Chapter 279

Like an older sister who embraces her younger sister, Chiyuan didn't care about the previous control she had shown her. She was willing to tell her whatever the younger sister wanted to know.

Chapter Fifty-Seven: Schemes

"Hmm... So after Otto killed me, he didn't do anything?"

As if searching for a topic, Hi Fu brought up what happened after she lost consciousness. She was furious when she thought about what Kevin had done to her. That bastard was no human being; shooting someone in the head must have hurt terribly.

"Yes, he didn't do anything... It was Himeko and Shen Gonglin who made the move. The Herrscher didn't attack Shen Gonglin; under his cover, Himeko recklessly awakened Kiana, who was sealed by the Herrscher of the Void, and used the God-Slaying Spear created by Dr. Tesla..."

This memory is so tragic that Fu Hua feels deeply saddened just thinking about it. She was a respectable warrior who burned everything to light the way for them. Whether for herself or Kiana, Murata Himeko was an inextinguishable guiding light.

"Oh... is she dead?"

Hi Fu hesitated for a moment, then asked the question, which Chiyuan was unable to answer definitively.

"Himeko fell into the Imaginary Space at the time. Shen Gonglin and Kiana both saw her, but they couldn't be sure whether it was the real Himeko or if their memories were mistaken. In short, there is no definite information at the moment."

Shen Gonglin used the power of the Herrscher of the Void to open the Imaginary Space more than once to search for Himeko. Even Kiana doubted whether it was her imagination when Himeko defused the nuclear bomb in Sky City. But Shen Gonglin was very confident. She said that Himeko must still be alive, so they have not lost hope until now.

"I see. What a pity. She was a respectable soldier."

"Hi Fu said casually, the girl squatted in the flower bushes and fiddled with the growing wildflowers, but Shen Gonglin seemed to be allergic to these flowers. After seeing him sneeze several times, Hi Fu left the flower bushes on her own. Then she thought of another suspicious point. Wait a minute."

"Wait a minute, wasn't it my own decision to hand over the God-Slaying Armor to Himeko? Since Otto thinks I'm blocking his way, shouldn't he have stopped Himeko? But in reality, he didn't stop Himeko at all. I don't think that guy didn't have a backup plan to deal with an incomplete Herrscher of Flames."

Thinking about this question, Hi Fu looked at Chiyuan with some confusion. She couldn't understand it. If she was the one who blocked Otto's path and that's why he killed her, how could Himeko remain indifferent to Himeko, who had already obtained the power of the God-Slaying Armor Otto?

"That man... his goal is to use the power of love to bring back the Herrscher, and it doesn't matter to him whether the sacrifice is Theresa or Himeko."

A rare hint of hatred appeared in Chiyuan's tone. Although the matter was over, the scars it left behind were still as unsightly as ever. She had once regarded that man as a trustworthy ally, but that man betrayed her trust without hesitation. He was definitely not an ally worthy of her trust.

"Huh? So after all that, everything still went according to his script. Haha, who is this guy? Is he a god?"

After hearing the whole story, Hi Fu was speechless. So everything was still going according to that man's plan. It was really annoying. But now that he had regained his power, no matter what tricks he had up his sleeve, he could overcome them all with his own strength. He would never let him scheme against him again.

"Look, doesn't he seem like the ruler of this world? No, ruler is not the right word, he's more like... a screenwriter, yes, a screenwriter. Whatever he says goes, everything is in his plan."

Hi Fu said happily, "Don't talk about gods, rulers, or screenwriters. In this extraordinary woman's heart, she has no respect for these beings. They are all things that she can smash with one punch. She doesn't need to take them seriously at all. She is different from before and will never be manipulated by anyone!"

"Have you forgotten how miserable he was five hundred years ago?"

Compared to the emotional Hi Fu, Chiyuan appeared much calmer and more objective. Although she despised what the man had done, everything he had experienced was real. This could not be used as an excuse to exonerate him, but it was also a reality that could not be ignored.

As if she hadn't heard Chiyuan's words, Hi Fu turned around gracefully, her bright eyes sparkling with mischievous delight. Right, she realized there was something Otto hadn't considered.

"Hehe, but he didn't expect me to be resurrected."

With a slight sigh, Chiyuan shook her head as she looked at the smug girl in front of her. How could that man not have foreseen this? At most, there was just a slight mishap. He had calculated that she would be resurrected, but he probably didn't expect that the resurrected her would not be her.

"He knew that, so he specifically healed this body."

"No! He never expected me to come back to life like this. Do you know how I beat him up?"

Hi Fu's eyes sparkled. She became very energetic when talking about this. It was one of the happiest things since her resurrection. Another thing that made her happy was her morning and evening practice with Shen Gonglin. Talking about this made her not sleepy at all.

"...You've said that many times."

Chiyuan was slightly speechless. Even interesting things become boring if told too many times. She admitted that she also enjoyed listening to Hi Fu talk about this, and she felt very happy when she thought about how that man was beaten up. But she had already told this story too many times. Wasn't that enough?

"Haha, but it's still very interesting! Just look into his eyes, and you can tell he never expected to die here. You have no idea how satisfying it felt to have my fist clenched on Otto's Soul Steel cheek!"

As Hi Fu spoke, he clenched his fingers. It felt just like when he pinched Otto's cheeks back then. It was so exhilarating. It was a pity that only he could experience this feeling. If he had the chance, Hi Fu would like to let everyone see it.

"In the end, he just changed his body."

Chiyuan calmly explained, not wanting to shatter her excitement, but that was the truth. Who knew how many tricks that man had up his sleeve? Without a doubt, he was just hiding in the shadows now.

"Yeah, I know, but that's still death. After all... I should do it."

At this point, Hi Fu's expression turned serious. Yes, that's what he should do.

Chapter Fifty-Eight: Time's Up

As soon as Hi Fu finished speaking, the atmosphere suddenly became heavy. Chiyuan fell silent, and when Shen Gonglin looked at Hi Fu, she saw a hint of loneliness on her face. Impossible, right? How could someone as lively as her feel lonely? Shen Gonglin rubbed her eyes, and when she looked at Hi Fu again, she had already returned to her carefree self. It must have been just her imagination.

"Forget about these unpleasant things. Let's take a walk and collect the feathers while we're at it. They're all just unimportant memories, but they feel like a jigsaw puzzle, which is quite interesting. We can also clean up the Honkai Beast; there's Honkai smell everywhere... How dare they run wild in my hometown? Don't they know whose territory this is? It's a rare trip home, so doing a thorough cleaning isn't a bad idea. What do you guys think?"

Changing the subject, Hi Fu continued walking forward, feeling the increasingly strong concentration of Honkai energy on Mount Tai Xu. The girl's brows furrowed with displeasure. This was her home, Honkai energy's current density made her feel as if her house had been ransacked and robbed. Although she hadn't lived on Mount Tai Xu for a long time, the saying "fallen leaves return to their roots" still held true, and this was her home. Giving her home a thorough cleaning was her duty.

As Hi Fu leaped down from the height and entered the arena, the aimlessly wandering Honkai Beast seemed to find their target and gathered around her. Hi Fu smiled happily. She was a lively person, and it was great to be able to move her body. After moving her body a little, she felt refreshed and relaxed.

Hi Fu could jump down directly, but Shen Gonglin would have to find a way, since he was a bit afraid of heights. Chiyuan followed beside him, and they could hear Hi Fu's battle sounds from here. These Honkai Beast couldn't possibly have any effect on her. Although she hadn't known Hi Fu for very long, Shen Gonglin knew her strength very well. It could be said that she was one of the strongest people Shen Gonglin had ever seen. Even if more Honkai Beast came, Hi Fu wouldn't have a problem with this level of Honkai Beast. Now, she should consider other things.

"... Her condition is not normal, Shen Gonglin. I have a suspicion that things... are not as she says."

Walking beside Shen Gonglin, Chiyuan spoke in a deep voice. Since her appearance, everything she had done seemed arbitrary, but upon closer inspection, she had actually been acting with a purpose in mind. Perhaps she herself was unaware of it, but it was the truth. Chiyuan was becoming more and more certain that the warrior who was currently sweating and fighting against the Honkai might be the Honkai itself.

"Mount Tai Xu has never experienced such a strong Honkai reaction. Ever since we arrived at Mount Tai Xu, it's like a switch has been flipped. Shen Gonglin, I have a feeling that things are getting worse."

As they spoke, the two arrived at Hi Fu's side. Honkai Beast were lying all around her, and the girl was fanning herself idly. When she saw Shen Gonglin and Chiyuan approaching, she happily waved to them.

"Moving around makes you feel refreshed, both physically and mentally. What do you think?"

He said this to Chiyuan, but Chiyuan didn't know how to answer. She didn't even have a real body yet, so how could she feel comfortable? She couldn't feel anything at all.

"Oh, I forgot, you're just a feather, you don't even have a body, how could you be comfortable? What about Shen Gonglin? Don't you feel comfortable after moving your body a bit? You know what I mean."

Suddenly realizing what was happening, Hi Fu slapped her forehead. Then, she turned her gaze to Jingu Shen Gonglin. She winked playfully at Shen Gonglin, and then her pink tongue lightly swept across her lips. The meaning couldn't be clearer. Shen Gonglin instantly misunderstood... No, that wasn't misunderstood, that was exactly what she meant!

Damn it, no one can stand this! She has the Class President's face, a face that was originally ethereal to Shen Gonglin, but now it has a devilish quality. Shen Gonglin knows what she means, of course, but with the Class President right next to him, Shen Gonglin can't say anything even if he knows. So he can only grumpy and endure her teasing. This girl is too bold.

"Are you referring to morning exercise? Shen Gonglin, morning exercise is indeed a good thing. I hope you can stick to it and get up early every day to exercise. It will make you feel refreshed."

Chiyuan had no idea what Hi Fu was talking about. She nodded straightforwardly, thinking they were talking about morning exercises. Hearing Chiyuan say this, Hi Fu was even happier. Seeing that she agreed, there was no obstacle left. The girl moved closer to Shen Gonglin and became bolder. She was indeed different from the Fu Hua that Shen Gonglin knew before. How could her honest Class President do such a thing!

"Oh yeah, oh yeah, feeling refreshed, Shen Gonglin, how about we... mmm!"

Before she could finish speaking, Shen Gonglin quickly covered her mouth with his hand. It would be terrible if this loose-tongued girl kept talking. He couldn't let her ruin his shining image in the Class President's eyes. The girl didn't resist when her mouth was covered. She just blinked her red eyes at Shen Gonglin. So he liked this kind of play.

I can do it myself, and so can she.

"Oh right, weren't you supposed to be doing a big clean-up? Hurry up and go, there are still a lot of Honkai Beast there!"

She couldn't let her continue. Seeing that Chiyuan's eyes were becoming increasingly confused, Shen Gonglin -powered Hi Fu forward, but the girl broke free from Shen Gonglin. Was it a spring cleaning...?

She had just found it quite interesting, but in the blink of an eye, Hi Fu changed her mind and felt a bit bored. That's just her capricious personality, or you could say she only has a three-minute attention span.

"A thorough cleaning is indeed a good idea... but I'm getting a little tired of it now. What should I do? Where should I go? I can't just keep putting it off like this; it won't do. The outside is already cleaned, and now..."

Hi Fu stopped in her tracks, blocking Shen Gonglin's hand. The girl looked up at Chiyuan, who was standing still. Next, she should deal with her inner matters.

"I've been running away and procrastinating, but what's coming will always come. It's time to sort out my feelings."

Hi Fu smiled at Chiyuan. After spending so much time together, she was really reluctant to part ways, but she had to become Fu Hua as soon as possible, the Fu Hua that everyone needed.

Chapter Fifty-Nine: Times Have Changed

"Hey, did you say I found ten Feather Dust on this mountain? There should be more than ten, right? Each Feather Dust is a clone of me. They have returned my power and memories. The more I take back, the harder it is for me to remain indifferent to this world. My rest time is about to end. I have to... become Fu Hua."

Looking up and sighing, Hi Fu suddenly felt a soreness in her shoulders. It wasn't because of the battle just now, but because of the burden she was about to shoulder. To become Fu Hua, to carry the hopes of so many people, her comrades were waiting for her, and the Honkai was waiting for her to defeat it. Although the time for rest was very comfortable, after a while, Hi Fu felt extremely empty. So, now was the time.

Hi Fu reached out her hand to Chiyuan. As long as she absorbed this feather, she would truly become the Fu Hua that everyone was looking forward to—the complete Fu Hua.

Are you ready?

Hi Fu spoke up, though somewhat reluctant to part with the feather that had developed self-awareness. But since it was an avatar, it should obediently return to its own body. The time for idle chat was over, and he had to continue fighting against the Honkai.

"You want me to return the power to you..."

"No, I want you to be a part of me, we are inseparable."

"...it's out of the question."

Chiyuan shook her head. Even now, she still hadn't figured it out, or perhaps she had some kind of guess in her heart, but she just hadn't been willing to believe it or face it... Chiyuan looked at Hi Fu calmly. They hadn't spent much time together, but she felt that she had come to understand her a little bit.

"I understand. If it were me, I wouldn't want to go back either. I'm sorry. You're a great friend. Sometimes I even feel like you're an older sister..."

Not surprised by Chiyuan's answer, Hi Fu patiently comforted Chiyuan. "Think about it," he said, "If you were told one day that you were just a clone of someone, just a feather, even you wouldn't feel good. But there's nothing you can do about it. Besides, I'm not directly erasing her will and taking back her power. Does she even understand? I am her, past, present, and future. Give her back her power and become the Fu Hua that everyone wants with me. What's wrong with that?"

She clearly gives off an older sister vibe, so why is she being so willful in this matter?

"It's not what you think. Come on, try it. I won't resist. Try absorbing me. Words can't explain it. Try it yourself... It's okay, Shen Gonglin, don't worry, I'm fine."

Chiyuan sighed softly, then stood in front of Hi Fu, feigning nonchalance. Shen Gonglin, on the other hand, walked over worriedly. What if the Class President was really absorbed? Shen Gonglin didn't want her to disappear, and neither did she want this lively Class President to disappear. So she was very conflicted about this issue and didn't offer any opinion from beginning to end.

Seeing through Shen Gonglin's thoughts, Chiyuan smiled slightly at him. It was already worth it to see Shen Gonglin's reaction. However, she would not be absorbed by her because the two of them were completely different individuals.

"Haha, you said it yourself, but as long as I don't agree, you can't resist even if you want to... Huh? What's going on?"

Hi Fu reached out to touch the core of the phantom in front of her, hoping to retrieve the Feather Dust. However, as she explored the Feather Dust and tried to touch it with her invisible hand, just as the phantom had said, she felt no resistance. Yet the Feather Dust slipped away, like the two poles of a magnet. Hi Fu tried again and again, refusing to believe it, but the result was still the same. What was going on?

Why is this feather so disobedient? It feels like this feather and she are like two liquids of opposite polarities; even when they are tightly mixed together, they still cannot dissolve.

"Why?"

Hi Fu was very puzzled. Just as Chiyuan had said, she had no resistance at all, but even so, she was unable to absorb the feather. What was going on? She never thought that such a thing would happen.

"Because we are two different souls."

Chiyuan spoke softly, her voice filled with sorrow, but Hi Fu detected a different emotion in it: pity. And it was this emotion that irritated her. Did she need pity? She hated pity.

"Different souls? You're quite the talker... You represent the past, I represent the present, that's all... You certainly don't think so, do you? It's not such a foolish reason, is it? The real reason is that you think you are purer than me, you think you are more worthy of Fu Hua than me, even if you are just a feather."

It was obvious that Hi Fu was getting angry. Her attitude became sharp, and even her tone became harsh. She had given this feather enough freedom and respect, but that was not a reason for her to rebel and question her. She was Fu Hua, and she was standing right here. She was just a feather!

After a slight hesitation, Hi Fu uttered what she thought was the cruelest words. If she were also a feather that had developed self-awareness, these words would indeed be very cruel.

"You should already know that this is the truth."

Chiyuan's attitude remained unchanged. She was like an older sister comforting her irritable younger sister. She had already told everything: she was Fu Hua, and she was a completely different soul.

"Huh? The truth? The truth is that everyone except you Feather Dust to me the moment they see me. The truth is that only you have a problem with your brain, thinking that everything you say is right... You're too stubborn. The one who can't see the truth is me—you're still living in the past, understand? You're still treating yourself as Dr. Mei's tool!"

Why can't this girl understand? Hi Fu was getting a little frustrated. She tried hard to suppress the urge to beat her up. No, she had to reason with her. Fists were the last resort.

"Times have changed! We no longer need to play the role of Flame-Chaser, Valkyrie, or students of St. Freya! We can be ourselves now, our true selves!"

"Hi Fu," Fu Hua said urgently. Shen Gonglin's brows twitched slightly. From her heavy tone, Shen Gonglin could hear the pleading in her voice. She really didn't want herself or Fu Hua to be bound by the past. Seeing her like this, Shen Gonglin couldn't help but reach out and take her hand. Both were her flesh and blood, and Shen Gonglin couldn't bear to see her like this.

Chapter Sixty: Who's Real?

"Don't rush, don't rush, speak slowly, don't panic..."

Seeing that Hi Fu was getting a little out of control, Shen Gonglin quickly stepped forward and patted her head to comfort her. As she spoke, the girl became a little agitated. It was clear that she really wanted to persuade Chiyuan, but the Class President was like this... Sigh, Shen Gonglin didn't know what to do.

"I'm not in a hurry! Tsk... Forget it, Shen Gonglin, this is getting a bit too boring. I have some things I want this guy to see. You should rest well. When you wake up again, I will definitely let you see a real Fu Hua."

The feeling of being patted on the head was very pleasant. Hi Fu glanced at Chiyuan provocatively, while Chiyuan seemed unconcerned on the surface, but the little fist she secretly clenched made Hi Fu very happy. She felt that Shen Gonglin was on her side. Since that was the case, she wouldn't force this guy to shut up. She was Fu Hua, and it was better to persuade people with reason. However, she decided not to let Shen Gonglin continue to participate in the following matters.

After saying that, Hi Fu gently touched the forehead of Shen Gonglin with her finger. Shen Gonglin's eyes rolled back and she fell down. Hi Fu then caught her Chiyuan saw this, her eyes sharpened. The fairy-like girl who was originally ethereal suddenly became somewhat sharp. This guy actually attacked Shen Gonglin. What was she trying to do!

"You're getting impatient, you're getting impatient... Don't worry, it's just to let him sleep for a while. This kind of deep sleep is quite good for people. This guy's mental state and physical condition are too abnormal. If he also sees the illusion, it won't be a good thing. His body knows it's an illusion, but his consciousness will make him focus on the illusion. If it gets serious, it might happen like what happened when we brought Kiana to the Schicksal Headquarters. So it's better not to drag him into the illusion."

He gently laid Shen Gonglin down on the stone steps, and Hi Fu sat down as well, letting Shen Gonglin's head rest on her lap. The usually lively girl rarely showed such a gentle side. This was indeed what she was thinking. Back in the St. Freya Underground Chapel, because Kiana was so engrossed in the illusion that she refused to come out, Shen Gonglin forced herself to believe in the reality of that illusion. As a result, her brain contracted and she lost all five senses for a long time. That's why Hi Fu didn't want Shen Gonglin to have that kind of experience again.

"What do you want to do?"

Standing in front of Hi Fu and Shen Gonglin, Chiyuan loosened her fists slightly. This should have been her spot, and she should have been the one with Shen Gonglin's head on her lap, but now she had been taken away. This made Chiyuan very unhappy, but she couldn't do anything about it. Now, as long as this girl made the slightest move, she would have no power to resist. Watching her sleep with her own man... no, with her own disciple... no, not even that?

The way she let her own disciple sleep really annoyed Chiyuan.

However, she still had no solution, which made her very angry.

"Of course I want to have a proper discussion with you about the Dao, from ancient times to the present, I'll show you everything!"

With a sharp shout, Hi Fu distorted and deformed the scenery before him, eventually transforming it into something else entirely. He needed to show this stubborn feather what wrong things he had done in the past, and that he was now the one who truly belonged in this world!

The illusion unfolded, and a different scene appeared before Hi Fu and Chiyuan's eyes. Shen Gonglin was still fast asleep. The memories of these fifty thousand years were too heavy, and she didn't want him and her to experience them again.

On the outskirts of Mount Tai Xu, the Helios, piloted by Kiana and Bronya, finally arrived at the Mount Tai Xu area. Looking at the misty mountains in the distance, the two girls finally felt a little more at ease. They had finally arrived. According to the intelligence, the Class President and Shen Gonglin had indeed returned here after leaving the World Serpent's base. After wandering around outside for so long, it was time for that Shen Gonglin to go home.

Kiana clenched her fists as the image of that annoying guy flashed through her mind. Himeko wasn't around, Mei was in World Serpent, and even the Class President and Shen Gonglin were in the same situation. The girl felt as if everyone around her was slowly drifting away from her. This wasn't the future she wanted, and this world wasn't the way she wanted it to be.

It's so lonely, so I have to do everything I can to turn this imperfect world into the way they want it to be. And what I have to do now is to bring those who have been separated back to my side. Shen Gonglin, your Kiana is here to call you home for dinner!

Staring at Mount Tai Xu before her, Kiana could almost see that idiot's face. It was all because of his reckless running around that things had turned out this way. Why did he have to go and play with that maid when everything was fine on the Hyperion? Was Kiana not fun anymore?

It's one thing to go find someone else to play with, but why did he have to get involved in Schicksal's mission? Doesn't he know they're already rebels? They participated in the war against the Herrscher, then returned to Schicksal with the Immortal Blade, and then were taken away by someone else again. Can't this guy just behave himself a little?