. Where would my freedom be then?"

Wang Guan smiled and ignored his complaints.

Not receiving the reaction he expected, Yu Feibai grumbled for a moment longer, then suddenly snatched the saber from Wang Guan’s hand, holding it with obvious delight, entranced. "The Great Xia Dragon Sparrow Saber! Just hearing the name feels powerful and evocative. We agreed you’d lend it to me to admire for a few months."

"No problem," Wang Guan readily agreed, then added a reminder: "But you must heed General Yu’s words. Chopping straw mats or bamboo stalks now and then is fine. But never strike iron, or if the edge rolls, you’ll have to fix it for me."

"Relax, I’m not that foolish; I won't force it if I know I shouldn't." Yu Feibai beamed, then lowered his voice conspiratorially. "By the way, what are you planning to do about that royal seal?"

"That..."

Wang Guan hesitated, considering for a moment before shaking his head. "Keep it with you for now. When we return to Cidu, I'll have Uncle De appraise it to see if it's genuine."

"Tsk, to put it plainly, you still don't trust my appraisal skills!" Yu Feibai huffed indignantly.

"How could I not trust you? I'm just asking Uncle De to look at it so he won't hold my mountain adventure against me," Wang Guan laughed. Even if he didn't fully trust Yu Feibai, he should trust his own special ability. The radiant treasure light emanating from the seal was proof enough that it was the real deal. Furthermore, why on earth would an ancient person centuries ago risk losing their head to counterfeit an imperial seal just for fun?

"Now that’s more like it," Yu Feibai said, satisfied, and immediately ran back to his room to lock away both the Great Xia Dragon Sparrow Saber and Zhang Xianzhong’s seal in a cabinet. He then returned to the living room and waved his hand. "Let's go eat."

The two then left, got into the SUV, navigated through winding roads and multiple security checkpoints, finally exiting the compound and arriving at a decent restaurant for lunch. Afterward, Yu Feibai drove Wang Guan back to the convalescent home.

Subsequently, for the next two days, Wang Guan remained peacefully recuperating at the center. When bored, he would read a book or wander down to the lawn or lakeside to enjoy the scenery. With Yu Feibai visiting daily and the opportunity to call his family, Wang Guan did not feel lonely.

Two days later, after a medical examination confirmed Wang Guan had fully recovered his health, he quickly completed the discharge procedures amidst the astonished gazes of the staff. If he stayed any longer, Wang Guan suspected the medical workers might just keep him in the hospital as a research subject, a live test case. After all, being bitten by a venomous snake with fangs like needles and only needing a few days of rest for a complete cure—such physical resilience held immense research value.

Fortunately, the doctors at the convalescent home were not foolish; they knew that patients admitted there were either wealthy and powerful or connected to such people, so they did not dare make any excessive demands.

Thus, accompanied by Yu Feibai, Wang Guan settled his bill and checked out smoothly. Without much delay, he departed by car in the planned direction towards Meishan...