"…?"
This time, it was Fu Hua's turn to reveal an expression as if she were looking at an alien.
"Senior... didn't you already know she is a descendant of the Tai Xu Sect? Why are you asking me if this sect exists now?"
The two stared at each other across two steaming plates of dry-fried beef ho fun.
A morning breeze blew past, curling up the fallen leaves by the roadside.
In that instant, Su Yu felt his worldview suffer a heavy blow. He had originally thought that the "Tai Xu Sect" was just a setting in the Honkai Impact 3rd background story, a mere cover he casually made up in this peaceful world to gild Kiana's reputation.
But now, listening to Fu Hua's meaning... this thing actually exists in this world? And Fu Hua really is a descendant?
This is bad. The imposter has met the real deal.
But saying it was nonsense wasn't entirely nonsense either. The operating principle of the Valkyrie armor in Kiana's world was essentially driven by Honkai energy. The Tai Xu Sword Qi itself was a high-level application of Honkai energy, and later Kiana really became Fu Hua's "disciple," even managing to pull off the Inch Force: Open Heaven.
Although that wasn't the Kiana of this period, but rather from a slightly later timeline.
However, rounding it up, saying Kiana is a "Tai Xu Descendant" doesn't seem to be a problem, right? The logic loop is closed.
But does this broken world really have a Tai Xu Sect? Fu Hua had never mentioned it before, had she?
No. Rather than saying she never mentioned it, it was more that he had been presumptuous. Although the tone of this world was indeed Golden Courtyard, since Lewis had popped up, it wouldn't be strange if a mysterious blonde man who charges at trees appeared next. Come to think of it, there was a mysterious blonde man in the Previous Era, right? Seemed to be a doctor.
Su Yu looked at Fu Hua's "what nonsense are you talking about" expression and immediately realized he had misspoken.
The expression on his face, however, switched to a vicissitude sense of "the past is unbearable to look back on."
"You're right, she is indeed... an expert."
"Grandmaster level."
Fu Hua's eyes lit up, and her sitting posture straightened a few degrees, as if she were listening to some Top Ten Martial Arts Secrets.
"But," Su Yu sighed, putting down his soy milk cup, "experts don't necessarily know how to teach disciples."
"You know that kind of genius? The kind who says, 'Is this punch hard? You just go like this, then like that, and boom, isn't it done?' That kind of genius."
He gestured twice in the air, his movements extremely exaggerated.
"I asked her to teach me two moves before. And the result? She came up with a punch that almost dislocated my arm to play with as a building block."
"She said that was a basic warm-up; I felt it was attempted murder."
Su Yu pointed to his shoulder, a look of lingering fear on his face.
"If I continued to learn from her, I estimate that before becoming a peerless expert, I'd become a cripple first. That's why I wanted to come find you."
"Ah Hua, although you... cough, although you claim to have only learned the basics, at least you are professionally trained. Your teaching is gradual, scientific, and reasonable, unlike some wild geniuses who are simply lethal."
These remarks could be described as tearful and strictly logical. He praised Kiana, praised Fu Hua, and perfectly explained why he sought help from afar rather than close by.
This was the ugly state of a man struggling between two women (?).
Fu Hua nodded repeatedly as she listened, a look of understanding appearing on her face.
"So that's how it is... Indeed, many practical combat experts strike based on intuition. It is difficult for them to systematically dismantle their movements to teach beginners."
"Senior, your concerns are correct. Martial arts emphasize the foundation. If one accidentally trains their Qi into the wrong path, the consequences are severe."
Su Yu flashed a "V for Victory" sign in his heart. Steady. This is called blocking soldiers with generals and covering water with earth.
However, just as he was about to pick up a chopstick of ho fun to celebrate his victory, Fu Hua stopped her movements.
She pushed up her glasses, and a gleam of doubt flashed in those eyes that were usually somewhat dull.
"But Senior..."
"Hmm?"
"Since you went to her to learn martial arts... then why did Carole tell me yesterday that you claimed to be her Senior Brother at the police station?"
"Pfft—"
Su Yu almost sprayed out a mouthful of ho fun.
The air solidified.
The stall owner's shout of "Large bowl of beef ho fun, coming up" seemed to come from a very distant place.
Su Yu felt a familiar melody ringing in his ears—it was the BGM used in countless short video fan-edits from his past life for the famous scene in Death Note where L questions Light Yagami. Every note stepped on his nerves.
The battle of wits had begun.
What does it mean that "one lie requires countless lies to cover it up"? This is instant karma!
Fu Hua looked at him, her eyes clear and serious, as if she were truly discussing a serious academic question rather than driving Su Yu to a dead end.
"Since you are a Senior Brother..." Fu Hua's tone held no malice, only pure logical confusion, "why do you need to find an outsider to learn basic self-defense techniques? Senior Brother should have long since known the introductory kung fu of the Tai Xu Sect by heart, right?"
This was a lethal question.
Su Yu's brain began to overclock, his CPU temperature approaching one hundred degrees. Three seconds. He had only three seconds to fabricate a reason that could justify itself and also fit the mysterious style of a "Hidden Sect."
He put down his chopsticks.
The expression on his face turned from astonishment to helplessness, and finally transformed into an unfathomable calmness.
He raised his head, his gaze passing over Fu Hua's shoulder to look at the rising sun in the distance, as if seeing something there that others could not see.
"Actually..." Su Yu sighed, "I am an outer sect disciple."
"Outer sect?" Fu Hua paused for a moment.
"Yes, outer sect."
Su Yu's voice lowered, and he began to talk solemn nonsense.
"Just like how your Inch Heart Dojo has students who only pay money without kowtowing for apprenticeship. I belong to that kind... with mediocre aptitude, but winning in loyalty, so I was kept by the Master to do chores."
"Usually, I'm just responsible for cooking for Little Junior Sister, buying snacks, and incidentally acting as her guide in the secular world."
Su Yu felt that these words were simply a masterpiece of logical closure. It explained why he was a combat weakling, bound himself and Kiana together, and incidentally sold a sob story.
Fu Hua stared at Su Yu for a full five seconds.
Then, the confusion on her face slowly dissipated, replaced by a sudden realization, and even... a bit of sympathy?
So that's how it is!!
Fu Hua nodded silently in her heart. She was familiar with this plot! Didn't Wuxia novels all write it this way? A peerless expert with exceptional talent but no understanding of worldly affairs always had to be accompanied by a Senior Brother or butler with mediocre martial arts but surpassing wit.
Moreover, thinking about it carefully, this setting wasn't jarring when placed on herself. She had been cultivated by her father as a Grandmaster since childhood, standing in stance at five, practicing punching at seven, and accepting disciples on her father's behalf at fifteen.
In the current Inch Heart Dojo, of those seven disciples who were nearly a cycle older than her, which one didn't treat her like an ancestor? Especially her eldest disciple, Lin Chaoyu, who, in addition to managing the dojo's business every day, also had to worry about her food, clothing, housing, and transportation, fearing that she, a "nerd who only knows how to practice martial arts," would be deceived.
Comparing it this way, Senior Su Yu was simply the male version of Lin Chaoyu!
"I understand." Fu Hua nodded solemnly, her eyes looking at Su Yu with an extra understanding of "fellow sufferers." "Senior, you've worked hard. Taking care of such a... pure martial artist must be very difficult, right?"
Su Yu almost choked on this sudden understanding.
Ah Hua, isn't your ability to fill in the blanks a bit too strong? I haven't even started selling the sob story yet, and you've already finished writing the script for me?
"Cough, it's okay, it's okay, you get used to it." Su Yu laughed dryly twice and hurriedly drank a mouthful of soy milk to calm his nerves. "So you see, I want to learn some self-defense techniques, mainly for... uh, sometimes when encountering minor troubles, I can't let Little Junior Aunt take action every time, right? Why use a sledgehammer to crack a nut, right?"
"Makes sense." Fu Hua pushed up her glasses, the expression on her face becoming serious. "Since Senior has said so, I have no reason to decline. The introductory kung fu of the Tai Xu Sect, although not comparable to the direct lineage's true transmission, is more than enough for self-defense. As long as Senior is willing to learn, I will impart everything I know."
"That's great! Then thank you very—"
"However," Fu Hua suddenly changed the subject, interrupting Su Yu's pleasantries, "I have a presumptuous request."
Su Yu's heart skipped a beat. Here it comes, I knew there was no such thing as a free lunch.
Fu Hua looked at Su Yu, her gaze becoming unusually scorching. Su Yu was very familiar with that look; it was like those fanatical gamers seeing a legendary limited SSR equipment, or Griseo seeing excellent painting material.
"I want to ask... Little Junior Aunt Kiana to give me some pointers." Fu Hua's voice trembled slightly; it was due to excitement. "To tell you the truth, my father... that is, the previous Dojo Master, his old man's lifelong wish was to complete the Tai Xu Sword Sect's fragmented Five Aggregates Mental Technique."
She paused, her tone becoming more sincere, even carrying a trace of pleading.
"Seeing Little Junior Aunt's skills last night, I became convinced that the true Tai Xu supreme arts have not been lost! If possible... could I ask Little Junior Aunt to visit the Inch Heart Dojo when she is free? Even just demonstrating a complete set of fist forms would be fine. This is my father's lifelong pursuit."
By the end, Fu Hua's eyes were slightly red.
Looking at the Fu Hua before him, Su Yu was slightly stunned. In this era of rampant materialism where everyone was busy livestreaming and selling goods to make quick money, there was actually someone who reddened their eyes for an illusory martial arts heritage.
He knew Fu Hua's setting in this world was an ordinary person—okay, looking at it now, probably not so ordinary. He didn't expect that even without Honkai energy and the mission to protect Shenzhou, the persistence in this girl's bones hadn't changed. It just changed from protecting the world to protecting her father's dream and the dignity of a declining sect.
But this matter... was difficult to handle.
Although Kiana's condition was much better than before, Su Yu couldn't guarantee how she would react upon seeing Fu Hua. After all, the "betrayal" of the Fu Hua from that world had always been a thorn in Kiana's heart.
Even if this world's Ah Hua and that Fu Hua weren't the same person, it was inevitable that the scene would evoke emotions.
"About this..." Su Yu coughed tactically a few times, revealing a troubled expression. "Ah Hua, you also know, my family's Little Junior Aunt's temper... is rather eccentric."
He lowered his voice, as if afraid of being heard by someone. "She practiced martial arts a bit... into Qi deviation. When she's in a good mood, it's okay, but when she's in a bad mood, she doesn't recognize her own family. You saw it too, she rarely goes out usually because she's afraid she can't control herself."
This wasn't entirely a lie. The Herrscher of the Void, that Queen persona, was indeed moody and looked at everyone like ants.
"Moreover, she is quite resistant to outsiders." Su Yu sighed. "To make her meet your father, or go to the dojo... I'm afraid it's a bit difficult. I can only say, I will try my best to ask for you, but I can't make any guarantees."
The light in Fu Hua's eyes dimmed slightly, but soon brightened again.
"It doesn't matter!" she said immediately. "As long as Senior is willing to help convey the message, I am already very grateful. As for whether it works out... that depends on fate. I also know that experts mostly have some eccentricities and cannot be forced."
After speaking, she suddenly stood up and pushed the chair back. Under the surprised gaze of the stir-fry shop owner Old Wang and the eyes of several grandpas and grandmas eating breakfast nearby who were watching the show, Fu Hua straightened her clothes and solemnly cupped her fist towards Su Yu.
"Then I entrust this to you, Senior Brother Su Yu!"
Her movements were as standard as if cut from a Wuxia movie; her back was straight, her eyes clear, revealing a Jianghu spirit rare in modern society.
Su Yu looked at this girl performing a grand formal salute to him and felt the surrounding air becoming somewhat magical.
I really just wanted to make a game...
Su Yu let out a silent wail in his heart. He stuffed the remaining half of a tea egg into his mouth and mumbled a reply: "Easy to say, easy to say, sit down quickly, everyone is watching."
But now, he truly felt that he was getting further and further away from this peaceful modern world. Originally, he just wanted to find a legal identity for Kiana, but now he not only gained a "Tai Xu Sect" background but also shouldered a side quest of "Reviving the Sect."
How is this a production record of Honkai Impact 3rd? This is clearly the set of Reborn: Cultivating Immortality in the City!
"However, since Little Junior Aunt is a descendant of the Tai Xu Sword Sect, why is she a foreigner?"
Su Yu's chewing motion stopped; this time he was stumped by Fu Hua again. The familiar peak battle of wits melody seemed to explode again. Facing Fu Hua's curious gaze, Su Yu only felt like vomiting blood.
Ah Hua, do you usually have this many questions?
"This, the sect emphasizes education without discrimination; martial arts know no borders, after all."
"So that's how it is. Then does Little Junior Aunt have a Shenzhou name?"
"...Ye. That's right, her surname is Ye."
"Martial Aunt Ye? Understood, I will keep it in mind."
Looking at Fu Hua, who was solemnly cupping her fist at him, Su Yu felt he was about to lose his composure. He pinched his thigh desperately to stop himself from laughing out loud.
Su Yu watched Fu Hua's back disappear around the street corner as she pushed her bicycle.
He withdrew his gaze and sat back on that somewhat wobbly folding chair, feeling his head ache.
Just at that moment when Fu Hua cupped her fist in salute, the System in his vision, which had been playing dead for several days, suddenly resurrected.
A semi-transparent light screen unfolded before his eyes, accompanied by a burst of highly stylized jazz sound effects—BGM that only he could hear.
The originally simple blue pop-up window was gone, replaced by an extremely explosive red and black color scheme UI. Jagged edges, exaggerated silhouette fonts, and dynamic standing art that seemed ready to jump out of the screen at any moment. That style was so wild it was as if the Phantom Thieves had just sent him a calling card.
Good lord, did you buy the copyright from Atlus? This UI design is just short of writing the words Persona 5 on its forehead.
The corners of Su Yu's mouth twitched. This unreliable System didn't do serious work, but was quite proficient at these flashy gimmicks.
In the center of the screen, a few large characters slammed down heavily with the sound effect:
[Social Link System · Unlocked]
Immediately after, several Tarot-like cards lined up in front of him. They were printed with faces he was familiar with, but all processed into that cool pop-art style.
The first card was Kiana. On the card face, she wore the tattered jacket of the Void Drifter, but her eyes were unusually determined. She held dual pistols in her hands, and on the Arcana card back behind her was written—[The Fool].
Although the bond level wasn't full yet, it was already in a state of "Life and Death Interdependence." After all, even their lives were tied together. If the favorability could still drop in this situation, Su Yu could go find a block of tofu to crash into and die.
The second card was Kevin. This good brother was carrying a box of instant noodles, giving a thumbs-up to the camera with a blank expression, the background being a brick wall at a construction site. Card face—[The Chariot]. Bond Level: Lv.MAX (Iron Buddy). Current Bonus: Labor force available on call, physical persuasion +100%.
The third card was Dr. Mei. She wore thick-bottomed glasses, the background filled with code. Card face—[The Hermit]. Bond Level: Lv.5 (Reliable Party A). Current Bonus: Technical support efficiency increased by 50%; special item development permission unlocked.
The fourth card was Elysia. Miss Pink Elf was winking at the camera, holding a selfie stick, with a background of countless flying bullet comments and hearts. Card face—[The Lovers]. Bond Level: Lv.2 (Interesting Collaborator). Current Bonus: Livestream traffic base bonus 20%; Charm check Great Success probability increased.
Then there was Griseo, the card face was [The Star]: Remark was "Soul Painter."
Su Yu subconsciously remembered the fear dominated by BL doujinshi and hurriedly shifted his gaze up.
"There are only so many Tarot cards. What if my Social Link gets full later?" He complained internally.
[Who told you Tarot cards cannot be repeated?]
"Then what kind of crap Social Link is this? Where is the connection to P5? You might as well say you are a galgame system."
[Just say if it's cool or not. Is it cool?]
Su Yu held his forehead. Okay, the System's meaning was already very clear. It was purely here to show off tricks. Maybe this time it's P5 style, next time it will switch to P4 or P3 style.
Su Yu looked at the last card, which was also the newly appeared one, emitting a faint golden light and in a semi-unlocked state.
On the card face was Fu Hua. She wore the convenience store's green apron but struck a standard starting stance of "Inch Force: Open Heaven," her eyes clear as water. Card face—[Justice (Temperance)]. Bond Level: Lv.1 (Senior/Junior). Current Bonus: None.
Su Yu stared at this card, his gaze falling on the line of mission prompts still flashing below.
[Social Link Mission: Tai Xu Revival (I)]
Objective: Assist Fu Hua in completing the lost core supreme arts of the Tai Xu Sword Sect.
Hint: Since you've already bragged about it, then act the play out to the end. Let Little Junior Aunt Kiana demonstrate the true Tai Xu Divine Essence and help Fu Hua break through the bottleneck.
Final Reward (Lv.MAX): Full control of [Tai Xu Sword Qi].
Seeing that last line of text, Su Yu's pupils contracted violently.
[Tai Xu Sword Qi].
In this world, this might just be a lost martial arts term. But in the setting of Honkai Impact 3rd, this was a spiritual technique adapted by Fu Hua from the Divine Sound, polished over thousands of years, capable of harnessing Honkai energy and even resisting the consciousness of a Herrscher.
If Kiana could fully control this...
The current Kiana was like having a time bomb buried in her body. Although the persona of the Herrscher of the Void was temporarily suppressed, it could counterattack at any time. Last time on the rooftop, if he hadn't risked his life to wake her up with a headbutt, the consequences would have been unimaginable. And that metal neck ring was, in the end, just a physical safeguard, treating the symptoms but not the root cause.
To completely solve the hidden danger, Kiana must defeat Sirin on the spiritual level, or at least achieve a perfect coexistence. And "Tai Xu Sword Qi" was precisely the key to this path.
But...
Su Yu rubbed his temples painfully, feeling his brain ache.
The ideal is plump, the reality is skinny. The current Kiana, aside from that body of passively triggered muscle memory and combat instinct, knew nothing of serious Tai Xu mental techniques.
Let her teach Fu Hua? That was simply asking Zhang Fei to teach embroidery—although strong, it wasn't the same thing at all! What if the secret was exposed? What if Kiana suddenly went berserk while teaching?
Just as he was struggling enough to want to hit the wall, a new bubble popped up on the System interface, this time in a sticker style with a smirk:
[System Remark: Don't panic, I have cheats.]
666! Not even pretending anymore!
[Important Side Mission: Full Holographic Motion Capture Plan]
[Description: Since we are making a game, how can we lack professional motion capture actors? Invite Fu Hua and her Inch Heart Dojo disciples to join the motion capture team of Project: Honkai.]
[Special Mechanism: When multiple characters possessing "Tai Xu" factors participate in motion capture simultaneously, and the data synchronization rate reaches the threshold, the System will trigger the [Data Resonance] phenomenon.]
[Possible Result: Perhaps a powerhouse who "knows Tai Xu supreme arts better than anyone" will appear? (Funny.jpg)]
Su Yu was stunned.
A real... Tai Xu supreme arts expert?
Several figures flashed through his mind instantly. That one who always shouted "I am the original," had the personality of a brat, but genuinely mastered all the true transmissions of the Tai Xu Sword Sect...
Herrscher of Sentience?!
If it were her... if it were that "Little Senti" who had a foul mouth but was actually very protective, completing the Tai Xu Sword Qi would simply be a piece of cake. Moreover, if she appeared in the form of game data or a hidden persona, it would fit the setting of this world.
The most critical point was, letting the Herrscher of Sentience train Fu Hua always had a very subtle dramatic sense of reversing the natural order.
Cough cough, you treacherous System, speak quickly, are you an incarnation of Aha? You really know how to make fun!
Of course, the System didn't explicitly say, which meant there were possibilities of others. For example, Li Sushang, that was also a genuine descendant of Tai Xu supreme arts, using the Edge of Taixuan set by set.
Su Yu's eyes slowly lit up.
If this were the case, then this road was not only passable but a broad, open highway. It could solve the game's motion capture problem with a group of martial artists as free labor, and help Fu Hua fulfill her dream, albeit saving the country by a curve.
Most importantly, it could find a true teacher for Kiana.
System, you guy, although usually unreliable, you can really pull it off at critical moments.
Su Yu let out a long breath, feeling the big rock in his heart finally land. Since the goal was clear, there was nothing to hesitate about. The Fu Hua line must be done. This was not only for the game but for Kiana's life.
"Boss, bill please!" Su Yu crushed the paper cup and accurately threw it into the trash can two meters away.
He stood up. The sunlight was just right. Arc City's morning rush hour had just begun; traffic was heavy, and voices were clamoring.
"Ding dong—"
The phone's vibration sounded timely. It was a message from Vill-V.
[Vill-V: Heh heh heh, hahahaha!!]
[Vill-V: Cheer for me to your heart's content, Su Yu! The masterpiece of the greatest genius of this century, Vill-V, the [Spiral Eye] holographic motion capture equipment has been equipped! Where is the applause? Where are the cheers? Where are your hands!]
[Su Yu: Speak human language.]
[Vill-V: The motion capture equipment you wanted is done, come get it fast!]
Su Yu narrowed his eyes. The motion capture equipment he commissioned Vill-V to manufacture was actually done so quickly. She said it would take a week at the time, but it wasn't even a week yet and it was already completed.
Su Yu looked at the skyscrapers towering into the clouds in the distance, the corners of his mouth hooking up into a meaningful arc.
Next, it was time to bamboozle... ah no, to convince that "Little Junior Aunt" to cooperate with the performance.
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