I, Herrscher Slayer

After laying Shen Gonglin on the grassy slope behind the mountain, Fu Hua looked helplessly at the still-unconscious Shen Gonglin. If he had not still been breathing, she would have thought he was dead. She had carried him all this way without waking him up. If someone wanted to steal Shen Gonglin away, it would be easy.

But it was fine that he had not woken up. She could take this chance to study Shen Gonglin. If he woke up, this would become much harder to do.

Pinching Shen Gonglin's cheeks, Fu Hua used an exquisitely controlled amount of force to make the sleeping Shen Gonglin open his mouth. The girl bent down slightly and carefully examined his oral cavity. His teeth were white and sturdy; anyone could tell just by looking that Shen Gonglin had excellent dental hygiene. But that was not what Fu Hua wanted to see. There was something else she wanted to study.

"With yesterday's posture... the problem should be those two canine teeth."

Recalling yesterday's position, Fu Hua bent down even lower to observe him. Yet no matter how closely she looked, she could not see any difference from an ordinary person. It seemed observation alone would not do. She needed more information.

After a brief hesitation, Fu Hua tentatively extended a finger and lightly brushed it across those sharp canine teeth. With a Valkyrie's physical constitution, this should not have... It seemed she had misjudged. Shen Gonglin's teeth were very sharp.

A faint pain pricked her fingertip, and a vivid bead of blood immediately welled up from the finger she had just brushed across Shen Gonglin's teeth. Fu Hua's brows furrowed slightly. The instant her finger had been cut, she had already prepared herself. She wanted to see whether her Mindful Essence could resist that sensation from yesterday. Yet this time, that feeling of her entire body going limp did not appear. Was something different from yesterday...?

"Mm... blood?"

Unexpectedly, a sudden change occurred at that moment. Perhaps stimulated by the scent of blood, the sleeping Shen Gonglin suddenly reacted. Driven by instinct, he abruptly lifted his head. Besides the smell of blood, his nose caught only the scent unique to a girl. Before Fu Hua could pull away, she, still bent over him, was caught completely off guard by Shen Gonglin's attack. His lips suddenly touched hers, and Fu Hua's mind went blank.

Was I... kissed?

Before her brain could process that information, the pain in her mouth made Fu Hua instantly understand what had happened. But even realizing it now was useless. The exact same sensation as yesterday spread through her entire body in an instant. The Mindful Essence she used with all her strength was utterly ineffective. Though she desperately did not want this, all strength was still drained from Fu Hua's body. It would have been better if she had fainted then, but her mind remained crystal clear—clear enough to feel every abnormal sensation throughout her body. It was as though every cell in her body had been soaked in warm water. Yet Fu Hua could not control herself. Her whole body went soft as she collapsed on top of Shen Gonglin, with only one thought in her heart.

Thankfully, we came to the back mountain. Thankfully, no one saw us.

As though blood-sucking had become an instinct, the slightly salty blood in his mouth made crimson light flare in Shen Gonglin's eyes. After being replenished, something within Shen Gonglin seemed to awaken. Shen Gonglin felt wonderful, but Fu Hua was far less calm. Yesterday, it had only been her finger. Today, it had actually become this. She could not even hold herself up when it was just a finger, so now there was even less hope. To possess such an ability...

Shen Gonglin was a vampire from legend, wasn't he?!

Fu Hua easily associated him with that kind of creature. Even after living for so many years, she had never encountered a constitution like Shen Gonglin's. But none of that was important. What mattered was how she could get away from him now. If this continued, she feared even her consciousness would be completely lost in this sensation. No, she had to get up. She had to get away from Shen Gonglin.

She struggled to control her hands. Her normally light and agile body was as uncontrollable as cotton at this moment. Fu Hua expended tremendous effort before she could brace both hands against Shen Gonglin's chest. Good. Next, she only had to push herself up and climb off him. Thankfully, Shen Gonglin was still asleep. Otherwise, she would truly have no face left.

Yet at that moment, Shen Gonglin, unconscious and apparently dreaming of something, suddenly reached out and hugged the soft body on top of him. He had never been the sort to sleep properly. Feeling movement on top of himself, he reached out and touched it. To be fair, although Fu Hua's figure was somewhat regrettable, she still felt quite nice to hold. In his dream, Shen Gonglin only felt as though he had embraced an oversized human-shaped body pillow. Sleeping while holding something really did feel nice. He smacked his lips and slept even more soundly. What brand of body pillow is this? Why is it so comfortable to hold?

Her cheeks, already completely red, flushed even more. Feeling the hand pressing against her body, Fu Hua's body instantly tensed. Twice. This was already the second time. Was Shen Gonglin really asleep? He behaved like this even while asleep. What kind of person was he?!

Her emerald-green eyes stared fixedly at the face before her. Fu Hua used the only part of her body that could still be considered flexible to fight back. Her white teeth instantly bit down on Shen Gonglin's lip. As if she did not have a mouth too. He bit her, so could she not bite him back?

A fishy-sweet taste flooded her mouth. Fu Hua showed no mercy, easily biting through Shen Gonglin's lip. The pain made Shen Gonglin open his eyes at once, but his purple eyes were full of confusion. Who was he? Where was this? What was he doing...? And the person before him... was that Fu Hua?

Just as he was about to speak, Fu Hua panicked as well. She had only wanted revenge, not to wake him up. Even if she had mouths all over her body, she could not explain this situation. At times like these, she had to rely on Fu Hua's clever mind. Somehow finding the strength, Fu Hua, who was lying atop Shen Gonglin, suddenly raised her neck and lifted her head. Then came a heavy, muffled thud. Shen Gonglin, who had just woken and was still dazed, suffered a heavy blow to the forehead. Without even a groan, his eyes rolled back and he fainted again.

Sure enough, when it mattered most, a head was useful after all.

Struggling to roll off Shen Gonglin, Fu Hua lay on the grass and let out a long breath while looking up at the sky. Thank goodness, thank goodness. Shen Gonglin had been very confused just now. He probably did not know what had happened.

Hiss... My head hurts so much. What happened? Did someone beat me up in my sleep?

After an unknown amount of time, Shen Gonglin, who had been unconscious all this while, finally opened his eyes with a frown. He suffered from low blood pressure after waking up, so he normally had to sit blankly for a while before recovering. But this time, the pain in his forehead woke him immediately. It hurt even with a light touch. And his mouth too—this wound... He had not bitten his mouth while eating yesterday.

And where was this? Had he not fallen asleep on the sofa yesterday?

Shen Gonglin looked around in confusion. Forest and green grass. Had he accidentally transmigrated again...? Why did he say "again"?

"Shen Gonglin, you're awake."

Just as Shen Gonglin was completely bewildered, Fu Hua's voice came from behind him. Hearing her, Shen Gonglin turned around and saw Fu Hua sitting on the grass not far behind him. The girl's aura was entirely calm, as though she had fused with her surroundings. If she had not spoken, Shen Gonglin really would have found it difficult to notice her.

After stopping contact with Shen Gonglin, Fu Hua had slowly recovered. She had struggled to crawl away and had continuously used the Mindful Essence within the Great Void Sword Qi to regulate herself—mainly her state of mind. Repeating the Sword Heart Art to herself, she had finally calmed down. Just as she settled into position, Shen Gonglin woke up. He... probably had no memory of what happened earlier, right?

If he remembered, then she could only use the physical memory-erasing method.

"Eh, Class President? Where is this? Why are we here?"

Only after seeing Fu Hua did Shen Gonglin finally calm down. It was reassuring to see someone familiar. Shen Gonglin also vaguely remembered that Fu Hua had indeed come looking for him that morning. So she had brought him here? What was this for?

"This is the academy's back mountain. I brought you here. Shen Gonglin... are you interested in learning martial arts?"

Sitting cross-legged on the grass, Fu Hua looked calmly at Shen Gonglin. She had decided. She had to teach Shen Gonglin Mindful Essence. She had to guide Shen Gonglin onto the right path. Given Shen Gonglin's unusual nature, if he accidentally strayed down the wrong path, he would definitely become a major problem. Since she had seen this, she had the responsibility to guide him properly. Things became like that even while he was asleep. If he did it deliberately while awake... he would definitely endanger everyone.

Shen Gonglin had acted improperly toward her even in his sleep. This showed that there was indeed a serious problem with his state of mind. Before practicing martial arts, one must cultivate the heart. That habit of "I like touching people in my dreams" absolutely could not continue.

Otherwise... honestly, Fu Hua was starting to fear being around Shen Gonglin.

"Huh? Why would I suddenly learn martial arts, Class President? I'm not suited for that kind of grueling training. I'm already pretty strong. Can I not practice?"

Hearing this out of nowhere, Shen Gonglin immediately pulled a bitter face. He was terrified of trouble and exhaustion. Just thinking about practicing martial arts sounded exhausting. Shen Gonglin did not think he was that kind of person.

"No! You must practice!"

Fu Hua said resolutely. For her own safety and everyone else's, she had to make Shen Gonglin practice!

Why was it like this? Did learning martial arts not depend on fate? How could Fu Hua force someone to study? Shen Gonglin drooped his shoulders with a miserable expression. Though he did not say it aloud, his reluctance was obvious. Fu Hua felt helpless too. It was rare for her to want to proactively teach someone martial arts. Back in Shenzhou, countless people had wanted to learn from her but never got the chance. Why had it become like this with Shen Gonglin?

"Shen Gonglin, learning my martial arts will only benefit you. Be good, let's learn it, all right? Just try it. It won't take up too much of your time."

She could not force this guy. Though the path of martial arts could not be forced, Fu Hua intended to force it this time. Shen Gonglin was simply too unusual. As long as she was near him, it felt as though even her personality changed. Fu Hua could not say whether that change was good or bad. In short, she wanted to see Shen Gonglin's talent for martial arts. He had been able to perfectly execute Rock Breaker after seeing it only once. There was still much Fu Hua wanted to know, so... she would coax him if she had to. As long as Shen Gonglin studied martial arts properly, this was no great difficulty.

"...What benefits will I get from learning it? I mean specific benefits."

Fu Hua's negotiating tone worked, and Shen Gonglin's attitude eased somewhat. Learning just a little would not be a problem, but if he agreed, would there be some reward? Looking at Fu Hua's snow-white legs beneath her pure white shorts, Shen Gonglin suddenly had an idea. Much like his innate tendency to bully girls, Shen Gonglin also had an innate tendency to take advantage of others.

"What benefit do you want?"

Not noticing Shen Gonglin's gaze, Fu Hua felt relieved after seeing his attitude shift. She had finally talked him around. If he had not wanted to, she could not exactly force the knowledge into him. Since he agreed, could this not be called fate as well?

"Um... a lap pillow. Give me a lap pillow, and I'll agree. How about it?"

Shen Gonglin pointed at Fu Hua's tender white legs as he spoke. Other than her perky little butt, these legs were what Shen Gonglin had his eye on. He was not interested in her chest. A lap pillow was the best choice. He could not exactly make Fu Hua lie on the ground and use her butt as a pillow—that would feel strange.

"...No. Choose something else."

"Then I won't learn."

Shen Gonglin's blunt response made Fu Hua feel exasperated. She really wanted to just wash her hands of him. Was she seriously begging him to learn? Did the Shen Gong family even know what kind of martial arts she was going to teach him? This was the Great Void Sword Qi, known as the supreme martial art of the martial world. Did he understand that...? Well, he probably really did not.

"...Then how about this? We'll start learning first. Once you've learned it or made some progress, we can discuss this again, all right?"

Did she really have to compromise again? Fu Hua considered it and proposed a middle ground. She would teach Shen Gonglin first. Male students could at most reach the Dustless Realm in Mindful Essence anyway. Then she could say his talent was insufficient, and that the reward would be discussed separately. That would work too.

The instant that thought surfaced, Fu Hua froze. Why had she thought that? The usual her would never entertain such an idea. Did they not all say she was rigid and old-fashioned? So why was she like this today...?

"No. I want it now, or I won't learn."

Unexpectedly, even after all that, Shen Gonglin would not yield an inch. If he was this firm in his position, why did he not go into negotiations? Fine... Fu Hua silently ground her teeth. She had no choice but to agree. Once he agreed to practice martial arts, she would have to train him thoroughly. That could count as revenge for being taken advantage of.

"...Fine."

Fu Hua nodded with difficulty. Sure enough, there was no such thing as the unluckiest day, only an even unluckier one. She had thought yesterday was already the worst day of her life. Who would have expected... today would be even worse.

"Then, Master above, please accept your disciple lying down."

The moment Fu Hua agreed, Shen Gonglin hurried over. With practiced ease, he placed his head on Fu Hua's knees. The soft, springy sensation of the girl's thighs pleased Shen Gonglin greatly. Even if he had to learn martial arts, he needed a good environment. This was super comfortable.

"...Don't call me Master. Just keep calling me Class President. Shen Gonglin, then we'll begin now."

Fu Hua did not intend for Shen Gonglin to address her as master and disciple. Even if that was indeed their relationship, it would not do. That form of address always gave Fu Hua an unpleasant feeling. Though she was teaching him martial arts, Fu Hua did not want him calling her Master.

"That works too. But don't rush, Class President. I have something else to ask. Do you know what happened to my head? It hurt so much when I woke up."

Looking up at Fu Hua from below, Shen Gonglin unsurprisingly had an unobstructed view of her chin. But there was something else on his mind. He rubbed his head and asked Fu Hua what could have caused it. Had someone really beaten him up in his sleep?

"...I don't know. Shen Gonglin, the martial art I'm going to teach you is called Great Void—"

Perhaps it was Shen Gonglin's imagination, but when he mentioned this, Fu Hua's expression suddenly stiffened. Then she very awkwardly changed the subject. Could the lump on his forehead have something to do with Fu Hua? Was she the one who had beaten him up in his sleep?

How could she possibly tell him? Was she supposed to say that she had headbutted him unconscious because she was afraid he would wake up and make her embarrassed? Obviously not. So, in order to preserve her dignity, Fu Hua decided to ignore the question. Besides, Shen Gonglin was a boy—why was he being so petty? He would not get a girlfriend in the future like this.

"Oh... Eh, Class President, you have a wound on your mouth too. What a coincidence, so do I. Did you get heatiness too?"

It seemed this was destined to remain an unsolved mystery. But after Fu Hua had only said a few words, Shen Gonglin interrupted her again. Shen Gonglin noticed in surprise that Fu Hua also had a small wound on her mouth. Was the Class President also the type who bit her mouth while eating? Or did she have a mouth ulcer from heatiness? What a coincidence—he had one too.

"Shut up! Do you still want to learn or not? If you don't, get up. I'm not teaching you!"

Why was it so hard to teach Shen Gonglin anything? And why did he keep bringing up questions that embarrassed her? Did he have to make her admit that she had bitten his mouth and struck his head? Fu Hua made as if to push Shen Gonglin away. This student was too hard to handle. Could she not just refuse to teach him? If he kept talking, Fu Hua really would not be able to take it.

"Eh, no, no, no. I won't interrupt you anymore, okay? Go on slowly. I'll study seriously. Is that good enough?"

Their roles finally seemed to have been set right. Shen Gonglin held Fu Hua's legs to make her sit down, then obediently lay back on her lap. Shen Gonglin was listening—super seriously!

"Listen carefully. You're not allowed to interrupt me again. If you speak again, forget about lying down while listening to me. Today, I'm going to teach you a martial art called Great Void Sword Qi. After learning it, your body can gradually be cultivated into a vessel and channel for Honkai energy. In theory, the more Honkai energy you can use, the stronger you become. Yesterday, Mei told me that while absorbing lightning, you could also absorb the Honkai energy in her body. Is that true?"

Now that Shen Gonglin was finally willing to stay quiet, Fu Hua slowly explained the martial art she had prepared to teach him. This was a martial art she had created long ago, and it was most suitable for teaching Shen Gonglin now. Before practicing martial arts, he needed to temper his state of mind. That way, Shen Gonglin would not be easily disturbed by outside influences. It suited him very well. Besides, if his constitution was truly as Mei had described, then this Great Void Sword Qi would definitely suit him.

It could increase his use of Honkai energy without bringing corresponding risks. Nothing could be better.

Having asked her question, Fu Hua lowered her head to meet Shen Gonglin's eyes. Their two pairs of beautiful eyes met for a long while, but neither said a word. Finally, Fu Hua sighed softly.

"You can speak now."

This was exhausting. Why did she feel like this the moment she began teaching Shen Gonglin? Was passing on martial arts always this tiring, or was Shen Gonglin the only one like this?

"Oh, you should've said so earlier. I thought Class President was staring into my eyes because you were captivated by me. How would I know something like that? You keep talking about Honkai energy and Honkai energy, but I have no idea what Honkai energy even is. Other than lightning, I don't feel like I got anything else from Mei."

Shen Gonglin blinked at Fu Hua. They kept talking about fighting Honkai and saying Valkyries fought by using Honkai energy, but Shen Gonglin knew absolutely nothing about Honkai energy. His mind was a mess. He had amnesia to begin with, and even the lightning on his body was used purely by instinct. Being made to understand so much all at once was a little too much.

"You can unconsciously draw it in, but you cannot use it... If this continues for long enough, one day it will exceed your body's limits, causing you to go astray. In other words, Honkai will defeat you, and you will become a Suicide Squad. Shen Gonglin, you must practice the martial art I teach you properly. It will only benefit you. I don't want to have to become your enemy someday."

Fu Hua had assessed Shen Gonglin's physical condition. There was no major problem now, but if he continued unconsciously drawing in Honkai energy without guiding, controlling, or using it, who knew what would happen? Fu Hua pressed a finger to Shen Gonglin's forehead. Given his personality, she hoped he would take her words to heart.

"But we clearly fought yesterday... Fine, Class President, tell me. How do I practice Great Void Sword Qi? Do you need to feel my bones to check my aptitude? I'm ready. Feel wherever you want."

As he spoke, Shen Gonglin prepared to take off his clothes, but Fu Hua pressed his shoulder and made him lie back down. This guy was truly strange. Earlier, she had had to beg him before he agreed, yet now he was suddenly so proactive. He was impossible to figure out.

"You even know about feeling bones? But you don't need that. I already have a basic understanding of your talent and comprehension. In terms of understanding techniques, you could be called unprecedented. If you practiced Form Resonance, you would achieve twice the result with half the effort. But what we are learning now is not Form Resonance, but Mindful Essence... Shen Gonglin, what's wrong? Is there a problem?"

Fu Hua was just about to get to the point when Shen Gonglin turned his head aside and looked unwilling to cooperate. What was wrong now? Why was this disciple so troublesome? He was always inexplicably difficult in ways she did not understand. She had to coax him while teaching him, acting as both master and mother.

"I think you're not professional at all, Fu Hua. Real masters have to feel bones. But you just take one look and call it done. It feels like some shady little sect or school. It feels so casual."

Shen Gonglin muttered in dissatisfaction, leaving Fu Hua speechless. Was this boy not supposed to have amnesia? Why did he still remember all this random nonsense? Bone-feeling was already exceedingly rare these days. Besides, with Shen Gonglin's talent, did she even need to feel his bones? Why was he so concerned about something so unnecessary? Fu Hua helplessly rubbed her forehead.

"Fine, I'll feel them. Isn't feeling them once enough?"

Honestly, how was this some shady little sect or school? Great Void Sword Qi held the status of supreme martial art. Even one of its Resonances was the sort that encompassed an entire martial discipline. Yet Shen Gonglin called it some little sect or school. This guy truly could not recognize a treasure. Why was he so stubborn over such inexplicable things?

"Now that's more like it. Fu Hua, feel carefully and see whether I'm really suited for it."

Shen Gonglin's eyes lit up. Right, this fit the scene. Maybe he had some legendary Heavenly Spirit Root. Without an entrance test or something, it did not feel right at all. Even without one of those stones that tested talent, they should at least inspect his bones. It could not be that anyone could learn it. Shen Gonglin was already looking forward to Fu Hua's shocked expression. Someone like him surely had to be a once-in-ten-thousand martial arts genius.

"You don't need to take off your clothes! This is enough... Mm, judging from this degree of development, Shen Gonglin, you should be around fifteen or sixteen years old. That age is still suitable for cultivation. But judging from your bone density, it must be because you drink carbonated beverages year-round and do not exercise. Your physical strength is slightly below that of ordinary people your age, let alone comparable to a Valkyrie. Shen Gonglin, you need to exercise properly. At your current level, you would probably get tired after running two hundred meters."

Unexpectedly, after examining Shen Gonglin, Fu Hua gave him such an assessment. Forget a once-in-ten-thousand bone structure—being physically weaker than ordinary people made Shen Gonglin's brows droop completely. What was this? It turned out he was not special at all. He was not some martial arts genius.

"I can run at least four hundred meters."

Shen Gonglin felt he needed to improve his image in front of Fu Hua. Two hundred meters? Shen Gonglin estimated his physical condition and believed four hundred meters would not be a problem!

"Mm, very impressive, very impressive. Then Shen Gonglin, can we begin now? The bone-feeling is done, so it's time to start, right?"

Fu Hua rubbed her fingers together. While feeling his bones, she had indeed touched Shen Gonglin's skin. It was delicate, like that of some pampered young master. His skin was so smooth beneath her fingers.

"All right... But Class President, with me being like this, can I really learn your martial art?"

Shen Gonglin was nervous. Great Void Sword Qi sounded like something quite powerful, but having his bones examined had dealt a heavy blow to his confidence. Could it be that he was one of those tragic male leads unfit for cultivation?

No, please. Shen Gonglin did not like that. Thirty years east of the river, thirty years west of the river was far too long.

"Mm, as long as you cultivate seriously, you should still be able to. What I'm about to teach you is Mindful Essence, one of the five Resonances of Great Void Sword Qi. It is also the introductory Resonance. Yet while it is the entry point, it is also the most difficult Resonance aside from God Resonance. Shen Gonglin, you must study well."

See? She had already said there was no need to feel his bones. Now that they had done it, his confidence had been hurt. Times had changed long ago. This was no longer an era where bone structure decided everything. With Shen Gonglin's constitution, which could draw in Honkai energy and control lightning, he was already outstanding among anyone Fu Hua had encountered. Still, giving Shen Gonglin's confidence a slight blow had its benefits. At least now he would study seriously with her, right? Besides, she had never said his bone structure was bad. His physical condition was simply poor. As for how he chose to interpret it, that was up to him.

It was hard to imagine that even rigid Fu Hua had such a side to her.

"Mm, Class President, go ahead. I'll be super serious this time."

Shen Gonglin nodded firmly. Seeing him like this, Fu Hua finally relaxed. She could finally teach him properly. She was almost touched enough to cry.

"What we are learning now is Mindful Essence, one of the five Resonances of Great Void Sword Qi. After Mindful Essence was simplified by someone, it became the psychological training used by Valkyries. Once Mindful Essence is fully mastered, you can quickly adjust your state of mind, carefully perceive every minute change within your body, and ultimately know and sense nothing except the power flowing through you. Simply put, it is an internal art that allows your body to remain in a state ready for battle at any moment. Ordinary people cannot constantly adjust their mind and body to their peak, and Mindful Essence was created specifically for this purpose. Do you understand, Shen Gonglin?"

Fu Hua thoroughly introduced the Mindful Essence she would teach Shen Gonglin. She knew it would indeed be hard for someone to understand all at once, but there was no need to understand it entirely with one's mind. Someone with Kiana's personality relied completely on bodily memory. Fu Hua hoped that no matter which method Shen Gonglin used, he would remember it properly.