Chapter 72: Welcome Back

"Weapons?" Liu Ru repeated the word softly, as if unable to grasp its meaning.

After all, weren't weapons supposed to be tools forged from metal, designed for killing? Why would anyone refer to a person as a weapon?

Su Ziye, observing Liu Ru’s puzzled expression, smiled gently. "Let me give you an example."

"You’ve already witnessed the power of those monsters, haven’t you?"

"Yes." Liu Ru nodded. Though she hadn’t seen many, she had undeniably felt the presence of those monsters in this world.

"Becoming a monster is no easy feat. Likewise, making these monsters yours is an even more troublesome ordeal," Su Ziye said calmly. "In truth, most monsters in this world belong somewhere. Some are mere wanderers, but they all share one thing in common: none of them are easy to control."

"In ancient times, Celestial Beings were akin to gods. Now, while they aren’t common, it’s not an exaggeration for one to destroy a nation single-handedly."

"Therefore, these monsters are all strange and difficult to communicate with. To make them do anything requires a price. They’re neither convenient nor cost-effective."

"Sometimes, even if you painstakingly nurture a Celestial, you end up serving them as if they were a lord, and if they’re displeased, they might simply leave."

"By the way, almost all restrictive contracts in this world are meaningless to those Celestials who have touched upon the laws."

"In a sense, once someone enters the Celestial realm, they can act freely without restraint."

As Su Ziye explained, Liu Ru listened intently, gradually realizing what he was getting at.

"This is why weapons must exist," Su Ziye said with a smile. "Because weapons have no thoughts, they do not rebel. As long as someone wields them, they strike wherever commanded. If this weapon is the sharpest treasure in the world, its wielder becomes an uncrowned king."

"This is the original purpose behind the creation of weapons."

"To train someone absolutely powerful, absolutely obedient, and almost incapable of independent thought, to carry out the most difficult tasks."

Liu Ru considered this carefully.

She realized she could never do such a thing.

If she were truly that powerful, why would she obey someone else's orders—especially orders that treated her as less than human?

"How do they accomplish this?" Liu Ru recalled Xing Xi’s demeanor, recognizing how little interest she showed in anything else. From start to finish, she was solely focused on completing her mission, eliminating her target.

Other than that, she did nothing.

Mo Yun, for example, would at least sit and chat with Su Ziye.

"Only the most professional can achieve this," Su Ziye sighed. "These weapons are trained from infancy. Their personalities and memories are worn away, their will to obey is cultivated. This life continues for over a decade, until obedience is branded into their very bones."

Liu Ru thought for a moment, and felt a chill. "Is there no one to stop them?"

Su Ziye laughed. "They themselves are the strongest forces in this world. Who could possibly stop them?"

"Or rather, there is only one way."

"What way?" Liu Ru asked.

"Break the weapon before it is fully forged," Su Ziye said calmly.

Liu Ru recalled what the Star Lord had said at the end. Yes, at that moment, the Star Lord did indeed want to kill Xing Xi before she was ready.

"But you disagreed," Liu Ru said, looking at him.

"Why would I agree?" Su Ziye gazed at Liu Ru. "She is my sister."

"But you have many siblings, and you’ve watched them die or are about to die," Liu Ru retorted. "According to your own words, you were separated from her long ago, so why do you remember her so clearly, and refuse to let her go even now?"

"Because the one originally destined for hell was me," Su Ziye replied quietly.

"She took my place."

...

...

Beyond the towering dark city walls, the Master of the Mountain, clad in gray, appeared.

He looked up at the imposing walls, his expression somewhat complex.

Then the man extended a finger and tapped the air.

A strange, transparent ripple spread instantly, and Xing Xi, wearing her silver cloak, appeared before his fingertip.

The girl still held the posture and expression she had when he had taken her, but all that began to dissolve, like melting snow.

In the next moment, Xing Xi swiftly retreated a yard away, mimicking the move she had intended before.

"You’re no longer in Ye Night City," the Mountain Master said calmly.

Xing Xi glanced at him, then looked back at the city walls behind her. In an instant, she understood what had happened. Without a word, she turned and sped away, vanishing from the Mountain Master's sight in the blink of an eye.

"So this is what it feels like to release a tiger back into the wild," the Mountain Master said sincerely.

Just then, a voice sounded behind him: "Though our positions differ, allow me to thank you."

The Mountain Master turned, unsurprised, and saw the silver-haired, loose-robed middle-aged man. "You’re still alive?"

"Not for much longer," Xing He replied calmly. "News of her disappearance from Ye Night City has already spread, but I never thought you yourself would return her."

"It’s all thanks to her having a good brother," the Mountain Master said coolly. "But someone like you, so exceptional, will you continue to nurture this weapon like raising poisonous insects?"

"I am but a cripple," Xing He replied, gazing at him. "I doubt we’ll meet again."

"Is there nothing you want to ask me?" The Mountain Master lingered, exchanging a few more words.

"Anything I say to you here is overheard by others, so there’s nothing worth saying," Xing He said with a slight laugh. "But if you must, then pass on my thanks to that person."

"Understood." The Mountain Master replied, his form gradually fading from the air until he disappeared completely.

Xing He watched his departure, his expression unchanged. He snapped his fingers softly, vanishing from the spot, reappearing in a modest and cozy little house.

He sat quietly in the living room, as if waiting for something.

When a gentle knock sounded at the door, Xing He stood and went to let the girl inside.

The man looked at the silver-haired girl standing outside, noting her emotionless face, and smiled.

"Welcome home."