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Chapter 192, page 191: Lily converts to another sect and joins the Astrea Familia; the divine sword is reforged.

"Crunch—"

'

The paper was crumpled into a ball in his hand, then loosened due to his lack of strength.

Soma took a deep breath, as if trying to suppress the shock, anger, and deep shame that filled him.

He raised his head, and as his long bangs swayed, a complex light could be vaguely seen flickering in his eyes.

"I—I'm sorry." Somo's voice was dry and trembling.

He closed his eyes briefly, and when he opened them again, all that remained in them was an unfathomable weariness and a resolute acceptance: "I never imagined that the temptation of divine wine would lead children to such a state of depravity—"

"These people, from this day forward, are no longer members of my Soma clan! They are to be disposed of by the Ganesha clan according to the law!"

"Later, I will personally sever the favors I have shown them and thoroughly reorganize the clan."

He paused, looked at Gu Yuan, and added in a complex tone, full of lingering fear and relief: "Thank you, Gu Yuan."

"If you hadn't woken me up in this way, I don't know how much longer I would have been kept in the dark, or how much worse things would have gotten."

"Now—it's a stroke of luck amidst misfortune."

Right now they're only harming their own colleagues, but if one day they become blinded by greed and start harming outsiders, they could be labeled a dark faction by the guild.

At that point, there would truly be no hope of redemption.

Gu Yuan nodded slightly, accepting the gratitude.

But Lily, who was in his arms, looked flattered and surprised.

She never imagined that this high and mighty god would apologize to someone as insignificant as her.

Soma noticed Lily, and his tone softened with deep apology: "This child—I'm so sorry for her."

"The wine of God should not be given to children whose minds are not yet settled, but Chanis took advantage of this and caused her suffering—it was my dereliction of duty."

Gu Yuan snapped out of his daze, pulled Lily closer to him, and said in a gentle but undeniable tone, "It's too late to say all this now. Goddess Astraea has already taken her in, because the current Soma Familia is unable to provide her with the safety and care she deserves."

Soma understood the implied meaning. He first breathed a sigh of relief—the child had found a better home.

But then a wave of overwhelming shame washed over him, making it almost impossible for him to look directly into Lily's clear eyes.

As the supreme deity, he was unable to protect his own child and needed outsiders to provide shelter.

He nodded, his voice hoarse: "I understand. The favors bestowed upon Lily can be lifted at any time, and it might be better if Astraea takes care of her instead."

He looked at Gu Yuan, as if seeking a specific timeframe, "When is a convenient time for you?"

Gu Yuan lowered his head, looking at Lily with a questioning gaze.

Lily felt their gazes focused on her, and her little mind was momentarily overwhelmed by the sheer volume of information.

But then, after understanding everything, immense joy, like the dawning sun, instantly dispelled all the gloom!

She could finally truly become family with Brother Gu Yuan and Sister Alexie! She no longer had to worry about being taken back!

"Now!" she blurted out, her little hands gripping Gu Yuan's collar tightly as she looked up at him. "Brother Gu Yuan, Lily wants to go now! Is that okay?"

Looking into the girl's eager and hopeful eyes in his arms, Gu Yuan's last bit of worry vanished.

He looked up at Soma and said firmly, "Let's do it now, while Soma is here, and settle this matter."

Under Lily's expectant yet nervous gaze, Somo nodded and slowly extended his hand.

When the aura of grace symbolizing family completely disappeared from Lily's back, Lily felt the "grace" power originating from Soma within her recede like a tide.

However, the loss of power did not bring any sense of loss; instead, it brought an unprecedented sense of ease and relief, as if a heavy burden had been lifted.

She hugged Gu Yuan tightly, burying her face in his firm chest, inhaling his reassuring scent, with only one crystal-clear thought echoing in her mind:

Go home! Hurry back to the Garden of Stars, the home that truly belongs to her!

Soma left with mixed feelings. Before leaving, he turned his back to the crowd and said in a low voice, "She is free. Later, I will offer an apology, not to excuse my mistakes, but to do my part for this child's future."

Watching Somona's departing figure appear particularly lonely, Gu Yuan silently hugged Lily tightly in his arms, then turned and returned to the Star Garden.

He was thinking to himself:

Nearly three hundred members of the Soma clan, including Chanis, were imprisoned. Soma himself apologized and promised to rectify the situation.

This swift and decisive action, coupled with the relatively proper handling of the aftermath, should not have diminished his impression of Astraea, the goddess of justice.

"Once Hephaestus finishes reforging the divine sword, I'll have to go back first."

He thought to himself, "But I will definitely come back in the future, so I must maintain good relations here."

As for whether those who were imprisoned will retaliate after their release, Gu Yuan is not worried about it.

By the time they are released from prison, Lily, under the tutelage of the Astrea Familia, will likely have already become an excellent intermediate adventurer.

At that time, why would we fear a group of former scum who are only level 2 at most, have lost the support of the divine wine, and have no fighting spirit?

Back in the Star Garden, they were immediately enveloped by warm lights and the sounds of bustling people.

Alexie was the first to rush forward, her face beaming with a bright and concerned smile, followed by the other members of her clan, who had clearly been waiting for some time.

Under the gentle and sacred witness of the goddess Astraea, Lily successfully completed her conversion ceremony.

As the mark of justice, representing the clan, was placed on her back, Lily looked around at the faces filled with sincere welcome. Her face flushed with excitement, and her eyes welled up with tears.

"Welcome home, Lily."

Astraea looked at the little girl, whose joy and sense of belonging could no longer be contained and overflowed from the bottom of her heart, and her eyes were filled with love.

"Mmm!" Lily nodded vigorously, raising her moist eyes, everything understood without words.

After a brief celebration, Gu Yuan rested for a while, took a shower, changed clothes, and had lunch. He felt all the fatigue from the past few days had vanished.

Afterwards, he took the [Earth Core], Divine Sword Fragments, Floor Master Materials, and a large number of high-level magic stones he had obtained from this trip to the dungeon, and went out again, heading straight for the forge in the Northwest District.

He planned to make the most of these precious materials, not only to reforge the divine sword but also to create a series of top-tier equipment for any eventuality.

"—With my current strength, when I go back, that Celie guy will definitely be very surprised."

As he walked, he pondered, feeling the surging power within him. A confident smile curved his lips. "Although my magical cultivation hasn't progressed much, it doesn't matter. I'll deal with the Demon King first, and then I'll have plenty of time to delve deeper."

With these thoughts in mind, he stepped lightly into the workshop of Hephaestus's Familia once again and found the goddess of forging at leisure.

"All the materials are ready."

Gu Yuan placed the [Earth Core] and a pile of precious materials shimmering with various colors on the workbench. "Let's begin. Reforge my sword, and these too—forge them all into the best equipment."

Hephaestus looked at the dark yellow crystal core on the stage, which seemed to embody the essence of the earth, a slight smile playing on his lips, and a gleam of excitement flashing in his eyes.

"Not bad, I didn't expect you to get it so quickly. But the other equipment—"

"I understand, I'll pay more."

Gu Yuan readily replied, "Money is no problem, we just can't waste it. Of course, we can also call Chun and the others. You wouldn't refuse business coming to your door, would you?"

"good."

Hephaestus was satisfied with the leader. Although he did not refuse business, it was a waste of his talents to have ordinary equipment forged by himself.

She summoned Chun and several other skilled blacksmiths who were available, then, holding a hammer, turned to the red-hot iron felt and placed the fragments of the divine sword on it.

She knew that a divine weapon beyond the ordinary was about to be born in her hands.

"Clang!"

The furnace fire illuminated her focused face; the forging had already begun.

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