Following the team resurrection incident, on a broader scale, the overall enthusiasm of the human collective surged. On a smaller scale, the lives of influential individuals within the imperial palace also experienced varying degrees of change.
For instance, pondering over earlier discussions, Zeke visited Fu Hua and found himself in a vast space mirroring Taixuan Mountain's scenery—a result of using merits to create a spatial portal. Indeed, opening Fu Hua's door directly led to Taixuan Mountain.
Within the Taixuan Mountain influence, both Fu Hua and the Book of Fuxi provided him with a sense of tranquility. He sought to compose his thoughts before deciding his next course of action.
"Bang!"
"Lixue, did you see that? This is the true power of the Inch Heart Fist Technique. Come, follow my lead, make sure your movements are precise—let's go!"
"Yes, Master!"
Standing in Taixuan Mountain's stone courtyard, Zeke observed the peculiar master-disciple pair practicing together. With a stoic expression, he turned to Fu Hua.
"Her condition hasn't improved at all, has it?"
To be fair, Fu Hua was skilled at teaching; despite being betrayed by her seventh disciple, she had successfully trained numerous experts. However, with Senti's haphazard "hē-hā" boxing style, Cheng Lixue would have better luck learning from a ghost! Senti's prowess relied on Fu Hua's accumulated martial arts expertise and the energy of a Herrscher—not something easily imparted through such superficial instruction.
As Fu Hua prepared tea for their guest Zeke, upon hearing his remark, her hand holding the teapot trembled slightly. Resigned, she responded:
"You know how Senti is—once she gets so enthusiastic, there's no stopping her. Just consider this as laying foundational skills. There's no harm in Lixue joining her in these exercises. For more advanced martial techniques and mental cultivation, I'll instruct her when Senti takes her afternoon nap or goes out to play."
"It's time you assert some authority. No matter how diligently the Book of Fuxi educates her, nothing compares to having a serious conversation yourself. You should understand this well," Zeke gently advised while accepting the cup of tea.
At that moment, Book of Fuxi, who was kneeling on the table flipping through the "massive" volume titled "Child Development Psychology," raised her tiny hand.
"+1, you can't rely solely on me! At least step up occasionally, you stubborn blockhead!"
With great effort, Book of Fuxi closed the enormous book for her size, then wobbled over to perch on Zeke's shoulder, sounding utterly exhausted—like a mother burdened with both providing for the family and educating their children, complaining about her ineffectual, deadbeat husband.
Fu Hua smiled awkwardly and carefully picked up Book of Fuxi's miniature teacup, offering it to her.
As Book of Fuxi accepted the small tea cup, she sighed deeply and began grumbling nonstop at Zeke:
"You have no idea how much pressure I'm under now. With three more individuals to care for, little Lixue is quite alright - calm and sensible, never causing any trouble. But Nuwa... she's practically another Senti, constantly throwing tantrums and making unreasonable demands. And Master Fuxi doesn't intervene; he seems to enjoy watching the drama unfold. Meanwhile, Senti often uses Lixue as an excuse to avoid studying, taking advantage of her unwavering faith in her master and inability to refuse. Poor Little Fuxi here, my daily worries have doubled, if not tripled, feeling like my lifespan is shortening even further!"
"Condolences."
Zeke raised his finger to gently pat the Book of Fuxi's head.
The Book of Fuxi sipped tea wearily, her gaze somewhat vacant.
Then, Zeke directed a reproachful look at Fu Hua.
"At least take some responsibility, you know? Little Fuxi has her limits, no matter how capable she is."
"Yes..." Fu Hua scratched her nose, blushing slightly.
Indeed, being able to see these once-lost individuals every day felt surreal and brought immense joy. It led her to often watch their interactions with delight, inadvertently overlooking the heavy burden on the Book of Fuxi as she managed everyone's daily needs single-handedly.
"How about borrowing a few Cecilia instances to serve as dedicated maids?" Fu Hua tentatively suggested.
Apart from Senti, everyone initially possessed normal self-care abilities, varying only in proficiency levels. However, due to the Book of Fuxi's exceptional efficiency, they had grown accustomed to her care. Now, without her assistance, it indeed caused them significant inconvenience.
Before Zeke could respond, the Book of Fuxi rolled her eyes and snorted coldly, "Are you questioning my professional skills, Little Fuxi?"
"No, no, not at all! It's just that...we were thinking to alleviate some pressure for Little Fuxi! You're only one person, after all, and with such intricate tasks, we can't help much."
"Hmph! Fine, you have a point. Prioritizing everyone's daily needs over trivial matters of dignity is more important," the Book of Fuxi conceded, suppressing her dissatisfaction.
Zeke pondered for a moment before suggesting, "Use merit points to hire them; they'd be delighted to earn extra income. Also...I'll return Ji Lin to you temporarily. This way, she can spend more time together with you all, and she can assist Little Fuxi as well."
Zeke retrieved the Xuanyuan Sword from the void and handed it to Fu Hua.
Ji Lin materialized, greeting everyone with a warm, spring-like smile. Naturally, she was eager to reunite with her long-lost friends, Fuxi and Nuwa.
After enjoying tea for a while, Fu Hua sensed Zeke's lingering concerns. Without him needing to ask, she spontaneously played a soothing zither melody to calm his mind.
With his thoughts cleared, Zeke then proceeded to Kiana's room.
In Kiana's bedroom, Li Sushang crouched on a chair by the bedside, munching on a bright red apple while keeping watch over Kiana and Cecilia, who appeared to be deep in slumber.
In reality, they were attempting to communicate with Sirin.
Initially, Fu Hua stood guard nearby, guiding Cecilia into Kiana's consciousness domain and ensuring her safety throughout the process. Over time, as it became evident that Sirin genuinely posed no harm to Cecilia, and with Kiana herself mastering the Void Sword Divinity, they grew confident in handling any potential issues.
Now, there was no longer a need for the esteemed immortal Fu Hua to personally oversee these sessions. As Fu Hua's grand disciple and fellow practitioner of the Taixuan Sword Divinity, Li Sushang assumed this responsibility.
"Crunch..."
"Eh! Sir Zeke, hello!" Upon seeing Zeke open the bedroom door, Li Sushang hastily rose to salute him—though her right hand, instead of reaching straight overhead, held a bitten apple.
"Keep eating; this isn't a formal occasion, so relax."
"Uh...crunch...yes..."
Li Sushang hesitated briefly before deciding to continue munching on her apple as she replied. She was never one overly concerned with formalities; despite coming from a prominent family, she embodied the bold and carefree spirit of the jianghu.
Zeke sat down at the edge of the bed next to Kiana, gently stroking her hair. He then asked, "How long have they been inside?"
"Uh, about ten minutes or so. You just missed them by a bit—if you'd arrived earlier, you could've spoken with them."
"Is Sirin still avoiding my mother-in-law?"
"Yes, this Herrscher of the Void is quite stubborn. Inside there, she either hides away unseen or acts like a menacing demon, yet she wouldn't even harm Cecilia in the slightest..." Li Sushang sighed, shaking her head, somewhat perplexed. "If she truly doesn't want to face her, why not just forcibly bring her out?! After all, half of the consciousness domain belongs to Sirin—it's not impossible for her to do so."
Since there seemed to be genuine maternal affection between them, why couldn't they simply communicate openly? Li Sushang found it most frustrating when people insisted on making things harder for themselves, especially when lowering their pride and talking things through would benefit everyone involved!
Li Sushang brushed her brown bangs aside, pouting unhappily.
It was all due to Sirin's stubbornness that she had to spend so much time here, leaving barely any chance for her to bond with the two masters, Little Shishu Lixue, and the legendary ancestors Fuxi and Nuwa.
In short, Li Sushang felt discontented.