"Old Fossil, how can we smoothly arrange marriages between those two and Zeke?"
"Before that, why do you keep calling me 'Old Fossil'?"
"Well, aren't you just that—an old fossil? Stubborn, inflexible, and quite annoying." "Fu Hua" strolled through the base with an air of indifference, matter-of-factly responding.
Within the consciousness domain, Fu Hua lifted her hand, studying it momentarily before slowly lowering it again. She said,
"Zeke already has someone he loves. Besides, these girls are still young at heart; don't take their words too seriously."
"What?! That aloof guy has someone he likes now? Who is it... Wait, never mind that for now. Since my adorable students brought this up, I must provide them with a thoughtful answer. As for Zeke already having someone, well, we can always have him take multiple wives later! After five millennia, such situations aren't uncommon."
"...I'm just an old relic; I don't know. You'll have to think about it yourself."
"Come on, Fu Hua, is it really stumping you? Or are you upset because I called you an old relic and decided not to respond?"
In the consciousness domain, Fu Hua fell silent.
Outside, "Fu Hua," hearing no reply, pursed her lips and had no choice but to ponder the matter herself, letting her thoughts wander.
She carefully recalled that previously, Zeke had mentioned "her" as an ideal partner—making the criteria quite clear: strong, intelligent, dependable, upright, courageous, beautiful, gentle, patient... Hiss! These standards are too high; those sisters might struggle to meet them!
"How about stirring things up with some alcohol? Once the deed's done, convincing them should be easier, right?"
With these thoughts, "Fu Hua" turned a corner and entered the training ground marked as currently in use.
"Whoosh!"
"Clang! Clang! Clang!"
"Hiss!"
"Rumble!"
A sharp blade sliced through the air amidst thunder and lightning as the sturdy anti-Honkai energy alloy wall endured relentless blows. Accompanied by dazzling visual effects, vibrations, and explosive sounds, two distinct abyssal energies wreaked havoc across the vast training field.
"Fu Hua" effortlessly navigated the storm of attacks, unimpeded despite their destructive force capable of leveling a city. At most, these assaults merely grazed her, unable to hinder her stride.
"Boom!!"
Raiden Mei's longsword clashed with Wendy's palm, sending terrifying shockwaves reverberating throughout the massive training ground. Lightning crackled, and countless fissures spread from beneath their feet.
As they locked eyes intensely, a familiar young face suddenly appeared between them, leaning close to the point where sword met hand. With crimson eyes blinking playfully, a clear smile emerged.
"Fu Hua... Teacher?"
The surging Honkai Energy around both combatants gradually subsided. Raiden Mei looked at "Fu Hua," bewildered, and asked, "What brings you here?"
Wendy patted down her disheveled dress and gave Raiden Mei a meaningful look as she casually asked,
"Fu Hua," still smiling warmly at them both, scratched her head.
"Well, you see, I was just passing by. When I noticed someone using the training ground, my hands got itchy, so I had to come take a peek!"
Seeing their confusion, "Fu Hua" wrapped her arms around their shoulders with a grin.
"Don't be nervous; I'm not here to criticize you. You're practicing controlling Herrscher powers, right? Great job—you've really got the hang of it!"
"This... Thank you, Fu Hua-sensei. So, might we have your guidance?" Wendy softly inquired. After lowering her battle stance, she crossed her fingers, stood gracefully, exuding a gentle demeanor that felt remarkably comforting.
Raiden Mei nodded alongside her, gazing at "Fu Hua" with a smile.
Chin resting on one hand, "Fu Hua" tilted her head thoughtfully before striking her palm decisively.
"I don't think explaining will suffice. How about we learn through combat instead? What do you say if I teach you while fighting?"
Despite claiming it was a lesson, the combative glint in those red eyes and the startling aura of menace inadvertently emanating from her radiant smile made it feel more like a threat.
The corners of Wendy's lips curled up as the airflow around her became turbulent.
Raiden Mei silently drew her blade, her expression composed, lightning crackling along its edge.
Without needing to exchange words, they reached an understanding. Regardless of the outcome, gauging this "Fu Hua's" abilities would be invaluable for developing future strategies.
"Fu Hua" grinned, yet despite her cheerful demeanor, a chilling presence radiated from her petite frame.
"Come on, attack me together. It's been ages since I last trained you; I wonder if your martial skills have improved or deteriorated."
Boom!
Three energies collided directly within the room, causing cracks to spiderweb across the floor while distant walls emitted faint metallic groans.
Even before the clash began, signs of damage were already apparent on this specialized Herrscher training ground.
In the next instant, all three figures vanished from their initial positions.
An hour later, "Fu Hua" stood amidst the utterly devastated landscape, stretching her waist from side to side.
"Oh dear, I worked up quite a sweat—that felt good. Though it seems like I might've gone overboard accidentally. How about you two? Did you learn anything?"
With a smile, she asked this question while still stretching, addressing Wendy, who was half-buried in the ground, and Raiden Mei, plastered against a wall.
Wendy crawled out of the debris, wiping dust from her face, noticing her hands trembled slightly—a consequence of excessive Honkai Energy output.
Meanwhile, Raiden Mei, having just freed herself from the wall, looked at her beloved sword now marred with countless nicks, her expression conflicted.
Neither responded, so "Fu Hua" shrugged and said,
"I've assessed your capabilities pretty well overall. Wendy truly lives up to being a prodigy in combat—despite not even reaching my age's single digits, your martial skills are remarkably advanced. The only gap is the refinement that comes with years of experience. Don't slack off in your cultivation; continue exploring the depths of your Herrscher abilities. Your future looks bright!"
Giving a silent Wendy a thumbs-up, "Fu Hua" then turned to Raiden Mei and continued:
"As for you, Mei, how should I put this...? I never expected you to be so powerful when serious—it's quite different from your usual gentle demeanor! Your swordsmanship is impressive, but do you want it to take precedence with your Herrscher abilities as supplementary or delve deeper into harnessing the Infinite power? You'll need to make a choice. From your moves, I saw hesitation and indecision, which simply won't do!"
Having heard these critiques and suggestions, both girls wore thoughtful expressions.
Then "Fu Hua" turned around, waved goodbye, and departed just as casually and gracefully as she had arrived.
After a long moment, Raiden Mei and Wendy faced each other, frowning.
"The advice was pretty sound. In terms of martial arts proficiency, she seems about on par with Fu Hua-sensei. At least, I couldn't discern much difference. What do you think, Big Sister Mei?"
"I agree. I didn't expect her to be that strong—practically indistinguishable from Fu Hua-sensei herself, it's disheartening. This level of prowess even reminds me of the recently defeated Herrscher of the Void."
"Herrscher of the Void? Not quite the same, though both were unbelievably powerful. The Herrscher's strength stemmed purely from energy; if the gap in output were smaller, she wouldn't seem so formidable. But 'Fu Hua' here is different: Her might mirrors Fu Hua-sensei's—an insurmountable peak. If I had to describe it, the word would be... perfect. That's the only term that comes to mind."
"You're right, Wendy. Her mastery is unparalleled, and considering her display of psychic attacks—based on Bronya's analysis, she's either a personality that emerged from Fu Hua-sensei after her qi deviation or a new Herrscher. If it's the latter, then she must be the strongest one yet."
"That boundless and incredibly dangerous Honkai Energy points to her being a Herrscher for sure."
"I agree, but let's wait for the full report before jumping to conclusions. In any case, we need to prepare ourselves. Should she become our enemy, she'll likely prove even more troublesome than the Herrscher of the Void."
Raiden Mei furrowed her brows, contemplating the reformation of the Herrscher Squad.
It would be straightforward with Seele, naturally. But Ana was still affiliated with Schicksal, so Raiden Mei needed to explain things thoroughly and politely request her assistance. After all, not everyone carried as much weight as Zeke, able to sway Schicksal with just a word.
Then there was Kiana. Although Fu Hua had already relayed updates via the Book of Fuxi yesterday, until Raiden Mei saw her friend in person, she couldn't shake off lingering concerns about how well Kiana was recovering.
Wendy blinked and said, "Well, maybe you don't have too much to worry about? Don't forget, Fu Hua-sensei is back now. No matter what, we've got her on our side!"
"...True. Let's head back, then. That's enough for today; I need time to think about the issues she raised."
"Okay."
"Heh-heh-heh! Old relic, how was my performance just now? Pretty awesome and jaw-dropping, right?"
"Your martial skills were indeed impressive, but they both held back significantly. If you had fought without restraint out in the wild, it would've been a more evenly matched battle."
"Hmph! Sounds like you're assuming I gave it my all too. Just tell me: Was I cool or what?"
"If we overlook the part where you kicked the door off its hinges on your way out, then frantically tried—and failed—to piece it back together..."
"Don't mention that to Little Fuxi; let's chalk it up to normal training wear and tear."
"Fine by me. Also, I have no objections to transforming the Divine Keys into suitable weapons, but... why name them 'Blade Within,' 'Words Bring Death,' 'Speak Straight Spear,' and 'Yin-Yang Oddity'?"
"What business is it of yours?! As long as I'm happy with them, who cares!"
The conversation ended abruptly.
This time, it wasn't Fu Hua falling silent—the "Fu Hua" herself cut off their telepathic exchange, unwilling to waste any more breath on such trivial matters.
Continuing her aimless wandering, "Fu Hua" spotted a Cecilia clone carrying a stack of medical equipment-like items.
"Hm? Where is she going? Did someone get hurt? Might as well pay them a visit; with Lady Fu Hua herself checking in on them, any illness will surely vanish!" With unwavering confidence, "Fu Hua" puffed out her chest and started following Cecilia.
"Lady Fu Hua, may I assist you?" Cecilia 1415 asked respectfully.
"Oh, no need, just wandering around aimlessly. Carry on, don't mind me."
"Yes, ma'am." Cecilia 1415 complied, stealing a glance at Lady Fu Hua discreetly. Although finding it slightly odd, as a servant, she knew better than to question the actions of esteemed guests.
"Esteemed guest? Oh, my! You have quite the way with words, 1415! I appreciate that, ha ha ha!" Laughing heartily and proudly, "Fu Hua" gave Cecilia 1415's shoulder a friendly pat.
Soon, they entered a hospital room deep within the base, side by side.
Amidst various unidentified medical equipment, on a pristine white bed, "Fu Hua" recognized a somewhat familiar face.
"This guy is... Siegfried?!?"