#baiyi

Timelines:

Great Famine

the first famous sword rong changqing creates

rong changqing trades the sword to a wandering beggar in exchange for a cultivation manual (partial Liuhe Xinfa/Six Harmonies cultivation) and some wine

??? [originally i thought maybe yby had given it to a previous da wu since he seemed to know one when he went off to get help for zzs, but then i rediscovered the beggar story and had to scrap that idea]

supposedly, jing beiyuan's "subordinates" give it to him [i don't believe anything jby says when he's being cryptic, as a matter of principle]

jing beiyuan gives it to zhang chengling

Dragon's Back

rong changqing creates the sword

ye baiyi ends up with it [did rcq just give ALL his swords to yby????]

ye baiyi gives it to rong xuan

rong xuan is buried with it, or at least dies with it

ye baiyi retrieves it along with the remains of rong xuan and long fenger. he seems to intend to keep the sword with him

Nameless Sword/Baiyi

rong changqing creates the sword

it ends up with ye baiyi at least temporarily [VERY unclear to me whether this literally means he just has it for a hot second and then gives it to qhz or whether he actually wields it for a while]

ye baiyi gives it to qin huaizhang

qin huaizhang gives it to zhou zishu [my extremely unfounded headcanon is that ye baiyi gives the sword to qin huaizhang as payment/reward for looking for rong xuan]

Descriptions:

Great Famine

It was a sword of black iron [...] That sword was extraordinarily wide, even twice the width of Cao Weining’s. There was no glint to be seen, but it had an ancient, primitive air to it. Shining with a dull light, the blade was mantled with the dense miasma of carnage. When held in the hand, it had a solid, abundant heft, and was about two to three times heavier than an ordinary sword. There were two words carved along the fuller: Great Famine. - Chapter 67, wenbuxing

Cao Weining: "The Heavy Sword of Great Famine is a general amongst swords, solid and unsullied, unequaled in bravery and ferocity." - Chapter 71, chichi

the treasured sword, its jewels coated in dust - Chapter 71, chichi

Dragon's Back

the sword on Ye Baiyi’s back. It was unclear where the man had gotten it from; if it was not carefully examined, one would almost think that he was carrying a giant anti-cavalry sabre, as it was extremely wide and long. From his broad shoulders, a slanted head and a tail were revealed, as a life-like dragon had been engraved into the hilt and scabbard, its back arching like it was about to fly off into the rolling cloud cover at any moment. Merely by looking at it, one could feel its ferocious air of wanting to move, which seemed to stretch over all the way from the end of the sky. - Chapter 71, chichi

Cao Weining: "Neither of them [the nameless sword and Great Famine] can compare to the Ancient Blade of the Dragon’s Back, though. It’s a soldier of great viciousness, said to be cast from divine iron, where not even divinities can withstand it…" - Chapter 71, chichi

Nameless Sword/Baiyi

That was when Zhou Zishu was reminded that there were the words “Baiyi” carved on his sword. He once thought it was some kind of mysterious motto, but turned out it was this man’s name. His face turned sullen and he felt incredibly uncomfortable; involuntarily, he reached down his waist and felt around a bit before pulling out an impressive whip sword. - Chapter 28, sparklingwater

Cao Weining: "The Spiritual Sword of No Name, despite having no sword inscription, is a celebrity amongst swords, extraordinarily bright and unmatched in the world." - Chapter 71, chichi

Other Facts:

cao weining recognizes Dragon's Back and recites information about the other two swords from memory. wu xi also recognizes Dragon's Back.

rong changqing's moniker of "ghost hand" comes from Great Famine (it's unclear to me whether it's about forging it or using it or giving it away or something i've missed).

zhou zishu does not recognize that Baiyi is the famous Nameless Sword, and at the end of the book, ye baiyi thinks he still doesn't know.

cao weining doesn't know that Baiyi now has a name. also, it's unclear exactly who named Baiyi (whether it was named such while ye baiyi was using it, if he ever did, or if qin huaizhang named it such in his honor).