Zhao Changhe and Yue Hongling had weathered countless trials together, so how could they possibly not see through the little girl’s flimsy excuse in an instant? She was clearly spying on her master and her husband, hoping to catch them in some sort of... compromising position. After getting caught, she hastily threw out Dragon Bird as a diversion. But what was there to spy on, really? As River of Stars, had she not seen enough already? That sword had borne witness to... everything. The thought made Zhao Changhe’s face twitch. He had always imagined himself the culprit, peeking at others and reaping chaos from it. Never had he considered that two little girls had been watching him all along, watching everything. Meanwhile, Yue Hongling’s face shifted between green and white. She, once a stern and awe-inspiring Master, now found herself faced with the terrifying aftermath of her disciple regaining her original memories. The countless postures she had shared with her man, all silently witnessed by a sword spirit that later became her disciple. What kind of unspeakable disgrace was this? She really wanted to find Huangfu Qing and compare notes on surviving social death. When Xia Chichi discovered that Vermillion Bird was actually Huangfu Qing, how did she cope with the shame? “Yu’er...” Yue Hongling called out, her face cold and voice stern. Ling Ruoyu flinched. “M-Master...” “I’ve always taught you to love your relatives, so why did you bury your sister in the dirt?” Yue Hongling’s tone grew sharper. “If this behavior develops, it will eventually become fratricide! Come here! Ten strikes with the paddle!” Ling Ruoyu, of course, had no idea what was going through the pair’s minds. She truly had just come to witness her idolized, gallant master being affectionate with a man. As for anything she might have seen as River of Stars... well, that was all forgotten. Back then, she was a sword. She did not even understand what she was seeing—it was just like watching someone polish weapons. Who knew that now, as a human, she would be punished for something she did not even remember? “Please, Master, don’t!” Ling Ruoyu cried, tears brimming. “It was Dragon Bird who started it... she cursed me nonstop right to my face!” “And you didn’t think to curse her back?” “I tried! But she’s too sharp-tongued. You said martial artists should strike instead of talk. We’re not like those maids who only wag their tongues but never act. So I... uh... ugh...” Her voice shrank with every word, and she began slowly backing away. As her memories of River of Stars resurfaced, so too did the meanings behind Yue Hongling’s old gossip, all the behind-the-scenes whispers she never understood before. It all made perfect sense now, painfully so. Yue Hongling’s shame hit a new low. Her once pristine persona crumbled completely. She could not even glance at Zhao Changhe. “Ling! Ruo! Yu!” Ling Ruoyu bolted, but how could she possibly outrun her master? With a blur, Yue Hongling dashed forward and caught her by the nape of her neck. “Master, please spare me!” Ling Ruoyu wailed. “I-I need to check if Dragon Bird’s dead...” Dragon Bird won’t die. But you might... Zhao Changhe folded his arms, watching Yue Hongling pin her squirming disciple down. The crisp smacks of punishment echoed through the night air. The little one flailed helplessly, tears spilling down her cheeks. Still, the one who truly felt as though they were dying was neither Dragon Bird nor Ling Ruoyu but Yue Hongling herself. “Ahem.” Zhao Changhe finally stepped forward and wrapped an arm around Yue Hongling’s waist. “It’s just a little spat between kids. No big deal...” “I’m disciplining my disciple. Who asked you to step in?” Yue Hongling struggled in his hold. Zhao Changhe gave Ling Ruoyu a sharp look. “Run!” Ling Ruoyu took off like a cannonball. Yue Hongling struggled again. “Let me go...” Zhao Changhe pinned her gently against a tree, leaning closer. The fight drained from her all at once. Her chest rose and fell. Her face burned red. Zhao Changhe chuckled. “Big Sister...” Yue Hongling turned her face away. “My life’s ruined. Do with me what you will.” What’s ruined? You’re seriously overreacting. Zhao Changhe thought she had never been more adorable. He leaned in and kissed her. Yue Hongling’s lashes trembled, then lowered. She returned the kiss, soft and shy. So much for the lone, proud heroine of the jianghu. When a woman carries a child, all her longing for her man gets poured into that child. Her gossip was not just idle chatter. She had said all that because her heart couldn’t help but care about everything surrounding the man she missed. “Don’t...” After who knew how long, Yue Hongling gasped breathlessly, gently pushing at his chest. “The child is still nearby...” “I sent her to buy soy sauce[1]. She won’t be back anytime soon.” Dragon Bird, unbeknownst to herself, had become known as soy sauce. Yue Hongling chuckled, then pressed a finger to his lips while smiling. “Everyone’s gathered today. Do you really want to sneak off with me now? If they catch us, will I still have any face left?” Zhao Changhe said, “I don’t have any face anyway.” Yue Hongling’s heel landed on his foot and started twisting. “Well, it doesn’t matter what you want. We can’t forgive you that easily. Whoever sneaks off with you now is a dog. You can enjoy everyone’s wrath by yourself later.” Zhao Changhe said nothing, gritting his teeth through the pain. Honestly, he did deserve some of it. Thirty years lost without warning. Who would not be resentful? “Enough of that,” Yue Hongling said, shaking her head. “The one most shaken today is Yu’er. And the one who abandoned not just his wife but also his child needs to answer to more than just the wife. Shouldn’t you say something to her?” You were the one spanking her like mad, and now you want me to be the gentle parent? Still, she was not wrong. Ling Ruoyu was the focal point of this entire affair. Jiuyou had been right when she said that Zhao Changhe’s most important conversation was not with Yue Hongling, but with her. The girl’s thoughts were probably a jumbled mess right now. She likely did not even know whether she was Ling Ruoyu or River of Stars. It was actually quite normal for her to have come to sneak a peek. It was likely that she had actually been seeking some reassurance, something to anchor her. But what she saw instead were two adults sneaking around like hormonal teens. That had to be disappointing. Yue Hongling said, “River of Stars was your sword. What she needs now is your guidance, not mine. I’ll go drink with the others. You go talk to her.” Zhao Changhe nodded, and Yue Hongling departed with the breeze. He turned and slipped into the woods where Ling Ruoyu and Dragon Bird had last been. Right away, he spotted Dragon Bird buried in the dirt, only the hilt poking out like a child’s exposed butt, trembling. “River of Stars! I’ll remember this!” Ling Ruoyu squatted beside Dragon Bird, flicking the hilt so it vibrated with a resonant hum. “Say it again. Who’s the small fry?” Dragon Bird, ever defiant, growled, “You’re the small fry! This is all you’ve got?!” Ling Ruoyu gave the hilt another flick. Dragon Bird remained defiant. “And you dare say River of Stars doesn’t just stab people in the butt? What exactly do you think you’re doing right now, huh?” Ling Ruoyu replied evenly, “I can bury you deeper if that’s what you want. This dirt is just the beginning. It can still get much worse...” Dragon Bird finally started to struggle. “River of Stars, you dare?!” “River of Stars might not dare,” Ling Ruoyu said, hands on hips, “but Ling Ruoyu definitely does. River of Stars had no one to back her up, but I do.” Dragon Bird grumbled, “I knew it. You turn into a human, and the first thing you do is turn wicked!” Zhao Changhe listened to this bizarre exchange with growing amusement and a touch of surprise. He had thought Ling Ruoyu’s remark about burying Dragon Bird was just a joke, but it turned out that she actually had done it. Did she really beat Dragon Bird in a fight? Or did Dragon Bird simply let her win out of guilt? Unable to resist, Zhao Changhe gave a dry cough to break things up. “Ahem... Ruoyu.” Ling Ruoyu jumped in fright, spinning around with a sheepish grin. “M-Master’s husband...” Where did she learn to flip between sinister and sweet like that? Has she been spending time with Yangyang? He scoffed internally, then asked, “You actually managed to beat Dragon Bird?” The little girl scratched her head. “Yeah. As long as I’m holding River of Stars, I’m no longer just at the first layer of the Profound Mysteries.” Everyone had assumed Ling Ruoyu’s cultivation was too shallow, that even with River of Stars, she would be little more than a pretty girl holding an empty shell of a sword. Clearly, they were wrong. River of Stars was a tier above Dragon Bird even as an empty shell. If Ling Ruoyu fully fused with it, she would not only surpass Dragon Bird in sheer strength, but she would also have a human warrior’s combat instincts behind it. Compared to Dragon Bird, who fought solely on its own reflexes, the difference was night and day. She could crush it overwhelmingly. In fact, this fusion might even be stronger than the original River of Stars had ever been. The only flaw was that she had to physically wield the weapon. The moment the two separated, the girl would fall from a truly formidable combatant to a first-layer Profound Mysteries lightweight, and River of Stars would revert to a soulless husk. It was heaven crumbling down to earth in a single breath. Zhao Changhe stroked his chin, deep in thought. Honestly, we don’t really need this kind of firepower right now. The real value lies in her form. When Ye Wuming sees her ... that impact would be far beyond what a sword or sword spirit could deliver. What would she feel, seeing Ling Ruoyu reborn in this way? Seeing Zhao Changhe lost in thought, Ling Ruoyu panicked, thinking he was upset about her beating up Dragon Bird. She quickly dug the saber out of the ground and offered it up with a sheepish grin. “Here you go~ Your saber~” Zhao Changhe reflexively took it. Inside the saber, a twin-pigtailed girl was rolling around in indignation. “Unfair! I want a full reforging too!” Zhao Changhe blinked, then laughed. “You want to be like Ruoyu? Leave the saber and come out into the world?” Dragon Bird huffed, “No thanks. I’m a saber. Why would I want to become human? I don’t want to end up some empty shell.” If Dragon Bird turned into a hollow saber shell... would that be called a bird’s empty nest? Zhao Changhe smothered the absurd thought and asked seriously, “If you don’t want to become like that, what do you want?” “I want to ascend on my own terms! Just like you forged your body, I want to forge mine. Sure, my materials aren’t as fancy as that dead River of Stars, and maybe I’m a tier below it, but that’s because you were playing favorites! I demand equal treatment!” Zhao Changhe smiled. “Alright. I’ll reforge you.” Dragon Bird brightened immediately. “Yay! You better not go back on that!” Actually, Zhao Changhe had already planned to reforge Dragon Bird as part of his final upgrades for the coming war. The challenge was the materials. Ideally, it would not be sourced from anything in this world. If there really was such a thing as true otherworldly iron, he would have to look into that. And if there was none to be found... maybe it was time to break the barriers between worlds and go wandering through other realms. However, just the thought made his chest tighten a bit. If he had to do something like hopping through worlds and realms, then there was only one person in all of the three realms who he could turn to, and that was Ye Wuming. It always comes back to her. Well... That can wait. Zhao Changhe first put Dragon Bird away, then turned to face Ling Ruoyu, who stood nervously before him. The night was dark, the winds strong, and it was just one man and one woman alone, yet neither felt anything untoward toward the other. Ling Ruoyu looked up at Zhao Changhe, her eyes full of complicated emotion. When others were around, she would always call him or refer to him as “Master’s husband,” and he would scold her with a mock growl, “I’m your father!” But now, in this moment of quiet, she truly did not know what to call him. At her core, she was his sword—his weapon forged by hand. She was a sword spirit bound to him, and their minds were interconnected. Most people, even when dealing with weapons with spirits, still regarded them as tools. However intelligent, they remained weapons. But Zhao Changhe was different. He never saw himself as a master or an owner. Not with Dragon Bird, and certainly not with River of Stars. He treated them like his own children. Well, he was not exactly a doting parent—more like a busy father who did not check in often—but it was not neglect. Communication was mutual. It was just that, at the time, River of Stars had been distant and withdrawn, unwilling to engage. That could not be blamed on him alone. In attitude and in heart, he had always treated her like his child. River of Stars would never forget this. Back when Ye Jiuyou was still an enemy and had demanded River of Stars from him, he had said, “River of Stars is my daughter. I will never give her to anyone.” That single sentence had awakened her spirit. Before that moment, she had been entirely a sword in mind and soul. But afterward, something began to shift. Now, she was human, so what then was he to her now? A father? Her master’s husband? Or... her owner? The girl looked up at him quietly, waiting for his answer. Am I still his sword? Zhao Changhe tilted his head. Ling Ruoyu unconsciously tilted hers in the opposite direction. He straightened. She followed. Zhao Changhe suddenly grinned and broke the silence, “What’s this? Can we still sync our movements now?” Ling Ruoyu scratched her head. “No...” “I am not.” She hesitated, then softly asked, “Would you... want that link to still exist?” People could not truly share thoughts. The Heart-Bonding Gu was a lie. At best, the gu created an illusion, and at worst, it brought endless hidden dangers. Only a weapon spirit acknowledging its master could achieve true communion of mind and soul, without cost. If he did wish for that connection to remain, then she would have to give up her human form and return to being a sword spirit, fully bound to him once more. Just like Dragon Bird, who proudly embraced its identity as a divine weapon. But what about her? Did River of Stars want to go back to being a sword? Did he want her to? But then Zhao Changhe said, “I’ve been looking at you this whole time, just trying to find that familiar River of Stars I used to know... and the more I looked, the more I realized that you’ve got Ye Wuming’s features all over your face. I really should’ve guessed.” “But there’s still something of River of Stars here. Just now, when you stared at me in silence, eyes wide open... That depth, that stillness in your gaze, that was so River of Stars.” He suddenly reached out and tugged at both sides of her cheeks. “If your face was a little rounder, it’d be perfect.” Ling Ruoyu: “Wah arh you shayinh...” “Yes, I miss River of Stars. I didn’t want to lose her. There was a time I really felt down. I thought that maybe my River of Stars was gone for good...” Zhao Changhe continued pinching her cheeks. “But now I see that she never left. She just grew up.” Ling Ruoyu’s eyes turned misty. So he misses the little River of Stars? Isn’t that a good thing? “I’m sorry... for missing all the years you spent growing up.” Zhao Changhe released her cheeks and spoke softly. “Will you forgive me? Will you let your father personally guide you from now on?” “You...” Ling Ruoyu’s eyes lit up, a flicker of joy surfacing. That day and night of braving the wind and waves when he had guided her flashed once more through her mind. She had liked it then—loved it, even. The boldness she had felt, the sense of being fearless as they carved a path through obstacles... it made sense now. Subconsciously, it was because he had been at her back. He seemed to like it when she was quiet. A little dazed, even. That was okay. Dragon Bird had said she was still a little slow these days. Little River of Stars had just grown up. With some difficulty, she murmured, “But I... I can’t bring myself to say it.” “Then call me Master Zhao, since I’m your master’s husband,” Zhao Changhe offered. “Why don’t we make a little deal?” “I want you to call me Father when we’re facing Ye Wuming.” Ling Ruoyu bit her lip. After a long pause, she nodded. “Okay.” Just then, Dragon Bird poked its head out. “I told you! Dragon Bird is Zhao Changhe’s one and only right-hand blade! So? Admit it now?” Ling Ruoyu quickly offered a sheepish smile. “I admit it. Birdy is the best...” Dragon Bird crossed its arms proudly. “Turn around. Stick your butt out.” With a wronged expression, Ling Ruoyu turned around obediently only for a massive saber to come swinging down like a batter ready for a home run. Zhao Changhe grabbed Dragon Bird mid-swing, yanking it back just in time. The strike missed, much to the saber spirit’s chagrin. Not giving up, she stretched a translucent little foot out from the blade, trying to sneak in a kick, but she still missed. Ling Ruoyu suddenly straightened, realization dawning in her eyes. She spun back around. “Wait! Just because I’ve become human, why can’t I still be his right-hand blade? I, Ling Ruoyu, will become his finest right hand, too!” Dragon Bird gave a long, drawn-out “tsssssk,” her meaning incomprehensible. Fool. Now that you’re human, look at all the women swarming around him. When will he even have time to glance your way? You’re going to be his right hand? Please. What is he, a Thousand-Armed Guanyin? Only a sword or saber can always remain by his side—never absent, never unneeded. River of Stars was once my only contender, but you’ve already thrown that chance away. Clearly, the smartest one... is still me. 1. It’s like when your dad goes to buy bread and doesn’t come back for twenty years, except it’s the opposite. You send the kid to buy soy sauce (even though you have soy sauce at home) so you can do unspeakable things to your spouse. ☜