Chapter 706: Midnight Martial Contest: Testing the Edge (6)

"If you could retrieve your sword from my hand in a magnanimous, upright manner, Yunli would be convinced both in heart and mouth. But you didn't; you tried to make a big matter small, casually returning the sword before a large audience... Allow me to be blunt, you show no respect for the sword that helps us kill enemies and protect ourselves, and you are unworthy of this blade."

Yan Qing inhaled deeply, forcing his anger down: "Miss, hasn't anyone taught you that taking without asking makes you a thief? If you insist on speaking with swords... fine, just the two of us, one on one right now..."

"Yan Qing." Seeing the situation seemed to be getting out of control, Jingyuan quickly hushed him.

Yunli nodded with satisfaction: "Hmm, that's better. You'd better be careful; I'm not as easy to handle as the Bu Li people."

Huaiyan's mind buzzed for a moment, and he yanked Yunli's hand: "You shut up too, and quickly apologize to Brother Yan Qing!"

Yunli pouted: "Grandfather, which side are you on, exactly?"

Huaiyan's voice immediately lowered: "Grandfather... uh, Grandfather stands on no side!"

——

Luo Xiaohei's Battle Chronicle.

"One-on-one, one-on-one! Must be one-on-one! Who's afraid of whom!"

Inside the restaurant of the Canton East Guild Hall, Xiaohei angrily took a big bite of chicken leg and said indistinctly, "She really doesn't reason! She takes other people's things and doesn't return them, and besides, isn't making a big matter small fine?"

"Just because you think so doesn't mean others will," Lu Ye gently blew on the fish meat at the tip of his chopsticks, "but judging by the attitude of this old Huaiyan, Yunli is probably this same willful character on the Zhu Ming Xianzhou."

"I don't like her; I actually prefer Yan Qing a bit more—he's so polite and strong. Didn't General Grandfather teach her manners or something?"

"I'm not sure, but a big figure like the General, who handles countless affairs daily, must be very busy every day."

"Then she should apologize proactively." Watching Yunli in the sky curtain still holding her chin high, Xiaohei grew angrier, even his favorite chicken leg lost its flavor. He raised his oily little hand and gestured toward the sky curtain, "If I ever meet her, I must..."

He didn't finish his sentence; he extended his hand and then slowly retracted it.

"What exactly must you do?"

Xiaohei lowered his head: "Nothing... Master told me not to fight outside."

Lu Ye laughed at Xiaohei's demeanor, handing over a napkin: "Wipe your mouth. By the way, it's rare you came to the guild hall to find me today; where's Master?"

"He was called away by Nezha, saying something like 'must defeat him today'... I don't really get it; seems to be about some game or something."

——

"Your apology is too heavy. I've heard that the swordsmanship and craftsmanship of the Zhu Ming Xianzhou are at their peak, famed for the beautiful name 'Yanlun Baye' passed down through generations. Seeing Miss Yunli among them today... she truly has a fire-like bearing and temperament."

Jingyuan's emotionally intelligent remark instantly eased the situation considerably.

"... What beautiful name. There are always people who love to concoct empty titles, causing chaos for the Cloud Riders. Yunli is just a child, shy and fearful of strangers, and may act impolitely; I ask everyone to forgive her."

Jingyuan said he still had important matters to discuss with General Huaiyan, so he asked Yan Qing to host a few people and go to the inn to lodge first. Later he will choose another time to have a proper conversation with the Train Group and then express his thanks.

"Girl, go. Use this chance to properly clear up the misunderstanding with Yan Qing."

Yunli reluctantly agreed: "Yes, yes, yes, enemies should be resolved, not tied. But I plan not to go to the inn first... I want to see Sister Lingsha; she just arrived at Luofu and needs someone to help settle her in."

Jingyuan then said to Yan Qing: "Yan Qing, after settling the guests, make another trip to Gong Zao Si for me. I've heard about the company's ship being attacked and seized. Qingzu delivered the news, saying the company's people are protesting, wanting to retrieve the cargo on the ship. Go on my behalf to soothe them; don't be too forceful, just represent the Luofu Xianzhou as having no intention of infringing on their rights."

The young man nodded slightly: "Yan Qing, command received."

As the few were about to leave, Xing noticed Yunli still lingering inside Si Chen Gong and stepped forward to ask: "Aren't you leaving with us?"

Yunli shook her head: "I have my own matters. Besides, Brother Yan Qing doesn't seem very willing."

"But you did take his sword..."

"You're right. It was clearly taken by skill, and calling it a robbery is just semantics; how can he lump me together with a thief? Moreover, this sword now seems to fear its owner. I want to ask him, you claim to cherish your sword as life, yet you can't even recognize the current state of the sword in your own hand."

"I originally had no intention of keeping his sword, planning to return it during this opportunity, but now I've changed my mind. I feel sorry for the flying sword and intend to do some maintenance later. Until then, unless he learns to say 'please, hello, thank you, sorry,' I won't consider giving the sword back to him."

——

A Certain Scientific Railgun.

"Ah—" Shirai Kuroko spread her hands, "If something must be said, it should be: 'Hello, please return the sword to Yan Qing and apologize to him, thank you.' Taking someone else's property without permission and then using it as leverage to make unreasonable demands fully fits the definition of robbery."

"But there's one thing about the girl's words that I really care about..." Misaka Mikoto furrowed her brows, "'Seeing the flying sword as pitiful'—what does that mean? And she also said the flying sword fears Yan Qing... as if she knows what the flying sword is thinking."

"But a flying sword is just a weapon, right? It has no life and can't speak."

Misaka's confusion deepened: "Exactly, so I find it odd. Though her temperament is infuriating, she seems to understand the sword better than Yan Qing... Could it be because she's skilled at weapon forging?"

"... It might also be a unique talent of the Zhu Ming Xianzhou swordsmen; it's said they can coexist perfectly with the Year Sun, and individuals sometimes develop inexplicable abilities, likely linked to the Year Sun."

Misaka nodded: "Hmm, but regardless, Miss Yunli went too far this time; it feels like she needs proper schooling... This task seems to fall onto Yan Qing's shoulders."

——

Xing scratched his head, unable to help but feel his scalp tingle at the upcoming hardships for Yan Qing. In the moment she was distracted, the girl had already vanished without a trace.

After watching the spectacle, San Yue Qi couldn't help but say, "Dan Heng, I thought all the Immortal Boat generals were like Jingyuan... but General Huaiyan is so... uh, so skinny and tiny, looking like he'd collapse at the slightest wind. This dry, withered old man—really a Di Gong Heavenly General?"

"Each Immortal Boat within the Alliance has its own department and strengths. Not every General of Di Gong excels at charging into battle. As you just heard Jingyuan introduce, Mr. Huaiyan was once the chief artisan of Zhu Ming."

"Why does he appear so aged?"

San Yue Qi clapped his hands, suddenly saying, "You've spotted a blind spot—how strange... Do Immortal Boat people age? I rarely see elders on the Immortal Boat; when I do, they're usually foreigners. Yet General Huaiyan looks like an ordinary old man. Is he truly an Immortal Boat general?"