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

Ten minutes later.

The boy's fist, as smooth as a mirror-like lake, landed on the old man's forehead.

However, in contrast, Chen Junxuan's whip-like leg also landed on the boy's temple.

The old man's toes were a finger's width away from his skin.

However, Su Qing'an's fist was only half a finger's width away from Chen Junxuan's head.

The two simultaneously withdrew their fists and feet, their breathing remaining perfectly steady, as if the battle had not taken much of their energy.

The martial intent that flowed through his body vanished in the blink of an eye. The old man's previously wildly dancing white hair, which resembled a roaring lion with a captivating and oppressive aura, now resembled an old teacher who had just finished teaching his students.

Chen Junxuan gently patted Su Qing'an's shoulder, a gesture he always liked to make. It seemed that every time he did this, the boy had grown a lot.

And now he has already followed the path he once walked.

He said softly:

"You win, Qing'an."

"I used all my strength this time, but you still held back, right? Don't lie to me, I can tell."

Su Qing'an nodded silently. He understood that some things could not be hidden from the old man who had taught him little by little during his weakest period.

Back then, my physical fitness was only at the level of an average adult, and the difference between then and now is simply immeasurable.

Learning martial arts quickly can be explained by talent, but the transformation of physical abilities from initial weakness to near-inhuman strength is difficult to explain away with ordinary reasons.

"Although I don't know why, your physical abilities have become extremely strong. This can be seen from the training these past few days and the feeling when we just fought. In terms of pure physical strength and power, I am no match for you."

"They say youth has the upper hand in boxing, but even in my prime, I wouldn't be stronger than you. That's good."

“I won’t ask you the reasons or causes for such a big change. It’s not important to me.”

"Qing'an, you have already surpassed me. Whether it is martial arts or physical fitness, the only thing you lack now is a little time, but you have already found the most crucial will and reason."

The old man patted the boy's head, his expression kind and expectant, his eyes reflecting the rising sun with a dazzling light.

He remarked with emotion:

“I have nothing more to teach you. I am very lucky to have met a successor like you before I wanted to end my journey and return to my hometown in my old age.”

Su Qing'an shook his head upon hearing this, and said seriously:

"Teacher Chen has been a great help to me. Without you, I would definitely not be the way I am now."

"If I hadn't learned the Tai Xuan Liu, I might have faced a different outcome. So if we're talking about good luck, it's me who's lucky."

“I am very grateful to you, always have been.”

For the taciturn Su Qing'an, these words contained very deep emotions.

As he said, without Chen Junxuan's guidance, he might have been completely powerless to deal with the various crises that existed in Changkong City that day.

The idea that one could escape from Ganesha's clutches for a long time is simply absurd.

This old man essentially saved his life, so how could Su Qing'an not be grateful?

As the ancients said, a drop of water in need should be repaid with a spring of water.

The kindness of those who taught us is something we can never forget.

There are not many people in this world who are good to him, and Su Qing'an always treats each and every one of them with extra care.

Chen Junxuan shook his head and chuckled, saying:

"You're always so serious."

"If you want to express your gratitude, please come visit this old man occasionally when you have time."

For some reason, rather than focusing on the heights that Tai Xuanliu could reach under Su Qing'an's guidance, the old man now hopes that this young man's future can be even brighter.

Perhaps, right now, Chen Junxuan cares more about Su Qing'an as a person than about the significance of inheriting the Tai Xuan lineage itself.

That's probably how it is when people get old; their attitude towards younger generations is always mixed with a doting attitude.

Moreover, Su Qing'an's performance has never disappointed Chen Junxuan.

It takes a normal person ten years to become a master, but Su Qing'an has already surpassed his master in just half a year. This made Chen Junxuan more concerned about other miscellaneous things than his progress in martial arts.

For example, the little girl next to him whose eyes never left Su Qing'an—when will her relationship with her disciple take another step forward?

Chen Junxuan, who wasn't usually a gossip, sometimes couldn't help but ask about the details and process of how the two met, which unintentionally increased Fu Hua's workload. The old man was very happy to hear all sorts of stories that the girl made up on the spot.

Su Qing'an was stunned for a moment upon hearing this, then he swallowed all his concerns and worries about the future.

For the boy at that moment, he simply couldn't refuse such a simple request from the old man.

So he smiled and agreed, saying:

"it is good."

143. We went to Mount Taixu.

The young man stepped out of the place that had given him a renewed understanding of martial arts.

Behind them was the slowly closing door, the brass door knocker making a crisp sound when gently tapped.

Su Qing'an looked at the gray sky outside and then glanced at the beautiful girl beside him. His heart felt as clear and empty as after a rain in an empty mountain.

The teacher lived in an ancient water town in Jiangnan, a place where the air seemed to exude the scent of ink and the atmosphere of books.

As he walked out of the gate, he was faced with a lake shore. The wind rippled the water, and a small boat was safely moored to a stake. It would sway occasionally with the current before settling back into place.

Ten years, twenty years. It's all the same, always the same.

Swaying and drifting, I finally came to rest at the very beginning.

Just like life, and also like an ancient tree.

The teacher said that this was the wooden boat he and his wife used to live here. Back then, the girl liked to stay in the boat and push Chen Junxuan's back so that he would row a little longer. She would hum a melodious tune and her eyes would be full of smiles.

Decades later, the scene of that boy and girl boating and playing is long gone.

The boy has grown into an old man who is gradually growing old.

The girl had long since faded into a fleeting memory in the misty rain of Jiangnan, dying on a rainy night.

But the boat was still there, old and worn. It watched over Chen Junxuan's home for a very long time, until the old man, who had fulfilled his long-cherished wish, returned covered in dust and filled with memories. Only then did it seem to have been relieved of some kind of mission.

Before letting Su Qing'an leave, Chen Junxuan made one more request.

Su Qing'an asked Fu Hua softly beside her:

"Is it alright, Hua?"

Upon hearing this, Fu Hua silently stepped onto the boat that had been unoccupied for decades. She extended her hand to the young man and said with a smile:

"That's just a very simple request, Su Qing'an."

"Do you think I'm the kind of person who would refuse even a request like this?"

Su Qing'an hesitated for a moment, then gently grasped the girl's slender white fingertips before lightly leaping onto the wooden boat.

He loosened his grip somewhat embarrassedly, but the delicate touch still spread little by little from where their skin had met, reaching his heart and stirring his blood.

Feeling his heart pounding, the boy took a deep breath and smiled at the person in front of him, saying:

"of course not."

"Hua has always been very gentle, both to me and to everyone else."

Upon hearing this, Fu Hua was lost in thought.

Over those five thousand years, she received many drastically different evaluations, including praise for her compassion and tireless efforts for the sake of all living beings.

However, the primary principle of the Taixu Sword Sect dictates that others' views on immortals cannot always remain objective.

Those who fall into evil must be punished.

The very existence of this belief requires ruthless and cold judgment to uphold it.

Therefore, immortals appear aloof and unapproachable to mortals.

But assuming there truly are immortals in this world, how could they possibly understand people's hearts?

Fu Hua is still human. Even though she is called a celestial being, in order to maintain this principle or in the process of protecting others, her emotions are gradually being lost.

She had almost completely forgotten her original tenderness and sensibility, so being called cold and ruthless was an unavoidable price to pay.

But now, much further back in time, memories have long been fragmented, and countless imprints of the heart have been scattered to every corner of Mount Taixu.

But now, as the immortal faced the young man before her, the way he looked at her, the words he spoke earnestly, and the warmth she felt when she instinctively reached out her hand earlier—all of these things somehow made her feel a clear sense of the misty rain of Jiangnan.

My heart seemed to be beating more vividly than ever before.

why?

Why am I in such a good mood?

My body felt so hot that the sound of blood circulating in my ears was deafening.

"Hua, why are your earlobes red?"

Su Qing'an's concern made Fu Hua, who maintained a calm and composed expression on the surface, feel a little flustered.

She quickly pretended to be calm and composed, squatted down, and casually tore off the hemp rope that was tightly wrapped around the wooden stake.

After putting them all back on the shore, the girl continued to gaze at the wind-rippled lake water, avoiding his direct eye contact, and explained in a serious tone:

"nothing."

"Never mind that."

Such rare words, tinged with a hint of embarrassment and annoyance, are all the more endearing.

Although Su Qing'an couldn't discern the specific emotion behind those words, he found them amusing. He sat obediently on the wooden boat, concealing his amusement, and said:

"it is good."

After the rope was torn, the wooden boat gradually shifted from its original position.

They will take this wooden boat to the end of the ancient town, where they will disembark and moor the boat to the side.

This was Chen Junxuan's request.