Chapter 266: I Am Starting to Understand
"The Edge of Taixuan cannot be defined, for it is beyond every aspect of design. From burning stars to specks of sand, nothing stands against the Blade of Taixuan…."
"Blade of Taixuan..."
"Taixuan..."
"??? ┐(´-｀)┌ ???"
In the vast, clear-skied consciousness realm, Kiana sat cross-legged on the ground, gazing up at the colossal divine sword descending from the heavens. Her expression shifted from deep contemplation to solemn focus, and finally, to complete bewilderment—Kiana gave up trying to understand.
"Kiana, did you gain any insights?"
The divine sword, massive as though capable of splitting the sky itself, hung in midair for a moment before slowly dissipating. Fu Hua's ethereal voice echoed throughout the boundless realm.
Kiana crossed her arms, tilted her head back, and stared at the sky, her face scrunched up in frustration. After hesitating, she cautiously asked,
"Teacher Fu Hua, um… could you maybe do it one more time?"
A faint breeze passed through the realm, leaving an extended silence in its wake.
Then, Fu Hua's voice resounded again, calm and unwavering.
"Even though it wasn't a direct attack, Edge of Taixuan is still one of my most profound techniques, and its impact on your mind is inevitable. You've managed to withstand it three times, which is beyond my expectations. However, any further attempts will do more harm than good."
Her voice gradually faded.
Kiana, still seated, felt a wave of dizziness and a strange sense of disorientation—then, the world around her shifted.
When her awareness returned, she was back in the spacious training hall. Across from her, Fu Hua sat gracefully, pouring tea with an air of serene elegance.
"Have some tea to clear your mind."
"Thanks, Teacher Fu Hua."
Kiana chugged the tea in one go. Then, suddenly, she patted her forehead and shook her head vigorously.
Fu Hua set the teapot down and reached out, lightly tapping Kiana's forehead with a slender, jade-like finger.
"Hiss— huh? It's gone?"
Kiana blinked in surprise—the sluggishness clouding her mind had completely vanished.
Fu Hua smiled faintly and shook her head.
"I only eased the effects for you. Facing Edge of Taixuan puts a significant strain on your mind. Make sure to get plenty of rest tonight."
"No problem! I always go to bed early!"
Kiana grinned, flashing a set of healthy, pristine white teeth.
Indeed, her daily routine was generally quite healthy—because if it wasn't, certain unavoidable forces would ensure that it became so. Over the years, it wasn't just her sleep schedule; most of her habits had been shaped into peak discipline through external intervention.
Fu Hua nodded silently, then asked,
"So, no progress, I assume?"
"Uh… I didn't really get it."
"As expected. Rather than thinking of the Edge of Taixuan as a technique, you should see it as a state of mind—one that must be comprehended, not forcibly understood."
"You're making it sound even more cryptic— And it was already cryptic to begin with. I was actually pretty confident at first!"
Kiana pouted, grumbling under her breath.
Fu Hua sighed, pressing a hand to her forehead. Was this girl already thinking about giving up?
"So, will you continue tomorrow?"
"Of course!"
Kiana answered without hesitation.
Her unwavering determination gave Fu Hua a small sense of relief. Whether or not Kiana could succeed was one thing, but a fickle, three-minute enthusiasm was something Fu Hua could never approve of.
"Then go rest. You can also take this time to reflect on your experience. If you have any questions, feel free to ask me anytime."
"OK! I'm off! Take your time and enjoy your tea, Teacher! Bye!"
Kiana leaped to her feet and dashed out of the training hall in an instant.
The next day, same place, same routine.
After enduring three rounds of Edge of Taixuan, Kiana slumped down, looking drained. She grabbed her tea and gulped it down.
"Ahhh~ Teacher Fu Hua, is this really something a normal person can learn?"
"Are you implying that I'm not a normal person?"
"Considering your power level… yeah, kinda."
Kiana nodded solemnly.
Fu Hua opened her mouth but didn't know what to say for a moment.
"..."
After a brief silence, she suddenly understood something—why, despite how adorable Kiana was, Sigurd still often felt the need to hang her upside down.
"Anyway, it took me thousands of years to comprehend this realm. It's perfectly normal to gain nothing in just a day or two. The Edge of Taixuan isn't something you can rush. If you become obsessed with immediate success, you'll only end up wandering outside the threshold, never truly grasping its essence."
"Alright then, we'll continue tomorrow."
"That's fine. Get some rest and replenish your energy."
"Yes! See you tomorrow, Teacher Fu Hua!"
With her usual boundless energy, Kiana jumped up, waved enthusiastically, and left.
Day Seven
Returning from the consciousness realm, Fu Hua, as usual, brewed a cup of tea and gently slid it toward Kiana.
Kiana reached out with trembling hands, carefully lifted the teacup, took a sip—then stared ahead blankly, her eyes void of any light.
"Did you gain any insights today?"
"Still… still nothing…"
"Then we'll continue tomorrow. You may go."
"Oh…"
Slowly, Kiana got to her feet and wobbled toward the door. Just as she reached the exit, her forehead slammed directly into the doorframe.
She froze.
Then, in a burst of frustration, she started punching and kicking the doorframe repeatedly before finally stumbling away while clutching her forehead, grumbling the entire time.
Day Fourteen
As always, Fu Hua brewed tea and slid the cup toward Kiana with her usual calm demeanor.
Kiana: trembling…
Teacup: trembling…
Before she could even take a sip, all the tea had already spilled out from the shaking.
"Your face is pale. Clearly, your mental strength isn't keeping up. Perhaps you should take a break for a day or two?"
"—No! We continue tomorrow!"
Kiana slammed the teacup down on the table, gritting her teeth with determination.
Then, with a dramatic flop, she collapsed sideways onto the floor, wiggling her hips as she crawled worm-like toward the exit—standing up and walking properly was simply too exhausting!
Day Twenty
Fu Hua waited an extra ten minutes before Kiana finally arrived.
She rolled in.
Yes, she was literally lying on the ground, rolling forward like a log, inching her way toward the training area.
Fu Hua silently watched this scene unfold while pressing a fingertip against Book of Fuxi's tiny mouth—to keep her from bursting into laughter.
Kiana finally rolled close enough, dragged herself up by clutching onto the table, then slumped over it, her upper body draped lifelessly across the surface.
"Te… ach… er… let's… begin…"
Kiana's voice was slow and weak, like a ghost freshly floating out of its coffin.
Fu Hua paused for a moment before giving a small nod.
As always, they entered the consciousness realm, where Kiana endured three rounds of Edge of Taixuan.
Upon returning to reality, Fu Hua saw an utterly drained and pale-white Kiana, her soul seemingly drifting out of her mouth.
"Just give up. There will be other chances in the future. You don't need to push yourself this hard—"
"Wait!"
Suddenly, Kiana grabbed Fu Hua's wrist.
She lifted her head—on her small, pale face, those damp, bright blue eyes shone with an unusual intensity.
"Tomorrow… we continue!"
Her voice was resolute, allowing no room for argument.
Fu Hua hesitated for a moment.
"…Did you finally have a breakthrough?"
"I don't know! But we're continuing tomorrow!"
"Kiana, you—"
"Please, Teacher Fu Hua!"
Faced with those determined and unwavering eyes, Fu Hua felt a tremor in her heart.
After a brief silence, she nodded.
Kiana immediately let go of her wrist, grabbed the teapot, and—without bothering with the cup—tilted it directly into her mouth.
Half a minute later, Kiana collapsed onto the floor again, looking utterly soulless. Like a little defeated kitten, she slowly rolled away.
Fu Hua instinctively wanted to help her up—but in the end, she held back.
For some reason, watching Kiana like this was… incredibly amusing.
At that moment, Fu Hua felt a deep connection with Sigurd.
She, too, wanted to raise a Kiana.
Why was she so ridiculously entertaining?
It wasn't just about watching her suffer—it was the way Kiana, despite the exhaustion, remained completely unyielding and charged forward without hesitation.
Just watching her was enough to fill people with strength.
<+>
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