In the two loops, the actions of everyone, whether remedial or strategic, were essentially "external interventions."
They were "external variables" intruding into this cycle.
And Yun Mengxi... she was a native individual "inside" this cycle.
But did her reaction, her extreme "non-acceptance," mean that she herself, to some extent, had sensed the anomaly of the cycle?
Or even more, was the huge negative emotion generated after her strong wish to change the world and her dreams were ruthlessly crushed by the ending of this cycle... itself a potentially "key variable" within this cycle that hadn't been fully recognized yet?
No, this was too absurd.
At the very beginning of the second loop, Fu Hua and the others could already be certain that the natives in this cycle could not retain information from the previous loop, whether it was the Seven Swords, Joachim, or Yae Sakura...
No one could perceive that this world had undergone a loop. All of Joachim's deductions were based on the intelligence they provided...
How could an individual completely trapped within the time loop become a "variable"?
Wasn't the definition of a loop exactly resetting everything to the origin and erasing all unconventional "traces"?
They, the "outsiders," were able to retain memories thanks to some reason not yet understood or the special pardon of a Herrscher.
And Yun Mengxi... what makes her special?
This was the core question. If she was really special, on what basis?
Her sadness, exhaustion, and faint strangeness, lacking further supporting conditions, could totally be explained as a subconscious reaction of a highly sensitive person to the oppressive atmosphere before a disaster, or a psychological state under long-term stress.
Fu Hua couldn't find any logically unbreakable chain linking an "internal individual" with "perceiving the loop."
Her "rejection" was more like a passive, directionless doomsday button triggered by a desperate soul when ultimate tragedy crushed reason, rather than some proactive, conscious "intervention."
The answer was almost on the tip of her tongue.
Fu Hua stopped thinking.
Not because she figured it out, but because clear, steady footsteps came from outside the door—belonging to Lin Chaoyu.
Time was up. The gears of reincarnation had once again precisely engaged at this node.
She quickly reined in all exposed emotions, as if suppressing those chaotic thoughts along with that undried tear mark into the deepest part of her consciousness, sealing them away.
Fu Hua's face returned to its usual calm, even appearing a few degrees colder and harder than usual due to deliberate adjustment.
The door was knocked lightly, then pushed open.
Lin Chaoyu walked in carrying a tea tray, her expression carrying customary respect and a trace of imperceptible concern: "Master, you're awake?"
"Chaoyu, put down the things and close the door." Fu Hua's voice had no fluctuation but carried an unquestionable strength. "I have something important to tell you. No matter what you hear next, stay calm and listen carefully."
Lin Chaoyu was slightly startled.
She knew her master. Unless it was something monumental, she would never use such a tone and opening.
She did as told. Next, Fu Hua used the most concise and clear language possible to repeat the set of rhetoric that was scrutinized and perfected together with the "previous" Lin Chaoyu in the last loop.
This rhetoric was designed so that when the "third loop" occurred, everything that happened before could be quickly explained to the "self" in the next loop.
Lin Chaoyu knew she couldn't cross the boundary of the loop, but she also had a way to pass the baton to the "next" self.
The world would fall into a disaster named "Honkai" in about twelve hours;
And Fu Hua and a few others possessed memories from the "future" or "another timeline";
It had been confirmed that at least two time resets had been experienced;
Practitioners of the Edge of Taixuan had certain resistance to Honkai energy, but it was far from enough;
The Seven Swords needed to enter the highest state of alert immediately and begin receiving targeted emergency training...
Fu Hua spoke at a steady speed, clearly organized, deliberately omitting many details and emotional rendering, retaining only the core facts and instructions.
This was for efficiency, and also to reduce the burden of understanding and emotional impact on Lin Chaoyu—although the impact was destined to be unavoidable.
Lin Chaoyu knew herself. She knew what words could make herself believe, and even more clearly what would make herself treat this matter with caution.
Now, this baton condensed by Lin Chaoyu in the last loop was taken by Fu Hua and returned to the hands of "her" whose memory had been reset.
The expression on Lin Chaoyu's face quickly transitioned from initial confusion to shock, then to disbelief and paleness.
Her fingers unconsciously gripped her sleeves tightly, her eyes staring fixedly at Fu Hua, trying to find a trace of a joke or test on her master's face, but seeing only bottomless solemnity and... exhaustion.
That was exhaustion she had never seen on her master, who was always as steady as a snow mountain.
"...The above is the current situation."
Fu Hua finished the last sentence and stopped. Only suffocating silence remained in the room.
Lin Chaoyu's breathing was somewhat disorderly, obviously desperately digesting this information that overturned all cognition.
Everything was just as she had expected.
Just then—
A crisp cell phone ringtone rang abruptly, breaking the silence.
Lin Chaoyu's body trembled as if awakened from a nightmare. She hurriedly took out her phone from her pocket. This was a rare show of panic since she joined the Taixu Martial Arts School.
A completely unfamiliar number was displayed on the screen.
She subconsciously wanted to reject it—at such a time, any unexpected interference made one flustered.
"Answer it." Fu Hua's voice came decisively, her gaze locked on the flashing screen.
Lin Chaoyu paused just as she was about to slide, then obediently moved to the answer button, connected the call, and turned on the speaker:
"Hello?"
On the other end of the phone came a capable, direct female voice with a trace of imperceptible hoarseness and urgency. Without any pleasantries or identity confirmation process, she asked a direct, head-on question:
"Lin Chaoyu? Fu Hua is right beside you.
"Tell me, how many times has it been?"
Half an hour later, in the meditation room deepest within the Taixu Martial Arts School. In the past two loops, it had been the conference room for everyone to meet.
In this loop, it was still the place where everyone gathered.
The air was so stagnant it felt like water could be wrung out of it, mixed with the smell of old wood, dust, and a faint, cold scent belonging to metal and energy.
Outside the window, dawn had not yet broken. The lights inside plated a pale edge on the silhouettes of everyone here, but couldn't dispel the pervasive heaviness.