Book 6: Chapter 22:1: Fu Hua’s First Lesson and Spiritual Energy Resurgence? Part 1
“Ki Impact!” When Chen Heng returned home through a black hole from the Holy Grail War’s world, what met him was not the sweet aroma of a hot meal or a warm greeting from Fu Hua but a fiery fist.
You can’t be serious, Immortal! All I did was mention your erotica and have your life-sized body pillow. Do those really warrant a punch right off the bat? That’s pretty petty.
Although Chen Heng was confounded, that didn’t prevent him from defending himself. The moment he heard the words “Ki Impact,” he instinctively shielded himself with an attraction barrier.
However, whether it was because the barrier was hastily constructed or for some other reason, Fu Hua’s fist broke through it with a single punch. Chen Heng suspected an external cause.
He had felt his ability suddenly weaken when Fu Hua’s fist touched the attraction barrier.
Trusting Fu Hua and his ancestor’s insights and, most importantly, the three transcender-level counterattacks stored in his necklace, Chen Heng chose not to draw the Immortal Executioner Sword in defense.
He thought Fu Hua might beat him up but wouldn’t kill him. After all, he admitted, he had been courting trouble, and a beating wasn’t undeserved.
He put himself in Fu Hua’s shoes, imagining how he’d feel if Fu Hua claimed to have a life-sized body pillow of him. He would…well, he found himself a bit excited at the thought.
True to Chen Heng’s trust, Fu Hua’s flaming fist stopped three centimeters from his forehead, and the flames vanished.
“That hurts!” Chen Heng clutched his forehead as he squatted on the ground.
Chen Heng wasn’t faking; Fu Hua’s fist hadn’t struck him, but her middle finger had flicked his forehead with some force.
While it might seem rude to say this, Fu Hua’s strength was substantial, and even with Chen Heng’s physically robust body, the pain was unbearable.
“Immortal, what a big welcome gift you have for me!”
“Call me Master,” Fu Hua replied, opening her fist palm-up to reveal a ring.
“…Master.” Chen Heng wanted to argue, but under Fu Hua’s seemingly delicate but mountain-shattering fist, he yielded. His ancestor had specially chosen this master for him, so there was no room for refusal.
“Good.” Upon hearing Chen Heng obediently call her Master, Fu Hua sat back down on the sofa and put the ring on her finger.
“Master, what’s that ring? Was it used to break my attraction barrier?” Chen Heng asked, staring curiously at the ring on Fu Hua’s finger.
Chen Heng had absolute confidence in his gravitational shield. Although Fu Hua was a mighty Void Hollow Realm cultivator, breaking his shield shouldn’t have been so easy. If it wasn’t Fu Hua’s doing, it had to be the ring. Why else had she been clutching it in her fist?
“Yes. It’s a gift from your ancestor, specially crafted to counter your abilities. It suppresses others as well, but not as noticeably. Don’t worry; only I can use this ring, and it can’t be duplicated except by a transcender-level craftsman,” Fu Hua explained to assure Chen Heng of the ring’s security.
“…” Chen Heng was speechless, realizing that his own ancestor had betrayed him. How could he argue with that?
Actually, the ring was the least safe for Chen Heng in Fu Hua’s hands. In anyone else’s possession, he could easily destroy it, not even leaving ashes. However, he couldn’t attack Fu Hua.
Was his ancestor afraid Chen Heng might “bully his master and kill his ancestor” (in every sense of those words) and had thus given Fu Hua the ring?
“That was my first lesson for you earlier: don’t overtrust your abilities, and remain vigilant at all times. By the way, where is my life-sized body pillow?”
Fu Hua suddenly recalled something, then looked at Chen Heng.
“Oh! That…that body pillow? I destroyed it just before I returned. I didn’t want to upset you, my elderly master, so I took care of it for you.” In reality, Chen Heng hadn’t; he wanted to preserve the limited-edition Azure Empyrea body pillow.
...Even though I’m old, you don’t need to remind me about that.” Although I’m old, you can’t openly say it.
“By the way, Master, would you like a tea ceremony for accepting a master?” Chen Heng quickly changed the subject, cleverly avoiding the topic of age. He had forgotten that before becoming a MANTIS 50,000 years ago, she was a woman.
[TL Note: MANTIS is short for Massively Augmented Neo-Tech Integrated Soldiers. They gain strength through modified Honkai genes. The MANTIS project was initiated in the previous era to combat the Honkai. Fu Hua is the last known MANTIS still alive and also the only known person from the previous era still alive. Here is more information on it: /wiki/MANTIS.]
“Alright. Just a simple offering of tea will do. After all, times have changed,” Fu Hua said after thinking it over while sitting on the sofa.
Once known as the Immortal Phoenix, Fu Hua had already lived for 50,000 years, primarily in China. She was China’s representative in Honkai Impact 3rd and maintained many Chinese customs. Most importantly, despite her cute appearance, she was an antique, a 50,000-year-old one. For all we know, she might have invented the ancient ceremonies of Honkai Impact 3rd’s China.
Furthermore, as a descendant of a sword immortal clan, Chen Heng valued the relationship between master and disciple more than ordinary people of his time. He also adhered to ancient rites and rituals.
Although Chen Heng and Fu Hua were technically colleagues, Chen Heng considered her his master now. A cup of tea was necessary, even if they omitted the formal ceremony of accepting a master.
“Alright, please wait a moment.”
Chen Heng then took out the tea he had put away several days ago, leftover from what he served his ancestor, a variety that cost him 1,000 points for 50 grams.
One cup was all the ceremony of accepting a master called for, so the remaining tea leaves were sufficient.
After the tea was ready, Chen Heng handed it respectfully to Fu Hua, completing the ceremony.
“By the way, Master, would you like to stay at my place?”
“You needn’t worry about that. After the world merger, your home already had a room for me. Your ancestor must have prepared it. By the way, what kind of tea is this?” Fu Hua asked, sipping the tea Chen Heng served for the ceremony and finding its taste very pleasing.
She did not know if it was unique to the Chen Clan or something only from Chen Heng’s world, but she had never tried it before.
“I believe it’s called Cloud Mist Immortal Tea. I bought 50 grams from the Dimension Administrators Association’s store for 1,000 points.”
“Cough! Cough! A thousand points for 50 grams?” Fu Hua suddenly choked after hearing the price of the tea leaves.
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