Your Hair Is Winter Gray, in a Bun

As the other party said, compared to the sect they originally established, it is more beneficial to inherit and develop by invisibly and colorlessly integrating into the ruling forces of Shenzhou.

The Taixu Sect, which broke free from the framework of the imperial court to create its own unique entity, is somewhat like using someone else's resources to create something new.

Theoretically speaking, it is not impossible to achieve a result where each party does not interfere with the other but can help each other to a certain extent, by using the name of an immortal and in exchange for the Honkai of the Honkai.

Fu Hua was not unaware of this, but she felt it contradicted her long-held principle of not interfering with humanity in this era in any way.

No matter how wonderful the initial plans were, once the Taixu Sect was integrated into the ruling forces of the current Shenzhou, it meant that no matter how extraordinary or otherworldly it was, it would be confined to the premise that this framework still existed.

Dynasties change only last for a few hundred years. If they don't offer any support to those on the side of Honkai, they will inevitably face the imminent collapse of their empire. But what should the Taixu Sect do then?

Not to mention that getting involved violates principles, simply wanting to extricate oneself is not such a simple matter.

Unless the Taixu Sect is completely transformed into a one-man show with extremely pure faith, no matter how innocent an organization may be, any connection it has with the imperial court will eventually lead to a complex web of interpersonal relationships, dragging it into a quagmire from which it cannot escape.

To put it bluntly, if the Taixu Sect wants to perfectly implement the concept of non-interference with humanity in this era, establish extremely high moral standards, and seal away some forbidden abilities, it is unrealistic for it to develop rapidly, and for the time being, it can only follow the path of a sect.

However, from this perspective, there is no need to recruit a wide range of disciples. The requirements for the Void Sword Qi are too complicated, and the number of talented people that can be found in an era is too small. This brings us back to the issue of the advantages and disadvantages of the original elite policy.

Su Qing'an sighed:

"Under the premise of not going against one's conscience, not using one's abilities, and not prematurely advancing technology, it is impossible to find a flawless plan for developing one's power."

Ultimately, the lack of public displays of power, financial resources, and even the inability to leverage the most advantageous fame due to a reluctance to be worshipped, all these limitations make building a powerful force a joke.

The heritage of the World Serpent is essentially a religious belief.

There's no need to elaborate on the indulgences that started with Schicksal.

The scientific research on Anti-Entropy has no reference value today.

Successful cases reveal methodologies and key elements for achieving success. Su Qing'an realized that neither he nor Fu Hua met these requirements, which was the core reason he initially concluded that neither of them was suitable to be in power.

After thinking for a while, the young man came up with a solution that best approximates the current situation.

But that's just a different choice that follows the same basic framework as World Serpent, the only difference being that the position of the Lord was changed from Kevin to Fu Hua.

Given the renowned reputation that the Immortal Chi Yuan has accumulated in Shenzhou since ancient times, it would be incredibly easy for him to establish a sect with fervent followers and ensure its enduring legacy.

As long as she's willing.

The problem then returns to its original state.

Through his own experience, the boy suddenly understood why some people would repeatedly cross the line and fall into the abyss, becoming stained with blood and darkness that could never be erased.

Because as long as you are willing to give up some of your bottom lines of self-discipline, the rewards will far outweigh the efforts and sacrifices of following the rules.

Su Qing'an silently ran his fingers through the girl's soft, cool hair. He was not unaware of why she was so concerned about this matter.

The reasons for this are nothing other than the predicament he is currently facing and the tragedies that have occurred in the past.

She wanted to protect herself.

Therefore, they may have even become aware of the need to compromise their own bottom line.

But if Hua forces himself to be like that, he will be like Paper Kite with broken wings, no longer the person he once was.

And it is precisely because some people would rather do this than compromise their own safety that he has no room to allow the other party to force him to do this.

Therefore, the boy didn't mention a word of the thoughts that were piling up in his mind; he simply parted his lips and said:

"There's still plenty of time, let's take it slow."

The immortal's expression faltered slightly. She slowly leaned into the man's embrace, letting her winter-grey hair slip through her fingers. She raised her eyes, gazing up at his chin and downcast eyes, and whispered with a soft laugh:

"Um."

Before confirming whether the progress of that [Lostbelt] can be fully completed, there's no need to rush the establishment of power. The Manas consciousness can still be bound deep within the opponent's body, but...

In any case, she planned ahead to prevent accidents from happening again.

Just as Su Qing'an had thought, Chi Yuan was willing to pay the price of sacrificing herself for this.

Su Qing'an's hand caressed the other's slender yet supple chin, his fingertips lightly scratching the skin of her neck as if teasing a cat. He leaned down slightly, his lips brushing against the girl's wisps of hair on her forehead, his warm breath, like a mixture of tea and lemon, escaping from them, as he smiled and said:

Your hair is winter gray.

She felt the gentle yet warm touch, offering no resistance, like a docile little animal, only asking in return:

"Hmm, is it pretty?"

The boy's face brushed against her cool, silky hair, his lips close to her ear, a bright smile on his face.

"It's very beautiful."

Fu Hua blinked, her thick, curly eyelashes cutting through the sunlight streaming in from the window, like dappled shadows repeatedly breaking apart in an instant.

She asked earnestly and with a hint of doubt:

"Why?"

Su Qing'an found this straightforward and slightly silly question endearing and responded softly:

"Because winter gray signifies a cold and distant gentleness."

"That's my opinion, so I think this color has its own unique beauty and is very pretty."

The girl tilted her head back, gazing at her reflection in the other's eyes. She turned her head slightly, her cool lips lightly touching the same moist surface, a fleeting touch. Her eyes were gentle as she whispered softly, each word a gentle whisper:

Thank you for liking it.

Su Qing'an pursed his lips, which still felt soft, and released his hands from her delicate face. Using the Heaven and Earth Qi as a hook, he picked up the comb from the table, and with unhurried movements, began to comb her long hair. After a moment's thought, he replied:

I like you, no need to say thank you.

She blinked:

"... Um."

While eating the perilla paste from the porcelain bowl, Su Muxi looked at books from the Qin Dynasty, occasionally transforming into a White Sparrow and flitting around the room...

It seems to be able to have fun all by itself.

That makes sense, as Udu-dust's records contain most of Fu Hua and Su Qing'an's past memories.

She could watch these scenes for a long time by editing them into movie sequences, and with her "parents" by her side, she naturally didn't feel lonely or bored.

Little Feather had no interest in what the people next to her were up to.

Therefore, her existence was completely ignored by the two of them, like an invisible little person, only showing a different kind of presence during mealtimes.

Su Qing'an said softly:

"Once I've nearly finished weaving and constructing that Qi technique, recruiting disciples will be of great significance."

Fu Hua nodded without speaking, gazing out the window at the mountain range stretching to the horizon and the strange waterfall that seemed to cascade down from the sky like a river.

--Cloud Cliff Sea.

It gets its name from its vastness, resembling the sea, and its location amidst cliffs and clouds.

This is one of the most wondrous landscapes in the entire Mount Taixu. Cloud Dragon Waterfall is one of the several branches that branch off from it, while the main waterfall is naturally even more magnificent and unforgettable.

Therefore, at Fuyun Temple, one can hear different levels of murmuring sounds depending on the swiftness of the waterfall.

Under the influence of the magnetic field of this mountain range, even such sounds gradually become pleasant enough to bring peace to one's heart, indirectly interfering with the cultivation of the Sword Heart Technique.

Therefore, this is the most suitable place for cultivation before entering the Void Sword Qi. Even those with poor aptitude can make up for some shortcomings and increase the possibility of condensing the sword heart if they grow up in Mount Taixu from childhood.

She vaguely remembered that in modern times, thousands of years later, this Cloud Cliff Sea had dried up so much that even the Fuyun Temple could no longer hear the melodious babbling sounds, and even the Cloud Dragon Waterfall, where she and Su Qing'an had bathed together a few days ago, would no longer exist.

Time is always cruel, gradually eroding away everything familiar.

Therefore... I absolutely cannot lose the other person.

The girl recalled the portraits that the villagers living on Mount Taixu in later generations had carved for her on the cliff face, and she felt a complex mix of emotions. She knew perfectly well what the most suitable method was for her at this moment.

The common sense bestowed upon her by the previous era, along with the occasional time spent studying throughout her long life, meant that this immortal, who could already be called a long-lived being, was not lacking in the necessary knowledge and wisdom. What she lacked was...

It was simply a matter of decisiveness.

Should we accept many disciples?

Fu Hua couldn't recall why she was injured so badly in the future that she lost her immortality and her combat power was reduced to a mere tenth of its former glory, but she had a vague guess in her heart.

[Elite politics is good, but if one forges the sharpest swords in the world, how can one guarantee that their blades won't wound oneself?]

The words the boy had just uttered lingered in her ears, causing her emotions to fluctuate.

Even if that were the case, using Udu-dust and Manas to manipulate people's hearts is still a concept that I cannot accept now.

Fu Hua didn't want to run away from things she couldn't do because of her personality, and this was for Su Qing'an's sake.

Yet she had to restrain herself and maintain her bottom line, simply because it was a commitment she had upheld for millennia, and also... a situation the other party did not want to see.

This is contradictory, but it doesn't violate logic.

Before reaching a conclusion regarding her journey through the Lostbelt, the girl chose to remain in this situation for the time being.

She said:

"It must be difficult to make progress, thank you for your hard work."

A few days earlier, Fu Hua had heard about the other party's idea of exploring the potential of Qi techniques. However, even though she greatly appreciated the power and uniqueness of the Manas consciousness, she still did not have much hope for it.

That was a problem that even the entire human race's wisdom couldn't overcome in the previous era. Even with objective factors such as time constraints and different priorities, it's still clear how many difficulties there were.

The permanent Manas consciousness that Su Qing'an arrived at has indeed surpassed the current measurement limit of civilization. It is no exaggeration to call it a palace before ascending to the realm of gods. However, not to mention that everyone has their own expertise, the Manas consciousness itself is currently in a broken and weak state.

Otherwise, it wouldn't be difficult to directly manipulate one's own spacetime axis to forcibly accumulate years and arrive at a perfect answer, thereby achieving herd immunity for the entire civilization with the power of one person.

It can control an endless amount of time and completely sever itself from the outside world.

Under these conditions, it wouldn't be surprising if any miracle happened.

However, the damaged state of the sealed-off area is another matter entirely, and it is completely unknown how much help the mysterious form of Manas can provide in this regard.

Su Qing'an sighed:

"If we could have the opportunity to replicate the soul and personality of Mobius and Mei, this research could likely yield the desired results very quickly."

"But now we can only rely on time to slowly grind it out. The Qi cultivation technique that my Senior Sister Shishi practiced was the initial finished product. I made progress in almost only a week, but after that, I could only make slow, incremental progress."

Due to the unique nature of the Soul Lifeform, his [thoughts] will always remain within the original framework of his self, and retain and inherit a logical way of thinking that is so intact that it cannot be distorted.

This is both a good thing and a bad thing.

If it weren't for this characteristic, even if the gods reversed the Soul Scale, they still wouldn't be able to truly find the complete Su Qing'an.

However, it is precisely this characteristic that makes it unsuitable for researchers to think within a framework that, even after absorbing much knowledge from the previous era, still makes it difficult to achieve many breakthroughs in this field.

"You can even do something like this?"

Fu Hua was somewhat surprised. From Su Qing'an's words, he could tell that as long as the other party was willing and the object to be replicated truly existed in the vicinity, he could use the ability to replicate the other party's personality and even knowledge to make up for his own lack of such talent.

Because she could only use her sword heart to replace her soul and transform into an incomplete Manas consciousness, and could only enter into that state for a few seconds, this was the first time she had learned of this.

Although the Manas consciousness is qualified to bear the information of heaven and earth without collapsing, and it is not surprising that it possesses such an ability, it is still beyond her comprehension.

After all, even the Eighth Herrscher's consciousness and powers could not replicate such an operation.

Su Qing'an explained:

"If the person is willing to cooperate, it is indeed possible, but I don't know exactly how far I can go. However, I'm sure that even achieving half or less of the desired result would be more efficient than doing it myself."

"Moreover, because of the special nature of [Nian], creating a composite version of Mobius and Dr. Mei wouldn't have much of an impact on me personally."

"But in this era, this ability is not very significant."

The girl nodded and remained silent.

Only when this era is pushed back to the time when Dan Zhu Cang Xuan were still alive, or directly to the era when those familiar people appeared, will there be talents whose personalities and even knowledge are worth replicating.

On the other hand, she had great trust in Su Qing'an's moral character.

Therefore, there's no intention to issue any warnings on this matter, and naturally, there's nothing more to say.

What bothered her more was the other person's small gesture of braiding their long hair into other styles.

She didn't know how long the person she liked would play with her hair, but it seemed that she had no choice but to let him do as he pleased.

Moreover, this level of behavior is still within the bounds of not feeling ashamed, so it's okay to let the other person do whatever they want.

It must be said that such an extremely permissive, even indulgent, attitude makes it hard not to give rise to the evil thought of taking advantage of this indulgence.

Although the young man intended not to have a direct relationship before marriage, he still found it hard to resist this attitude that was almost "you can do whatever you want".

The more complete Su Qing'an's memories are, the closer her psychological age becomes to that of an adult.

That innocent and naive stage, when I was truly like a child, has passed.

Under these circumstances, it's impossible for someone to be completely without desire for a beautiful woman with a slender figure who doesn't restrain herself when alone, and even occasionally enjoys bathing naked with her.

If it weren't for the fact that this human body, which is in a sense a monster, is still limited to the age of thirteen and is slowly growing up with the passage of time, he felt that he probably wouldn't be able to maintain the gentlemanly demeanor he has at this stage.

Of course, this doesn't mean that teenagers should take advantage of the present moment to do bad things.

After all, since Little Feather, who is like a daughter in status, is still slacking off in her room, even if she is completely invisible, the presence of the other party makes overly intimate behavior a forbidden matter.

Su Qing'an skillfully divided the girl's thick, long hair into two sections, left and right, and took out a dark blue rope that she had woven herself from her sleeve, tying them up securely.

So when the immortal sensed something was amiss, he twisted the two strands of hair separately, then twisted them together, and finally wrapped the twisted strands upwards into a bun.

The boy carefully loosened his bun and the hair close to his scalp, giving it a slightly messy look. He then took out several silver hair ornaments that he had carved himself after getting them from his Senior Sister Shishi and pinned them there.

Fu Hua then looked at the bronze mirror placed before her.

--Her face remained as pale and aloof as ever, with only a hint of vibrancy visible through her rosy lips. However, her long, straight gray hair was now styled into a bun, which added a touch of sweetness and charm to her overall demeanor due to the fluffy texture.

Moreover, having grown accustomed to seeing her with her hair down or tied up, this look felt rather refreshing.

Su Qing'an stroked her well-fitting bun with satisfaction and commented softly:

"So cute."

He finished speaking.

As if to show respect for the girl's thick hair, or perhaps simply to present a gift, he inserted a white jade hairpin with a phoenix-shaped openwork rope pattern into her hair bun to secure it.

"This is a gift."

Upon hearing this, Fu Hua looked at herself in the bronze mirror, her lips slightly upturned, and whispered:

"Yes, I like it very much."

She didn't say thank you again.