The sun sank in the west, plunging the land into darkness.
The streetlights of the academy lit up one by one. In a certain building, a single room glowed with brilliant light.
Inside, the living room was dark, the television hanging silently on the wall. Beside it was a fresh potted plant, lending the space a neat and clean appearance.
Next to the plant was a small hallway, which led to a bedroom with its door left ajar.
Through the crack, one could see that the lights were off inside. Moonlight spilled through the window, flowing like liquid mercury across the floor.
A deep blue hair ribbon lay discarded on the wooden boards, bathed in the pristine moonlight, creating a scene of quiet beauty.
Jingliu's moon-white hair was unbound, cascading down like moonlight itself. Her black blindfold was half-undone, revealing a single eye the color of a ruby...
"The moon is beautiful tonight, isn't it?"
Ye Feng stood by the window, looking up at the clear night sky with a sense of satisfaction.
After a moment's contemplation, he turned his head and smiled. "Bug, it seems you're no match for my Master at all."
Ye Feng pointed at Jingliu. If this were an exam, her score was a perfect 100!
Kiana's score was only a 90.
The gap between a Valkyrie from St. Freya Academy and a former sword master of the Xianzhou was clear at a glance.
Ye Feng brewed a cup of tea and sat down at a desk. He cupped the bottom of the teacup in his hand, the steam rising and swirling in the moonlight.
"Bug? Bug."
Ye Feng called out twice before Kiana managed to turn her head, completely spent.
Without the [Restore] status, even a Valkyrie's constitution was no match for this.
Kiana's lifeless blue eyes stared at Ye Feng. The girl ground her teeth, looking like an angry kitten.
Thinking back, I really fell for this scoundrel Ye Feng's dirty trick!
She had already made up her mind: even if she had to take an "exam," it should be with Mei...
Ah, it's not that Kiana wanted to take an exam with Mei.
It was just that, if it was truly unavoidable, in the worst-case scenario, it should have been with Mei.
But now, it was with a strange woman... alright, she was indeed very beautiful, but Kiana still felt a faint sorrow, as if she had lost her chastity.
Kiana wiped the corner of her mouth, her eyes blazing with anger. She clenched her fist and shouted:
"You scoundrel Ye Feng, how dare you deceive this lady!"
"And how did I deceive you? Bug! You're so clever."
"Don't call me Bug!" Kiana growled.
It was amidst those incessant calls of "Bug" that she had lost herself. Now, Kiana would not stumble over the same mistake twice!
"You're the one who wanted it, you know," Ye Feng said with a smile. "No need to be shy. That's what happens when you get a taste for it."
"Nonsense! I am a knight of House Kaslana! How could I possibly crave such a thing!"
Kiana stood up, puffing out her cheeks and pointing at Ye Feng, declaring it absolutely impossible!
"My apologies, I must have misunderstood you, Bug. However, the competition is still ongoing. Knight of House Kaslana, it seems you're about to lose to her again," Ye Feng reminded her.
Kiana was still very easy to coax... no, Ye Feng had never met a girl easier to coax than the Bug.
Hearing his words, Kiana's gaze immediately shot to Jingliu's lower abdomen.
Her abdomen was slender and elegant, without a trace of excess fat, like a piece of exquisite porcelain that inspired awe. The well-toned lines were graceful and fluid, like flowing moonlight, displaying endless charm and elegance.
Kiana felt a surge of unwillingness, but when she saw Jingliu's "exam score," all her confidence shattered.
The number, shining brightly from within the crimson honeysuckle pattern, was so dazzling it made Kiana's eyes ache. She couldn't help but take a half-step back.
"100..."
How is that possible?
This has to be fake, right?
Kiana was stunned. She hadn't actually been paying close attention to Jingliu's situation. She had assumed there would at least be a "minus one point" or something.
The duration of their "exams" had been exactly the same; Kiana had been timing it precisely on the side.
The reason she was timing it, of course, was because everything had to be fair.
Whether Jingliu's turn was a minute longer or a minute shorter, the just and righteous knight of House Kaslana would never allow it.
Yes, that was it!
Though she had become a bit delirious towards the end...
But this cold-looking older sister couldn't possibly have not lost a single point, could she?
"That's just how it is," Ye Feng said, taking a leisurely sip of his tea as he watched the incredulous Kiana.
Ye Feng stood up and walked over, looking down at Jingliu.
Her blindfold was partially torn off, and her ruby-like right eye stared at him without a shred of emotion.
"Is that all?" she asked faintly, her tone seemingly laced with a hint of mockery.
This pleased Ye Feng greatly.
This pleasure was completely different from the "looking at you with a disgusted face" type; nor was it a masochistic fit, of course.
It was because Jingliu was finally willing to speak.
Though her surface was cold and mocking, ripples had already formed in her heart.
Otherwise, why would there be any emotional fluctuation at all?
Ye Feng gazed at the supine Jingliu, then squatted down and cradled her head in his hands.
"To answer my Master's question, no, not yet. This is just the halftime break."
"..."
Ye Feng continued, "Master has regained her movement. You could have refused just now, or dodged."
Jingliu said flatly, "It matters not. Your attacks are useless against me."
The swordswoman's expression was stern, her eyes unwavering, as if to say, "If you think you can shake my sword-heart with something like this, you are far too naive."
"Really? I don't believe you."
Ye Feng stood up and gently caressed the swordswoman's smooth, flawless cheek with his finger.
Jingliu stared straight ahead, her long, beautiful eyelashes perfectly still.
Ye Feng switched to the other side and whispered, "Master, please face your own heart. Evasion will only be detrimental to your mental and physical state."
"Do not ignore your natural desires. A satisfied mind is also key to resisting the Mara corruption."
A lubricating sheen coated Jingliu's cheek, lending a moist quality to her transcendent aura.
She said softly, "You say this to me? Are you getting anxious?"
Ye Feng smiled. "What do I have to be anxious about? You've seen it yourself. Even if you don't fall into slumber, you will fall into this place. Why not try to understand your true desires?"
"My only desire is vengeance. Nothing more."
Jingliu had to avenge Baiheng by cutting down the stars from the sky (slaying the Aeon of Abundance).
This was her life's "desire." Even if it was as difficult as reaching the heavens, even if it meant becoming an enemy of the Xianzhou, even if she had to suffer the torment of the Mara, even if she discovered this very quest was a form of self-torture, she still managed to "never compromise on her desire."
In this world's terms, it would be like if Mei had been shattered by the Honkai, and Kiana stood upon the ravaged earth, vowing to destroy the Honkai.
This obsession had become the source of all her motivation.
Ye Feng asked again, "Fine. Then let me ask you, why do you seek revenge?"
"That is none of your concern."
"It's because of Baiheng, isn't it?"
"!!"
A shock ran through Jingliu's pupils. Her ruby-like eye erupted with a blood-red light.
Kiana, standing to the side, hugged her shoulders, feeling an icy chill.
"Now is not the time to get excited. Here, take a look at this."
Ye Feng converted the full story of Cangxuan and Danzhu's resurrection into a stream of information and played it for Jingliu to see.
Kiana, watching from the side, also gained a deeper understanding of Cangxuan and Danzhu's origins. It turned out they were great heroes who had made immense contributions in the fight against the Honkai.
"The dead... can be revived...?" Jingliu murmured.
And not just recently deceased, but gone for 5,000 years, yet their souls could be "re-gathered."
"That's impossible!"
Jingliu couldn't imagine it. Not even an Aeon possessed such power, did they?
This wasn't a simple matter of "physical resurrection." This was a true "recreation of the individual," the ability to "reconnect to a severed yesterday."
Whether it was the Ten-Lords Commission or the Genius Society, there were many among them who had conducted deep research into "life" and the "soul."
They all adhered to a fundamental principle: a soul could be transferred, but a dissipated soul could not be "re-gathered."
A life lost beneath the starry sky could not be reversed, just as the universe's entropy always increases. This was a law of nature, a rule that not even the Aeons at the end of their Paths could defy.
"Don't be so quick to deny it. Are you so certain you understand the entirety of the universe? The Aeons are not omniscient or omnipotent, let alone you."
"..."
Jingliu did not refute him, but her silence was not belief.
Ye Feng's finger traced the edge of Jingliu's lips. He whispered, "Master, have some tea. A tea of respect for the Master."
Jingliu pressed her lips together, unmoved. Ye Feng then pinched her small, delicate chin and parted her cherry lips.
He picked up the tea beside him and fed it to Jingliu.
Jingliu's pale cheeks puffed out slightly, her eyes calm but stubbornly staring at Ye Feng.
This swordswoman from the Xianzhou was so proud and aloof.
Ye Feng said, "Don't look at me like that. Master surely has never tasted this 'tea of respect' before. Although you subconsciously feel that I am humiliating you, that is not the case. It is a custom in my world. When a disciple enters a sect, they must serve tea to their master. I hold you in great respect, Master Jingliu.
What I'm trying to say is, there are many things 'you think you know,' but the reality might be the complete opposite."
Ye Feng released his hand. Jingliu could no longer hold back and leaned over the end of the bed, coughing violently, the tips of her hair brushing the floor.
Ye Feng sat beside her, gently patting her jade-like back.
Kiana watched with a hint of jealousy. That scoundrel Ye Feng, he's never been this gentle with me!
Ye Feng said, "Cangxuan and Danzhu were able to re-gather their souls and truly come back from the dead because of the crystal left behind when they sealed the entity with their sacrifice.
Why can't the same be done for Baiheng?"
Jingliu coughed wretchedly, a glistening trail of saliva still hanging from the corner of her mouth.
She did not believe Ye Feng's words.
Even if the example of Cangxuan and Danzhu were true, Jingliu dared not believe it so easily. How could she?
The "sin" committed by the Vidyadhara Dragon Lord and the artisan Yingxing was still fresh in her memory.
She did not want to experience that kind of pain again.
But...
According to him, the key to resurrection was not the flesh, but... the soul.
The standard for judging "she is still herself" was the uniqueness of the soul.
Jingliu was truly wavering.
"I'm not asking you to believe me, Master. Just, why not give it a try? It's free, after all."
Seeing Jingliu's silent posture, Ye Feng sensed an opening and continued, "Master doesn't need to do anything special. Just take a trip to the Xianzhou Luofu. You were going to go there sooner or later anyway; this is just moving the schedule up a bit."
Ye Feng's voice was soft and persuasive. Jingliu remained outwardly unmoved, but she stayed propped up at the edge of the bed for a long time, seemingly deep in thought.
"I have said all I need to. Master, you should think it over carefully."
"..."
Jingliu said nothing.
But a clear ripple of emotion had disturbed the depths of her eyes.
---o---
The crescent moon hung faintly over the treetops, and the chirping of insects outside the window had ceased.
Ye Feng did not torment Jingliu further, letting her rest in the room.
Kiana was a little peeved. She looked at her own number, her feelings complicated. The knights of House Kaslana had always possessed an unyielding spirit. She did not want to accept defeat here today.
"Aren't we competing anymore?"
"It's halftime right now. Are you in such a hurry, Kiana?"
"The match isn't over yet! Just now—"
Just now, there had been a clear chance to make Jingliu "-1," but Ye Feng had stopped. Kiana had been watching so anxiously she almost wanted to take over herself.
Kiana felt that Ye Feng was deliberately favoring Jingliu.
"In a soccer match, have you ever seen a goal scored during halftime that still counts?"
"Hmm... okay, fine."
Kiana thought about it and felt it made sense. She had been too impatient.
Was it a lack of confidence?
She just didn't want to lose again.
"Let me reiterate, this lady is not in a hurry, nor do I find this comfortable."
"...I never said you would find it comfortable, Bug."
"!!"
Ye Feng's words instantly made the Bug see red.
First, her eyes darted around, overwhelmed with shyness. Then, her cheeks turned a visible shade of crimson, the blush spreading all the way to the back of her ears.
Finally, her gaze became incredibly firm as she stared at Ye Feng, snapping her index finger out to point straight at him.
"...You, you, you—don't you dare touch this lady again!"
"No problem."
Ye Feng made an "OK" sign with his hand. "I won't touch you again until you're actively begging me for it, Bug."
"Ha! I couldn't ask for more! That's great! You think this lady wants to be with you every day? Goodbye!"
Kiana stormed out in a huff. At the doorway, she turned back, glared at Ye Feng, and made a face at him.
"And... never see you again!"
Watching Kiana slam the door behind her, Ye Feng chuckled, then turned his attention back to the resting Jingliu.
Her eyes were slightly closed, as if she were meditating.
Ye Feng couldn't help but smile. "Master's willpower is indeed astonishing. But I think the main reason is that Master can control every minute muscle in her body, and at the same time, regulate her internal secretion systems."
That's right. This was the key to resisting the Mara's 'tā huà' corruption. The sword-master Jingliu had, without any instruction, grasped the ultimate secret of physical cultivation.
"..."
"Ah, don't misunderstand. I won't sever your control over those functions. On the contrary, I couldn't ask for more. Master, I was just thinking, if you were to micro-manage your internal muscles while practicing your swordplay, you could surely unleash incredible power... could you teach me?
Eh, eh, eh? If you're not willing, that's fine. It's not like I absolutely have to learn."