Chapter 389

The Great Void Sword Qi, imbued with God Resonance —this move is unavoidable and impossible to dodge. As the creator of this technique, Fu Hua naturally knew this. God Resonance is an attack emanating from each person's inner vision. Her own sword heart was shattered and unusable, and this move would change according to the user's inner vision. Kiana's was golden, Shen Gonglin's Sword God was ever-changing, the Herrscher of Consciousness was dark red, and Li Sushang before her was emitting a blue light like porcelain...

However, no matter what color it is, the God Resonance is still the God Resonance.

In Fu Hua's eyes, when Li Sushang released her sword, everything in sight was swept up in it. Only a glimmer of black gold remained unextinguished in the torrent that swept away everything. And this light was now shimmering in Fu Hua's hand.

"Grip of the Great Void!"

The Feather Dust has dissipated, and now Fu Hua can only use the Grip of the Great Void as a Divine Key. The light emitted by the girl using this Divine Key does not hinder Li Sushang's Sword God. At the moment when the Sword God's billions of sharp points are about to pour out, everything seems to freeze.

Chapter 169 Old Friends

Honestly, I created these moves myself, so how come they're all being used by others?

In this stagnation, Fu Hua somewhat helpless. She knew that this stagnation was just an illusion created by her extraordinary reaction speed. While she was thinking at high speed, the God Resonance that manifested as qi was still approaching her forehead. This move was overwhelming and undefendable for her, whose sword heart had already been shattered. This sword light, which was almost too dazzling to look at, was the basis for Fu Hua's previous statement that her opponent could definitely defeat her.

Li Sushang is indeed a very strong girl.

That's right, this attack was indeed from the Sword God, and she had to take it. If she failed, she might really die here. In that case, wouldn't Shen Gonglin have no choice but to marry Kiana? For that reason alone, Fu Hua had to take the hit; she still had to go back to her hometown to marry Shen Gonglin.

The wedding ceremony... as expected, we chose a traditional Shenzhou wedding. But I really do want to wear a wedding dress.

That's what they say, but with his sword heart shattered, what could he possibly do to stop the Sword God? Come to think of it, his current physical condition is probably the best it's been in millions of years. After being killed by Otto, that guy healed all the hidden injuries in his body. Now his body is very healthy, and all his indicators are among the best of the warriors. The burden that the Herrscher Core brought him before has also disappeared because Little Herrscher of Consciousness and he quarreled, causing the Herrscher Core to become inactive. But as it stands now, his strength is not as good as before.

Indeed, in actual combat, my strength was not ideal, as can be seen from the fact that I am being overwhelmed by Li Sushang. This is not a matter of whether I try hard or not. If I do not use the Key of Domination, my control over Honkai energy is not much different from before my body was healed. The problem... lies with Divine Sound.

Even if the physical body is restored to its original state, the mental state can never return to the previous state. This has nothing to do with other people, nor with Otto, the source of all evil. Before meeting him, the sword heart had already been shattered. From the moment the sword heart shattered, the influence of the Divine Sound on the person also dissipated, whether it was a good influence or a bad influence.

The good thing is the immense power it granted her, which Fu Hua the strongest source of strength at the time. The bad thing... well, that's probably the subconscious belief that if you fall into evil, you must be punished.

Speaking of which, the Divine Sound is a subconscious therapy that directly affects the brain. Its effects on one's body are irreversible. It is indeed possible to recover, since one's body has been adapted to the influence of the Divine Sound for a long time. If one works hard in this area, one can definitely return to the way one was before. However, in Fu Hua's view, reawakening the Divine Sound would probably only be a bad thing.

I have now returned to the past, back to the time before I had formed my sword heart and before I had been transformed by the Divine Sound. This experience of starting over from the beginning is already an immense stroke of luck for me.

To reclaim the Divine Sound and then become the strongest but ruthless Yun Mo Immortal?

If that were the case, seeing Shen Gonglin and Kiana get married, she probably wouldn't just not stop them, she might even give a gift. Just thinking about that possibility made Fu Hua want to throw her "Divine Sound Sword Heart" on the ground and crush it.

Moreover, if Divine Sound were to be restored, the thought of "punishing those who fall into demonic ways" would probably lead him to immediately chase after Kiana and the others to attack. Fu Hua definitely doesn't want that to happen.

Getting back to the main topic, what I should be thinking about now is how to block Li Sushang's Great Void Sword God. Back during the Second Honkai, Fu Hua saw the possibility of this. What she thought was an unstoppable and unavoidable Great Void Sword God might actually be possible to block. Although no one can confirm this possibility for her, nothing is absolute.

Time seemed to stand still. Above her was Li Sushang's Great Void Sword God, while Fu Hua's consciousness seemed to sink into a lake. Fu Hua looked around and saw only the calm lake water spreading endlessly in the vast white space. This place... was indeed her own state of mind, and... it was just the Still Water Realm.

This is the Great Void Sword Qi, the realm of the Mindful Essence. Among the four levels of Still Water, Dustless, Clear Mirror, and Taixu, Still Water is the lowest. Even Shen Gonglin has cultivated to the Taixu realm, while I... my sword heart is shattered, so it's impossible for me to still see this Heart Lake. Moreover, even if it existed, as the founder of the Taixu Sword School, Fu Hua's cultivation couldn't possibly be limited to just the Still Water realm. Shen Gonglin has cultivated to the highest realm, although Fu Hua doesn't know how that guy with a head full of bad ideas could possibly reach the highest realm.

Actually... in a way, Shen Gonglin's state of mind is quite clear and pure, since he's only focused on causing trouble.

In other words, this lake of the heart... Fu Hua pondered for a moment, and finally the girl's cherry lips parted slightly.

"Is that you, Asahi?"

After uttering a certain name, a simply dressed girl appeared before Fu Hua. Upon seeing this figure Fu Hua couldn't help but feel a sense of relief. It was another reunion with an old friend after five hundred years of separation. In this short period of time, this was already the second time. Li Sushang, Lin Zhaoyu, who knows what she will encounter in the future.

"Master, it is I... The matter from five hundred years ago has long been settled, but now, not only me... I'm afraid even you, after a snap of your fingers, will return to dust."

As the woman said this, Fu Hua knew that the real Lin Zhaoyu had long since died, and the Lin Zhaoyu in front of her now was probably just a fragment of her own memory. If she still possessed the Feather Dust in the past, she would probably have used this memory as fuel to burn, but now, things were different.

"The God Resonance you created is unstoppable. You should know this better than anyone else. Using the same God Resonance to fight might offer a glimmer of hope, but Master... you no longer have time to reforge your sword heart."

Hidden within Fu Hua's consciousness, the fragment of this eldest disciple's consciousness was deeply worried about Fu Hua's situation. Targeted by the Great Void Sword God, was their master also doomed? Under these circumstances, Lin Zhaoyu felt that unless their master's favored junior brother intervened, this Immortal Chiyuan would likely be truly doomed.

Chapter 170 The Xuanyuan Sword, Grasping the Void

Unable to stop it? After hearing the loser's speech from his eldest disciple, Fu Hua shook his head. In terms of understanding the Great Void Sword Qi, no one in the world was his match. That was why Fu Hua dared to take such a gamble. If he lost here, then Shen Gonglin and the others would have to eat at his table. What Fu Hua wanted to do was to make everyone eat at his and Shen Gonglin's table.

"Not necessarily. Of the Tai Xu Five Aggregates, only the Mind and Spirit elements are intricately connected. The so-called God Resonance, in essence, is a large amount of true energy that extends and takes shape under the control of someone with a sword heart, which is... Honkai energy. To this day, I still have methods to block, circulate, or even dissipate it."

Fu Hua was confident in his abilities. It wasn't that the weapons he created were useless to him; Fu Hua relied on his experience and understanding of martial arts. The wisp of black gold that hadn't been extinguished under Li Sushang's azure Great Void Sword God was also flashing in Fu Hua's mind. Lin Zhaoyu's imagination also understood what Fu Hua wanted to do.

The Xuanyuan Sword, grasped in the void... the Grip of the Great Void.

"Master, are you going to take that sword strike with your own body?"

Upon realizing this possibility, Lin Zhaoyu was shocked by her master's idea, while Fu Hua nodded slightly. Indeed, with her sword heart shattered, it was unknown how much of the sword god's power she could still withstand, but the theoretical possibility certainly existed. This was the best solution, and it could also transform the fragments of her sword heart that were affecting her into something beneficial to her.

This is something worth trying.

"But Master, that is your Sword God... invisible and boundless, emanating from within. While tangible true energy can certainly dispel it... what about the invisible part? You must know, Master... you no longer have Feather Dust."

As a disciple, Lin Zhaoyu knew this Crimson Mandarin Duck Immortal all too well. At that time, Fu Hua was the strongest in the world. The martial arts she created were the pride of all the Taixu Sword School Sect members. Although she herself lacked martial arts talent, it did not affect Lin Zhaoyu's admiration for the Great Void Sword God. This was a deadly martial art that even her master could not withstand.

"... I understand, that's why we met. Only by blocking this sword could I find a glimmer of hope and do more to stop Otto. For that, I must... say goodbye to you."

At this moment, Fu Hua understood why she was in this mental space. Lin Zhaoyu paused slightly. The woman lowered her head and let out a barely audible sigh. Lin Zhaoyu's eyes shimmered. She felt she knew what her master was planning to do again. All the past events were now being sacrificed for this moment. The person in front of her had sacrificed his past countless times to protect the present. This behavior seemed to be on opposite sides of the scales compared to the archbishop who was now trying to destroy the present and return to the past. So, was her master preparing to burn his memories again?

But that's not right, she no longer has Feather Dust.

"It's not what you think. That was something I used to do often, through helpless destruction. Memories, which once served as my strength like pure fuel... But now, I won't do that."

At this point, Fu Hua's eyes softened. Memories are very important, a fact she understood especially after meeting Shen Gonglin. Even the simplest daily memories were precious to her, something that would bring a smile to her face even when she was alone. Therefore, during the time when Feather Dust was still around after meeting Shen Gonglin, Fu Hua never dared to use it. The thought of burning away Feather Dust's memories... just thinking about it made Fu Hua Shen Gonglin terrified.

"Only now do I understand what it truly means to remember every moment of the past. Those memories may be gone, but even after they've burned away, they will still leave indelible marks on me—me as Hua, me as Chiyuan, me as Fu Hua ... They are like nodes in my life, interconnected, forming the path I've taken to be who I am today. It wasn't fate, but the path I chose for myself..."

Looking back on her past, Fu Hua decided she couldn't blame fate. It was her own choice; she chose to burn her past self for her present self. But now, Fu Hua no longer intends to do that.

Life is a journey of ups and downs, and success comes only after failure. Now, things can no longer be the same as before.

"I see. So what you want to use to win today... is just the past and experience?"

Upon learning of her master's decision, Lin Zhaoyu's sorrowful expression finally softened and disappeared. Seeing her master like this now, she felt extremely gratified. Perhaps it was a little strange for a junior like herself to say such things, but she was genuinely happy for Fu Hua. Her master's change must be because of that junior brother.

It's a pity. If I had the chance, I really wanted to see the junior brother who made my master like this.

"Well, that's all I have. Perhaps... you can add luck to that."

It was a rare moment of joking, but Shen Gonglin always said that she was unlucky and that she was never chosen by the gacha pulls. Fu Hua didn't want to believe in such an ethereal thing as luck, but who would have thought that she would actually have to rely on luck today?

"Since this is Master's decision, I have no reason to disobey it, nor do I have the ability to stop it. However, I am afraid I will never hear these words from the former True Chiyuan. But as it is now... it is not necessarily a bad thing."

Lin Zhaoyu smiled slightly. No matter what, she really felt at ease with her current master.

"Asahi, I've made up my mind... I'm going to tomorrow, taking all the past with me. If I can do that, the past... will extend from this moment, just like tomorrow. I think that's the most amazing thing about time."

She spoke in a tongue twister-like manner, but Lin Zhaoyu understood perfectly. Her master was indeed her master. Even though five hundred years had passed and she had burned countless memories, Hua, Chiyuan, Fu Hua would always be the brightest stars among their disciples.

"So that's how it is, Master... You've always seen me and us this way."

Are they not fragments of a lingering personality, but rather a past that one hopes to carry with them into tomorrow?

Chapter 171 Victory and Defeat

"Right now, you are indeed just fragments of personalities lingering in my mind, but even if it's just these minor details, I... absolutely do not want to forget them. Without the past... how can there be a future?"

At this moment, Fu Hua is no longer the Flame-Chaser who burned her past for the present, nor is she the Crimson Immortal who believed in punishing those who fall into evil. She is Valkyrie who wants to fight for a better future and for all that is good in the world. This is what the headmistress wanted to convey to them.

"Yes. I understand, Master... We'll meet again someday."

The image in her mind's lake had vanished, and her consciousness returned to the present. Looking at the sword god before her, Fu Hua took a deep breath. "Come on, God Resonance... I can handle it."

Everything began to flow again. This sword, formed from the power of the gods, was unavoidable and was about to pierce Fu Hua's forehead, just like back then. However, now, the people at the hilt and the blade of the sword were long gone, and all the past events were now consigned to this moment... In the past years that had flowed by, Fu Hua had said these words countless times, but today, everything was different. She would remember all of this.

The past... none of them can be missing.

Before Li Sushang's shocked eyes, from form to meaning, the Great Void Sword God who had been involved in everything no longer existed. In Fu Hua's hand, the black and gold gauntlet reflected a tangible light, which was then crushed into dust by Fu Hua, blocking the attack. Fu Hua was a little out of breath. It seemed that he had bet on the only variable correctly.

Looking at Li Sushang, who was panting heavily, this attack had also exhausted her mental energy. Her opponent was no longer able to use the Sword God's ultimate move. Her plan could be considered a success.

"Hoo... Master once said that the Sword God was nothing special... At the time, I thought Master was just talking nonsense. I never imagined that in the hands of my great-grandfather, the Sword God could be countered in such a way. I never imagined that this unstoppable and unavoidable Sword God... My great-grandfather not only caught it, but was even unharmed. This move was truly wonderful! I knew it, I should have understood long ago... In the face of a true master, there is never a sure-win move..."

The sword fairy girl's eyes were filled with excitement. Although her ultimate move was blocked without her even being hurt, it made her realize that there are no guaranteed winning moves. The road ahead of her was still very long.

"As expected of my grandmaster, I have exhausted my true energy and am powerless to fight any longer... Grandmaster, you have won. This was all part of your plan, wasn't it?"

The sword fairy girl frankly admitted that she had indeed made a mistake. The sword god was powerful, but the consumption of energy was also real. She probably only had the strength for one strike now, which was a world of difference compared to when she was at full strength.

"No, this is also an adventure for me. This battle is extraordinary. However, I don't have time to explain it to you in detail right now. You said before that I was turning this fight into a life-or-death struggle, but... actually, it's quite the opposite."

Fu Hua shook her head. In fact, only she knew her current state. She seemed normal, but she could barely stand. She was definitely not unharmed. Despite her sufficient theoretical knowledge, the Sword God's attack was not something she could easily withstand.

"...What do you mean? Grandmaster, please don't speak like Ottoman. It's too convoluted. Can you speak in a way that I can understand, like Junior Uncle?"

Once again, she couldn't understand what her grandmaster was saying. Li Sushang leaned against the railing to recover her strength. At the same time, she also wanted to figure out what Fu Hua meant. She really didn't understand. It was indeed easier to talk to her junior uncle.

"Kenshin is advantageous to you, but the fragments are a great harm to me. This is a disadvantage I have been given in the past... But now I am finally certain that it will not be an obstacle in the upcoming battle. Also, at this moment... neither of us can provide assistance to other battlefields. Therefore... we can finally settle this on truly equal terms."

Fu Hua said in a deep voice that, thanks to Li Sushang's sword god technique, Fu Hua had cleared the harm of the sword heart fragments in her body. However, the battle between the two of them was not over yet. After all, they were still standing, and now it was a truly fair duel.

"Ah... alright, since you've said so, Grandmaster, then let's have the duel between the Taixu Sword School!"

The sword fairy girl hesitated for a moment before readily agreeing. Was her grandmaster worried that she would cause trouble on other battlefields? But she had already said that she would only fight for the Ottoman, so there was no need to worry about such things. However, since her grandmaster had already said so, it was no longer a matter of Schicksal or Otto, but simply an internal struggle between the Taixu Sword School.

"That's right. Although I still want to avoid a prolonged battle, the current situation is the best I can achieve."

Fu Hua assumed a fighting stance, extending one hand forward. This was both an invitation and a challenge. At this moment, she was neither the Crimson Mandarin Duck Immortal nor the patriarch of the Taixu Sword School. This was her own... As Fu Hua, in this competition, she showed Li Sushang the utmost respect.

Seeing Fu Hua's current state, Li Sushang suddenly let out a soft laugh. The laugh sounded very inappropriate, but there was no contempt in it. It was just a momentary burst of secret delight that she couldn't hide. After all, the person standing in front of her had appeared in many forms before: a legend who shook the martial arts world, a dejected hanger. But the person she saw today was completely different. The person she saw now seemed to be... the real her.

"Wonderful! Fu Hua, please!"

With another fist salute, the sword was now in the hands of the sword-wielding maiden.

"Please."

Fu Hua also clasped her hands in a fist salute, already in a fighting stance.

"By the way, Fu Hua, I only have one sword left to fight."

Li Sushang honestly admitted that after a short rest, she was able to draw her sword again, as for Fu Hua...

"I understand, but I'm sorry, I can't use my full strength."

Fu Hua nodded and explained, and Li Sushang understood as well. Contrary to her promise to only fight once, she still wanted to catch up with the white-haired girl to help. Well then, this is... the final sword strike.

Both of them took a deep breath at the same time. The sword light shattered, and when the figures reappeared, their positions had already changed. Fu Hua's eyes flickered slightly, and she thought to herself... it seemed she shouldn't be so arrogant.

Chapter 172 What kind of attitude is this?

Fu Hua had been using rhetoric to mislead Li Sushang into believing that the only way to counter her "strongest" move was with the Sword God technique. However, Fu Hua hadn't expected that while she could use such a move, Li Sushang could do the same. Her opponent simply didn't have the strength left for a single sword strike. From the exchange just now, Fu Hua knew that the outcome was already decided.

"It seems you've won."

Unable to maintain her balance, Fu Hua knelt on the ground. Although she was reluctant to admit her defeat, the fact remained that she had indeed lost in the final battle. Her attempt to support other battlefields was, in a sense, a case of being overly ambitious.

"Yes, that's right... but I gave it my all, while Ancestor Chiyuan held back. Judging solely by a single sword strike, I lost. Your cultivation is indeed superior to mine. The reason for this outcome is that I was fighting two against one."

Unlike Fu Hua, who couldn't maintain her balance, Li Sushang turned and stood up with a beautiful sword flourish. The girl's posture was far superior to Fu Hua's. Just as Li Sushang said, when the final sword clashed, a second sword appeared in front of Li Sushang. The moment the power suddenly appeared, the outcome of the battle was decided. It was clear that she had made her opponent make a wrong judgment to gain the victory. Fu Hua wasn't the only one who did this in this battle.

"Indeed, you won."

After saying that, Fu Hua lost consciousness and collapsed. Li Sushang sighed slightly. Although she had won, what was this feeling of emptiness? In fact, there was no victory or defeat. The only one who wanted to win was herself.

If my grandmaster had considered his own situation and the current moment more, the outcome might have been different... But what should I do now? I never thought I would win against Ancestor Chiyuan, and the Ottoman didn't plan what I would do after the victory... Wait a minute, does that mean even the Ottoman didn't expect me to win?

Why do I suddenly feel so angry?

Just as she puffed out her cheeks, Li Sushang's face turned pale. In the end, her master had only accomplished half of what she wanted to achieve. She couldn't rush to the aid of other battlefields, and neither could she. The azure Xuanyuan Sword in her hand shattered into pieces from its blade, and the last bit of strength in Li Sushang's body was completely drained. Li Sushang sword-wielding girl swayed, barely managing to stay afloat. Truly worthy of being her master; even using a method that had caused her to misjudge, she had been brought to this state...

Thinking more about one's companions... or thinking more about oneself, which one will make one stronger? Li Sushang still couldn't figure it out. It was only one exchange, so it was really hard to tell. But it really didn't matter anymore, after all, Ancestor Chiyuan had indeed started anew.

Looking at the figure lying on the ground behind her, Li Sushang's relief was no longer concealed. She leaned against the observation deck and gazed at the clouds. She was no longer able to fight. Her grudges with the Ottoman had been settled, as had those with her master. Now, she would just quietly wait here for the end of everything.

If one could instantly travel back five hundred years, even the Grandmaster would probably find it difficult to adjust. So, it's better to stay with her. Having familiar faces around would make things much better.

"Class President!"

Just as the girl was about to enjoy a moment of peace, a shocked voice suddenly rang out. Li Sushang turned around in astonishment and saw Shen Gonglin running over from a distance to help Fu Hua, who had fallen to the ground. Why would Junior Uncle come over? The Ottoman never said anything about it!

After bringing Bronya and the others out of the Domination Theater, Shen Gonglin received a call from Theresa. Not only Bronya's side, but Fu Hua's side was also experiencing problems. So, after saying goodbye to Bronya, Shen Gonglin rushed over without stopping. As soon as she arrived, she saw the Class President lying on the ground unconscious, while Li Sushang was looking at the scenery as if nothing had happened. What happened was obvious, wasn't it?

"Phew, thank goodness, I can still have a heartbeat..."

With her hand on Fu Hua's chest, perhaps because of the small obstruction, Shen Gonglin could easily feel Fu Hua's heartbeat. Only then did Shen Gonglin feel relieved. At this moment, Li Sushang ran over like a little girl who had done something wrong. She had never expected her junior uncle to come over. What should she do in this situation?

"Junior Uncle... Grandmaster should be alright. We just had a little sparring, and I won. But Grandmaster is fine too, he just fainted..."

Li Sushang quickly explained the situation, while the sword fairy girl also thought to herself, "This junior uncle's hand seems to have been placed in a rather inappropriate place." Unfortunately, Li Sushang dared not say or ask. At this moment, she felt guilty. Her grandmaster seemed to have a very good relationship with her junior uncle. Now that she had beaten her grandmaster like this, would her junior uncle take his anger out on her?

Maybe I should slip away now.

"Just fainted? Li Sushang, what did you tell me before? That it was just a fight and there would be no danger. I've found that you, this treacherous bastard, didn't take it seriously at all."