When Su Yu followed the address and found "Clouds Deep," he couldn't help but sigh. Ah Hua's second disciple was indeed a layperson who knew how to enjoy life the most.
This place was hidden on the top floor of an office building in the bustling downtown area. The moment the elevator doors opened, the clamor was shut out by a heavy door made of red sandalwood. A faint scent of agarwood drifted through the air, and guqin music flowed from some unknown corner, making one's bones feel a little softer just by listening.
Pushing open the door to the private room, he saw a woman in a high-end tailored business suit standing with her back to him, looking down through the floor-to-ceiling windows at the busy traffic below. Hearing the door open, the woman turned around.
Su Mei.
Unlike the Second Senior Sister in the game who wore ancient costumes and always carried a calculating smile, this woman had those iconic phoenix eyes slightly narrowed. They held the cunning of someone seasoned in the business world, as well as a trace of vague charm.
"Mr. Su Yu?"
She walked over in her high heels, an impeccable commercial smile on her face, and extended her right hand. "I've heard a lot about you. I am Su Mei."
"You're too kind, President Su." Su Yu also extended his hand, preparing for a polite business handshake.
Just as their hands were about to touch, a sudden change occurred. Su Mei's extended palm twisted strangely in mid-air, her five fingers abruptly clenching into a fist. Her originally gentle aura exploded instantly, and a fierce wind pressure wrapped in Inch Force surged straight toward Su Yu's chest! At this distance, in this defenseless social setting, this punch was enough to make any ordinary person lie down on the spot and call for an ambulance.
If it were the Su Yu of the past, he would probably already be thinking about how to extort medical expenses. But now—that strengthening agent, which had caused pain worse than burning fire, was not taken in vain.
The moment Su Mei exerted force, Su Yu's pupils constricted slightly. Everything around him seemed to slow down. He could clearly see the slight tremor in Su Mei's shoulder as she generated power, and the trajectory of that punch breaking through the air. His body reacted faster than his brain without needing to think.
Smack.
A crisp sound of impact. There was no chaotic tumbling or miserable screaming as one might imagine. Su Yu stood where he was, not even moving his feet half an inch. His left hand had steadily caught Su Mei's fist, as if catching a fallen leaf. That Inch Force, strong enough to break ribs, vanished without a trace like a clay ox entering the sea when faced with his enhanced bones and muscles.
The air froze for three seconds. The smile on Su Mei's face stiffened. She tried to pull her hand back, but found Su Yu's palm was motionless as an iron clamp. She could even feel the heat coming from his palm; it was the composure brought about by absolute suppression in strength.
"President Su, this greeting gift... is a bit unique." Su Yu let go and took half a step back, a smile on his face. Damn, I really acted cool just now. Is this what it feels like to show off in front of others?
Su Mei retracted her hand and quietly rubbed her slightly numb knuckles. The contempt and probing in her eyes dissipated instantly, replaced by an unprecedented solemnity, and... a trace of deeply hidden excitement.
"Sorry, no offense intended." She cupped her fists in a standard Jianghu salute. The aura of a strong business woman switched instantly to the straightforwardness of a child of the Jianghu. "I just wanted to confirm if you could actually bear the title of 'Eldest Senior Brother of the Outer Sect.' After all, in this day and age, there are too many people swindling under the banner of the Tai Xu Sect."
She raised her head, staring at Su Yu with burning eyes. "But looking at it now... although you claim never to have learned the Tai Xu Supreme Arts, this physical constitution and reaction speed probably exceed even that practitioner Ma Feima. Since even the Outer Sect is this strong, I believe in the ability of that Kiana... that Little Grandmaster."
Su Yu shrugged and pulled out a chair to sit down. "As long as President Su believes it. Otherwise, my medical fees aren't cheap." Good lord, is this the legendary 'Musou Gal'? Setting up a Hongmen Feast right from the start.
"Just call me Su Mei." Su Mei personally poured a cup of tea for Su Yu, her movements flowing like water, the fragrance of tea overflowing. "Since we are family from the Tai Xu heritage, I won't beat around the bush. Su Yu, I looked for you to cooperate."
She put down the teapot, her tone holding less shrewdness and more helplessness. "You know, Master she... is a little stubborn. She guards that broken martial arts dojo, guards that so-called martial virtue, and refuses to let Tai Xu martial arts be tainted by even a bit of commercial atmosphere. But what era is this? Even good wine is afraid of deep alleys. If this goes on, the Inch Heart Dojo will close down sooner or later, and the Tai Xu Supreme Arts... will also become dust in a pile of old papers."
Su Yu took a sip of tea; it was slightly bitter at first, with a lingering sweet aftertaste. "But I saw hope in you."
"What hope?"
"The hope of passing down the Tai Xu Supreme Arts."
"You mean my game?"
"Exactly." Su Mei snapped her fingers, her eyes shining. "Master opposes selling out one's art, turning martial arts into a clown's performance. But what if... we use another method? Use top-tier technology to perfectly replicate the charm of the Tai Xu Sword Qi and the essence of the Inch Heart Fist into the virtual world."
She leaned forward, staring into Su Yu's eyes. "That way, it's not a commodity, but cultural heritage, a digital monument. Master she... cannot refuse this reason."
Su Yu smiled. This Second Senior Sister was indeed a master of setting up schemes. Calling it cultural heritage and a digital monument wasn't wrong, but it didn't conflict with being a commodity either. After all, games are made for people to play; calling it a commodity isn't an exaggeration. Her phrasing avoided the heavy and focused on the light, but it was indeed very convincing.
"Nice idea." Su Yu put down his teacup. "But I guess you encountered a technical bottleneck."
Guessing this wasn't hard. Knowing that everything Su Mei did was to save the "Dojo" through indirect means, many things suddenly made sense. She must have tried various attempts already; packaging Fu Hua as the "Most Beautiful National Style Heroine" was just one of them. So, it was normal for her to attempt recording the Tai Xu Supreme Arts through a game to carry them forward.
"Correct." Su Mei admitted frankly. "We looked for many motion capture actors, even national martial arts champions. But the things they performed... how should I put it? They had form but no spirit. The machine captured only the movements, not the 'Intent.' And Kiana..."
When mentioning Kiana, Su Mei's eyes clearly flashed with respect. "That Little Grandmaster, her skills are the genuine article. It's a bit shameful to say, but among the disciples, my talent isn't considered very good, but I have decent eyesight. Her way of channeling 'Qi Strength' is indeed the authentic Tai Xu Sword Qi Mental Technique."
Su Yu clicked his tongue. If he told Su Mei that Kiana's Tai Xu Sword Qi was just a simplified version used by Otto to train Valkyries, he wondered what she would think.
"Of course, Little Grandmaster's participation is also a reason I'm optimistic about your game," Su Mei said. "Since it's a motion capture game that even Little Grandmaster is willing to participate in, I think this point alone is much more persuasive than my pestering."
Su Yu nodded; this was indeed true. What could be more convincing than an endorsement from the idol one believes in? It was just like 'The Boss' pointing at Zobayan's aircraft and telling you not to get on. Ask yourself, would you dare to board? If you dare, you'll find out what 'See You Again' truly means. Same principle.
Su Yu didn't respond immediately, his brain spinning fast. Although Kiana was a martial arts prodigy, she was definitely not a qualified teacher. Asking her to dictate mental techniques, break down movements, and guide students step-by-step? That was simply a fantasy. That white-haired Paramecium fought entirely on instinct; if asked to explain why she fought that way, she would only stare with those big eyes and say, "I felt it, so it was there."
But if her movements were preserved as data through motion capture technology, an insider like Fu Hua could figure out a lot of the tricks from it. Perhaps through technological means, a large part of the martial arts could even be restored. What Su Mei said really coincided with his previous thoughts.
Although the System said that gathering Tai Xu disciples as motion capture actors to collect data could summon the dragon—no, summon a master of Tai Xu Supreme Arts—the problem was that you had to offer something convincing to make them willingly work for you, right? Even drawing a pie requires having a pie.
So this plan actively proposed by Su Mei delivered something he originally needed to painstakingly pave the way for, something he wasn't 100% sure would succeed, right to his lips. Since it had the recognition of this genuine Tai Xu inheritor, it meant Kiana's Tai Xu Sword Qi was truly authentic enough. Even if it was a simplified version, it was still Tai Xu Sword Qi.
Su Yu suddenly found it a bit funny. Fu Hua needed Little Martial Aunt Kiana for an official endorsement, and Su Mei also needed Kiana for an official endorsement. As a result, Kiana needed Fu Hua and Su Mei for her official endorsement. It was quite a mess.
However, before that, Su Yu still had to confirm one question. This concerned the foundation of their cooperation and whether he could trust this partner.
"Su Mei, I have a question."
"Speak."
"You went to such great lengths, even risking being scolded by Fu Hua, really just for inheritance? Or perhaps... since you value Kiana's worth so much, why didn't you mention packaging her for a debut just now? Pushing a peerless expert to the front stage makes much more money than making a game."
Su Mei froze for a moment. She seemed not to expect Su Yu to ask so bluntly. She remained silent for a moment, then turned to look out the window. At this time, the setting sun was going down, plating this steel forest with a warm golden edge.
"Everyone says I, Su Mei, am mercenary, and even Master thinks I reek of copper coins. That is indeed true; I like money, and I like the feeling of making money. We junior brothers and sisters... to be honest, our feelings for Master Fu Hua aren't that deep. After all, she is younger than all of us; that master-disciple relationship always feels a bit strange."
She chuckled lightly, a rare softness in her smile. "The one I truly have feelings for, the one who raised us since we were small... is actually Eldest Senior Sister."
"Lin Chaoyu?" Su Yu raised an eyebrow.
"Yes, Lin Chaoyu." When Su Mei spoke this name, her tone was incredibly gentle. "She is the General Manager of the Inch Heart Dojo, the housekeeper who worries about utility bills every day and puts on a smiling face for customers for the sake of Master's stubbornness. Her own personality is also somewhat similar to Master's; both are single-minded. She plans to dedicate herself to the dojo for this entire life, following behind that little antique Master."
Su Mei took a photo out of her bag and pushed it in front of Su Yu. In the photo was a group of young people. Fu Hua, standing in the center position, still had a serious face, while the woman standing beside her, smiling gently and elegantly, was none other than Lin Chaoyu. And beside Lin Chaoyu, a young Su Mei was affectionately holding her arm, smiling unscrupulously.
"Eldest Senior Sister is the person who hopes to complete the fragmented manuals and revitalize the Inch Heart Dojo the most, aside from Master. That is her obsession, and also her heart's illness." Su Mei's fingertips gently stroked Lin Chaoyu's face in the photo. "I don't want to see her so tired, nor do I want to see her exhaust her youth guarding a sect destined for decline. So... even if I use these commercial methods that Master looks down on, I must help her prop up the dojo."
"As for Little Grandmaster Kiana..." Su Mei raised her head, her eyes regaining clarity. "It's not that I haven't thought about packaging her, but I also understand that for people like Master Fu Hua who have their own pursuits—to put it nicely, they stick to their original intentions; to put it badly, they are stubborn. Someone like Little Grandmaster is probably no easier to talk to than Master. Mentioning it would just be asking for a snub, so it's better not to say it."
Actually, she really is much easier to talk to than your Master, Su Yu thought. If you are willing to treat her to big meals for a month straight, I think Little Grandmaster would be very happy to help you out.
However, he didn't say this aloud. If Kiana had this idea in the future, he naturally wouldn't stop her. But that restriction was still there—although Kiana could move freely at home now, going out still required maintaining that awkward 1.5-meter limit with Su Yu. So it wouldn't work yet; he had to make Kiana the female lead of his game so she could truly gain freedom in this world.
But. Su Yu looked at the woman before him, feeling inexplicably emotional. In the original work The Legend of the Swords of Shenzhou, the seven disciples killing their master was a thorough tragedy. But in this peaceful world line, that originally twisted bond had turned into this slightly clumsy warmth. No execution for falling into madness, no betrayal by everyone. Only a Second Junior Sister walking a tightrope between reality and ideals for the sake of her Eldest Senior Sister's dream.
"It's truly a great fortune amidst misfortune..." Su Yu muttered in a low voice.
"What did you say?" Su Mei didn't hear clearly.
"Nothing." Su Yu changed the topic. Since Su Mei had revealed her hand, he should also show some sincerity. "If I tell you that I have a way to completely extract Kiana's every move through special motion capture technology and turn it into a data stream that can be analyzed and learned... do you think that counts as a perfect finishing move?"
Su Mei's pupils constricted violently. As a member of the Tai Xu Sect, she knew too well what this meant. This wasn't just making a game; this was practically compiling a living General Outline of Tai Xu Sword Qi!
"Deal!!" She didn't hesitate at all, not even asking Su Yu for his conditions. "As long as you can make it, capital, publicity, channels... I can smash the resources of the entire Arc City into it for you!"
Su Yu looked at this woman who spent money like water and smiled. He stood up and extended his hand. "Happy cooperation, Su Mei. For your Eldest Senior Sister's dream, and also... to let the Tai Xu Sword Qi reappear in the world."
Su Mei looked at that hand, stunned for a split second, then broke into a smile and shook it firmly. "Happy cooperation, Su Yu. However..." She changed the subject, her eyes turning cunning again. "Since we are family from the Tai Xu Sword Sect, then regarding the game's revenue sharing ratio... can we discuss it further?"
Su Yu: "..."
You are also someone who can't stay serious for more than three seconds. Looking at Su Mei who had reverted to the appearance of a shrewd merchant, a question inexplicably floated into Su Yu's mind.
If the Tai Xu Supreme Arts Grandmaster brought by the unreliable System is really the Herrscher of Sentience... Although there is no Honkai energy in this world, and she should be subject to many restrictions... seeing seven "rebellious disciples" standing right in front of her, would she get so excited that she directly punches out a set of Inch Force and demolishes the entire Inch Heart Dojo?
I really feel like I've dug another huge pit for myself. At this point, stop pretending, System. Just tell me, were you sent by Aha?
Su Yu could only pray that gathering the seven Dragon Balls—no, the seven Tai Xu disciples—would summon a real divine dragon, and not a divine person.
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