Chapter 689

【What bad luck, running into you again...】

Before Lingsha could finish speaking, Yunli shot a hostile glance at Yanqing.

【You—this time, you'd better return my sword to me!】

Seeing this, Yanqing's anger surged even higher.

【I understand. Then let's skip the introductions.】

Lingsha looked at the two, their tension like drawn bows,

and immediately understood.

Then she fell silent and stopped introducing.

What followed was a war of words between Yanqing and Yunli.

【How come I run into you everywhere? Are you following me?】

Yunli struck first, confronting Yanqing.

【Hmph, Yanqing has important matters to attend to, unlike Miss Yunli, who's so idle she has time to stroll the streets but not time to return a sword.】

Yanqing abandoned his previous straightforward strategy,

and began retaliating with sarcasm.

【Grandfather once said, an object reflects its master.】

【I've had a conversation with your sword.】

【It told me you're burdened with heavy thoughts, full of idle worries—hesitant to draw your blade when you should, yet unable to hold it steady when you shouldn't...】

【Now looking at you, I believe what the sword said is true.】

【It's no wonder I took your flying sword—your heart isn't on it.】

Yunli crossed her arms and fired back a string of arguments that, to Yanqing, sounded like nonsense.

【Do you think I'll believe your made-up lies?】

【I've tolerated you repeatedly because you're a guest from Zhuming, but you show no gratitude.】

【Doesn't the Luofu Xianzhou have the basic understanding that stolen items must be returned?】

Yanqing crossed his arms and snorted coldly.

【Look at this flying sword—even if I return it to you now, within moments it'll be taken from you again.】

【Have you heard the rule that Cloud Riders must never let their weapons out of their hands?】

【Right now, I can return it to you—but on the battlefield, things are different.】

【Ah, how pitiful this flying sword must be.】

Stelle: "Why are you two just talking?"

Stelle: "Verbal sparring is fine, but it's nowhere near as thrilling as real blades!"

March 7th: "Hey, you're supposed to be Yanqing's teacher!"

March 7th: "Why are you just stoking the fire?!"

Stelle: "You don't get it—when they fight, it clears up misunderstandings and lets them exchange martial skills."

Stelle: "It's purely beneficial, nothing harmful!"

Paimon: "But what if they get hurt?"

Stelle: "They're cultivators—minor injuries don't matter. As for serious ones..."

Stelle: "We're all here watching. We won't let them go too far."

General Feixiao: "Hmm, you're right."

General Feixiao: "More sparring does have its benefits."

General Feixiao: "Of course, if they truly lose control, that's another matter."

The video continued.

【Hmph, you don't need to return it—I'll take back my sword myself!】

Yanqing could no longer hold back,

and prepared to speak with force.

【Is this the Martial Demonstration Ceremony?】

【Good! Fight!】

Seeing this scene,

Stelle, who had been watching the drama for hours, wore an excited expression.

【Brother Dan Heng, who do you think is stronger between these two?】

【Don't blame me—I'm genuinely curious.】

At this moment, March 7th asked Dan Heng curiously.

【...】

【Get ready to separate them.】

Dan Heng, speechless, warned the two.

Stelle: "March, aren't you just as curious?"

Stelle: "You're accusing me of stoking the fire?"

March 7th: "I... I'm just naturally curious!"

March 7th: "It's perfectly normal, isn't it?"

Funa: "So who's stronger between them?"

Funa: "I'm also curious about this!"

General Feixiao: "Hard to say. We'd have to exchange blows before we could make a rough judgment."

Hu Tao: "Then from the looks of it, a match is unavoidable?"

Miss Lingsha: "Not necessarily. There are plenty of ways to compete!"

Miss Lingsha: "Why must it be done in a way that hurts the harmony between us?"

Miss Lingsha: "When the time comes, whichever of the two gets hurt, as a physician, I won't be able to bear it~"

The video continues.

【Today is my first day taking office at the Alchemy Commission. Drawing blood with blades is hardly an auspicious start.】

At this moment, Miss Lingsha, who had been watching the show for quite a while, finally spoke up.

【Fine, if Miss Lingsha doesn't like it, I won't be brandishing blades and swords around here.】

Hearing Miss Lingsha say this, Miss Yunli

could only temporarily set aside her idea of sparring with Hearing Yanqing.

【That's not quite what I meant.】

【The swords are already drawn. If you don't let them have a match, neither of them will be happy, right?】

【I heard from the Commission's reports that Abominations still roam around the Alchemy Commission's realm to this day.】

【I imagine my predecessors left quite a mess of unresolved matters within the Alchemy Commission.】

【If you two wish to determine a victor, why must you turn your blades and swords upon each other?】

Stelle: "Brilliant, absolutely brilliant!"

Stelle: "Worthy of someone who can serve as the Commission's Cauldron!"

Stelle: "That wisdom is the real deal!"

Miss Yunli: "Miss Lingsha, if you want to find free labor, just say so!"

Miss Yunli: "Why all these roundabout tricks?"

Miss Lingsha: "That remark is amiss."

Miss Lingsha: "I'm not here to find any laborer."

Miss Lingsha: "I simply can't bear to see you two turn your blades and swords against each other!"

General Jing Yuan: "Mm, not bad. Miss Lingsha's move here is quite clever."

General Jing Yuan: "It both clears out the Abominations and lets these two settle who's superior."

General Jing Yuan: "I wholeheartedly agree!"

General Feixiao: "Mm, slaying Abominations is the proper business folk like us ought to do."

General Feixiao: "Though... it does lack a bit of spectacle."

General Feixiao: "No matter... at the Martial Exhibition Ceremony, they'll still have to fight in the end, won't they?"