```

Clang!

The ancient bronze knife was flicked by a thumb, unsheathing three inches, revealing a rusty green bronze color. The blade's intent spanned thirty thousand miles, a sliver of silver light slicing through the universe, splitting dozens of stars in half, their cross-sections smooth as mirrors.

Wang Xun, clad in a straw raincoat, his chin covered in steel-like stubble, lips and teeth yellowed, looked like a down-and-out man, yet his eyes were bright as he said: