That strike was nothing short of earth-shattering.
The moment that peerless sword-light touched Baqiu, her entire body disintegrated into ash—
leaving only a fading, unconscious remnant of a soul.
Purely in destructive power, this single combined strike even approached Keqing's Myriad-Sword Judgment.
Terrifying.
The Love That Topples Cities truly lived up to its title as the strongest yellow-grade dual-strike art.
But…
Xingqiu and Chongyun were not happy.
Not. At. All.
A long moment passed before Beidou rubbed her eyes, nudging Yelan as she whispered:
"Say… did I see wrong? That sword aura… was pink?"
"Mhm."
Even Yelan, who had seen countless storms, let out a helpless sigh.
"You weren't mistaken. It was pink.
And when the sword aura dispersed… I clearly saw little heart symbols in it."
"…"
"So what exactly is their relationship?"
Beidou leaned forward eagerly, gossip blazing in her eyes.
Yelan exhaled.
"I don't understand… but I respect it."
Nearby, Baiwen muttered:
"That move… it's called Love That Topples Cities, right?"
"Seems so…"
Kuiyun wiped sweat from his brow, glancing at the duo with a mix of awe and fear.
"Truly… bold. And powerful."
He always knew those two boys were inseparable.
Now look at them—
they weren't even trying to hide it anymore.
Ningguang, Keqing, Hu Tao, and the others finally recovered—and collectively drew a cold breath.
It wasn't the strength of the attack that shocked them.
Keqing's Heaven-Subduing Sword and Demon-Slaying Sword Arts were far stronger.
Ningguang's Lightning-Burst Fist was incomparable.
What shook them was—
Xingqiu and Chongyun's total disregard for societal expectations.
In conservative Liyue, the two boys had just committed a social earthquake.
"It's personal preference," Ningguang sighed.
Hu Tao pumped her fist in excitement.
"I always believed those two could accomplish great things! Sure enough!"
"…Though it's a pity," she added regretfully,
"That strike scattered a large portion of Baqiu's soul. Wasteful…"
As she spoke, Hu Tao hurried to command her myriad ghosts, collecting Baqiu's soul fragments.
The scene became even more absurd.
Xingqiu and Chongyun—true essence nearly exhausted—supported each other shoulder-to-shoulder.
Pink sword-light blossomed around them in little heart shapes.
Not far away, Hu Tao's black ghosts shrieked as they gathered Baqiu's soul.
The entire tableau looked like:
A pair of lovers who defy worldly judgment, walking forward hand-in-hand, while the underworld reaps the dead behind them.
On everyone's faces bloomed an uncontrollable auntie-level smile.
"These two kids… really are daring," Yae Miko murmured with delight.
Alice even wiped tears from her eyes.
"What a beautiful scene. I hope someone filmed it—Xingqiu and Chongyun are simply too touching!"
Just as everyone was sighing emotionally, Jean suddenly frowned.
"…Wait. If I recall correctly, junior brother Chongyun is an only child?"
"…"
Every smile froze.
A moment later, Venti waved his hand breezily.
"No problem~ Haven't we heard from the Sect Master himself?
Great cultivators need not rely on normal reproduction methods.
Two people whose spiritual consciousness resonates can also produce an excellent child~
As long as there is love—nothing is impossible ~ ♪"
Everyone nodded…
Then subtly moved away from Venti.
This guy remembered such details too clearly.
Who knows what he's plotting?
Xiao and Risley both stared at Venti with alert eyes.
Only Xueyue of Morning Sun Peak pondered whether he should start reinforcing his cave-residence formation.
Not that Venti would take advantage of someone…
but, well—
one never knows.
"But still…" Jean bit her lip.
"Becoming immortals… that's a matter of countless years, and even then it's not guaranteed."
"For now, Chongyun is an only child. That should matter more, shouldn't it?"
This time, even Venti couldn't find a comeback.
Shenhe: (╬ಠ益ಠ)
On the battlefield, Shenhe—who had been frozen in shock after the boys' attack—finally snapped back to reality.
Her expression darkened instantly.
Chongyun.
Her Chongyun.
Her only nephew.
Her entire remaining family line.
Under her watch—actually went crooked!?
How was she supposed to face Chongyun's parents after this!?
They entrusted their only son to her, begging her to keep an eye on him so he wouldn't "go astray."
Well great.
He didn't go astray—
he went crooked!
Shenhe felt blood rush to the top of her head. She nearly fainted from rage.
And the worst part?
Even she had to admit…
Xingqiu and Chongyun really did look good together.
But that wasn't the issue!!!
Even if they truly wanted to walk that road together—
couldn't they at least leave one heir for the family first!?
Xingqiu had an older brother.
That side was fine.
But the Chongyun family?
They had one child.
One.
Just one!
And now that child—
(╬▔皿▔) went and bent himself!!
Not to mention—
even if they insisted on this… path…
that might be acceptable.
Even the Sect Master said powerful beings needn't rely on ordinary reproduction.
But did they have to be so…
so open about it!?
Before all of Liyue's citizens and half the Shushan Sect!?
Would the Chongyun family elders not faint on the spot!?
Truly… Xingqiu and Chongyun's little stunt left Shenhe in a state of complete Dao-heart collapse.
The People of Liyue: We don't know how to react but we're blushing
The spectacular finishing blow—
no applause.
The end of the demon-god attack—
no cheering.
Instead, the shock from Xingqiu and Chongyun's shameless disregard for conventional morals
continued to scramble everyone's minds.
But they weren't cultivators.
They couldn't joke about such things like Ningguang and Hu Tao.
In Liyue, such relationships existed—
but openly? Before the entire city?
They dared not speak of it.
Everyone held it in—faces red, ears red, hearts pounding.
At the storyteller's booth
Liu Su was staring at his half-written manuscript, on the verge of collapse.
This story was supposed to be his trump card—the masterpiece to claim the title of Liyue's greatest storyteller.
He prepared a glorious conclusion:
Liyue's victory, Baqiu's fall, a stirring finale.
And now?
Baqiu's fall was stirring.
But the circumstances…
Could he publish this without getting arrested by the Ministry of Civil Affairs?
Or hunted by the Chongyun family?
"Xingqiu young master, Chongyun young master…
Why couldn't you hide it a little!?"
He looked at his stack of papers and felt his soul leave his body.
Parents' Private Room: A Funeral Without a Corpse
Inside the private pavilion, tension was suffocating.
Xingqiu's parents sat stiffly, not daring to look at their longtime friends—the Chongyun couple.
If they looked even one second too long, they might get punched.
Xingqiu's parents could accept it.
They had an elder son to continue the family line.
Xingqiu had always been… genteel.
They respected him.
But Chongyun?
Chongyun was the only child.
Generations of hopes rested on him.
The Chongyun family clan—grandparents, great-grandparents, uncles, aunts—
ALL relied on him.
And now…
The sky collapsed.
Madam Chongyun swayed—
then fainted cleanly.
"Madam! Madam!!"
Chongyun's father paled, shaking her awake.
She finally opened her eyes, trembling as she pointed toward the battlefield.
"That… that UNFILIAL CHILD!!!"
Xingqiu's father awkwardly approached.
"Er… well…"
"OUT!!!"
Chongyun's father roared.
"You old fox! You must be pleased!
Your family has TWO sons—
ours has ONE!
And YOUR son bent OUR son!!"
"You're trying to make the Chongyun family line END!?"
Xingqiu's father rubbed his nose guiltily.
"Well… I mean… nobody expected this…"
"We'll talk to Xingqiu—"
"Talk!? TALK!?
They just performed Love That Topples Cities!
Do you even understand what that means for my ancestors!?"
Chongyun's father slammed the table in despair.
Xingqiu's mother hurried to salvage the situation.
"Please… calm down.
We'll help.
Tonight I'll contact Sister Lan and have her arrange blind-dates for Yun'er."
"We'll do everything possible to bring him… back to the right path."
This finally soothed the Chongyun couple—barely.
Xingqiu's father added quickly:
"We will question Xingqiu once he returns.
You have my word."
Chongyun's father glared daggers at him.
"You'd BETTER.
I warn you—
if my Chongyun becomes the last of our line…"
"Your eldest son's firstborn must be adopted into our family!"
Xingqiu's father didn't dare refuse at such a critical moment.
"Yes, yes, of course.
Come, dear—let's step out and discuss.
Didn't the daughter of the Fang Trading Guild just visit recently? She's a cultivator too…"
The two hurried out.
Once they were far enough—
Xingqiu's father dropped the sad expression and burst into laughter.
"Hahaha!
Old Zhong, you're completely at my mercy!"
"You can't beat me in business, and now your only heir is captured by MY child!
Outstanding! That boy Xingqiu really has talent!"
Their older son already had a fine match lined up—a promising young female cultivator from Shushan's servant ranks.
So the Xingqiu couple was entirely relaxed.
Let the elder son handle the family line.
Xingqiu could follow his heart.
If he liked boys—
so what?
Maybe it was that very "unique taste" that made his cultivation talent so extraordinary.
Xingqiu's mother rolled her eyes.
"Enough laughing.
Yun'er may be an only child, and their family's legacy can't just disappear."
"I'll speak with Fang family's daughter and our future daughter-in-law.
Maybe they can help… mediate."
Xingqiu's father waved casually.
"No rush.
Let old Zhong stew for a few days!
He's been bragging nonstop that his son has the Pure Yang constitution—
well look!
Still couldn't escape being taken down by my Xingqiu!"
Xingqiu's mother sighed helplessly.
"You two fathers… honestly…"
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