The Dragon King Ao Guang couldn't help but smile slightly.

He smiled at Princess Pianpian and said, "Pianpian, do you think Ma Ji will keep the Demon Lord's Sword for himself? Even I find it hard to resist such a treasure. This ancient sword from the primordial times is extremely rare now. On our planet, it's almost impossible to find artifacts from the primordial era. Perhaps only on the demon planet might there be some. Even in the depths of our oceans, finding a primordial artifact is incredibly difficult. If it were me, I would immediately form a blood pact with the Demon Lord's Sword. Didn't the Demon King Shaling already say he's willing to give it up?"

Princess Pianpian's eyes were fixed on Ma Ji. She saw that he remained calm, seemingly unaffected by the situation. She thought to herself, "Ma Ji won't take it. He's not that kind of person."

So, Princess Pianpian said to the Dragon King, "Father, from what I can tell, Ma Ji won't take the Demon Lord's Sword. Even though Shaling is willing to give it to him, I don't think it's truly Shaling's intention. His words might be a test—to see what kind of person Ma Ji is, whether he is truly honorable. I believe Ma Ji definitely won't take the sword. He helped Shaling repair the broken sword in front of so many people. How could he possibly claim the Demon Lord's Sword for himself? Ma Ji already has many divine artifacts. Why would he want another demonic sword? Perhaps in Ma Ji's mind, helping Shaling repair the sword is more about building a good relationship with the demon race. That might be more important than the sword itself!"

The Dragon King Ao Guang looked at Princess Pianpian with admiration and nodded, "Indeed, Pianpian, you are my most beloved daughter. Among your over a hundred sisters, you are the smartest and most insightful. Your analysis makes perfect sense. In fact, I was just testing the waters earlier. I agree with your thoughts. Why would Ma Ji trade his reputation and future potential for the Demon Lord's Sword? It's completely unnecessary. He possesses divine fire and incredible magical powers. Even the divine swords he owns might not be inferior to the Demon Lord's Sword. He has many hidden cards. He is an extraordinary person. What he needs now is to build relationships with various factions. He is still young and has a bright future ahead. He needs to establish good relations with us, the demons, and the beast races. As you said, compared to building a relationship with the demon race, the Demon Lord's Sword is insignificant. Well, now Ma Ji has made his choice. Let's see what he says."

Ma Ji looked at Shaling and smiled, "Oh? Brother, are you really willing to give me this demonic sword?"

Shaling nodded, "Of course, I want to give it to you. Is that strange?"

Ma Ji said, "Shaling, I know you're not a stingy person. As the saying goes, a gentleman does not take what others love. I know this sword is like an arm to you, inseparable from your life. If I were to take it, it would be like taking your life. How could I bear to do that? Besides, everything I did was to help you repair the broken sword, not to claim it for myself. If you think otherwise, you underestimate me, Ma Ji. How would you form a blood pact with it later? How would it recognize you as its master? I can't help with that. Ah, I'm tired and need to rest."

Seeing Ma Ji's pained and disappointed expression, Shaling quickly hugged him, "Ah, Brother Ma Ji! You mustn't say that! I was just joking earlier. I know what kind of person you are. If you're tired, let me massage your shoulders and legs! Don't go, don't go! If you leave, how will I form a blood pact with the sword? How will I take it away? Should the Demon Lord's Sword just float in the air? Wouldn't that be unsightly? What if someone else takes it? That would be such a pity! Brother Ma Ji, come, sit down. Let me massage your shoulders!"

Seeing that Shaling was serious about massaging him, Ma Ji waved his hand, "No need, brother! I know you were just testing me, to see if I would greedily take your Demon Lord's Sword. Am I that kind of person? I've paid a great price for everything I've done. Do I need any reward? I don't need anything. All I need is your friendship. To me, people are more important than anything else. No divine artifact or holy relic is as valuable as a person. People are the greatest and most precious things in the world. I give everything to gain friendship. Brother Shaling, Demon King, do you understand my feelings?"

Shaling's face lit up with joy, "Hahaha... Ma Ji! You are truly like a saint. I'm so happy! I feel the same way. That's why I genuinely meant it when I said I would give you the Demon Lord's Sword. It's for the sake of our friendship! Ma Ji, in my over two thousand years of cultivation, you are the most worthy person I've met. Missing out on you would be the greatest loss in the world."

At this point, Shaling turned to the audience and shouted, "Fellow cultivators, don't you agree? Who among you would want to part ways with Ma Ji? Who wouldn't want to spend more time with him, even just a minute more? Isn't that right?"

The audience responded enthusiastically, "Yes, yes, we all feel the same way! Ma Ji is like the sun in the sky! Without him, I feel cold. Ma Ji is my closest companion. Without him, I would feel lonely! Ma Ji, I want to be with you every day!"

The audience worshipped Ma Ji like a god. They all wanted to be close to him. Who would dare oppose Ma Ji now? Perhaps only the King of the Horse Kingdom.

"He's like an angel from heaven, loved by all, adored by flowers. Everyone who sees him wants to get closer to him. And wherever Ma Ji appears, he brings immense benefits to everyone! Just now, because of Ma Ji's divine fire, my cultivation improved greatly! I broke through a bottleneck I couldn't overcome before! Ma Ji is a great fortune star. Who wouldn't want to be with him every day?"

Overwhelmed by the audience's love, Ma Ji was deeply moved. Tears welled up in his eyes, almost spilling over. He thought to himself, "Have I succeeded? Any success pales in comparison to the love these people have for me!"

Ma Ji looked at the audience, his heart surging with emotion. "Fellow cultivators! Thank you for your love and support! I am just an ordinary person. It's only with the help of the Heavenly Dao and the support of all of you that I have achieved what I have today. Of course, it's also thanks to the help of my friends that I can stand here and perform for you. Well, I won't say more. I am now ready to re-establish the connection between the broken sword and Shaling, to have it recognize him as its master again. This process might take some time. If you're willing to watch, please stay. If not, feel free to enjoy your own activities."

Who would want to leave at this moment? Everyone wanted to see the final outcome. Even if it took a long time, so what? Everyone wanted to stay together! There was wine to drink, delicious food to eat, and beautiful people to admire.

So, everyone expressed their support, "Ma Ji, continue your great work! Your work is like a piece of art. Watching it is never tiring. The longer it takes, the better! We hope time stands still here. I want to accompany you until the end. This is an immense joy! I wish time would freeze here. I want to stay with you, even until the end of the world!"

The collective willpower of the audience began to converge on Ma Ji, surrounding him with a sacred glow. This glow was the most precious force in the world—the power of collective will! Where the hearts of the people go, nothing can stand in the way! It is a thousand, ten thousand times stronger than any divine artifact, immortal tool, or holy relic!