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For the sake of his disciple, Jing Yuan felt as though he had truly exhausted his heart and mind. He asked tactfully, "Yanqing, from your recent exchange with Yunli, did you gain any insights?"
"Insights?" Yanqing, who had been joyfully practicing swordplay, snapped back to reality.
He only felt that little girl from Zhuming was far too unreasonable—what insights could there possibly be?
But seeing his master's troubled expression, he thought and thought, yet still couldn't come up with anything.
"Mm, mm!" Feixiao chuckled, giving him a hinting look.
Following Feixiao's gaze, Yanqing looked down at the greatsword in his hand. Recalling his encounter with Yunli, he finally understood. "Don't worry, General. This sword has a special bond-forging function. The moment it reached my hand, it instantly bonded with me, establishing a unique connection. Even if it gains sentience, it won't ever be taken from me."
"In that case, I can rest easy." Jing Yuan nodded with relief.
And with the topic of awakening the sword's spirit brought up again, Yanqing's anticipation for the Massacre Ruler was now impossible to restrain.
He produced the [Stone of Enlightenment] and eagerly pressed it against the blade.
Light of the same hue as the crystal enveloped the entire sword, growing brighter, more dazzling.
The blade itself began to emit a sharp, resonant hum—like the first cry of a newborn child.
Both Jing Yuan and Feixiao watched with keen interest. Flying swords were not rare, and swords with their own sentience were not unheard of either.
But a sentient greatsword—now that was truly rare. While not world-shattering, it was indeed a sight worth remembering.
What's more, the sword's inherent power was undeniably strong.
The brilliance gradually faded, and before long, the crystal vanished completely, while the sword itself showed no outward change.
If there was any difference, it was that its aura now felt vastly more imposing.
"Massacre Ruler, how do you feel?"
Yanqing lifted the sword high, then released it—but instead of crashing to the ground as before, it hovered calmly in midair, swaying slightly.
At that sight, the three of them knew the spirit-awakening had been a complete success.
Witnessing a lifeless sword become a being of wisdom, Jing Yuan spoke with a sigh: "To create sentience within an object—how different is that from creating life itself?"
Feixiao had only been glad for Yanqing, but these words stunned her.
A shiver of weighty realization traveled up her spine, seizing her mind.
Jing Yuan was right. The Xianzhou could already create spirit from Helio using it as raw material. Yet she had always overlooked something: Heliobi, the cosmic spark itself, already possessed intelligence and theoretically are infinitely divisible.
But before the awakening, the [Stone of Enlightenment] was a dead, soulless mineral! What gave it the power to grant wisdom to another object?!
She turned sharply toward the little shop with the trash cans, wishing her gaze could pierce the walls and see the man behind the counter—what secrets was he hiding?
To give intelligence to the mundane… just what kind of authority did that require?
And what exactly did he command?
But if mere eyesight could reveal the unseen, why would she need to be here in person at all?
Yanqing, meanwhile, had no such lofty worries.
He was entirely engrossed in the novel sensation of communicating with the [Massacre Ruler].
Though it couldn't yet speak—only emit resonant sword cries—Yanqing could understand its every thought perfectly through their bond.
And whether due to their bond or not, the Massacre Ruler's stance toward him was unmistakably clear.
Theirs was a bond of master and servant, without the slightest doubt. The sword seemed to naturally acknowledge Yanqing as its master, swearing that unless he allowed it, it would never serve another.
This truly set Yanqing's heart at ease.
But he couldn't treat this unusual new companion simply as a servant. Those relationships were too distant, too impersonal. To him, a sword was like a partner, only then could their strengths truly be unleashed together.
He declared, "Massacre Ruler, let us stride forward together on the Path of The Hunt!"
To Yanqing, it was a solemn vow—two kindred spirits making the ultimate promise for the future.
But when Jing Yuan and Feixiao watched, they merely shook their heads and smiled wryly.
Still a child at heart, fond of playing with such things.
Yet they didn't mind. Over-maturity was never a blessing—it was simply another kind of tragedy.
Those embarrassing memories of youthful vows that make one hide under the covers later in life—though naive, they were nonetheless precious recollections.
But amid this warm and peaceful scene, a small twist suddenly occurred.
The Massacre Ruler's voice echoed in Yanqing's mind: "I will follow your will as I once followed my Princess, cleaving moon and storm in your name!"
Ah, truly my sword—it resonates with me perfectly.
Wait… hold on. Followed who?
Yanqing's expression shifted wildly. In a daze, he asked, "You… you mean your previous master was… a woman?"
A dreadful realization began to solidify in his mind. All along, had he still walked Yunli's path?
Worse still—that thought had already become reality!
Vmmm~ The Massacre Ruler gave a clear, affirming hum.
Hearing its answer, Yanqing froze stiff, as if turned to stone, in the eyes of both his master and sword.
A greatsword… female master… Yunli?!
All the pieces overlapped in his mind. The world spun dizzily around him.
What in the world was happening?!
Shopkeeper Sylvester, didn't you say this was once the sword of a noble? Why must it specifically be a princess?!
His face contorted with despair, and for the first time in his life, he deeply understood the phrase 'fate toys with man'.
The next time he sparred with Yunli—how could he wield this weapon? That wouldn't be a sword anymore… that would be his own face!
Seeing Yanqing's complexion turn pale, Feixiao chuckled, though sympathy softened her gaze. She patted his shoulder, offering comfort. "There's no need for such concern. As they say—black cat or white cat, if it catches the mouse, it's a good cat. Seizing an enemy's weapon in battle is hardly uncommon."
"This—this isn't the same at all!"
Yanqing glared at the Massacre Ruler in frustration. "Why couldn't you have been a light weapon instead?!"
The greatsword suddenly stilled midair. "I… was never a light weapon to begin with."
The more Yanqing thought, the worse he felt. The more he thought, the greater his frustration. At last, he spoke each word with deliberate weight: "My partner… true gold fears not the flames of the forge. Surely you wouldn't fear tempering either?"
The Massacre Ruler quivered with pride, emanating confidence. "Of course not! I could withstand even a massive spatial quake without flinching. Forging? That's nothing but a—"
Halfway through, it realized something was wrong and hastily asked, "What are you planning to do?"
Yanqing's frustration gave birth to boldness. He turned a resolute gaze on his master.
Tonight, he would beg his master to summon General Huaiyan—and have the Massacre Ruler reforged! Melted down into a nimble flying sword!
Catching Yanqing's determined look, Jing Yuan felt a sudden chill in his heart.
He had a foreboding hunch: this boy not only planned to eat his food and drink his tea, but was also scheming to throw his old master's face into the fire as well.