"Senior... I address you as such only because your cultivation is higher than ours," Li Xian said.
"But do you think it's that easy to get me to forgive you with just a couple of casual words?"
Xu Yanxi saw that Shen Qing was also reluctant to speak. She noticed the two standing side by side, like generals fighting side by side, seemingly invulnerable.
She secretly gritted her teeth. A flicker of anxiety and annoyance flashed across her eyes, but her face became even more loving.
"I know you don't trust me, so I'm here today to prove myself."
"Feng He, bring it out quickly," Xu Yanxi turned to ask Ban Fenghuo to bring over the food box in her hand.
Ban Fenghuo cooperated by taking out a small bowl of cheese from the food box and lowering her head as she offered it to Li Xian.
At first, Li Xian didn't want to take the bowl of cheese, but Ban Fenghuo kept getting closer intentionally or unintentionally. Li Xian had no choice but to quickly take the bowl and step back half a step while pulling Shen Qing with him.
Seeing Li Xian's reaction, Ban Fenghuo bit her lips and shot a resentful look at Li Xian, but said nothing and returned to Xu Yanxi's side.
"Li Xian, do you still remember this cheese? It was your favorite when you were a kid. You always said the cheese I made was the most delicious in the world," Xu Yanxi said.
"But after Yu Xuzi took you away, you've never eaten the cheese your mother made again. Quickly taste it and see if it still tastes the same as it did over a decade ago."
Li Xian kept a cold face and didn't move, but his eyes were fixed on the bowl of cheese.
Shen Qing didn't know what Xu Yanxi was up to. He was also afraid that there might be some poison in the bowl of cheese. He didn't know if he should persuade Li Xian not to eat it.
To everyone's surprise, Li Xian sneered and turned the bowl upside down, dumping all the contents on the ground.
"Li Xian! Your actions are really hurting the senior's feelings!" Ban Fenghuo exclaimed in shock. She immediately held onto Xu Yanxi tightly, as if afraid that she might faint from the shock.
Xu Yanxi bit her lower lip tightly. Her face turned pale and she staggered a step, almost falling to the ground.
"I dare not accept what you've brought. What if you've poisoned me?" Li Xian said sarcastically, his words harsh.
"Fine, fine, fine..."
Xu Yanxi took a deep breath to calm herself down. It seemed that she had made up her mind. She said to Li Xian, "Do you want to know who your father is?"
"I don't."
Li Xian refused without even thinking. But Shen Qing knew that Li Xian didn't really not want to know. He just didn't want to hear it from Xu Yanxi's mouth.
One could never tell which of Xu Yanxi's words were true and which were false.
Li Xian was about to turn around and leave when Xu Yanxi saw this and quickly shouted, "Don't you want to know why you've never been able to form a contract with your natal sword?!"
These words successfully stopped Li Xian in his tracks.
Only then did Shen Qing remember that Li Xian never called his sword by name when he summoned it.
He had thought that Li Xian's sword didn't have a sword spirit. Who would have thought that Li Xian hadn't even formed a contract with his sword.
Li Xian turned around and stared at Xu Yanxi gloomily. "Did you do something to it again?!"
Xu Yanxi laughed self - deprecatingly. "I don't have that kind of ability. Yu Xuzi gave you that sword because he knew only you could wield it. But Yu Xuzi didn't tell you the origin of the sword, did he?"
Li Xian pursed his lips tightly and clenched his fists.
Seeing that Li Xian seemed to be seeking an answer, Xu Yanxi continued, "Summon your sword and take a good look at whether there's a bright seven - colored pearl inlaid on the hilt of your sword."
Shen Qing vaguely remembered that there was indeed a pearl on Li Xian's sword.
Li Xian was silent. He summoned his sword as she said. The pearl on the hilt was shining, looking like a rare treasure.
He sneered. "You're not going to tell me that it's all because of this pearl that I can't form a contract, are you?"
"That's right!"
Xu Yanxi said firmly, "The pearl on this sword is your father! It's a relic left by your father!"
Li Xian tightened his grip on the sword and asked in a deep voice, "It's a relic from my father... But what does this have to do with my inability to form a contract?"
Xu Yanxi let out a bitter laugh. Her eyes seemed to be looking through Li Xian as she recalled the past.
"Your father wasn't human. His identity was special, so Yu Xuzi never dared to tell you your father's true identity."
"After your father died, only this pearl was left. To commemorate your father, I inlaid this pearl on the sword that Yu Xuzi prepared for you."
"But I didn't expect that this pearl left by your father seemed to have some kind of restriction that suppressed the sword spirit on your sword."
"Therefore! You couldn't form a contract."
Li Xian didn't completely believe Xu Yanxi's words, but there were no loopholes in her story. This made it hard for Li Xian to tell if she was telling the truth.
"Li Xian, I know that the harm I've caused you is irreparable. Let your mother do one last thing for you. Give me your sword. I'll help you take out the pearl. From now on, I won't interfere in your affairs anymore."
"Also, this pearl of your father contains a wisp of his divine soul. If you want to see your father, let me take out the pearl!"
Both points that Xu Yanxi mentioned were hard for Li Xian to refuse, but he really didn't trust Xu Yanxi. He hesitated.
Seeing that Li Xian still didn't give her the sword, Xu Yanxi gritted her teeth and knelt directly in front of Li Xian.
"Li Xian, I was wrong! Mother is kneeling down for you now. Please trust mother one more time, okay?!"
Xu Yanxi cried out hoarsely with tears all over her face. Li Xian involuntarily took a step forward and wanted to help Xu Yanxi up.
Shen Qing could tell that although Li Xian was cold towards Xu Yanxi, he still seemed to be hoping deep down that Xu Yanxi would change for the better.
After much thought, Li Xian thought that Xu Yanxi really couldn't do anything to the sword. He silently gave the sword to Xu Yanxi.
Xu Yanxi was overjoyed. She stood up with the support of Li Xian's arm and held onto him tightly. "Thank you for trusting me one more time."
Li Xian turned his head away, his face tense.
Ban Fenghuo took the sword from Xu Yanxi's hand. A flicker of success flashed across her eyes.
Just as Li Xian was awkwardly trying to pull his hand away, Elder Lianshan walked into the yard looking exhausted.
He seemed not to notice the people in the yard and walked directly towards Qing Qing's room.
Jiang Zhiyun and Qing Qing had been watching the people in the yard from the window. They were both greatly surprised to see Elder Lianshan suddenly barge in.
"Elder Lianshan, why are you here?"
Jiang Zhiyun quickly supported Qing Qing and walked towards Elder Lianshan.
But Elder Lianshan just blinked tiredly and said, "I have some private matters. I need to take Qing Qing away."
Jiang Zhiyun was a bit worried. "Where are you going? I'll go with you. I can take care of Qing Qing..."
"No, I only need to take Qing Qing."
Although Qing Qing thought that Elder Lianshan seemed a bit strange, seeing the exhaustion on his face and recalling the meticulous care Elder Lianshan had given him during this period, he agreed.