"Were there always this many people in the Central Starskiff Haven of the Xianzhou Luofu?" Yunli asked Lumina, her cheeks puffed out as she munched on a Berrypheasant Skewer.
Xianzhou Luofu, Central Starskiff Haven, bustling streets.
The streets were so crowded it was nearly impossible to move without resorting to some tricks. There were truly too many people—so many that Yunli, who had lived on the Xianzhou Zhuming for so long, had never seen such a scene.
"No, when we came here before, there were only about half as many people as there are now," Lumina replied, equally surprised by the sudden surge in foot traffic. A 50% increase was quite dramatic.
Then she remembered that their previous visit to the Luofu had coincided with the Stellaron's eruption.
While the Stellaron's eruption hadn't caused major harm to the haven's residents, the combined influence of the Disciples of Sanctus Medicus, Phantylia, and the Ambrosial Arbor had kept most people sheltering indoors unless absolutely necessary. This explained the relatively sparse crowds during their last visit.
"I see. It seems the Wardance Ceremony is quite popular across the cosmos," Yunli nodded, not elaborating further.
As a citizen of Xianzhou, Yunli naturally wouldn't disdain her homeland's festival, which was renowned throughout the universe.
Well, she would disdain it a little. After all, the crowds were overwhelming and unbearably uncomfortable.
If not for the sword on her back, Yunli would likely have been crushed into a meat patty.
"Yunli, I never imagined you wielded a Great Sword," Lumina exclaimed, gazing at the massive blade on Yunli's back.
The contrast between Yunli's cute and adorable appearance and her weapon of choice—a massive Great Sword—was truly striking and utterly unexpected.
"This is Old Mettle, an unfinished sword embryo still undergoing refinement. It's not exactly a Great Sword."
"Hmm... well, it certainly looks like a Great Sword now."
Though Yunli wanted to insist it was just an unfinished sword embryo, not a proper Great Sword, looking at Old Mettle's current form, she knew any explanation would be futile.
"I see," Lumina said with a smile, nodding and refraining from commenting on Yunli's weapon.
The best weapon is the one that suits its wielder best. Hadn't Yunli nearly fought Yanqing to a standstill in the story?
She didn't dwell on the matter. Looking around at the massive crowd—a sea of people so dense it was nearly impossible to move—she noticed that everyone had still cleared a wide path for Yunli and herself. Her voice filled with gratitude, Lumina exclaimed,
"We really have to thank Old Mettle! Without it, we'd have to resort to other means to get through this crowd."
A beautiful girl, a petite kid, carrying a massive Great Sword that radiated ferocity—she was the perfect tool for clearing a path. People instinctively gave Yunli a wide berth.
Still, a few stubborn ones underestimated the little girl. But Lumina's imposing aura quickly intimidated them into compliance, forcing them to detour obediently.
After all, this was Lumina and Yunli's precious time for a leisurely stroll. They couldn't let a few petty annoyances ruin it.
"Yeah, Old Mettle really came through for us," Yunli said, glancing back at Old Mettle before taking a big bite of the Berrypheasant Skewer in her hand.
"This isn't a good place to hang around anymore. Let's find somewhere else quickly."
The dense crowd and the cacophony of voices around them were starting to give Yunli a headache.
If only I'd turned back earlier...
"Hmm... yeah, let's go over there and relax with some tea," Lumina suggested, pointing to a teahouse not far away.
Perhaps because Xianzhou's tea culture was a bit foreign to outsiders, the teahouse, while full, wasn't as overwhelmingly packed as the other shops, and there were no long queues.
"Tea..." Yunli hesitated at the suggestion.
She didn't dislike tea, but she wasn't particularly fond of it either.
The main reason was that back in Zhuming, her grandfather had constantly "force-fed" her tea. Now that she finally had a chance to get out, she wasn't exactly eager to drink it.
"If you don't want tea, we can skip it. Let's just keep walking."
Seeing Yunli's conflicted and dissatisfied expression, Lumina didn't press the issue. She smiled, said a few words, and then strode forward, using an invisible force to clear a path through the crowd.
"Well, it's not like it's a bad idea," Yunli murmured after a moment of hesitation, making her decision.
"With this many people around, taking shelter in a teahouse is actually a sensible choice."
The endless sea of people stretched as far as the eye could see. Even if they kept moving forward, there was no telling when they'd reach the end. A brief respite in a teahouse seemed wise.
Besides, Yunli didn't dislike tea; she was simply tired of drinking so much of it.
Moreover, she couldn't refuse a request from Lumina, her friend.
Hmm... are we even friends right now? Yunli wondered inwardly.
"Alright then, let's hurry before all the seats are taken!" Lumina nodded and quickened her pace, spotting a few remaining seats inside.