"Though the form of power is unique, it is not unteachable."
Hua's tone remained calm, yet carried a convincing certainty. "What you saw earlier, the 'Greatsword' wielded by Li Sushang, was formed from the prototype of the fifth concept of Taixu Sword Qi, the Divine Essence. And that is far from its complete form."
Qingque recalled the ancient, sky-shading greatsword and Hua's effortless punch... and couldn't help but shiver.
It's impressive, yes, but how much hardship would it take to master that!
Seeing the unconcealed desire to "run away" on Qingque's face, Hua suddenly changed her approach. She took two steps closer, softening her voice: "Learning this technique is not necessarily for fighting or killing enemies on the battlefield."
"Hmm?" Qingque's ears twitched.
"Controlling your own power, achieving enlightenment, can also strengthen your body and invigorate your spirit."
Hua spoke slowly, as if describing some kind of health regimen. "You will be more agile, less prone to fatigue, and react faster... For your daily 'official duties,' 'astral predictions,' or even 'entertainment and rest,' it should prove beneficial."
(Strengthen the body? Invigorate the spirit? Less prone to fatigue? React faster?)
Qingque's little brain immediately started turning.
(Does that mean... it will be harder for Lord Fu Xuan to catch me slacking off later? I can count cards faster when playing? And feel better the day after pulling an all-nighter?)
It seems... somewhat reasonable?
Although it still sounds troublesome, if it's not too exhausting and actually useful... the resistance on Qingque's face lessened slightly. She hesitantly looked at Hua: "S-Senior... really... it won't be too tiring, right? Not the kind where I have to swing a sword thousands of times a day?"
"Step by step, depending on the individual."
Hua didn't give a definitive answer but offered hope in her tone. "We can start with the form of power you are most familiar with."
"...Then, alright."
Qingque agreed dejectedly, as if she had made a massive decision. "I... I'll try. But promise me, Senior, if it's too tiring or if I have no talent, you can't blame me..."
She silently comforted herself: Never mind, never mind. Just treat it as... a strategic investment for happier and longer periods of slacking off in the future!
Skills never weigh you down, right... probably.
Watching Qingque's "forced labor" appearance yet secretly calculating her gains, a faint smile flashed in Hua's eyes.
Teaching such a "student" seems like it will be an interesting experience.
Consciousness Space
Kiana suddenly opened her eyes, and the scent of fresh grass rushed into her nostrils.
Above her was the tranquil night sky of St. Freya Academy, sparsely dotted with stars.
"I'm... back again?"
She propped herself up and sat, shaking her head. She felt unusually alert.
Immediately, the memory of the short but incredibly intense battle flooded her mind—the Masked Man, raging like a firestorm, and his scorching fists.
"They're getting more ridiculous one after another..."
Kiana couldn't help but complain quietly, still feeling lingering fear.
That Masked Man's strength felt much more terrifying than many A-rank Valkyrie Instructors. His fighting style was pure, Overwhelming Style suppression. If she hadn't teamed up with Xing and if she hadn't gotten slightly stronger in that space, she probably wouldn't have been able to take a single move.
(Wait... space? Getting stronger? And that White-haired Man last time...)
Kiana suddenly remembered something. She looked down at her hands and then touched her chest.
(It seems I've been ignoring something?)
A thought she had forgotten now clearly surfaced.
(The golden finger... what exactly is my 'golden finger'?)
She clearly remembered that before she first inexplicably entered that strange space and was "beaten up" by the White-haired Man, and during that near-death experience, she vaguely sensed the presence of another consciousness within her body.
Kiana immediately looked around warily.
This was her Consciousness Space, usually empty, with only the simulated night view of the academy.
But this time, she quickly spotted a presence that stood out from the surroundings, hidden in the shadow cast by the nearby dormitory building.
It was a Figure of Faint Purple Glow, half-crouched and emitting a faint purple glow.
The figure's outline was blurry; she couldn't make out the face or clothing details. She could only barely discern the silhouette of a woman, her hands clasped around her knees, her face buried in her arms, emitting a strong aura of "leave me alone" and "I want peace."
(Found it!)
Kiana's eyes lit up, and her curiosity instantly overwhelmed the tension from the recent fight.
She tiptoed over, crouched down beside the purple figure, and tentatively whispered, "Hey... are you okay? Uh... Miss 'golden finger'?"
The purple figure's shoulder twitched almost imperceptibly, but she still didn't look up or respond. The atmosphere of self-isolation just seemed to intensify.
Kiana blinked, recalling the world-shattering power she felt when briefly "taking over" last time against Kevin, and looking at this mass of "Purple Glow" that seemed to have been struck colorless, she suddenly understood.
(Don't tell me... the White-haired Uncle beat her into self-isolation?)
This slightly comical yet sympathetic thought popped into Kiana's mind.
Although her consciousness was hazy at the time, she could vaguely sense that the White-haired Man's strength was an absolute suppression on another level, one that extinguished any thought of resistance.
Looking at this "Self-Isolated Purple Glow," Kiana inexplicably felt a bit... sorry for the other party?
Besides, this was her own "golden finger" after all!
Although she hadn't figured out exactly what it did, she couldn't just let her stay this depressed, could she?
She hesitated, reached out her hand, and cautiously tried to pat the other party's shoulder as a sign of comfort.
"Slap!"
Before her hand could even touch the faint purple glow, the other party swatted it away even faster.
A self-loathing female voice emerged, completely lifeless: "Go away... Don't touch me... Don't bother me..."
Kiana, whose hand was swatted away, froze for a moment, and her mouth twitched.
(Quite a temper...)
But who was Kiana Kaslana?
She was someone who had been skilled at dealing with all sorts of difficult personalities since childhood!
Instead of giving up because of the rejection, she moved a little closer, speaking in her usual carefree yet strangely sincere tone:
"Oh, come on, don't be like that! So what if you got defeated once! I'm constantly being lectured by Auntie Himeko, scolded by Mei, and punished with running laps by Aunt! See? I'm perfectly fine!"
Purple Figure: "..."
"That White-haired Uncle is really powerful, practically inhuman!"
Kiana nodded in deep agreement. "But think about it, we're still alive, aren't we! Our consciousness is still here, we can still talk, and we can still squat here... uh, glowing. That means we haven't completely lost, right?"
The purple figure moved slightly, seeming... to be listening?
Kiana pressed on. She simply copied the figure, sitting cross-legged on the grass nearby. Regardless of whether the figure could see her, she continued talking to herself: "Look at me, my goal is to become an S-rank Valkyrie and protect everyone. That path is definitely tough; I'll encounter many enemies I can't beat, Honkai Beasts, Herrschers... maybe even someone more monstrous than that White-haired Uncle!"
"But!"
Her tone shifted, becoming resolute. "So what? If I can't beat them once, I'll train until I can! If I get knocked down, I'll get back up! That's the spirit of the Kaslana family!"
She turned her head, looking at the bundle of purple light still huddled there, her voice softening with rare tenderness. "You're part of me, right? Or my 'golden finger'? Then we're in this together! Next time we meet a monster like that, we'll figure it out together! I'm tough and can take a beating! You... you definitely have strong points too, they just haven't been brought out yet, or maybe you were just scared."
"Don't squat here feeling sad all alone,"
Kiana extended her hand, not attempting to touch this time, but merely holding it near the figure. "Get up! Let's chat? Tell me, what exactly are you? How can you help me become an awesome S-rank Valkyrie?"
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