After successfully completing their mission, Fuli, Yunli, and Anna returned to the Xianzhou Luofu. Upon arrival, they were given an exceptionally high-profile reception within the solemn and majestic halls of the Seat of Divine Foresight.
However, when she caught sight of the figure sitting at the head of the hall, Yunli couldn't help but take a half-step forward in shock. "Grandpa?!"
The person greeting them was none other than Huaiyan, the Flaming Depths General of the Zhuming Xianzhou. The little old man, who usually wore a perpetual, kindly smile, now had his chronically squinted eyes wide open. His expression was a picture of solemn gravity.
"Isn't General Fu Xuan supposed to be the head organizer for this Wardance ceremony?" Yunli asked, clearly unaccustomed to this formal atmosphere.
"General Miaojian is currently tied up with other crucial matters and cannot spare a moment," Huaiyan sighed softly as he rose from his seat. He straightened his robes and, to their surprise, offered the trio a formal, deeply respectful bow. "On behalf of all our comrades at the Taixu Front, this old man extends his most sincere gratitude to you."
When the detailed report from Jigui Island had reached them, Shenzhou's top brass and the supreme decision-makers of the Honkai Council had all broken out in a cold sweat. It wasn't that they lacked experience dealing with massive Honkai eruptions. But millions of zombies swarming out simultaneously alongside the successive births of dozens of Pseudo-Herrschers? That was a completely different beast!
This was especially terrifying given that Jigui City was located in the Pearl River Delta, a region with the highest population density in all of Shenzhou. If Kane Pepian's scheme had succeeded... no, it didn't even need to fully succeed. If even a fraction of that cataclysmic fallout had leaked out, the resulting chain reaction would have been apocalyptic.
Faced with the old general's heartfelt gratitude, Fuli and Anna exchanged a knowing glance. Moving in perfect sync, they both reached out and gave Yunli a gentle shove, pushing the girl standing between them straight to the front. Simultaneously, they took a quiet half-step back, yielding the spotlight and the honor entirely to her.
"Hey! You guys!"
Suddenly shoved onto the front lines, Yunli froze for a second before glaring hotly at her two sly companions. But realizing this wasn't the time to throw a fit, she stepped up to her grandfather, adopting a coquettish, wheedling tone to ease the tension.
"Aw, Grandpa! There's no need to be so formal! Besides, didn't we get a massive point reward out of this? A whole fifty thousand points per squad!" She threw her arms wide, tracing a giant circle in the air to emphasize her point and dilute the overly serious mood. "It's absolutely crazy! The last time I saw this many bottoms in one place was in Chengdu!"
(T/N: In Chinese internet slang, "0" means bottom and "1" means top. Chengdu is playfully stereotyped as the city with the most bottoms).
"Bottoms?" Anna, standing in the back, tilted her head, her expression the very picture of innocent confusion.
"Good girls don't need to understand that joke!" Fuli quickly cut in, desperately trying to protect the young girl's purity.
Ever since learning Anna's true identity, Fuli had practically considered taking her under his wing as a formal disciple—were it not for the potential political fallout regarding her status as a Senate member. After all, the two of them were essentially master and apprentice online. Even without a formal title, the boy always instinctively shielded the beautiful girl, who was a year younger than him, terrified that her pristine heart would be corrupted by the internet.
He completely forgot that Anna herself was a veteran web surfer. The two had literally met on a certain art app with a blue 'P' logo; she was more than familiar with degenerate internet slang. Her feigned innocence right now was just an act to maintain her pure, pitiful image in front of her beloved "Teacher Fuli."
As the saying goes: The most high-tier hunters always appear as prey.
On the other side of the room, thanks to his precious granddaughter's banter, the tense lines on the old general's face finally softened, though a trace of lingering unease remained in his brows.
"Even with the points as a reward, this old man still feels the compensation falls woefully short of the monumental merit you've achieved," Huaiyan sighed. His gaze shifted back and forth between Fuli and Yunli.
Suddenly, his eyes lit up. The longer he looked at the two youngsters standing side by side, the more he felt they made an indescribably perfect match.
"Yunli..." the old man lowered his voice, leaning in close so only she could hear.
"What is it?" The girl scratched her head, thoroughly confused.
Huaiyan adopted a coaxing tone. "What do you think... of young Fuli as a person?"
"Fuli?" Hearing this, Yunli instinctively glanced back at the black-haired boy, who was currently whispering something to Anna. Memories of fighting shoulder-to-shoulder with him flashed rapidly through her mind.
"He's... pretty good, I guess," she weighed her words carefully. "He's a great fighter, easy on the eyes, has a decent personality, and he takes excellent care of his weapons..."
As she muttered to herself, her thoughts drifted back to the underground depths of Pepian's headquarters, recalling the moment Fuli shattered the illusion with a single punch. Honestly, the expression on his face back then—a complex web of extreme fury, profound agony, and the heavy burden of a shattered past, all mixed with a bizarre trace of relief—had struck a deep, unforgettable chord in her heart. He had looked like someone enduring agonizing physical and mental torment, yet still desperately clinging to something he wanted to protect. It was heartbreaking, and it made her want to comfort him.
Could it have something to do with that girl he accidentally mentioned... the one who shared my name, "Yunli," whom he called "Baby Li"? And then there was the mystery behind the Guanming Liuli Sword Soul... Her thoughts began to spiral.
General Huaiyan took in every subtle shift in his granddaughter's expression, his eyes narrowing in sheer satisfaction. In all his memory, his fiery granddaughter—who cared for nothing but forging and hunting cursed swords—had never shown such a conflicted, inquisitive expression over a young man. And they hadn't even known each other for long!
Naturally, as her elder, the old general was deeply invested in his granddaughter's lifelong happiness.
"It seems you two get along quite well," Huaiyan's smile widened. He pressed on, "So, if the two of you were to become a bit... closer, would you be opposed to it?"
"Huh?" A flash of panic crossed Yunli's eyes, and a faint blush dusted her cheeks. "Closer? No way—I mean, we haven't known each other that long! It's completely different from whatever you're thinking, Grandpa!"
"Hoho, when did the current Hundred-Forge and the head of the Flaming Wheel Octet become so bashful?"
Huaiyan waved her off, chuckling as he strolled straight toward Fuli.
"Little Brother Fuli, your heroic actions have saved millions of lives. A mere point reward is far too perfunctory on my part; it severely lacks sincerity!" He laughed heartily as he approached. "How about this? Today, I, Huaiyan, shall become sworn brothers with you. What do you say?"
An engagement is a bit too rushed for now, so let's take it one step at a time! he thought.
Yunli: ?
Anna: ?
"Sounds great!" Fuli slapped his thigh, immediately climbing the pole that was handed to him. "With the heavens above and the earth below as our witness! Brother Huaiyan, please accept your little brother's bow!"
"NO, IT DOES NOT SOUND GREAT!"
A furious Yunli immediately leaped into the air, aggressively bonking Fuli over the head. If her grandfather became sworn brothers with him, Fuli would technically become her grand-uncle!
---||---
Regarding the revelation of Anna becoming the Herrscher of Ice, Raiden Mei stated that she needed to bring her back to the Hyperion for a comprehensive, full-body scan.
She had to confirm that the Herrscher persona had truly been eradicated by the Holy Maiden's power, rather than just lying dormant in the core, gathering strength to cause a catastrophe later.
Anna had no objections to this. She was a straightforward girl, but that didn't mean she was oblivious to the subtle shift in Fuli's attitude toward her.
So, my identity really has been exposed, Anna thought to herself. Surprisingly, she wasn't bothered by it; rather, she felt a profound sense of relief.
Originally, the two internet lovebirds (?) had planned to meet up in person during the Wardance. But due to a slight conflict between Fuli and the Shenzhou faction at the time, the meetup had been postponed.
By a twist of fate, they ended up reuniting under these incredibly dramatic circumstances anyway. This destiny-like development brought a secret thrill of joy to the young girl's heart.
After bidding farewell to Yunli—who was currently thoroughly lecturing her grandfather—Anna and Fuli walked shoulder-to-shoulder, heading down the path toward the Hyperion's docking bay.
Perhaps because the Wardance festivities were still in full swing, Xuanye Avenue was exceptionally bustling today. The clamor of pedestrians and star-skiffs, the shouts of street vendors, the distant cheers echoing from the martial arenas—the air was thick with the scent of street food and feverish excitement. It felt as though the entire vitality of the Luofu was concentrated right here.
"Wait here for a second." Fuli sniffed the air, gesturing for Anna to stand under a tree by the side of the road before he nimbly squeezed into the dense crowd.
A few minutes later, he returned, holding a few skewers of sizzling, oil-dripping teppanyaki squid.
"Here, take one. It smells amazing!"
"Thank you, Teacher Fufu." Anna took it gently, carefully parting her cherry lips to take a tiny bite of a squid tentacle.
"Ah!" The next second, her head jerked up as if she'd been burned. She frantically fanned her mouth with her small hand, a faint glimmer of tears pricking the corners of her eyes.
"Burned your tongue?" Fuli asked, instantly concerned.
"Mhm..." Anna hummed softly, looking so deeply wronged and utterly adorable that it tugged at the heartstrings.
"Here, let me blow on it for you." Fuli took the skewer from her hands, leaned in close, and gently blew on it a few times before handing it back. "How about now?"
"Mhm. Now that Teacher Fuli blew on it, it's not hot anymore," Anna resumed taking tiny, delicate bites, her heart soaring with sweetness as she felt the lingering warmth of the boy's breath on her food.
It was hilariously ironic. The Herrscher of Ice, burning her tongue on a normal street-food squid? Was the grill being operated by the Herrscher of Fire or something?
Knowing that Mei wasn't in a rush, the two decided to stroll from one end of the food street to the other. After a few laps, they even managed to strike up friendly conversations with some enthusiastic vendors, picking up quite a bit of local Luofu gossip in the process.
During the walk, Fuli also gave Anna a detailed rundown of everything going on with the Hyperion. Unlike the secretive, guarded tour he gave her last time she boarded the ship, he held absolutely nothing back this time. He even spilled the secrets of the Fuli-Well and Mount Taixu to her.
"Teacher, you're amazing!" Anna's eyes sparkled as she listened, occasionally letting out genuine gasps of awe. The way she looked at the boy was brimming with pure worship and admiration.
"Heheh! Well, Mei and the others contributed a lot too," Fuli acted humble, but his metaphorical tail was wagging so hard it was practically brushing the sky.
"But if it weren't for Teacher Fuli, the Hyperion would never have existed in the first place, right?" Anna retorted earnestly.
"I suppose that's true..." Fuli rubbed his chin.
"So, Teacher Fuli really is the most amazing one of all!" Anna delivered her absolute verdict. She even boldly took the boy's hand and pressed it against her chest, her tone filled with unquestionable conviction.
Being praised so directly by a beautiful Herrscher girl made Fuli feel like he was floating on clouds. He mentally praised how wonderful soft-spoken girls were at providing emotional support, completely oblivious to the fact that their dynamic had firmly crossed the line into a full-blown date.
Sigh. An enlightened Schariac was truly a terrifying force. With just a few words, she had little Fuli wrapped entirely around her finger.
It had to be said—the women of the Schariac bloodline might be notorious for falling fast and giving their all in love, but once they locked onto someone they liked, their romantic offensive capabilities skyrocketed exponentially.
Forget about whatever other girls were supposedly in the picture! What about her good bestie Asta? Why do men have two balls? Because they're meant to be shared! One for her, one for Asta—a perfectly balanced equilibrium!
---||---
While Anna was busy harboring her secret, slightly degenerate schemes, the melancholic, desolate melody of an erhu drifted into the young couple's ears. It seemed a blind street performer was playing nearby.
Still riding high on his ego trip, Fuli didn't even think twice. He fished two coins out of his pocket, casually tossed them into the open instrument case on the ground with a generous flourish, and remarked, "Here you go. The tune's not bad, consider this a tip!"
With that, he turned to walk away.
He didn't make it two steps before an overwhelming sense of lethal crisis crashed down on him!
"Who's there?!"
Fuli violently yanked Anna behind him. Half-turning, his hand had already clamped down on the hilt of his Plasma Kagehide, his sharp gaze locking onto the source of the killing intent.
The next moment, he froze stiff, as if struck by lightning.
The "blind" musician slowly raised her head. The coarse cloak slipped off her shoulders. A sheer black veil embroidered with silver moons covered her eyes, but it completely failed to mask the freezing, piercing glare of the crimson irises beneath.
A celestial dress of azure and black armor perfectly accentuated her graceful, aloof, peerless figure. Her solitary, silver hair cascaded down like frosted moonlight. She practically glowed under the city lights—a breathtaking, otherworldly beauty.
Fuli, however, felt like the sky had just caved in.
He nearly bit off his own tongue. "Jing—Jing—Jing—Jing—Jingliu?!"
Why the hell is Jingliu here?!
And even if she was here on the bustling Xuanye Avenue, why the hell was she dressed as a blind beggar playing the erhu in a corner?! Was it because she had nowhere else to go after leaving the ghost mansion, leaving her to wander the Luofu aimlessly?!
No! That's not the main issue right now!
"Anna, run!" Fuli decisively grabbed Anna's wrist, fully intending to bolt from the scene at maximum speed. He was terrified that if he lingered for even a second longer, a Transcendent Flash moon-blade would cleave him in half.
"Your sword rings clear, and your foundation is exceptional. But your accumulated intent is chaotic, lacking purity," a cold, serene voice echoed from behind them. "Little brother, who... taught you your swordsmanship?"
Her tone was completely flat, even carrying a hint of genuine curiosity.
...Huh?
Realizing something was off, Fuli skidded to a halt and glanced back, alarmed and uncertain.
The woman was still standing quietly in the same spot, her gaze piercing through her veil, resting calmly on him. Her demeanor... she really looked as if she was seeing him for the very first time.
Fuli's brain went into overdrive, instantly processing her intentions.
Under Anna's nervous gaze, he slowly turned back around. The panicked, terrified expression on his face vanished without a trace, seamlessly replaced by a perfectly calibrated look of confusion.
"Nobody taught me. I practiced on my own."
"How long have you studied the sword?"
"Since I was a kid."
"Stop running your mouth. Tell the truth."
"Officially? Two and a half years. Self-taught."
"A pity. But it is not too late," Jingliu gave a slight nod. "Become my disciple."
"Take you as my master? I don't mind, but shouldn't you at least show me some strength to prove you're worthy?"
"Jingliu." The peerless beauty parted her crimson lips. The name fell from her mouth with the crushing weight of a mountain. "Is this name worthy enough?"
"Transcendent Flash?!!"
Before Fuli could even respond, Anna, hiding behind him, let out an involuntary gasp. Having heavily crammed historical lore, the girl clearly knew of this legendary figure, one of the High-Cloud Quintet. Her beautiful face became a mixture of sheer excitement and deep worry.
In the modern era, the number of registered S-Rank powerhouses who had broken through their limits was even fewer than the number of major Sequence Herrschers. Furthermore, this woman was the undisputed apex of swordsmanship in the world. For Fuli to take her as his master—it was a match made in heaven!
Her worry, however, stemmed from Jingliu's status as a wanted criminal, as well as her notoriously draconian teaching methods.
As Jingliu herself once put it: "Must one judge talent when taking a disciple? That is merely a master's laziness—desiring maximum results for minimum effort, or perhaps seeking to leave behind a legacy through their student's fame. Reputation, inheritance... I care for none of it. Whoever wishes to learn my sword, I shall teach."
She cared nothing for a disciple's background or status. But because her standards for the sword were so pure and absolute, to this day, the only disciple who had ever truly earned her acknowledgment was General Jing Yuan. Everyone else had quit halfway.
And yet, this legendary Jingliu had actively sought Fuli out and offered to take him under her wing? Just how terrifying was Teacher Fuli's talent for the sword?!
Thinking of this, Anna puffed out her chest with immense pride, sharing in his glory. Based on visuals, she was already approaching a solid D-cup. Considering she was only fifteen, her future potential was limitless.
"Taking you as a master, huh..." Fuli feigned a look of inner conflict.
He and the Jingliu standing before him already shared a master-disciple relationship in reality, but suddenly gaining a terrifyingly imposing sword-immortal master in public still felt a bit—
"Hmm?" The temperature in the air instantly plummeted several degrees.
"Master, please accept my utmost respect! Let's skip the bowing!" Fuli instantly surrendered to the tyrannical pressure of an S-Rank powerhouse. Damn it. If I could beat her in a fight...
"That's more like it," Jingliu scoffed softly, not bothered by his lack of formal bowing.
After all, the last time she got drunk, they had already done everything a master and disciple definitely shouldn't do, in a wide variety of positions. Bowing was trivial in comparison.
She reached out, clamping a hand tightly onto the boy's shoulder, before looking over at the highly anxious Anna. "I am borrowing your boyfriend."
"Understood! Senior Jingliu!" Anna didn't even bother to deny or correct the 'boyfriend' title. She just gave Fuli a look brimming with total trust and encouragement.
Fuli sighed helplessly, giving his instructions. "Anna, head back to the Hyperion on your own first. Tell Mei and the others that my new Master is probably going to 'test' my martial arts thoroughly. I... probably won't be making it back tonight."
"Leave it to me! Please rest assured!" Anna gave a serious salute, watching as the master and disciple turned and disappeared into the depths of the crowd. Sunlight filtered through the lush leaves, shining down on her beret, faintly reflecting a vibrant, healthy shade of green.
A short while later, the master and disciple arrived back at the ghost mansion.
Releasing her grip on her traitorous disciple, Jingliu remarked coolly, "I didn't peg you for a casanova. That girl named Anna looks completely different from the other girls who were following you around last time."
As she spoke, she began unfastening her lightweight armor.
"What are you doing?!" Fuli immediately went on high alert, his voice loud but lacking true confidence. "Let's get one thing straight! I've gotten a lot stronger since the last time you left. I might not be as afraid of you as I was before!"
This was a bald-faced lie.
[Name: Ice Stigma]
[Rank: A]
[Category: Passive]
[Effect: Negates 80% of Ice-attribute effects. Combat power increases when in Ice-attribute environments.]
[Note: We've hit Spectral Transmigration, chat.]
This was the Sequence Stigma Fuli had successfully copied from Anna using the power of Jizo Mitama. It was the seventh supreme-tier Stigma he had collected so far.
Its effects were undeniably powerful. But relying on it to go toe-to-toe with Jingliu? Even if she was technically an Ice-type, trying to match her was like a toddler trying to drink from a giraffe—you can jump as high as you want, but you're still barely getting a sip.
"Heh~"
Facing her rebellious disciple who dared bare his fangs at her, the peerless sword immortal merely let out an ambiguous, breathy chuckle. Rather than being angered, she took a proactive step forward.
"Wait! You—Mmph!"
Before Fuli could finish his sentence, Jingliu stood on her tiptoes, sealing his mouth completely with her cool, cherry lips.
When he finally managed to break free, he smacked his lips, tasting the lingering sensation, looking utterly bewildered. "You didn't even drink any alcohol this time! Why are you—?!"
"Shut up."
The sheer veil covering her eyes silently dissolved into particles, revealing those breathtaking, ruby-like eyes that seemed to steal the soul.
The Transcendent Flash leaned in close. Her voice dropped to a husky whisper—one laced with undeniable command, yet woven with an indescribable, ravenous anticipation. She breathed every word directly into Fuli's ear:
"Traitorous disciple. Last time we fought... those 'techniques' you used on me... I want you to use every single one of them again."
Her tone suddenly shifted to freezing cold, carrying an unquestionable authority. "Show me exactly which move it was that suppressed my Mara-struck state. Hurry up... Use that move to properly filial your master. Because if you don't..."
Then, her voice dissolved into a low, manic laughter, as if she were desperately suppressing a dam of deranged emotions.
"Heh... hehehe... HAHAHAHAHA!"
The lights in the mansion abruptly short-circuited and died. Through the crack in the door, the rhythmic, heavy clashing of the Epiphyllum scabbard and the Plasma Kagehide echoed relentlessly into the night.
The boy that the girls of Hyperion were too gentle to manhandle? She was going to take the reins and ride him into the dirt!
And perhaps because the newly acquired Ice Stigma was forming some bizarre resonance with Jingliu's innate freezing attributes... this time, the ride felt even more profound, leaving an aftertaste that was utterly unforgettable.