Da Hao, standing to the side, felt something was off. "But this is the prize from the Martial Exhibition Ceremony. If the Kalevala delegation finds out… General Huaiyan, General, please say something!"
Huaiyan showed a wry smile. "Sigh, this old man's granddaughter has always been stubborn by nature. Yunli, are you really sure you want to do this?"
Yunli looked toward everyone. "What does… everyone think?"
Stelle pointed at Guyun nearby. "Why not ask Guyun's opinion?"
"Fulfilling the wish of Lord Guyun is precisely why I came to the Xianzhou. Idrila above—whether forging swords into plowshares or something else, as long as it allows Lord Guyun to end the fighting, I wholeheartedly approve!" Argenti said with a beaming smile.
Finally, Guyun gave its own answer. "Then I leave it to you, Yunli."
In the end, you all headed to the Five Arms Forge in the Artisanship Commission to borrow one of its furnaces.
— —
The scene shifted.
Guyun was slowly sinking into the scorching furnace.
Yunli had changed her mind. Looking at Guyun, she sincerely thanked it: "Meeting you in this way is my honor."
"And mine as well. Thank you, Yunli."
…
"Sigh…" Yunli sat on the steps, her face showing an indescribable discomfort.
"What are you feeling down about, little girl? Regretting it now?" Huaiyan teased from the side. "You were more resolute than anyone when melting the sword—how come now you look so reluctant?"
"Grandpa, I melted the prize from the Martial Exhibition Ceremony. How are you going to explain this to the Luofu?"
Huaiyan was immediately startled. "Good grief, such a tiny Yunli has grown such a huge conscience. Heh heh, not easy, not easy at all."
[Hahahaha, I lost it at that line.]
[These grandpa and granddaughter are so cute.]
[I'm smiling with relief too.]
[Huaiyan's character as an elder is portrayed so well.]
[Yeah, everyone loves this kind of mischievous old man. When the knife hits, it'll be extra sweet.]
— —
"Tch." Yunli huffed coldly. "Sigh, if only I had calmly talked it over with Grandpa from the beginning… maybe things wouldn't have blown up into such a huge commotion.
Still, Guyun getting its wish fulfilled is a good thing. I don't regret that part."
Huaiyan's smile faded. "Yunli… you and your father are at least similar in this regard. Do you still plan to continue recovering the other weapons forged by Hanguang?"
Yunli's answer held no hesitation. "Yes. Although Guyun is somewhat special, for most sword-bearers, a heliobus demonic sword is still far too dangerous. But next time before I act impulsively, I'll wait a bit first."
"Good, that 'wait a bit'." Huaiyan nodded in satisfaction. "Remember today—in the days to come, there will be many more things that require us to 'wait a bit'."
"Understood. But what about the prize?"
"Ever since you appeared at the sword-bestowing ceremony, alarm bells were ringing in Grandpa's heart. That's why I specially prepared another sword as a substitute. Rest assured—absolutely no heliobus was added to it!"
"That's really great!"
Huaiyan seemed to recall something. He turned to look at Stelle, who had been serving as background scenery. "By the way, the Kalevala envoy and that knight went to Aurum Alley together. They plan to pick a spot to commemorate the hero. Let's go take a look."
[So Stelle was here all along?]
[I was wondering where our protagonist went this whole time.]
…
Soon the three of them met up with Pavol in Aurum Alley.
Upon seeing Huaiyan and the others, Pavol responded politely. "Ah, General Huaiyan, what brings you here to observe the ceremony?"
"My granddaughter, after hearing the hero's legend told by 'Micah Chivasha,' was deeply inspired and specially asked me to bring her here to see."
Stelle pointed at the sapling nearby. "This golden sapling is…?"
Pavol patiently explained. "I am a descendant of the Kalevala monument guardians. My family has, for generations, been responsible for watching over the massive stone monument left by that nameless hero.
Over hundreds of years, a golden tree grew beneath the monument, its branches never withering. Kalevalans see it as proof of the myth's existence.
Before departing, I broke off a branch from that golden tree, hoping to transplant it here as a witness to the hero's return to his homeland."
Huaiyan stroked his beard. "Very good. Xianzhou people do not use coffins or memorial tablets. To rest in a bustling place on one's native soil, with people coming and going and the fires of life all around—surely he would be satisfied."
"The hero once asked the ancients to engrave certain words on the monument. During this visit, I also made rubbings of the text. Though time has eroded the inscription, it still seems legible."
Pavol's gaze fell on Huaiyan—he knew the elderly man before him should be able to understand the meaning.
Huaiyan walked up to the stele and examined it closely. "'Adrift in a foreign land, death imminent, yet mission unfailed.'
'If any passerby takes pity, please carry a handful of the yellow earth before the stele and return it for burial on the Luofu.'
Mr. Pavol, did this hero ever leave a name in your history?"
Pavol lowered his head somewhat ashamedly. "I'm sorry—the days when that hero fought are too far removed from us. He left no name by which others could call him. But in our myths, he came from the sky to the earth, and we call him the Cloud Knight."
Huaiyan nodded solemnly. "Welcome home, Cloud Knight."
Yunli also slowly walked up to the square stele. "You can rest well here now, Guyun."
[Welcome home, Cloud Knight!]
[Welcome home, Cloud Knight!]
[Welcome home, Cloud Knight!]
— —
Seeing everything settled, the crowd still lingered, unwilling to leave.
But one person in particular stood out conspicuously—even the background music turned cheerful.
Stelle slowly approached Argenti, who was radiating golden light all over. "Why are you still here?"
"Oh, my good friend. I suppose I'm technically an 'accomplice in sword theft'—General Huaiyan ordered me to stand punishment beside this golden sapling, reciting the story of the hero and this sword to passing pedestrians."
Argenti placed a hand over his chest. "How could this be called punishment? I accept it gladly! Spreading the faith of Beauty to the residents of the Xianzhou is precisely what I desire. However, after a while longer, I plan to leave the Xianzhou and continue my journey. I hope we meet again somewhere in the galaxy, my dear friend."
[Hahahaha, standing punishment!]
[I can only say—perfect fit for the job!]
[General Huaiyan, you're basically rewarding him!]
[Uh-oh, Argenti's having the time of his life.]
[Why reward him?]
[Next stop is Amphoreus—wonder if we'll run into Argenti there?]
At the end of the video.
Yunli placed an ordinary-looking ancient zither beside the golden sapling.
The body and strings seemed forged from some special metal.
Even without anyone touching the strings, it would occasionally emit a few notes, as if humming an off-key tune for someone.
Finally, the credits rolled: "Swords to Plowshares [Complete]!"