Black-Gold Ancient Sword

The sword in Tomb of the Sea

**The Black-Gold Ancient Sword** is the sword used by Zhang Qiling in the *Daomu Biji* novel series.

The sword is first seen in *Cavern of the Blood Zombies* where Zhang Qiling carries it out of Wu Sanxing's shop. Zhang Qiling continues to use the sword up until *Deadly Desert Winds* where he loses it in Tamutuo.

## History

### Origins

Most of the sword's history and true origins are unknown. The previous owner was a previous patriarch named Zhang Ruitong. It was placed in his coffin when he died. Wu Sanxing had Hei Yanjing retrieved it from the Zhang Family Tomb in order to test Zhang Qiling. Zhang Qiling had suffered from amnesia but was working for Chen Pi Ah Si, so Wu Sanxing thought he was suspicious.

### Zhang Qiling Receives the Sword

Wu Sanxing prepared the sword to test Zhang Qiling. He exchanged it for Zhang Qiling's help to rob the Seven Star Lu Palace. He also wanted Wu Xie to take a look at it before he sold it and texted him "9 o’clock, Huangsha Chicken-Eye. Dragon's back. Come quickly." Dragon's back meant that he had a valuable item and Wu Xie rushed over to meet him but arrived too late as Zhang Qiling was already leaving with the ancient weapon.

Later, Zhang Qiling carries the sword when he joined Wu Xie and his uncle on their journey to the Seven Star Palace. Wu Xie refers to it as "Dragon's Back" before he got a chance to take a look at it. When the group is in the corpse cavern, they soon come across a woman in white. Zhang Qiling used the sword to cut open his hand to spread his blood in the water. Wu Xie was able to observe the sword and thought it was an ancient jet-black sword that appeared to be made from black iron (乌金). Later he states it's actually a black and gold sword.

### Zhang Qiling Loses the Sword

Zhang Qiling continues to use the sword up until his journey to Tamu-Tuo. While fighting with a snake, he loses it in the rainforest.

#### Temporary Replacement

Zhang Qiling is given a replacement ancient sword by Huo Xiangu and Xie Yuchen. The replacement was not black and gold but was a similar size and shape as the original. The sword was very heavy but didn't weigh as much as the original sword. Zhang Qiling took it with him when he went to the Zhang Family Tomb.

Zhang Qiling loses the replacement sword in the Zhang Family tomb. The sword was found by a member of Qiu Dekao's team and he brought it out. The sword was caked in mud. Qiu Dekao's team continued to hold onto the sword once Wu Xie and the rest went in to save Zhang Qiling. It is not mentioned whether Zhang Qiling ever gets back the sword, but the replacement sword does not appear again in the novels.

### Hei Yanjing Retrieves the Sword

Hei Yanjing retrieved the sword when he was in Tamutuo with Wu Sanxing. In *Sand Sea*, Li Cu read snake pheromones that contained a message from Wu Sanxing. In it, Wu Sanxing told Hei Yanjing that he and the sword were bound by fate since he brought it out, put it into the hands of a powerful person, and was able to find it again. Hei Yanjing responded that he will give it back to Zhang Qiling. The author of the novels also confirmed that the dialogue was about Hei Yanjing retrieving the sword.

### Recent Fate

The sword is not mentioned in Restart, Looking for the Dead in the Sea of Lights, or Ten Thousand Mountains in the Extreme Night.

## References

1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Volume 8, Chapter 53
2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Volume 8, Chapter 81 ("Uncle Three and Xie Lianhuan...brought out a trophy they had taken from the Zhang family’s ancient building—a black gold ancient sword— and used it to test Poker-Face."); Sand Sea, Chapter 110 (Hei Yanjing: "“I’ll take this sword with me.” Wu Sanxing: "You and this sword are still bound by fate. You brought it out of the earth and put it into the hands of such a powerful person, but still managed to get it in the end.” Hei Yanjing: “I’ll give it back to him. Customer service is very important.”).
3. ↑ Volume 8, Chapter 81
4. ↑ Ten Years Later, Chapter 31
5. ↑ Volume 1, Chapter 2
6. ↑ Volume 1, Chapter 3
7. ↑ Volume 1, Chapter 6
8. ↑ Volume 1, Chapter 11
9. ↑ Deadly Desert Winds, Chapter 28
10. ↑ Volume 7, Chapter 34
11. ↑ Volume 8, Chapter 11
12. ↑ Volume 8, Chapter 54
13. ↑ Xu Lei confirmed that the dialogue was about Hei Yanjing retrieving the sword. See Original Comment, Screenshot 1, Screenshot 2.