Lingsha grew more and more excited as she spoke, even wanting to add two more jars of wine to liven things up, but she was stopped by Stelle: "Miss Lingsha, drinking in broad daylight like this isn't appropriate, right? Besides, you should still have work to do. No need to rush."
"If you want to treat us, wouldn't it be better to wait until after work in the evening?"
Hearing Stelle's words, Lingsha was slightly taken aback, clearly only just realizing the issue. She slapped her forehead in some annoyance and sighed: "Sigh... Damn it, how did this old lady forget about work matters? What a sin, what a sin..."
"Just now, I saw the Sky-Faring Commission's employees all showing you respect, and now you've brought us to the Alchemy Commission to host us... Could you be the newly appointed Chief Alchemist of the Alchemy Commission on the Luofu recently?" Dan Heng asked.
Lingsha smiled: "Just an idle position, nothing worth mentioning. It's just a pity I can't host you heroes right away."
"No problem, no problem." Stelle quickly waved her hand: "Getting to know each other is more important than anything. As for eating, no rush."
Lingsha laughed heartily: "The hero is truly a great man! Straightforward in character—this old lady admires and respects you, hahaha!"
As she laughed, Lingsha suddenly thought of something and slapped her palm: "Oh no. Before you all arrived, this old lady had invited another hero to stay as a guest. I just remembered I have official duties and still need to explain to that hero."
"Another hero?"
Stelle and the others exchanged glances, somewhat embarrassed: This Miss Lingsha is really warm and hospitable. She can find "heroes" to be friends wherever she goes...
At the same time, on the other side.
"Ah... My sword, another one gone."
Yunli sat alone on the eaves of a building in the Alchemy Commission, her head lowered as she wiped the heavy sword in her hand. The smooth blade reflected her gloomy face, and the edge that could cut iron like mud sent chills down one's spine.
On the surface, she looked like nothing more than a thirteen- or fourteen-year-old little loli, but the aura surrounding her was incomparably cold, nothing like what a girl her age should have.
And all of this had to start from Yunli's past:
Many years ago.
At this time, Yunli's favorite thing was to eat a skewer of Qiongyu Bird every day. This was a specialty snack of the Xianzhou—sour and sweet, with bright red fruits that made one want to swallow their saliva just looking at them.
One day, Yunli was eating a Qiongyu Bird skewer while strolling near the workshop when suddenly, she saw her grandfather sitting lonely with a cane. His originally upright posture now seemed somewhat hunched, looking like a widowed elder.
"Grandpa, what's wrong? Are you unhappy? Yunli will treat you to Qiongyu Bird skewer oh~" Yunli bounced over to Huaiyan, asking with clear eyes.
Seeing Yunli, a slight movement crossed Huaiyan's weathered face, and he squeezed out a very forced smile, his voice low: "Yunli ah... Grandpa, Grandpa is indeed in a bit of a bad mood today. It won't affect you, will it?"
Yunli shook her head vigorously: "No! Grandpa, whatever's wrong, tell Yunli. As long as you say it out loud, it'll be fine!"
Huaiyan sighed: "Sigh, your Uncle Yingxing is gone. He won't come back to Zhuming anymore."
"Why would this happen? Could my educational methods really have some problem?" Huaiyan said despondently.
The innocent Yunli grabbed Huaiyan's arm: "How could Grandpa have a problem? Grandpa is the best person. Yingxing... Uncle Yingxing is ungrateful. He definitely won't have a good end!"
"He's gone, so he's gone. Grandpa, although you don't have Uncle Yingxing anymore, you still have me! I can completely be your disciple and become the swordsman you're most proud of in the future!"
Hearing this, Huaiyan smiled with relief: "Good child, good child. In that case, starting from tomorrow, as your master, I'll train you."
Thus, one scene after another of tragic and cruel images began to replay in Zhuming:
The first day of entry.
—"G-Grandpa, I have to fight the Golden Person? For real?"
This thing was a war machine only usable on the battlefield, the main combat unit—impervious to blades and spears. Even Cloud Knights who had lived for hundreds of years could only barely protect themselves. How could she, a little girl just starting her first day, possibly fight it?!
Yunli stared dazedly at the Golden Person, which towered several meters taller than her.
Huaiyan stroked his beard and smiled: "Yunli, don't worry. You have to believe in your potential. The Golden Person has no sense of pain. You can strike freely."
Yunli quickly said: "B-But I have a sense of pain!"
Huaiyan: "No problem. I'll be here watching, in case of any mishaps."
Seeing that Huaiyan had no intention of letting her off, Yunli swallowed and stepped forward with her heavy sword.
Duang!
"Yunli" used Heavy Strike on "Golden Person," dealing 1 point of damage.
"Utterly unfilial!"
"Golden Person" used Elbow Strike on "Yunli," dealing 99 points of damage.
Yunli fell to the ground and reached out to Huaiyan. "Grandpa, I can't do it. Save me!"
"Grandpa, save me!"
Huaiyan stood with hands behind his back and sighed deeply. "Yunli, you have to believe in yourself. I know you can definitely defeat the Golden Person."
Golden Person: "Utterly unfilial!"
Duang!
Yunli rolled, dodging the Golden Person's disciplinary whip. The stone brick where she had been standing a second ago had been elbowed into powder by the Golden Person.
Yunli: "Grandpa! Save me! I'm about to be beaten to death!"
Huaiyan: "Sigh, Yunli, Grandpa is doing this out of love for you. Hold on a bit longer."
Half a minute later.
Huaiyan carried the stretcher and rushed toward the clinic: "I didn't expect it to turn out like this. Yunli, hold on!"
And so, on the first day of entry, Yunli happily obtained a month of sick leave.
The thirty-first day of entry.
Huaiyan looked at Yunli, who still had bandages wrapped around her body, and coughed lightly: "Sigh, Yunli, last time was an accident. That training method hadn't even been tried on your Uncle Yingxing before. A little mishap is normal."
Yunli forced a smile: "Uh... Grandpa, just be more careful next time."
Huaiyan patted the Jeep beneath him: "Yunli, don't worry. This time, I'll use the training method that your Uncle Yingxing went through back then. Safety is absolutely guaranteed!"
The smile on Yunli's face gradually stiffened: "Grandpa... I don't understand."
Huaiyan smiled slightly: "Training, after all, pursues the limits of the human body. In the future, what you'll face is the battlefield, not a bodybuilding competition stage, so the training methods will naturally have some subtle differences from fitness..."
Yunli took two steps back: "Grandpa, can you get off the car before you speak?"
Huaiyan: "Hey, during training, address me by my title. You have to call me Master."
Huaiyan started the Jeep's engine and said cheerfully: "Alright, I won't say more. Time waits for no one. Let's start today's training."
Yunli's eyes widened: "W-Wait, wait, Grandpa, what are you doing? I-I'm not ready yet. W-Wait a moment!"
Vroom! (Engine starting sound)
Seeing Huaiyan start the Jeep, Yunli was so scared that she turned and ran, shouting as she fled: "Grandpa, I-I don't understand! This is too dangerous!"
"I've only just healed from my injuries!"
Huaiyan: "Keep it up, Yunli. I'm doing this for your own good!"