You can deceive your own mind, but you can't deceive your own body!
At such close proximity, Fu Hua could even feel the warm breath coming from the man.
Moreover, she was now lying on the same bed as him, which naturally led to wanton thoughts.
What if this guy lost control and pounced on her? What if he wanted to pick her up and fry her like that pancake Li Sushang?
Fu Hua's heart was in turmoil, and her heart involuntarily sped up, as if an engine was revving up, causing her blood vessels to engorge and her face to take on a shy color.
"See? Your body's reaction is very honest."
"That's just because I was startled by your actions, so my heart is beating a little faster."
Fu Hua was still being stubborn.
"But you're blushing. If you were just nervous, you wouldn't react like this."
Nervousness and blushing are two completely different reactions.
Nervousness only causes the heart to beat faster and adrenaline to be secreted rapidly, and the mind becomes exceptionally rational.
But blushing due to shyness is different. The heart will also beat faster, but the mind will be in a complete mess, unable to think normally.
Undoubtedly, Fu Hua's current expression was one of blushing, which couldn't even deceive a child like the Herrscher of Sentience who had only been born a few days ago.
"..."
Fu Hua's eyes darted away.
"That has nothing to do with you."
The honest person couldn't find an excuse, and having been pounced on by the Inner World Protagonist, she could only use this method to evade the topic.
If she were to be questioned further, her fifty-five-thousand-year-old face would have nowhere to hide.
The young Brian chuckled lightly, his gentle fingertips brushing across Fu Hua's face, leaving a trail of vivid blush.
He could feel the involuntary trembling of Fu Hua's body and hear her more rapid breathing.
But since Fu Hua wasn't ready yet, it wasn't right to force the issue.
Feelings needed to be developed step by step. While pure love could be made, it was clearly better when cultivated.
"Alright, Sushang has the tea and snacks ready. Let's have something to eat before we continue our chat."
Letting go of Fu Hua's hands, Brian returned to his original position.
The brown-haired girl emerged from the kitchen carrying what she had just prepared and placed it on the coffee table.
Then, she naturally sat down next to Brian, leaving no gap between them.
"Ancestral Master Celestial, Sushang's skills aren't very good, please don't mind."
A pot of hot tea, some pastries.
When Fu Hua got up, this is what she saw. But what drew her attention more than the food was Li Sushang picking up a pastry and feeding it to Brian.
There was no distance between the unworthy grand-disciple and that man. She even let him put his arm around her chest, completely oblivious to the fact that she was in public.
The two behaved intimately, emitting a scent of public affection that filled one's stomach without even eating.
Fu Hua watched as Li Sushang's fingertips were left with a glossy sheen.
Seeing this, even though Fu Hua knew full well that these two had been rolling around in bed for days, she couldn't help but inwardly comment: "How improper!"
Not an ounce of the reserve a third-generation successor of Taixuan Mountain should have!
And casually letting this guy wrap his arm around her waist!
Doesn't she know the rule 'a man doesn't touch a woman's head, and a woman doesn't let her waist be held'?
Perhaps sensing Fu Hua's gaze, Li Sushang turned her head enthusiastically. "Ancestral Master Celestial, why aren't you eating?"
"Are the snacks Sushang prepared not to your liking? Should Sushang go prepare some more?"
More?
This sentence might have been ordinary in Li Sushang's eyes, but in Fu Hua's, it was no different from a threat.
If Li Sushang left, it would be disastrous if this man lost control again.
"No need, I'll just have a little taste."
To prevent this man from having any further designs on her, Fu Hua, as the creator of the Taixuan Sword Qi, quickly steered the conversation back to the problem left by the Herrscher of Sentience.
"Brian, although you can already use the Taixuan Sword God, your cultivation has only reached the state of a heart as still as water. You still have a long way to go."
A Herrscher using the Taixuan Sword God was naturally gifted; they could use it easily even if their mental state wasn't up to par.
After all, her initial requirement for mental cultivation was only to prevent her disciples from being deceived by the Honkai and to give them stronger control.
Herrschers didn't have this concern. They only needed to obtain the method of using the Taixuan Sword God to be able to use it with ease.
Of course, cultivating one's mental state wasn't without its benefits. At the very least, it could stop this guy from thinking about making cream-filled puff pastries all the time, as he used to.
Perhaps… it could also make him rein in his desires a little.
Fu Hua sincerely hoped that Brian's mental state could improve again, and that he wouldn't indulge in sensual pleasures every day.
Sensual pleasure is trivial, saving the world is what matters!
His palm caressed the slender waist of the girl in his arms. The soft flesh on Li Sushang's tummy folded in layers due to her posture, looking like fine white bread that made one want to take a bite.
The young Brian toyed with the beautiful girl in his arms and replied to Fu Hua through Li Sushang's charming eye-roll, "Master, actually, my realm is only a step away from the lake of one's heart is clear. You don't need to worry about my realm."
Others focused on Shenyun, his focus was on the lake of one's heart is clear.
He couldn't help it. He learned the ultimate move first and then came back to level up from the beginning.
In short, the superstructure determines the foundation. For him, the issue of realm was just a matter of time and effort.
"Don't be too ambitious."
Fu Hua was truly worried sick about this disciple, hoping he could reform himself through cultivation.
And for some reason, whenever she heard that 'Master', Fu Hua felt a sense of dread, as if the nightmare from five hundred years ago would happen to her again.
"This isn't being ambitious, it's just a statement of the current situation."
Such a confident statement made Li Sushang's eyes shine with admiration.
Having already given herself to this man, she of course hoped that Brian would be as powerful as possible.
"You're too aggressive."
"Master, if I say I can achieve the state of the lake of one's heart is clear right now, what would you say?"
Li Sushang's eyes lit up. "How about going on a date with Ancestral Master Celestial?"
Fu Hua: "..."
Unworthy grand-disciple! Master-assaulting rebellious disciple!
The feng shui of her Taixuan Mountain must be bad. She shouldn't have chosen to establish her sect on Taixuan Mountain back then, otherwise she wouldn't be in such a difficult situation today!
But on second thought…
"A bet needs to be equal. What are you willing to put up as a stake?"
The rational Fu Hua had already figured it out. This might be her chance to cut off this emotional tie with a single stroke.
As she wished.
"If I can't do it, then I'll stop bothering you."
"It's a deal!"
This tangled and messy relationship would come to a conclusion here.
Letting go of Li Sushang, the young Brian closed his eyes and let his consciousness sink into his heart.
A vast blue world became all he could perceive, the surroundings as empty as if there were no objects or boundaries.
The ground beneath his feet was smooth, shining like a mirror yet carrying a sense of misty haze.
This was the world of the heart, which could also be called the 'heart lake'.
When he first started practicing the Taixuan Sword Qi, this place was a lake surface that rippled with his thoughts, with undercurrents surging and waves treacherous.
It represented the chaotic thoughts in a practitioner's mind.
After reaching the state of a heart as still as water, it became what it was now.
The whole world was a vast expanse, with nothing but himself, his mind as serene as a pool of still water.
After this state of a heart as still as water, there was another realm.
It was Brian's goal for this cultivation session.
"The lake of one's heart is clear, enough to reflect a person."
"So it's about making me see my true nature and answer the question 'Who am I?', right?"
Who am I?
For him, this question naturally required no hesitation.
He knew where he came from, where he was going, and what he should do.
From beginning to end, he had never wavered in the slightest.
Ripples spread from the lake surface beneath his feet, and the hazy feeling that enveloped the blue world was cleared in an instant.
The mirror-like surface beneath his feet could reflect a person, and the dark-haired youth's reflection smiled gently at him.
"I did it!"
…
"Ancestral Master Celestial, aren't you worried he'll actually fail?"
Fu Hua, who was meditating with her eyes closed, almost sent her unworthy grand-disciple to the afterlife with a skull cracker when she heard this.
What does she mean, worried about his failure?
She was clearly wishing for this guy to fail, and the sooner the better, so she could swiftly cut off this emotional tie and, at the same time, get rid of the Herrscher of Sentience's harassment.
From then on, they would go their separate ways, and no one would ever covet her body again!
"Sushang, you're overthinking it."
"Ancestral Master Celestial, can you look at me when you speak?"
"..."
Fu Hua remained silent, just waiting.
She was the most foolishly honest person. The principle of 'less doing, less wrong; more doing, more wrong' applied. In this completely ambiguous situation, the best way was to remain silent and let time wash everything away.
As long as she hid far enough away, even the Inner World Protagonist who coveted her body wouldn't find a chance to strike.
Of course, the inherently evil little Herrscher, the Herrscher of Sentience, also had to be dealt with.
Li Sushang and Fu Hua waited with completely different thoughts, both awaiting the outcome of Brian's cultivation session.
After an unknown amount of time, the aura of the dark-haired youth changed.
It became as ethereal as the aura on Li Sushang.
He succeeded!
The second realm of the Taixuan Sword Qi. Just by achieving this realm alone, one could even compete for the position of martial arts alliance leader in the era of five hundred years ago.
And in front of Fu Hua…
"I did it!"
The dark-haired youth opened his eyes, his gaze full of aggression. "Class President, I succeeded. It's your turn to fulfill the bet."
"You can't do this!"
Stumbling back several steps, Fu Hua's face was filled with panic. "I'm your master now!"
A teacher for a day is a father for life!
This relationship cannot be casually broken!
But the young Brian was only more excited. "Isn't that even better? Sushang has been missing you, her Ancestral Master, for a long time."
"And you two still have some old grudges that I need to lubricate for you. Class President, you'd better just give in to me."
Is your lubrication proper?
You master-assaulting rebellious disciple, you even want a grandparent-grandchild rice bowl!
Fu Hua trembled with anger. If she didn't truly believe she couldn't beat this Herrscher, she would have definitely cracked this guy's skull open to see what kind of white mush was inside his head.
"Brian, don't go too…"
In order to protect her fifty-five-thousand-year-old chastity, Fu Hua was about to go back on her word on the spot.
Just then…
A pair of hands almost identical to her own wrapped around her shoulders. A gray-haired, red-eyed woman suddenly appeared, causing Fu Hua's plan to be stillborn.
"The Old-timer said she'll go change her clothes and go on a date with you right away."
The Herrscher of Sentience was all smiles, happy for her Old-timer.
It really wasn't easy. This Old-timer was stubborn and obstinate.
Always thinking about dealing with the Honkai before considering her own affairs.
But this person never considered that if she couldn't overcome the Honkai, she wouldn't even have a last chance.
Life in this world is already full of hardships. It's better to live in the moment and not leave any regrets.
"Senti, you…"
"Old-timer, just go and get ready for your date. I'll take care of the rest."
In just a few words, the meddling Herrscher had made the decision for Fu Hua.
Even if Fu Hua wanted to speak, she was stopped by the Herrscher who acted first.
Fu Hua's eyes widened, but she was simply ignored by the Herrscher of Sentience.
Little one, this Shenzhou tablet of yours won't get a better figure just by going back on your word. Instead of rejecting everyone's expectations, you might as well bravely face the might of the Inner World Protagonist.
At least this way, you might be able to continue your family's bloodline and let your old father's spirit rest in peace.
"In that case, I'll leave it to you, great Lady Herrscher of Sentience."
A word of praise from a kindred spirit made the Herrscher of Sentience ecstatic.
But this level of praise was not enough to satisfy the Herrscher of Sentience.
"Brian, did you forget…"
"Master, your disciple understands."
"The child is teachable."
The great Lady Herrscher of Sentience was greatly satisfied.
…
"Senti, you've really made me suffer!"
"How have I made you suffer? Are you feeling cold and want me to add a yellow outfit for you?"
The gray-haired, red-eyed girl carried herself with a dashing air, swallowing a piece of expensive pastry with a couple of movements of her jaw.
Beside her, Fu Hua, meticulously dressed in a light-colored qipao, wore a bitter expression, fidgeting restlessly.
Even when she was a Valkyrie under Otto, she had never been wronged like this.
These damn rebellious disciples and grand-disciples, it was one thing for them to fool around in private, she could turn a blind eye.
But now they had forced her to change into this outfit, completely pushing her to her death!
Fu Hua didn't understand, and couldn't accept it, but the great Lady Herrscher of Sentience had made up her mind, and there was no changing it.
And…
"Old-timer, you're so annoying when you say one thing and mean another!"
The Herrscher of Sentience dug her ear, growing impatient with Fu Hua's constant refusals.
If you like him, you like him. Living in the moment is the right way, why be so coy all the time.
Her pair of red eyes rolled in their sockets, and the Herrscher of Sentience thought of a good idea.
"I can't change the fact that you don't like to tell the truth, and your stubborn one-track mind is also hard to change."
"Since you want to say one thing and mean another, let me help you tell the truth!"
With a casual pat, the Herrscher of Sentience's figure instantly disappeared from Fu Hua's side.
Where did she go? What did that person just do to me?
The gray-haired girl in the beautiful qipao was still confused when the young Brian, with Li Sushang in his arms, walked over from another direction.
"Class President, let's go shopping with us."
"Let's go together."
Fu Hua: "..."
Oh no, she can only speak her mind now!
That inherently evil little Herrscher actually made it so she can only tell the truth!
…