This is the story of Lin Yanzhi, an orphan girl who flees for her life with half of a rusty sword. A massacre that wipes out her entire family hurls her from the innocence of girlhood into the turbulent, treacherous world of martial arts. The broken sword in her arms is not only the last keepsake left by her mother, but also hides a secret powerful enough to shake the martial world: it is tied to a peerless martial art lost for a hundred years, as well as a shocking conspiracy between the righteous and demonic factions from twenty years ago.
During her flight, she meets Shi Gandang, a simplehearted village boy, and the two end up traveling together by a twist of fate. One bears a blood feud, his sword skills newly honed and his heart still troubled; the other possesses inborn strength, stepping into the martial world without a clue but staying true to himself. They pass through the feuds between aristocratic families in the misty Jiangnan region, infiltrate demonic cult strongholds in the western deserts, and climb perilous mountains buried in snow year-round. Amid flashing blades and clashing swords, they witness the treachery in people's hearts, while their shared hardships gradually draw them together.
Their pursuers are never far behind. Some are underworld overlords coveting the hidden treasure; others are respected members of righteous sects hiding behind a mask of hypocrisy. Lin Yanzhi gradually discovers that the massacre was no accident, and even the people she trusts may be hiding motives of their own. When the other half of the broken sword reappears and the grudges of the previous generation come to light, she must choose between revenge and justice, growing stronger amid tangled love and hatred.
This is a martial-world journey of redemption and unwavering conviction: some will stop at nothing for power, while others lay down their lives for loyalty. Though the sword is broken, its pieces can reveal the outline of the truth. Though human hearts are treacherous, a glimmer of light can always guide the way through the darkest moments. Spanning a million words, this sweeping martial arts saga unfolds a world of rising and falling sects, deep bonds between masters and disciples, and devotion to family and country, capturing all the passion and tenderness of the heroes and heroines of the martial world amid the clash of blades.
