"Follow me?"
Keqing's eyes were wide with uncertainty.
"A sword… with this level of intelligence? And it actually wants to follow me?"
She hesitated, frowning slightly. "Wait, this sword… why is it—"
Before she could finish, the Azure Frost Sword erupted in a dazzling flash. A blade of light swept across the distant bamboo grove, and in the next heartbeat, hundreds of meters of bamboo—and even the hard stone beneath—were all neatly severed in one clean stroke.
The Azure Frost Sword slipped from Jiang Yan's hand and danced through the air in proud, jaunty loops, as though saying:
"Forget that useless toothpick. Take me instead—I'll carry you to the heavens!"
Jiang Yan flicked the sword's hilt with mild annoyance, sending a ripple of spiritual light outward. In an instant, the ruined bamboo grove knit itself back together as if nothing had happened.
Keqing glanced down at the broken halves of her beloved Lion's Roar sword. Her mood twisted into something complicated.
That blade had been purchased at great cost by her family from far-off Teyvat, and it had fought by her side through countless battles. Though not a legendary artifact, it was still a weapon of rare and formidable quality.
And now…
It had been cut clean through, without effort—by a sword with a mind of its own.
Who was she supposed to complain to about that?
Yet…
A fire lit in Keqing's gaze as she stared at the Azure Frost Sword.
What a domineering blade!
If she could wield this sword… why would she cling to the Lion's Roar, which suddenly felt cumbersome by comparison?
This sword's presence alone seemed to outshine many of the artifacts spoken of in legend.
"In general terms," Zhongli observed after a thoughtful pause, "this sword is not inferior to my own Vortex Vanquisher."
Jiang Yan chuckled wryly and summoned the broken halves of the Lion's Roar to his hand. Even he had to marvel at the Azure Frost Sword's ferocity—not only had it severed the weapon, but its pure sword qi had shredded the internal structure beyond repair.
This was a blade with the temperament of an unruly child.
"My apologies, Miss Keqing. Your Lion's Roar is beyond saving," he said gently. "The Azure Frost Sword has taken a liking to your sword body. This display of power was its way of declaring its intent. The choice is yours—"
He gestured to the broken weapon. "If you wish, I can restore this sword for you. Or… you can accept the Azure Frost."
Keqing was silent for a moment before asking, "If my Lion's Roar were restored through cultivation, could it ever match the Azure Frost's strength?"
Jiang Yan opened his mouth, but the Azure Frost Sword vibrated sharply in protest—were it not for his restraint, it looked ready to hack at the Lion's Roar again.
After calming it, Jiang Yan answered, "Unlikely. Even with identical forging methods, the materials are worlds apart. The Azure Frost was forged from mysterious star-iron from the Dark Sea, fused with the remains of a sword once equal or superior to your Lion's Roar. Its potential is vast, and it has already awakened a spirit. Your current sword… could at best reach the level of a low-grade magic weapon."
Keqing nodded slowly.
"Then there's no need to think it over. If the Azure Frost has chosen me, I'll take it—and grow stronger alongside it. I believe it will make me far more powerful."
"A wise choice," Jiang Yan agreed. "Its ceiling is far beyond the middle-grade magic weapon class. With the right materials and reforging, and with your sword body's essence nurturing it, it could one day become a spirit treasure—or even higher. It will be with you for a long time. And trust me—its boost to your power will far surpass any so-called artifact."
As he released the blade, the Azure Frost Sword shot to Keqing's side, humming insistently.
"You're calling to me, aren't you?" she said softly, a smile playing at her lips. "Don't worry. I won't let you down. We'll grow stronger together… Please take care of me, Azure Frost."
Her hand closed around its hilt.
In that instant, a torrent of sword intent roared skyward, parting the clouds as if heaven itself had been sliced open. High above, a fine, endless sword scar stretched across the sky.
The surge of power forced Ningguang and Ganyu back—Jiang Yan caught them before they stumbled.
Zhongli's brows knit. He sensed something awakening deep within Keqing's being.
With the Azure Frost in hand, she might now be able to threaten even certain immortals.
A single weapon, raising someone's combat strength this much?
His eyes flicked to the distant sword forest, wondering if perhaps he, too, might be chosen.
"Congratulations, Miss Keqing," Jiang Yan said with a nod. "Your sword body has awakened. In time, the Azure Frost will become your life-bound treasure. For one with a sword body, the right blade creates a power far greater than the sum of its parts."
Keqing needed no lecture to feel it. The moment she gripped the sword, her path in swordsmanship had become startlingly clear. Her techniques grew sharper, her elemental power nearly doubled—and all of it came from within.
Is this… the difference between an Archon's blessing and a Demon God's kinship? she wondered.
"Furthermore," Jiang Yan added, "the Azure Frost can fight independently. Even if you're unable to battle, it will defend you—and if defeat is inevitable, it will carry you away on its blade."
The others looked on with undisguised envy.
A sentient sword of such power…
Even without a wielder, its strikes rivaled the mightiest visions. In Keqing's hands—someone with a sword body—it was practically terrifying.
But the sword forest offered them no such fortune. Only a single longblade drifted briefly to Shenhe before losing interest and departing.
It became clear that only those with truly special constitutions could easily attract a weapon's spirit.
Collecting the Lion's Roar's remains for its valuable materials, Jiang Yan led the group away from the sword forest toward a fenced-off clearing.
"Here," he said with a smile, "you'll be able to use your disciple tokens to call forth the Rainbow Bridge—and ascend to the Seven Peaks of Mount Shu."
"Rainbow Bridge?" Ganyu echoed in curiosity.
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