Paavo looked back and forth between the grandfather and granddaughter. Seeing the atmosphere was truly awkward, he stepped in as peacemaker. "I never expected this sword to be crafted by your father. To be able to return it to its rightful owner is truly—"
"Grandpa, give me that demonic sword right now. I want to melt down the calamity that man left behind!" Yunli glanced at Paavo, then turned and shouted at Huaiyan.
Seeing the situation, Stelle unconsciously scratched her head, momentarily at a loss for what to do.
Who exactly should she help?
But Yunli really wasn't mindful of the occasion. Also, did she just mention a demonic sword?
Never mind—she shouldn't have any inner monologue at all!
Huaiyan was so angry his beard stood on end. "Yunli, don't be rude! Apologize to our guest who came from afar at once!"
Seeing Huaiyan's furious expression, Yunli knew she was in the wrong and lowered her head. "I'm sorry!"
But the next moment, her tone shifted. "But sorry is sorry—I'm still going to personally melt... this demonic sword! I will never let it fall into anyone's hands!"
As soon as she said this, everyone present began murmuring among themselves.
Huaiyan swept a glance over the crowd and said calmly, "Yunli, step outside first."
Yunli's lips parted slightly as if she wanted to say something, but the words reached her mouth and she swallowed them back.
In the end, she left the Seat of Divine Foresight alone.
Argenti remained silent on the side, watching Yunli's departing figure, then turned back to look at Guyun inside the sword case, falling into deep thought.
[So it was made by Yunli's dad? No wonder Huaiyan didn't call Yunli over.]
[And before the ceremony started, Huaiyan specifically reminded her. But yeah, it really was quite rude. After all, Paavo is an honored guest who came specially to the Xianzhou to return the treasured sword—face has to be given in full.]
[Yunli just has a child's temperament, but Huaiyan really spoils her. In a setting like this, Huaiyan could still hold back from losing his temper.]
[I really think this part was very impolite.]
[People have to grow up step by step. When they're wrong, they should be scolded, but they also need to be given a chance.]
[So what exactly is a demonic sword? Why does Yunli seem to hate her father so much?]
[Definitely some unknown backstory.]
[Hahaha, net drama truth unlocked. According to miHoYo's routine, next up is the knife.]
[Look how they've knifed the kid—too much Honkai Impact 3rd, huh?]
——
Huaiyan let out a heavy sigh. "It's precisely because of situations like this that I kept it from her. I didn't want to cause extra complications, yet it ended up backfiring. Could it really be fate working in the shadows? Trailblazer, could I trouble you to follow Yunli?"
Stelle asked weakly, "Isn't it inappropriate for me to get involved in the General's family matters?"
Huaiyan smiled in response. "What's inappropriate about it? Thank you for the trouble."
Then he turned his head toward the crowd. "Apologies for the spectacle, everyone. Let us continue."
Stelle shrugged her shoulders and left the Seat of Divine Foresight to catch up with Yunli.
After searching around for a while, she finally spotted Yunli's figure behind a flower bed.
At that moment, Stelle quietly approached Yunli from behind.
Yunli had her back to Stelle, her body trembling with constant sobs, accompanied by the sound of sniffling.
Stelle shook her head helplessly. Let her cry for a bit—crying it out would be good.
But unexpectedly.
Yunli spoke first. "Stop staring. Say something!"
"Whoa whoa, are little pearls about to fall?"
Yunli wiped her eyes with her arm, then turned back fiercely to glare at Stelle. "If you want to cry, I can help you."
Stelle raised both hands in surrender.
"You're not sent by Grandpa to find me, are you?" Yunli paused. "You definitely are."
"Let me make this clear: I'm going to stay right here. When the guards aren't paying attention, I'll intercept that demonic sword, then melt it down before anyone can react! You can't stop me—no one can."
Stelle spread her hands. "If you don't explain clearly, no one will help you."
"You're sent by Grandpa—he definitely doesn't want you helping me. That's a 'demonic sword.' Have you heard of a 'demonic sword'?"
"A sword with magic? A sword of demons?"
[Enma no Ken?]
[Rebellion?]
[Spartan Blade?]
[Crimson Queen?]
[Crimson Queen belongs to the Order, not a demonic weapon.]
——
Yunli gave a slight nod. "Literally speaking, that's not wrong. A so-called demonic sword—even a person who has never trained in swordsmanship, as long as they grip the hilt, will have profound and mysterious sword techniques flash through their mind. Even the weakest person with no strength to truss a chicken can swing the sword with astonishing power and speed beyond the naked eye."
Hearing this, Stelle's eyes lit up. "So where can I buy one of those?"
At that moment, the camera cut and gave Yunli a close-up low-angle shot straight to the face, yet strangely, the Yunli in the frame looked exceptionally endearing.
"I'm not joking with you, and what I'm about to say isn't some absurd tall tale...
Those who wield a demonic sword can master swordsmanship in an instant, just like seasoned veterans who've trained bitterly for years—but all of this comes at a price.
It's like constantly adding fuel to a forge. With every swing and strike, the sword gradually drains the wielder's blood and marrow. Day after day without cease, until the oil is exhausted and the lamp goes out.
Before long, it's no longer the person commanding the sword—the person becomes a walking corpse driven by the sword, their mind filled with all sorts of bloodthirsty, murderous impulses."
Stelle furrowed her brows slightly, feeling a vague sense of familiarity. "Like being possessed by a Stellaron?"
"You've heard of Stellarons? That makes it easier—no need to waste words explaining. The truth of a so-called 'demonic sword' is just that: an artisan obsessed with sword-forging cast a Stellaron into the metal, hoping to imbue the weapon with a spirit of its own."
"So your father cast a Stellaron into the sword?"
Yunli nodded. "I know I did wrong at the 'Sword-Gifting Ceremony.' But I've thought it through carefully—if I don't cause trouble, it won't be long before that demonic sword causes trouble—so let me be the one to cause trouble!
By the way, weren't they planning to send the sword to the Forge Division for repairs? Why hasn't anyone come out yet... Do you have any ideas?"
[How should I put it—Yunli's a bit impatient, but her heart isn't bad.]
[At least it gives a convincing reason. Yunli isn't just being unreasonable.]
Stelle remembered that the Seat of Divine Foresight is enormous and definitely doesn't have only one exit. "Maybe the Seat of Divine Foresight has more than just the front entrance..."
Yunli thought for a moment. If that's the case, then she should just go straight to the endpoint and wait.
"It looks like waiting here won't work. I need to head directly to the Forge Division.
No matter what reason Grandpa chose that sword for, I can't let it fall into anyone else's hands.
I'll do what I've done before—track down every single sword that man forged, break them one by one, and melt them all down! Time is urgent, so let's part here for now."
Before her words even finished, in the blink of an eye, Yunli had already vanished.
"From what she just said, it sounds like she's planning to sneak into the Forge Division and take the sword?" Stelle sighed. "Maybe it's better to keep an eye on her after all..."
——