Stelle quickened her pace, but unfortunately, she was still one step too late.
She didn't see Yunli's figure in the Forge Division. After asking two trembling artisans, she learned that Yunli was heading to the area where the Forge Division stored its most valuable items.
And that place was precisely where Master Gongshu kept his golden automatons.
Hearing this, Stelle silently mourned in her heart, "Three seconds of condolence for Master Gongshu."
"Three, two..."
"Forget it, too long. Too lazy to mourn."
...
Not long after.
Stelle finally spotted a small figure carrying a massive sword on her shoulder, facing four golden automatons alone.
Without hesitation, Stelle pulled out her baseball bat and dashed to Yunli's side.
Yunli glanced behind her, a smile curling at the corner of her mouth. "Why did you come? I can cause trouble on my own—I don't want to drag you into it."
"Is this really the time to say that?"
"Fine then, let's smash these tin cans first. We'll talk later!"
[Master Gongshu sent a 60-second voice message.]
[Master Gongshu: I... Xianzhou profanity...]
[I feel like Master Gongshu is so pitiful. Covering face crying.jpg]
[There's always someone who has to carry the burden and move forward.]
The camera cut.
With Stelle and Yunli working together, the golden automatons were quickly beaten until smoke poured from their bodies.
Seeing everything was safe, Yunli finally breathed a sigh of relief. "Finally, they're all quiet. Thanks for helping me out of this mess.
Though the security here is tight... it's still just golden automatons everywhere. Where exactly is the armory storing the swords...
It seems even the artisan who pointed the way didn't know where the armory is. Searching like this has no efficiency—I might get dragged away by Grandpa first..."
The next moment, Yunli glanced guiltily at Stelle. "Looks like you didn't just come to help out—you're here to stop me, right?"
Stelle put her hands on her hips. "Of course I'm stopping you. I can't stand by and watch you cause trouble."
"You're actually pretty nice." Yunli shifted her tone. "Nice is nice, but whether you can stop me depends on your ability. You're definitely thinking right now: this Yunli girl is so impulsive and unreasonable, right?"
[Whose Nezha is this?]
[Good idea, but Yunli is ultimately just a child—too naive. In the end, won't it still be Huaiyan cleaning up the mess?]
[To be honest, Yunli has classic big-sis-kid personality—thinks she can shoulder everything. The problem is, a lot of things even adults can't shoulder, let alone kids.]
[Exactly. After all, this is a demonic sword being returned by envoys from another planet. If it's not handled properly, it could become a huge loss of face for the Xianzhou on a large scale.]
[Wow, didn't expect so many political scientists watching net dramas.]
——
Stelle pursed her lips. "I just feel like you're too obsessed with demonic swords..."
"Am I? Do I seem that obsessed?... Okay, yeah, I am."
Stelle's attitude softened considerably. "Now you have one chance to stop speaking in riddles."
"Looks like you've met quite a few people who only say half of what they mean."
[Penacony has way too many of those.]
[Full cast of riddle people!]
[Who still remembers the beginning when everyone was werewolves, all trying to figure out who the mastermind was?]
[The biggest riddle person is miHoYo—they love those mi-style cliffhangers the most!]
——
At this moment, Stelle suggested finding a spot to explain everything properly.
Yunli nodded and agreed.
The screen went black, then cut.
Yunli and Stelle sat in an inconspicuous corner.
Yunli began to recount her story slowly.
"I remember I explained to you earlier—the Guyun presented at today's sword-gifting ceremony is a demonic sword forged with a Stellaron embedded in it. The artisan who forged it, Hangguang, was my father.
Aside from Grandpa, I rarely mention the name 'Hangguang' to outsiders—just as you guessed, perhaps I've been avoiding talking about him. But as long as I'm still hunting demonic swords, I can't avoid it... For some reason, when facing you, I feel like I can open up my heart..."
[Galaxy Succubus is just messing with you.]
[It's over, she's been charmed again.]
[Stelle's looks have always been top-tier, okay.]
——
Perspective shift: little Yunli looked at a freshly forged treasured sword with sparkling eyes.
"I can't remember many details about Hangguang anymore. I only recall that back then, the Flamewheel Forge Palace was always bustling—travelers from afar wore out the threshold just to beg for one sword. They all praised Hangguang as the greatest master smith since Yingxing."
[Yingxing's value keeps rising!]
[Alas, heaven didn't give birth to me, Song Yingxing—Zhu Ming's eternal night shines forever!]
[What a pity. Yingxing's only flaw is not being long-life species—otherwise, I bet Huaiyan would hand over the general position to him.]
[Smells like knives incoming.]
[You're a mature Trailblazer now—learn to find your own knives to eat.]
——
"Though I couldn't hear their detailed conversations clearly, I still remember how when Hangguang forged a peerless divine weapon, the smiles appeared on the faces of those foreign travelers seeking swords—I once thought being an artisan was a profession that brought happiness to people.
'Swords forged in the Flamewheel Forge Palace have become renowned across the stars, their edges unmatched and invincible. Those who obtain a sword from the master—even a lowly wilderness commoner—can cleave iron like mud, unstoppable in all endeavors.'
Hangguang, greedy for the fame of a swordsmith, kept pushing the boundaries of the forbidden, forging hundreds of demonic swords that should never exist. Those twisted by desire flocked to him like flies to dung, coming and going without end.
But Grandpa once said: Those who love fine swords shall be wounded by swords."
Suddenly, a mi-style transition struck.
The art style changed abruptly—a sharp blade pierced Hangguang's chest.
Yunli's face was full of terror, tears streaming uncontrollably down her cheeks, yet no matter what, she couldn't take a single step.
"Foreign travelers came like mudslides—those who sought swords but didn't get them, those who got swords but not what they wished, or those who simply wanted to seize them by force... In the chaos created by Hangguang's own hands, a sword edge struck him.
It was all so sudden. In an instant, all sounds seemed filtered away—only the crunch of bones breaking and blood pumping out was amplified infinitely—
I couldn't move a single step. It wasn't until Mother pushed me away from the slashing demonic sword that I could finally stumble and run.
The memories after that are already very blurry. I only remember the sound of my heartbeat, rapid breathing. I heard the artisans of the Flamewheel Forge Palace shouting 'Yunli, run!' and countless screams.
My tears wouldn't stop no matter how much I wiped them—everything was a blur. I breathed harder and harder, and then I fell into a pool of blood..."
The scene returned to the present timeline.
Yunli let out a heavy sigh toward the sky. "If General Huaiyan hadn't arrived in time, I might not be here talking to you today.
After that, General Huaiyan took me in. We call each other grandfather and granddaughter. But to me, he's worth a hundred times more than that sinful father. Grandpa not only taught me the art of forging but also swordsmanship."
[So not blood-related?]
[Honestly, even though Huaiyan is mostly shown indirectly, you can really tell he's a good person.]
[Yeah. First, he's incredibly good to Yingxing as a general. Second, on Zhu Ming Xianzhou, there's only a missing-person notice for Yingxing—never a wanted order for Blade.]
[Huaiyan really protected Yunli well. So if they knife Huaiyan later, it'll definitely earn a huge wave of tears.]
[miHoYo gives a thumbs up!]
——
"From the day I began training in the Flamewheel Forge Palace, I swore to hunt down every demonic sword. To this day, I've hunted three hundred and twelve. And Guyun is the three hundred and thirteenth.
It will be like the others—the Stellaron will be completely separated, the blade melted into molten iron and cast into the 'Molten Iron Sword Husk.'
I've said everything. Though I'm a bit sorry to Grandpa... I still have to melt this sword."
Yunli finished telling her story.
[Being a swordsmith is a high-risk profession.]
[Okay, I feel like this is very The Hunt.]
[Now I can understand why Yunli is so stubborn.]
——
Stelle rubbed her chin. "But the delegation has always called it a hero's sword..."
"None of those foreigners who came to Hangguang seeking swords ever lacked a righteous banner.
Among those great heroes and bold warriors, plenty were butchers with fields of corpses. They only earned the title of hero because they were history's victors.
Among the demonic swords I've recovered and destroyed, quite a few had glamorous, resounding names. Treasured swords and slaughtering blades are often just different names for the same thing."
Yunli leaned a little closer to Stelle. "For some reason, after talking with you, it's like my head got quenched and cooled. I'm much calmer now.
How about this: tomorrow I'll find a time to have an open and honest talk with Grandpa. Until he gives his reasons, I won't make a move on Guyun for the time being."
Stelle nodded. "Remember to apologize to General Huaiyan."
"In public... I was wrong. No matter what, thank you. See you tomorrow."