Even though she had dropped some fierce words, the first thing Ah-Hua had to do right now was escape the enemy's clutches.
Forcibly canceling Eminence had caused her severe internal trauma. regarding the "Three Treasures"—Essence, Qi, and Spirit—her "Essence" (Body) could barely be managed thanks to the Garuda Factor. The critical issue lay in the depletion of her "Qi" and "Spirit."
Having lost her Sword Heart, the girl could no longer freely mobilize the Honkai energy flowing in the air. Her will was as exhausted as an ordinary person who had just finished a marathon.
After all, if she could simply use the First Rated Power of Fenghuang Down to infinitely burn memories and unleash the Sword God, how would that be any different from Fu Hua at her peak?
Everything has a price.
As the most outstanding leader in the history of nomadic peoples, 'Genghis Khan's' mastery of archery was godlike.
Even though she was constantly utilizing the exquisite footwork of the Vermilion Bird Treading Clouds, Fu Hua, dragging the dead weight that was Siegfried, was intercepted after just a few dozen seconds.
The burly man, whose appearance perfectly matched the stereotype of a nomad, did not immediately start a fight. He sized up the cornered girl for a moment before speaking: "I recognize you. Back when we marched south, a subordinate presented your portrait before the Emperor."
Involving the bonds of their nine generations of kin, and fearing the Imperial Earth-Shattering Fist of Gratitude, the subordinates would never have provided abstract art that captured "the intent but not the form."
Every detail of the Celestial of Empyrea in the painting was lifelike, comparable to a photograph from the future.
Fu Hua raised her hand and delivered a chop to the back of the semi-conscious Siegfried's neck.
After knocking him out to prevent his identity from being exposed, her ethereal voice grew increasingly cold: "Since you know me, don't stand in my way!"
As she spoke, she gripped the Greatsword of Shamash in her hand.
The Celestial of Empyrea's mastery of swordsmanship was no less than her mastery of fist martial arts; otherwise, the Edge of Taixuan wouldn't specifically have the word "Edge" (Sword) in it.
This was why, upon first meeting Fuli, the girl had been astonished that the boy's swordsmanship level was close to her own. The last person to receive such an evaluation from her at the age of twenty was Wuxia Feiguang (Jingliu), one of the High-Cloud Quintet back in the day.
Cousin...
Accidentally seeing the object and thinking of the person, Fu Hua bit her lower lip tightly. A blazing, flame-colored luster flashed around her body.
This was Immortal Blazing Plumage from the Inch Heart Fist style. It could strengthen her bones, skin, and muscles in an extremely short time, vastly improving defense, explosive power, and endurance. Every cell in her body was activated, and her self-healing ability was significantly boosted.
The girl had made a plan: rely on this and the regeneration ability of the Garuda Factor to tank the side effects of Shamash Unsheathed.
The inspiration came from Fuli in the virtual space. Unfortunately, she couldn't burn three Divine Keys to construct a cycle of creation and destruction like he did; the function of Fenghuang Down didn't allow it.
At that moment, a hand gripped the hilt of the sword.
"Sorry... I can't... just pass out like this..."
It was Siegfried.
Perhaps Fu Hua was in such a poor state that she hadn't controlled her strength well, or perhaps due to his own astonishing willpower, the man had actually woken up from his coma.
"I am... a Kaslana..."
Gasping for heavy breaths, he growled low: "Unleash Shamash Unsheathed... Let me block the front!"
Fu Hua instantly understood the man's thought. As a Kaslana who had awakened the Meta-Morph Overfactor, Siegfried, like his ancestors, could use Shamash Unsheathed normally without suffering its side effects (turning into ash).
By saying this, he clearly intended to use his body as a shield. Fu Hua would provide the energy to the Divine Key, while he stood in front to withstand the aftershocks of the World-Incinerating Flames!
"Let's do it!"
The Celestial of Empyrea was never the type to hesitate. She closed her eyes, and a pale golden pattern appeared between her eyebrows.
Inch Heart Seal. This seal could store a large amount of Honkai energy in the dantian during ordinary times, which could be unsealed and extracted when needed.
Like the Inch Heart fist techniques, this was one of the sustainability methods Fu Hua had prepared for herself after losing the Taixuan Sword Heart.
Replenished, the Judgment of Shamash burst forth with incomparable light. The blinding flames swallowed the surrounding shadows, and the terrifying pressure felt solid, crushing the air until it hissed and twisted.
Siegfried's roar rang out at the same time:
"RRRAAAAGGGHHH!!!"
My silly daughter is coming to this battlefield soon! As her dad, how can I leave such a huge enemy for her?!
Recalling his daughter's goofy, cute appearance, a beast-like roar burst from Siegfried's throat.
His bones groaned under the overload, and the smell of scorching flesh spread from his burned palms, but he still used the last ounce of strength in his body to raise the Greatsword of Shamash towards the sky.
For the ones I love, I've decided to launch one hell of an attack!
"Judgment of shamash—"
Molten gold flames swallowed the blade, and also swallowed half of Siegfried's battered body.
Before his consciousness sank into darkness, the man tore through the sky with a roar that exhausted everything he had:
"—Unsheathed!!!"
BOOM—!!!
Where the sword pointed, the flames of the apocalypse erupted!
Siegfried's blackened arm bones became visible within the fire, while the surging calamity flames turned into a torrent, forming a rapidly expanding ring of annihilation.
The earth turned into rising magma and evaporated like thin paper. Scorching waves tore open the clouds, space groaned under the high temperature, and the torrent of destruction swept away, leaving only a doomsday landscape composed of blank earth and twisted curtains of light!
"Did it work?"
Looking at the hellish scorched earth, Fu Hua murmured to herself.
No! I shouldn't think like that! Cousin said, in times like this, the first thing to do is never to confirm the battle results, but to take the opportunity to run like hell!
Recalling the 'crooked logic' Fuli usually taught, the girl quickly picked up the charred Siegfried and fled toward the spatial passage that had been violently torn open in the distance.
The scorching temperature in her palm told her that the price her temporary teammate paid was far heavier than his words described.
After all, men are creatures that love to put on a brave front.
But while men love to act tough, Kings do not—especially the founding monarch who single-handedly conquered vast territories.
"I am curious. Did you never suspect why I allowed you to make your final struggle, instead of interrupting it earlier?"
A deep voice echoed between the heaven and earth that had turned into apocalyptic scorched soil. Several arrows broke through the air, sealing off the girl's escape route.
A burly figure rode toward them on a tall horse, his pale blue, cat-like pupils resembling the unextinguished flames on a prairie fire.
Red-brown braids fell over his shoulder armor, scattering like a burning mane in the hot wind.
He spoke slowly: "Since you have already witnessed the power of the Edge of Taixuan and recognized your (Fu Hua's) true identity, why did you think I would be foolish enough to appear before you in my main body?"
Not to mention being in peak condition, he was at least completely unscathed.
And due to the longer recovery time, under the unreasonable creation power of the Stigmata of Death, his aura was nearing its peak.
Of course, based on his own description, whether the one appearing here was the main body was still unknown.
But for Fu Hua, it didn't make much difference anymore.
"...Despicable."
"I thought the Celestial of Empyrea, who has guarded Shenzhou for over four thousand years, would be used to this. I didn't expect you to whine like a little girl."
The man on the horse scoffed. He always believed that the Eastern sages created the word 'Strategy' brilliantly—at least unlike the far West, where they treated strategy and trickery as the same meaning.
Otherwise, wouldn't he, 'Genghis Khan', be nothing more than an insidious, cunning, and ruthless villain?
"..."
Fu Hua had no words to refute the man's condescending mockery.
Hadn't she also hidden her identity to join St. Freya, acting as a spy to monitor Theresa and the others who trusted her?
There was no point in dwelling on this now. The girl held Fenghuang Down, assumed a stance, and prepared to launch her final charge at the enemy.
"Inch Force!" (Cunjin)
Fuxi, Nuwa, Lixue... I'm coming to find you.
And Cousin... the road to the Underworld is lonely alone. Cousin is coming to keep you company.
"Open Hea—" (Kai-tia—)
"Hold it in. No opening."
"Eh?" (Gah?)
A fourth person suddenly appeared on the field, reaching out and curling a finger to affectionately flick his cousin's dusty forehead.
Inch Force: Opening Heaven (Cunjin: Kaitian). The ultimate killing technique of the Inch Heart Fist. A supreme skill that ignores survival instincts and forcibly extracts all power from the body.
Upon use, it squeezes out every bit of latent power, stamina, and energy, liberating everything that sustains life for a one-time explosion that disregards all consequences.
In the instant that follows, the user's physical fitness and combat power are enhanced dozens of times over. As a price, once the enhancement ends, the body rapidly weakens to the point where even breathing is difficult. Furthermore, the reckless outburst causes damage to the entire body and even reduces remaining lifespan.
Fuli naturally couldn't allow his cousin to use such a dangerous move, even if she was theoretically immortal due to the Garuda genes.
So, having just revived via Molting Reincarnation, he hurriedly made his move the moment he arrived on the battlefield.
Rounding it up: So, I made my move (lol).
Unlike the shota mode in the Foggy Capital, the revived Fuli maintained the physique of a teenager.
Or rather, this was the normal state. The previous form was a side effect of the initial construction of the Meta-Morph organ.
However, if someone were to kill him dozens or hundreds of times in one go, he would revert to a little boy just like a certain Snake Doctor.
But thinking carefully, apart from Rita, that hall-of-fame-level shota-con pervert, does anyone else in the world have that motivation?
Meanwhile, on Fu Hua's side.
Just as she failed to detect that the 'Genghis Khan' hit by Shamash Unsheathed was a clone, in her extreme fatigue, she also failed to detect Fuli speeding towards her.
The girl dazedly extended her hand, gently stroking the boy's smooth, tender cheek.
Her fingertips rubbed back and forth cautiously, as if touching a fragile dream.
"Cousin?"
"Right here, at your service!"
The person in question responded with a cheerful smile.
"Alive?"
"Yup! Oh, I forgot to tell Cousin about my Molting Reincarnation ability."
The fact that Peerless Rotation could construct Meta-Morph organs was a top secret among top secrets. The number of people in the world who knew that the former Sesha—now Kurikara—was stationed on the Hyperion could be counted on one hand.
Thus, Fu Hua only knew that her cousin asked for the Garuda Factor to construct the Second Turn of the metamorphosis. As for what the First Turn constructed, she truly knew nothing.
Unfortunately, this wasn't the time to catch up.
Or rather, 'Genghis Khan' had no intention of letting them catch up.
"Another grasshopper."
He looked on coldly, his tall horse neighing.
"Cousin, go quickly."
Fuli drew his sword, standing tall in front of his cousin and father-in-law (?). "I'll handle this guy."
Fu Hua clenched her fist, then unwillingly relaxed it. "Are you confident?"
"Not a big problem."
Actually, it's a pretty big problem.
But he couldn't let his elder, mentor, savior, comrade, White Moonlight, and dream date worry, could he?
Knowing she would only be a burden here, Fu Hua stood up, manipulating Honkai energy to pick up the unconscious Siegfried, preparing to leave.
She hesitated for a moment, then suddenly stepped forward, hugging Fuli from behind and whispering in his ear: "Actually... apart from those things you're thinking... occasionally being a l-lover... isn't out of the question!"
Then she turned and fled without hesitation.
Her hair fell messily in the wind, hiding the girl's slightly flushed cheeks.
Fuli blinked, suddenly realizing that with the help of Fenghuang Down, his cousin had read his impure thoughts about her.
Thinking of her reaction, his expression went blank for a moment before inevitably turning into schadenfreude.
He hurriedly waved in the direction she left: "I'm still a minor right now, so I can't just date people casually! Can we start as 'benefits-friends' to break the ice first?"
"SCRAM! And don't think I didn't read that phrase you secretly thought when I hugged you just now: 'Cousin's chest is so hard!'"
Got scolded severely.
So refreshing.
But really, it was very hard. Filled with a sense of security!
...
In the distance, 'Genghis Khan', holding his spear, watched this scene with interest.
"Brat, why insist on doing something so superfluous?"
Even though the grassland where he came from didn't care for romantic sentiments, he could tell the boy was deliberately using that method to lighten the mood and distract.
Fuli smiled and answered, "Of course, it's because it's not the right time yet."
"Then when is the right time?"
"Sequence Rank." (S-Rank/Top Tier).
The boy repeated his conviction to the opponent.
No dating, no marriage until reaching Sequence Rank.
"Neigh!"
The tall horse beneath 'Genghis Khan' mocked him, and He laughed loudly as well. "Brat, you'd be better off giving up that obsession."
Fuli asked in surprise, "Why? Because in your eyes, I will die here?"
"Not just you. Your aging cousin will die too."
'Genghis Khan' would never allow the Celestial of Empyrea to leave safely. He was chatting with Fuli here only because the boy moved too slowly to escape the range of his arrows anyway.
See? Fu Hua had only gone a few hundred meters, and He was already galloping to give chase.
As for Fuli, the little thing could stay here; He would deal with him after he returned.
Fuli, realizing this as well, sighed. "Looks like I have to think of a way to hard-control (stun-lock) you here, so you don't disturb Cousin and Mr. Siegfried's evacuation."
"Just you?"
The man sneered, the black and white powers of Creation and Destruction surging around him.
The divine horse beneath him moved like lightning, speeding towards Fu Hua's direction, not taking the provocation at all.
Until an unexpected sentence rang out.
"Not relying on me, but relying on the true Generation's Proud Son, Genghis Khan." The boy smiled. "You posturing counterfeit."
The pursuit halted abruptly.
...