Clear Mirror Realm, Taixuan Style vs. Taixuan Style.

Su Qing'an stayed in this ancient town for three days.

It was as if he had returned to the days when he first learned martial arts from Chen Junxuan, but that stage where he could feel himself growing up with each passing day was already a thing of the past for Su Qing'an.

Now, while he is completely different from before, he is also trapped within a barrier. No matter how complex the skills and martial arts will are combined, there is a clear upper limit. And the closer he gets to that limit, the more limited the room for Su Qing'an to improve becomes.

Youth has its advantages, Su Qing'an was certain that he was strong enough to defeat Chen Junxuan in combat.

The physical attributes honed and refined by the Artificial Stigmata and the Void Sword Qi are already at a superhuman level.

From this perspective alone, even an ordinary person who is not skilled in martial arts would be able to kill a normal Honkai Beast no more than twice his size using the strength and speed of his own body.

Such pure violence would be abnormal even in the St. Freya Academy, a place teeming with abnormal people.

Chen Junxuan was even less capable of doing this, and given his already transformed martial arts, it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that Su Qing'an surpassed him.

But during those three days, he seemed to be sorting out some complicated and chaotic things. He practiced boxing in the morning, meditated in the afternoon, and stood still in the middle of the night. He patiently repeated these seemingly meaningless behaviors with the old man.

In Fu Hua's eyes, Su Qing'an's martial arts were becoming clear and transparent again at a speed visible to the naked eye.

Su Qing'an learns things very quickly. He can basically grasp the essence of a move very quickly, and can even innovate and develop other techniques in a short period of time.

But precisely because of this, his martial arts became increasingly complex, to the point that it gradually became somewhat cumbersome.

The fundamental reason is that the fist techniques that Fu Hua taught him are far more extensive and terrifying than the entire Taixuan Style system.

If Chen Junxuan was Su Qing'an's mentor, then Fu Hua's existence helped Su Qing'an build a true foundation.

She imparted almost all of the endless martial arts she had created on her own, as well as the myriad techniques she had seen and heard over the centuries.

Fu Hua has always doted on Su Qing'an in a sense. Even in the distant past, she had never gone to such lengths for her disciple.

The reason, however, stemmed solely from a conversation exchanged with the boy that day before he was being instructed.

What do you want to learn?

"All."

Faced with Su Qing'an's capricious answer, she simply smiled and lightly uttered a single word.

"Good."

So Su Qing'an really went to study, and he mastered all the courses at the St. Freya Academy in less than half a month. He also mastered the Taixuan Style in just one week.

Faced with these countless martial arts styles, the young man has studied them diligently for so long, yet he still hasn't fully mastered them all.

Of course, Su Qing'an had already mastered some of the essential parts, but due to many practical limitations, he simply couldn't use them.

Just like the [Thousand Stars] technique requires Honkai Energy resistance and control, there are many moves that are even more demanding than [Thousand Stars].

For example, Su Qing'an didn't even have the qualifications to come into contact with the most powerful immortal techniques.

It's rather strange that Fu Hua would let Su Qing'an know about this level of martial arts.

The boy himself did not know that it was the supreme martial art used by the Shenzhou Immortal at their peak, but he could understand that it was something far more dangerous than [Thousand Stars].

Even Fu Hua herself, with her life force waning and her body extremely weak, found it difficult to use her immortal techniques.

The martial arts style of immortality is a fighting method that she has sealed away into taboos. Even the fighting method of using Udu-dust has a higher priority than using the immortal style.

In most cases, even when fighting with Udu-dust and God-Slaying Armor, she would not be willing to use Celestial Style, because Celestial Style would consume too much of her body's durability, and the responsibilities she bore as a young girl would prevent her from treating her life that way.

She must continue to live in this world to fulfill that promise.

Therefore, sometimes you have to give up a lot of things.

In short, the culprit behind Su Qing'an's overly complicated martial arts style is Fu Hua.

However, during these three days, Chen Junxuan's instruction made Su Qing'an's martial arts skills become flawless once again.

This is a very vague adjective; it is difficult to see clearly even when put on paper or in a fist. However, one thing can be clearly perceived as a change.

That was something only Su Qing'an herself could understand.

That is, the change in the Clear Mirror Realm.

Aside from the accumulation of quantity, this level no longer presents any bottlenecks for him.

Su Qing'an had always believed that the Void Sword Qi was a series of realms artificially constructed by feeding on emotions.

But now he gradually understands that the Void Sword Qi is not such a simple thing.

Whether it was the initial formation of the sword heart or the later stepping into the realm of nothingness.

What's needed is never simply the accumulation of emotions.

The most crucial factor lies in the [heart].

This is a very mystical thing, but Su Qing'an understands the possibility that he hadn't undergone the trials of the gods in the beginning, and hadn't experienced those two weeks with Hua.

Then he would never be able to condense a sword heart.

And the key to entering a state of purity lies in the same way.

The inner turmoil, fear, and hesitation during the wait for Honkai to descend in Changkong City, the courage shown after being driven to the brink by Ganesha, and the unwavering belief in breaking through to the dustless realm despite facing the Pseudo-Herrscher Satou Yunona.

These shining examples of humanity are the true key to the advancement of the divine version of the Void Sword Qi.

By now, Su Qing'an's qualifications in this area are more than enough to break through to the Mingjing realm.

The reason he only realized the bottleneck had disappeared now was because the young man had been feeling confused all along.

But in those three days, the dust in his heart was swept away.

As Su Qing'an gradually gained a deeper understanding of martial arts, her heart also became purer.

He had figured out many things. In other words, according to what Chen Junxuan had told the boy a long time ago, Su Qing'an had found his own answer.

On the morning of the fourth day, Chen Junxuan looked at the young man, whose weathered yet clear eyes held a mixture of emotion and joy. He seemed to be both sighing and happy, and finally, the old man said with complex feelings:

"You've completed your apprenticeship, Qing'an."

"After this fight, you can leave."

So the two of them performed the ancient rituals just like they had done at the Daoist Dojo in Changkong City that day.

For Su Qing'an, this was a battle unlike any other.

Whether it was [momentum], [circle], or the stealth techniques he stole from Rita, all of them vanished in front of Chen Junxuan.

Useless.

Unable to subdue the old man's momentum for even a moment, one's weaknesses will be exploited by the old man, and one's stealth will be easily detected several times.

All the skills that would give someone a huge advantage over others became flashy but useless tricks in Chen Junxuan's hands.

The power of [momentum] has already undergone several iterations of elimination, and the fact that it could not shake Chen Junxuan only shows that the old man's heart and will were too firm and without any flaws.

But Su Qing'an's skills are not limited to these. The power he absorbed from Fu Hua has gradually spread into the young man's blood, and countless fragments of martial arts techniques have been almost perfectly integrated into his instincts.

Taixuan Style, Taixuan Style.

The martial arts techniques of Su Qing'an and Chen Junxuan now seem to have no common origin.

And this is exactly the result Chen Junxuan wanted to see.

Su Qing'an completely abandoned those useless techniques.

The repeated use of these techniques is like a child showing off a toy to an adult, with a smug attitude as if they possess a treasure that the other person doesn't have.

It's as if the boy is trying to prove his achievements and innovations during this period, and Chen Junxuan cares more about Su Qing'an's progress than these treasures that seem to be just toys.

This ignited a fierce fighting spirit within him.

So what if he's a disciple?

While feeling proud, Chen Junxuan also possessed an extremely strong competitive spirit.

Having passed the initial probing phase, in their very first exchange of blows, their limbs moved like unleashed whips, tearing through the wind as they hurtled towards each other.

Whether it's a chop to the neck, an elbow strike, a punch, or a kick, they use every trick in the book. The dazzling techniques and constant dismantling make the battle incredibly difficult to predict.

Clearly, Su Qing'an has gone much further in terms of skill, but no matter what he does, he can't overpower his opponent.

Chen Junxuan was too old; he had experienced countless battles in his life.

His martial arts are far more than just pure skill; they cannot be adequately described.

Unlike Fu Hua, who gave Su Qing'an a sense of despair as if facing the vast ocean, the old man only made the boy feel the wind.

It is a flexible and natural wind, sometimes swift, sometimes explosive.

Chen Junxuan's response can be described as a perfect balance of offense and defense, without any weaknesses. His movements were flawless, and his attacks were neither so forceful as to exhaust all his strength, nor did they give the enemy any chance to recover.

The moves are neither so focused on finesse that they lose their lethality, nor so reliant on brute force that they are full of openings.

Every shot he made was timed perfectly.

[Round].

Unlike Su Qing'an's cheat-like martial arts, which combined the power of the Void Sword Qi, this was Chen Junxuan's own unique [Circle].

It is a fighting rhythm that the old man has developed through years of practical experience, life-and-death trials, and martial arts training.

Everyone says that learning has no end, but Su Qing'an used to think that he no longer needed to learn anything about martial arts from Chen Junxuan. However, when he fought the old man again, he found that the battle was almost no different from the battle in Changkong City before.

Regardless of who gains the upper hand, after a flurry of punches and kicks, they will find themselves back at a similar equilibrium point to the start of the game.

Su Qing'an did not use his full strength. His physical abilities, which were deliberately suppressed by his State of Still Water, and all his skills regarding Honkai Energy, proved that the boy was far more capable than he had been.

But regarding everything related to martial arts, he had already truly and completely revealed his skills.

Even so, he couldn't completely defeat the old man.

A teacher truly deserves to be called a teacher.

Ten minutes later.

The boy's fist, as smooth as a mirror-like lake, landed on the old man's forehead.

Conversely, Chen Junxuan's whip-like leg also landed on the boy's temple.

The old man's toes were a finger's width away from his skin.

However, Su Qing'an's fist was only half a finger's width away from Chen Junxuan's head.

The two simultaneously withdrew their fists and feet, their breathing remaining perfectly steady, as if the battle had not consumed much of their energy.

The martial intent that flowed through his body vanished in the blink of an eye. The old man's previously wildly dancing white hair, which resembled a roaring lion with a captivating and oppressive aura, now resembled an old teacher who had just finished teaching his students.

Chen Junxuan gently patted Su Qing'an's shoulder, a gesture he always liked to make. It seemed that every time he did this, the boy had grown a lot.

And now he has already followed in his footsteps.

He said softly:

"You win, Qing'an."

"I used all my strength this time, but you were still holding back, weren't you? Don't lie to me, I can tell."

Su Qing'an nodded silently. He understood that some things could not be hidden from this old man who had taught him little by little during his weakest period.

Back then, my physical fitness was only at the level of an average adult, and the difference between then and now is simply immeasurable.

Learning martial arts quickly can be explained by talent, but the transformation of physical abilities from initial weakness to near-inhuman strength is difficult to explain away with ordinary reasons.

"Although I don't know why, your physical abilities have become extremely strong. This is evident from your training over the past few days and the feeling I had during our recent exchange. In terms of pure physical strength and power, I am no match for you anymore."

"They say youth has the upper hand in boxing, but even in my prime, I wouldn't be stronger than you. That's good."

"I won't ask you the reasons or causes for such a big change. It's not important to me."

"Qing'an, you have already surpassed me. This is true in both martial arts and physical fitness. What you lack now is just a little time, but you have already found the most crucial will and reason."

The old man patted the boy's head, his expression kind and expectant, his eyes reflecting the rising sun with a dazzling light.

He said with emotion:

"I have nothing more to teach you. I'm really lucky to have met a successor like you before I wanted to end my journey and return to my hometown in my later years."

Su Qing'an shook his head upon hearing this, and said seriously:

"Master Chen has been a great help to me. Without you, I would definitely not be where I am today."

"If I hadn't learned the Taixuan Style, I might have faced a different outcome standing here. So if we're talking about good luck, it's me who's lucky."

"I am very grateful to you, always have been."

For the taciturn Su Qing'an, these words contained very deep emotions.

As he said, without Chen Junxuan's guidance, he might have been completely powerless to deal with the various crises that existed in Changkong City that day.

The idea that they could escape from Ganesha's clutches for a long time is simply absurd.

The old man had essentially saved his life, so how could Su Qing'an not be grateful?

As the ancients said, a drop of water in need should be repaid with a spring of water.

The kindness of those who taught us is something we can never forget.

There are not many people in this world who are good to him, and Su Qing'an always treats each and every one of them with extra care.

Chen Junxuan shook his head and chuckled, saying:

"You're always so serious."

"If you'd like to express your gratitude, please come visit this old man occasionally when you have time."

For some reason, rather than focusing on the heights that Taixuan Style could reach under Su Qing'an's guidance, the old man now hoped that this young man's future would be even brighter.

Perhaps, right now, Chen Junxuan cares more about Su Qing'an as a person than about the significance of inheriting the Taixuan Style itself.

That's probably how it is when people get old; their attitude towards younger generations is always mixed with a doting attitude.

Moreover, Su Qing'an's performance has never disappointed Chen Junxuan.

It takes a normal person ten years to become a master, but Su Qing'an has already surpassed his master in just half a year. This made Chen Junxuan more concerned about other miscellaneous things than his progress in martial arts.

For example, that little girl next to him whose eyes never left Su Qing'an —when will her relationship with her disciple take another step forward?

Chen Junxuan, who wasn't usually a gossip, sometimes couldn't help but ask about the details and process of how the two met. This unintentionally increased Fu Hua's workload, as the old man was very happy to hear the various stories that the girl made up.

Su Qing'an was taken aback for a moment upon hearing this, then he swallowed all his concerns and worries about the future.

For the boy at that moment, he simply couldn't refuse such a simple request from the old man.

So he smiled and agreed, saying:

"Good."