"Um, I am very sorry!"
Miyuki didn't immediately reach for the prize. Instead, she bowed deeply to the young girl in front of her. "My sudden action earlier must have put you in a difficult spot, Miss Referee!"
"Sudden action? Oh, you mean crushing the badge."
Yunli blinked, quickly realizing what she meant.
She waved her hand dismissively, proactively stuffing the orb into Miyuki's hand. "It's fine. You let me witness a very meaningful battle. That's payment enough."
As a sword-forging prodigy of the Zhuming, Yunli could naturally communicate with weapons. Through the Sunfire Greatsword, she had read parts of Miyuki Asakura's rugged past.
Whether the duel was exciting was secondary; the fact that Miyuki completed a spiritual metamorphosis and growth during the fight was the value Yunli truly appreciated.
" Regardless, thank you very much!"
The pink-haired girl bowed again before checking the item description.
[Name: Thousand Forms · Peerless Hero]
[Grade: B]
[Category: Personal Armament]
[Effect: An orb that draws upon life force. Once swallowed, it fuses with the heart.
Using one's own life force, the user can manifest and control any number of energy weapons. The shape and quantity are entirely up to the user's discretion. It is even possible to instantly manifest a ship-cleaving sword as large as a mountain, weighing thousands of tons.
The larger and more complex the construct, the higher the life force consumption.]
[Note: Break the shackles, let your imagination run wild. Do not be bound by common sense. Remember: you are omnipotent.]
Due to certain childhood experiences, a younger Yunli had once deeply loathed demonic swords that drained their master's life.
But later encounters taught her that not all such weapons represented evil, calamity, or bad omens.
The current Yunli no longer held such extreme black-and-white views. Though, had it been the old her, she wouldn't have just refused to forge Thousand Forms · Peerless Hero—she would have tossed it into the furnace the moment she saw it.
"This is..."
Opposite her, Miyuki stared blankly after reading the description.
Everyone else instinctively looked at Fuli. The reason was simple: this orb's effect was essentially the same as his Projection ability, just swapping Honkai energy consumption for life force.
Clearly, Yunli's selection was intentional.
She had learned of Miyuki's past and aspirations through the Sunfire Greatsword and custom-tailored this item specifically for her.
"Well? Do you like it?"
Yunli crossed her arms, asking proudly. "Anyone else using it would probably curse up a storm, but for you, it should be the perfect support partner."
"Yes! Thank you—thank you so much!"
The little girl gripped the orb tightly, an involuntary, shy smile spreading across her face.
"A hero with a thousand forms? That sounds wonderful..."
"Ugh..."
A ghostly groan came from the side, making Miyuki jump.
It was Yuno.
She was looking at the description of the pair of bracelets in her hand with a face full of resentment.
[Name: One-Third Altar Sea Great God Bracelets]
[Grade: C]
[Category: Item]
[Effect: A secret treasure forged by the contemporary Zhuming Artisan Yunli, named after a portion of the titles of the Great God of the Three Altars of the Sea (Nezha). It takes the form of a pair of golden bracelets.
When worn and infused with Honkai energy, a pair of brand-new arms will grow from the user's ribs beneath the armpits. These arms are as dexterous and developed as the original ones. The user adapts instantly with zero incoordination, as if they were born with them.
The user can voluntarily dismiss the ability, or the arms will vanish automatically upon removing the bracelets.]
[Note: "I have three heads and six arms. He has two heads and four arms."
"What about me?"
"One head, two arms (implying '2B' / Idiot)."]
"Why is my prize like this?" Yuno complained gloomily. "It's one thing that the grade is lower, but the design is so ugly."
Growing two extra arms? That was a catastrophic blow to a magical girl's image!
"Who told you to insta-kill your opponent with a type-advantage ability right at the start? There was zero entertainment value," Yunli replied matter-of-factly. "According to the higher-ups, you contributed zero traffic or topicality. Most of the audience complained the match was too fast and boring. Giving you a baseline C-rank item instead of a D-rank pity prize is already giving face to Schicksal."
"It works like that?!"
Yuno was dumbfounded, once again witnessing the dirty nature of the adult world.
"Anyway, put them on and test the effect first," Himeko urged, clearly just wanting to watch the chaos. "It's a C-rank item, after all. An extra pair of arms is a solid boost to combat capability."
Yuno suspected this older woman just wanted to see her make a fool of herself as revenge for the "elderly" comment earlier.
Still, she obediently put on the golden bracelets. With a whoosh, two white arms burst out from the sides of her ribs, lifting her clothes.
"It really is super ugly..."
Yuno sighed. She didn't even need a mirror to feel the distinct vibe of an avant-garde freak.
I'll just ask Principal Theresa to help exchange it for another item of the same grade when we get back to St. Freya.
I'm not messing around! Only by keeping a beautiful mood can I prevent my mind from being polluted by the dark side of Honkai energy. Otherwise, why would they make Valkyrie battlesuits so pretty?
Justifying it to herself, Yuno suddenly felt a spark of playfulness. She mimicked a line from a recently trending movie character: "No good! They're trying to break the cauldron! Deeply rooted!"
Miyuki Asakura subconsciously picked up the next line: "You were born a Demon Orb! This is destiny!"
"Screw your destiny!" Yuno followed up, raising all four arms dramatically high. "My fate is my own, not heaven's! Whether I'm a demon or a god, only I get to decide!"
The girls exchanged a look after finishing their routine, then burst into laughter simultaneously.
Their bright and gentle laughter wove together, echoing over the empty arena.
Tsk tsk tsk. Just got the Nezha bracelets and they're already quoting the movie.
Yunli shrugged at the duo's awkward acting. Seeing that her business here was done, she turned to leave.
Someone tapped her on the shoulder from behind. "Libao, Libao—cough, Miss Yunli."
"Something else?"
The girl glanced at Fuli's clean, handsome face, her eyes flickering before quickly looking away.
This guy's looks... oddly hit my strike zone.
"Nothing major, I just wanted to ask Miss Yunli something." The boy rubbed his hands together expectantly. "The Luminous Glazed Sword Soul... does that weapon set have an owner right now?"
The Luminous Glazed Sword Soul—Fuli's main weapon in the previous timeline.
It consisted of the Luminous Sword Heart Array as the core and twenty-four Peaceful Glazed Han Swords, also forged by the hands of this contemporary artisan, Yunli.
Its power was absolutely god-tier, unfortunately completely destroyed in the final battle against Shuhu.
Fuli's thought process was simple: In the last loop, he used the Luminous Glazed Sword Soul as his main and the Plasma Kage-Hide as his sub. Since he already secured the latter, maybe the former was open for negotiation?
Who could have guessed that the moment he uttered the six words "Luminous Glazed Sword Soul," Yunli's expression would panic visibly?
H-How does he know that name too?!
That sword array was something I secretly forged for my hypothetical future husb—husb—husband! I haven't told a single soul until now!
Before Yunli, whose heart was currently churning like a storm, could organize her words to ask how he knew, a brilliant halo of light suddenly erupted, enveloping both her and the big boy in front of her.
It was the team-up glow for the official tournament. It signified that for the upcoming Wardance Ceremony, the Matrix of Prescience had assigned them to the same team.
Yunli: ?
Yunli: Σ(ŎдŎ|||)ノ
Fuli: (≧▽≦) /
The Li-Li Combo is invincible!
Together, we are omnipotent!
---||---
As the sanctuary where the Luofu's High Elders and dragon kin have resided for generations, the scenery of the Scalegorge Waterscape was particularly magnificent.
Leaden clouds dyed the entire sky a somber gray. The Palace of the Astrum, standing tall at the edge of the ancient sea, acted as a beacon spanning eons, exuding a vast and solemn grandeur.
Beside a lonely pavilion on the border of the Lunarescent Depths, a hazy mist quietly appeared.
As the mist coalesced, a voice sounded, mixing lingering fear with a poorly hidden smugness:
"Whoa, that was dangerous! Good thing I kept a trick up my sleeve, or I definitely would've folded under that little girl's One-Inch Punch."
The mist solidified, finally taking the form of a tall, graceful, and beautiful figure.
Silky light purple hair, a pair of fluffy, twitching fox ears atop her head, and a large, fluffy tail swaying gently—it was the simulation of Baiheng who had just fought Miyuki Asakura in the arena.
"Mmm~"
She stretched lazily, as if trying to dispel all the tension accumulated from the battle.
Then, she muttered with some regret, "Pity I didn't make it in time to see the excitement over at the Celestial Phoenix's side... For someone who used to be a Nameless, that's a massive loss!"
"But well, another wish I've been longing for has finally been granted."
Baiheng turned her head, looking toward a figure quietly emerging from the depths of the pavilion. Her tone mixed playfulness with intimacy. "Right? My cute Jingliu-liu~"
The newcomer pursed her thin lips. A pair of soul-stirring crimson eyes were covered by a blindfold, yet it couldn't hide the complex emotions flowing from her gaze.
"You are not her."
Jingliu's voice was soft, like the sea breeze brushing over the ancient waters, revealing an imperceptible bitterness.
Baiheng immediately started shouting in dissatisfaction. "Hey, hey, hey! I turned myself into this wretched state just to sneak out and see you, and you start off with such a vibe-killing truth?"
She leaned back exaggeratedly, collapsing onto the stone bench under the pavilion with zero elegance. Then, she spoke somewhat impatiently, "Got booze? Got booze? I just fought a fierce battle and ran all this way scared out of my wits. My throat is so dry it's about to smoke!"
"...I do."
Jingliu fell silent for a moment before walking over to sit opposite her.
With a flip of her pale hand, she produced a quaint wine pot and two warm, translucent jade cups like a magic trick, placing them on the stone table between them.
"Just gonna stare at it?" Baiheng deliberately put on a stern face, adopting the posture of a hooligan harassing a decent woman. "Hey girl, chop-chop! Fill it up for your lord!"
"Yes, yes, yes."
The response, melted with helplessness and indulgence, slipped out subconsciously. Even Jingliu herself was stunned after saying it.
But she complied, lifting the pot, uncorking it, and slowly pouring the clear, nectar-like liquid into the cup.
A rich aroma of wine filled the air. Baiheng's eyes lit up, and she impatiently grabbed the cup nearest to her.
First, she took a cautious sip, and then her fox ears and fluffy tail shot up in pure delight.
"Good stuff! Never had this before. What's it called?"
"Fuli Type-II Secret Brew."
Jingliu filled a cup for herself and answered calmly.
This was a specialty product launched jointly by Massive Electric Corp and the current High Elder of the Vidyadhara, Bailu. Its main ingredients were diluted Fuli Well water and Scalegorge ice spring water, supplemented by various rare herbs and fruit wines.
The taste was mellow and lingering, the color deep, and it had the miraculous effect of stabilizing one's spiritual foundation and nourishing the soul. A rare tonic.
Unfortunately, for the two present, it served only to satisfy the craving of the tongue.
"Mm-hm, not bad, not bad!" Baiheng took two more sips, clicking her tongue in wonder. "If this existed back when I was alive, I would've made it the designated drink for our gatherings! Just don't know if it's expensive?"
"Enough to make you drink until you vomit at the smell of alcohol."
Jingliu refilled her cup.
Fuli had hauled a ton of this stuff into the Ghost Mansion a couple of days ago to drink as soda. The pot she held was just grabbed conveniently—emphasizing quantity, fullness, and zero cost.
Naturally unaware of the context, Baiheng sighed, "So you're actually quite rich now."
"You aren't here, so no one wastes my salary on fines. Imbibitor Lunae and Yingxing aren't here, so no one trains with me, saving on arena repair costs."
"Is that so..."
Baiheng nodded thoughtfully. She casually placed the empty cup aside, stood up, and dusted off her clothes. "Since we're both idle, walk with me?"
"Alright."
Jingliu drained her cup and stood up as well.
Carrying their removed boots, the two walked barefoot side by side along the desolate yet tranquil coastline of the Lunarescent Depths.
The tide rose and fell, waves gently lapping against the reefs, swallowing the footprints of varying depths on the sand.
It was as if they had returned to the past. Baiheng chattered away, vividly recounting various strange and funny stories from her time as a pilot.
Jingliu mostly listened quietly, the corners of her lips occasionally curling into an imperceptible arc, nodding in response now and then.
Throughout the walk, the swordmaster never removed the blindfold covering her eyes, and Baiheng tacitly never asked.
Pale purple and frosty silver hair interwove in the blowing night wind. The afterglow of the setting sun pierced through the dark clouds, plating the silhouettes of the heroes with a pale halo.
Regrettably, all good things must come to an end.
As time passed, mist began to drift from Baiheng's body, and her figure gradually became illusory.
"Time's almost up."
The eternal sound of the tide echoed in her ears, yet Baiheng remained cheerful. There wasn't much regret in her voice.
She was actually quite satisfied.
The fox girl didn't believe her little maneuvers could truly hide from the Alliance's higher-ups. It was more likely they had intentionally allowed it.
Even if it was just a simulation, it was a chance for the former heroes to take one last look at this beautiful world they had fought to the death to protect, to see the myriad lights of the peaceful homes.
"..."
Hearing this, Jingliu fell into a long silence.
She was already cold and reticent by nature; now, she seemed to turn into a statue by the sea, making the surrounding air feel solid.
Baiheng acted as if she didn't notice the heavy atmosphere at all.
"Actually, reading about the messy things that happened to us later from the memories... although I was shocked at first, to be honest... I wasn't too surprised."
She stood on her tiptoes mischievously, gazing at the misty horizon, letting the cold seawater wash over her somewhat translucent bare feet.
"After all, our High-Cloud Quintet was a makeshift team of misfits cobbled together from all over, wasn't it? You came from the destroyed Cangcheng world; Yingxing was an Outworlder from the Zhuming; the Moon-Sucker was the High Elder of the Luofu Vidyadhara; Jing Yuan was born into a family that served the Earth Commission for generations yet insisted on taking you as his master; and I was a troublemaker who caused disasters three times a day, making people chase me up and down constantly."
"But we just happened to be too good at fighting, and accidentally became heroes sung by everyone," she quipped. "In the end, all those reckless things we did back then have now become 'personality' and 'virtues' in the eyes of others. This world really is snobbish, isn't it? Very snobbish!"
Seeing Baiheng's figure growing fainter, almost merging with the sea breeze and mist, Jingliu couldn't hold back anymore. "So... what exactly are you trying to say?"
"I just want to tell you—stop obsessing over the past! My overly worrisome Sword Champion!"
The fox girl turned her back to the setting sun, holding a pair of half-vanished boots in her hand. Her face bloomed with the brilliant smile from Jingliu's memories. "From ancient times to now, there have been plenty of people smarter than you and me. But even among those geniuses, how many truly lived their lives with clarity?"
"If you ask me, the only way to call a life 'successful' is to finish it in a way you approve of."
"Because life is a one-quarter-credit clear game. But for every player, death is random, and life is impermanent. People don't always die when they're old; people can die at any time."
"All we can do is leave a few more marks of our own on this world while we're still alive."
"However, marks left in the material world—fame, fortune, money, bloodlines—will eventually dissipate." Baiheng pointed to her heart, her voice becoming ethereal. "Only the things truly left in your heart—those experiences, emotions, and realizations—are things no one can take away. Those are truly yours."
"So, Jingliu-liu, while you can still move, while you still have strength, go experience more! Participate in this world as much as possible! Go and have a good fight with everything in this world! Fighting with heaven and earth is endless fun, hahahaha!"
She laughed as she walked deeper into the sea, her figure dissipating in the mist and shimmering light.
"This trip to the mortal world, I played to my heart's content. It wasn't a waste!" Her final words carried on the wind: "I did it. What about you?"
The lunar blindfold on Jingliu's face dissolved into specks of light, revealing those deep, crimson eyes.
Staring blankly in the direction her friend had vanished, she whispered after a long time, "I don't understand."
"I figure the current you can't listen to reason!"
Baiheng, who should have completely disappeared, suddenly spoke right in her ear. "Then I'll put it simply. All pain comes from sexual repression. Life is short, fall in love, girl!"
"You can't go your whole life without experiencing the taste of a man, right? With your looks and body, you're top-tier, you old popsicle! Find a young, strong piece of fresh meat who can handle a beating and break your fast! Experience the joys of life! Hahahahaha!"
This time, with the dissipation of the last wisp of mist, Baiheng finally vanished completely into the tide of the Lunarescent Depths.
Willful, unique, and free.
Just like the epitaph that might have been carved on her tombstone:
A free ranger, a carefree Nameless. Pilot Baiheng, never bound by gravity in her life.
The sea breeze, carrying a melodious scent, blew Jingliu's frost-like long hair.
"Heh, talking about me..."
She snorted softly, looking at the empty sea surface. The corner of her lips hooked up in a faint, yet very real smile.
"Even you... didn't you also fail to fall in love in time?"
Goodbye, Baiheng.
Meeting you was truly wonderful.
---||---
Upon learning that she was teamed up with Fuli, Yunli was initially embarrassed and awkward.
Due to certain special relationships with the Alliance's higher-ups, combined with the special point deduction required for Limit Break status, her personal point account was naturally burdened with a debt of over twenty thousand.
Anyone teaming up with her would inevitably complain about falling into a pit. Plus, having poked Fuli's wound earlier, the Barefoot Immortal, usually known in the Alliance for her fiery temper, had become as docile as a kitten who made a mistake. It was like she was a different person.
———Until their point pools officially merged.
"[Zhuming Profanity!] I thought my starting debt of negative twenty thousand was hellish enough, but how is there such a master among the common folk?!"
Libao let out a high-pitched screech. "And he's actually my teammate?! You surnamed Fu, don't come over! Stay away from me!"
Diablo and Bu Jingyun rushed over to give a thumbs up.
Regrettably, the team selection calculated by the Matrix of Prescience was something even Yunli couldn't oppose.
After all, you can't use a Zhuming sword to slash a Luofu official.
Helpless, the girl could only hang her head dejectedly and exchange contact info with Fuli, agreeing to meet up when the official matches started tomorrow.
Then she turned and left, her rapidly shrinking back looking very much like she was fleeing in panic.
Fuli, on the other hand, was quite happy. Thinking back, the last time he teamed up to fight alongside Libao felt like a lifetime ago.
As mentioned before, since his rebirth, he had tried to avoid actively contacting acquaintances from his past life, fearing these sharp-witted or hyper-intuitive folks would spot something amiss.
Case in point: Yunli just now was a living example.
Of course, this absolutely didn't mean Fuli didn't want to reconnect with these old friends with whom he shared life-and-death bonds.
This unexpected team-up undoubtedly gave him a perfect opportunity to re-establish a connection with this close friend in a reasonable, non-suspicious way.
"Will our paths converge beneath the sun ♪~"
Thus, after bidding farewell to everyone from St. Freya Academy, Fuli, walking alone on the path to the Ghost Mansion, was in a rarely cheerful mood. He even unconsciously hummed a tune from Robin's new album.
This guy Fuli, his head really was full of himself...
That is, until he pushed open the mansion doors and smelled the thick aroma of alcohol permeating the entire residence.
The boy was startled. He looked closely and saw that the jars originally storing the Fuli Type-II Secret Brew in the corner of the hall were all shattered!
Even stranger, the floor was clean, without a single drop of leftover wine!
Evaporated?
Obviously impossible.
Could it be... someone drank it all...?
No no no no, impossible, impossible. That was tons of liters!
Just as he was bewildered—
Crash!
Another crisp sound of a shattering jar came from behind him.
Fuli's body stiffened. He turned tremblingly toward the source of the sound.
Hic!
Cold moonlight filtered through the window, illuminating the culprit leaning against the broken wine rack.
Jingliu's usually meticulously tied silver-white hair was now draped messily over her shoulders. Her eyes were glazed, her cheeks flushed—a tantalizing sight.
"Hic! Hehe... L-Little Brother~ You're here..."
The swordswoman, having just parted ways with Baiheng again, let out a completely unladylike belch. It was obvious she was smashed.
In her hand, she still gripped the ephemeral ice sword emitting biting cold air; the air around the blade seemed about to freeze into frost.
The blindfold was long gone, revealing a pair of crimson eyes misty with intoxication. Her gaze swirled with charm, yet radiated an overwhelming sense of danger.
"You came! Ha... just in time!"
[Bad news! Host, run! She wants the joystick!]
In an instant, Fuli and his thigh-accessories all sensed the predatory, licking gaze of the beautiful master locking onto him.
Prometheus immediately issued a highest-level alert!
[Run? Why run?] Dr. Mei stopped him righteously. [A teacher's duty lies in teaching books and rearing people. Since Jingliu has been teaching the Host swordsmanship, this rearing part naturally needs to catch up.]
She smiled beamingly. [Martial arts by day, marital arts by night!]
"We've always practiced martial arts at night before—wait, no! That's not the point! Do fissure creatures get drunk too?!"
Or could it be that the Jingliu I've been sparring with all this time is the real... No no no, that would be too coincidental!
Anyway, run first!
Realizing something was wrong, Fuli's expression turned grave. He summoned the wind around his body, ready to bolt.
Smack!
A hand, cold as ice but abnormally strong, clamped onto his shoulder like an iron pincer.
"Y-You're not leaving!"
The peerlessly powerful Sword Champion issued a drunken command. The corners of her mouth curled into a wild, reckless smile tinged with wickedness—a stark contrast to her usual cold image. "Come on, Little Brother. Keep Big Sister company... and let me vent properly!"
"J-Jingliu Master, no!"
"Let this round of moonlight—illuminate a thousand rivers!!!"
"Hehe, hahaha, hahahahahaha!"
The mansion's heavy doors were shut and locked by an invisible force. Only indistinct, strange noises intermittently leaked through the cracks.
Adding yet another stroke of evocative, eerie legend to the mansion already shrouded in ghost stories.