Inside the hall, the atmosphere was as frozen as iron.
Fu Hua's answer had already drawn a cruel final note on the fate of the disciples who were not present.
Ma Feima maintained his posture with his fists cupped, but only Lin Chaoyu, standing beside him, could see the joints of his knuckles turning white from excessive force.
He had always been the one among the Seven Swords who liked to get to the bottom of things the most, the one who loved to refute and question, just as he had questioned Fu Hua the very first time they met.
Lin Chaoyu believed that at this moment, Ma Feima still had countless questions he wanted to ask Fu Hua.
Perhaps those questions arose from a lack of understanding, perhaps he had some new ingenious idea, or perhaps they stemmed from unwillingness, from delusion...
But now, all he showed was that simple sentence: "I understand."
The twelve hours felt like a three-foot white silk sash used for hanging, tightening around one's neck and making it hard to breathe. There was no more room for error, nor could it withstand his probing antics.
Lin Chaoyu quietly took half a step forward, subtly blocking Ma Feima's overly complex gaze from Fu Hua. "Master, the other junior brothers and sisters will probably be here soon. Why don't we go to the training ground and wait?"
Fu Hua nodded and turned first, her steps still steady.
The training ground of the Taixu Martial Arts School was paved with bluestone, open and solemn. It might not seem as impressive as gyms and training grounds equipped with various high-end equipment, but those in the know would only exclaim at the wealth of the "nouveau riche" upon seeing it.
By the time Fu Hua, Lin Chaoyu, and Ma Feima arrived, the other four Swords, except for Su Mei, had already arrived one after another.
Cheng Lingshuang still looked as if she couldn't be bothered by anything, leaning against the weapon rack as if she could fall asleep the next second. Only when Fu Hua appeared did her lowered eyelids lift slightly, a barely perceptible hint of scrutiny flashing across them.
The sisters Jiang Wanxi and Jiang Wanru were talking about something in a low voice. Upon seeing Fu Hua, they immediately stopped and, along with the other two, cupped their fists in a salute. Their posture was respectful and impeccable, yet it also felt like an invisible barrier separated them.
Qin Suyi, the youngest and with the most gentle and quiet temperament, was the last to arrive in a hurry.
She was slightly out of breath, her gaze towards Fu Hua filled with undisguised admiration, but also a hint of caution, not daring to be as close as usual.
"Master," the six said in unison, their voices neat and uniform, carrying the sharpness of a martial artist, but also a deliberately maintained, suffocating sense of propriety.
Fu Hua's gaze slowly swept over her seven disciples, each with a different personality, yet all of them dragons among men.
She could clearly feel the sense of distance surrounding her—it was by no means disrespect, but a clumsy way of protecting her.
They were protecting her from the sorrow of "reuniting with old friends."
This tacit understanding made her throat tighten slightly.
She had never revealed to them the fate and experiences of the others after the Great Eruption. She had not even mentioned her own situation, not Li Sushang, not anything she had experienced at the Taixu Martial Arts School.
She had only told them that there was a disaster, that humanity had suffered heavy losses.
And before that...
She had only stared at Lin Chaoyu in a daze when she first woke up. It was probably this gaze, filled with disbelief, that made Lin Chaoyu understand—
Fu Hua missed them deeply, missed this place she could never return to, missed these people she could never find again.
She took a deep breath, suppressing the surging emotions. Her voice was calm but carried an undeniable power. "Since everyone is here, let me see if you have been slacking off these days."
Without much pleasantry, she cut straight to the chase. This was in line with her usual style and also slightly eased the tension in the air.
The test began quickly.
As was the custom of the Taixu Martial Arts School, Lin Chaoyu was the first to demonstrate her swordsmanship. Her sword style was well-rounded and dense, like spring rain nourishing the earth, her defense impenetrable.
Ma Feima's sword was unorthodox, swift and fierce, filled with a chilling killing intent. His sword path was the most unpredictable, like a venomous snake in the dark, dangerous and unnerving.
Cheng Lingshuang's sword seemed to be swung casually, but the tip always landed on the weakest point of the qi.
The sisters Jiang Wanxi and Jiang Wanru still used their familiar twin sword style, perfectly complementing each other's shortcomings with their own distinct styles. The two were like dancers, blooming with a light called "the other."
Qin Suyi's sword was even more free-spirited than Cheng Lingshuang's. But unlike the "self-freedom" that ran through Cheng Lingshuang's sword path, Qin Suyi was painting a landscape, making one feel as if they were not watching a sword, but a painting.
No one was slacking. In the past, Fu Hua would have been gratified by her disciples' progress, but now, she saw something deeper.
Their swords were cultivated for "people," for sparring, for defeating enemies, for expressing themselves, for showcasing their skills, and even for battle on the battlefield.
But what they were about to face was the "Honkai Emperor," a monster with a massive body and bizarre abilities far beyond the comprehension of ordinary people, a creature that existed purely for destruction.
"Stop."
Fu Hua's cold voice sounded, and the sword shadows in the field suddenly dissipated.
The six of them sheathed their swords and stood, looking at Fu Hua, waiting for her comments.
"Your swords are fast enough, accurate enough, and exquisite enough. It can be said that in the way of the sword, you have reached the pinnacle. Even I can no longer defeat you in pure swordsmanship.
"But if you were to fight me now, you would still lose. Do you know why?"
No one spoke. They all looked at Cheng Lingshuang, the strongest among them. They had long reached a consensus on this kind of question.
"Because master is faster and stronger. In terms of basic personal qualities, master is much stronger than us. So even if our swordsmanship has reached its peak, we will still lose because of these gaps."
Cheng Lingshuang spoke the truth. They had known for a long time what the biggest gap between them and Fu Hua was.
When skill and state of mind had been honed to their peak, the gap returned to the most fundamental "talent."
Fu Hua was a genius, an absolute genius. She seemed to have been born for this.
There is a sequence in learning, and a specialty in skills. A teacher is not necessarily "older" than the disciple, and a disciple is not necessarily "younger" than the teacher. This was vividly demonstrated in Fu Hua.
Just as the actual age of all seven Swords was older than Fu Hua's. Lin Chaoyu, for example, was twice Fu Hua's age this year.
"Technique and style can make up for the gap, but if the enemy is too strong, then so-called technique is useless..." Fu Hua paused, then her words carried a hint of annoyance. "Kallen should have sparred with you before leaving..."
"Master, we all have experience fighting with the Kaslana family," Lin Chaoyu knew what Fu Hua was annoyed about, and reminded her in a low voice.
"No, Kallen is different from the enemies you have faced." Fu Hua shook her head. Himeko had already mentioned it. Their bodies were still at the level of being enhanced by the Key of Genesis, so Kallen naturally was too.