"Wait! I didn't say I'd become your master!"
"But in Shenzhou, they say a teacher for a day is a father for life, Master!"
"We're classmates, not master and disciple!"
"A teacher is someone who imparts the Way, explains doubts, and teaches professional knowledge, Master!"
Anqi blinked her bright, translucent purple eyes and insisted in a crisp, sweet voice.
Fu Hua silently recited the meaningful phrase imparts the Way, explains doubts, and teaches professional knowledge, and then looked at Anqi's hopeful, adorable expression, suddenly falling into a momentary trance.
A hazy, familiar image seemed to appear before her eyes. In the past, was there once a child who looked at her with the exact same anticipation and excitement, calling her "Master" in a crisp, piping voice?
Fu Hua pursed her lips and instinctively pressed a hand against her chest. An uninvited, piercing pain left her unable to recover for a long time.
Chapter 59: An Old Friend's Disciple, I'm Interested!
"Hey, she's actually meditating properly. This gives a subtle feeling."
"Internal observation? Tempering the heart? Elevating the realm? What on earth is this supposed to be, messing with such fantasy concepts in a world of Honkai."
"Tch, so the Immortal truly lives up to her name—ah no, should I call her Master now? Anyway, she managed to forcibly upgrade the 'Divine Sound' used to control Honkai Energy into an immortal cultivation technique, awesome sums it up!"
"It's just that I still remember this 'Divine Sound' thing has a mental imprint similar to 'eradicate Honkai', and I don't know how much impact it will have on us. In the current cultivation, consciousness and self haven't shown any traces of distortion, but we still can't let our guard down."
Inside a vast, solemn, and antique grand temple, several Anqis squatted at the edge, communicating with one another.
Opposite them, a full ten Anqis sat cross-legged together, silently reciting the four-hundred-and-two-syllable "Sword Heart Incantation" taught by Fu Hua, completely absorbed in a state of cultivation. On either side of these ten Anqis, two more Anqis were practicing various cold weapons using basic physical combat as their foundation.
The purpose of this lineup was simple: the moment any of the ten Anqis cultivating Taixu Sword Qi showed signs of being influenced at the conscious level, the two Anqis practicing sabers, spears, swords, and halberds would instantly behead all of them, forcibly severing the potential influence of the "Divine Sound."
Before obtaining it, the hidden danger was just an ethereal problem, and the Anqis had poured all their energy into conquering Fu Hua. But after acquiring it, the risk factor became the primary issue.
The power and risks of Taixu Sword Qi coexisted; the Anqis had to give it a try, but they couldn't actually afford to be implanted with some obsession to "eradicate Honkai"—otherwise, as a Ruler, heaven knows what would happen!
"Speaking of which, Kiana learned Sword God later on. Since she even learned the ultimate mystery, she must have practiced the introductory heart-essence too, and she's totally fine, so we shouldn't be in that much danger either, right?"
The Anqis felt a bit apprehensive, but honestly couldn't give up a divine technique like Taixu Sword Qi. Let's practice it, see what kind of thing we can cultivate, and deal with the rest later.
"Pitter-patter!"
Cool water droplets sprinkled onto skin as smooth and lustrous as jade, sliding down to the ground one by one, washing away the heat generated from a morning's exercise and leaving the lake of the heart even more calm and ripple-free.
Fu Hua was taking a shower, and what's more, it was November in the dead of winter—taking a cold shower.
Of course, while this slight drop in temperature meant nothing to her, she didn't have the habit of deliberately torturing herself. The reason she used cold water was simply because Anqi's repeated cries of "Master" that morning had stirred ripples in the lake of her heart, yet she couldn't remember a single thing, leaving her increasingly restless and irritable.
Fu Hua knew she once had a disciple, but that person was already gone, yet she didn't even retain a shred of memory. How tragic, and how laughable.
"Sigh..."
Having calmed her state of mind with the cold water, Fu Hua turned off the shower and casually grabbed a large bath towel by the bathroom door. As the towel wrapped around her slender, snowy body, the water droplets on her hair and skin were instantly vaporized by her qi.
Fu Hua sat down in the living room, and after a moment of hesitation, sighed and contacted Otto.
"Good noon, my respected old friend. Contacting me so suddenly—has something happened to K423?"
On the communicator screen, Otto's unchanging face of several centuries bore a surprised yet composed smile, his voice lighthearted as he spoke.
Fu Hua's expression turned somewhat complicated for a moment. How should she put it? He was a rare figure who always met her with a smile, yet she could never feel happy about it. After all these years, in front of Otto she could only keep a cold face, utterly unable to smile.
"K423 is fine. Just like before, simple and optimistic, kind and enthusiastic, and well-liked—she's a total, typical Kaslana. I'm not contacting you on her account."
"Oh? As long as K423 is completely normal, then what is this about, old friend?"
"I have a favor to ask."
The moment Fu Hua finished speaking, Otto's cynical smile instantly vanished. He sat up straight, turning deadly serious as if he were facing an immense crisis:
"Old friend, hold on a second while I check if the Herrscher of Finality is about to descend, or if the earth is going to explode!"
Fu Hua: "(⊙_⊙)..."
"Hahaha, just joking. It's just that it's so rare for you to take the initiative to ask me for help that I'm a bit at a loss. Go ahead, I'll do my best."
Otto waved his hand and switched back to a smiling expression.
Fu Hua kept her expression blank and said:
"You should have the Keys of Domination, right? Send one over to me."
At the dawn of the current civilization, most of the Keys of Domination were in Fu Hua's hands, stored within Great Void Mountain. However, as time passed, some were damaged, some were lost, and coupled with Fu Hua's repeated severe injuries and amnesia, she herself hadn't touched this set of Divine Keys in a very long time.
Even so, Otto should have them. Having cooperated for five hundred years, it was impossible that he hadn't asked Fu Hua for a few Keys of Domination to conduct research.
Otto paused, and true to form, didn't directly refuse. Instead, he gently rubbed his chin with his knuckles and asked:
"Old friend, I know your abilities well. In the vast majority of cases, you have no use for the Keys of Domination at all. Even if you encounter a crisis that requires a Divine Key, the Keys of Domination aren't particularly useful—you'd only ever use the Feather of Dust. So I'm a bit puzzled, what do you suddenly need a Key of Domination for?"
"..."
"If it's inconvenient to say, that's fine. I'll arrange for a Key of Domination to be delivered within three days."
Otto smiled with complete understanding.
As long as it didn't interfere with his plans, Otto's respect and reverence for Fu Hua were enough to make him overlook most details.
Yet Fu Hua didn't see it that way. She simply figured that anything Otto wanted to know couldn't possibly be kept hidden. Rather than waiting for him to investigate and accidentally stirring up some trouble by then, she might as well tell the truth.
"It's nothing much, really. It's just that I might take on a disciple soon, so I'm getting one in advance—I might have use for it later."
"I didn't mishear?"
"No."
"Congratulations, old friend. The Divine Key will be delivered to your room tomorrow."
Otto's smile grew a fraction more sincere. After chatting with Fu Hua for a couple more lines and seeing her typical cold reaction, he smilingly cut the communication.
Above the Mediterranean Sea, the magnificent and grand Sky City.
Otto walked over to the window, overlooking the sun-drenched city of technology, and after a moment of absent-mindedness, said:
"Amber, look into the situation regarding the disciple my old friend mentioned."
"Understood, Your Eminence. Additionally, there is a matter that requires reporting."
"Hm?"
"Two weeks ago, the Ocean Branch's research department sent a letter to headquarters inviting Dr. Maki to attend a technical exchange symposium on Herrscher core experiments. Dr. Maki considered it and decided to accept, and she will be setting off in the next two days."
Amber reported the situation in a calm tone that didn't stir a single ripple.
Otto turned his head to look at his exceptionally well-proportioned and pleasing silver-haired secretary, raised an eyebrow, and said:
"Exchange generates collision of thoughts, and collision is even more likely to spark new inspiration. As teams researching Herrscher core and human fusion experiments alike, I support the exchange and cooperation between the Ocean Branch and Dr. Maki. There's no need to concern yourself with this; compared to that, I'm much more interested in my old friend's disciple right now."
"Yes, Your Eminence!"
Amber deferentially withdrew from the room and, as Otto had instructed, went off to gather detailed information on Anqi.
Chapter 60: Anqi Wants to Do Good
On this planet, there were very few things Otto wanted to know that could be kept from him—at least, the various pieces of information Anqi left out in the open couldn't escape Schicksal's intelligence network.
"A rare natural awakener, and she reached the evaluation benchmarks for a B-Rank Valkyrie after coming into contact with Honkai Energy for a mere two months—another genius Valkyrie? Also, she was subjected to prolonged bullying and was a victim of the Changkong City incident... Tsk tsk, old friend, this disciple of yours is rather interesting."
On a warm afternoon, Otto held a teacup as he read through Anqi's file, suddenly letting out an amused, mischievous chuckle.
Raiden Mei was the direct culprit of the Changkong City incident, and she shared a deep bond with K423. On top of that, Theresa had placed Anqi in the very room where Raiden Mei and K423 lived.
The more Otto savored it, the more he felt that the future of this little group was bound to produce some very interesting developments.
However, his smile quickly faded, replaced by a slightly furrowed brow.
"There are already two recorded episodes of Honkai erosion syndrome flare-ups? It seems fate is exceptionally cruel to this genius. So that's how it is—is that why my old friend was moved to action, hoping she can cultivate the Taixu Sword Qi to prolong her life?"
Otto couldn't help but glance at Anqi's birth date.
Born in 2000, fourteen years old this year.
And as for the martial art of Taixu Sword Qi, even for someone with talent, it was best to nurture the sword heart starting from their youth.
Fourteen wasn't early, but it wasn't too late either. If she truly possessed talent, it was genuinely possible for her to cultivate some results.
Need one look further than Cheng Lixue back then? Having merely reached the first level of the sword heart—the Mirror-Like Realm—she became the strongest a-rank Valkyrie. Placed in the present day, if she were equipped with a slightly better Valkyrie battle suit, she likely wouldn't be inferior to Rita. It was simply a pity that the situation spiraled out of control during the Second Honkai Eruption, and Otto hadn't been able to protect that child, owing Fu Hua quite a heavy debt with no chance to make amends.
Thinking of this, Otto spoke up, instructing Amber:
"Prepare a set of treatment equipment for erosion syndrome nearby in St. Freya. If the Taixu Sword Qi can't be successfully cultivated... then abandoning the path of a Valkyrie is fine too; just let this girl live."
Otto didn't harbor any special sympathy for Anqi; he simply didn't want to watch Fu Hua lose a disciple once again. What's more, this time Fu Hua might not be able to forget it so easily, and it would turn into a lasting psychological trauma.
Of course, the premise to all of this was—within the K423 Project, Anqi must not appear where she shouldn't.
"Achoo!"
"Delta, what's wrong? The weather changes very quickly these days, you need to watch out and stay warm."
At the Ocean Branch, Wendy held onto the handrailing, standing up with some difficulty. Hearing the sneeze, she blinked her pretty blue-black eyes, speaking in a soft, delicate voice toward the person beside her with a trace of concern written across her face.
At the moment, Wendy was undergoing rehabilitation training to try and regain her ability to walk.
Accompanying her was a pretty girl with green hair and crimson eyes.
Her name was Delta. As far as Wendy knew, she was an a-rank Valkyrie who had recently been promoted, rumored to possess formidable strength, and most importantly, she was suspected of having some connection with the branch director, boasting an extraordinary background. Yet Wendy didn't care about rumors regarding background; she only knew that Delta was a Valkyrie who would soon participate in experiments just like her—a slightly dazed, yet simple and cute little colleague.
Delta rubbed her nose, looked to both sides, and finding nothing strange, blankly tilted her small head. She spoke in a youthful, slightly lazy, yet pleasing voice:
"It's not because of the weather; someone must be thinking of me. Ah, come to think of it, it could be Wendy badmouthing me in her heart."
"I wouldn't do something like that, Delta, you're so mean!"
"Oh. Then keep walking forward, try letting go of your hands. Don't be afraid, rehabilitation is always wobbly."
Delta stood ahead and extended a small, tender hand with well-defined knuckles toward Wendy, who was clinging to the railing.
Wendy refocused her attention, took a deep breath, and then walked step by step toward Delta, finally tentatively letting go of the handrail.
"Delta... ah!"
The moment she released the railing, Wendy felt her legs suddenly lose all response, and her body tipped forward before she could react.
Delta stepped forward in time and caught her body.
"You alright, Wendy?"
Wendy didn't reply, simply leaning against Delta's soft body.
She smells so nice...
This thought drifted through Wendy's dazed mind, followed instantly by an indescribable surge of sorrow flooding her heart. She felt as though the boundless, icy darkness was closing in right before her eyes.
"Delta, am I... ever going to stand up again? Am I... already a useless person?"
Wendy's lips trembled, and tears slowly soaked the front of Delta's top.
If she were surrounded only by researchers with cold and disdainful attitudes, Wendy would instead display the proud and strong side of her heart, swallowing all her pain and tears. But stubbornly, Delta was a friend she had made recently, and the only one who hadn't ridiculed her for poor experimental progress.
In front of Delta, Wendy suddenly found herself unable to maintain her toughness, exposing the fear and unwillingness locked within her heart.
Delta wrapped her arms around Wendy's head, gently stroking her hair, and spoke in her customary lazy yet reassuring tone:
"Who knows? The Herrscher core fusion experiments aren't just being done by us; headquarters is doing them too, and I've recently heard some intel that Anti-Entropy seems to be doing them as well, but I haven't seen a single successful example yet. The whole world is groping in the dark—this is an unfamiliar field. For all I know, a couple of days from now I might walk out of the lab and end up just like you. Ah, or maybe by then I'll just kick the bucket, and you'll have to overcome this situation all by yourself!"
"What are you talking about! Alright, alright, actually it's no big deal anyway. From the very first day I joined the experiment, I knew the success rate was very low, and anything could happen. At least I'm still alive, and you definitely won't anything bad happen to you either!"
Wendy raised her head, smiling tearfully as she wiped away her own tears.
However, at that moment she also realized that her tears had dampened Delta's upper garment, outlining the contour of her white undergarment and even faintly revealing those youthful yet rounded and cute curves.
Wendy's face instantly flushed red.
"S-S-Sorry, let's go back—let's go back and change!"
Delta seemed to only just notice the situation, lowering her head to blink a beat too slowly, before blankly saying:
"Mm, no one else is using the rehab room today, so let's just stay like this."
Before you continue