Regarding the question of whether one thousand lives are enough to beat Honkai Impact 3rd.

"Miss Kiana is joking. This is just a maid's basic skill. There's nothing to make a fuss about."

"At least, the person behind you noticed me a long time ago."

"Right, Mr. Su?"

Su Qing'an methodically crushed the last coffee bean thoroughly into the mortar, then put down the pestle, picked up the white towel beside him, wiped his hands, and said:

"Kiana, I already saw Rita when I asked you about her appearance."

Ignoring Kiana's increasingly sinister gaze, he continued:

"To explain it by the basic skills of a maid is far too modest. It seems that the master that Miss Rita serves must be extraordinary."

"I was able to spot you simply because I happened to be standing at a vantage point with an unobstructed view, but Miss Rita's abilities cannot be so easily dismissed."

Su Qing'an looked up and stared intently at the other woman. In that instant, he realized from experience that she was definitely not a normal maid. More than her pretty face and alluring figure, he cared about her almost instinctive, honed skills.

He couldn't deny that, instinctively, a very youthful restlessness had arisen within him.

Even though I've gotten used to being in a place like St. Freya Academy where there are beautiful girls everywhere, some feelings are unavoidable.

Ultimately, he is still only 17 years old, both mentally and physically.

But that's all.

Su Qing'an said calmly:

“Martial artists are very straightforward. Someone like Miss Rita should understand that it’s inconvenient to beat around the bush with me, which is why she chose to meet me in a place like this.”

"Whatever Miss Rita wants to get from me, know, or test me out of."

"Just like you and Kiana did, let's have a fight and let you make your own judgment."

As the boy spoke, he had already adjusted his physique to its optimal state using the stillness of water. In the brief moment of the slight stretching of his muscles and bones, his whole body relaxed and flowed quietly with his breath.

These are the micro-management actions he's used to before a battle.

Su Qing'an has never liked fighting, and even when he proposed a fight to Rita, he did not feel any fighting spirit.

He once asked Chen Junxuan about this matter, whether it was normal for a martial artist to not have the desire to fight.

A willingness to fight and a competitive spirit are probably in the nature of martial artists.

If someone has no interest in fighting and feels no passion or joy, is they unsuitable for martial arts?

That was a brief period of doubt and confusion.

But it was only after the old man's answer and the realization he gained after seeing Fu Hua that Su Qing'an cleared away his confusion.

"Everyone has different reasons for practicing martial arts, Qing'an."

"For me, martial arts is no longer a tool for fighting and violence. It is a habit that has seeped into my bones, a pastime that provides comfort, and an imprint that ignites memories."

"For you, it's simply about not being overwhelmed by something."

"I can see you're scared. But it's okay, it's only natural to be scared. Whatever the reason for your fear, the fear buried deep inside you will eventually disappear little by little."

Su Qing'an thought to herself at that time, "I know you are very strong, teacher. Ordinary people are as weak as other species in your hands. When you are empty-handed and others are also empty-handed, you can even fight a hundred people at once."

But what good is strength if you're strong?

The boundaries of martial arts are so clear in this chaotic and ravaged modern world that they are already a product of the old era.

Rifles displayed on the assembly line of a military factory can easily kill a warrior, and a slight increase in Honkai energy concentration will turn them into zombies that are not even considered suicide soldiers.

I'm not learning martial arts because it's supposed to be incredibly powerful, but simply because it's the only thing I can access in a short time.

From the very beginning, Su Qing'an did not believe that martial arts could help him get rid of his fear.

But the old man's eyes, which were fixed on him, were deep and held a hidden smile. His next words seemed to see right through him.

"Martial arts may no longer be a match for guns and cannons, but the meaning of martial arts and the true meaning of martial arts lies in the inner strength cultivated through self-discipline."

"Whether one is brave and aggressive or quiet and reserved, it is a different choice for each person, and it is also a different way of martial arts for each person."

"Qing'an, when you are no longer afraid, that's when you should make your own choice."

As time has passed, Su Qing'an is no longer afraid, but perhaps he has vaguely made his own choice.

But before the day I truly understand, I must accumulate enough strength.

Like a flower that lies dormant in autumn and winter, striving to bloom in the height of summer.

Whether that bouquet of flowers is iris or hibiscus will be revealed in the end.

Rita Losweisse, a Valkyrie of the Destiny S Rank.

Su Qing'an silently recited the name in her heart.

Perhaps I can learn something from this woman.

That was his real reason for proposing the fight.

101. Kiana was restless.

In the afternoon.

The atmosphere in the coffee shop became strange because of the words coming out of the boy's mouth.

The Valkyries' tacit understanding abruptly ceased, and pairs of curious eyes, some open and some furtive, shifted between the two who were conversing. In the moment of silence in the coffee shop, even the light clinking of coffee cups and saucers was exceptionally distinct.

The sound of wind chimes and breathing filled the room quietly, and Rita confirmed some of the conclusions she had drawn last night.

Just as she had thought, Su Qing'an was not someone who could be easily seduced by her appearance and made to lower her guard.

In theory, even if such people are not ubiquitous, they are not particularly rare.

However, this psychological pattern seems somewhat subtle when applied to someone at this age.

Aside from his extremely poor ability to deal with Honkai energy, Su Qing'an is almost flawless in every other aspect.

He had briefly studied all the courses at St. Freya Academy. To those who didn't know Su Qing'an, this might have seemed like he was selecting subjects that suited him. But to the teachers and those who understood his terrifying nature, it was a completely different story.

Su Qing'an cherishes her time.

This is the impression the boy left on Rita: such a person wouldn't do anything meaningless. If she really wanted to select suitable subjects, there were much more efficient ways to do so.

So he wasn't selecting; he simply learned them all in a very short time.

Rita herself is a genius, but Su Qing'an's current talent is in no way inferior to hers, and may even be more exaggerated.

As the other person stared intently, Rita's gaze also began to focus carefully on the boy's face for the first time.

There's no need to verify physical appearance, because she had already made that judgment. Her focus was almost entirely on his breathing habits, the distance between his steps, his way of speaking, and other details such as micro-expressions.

An overly strong concentration bias can sometimes cause people to unconsciously ignore other things. After Rita understood some things, she said for the first time that this habit of allocating concentration was not always applicable.

In a fleeting moment, Rita confirmed one thing.

Su Qing'an is very beautiful.

It's so beautiful that even after seeing the photos, you'll still be amazed by its reality when you see it in person.

No wonder the young and beautiful Valkyries all looked like shut-ins going to maid cafes. They had agreed to take turns sneaking into the cafe to get a number. Although it might sound funny, it wasn't hard to understand in Su Qing'an's eyes.

When Rita was seriously observing the other person's appearance, all she could think of were pure and beautiful things.

It's like poetry, like rows of plane trees swaying in the wind on a French street, like the clouds and sea at dusk at St. Freya Academy, like Lake Baikal.

Rita now finds it perfectly reasonable that Su Qing'an is completely unmoved by her beauty.

Because he himself is ridiculously handsome.

Su Qing'an thought Kiana was a beauty with almost no flaws, and he felt that Fu Hua was an immortal who was untouched by the world. However, he himself played the same role on the forum of St. Freya Academy.

Almost every day, people expect him to wear women's clothing.

If St. Freya Academy had a beauty pageant, Su Qing'an would definitely get a lot of votes if she dressed as a woman.

The women's clothing brand created in the small circle of Changkong City has successfully revived at St. Freya Academy, and the whole process has been smooth sailing, a natural and effortless success.

Of course, if we have to find the culprit, then Kiana, who casually mentioned this new path, is the original sin.

The maid maintained her gentle smile. Just as Su Qing'an wasn't greatly affected by appearances, Rita was the same. She said softly:

"It seems I'm being treated as someone with ulterior motives."

Kiana, standing nearby, muttered under her breath:

"Because the maid looks suspicious no matter how you look at her, and just now you two seamlessly switched between several languages ​​in one sentence. Are you playing some kind of detective word chain game?"

Kiana, who can understand everything, is also terrifying in a way.

In order to continue the conversation, the two of them ignored this sentence.

Su Qing'an frankly stated:

"Whatever your reason for coming here, Miss Rita, whether it's out of interest or ulterior motives, I don't care."

"If I had to make a choice, ignoring you, Miss Rita, would be the thing I'm most comfortable doing. So there's only one reason why I'm challenging you to a fight now."

"That's all. I just want to become stronger."

Get stronger?

Why does Su Qing'an believe that fighting against himself can make him stronger?

Rita suddenly remembered the incredible learning ability described in the other party's file, which was exactly what she had intended to test.

If the other party has the idea of ​​learning something from you, then testing becomes very easy.

From any perspective, I have no reason to refuse.

So she responded in a slow, deliberate tone:

"Mr. Su, do you think you can learn something from me? It would be my honor, and Rita would be very grateful if you could accept."

Su Qing'an said:

"Just call me by my name. Miss Rita must be older than me, so according to the customs of China, I should be the one addressed with a respectful title."

The maid's expression remained unchanged, but for some reason Kiana felt that the other woman's aura suddenly became extremely dangerous.

It was like a ferocious beast whose taboo had been violated, unconsciously revealing its claws and fangs.

Rita's gentle voice drifted softly into their ears: