"Hey, hey, hey! Let it go! The Massacre Ruler is mine!"
In an instant, the thrill of victory drained from Yanqing completely, replaced by panic as he scrambled to assert his ownership.
He had every reason to be alarmed—he'd already witnessed Yunli's ability to talk with swords. Combine that with her superior skill in wielding heavy blades, and worse yet, the fact that the Massacre Ruler's previous master had been a princess...
There was a real chance this evil woman might actually charm his sword away from him! The consequences were unthinkable!
Oh—wait. The [Stone of Enlightenment] bestowed the "bond to master" trait upon awakened swords. The Massacre Ruler couldn't switch allegiance even if it wanted to.
Good. Good...
No, wait—this wasn't good either!
Why did it suddenly feel like one of those "you can't have my heart, but at least you can have my body" situations?!
Was this the kind of emotional stress someone his age was supposed to handle?
In just a few seconds, Yanqing's thoughts tumbled through panic, relief, and renewed panic—a roller coaster of emotional chaos.
But where one worried, the other rejoiced.
Yunli ignored his frantic protests, smiling brightly as she said, "Oh, so your name is Massacre Ruler, huh? Want to join me in hunting down every demonic sword in the world?"
"Not a chance! Absolutely not!" Yanqing cut her off immediately, grabbing onto the remaining half of the hilt. "It wants to become the Sword Champion of the Luofu—with me!"
"Impossible. It just told me you're still traumatized and can't draw out its full strength. How much did you pay for this sword? I'll ask my grandpa to double it and buy it off you!" She turned to the blade in her hand and asked sweetly, "Right, Massacre Ruler?"
"It's not about money!" Yanqing shot back without hesitation, then challenged in return, "Tell her, Massacre Ruler! You want to stay with me, don't you?"
Both of them clutched opposite ends of the hilt, staring stubbornly at the sword, waiting for its verdict.
The Massacre Ruler stayed perfectly still and silent. If it had a human face, it would surely have been one of utter helplessness.
Why are you two children fighting—and why am I the one suffering for it?
After a long silence, it finally responded. The sword vibrated, letting out a low hum as its message entered both their minds.
"Though Yanqing's grip remains unsteady, and shadows still linger in his heart, I cannot abandon him simply because I have met another who suits me better. If I did, then I would abandon the next one as well when someone even more suited came along."
Hearing the Massacre Ruler's declaration, Yanqing broke into a satisfied smile.
Putting on a show of magnanimity, he released the hilt first. "Well? Nothing left to say now, huh?"
Yunli pouted, letting go as well, her cheeks puffed in frustration. She glanced aside and muttered under her breath, "Hmph, fine. You win this time."
"Hehe, finally admitting defeat!" Yanqing grinned from ear to ear. With both swords in hand, he swaggered away, brimming with pride.
When his figure finally vanished from sight, Yunli sighed in relief and patted her chest. "Whew… good thing I was quick-witted and pretended to fight him over the sword. That made him forget about the rest of the bet—returning his sword and bowing to apologize. Otherwise, that would've been really embarrassing."
Her little trick successful, Yunli's attention drifted once more to Yanqing's heavy sword.
That guy had beaten her easily after getting the Massacre Ruler. So… what if she had a sword like that herself?
No doubt about it—she'd crush Yanqing, that half-trained wannabe swordsman. No, wait—half-trained two-sword wielder!
"Curio Trash Can Shop, huh…"
She had heard of that place before. According to the storytellers, it was a place where joy and sorrow intertwined—a paradise and a hell rolled into one. The wealthy spent fortunes with a wave of the hand, while the poor emptied every last wallet hoping to overturn their fates. Yet no one truly knew how to win the favor of the Lordly Trashcan and earn its most exalted gift. Perhaps only the plain-looking young man who sat behind that tacky counter knew the secret within the bucket.
Recalling the performer's exaggerated tale, Yunli nodded thoughtfully.
"Mm, such a mysterious place… definitely worth a visit."
…
"Oh? Back already, Yanqing?"
Inside the Seat of Divine Foresight, Jing Yuan greeted his disciple casually.
"Yes, Master. I just had a duel with Yunli—and finally defeated her."
He held up his flying sword proudly to emphasize his victory.
At the same time, he was also eyeing his teacher curiously. Jing Yuan was gently cradling a round, soft, pastel-pink fluffball—occasionally stroking it with obvious fondness.
A… plush pillow? Yanqing blinked. Never thought my master had this kind of hobby… It doesn't fit the image of the great Arbiter-General at all!
Of course, he didn't actually think Jing Yuan had gone insane. There had to be a reason—or someone had asked him to keep it safe.
But who on the Luofu could order his master to do such a thing?
Could it be General Feixiao? No, that didn't suit her temperament either…
Or… could it be the former Swordmaster of the Luofu?
He'd heard about Jingliu's return but had never dared face her again.
First, because that previous battle had left him with a lingering trauma—he wouldn't say he'd been broken, but his will to draw the sword had undeniably faltered. Otherwise, Yunli would never have managed to steal his weapon.
And second… well, that woman—his master's senior—had once teasingly called him "little brother."
After learning who she really was, Yanqing hadn't slept for an entire night. It was too horrifying. Worse, he'd realized that if he'd accepted it back then, that technically made him his master's uncle!
A sheer act of betrayal to the hierarchy! To this day, he still didn't dare confess the full story to Jing Yuan.
While he was lost in thought, Jing Yuan said, "I've decided to take on another disciple today. Come, Yanqing—meet your junior."
"My… junior?" Yanqing looked around, puzzled. There was no one else in the hall. "Uh… where?"
"Right here." Jing Yuan gestured toward the "pillow" in his arms. "Koromon, greet your senior."
Under Yanqing's stunned gaze, the fluffy ball squirmed, bounced off Jing Yuan's arms, and landed on the floor with a soft thud.
Then, with only eyes, a mouth, and ears—like a floating, disembodied head—the strange creature beamed up at him and chirped in a childish voice, "Hello, Senior!"
"Hss—ah—!"
When Jing Yuan had opened the bucket earlier, Yanqing had been out training. So now, seeing this bizarre lifeform for the first time, he could make no sense of it. It looked cute, sure, but watching a head-shaped ball hopping around the floor—his sanity points were plummeting fast.
After a long silence, he finally croaked, "It… uh… holds a sword with its ears?"
How on the Luofu was a tiny puffball supposed to learn the arts of swordsmanship?
Jing Yuan pulled out a Digivice and replied matter-of-factly, "Of course not! Koromon, ready to evolve again like we practiced earlier!"
"Okay! Koromon, EVOLVE—!"