He changed Tiwat

The continent of Teyvat is now fraught with danger. Having some ability to protect oneself is better than being a weakling like he is now. He can't always rely on borrowing the strength of others to get by.

Han Fulai was deep in thought when he saw a resolute look suddenly appear on Zhiruo's heroic face.

She suddenly left her seat, lowered her head, knelt on one knee, clasped her hands in a fist salute, and performed the etiquette of a martial arts practitioner towards Han Fulai.

"Then I'll have to trouble Mr. Han. Please help me revitalize the Guhua School. As long as it helps revitalize the Guhua School, I'm willing to do everything in my power to serve Mr. Han."

Han Fulai quickly helped Zhiruo up, saying, "Please get up, Miss Zhiruo. I only want to repay your kindness. How can I let my benefactor suffer for me?"

The two sat down again, and Han Fulai said to Zhiruo, "Please tell me about the Guhua Sect, Miss Zhiruo. The more I know about why the Guhua Sect declined and why it is difficult to revive, the more beneficial it will be for the revitalization of the Guhua Sect."

Zhiruo nodded and began her recollection.

Chapter Eighty says I will protect everything of the Ancient Hua Sect.

Zhiruo held a cup in one hand and rested her chin on the other, a look of reminiscence on her face.

"Guhuapai is a home to me, or rather, Guhuapai used to be my home."

Zhiruo's home? Han Fulai did not interrupt Zhiruo's narration, but also picked up his wine glass and listened quietly as Zhiruo continued.

“I was born in a small village near Qingcezhuang. When I was very young, the village was hit by a flood, and many people died in that flood, including my parents.”

"At that time, the sect leader led his disciples to provide disaster relief. Seeing that I was alone and miserable, he took me in as his disciple. Since then, I have been living in the Guhua Sect."

“My master has always treated me very well. He provided me with food and clothing, taught me to read and write, and taught me martial arts. Because I was the first female disciple to join the sect, I became the senior disciple of the Guhua School.”

"At that time, the Guhua Sect had already declined, but it still had hundreds of fellow disciples. Besides disciples like me who were taken in by the master, there were also many people who came to learn martial arts. The sect could barely survive. When I was a child, the Guhua Sect had a magnificent dojo on Feiyun Slope. It was a very large dojo that could accommodate hundreds of people practicing martial arts at the same time."

Zhiruo paused for a moment after saying this.

"Actually, I know that the luxurious dojo was secretly rented from a wealthy merchant in Crimson Cloud Slope by our sect leader to maintain appearances. Most of the Guhua Sect's funds are spent on appearances. But our master said that our Guhua Sect was once the number one sect in Liyue, and we must not disgrace the prestige of our Guhua Ancestor."

"During the most glorious period of our Guhua Sect, the Guhua Sect was renowned in Liyue for its spear and sword techniques. At that time, the Guhua Sect had three major sect secret techniques—the spear technique 'Piercing Light Technique,' the sword technique 'Rain-Cutting Technique,' and the dual mastery of spear and sword techniques 'Generation and Restraint Technique.' Back then, when members of the Guhua Sect traveled the world, as long as they revealed their names, everyone would show them awe!"

When she got excited, Zhiruo couldn't help but make a sword gesture with her fingers, but she quickly realized that she was no longer the senior sister of the Guhua Sect, and she awkwardly withdrew her hand.

"Just from Miss Zhiruo's description, one can understand how prestigious the Guhua Sect was back then." Han Fulai didn't care and instead tried to ease Zhiruo's embarrassment.

Zhi Ruo continued, "It is said that the ancient Hua Ancestor once passed down two lines of verse: 'Free from the material world, weightless, the rain falls, the light shines; moving like a dragon or snake, impossible to catch, the blue eye is a sword, the side glance is a spear.' The three great sect-protecting secret techniques were comprehended by the sect leader of that time."

"With such a secret technique, why did the Guhua Sect decline? Could it be that the later generations failed to inherit the secret technique?" Han Fulai asked.

Zhiruo nodded and then shook her head.

"Yes and no."

"Through generations of inheritance, these three unique skills have been continuously studied and refined by our predecessors. As time goes by, the skills have gradually reached a state of perfection."

"The ancient Chinese spear and sword emphasizes 'using it as if it were an extension of one's own arm.' In fact, this is a concept considered a fundamental principle of martial arts among the many martial arts schools in Liyue. The essence of using a weapon is to use one's own body; spears and swords are extensions of the arm. In fact, what I just demonstrated was the sword technique of the ancient Chinese ultimate technique, 'Rain-Cutting Sword.'"

As Zhiruo spoke, her eyebrows slightly raised, her eyes flashing with a sharp glint, revealing an air of arrogance. Even though the Guhua Sect no longer existed, its disciples still took pride in their unique skills. This was the self-respect of a martial artist.

She picked up the wine glass with her left hand, raised it to eye level, and then suddenly let go.

The wine glass lost its support and plummeted straight down, about to smash onto the table. Just then, Zhi Ruo's right hand suddenly moved. Han Fulai only felt a blur before his eyes, and when he looked closely, the wine glass was already firmly held between Zhi Ruo's index and middle fingers, without spilling a single drop of wine.

"This is our Guhua School's 'Rain-Cutting Technique.' It is said that when practiced to its peak, one can cut down raindrops with such speed that it is called the secret technique 'Rain-Cutting.' Although my master did not reach the level of Rain-Cutting, he could catch flying insects with a pair of chopsticks without harming their wings, and the insects could continue to fly after he released the chopsticks. Unfortunately, I am not talented enough to learn my master's level."

"Of the three unique skills of the sect, I have only learned the 'Rain-Cutting Technique'. The sect leader is proficient in the 'Piercing Technique' and the 'Rain-Cutting Technique', while even my master has no chance to comprehend the 'Generation and Restraint Technique'."

Han Fulai clicked his tongue in amazement. If Zhi Ruolu's move were on another set, it would be called "Lingxi Finger." Her eyesight, speed, and precision were simply like those of the legendary Lu Xiaofeng. If she were to strike with that speed, who could withstand it? Even the Sword God Ximen Chuixue reborn would be no match for her.

However, Master Zhiruo's skill level is clearly a notch higher—with such powerful martial arts, how did the Guhua Sect decline? Is it because the martial arts are too difficult to learn?

“But…” Zhi Ruo was clearly hesitant, and her words were stammering.

"But what?" Han Fulai pressed.

"But we have discovered that... the more proficient one is in mastering the secret techniques of the Ancient Hua Sect, the lower their power becomes in actual combat..." As Zhi Ruo spoke these words, her voice grew softer and softer until it was almost like a mosquito's buzz.

"What...what is the reason for this?" Han Fulai couldn't figure it out for a moment. Listening to Zhiruo's description of these secret techniques, once you learn them, you can practically make martial arts movies. With a flick of the finger, the sword can fly out of the sky and become an immortal. It would be so cool to use. How could the power be low?

"I don't know either." Zhi Ruo's face showed a hint of embarrassment. "I tried to practice the Rain-Cutting Technique with my fellow disciples. Even though they used wooden swords, I couldn't hold their blades and could only hurt my fingers. If it were real swords, I'm afraid my fingers would be cut off. As for swordsmanship, although I can strike faster, I am not as strong as them and my sword is often knocked away after they parry it."

"Ah..." Han Fulai opened his mouth slightly, suddenly realizing the reason for the decline of the Guhua Sect - they had no internal energy!

The cool moves in martial arts novels all require internal strength as support. The reason why the heroes in the novels can catch the enemy's weapon with their fingers is not only because of their eyesight and speed, but also because they need strong internal strength to protect their fingers. Otherwise, their fingers would definitely be cut off by the weapon.

When Zhiruo practiced swordsmanship with her fellow disciples, her strength was not as great as that of men. Although her sword strikes were fast, they lacked power, making it easy for her to have her weapon knocked away. Without internal energy, wielding a fast sword required a divine weapon that would either kill or seriously injure any enemy who touched it—only then would it be effective. But the Guhua Sect was extremely poor and simply couldn't afford good weapons!

Therefore, without the support of internal energy and powerful weapons, the secret techniques of the Guhua School are merely empty gestures, no wonder they become weaker with practice. Weakness in skill leads to a poor reputation, making it increasingly difficult to earn money and purchase good weapons, creating a vicious cycle that inevitably leads to the decline of the school.

So all these years, your Guhua Sect has been practicing cosplay. Your secret techniques are just striking all sorts of cool poses, but you can't fight at all! Han Fulai sighed inwardly. Qiao Feng didn't need the Eighteen Subduing Dragon Palms; he could defeat everyone with just a set of Taizu Long Fist, relying on his invincible internal strength. What's the use of you practicing stances without internal strength training? It's not like we're making a movie!

“Sigh, you’ve been practicing in the wrong direction.” Han Fulai shook his head and sighed. “This is called taking the wrong path; the more postures you use, the more counterproductive it becomes.”

“Hey, what you’re saying sounds a lot like what my junior brother Xingqiu said. Junior Brother Xingqiu also said that our training method was wrong, and he even summarized a song about using secret techniques. Unfortunately, that song is enshrined by the sect leader in the sect’s important place, ‘Wangshan Hall,’ and ordinary disciples have no chance to see it…” Zhiruo recalled the past.

"Now that we've found the crux of the problem, there's hope for revitalizing the Guhua School," Han Fulai said solemnly. "Miss Zhiruo, could you take me to 'Wangshan Hall' to see that song manual?"

“Wangshan Hall is a very important place in our sect. According to the rules of the Guhua Sect, even disciples of the sect are not allowed to enter without the permission of the sect leader. The sect leader once said that there are many secrets hidden in Wangshan Hall. But the sect leader is no longer here…” Zhiruo lowered her head and thought carefully for a moment, “…Now that the Guhua Sect has been disbanded, there are no more rules to follow.”

Thinking of this, Zhiruo stood up, raised her wine cup, tilted her head back, and drank the wine in one gulp.

Two patches of flush appeared on her face from the alcohol, but they didn't look out of place; instead, they added a touch of boldness to her spirited face. "Mr. Han, let's go to Wangshan Hall together."

"Don't worry, Miss Zhiruo, I will never reveal the secrets of Wangshan Hall."

Han Fulai lifted his robe and stood tall.

"From this moment on, I will protect everything of the Guhua faction."

Chapter 81: Rebuilding the Glory of the Ancient Hua Sect is Our Inescapable Duty

When Zhiruo led Han Fulai to the ancient Huapai stronghold "Wangshan Hall" at the foot of Tianheng Mountain, the sun had already set.

Han Fulai felt soreness in both legs, clearly exceeding his daily 10,000-step health challenge, but Zhiruo seemed perfectly fine, her physical fitness significantly surpassing his. Han Fulai sighed inwardly, realizing he would probably have to make time for exercise every day, as his stamina was declining drastically from doing paperwork in the office all the time.

The name "Wangshan Hall" sounds impressive, and outsiders might mistake it for one of the eight gates of Liyue. All eight gates of Liyue are named with "Hall," such as "Huishan Hall" which oversees mining, and "Yinyuan Hall" which oversees salt production. However, "Wangshan Hall" is not one of the eight gates; it is simply named after Wangshan, the ancestor of the Guhua faction who established this hall.

Even though the name contains the character for "Wang" and "Mountain," which suggests extraordinary spirit, the Wangshan Hall that Han Fulai sees before him is nothing more than a dilapidated cave dwelling.

The cave dwellings were built by carving into the rock face at the foot of the mountain. In China, such a building would be called a "cave dwelling".

The main gate of Wangshan Hall was tightly shut, and a thick layer of dust had accumulated on the threshold, indicating that no one had entered or exited for a long time. The two stone lions at the entrance were also dilapidated, clearly showing signs of long-term neglect.

However, in terms of scenery, Wangshan Hall has a small pond and clear spring in front, and the Tianheng Mountain range behind. According to feng shui, this is called "backed by mountains and facing water," with a water source in front and a mountain behind, making it a very good location. The fact that a sect could establish its main base in such a place shows that the ancient Hua Sect's glorious past was indeed extraordinary.

Lotus flowers grow in the pond in front of Wangshan Hall. Even without anyone tending to them, the lotus leaves are lush and the lotus pods sway, presenting a vibrant scene. Three viewing stone lanterns also stand in the pond. If someone were to maintain them, lighting the lanterns at night and enjoying the moonlight over the lotus pond with two or three friends would surely be a beautiful and pleasant experience.

"Was the former mountain gate of the Guhua Sect located here?" Han Fulai asked.

Zhi Ruo shook her head and replied, "No, the Gu Hua Sect's mountain gate is on the back side of Tianheng Mountain. Starting from here, you have to follow the winding mountain road to the halfway point; that's where the Gu Hua Sect's mountain gate is. But now, the mountain and the area around it are deserted."

“I wonder how many disciples of the Ancient Hua Sect still remember this place. Sigh.” Zhi Ruo looked at the scene before her and couldn’t help but sigh. She said to Han Fulai, “This is a place known only to disciples of the Ancient Hua Sect. It is not only an important place for the sect, but also the place where lanterns are released during the annual Lantern Festival.”

Han Fulai knew that there were generally three important festivals in Liyue: the Ascending Ceremony, the Lantern Festival, and the Lunar Festival. In Chinese terms, these would roughly correspond to New Year's Day, Spring Festival, and Mid-Autumn Festival. The lantern-lighting that Zhiruo mentioned was probably similar to the Lantern Festival in China.

"Did the Guhua Sect used to release lanterns here?"

"Hmm... Back then, after we finished making the lanterns, the commander would lead us over. The commander would walk in front, and we would follow behind, holding the lanterns." Zhiruo recalled, "Back then... the lanterns stretched all over the mountain, it was so beautiful."

“But now…” She looked around and shook her head, “Let’s talk about the past as we walk.”

Han Fulai followed Zhiruo as instructed, and they walked slowly around the pond until they reached the green space in front of Wangshan Hall.

“Once, when we were releasing lanterns, a senior brother in high spirits insisted on having a sword duel with me. Before I could even say anything, one of my good friends secretly watered the patch of ground where he was standing.” Zhi Ruo pointed to the green area with a smile.

"The ground was wet and slippery. Before my senior brother even drew his sword, he took a step and fell flat on his backside. I was laughing so hard that I accidentally tripped and fell too. At the time, my senior brother wasn't angry; he just pointed at me and laughed. Then, everyone around us burst into laughter..."

Memories flashed before Zhiruo's eyes like scenes from a series of images. As she spoke, Zhiruo lowered her head and quietly wiped the corner of her eye with her hand.

"I wonder where Senior Brother Qin and Sister Huangshan are now... I haven't seen them for a long time."

Senior Brother Qin? Sister in Yellow? Han Fulai frowned, feeling as if he had heard of these two names before.

"Miss Zhiruo, are these two senior and junior brothers and sisters currently working as bodyguards?"

Zhiruo nodded. "Yes, Senior Brother Qin works as a bodyguard on ocean voyages, traveling the world with his fleet year-round; while Junior Sister Huangshan seems to be a镖师 (bodyguard/escort) between Liyue and Mondstadt, protecting the goods of traveling merchants."

No wonder the name sounded familiar! Han Fulai remembered now. The Senior Brother Qin that Miss Zhiruo mentioned was Master Qin, the "Thunder Hand" he met at the Inazuma Wharf in the game. It was said that he had won the "Southern Cross Martial Arts Tournament" and was invincible among ordinary people, even defeating several Vision holders. As for Junior Sister Huangshan, she was a bodyguard at the "Wangshu Inn" and had also made a name for herself on the trade route between Liyue and Mondstadt.

"As far as I know, these two have both made a name for themselves in their respective industries. Isn't that an achievement of the Guhua School?" Han Fulai asked.

Zhi Ruo shook her head. "They left the Gu Hua Sect a few years ago to make their own way. Senior Brother Qin joined the sect with his own skills, and he was too old to be taught the three sect's ultimate techniques. As for Junior Sister Huang Shan, she had just finished learning the basic swordsmanship when the sect leader fell ill, so she also did not learn the three ultimate techniques. Strictly speaking, she is not a direct descendant of the Gu Hua Sect."

This means that those who didn't learn the three ultimate skills are doing better, while those who did learn them are all ruined... These three ultimate skills are a trap! Han Fulai thought to himself.

"I... actually wanted to stay with the Guhua Sect until the very end," Zhiruo said softly. "After the sect leader fell ill, the Guhua Sect lost its pillar and could no longer support so many disciples. One after another, the disciples left the Guhua Sect. By the year before last, there were very few disciples left. I thought that as the senior sister, I could no longer stay on the mountain and add to the burden of the master. Instead, I should contribute to the revitalization of the Guhua Sect. Although my martial arts skills are not yet perfected, perhaps I can bring benefits to the Guhua Sect through business."

"So I bid farewell to my master and left the mountain, taking with me the little money I had accumulated over the years to venture into Liyue Harbor... But in the end, I lost all my money and almost starved to death in Liyue Harbor. Fortunately, Boss Degui took me in, which gave me a place to settle down and make a living."

“I’ve never had the face to go back to the mountain to see my master. I thought I would wait until I had saved up enough money to make a name for myself before returning to the mountain gate, but my master passed away last year… If only I had stayed by my master’s side.” As Zhi Ruo spoke, her eyes reddened, and she could no longer hold back her sobs.

Han Fulai didn't know what to say to comfort Zhiruo, so he could only gently pat her back.

“When I left… Master… Master thought I was also leaving the sect, but she didn’t scold me. She just told me to live a good life.” Zhi Ruo said haltingly, “But now I don’t know if I’m really living a good life… or if I’m just drifting along…”

"Miss Zhiruo, don't say such discouraging things. You haven't given up on revitalizing the Guhua Sect, have you?" Han Fulai said.

Zhiruo nodded and wiped away her tears.

“I once saw hope. I met Junior Brother Xingqiu when he joined the Guhua Sect four years ago. He was handsome and exceptionally talented, and looked like a remarkable person who could revitalize the sect.”

“But he is hard to find, and often disappears without a trace. Alas, in the end, it is wrong to place the hope of revitalizing the sect on others…” Zhi Ruo said, looking at Han Fulai with a trace of guilt in her eyes.

Han Fulai understood that Zhiruo meant that she had previously placed her hopes on Xingqiu, and now she was placing her hopes on herself, which did not count as relying on Zhiruo's own strength. However, Han Fulai did not think so.

Many years later, when the white-haired Gu Hua Sect leader Zhi Ruo was interviewed by Steambird Newspaper, she would recall that distant night when she brought Han Fu to find Wang Shanting.

At that time, Han Fulai, the acting leader who later revived the Guhua School and made it the number one school in Teyvat, said this to her—

"Miss Zhiruo, do you know that even someone as powerful as the Geo Archon needed the help of many immortals to establish Liyue? Every one of the Seven Stars of Liyue is a leader in politics and business, but without us government officials, no one would implement the Seven Stars' policies!"

"History is never created by one person alone. Although Master Qin's martial arts are superb, he is only good for guarding the house; although Huang Shan's swordsmanship is strong, he is only good for escorting goods and running a business. To revitalize the Guhua School, even if Miss Zhiruo is very strong personally, it will be useless. The key is to know how to use people."

"The Qunyu Pavilion was built by workers, but the construction cost was paid by Lady Ningguang, so the owner of the Qunyu Pavilion is Ningguang; I revitalized the Guhua Sect, but I did so to repay your kindness, so it was you who truly revitalized the Guhua Sect."

Even after so many years, Zhiruo still remembers Han Fulai's smiling eyes and the feel of his hands on her shoulders.

"Miss Zhiruo, you just need to trust me. It is our duty to restore the glory of the Ancient Hua Sect!"

Chapter 82 A cool pose equals success

Zhi Ruo gave Han Fulai a deep look, nodded, and said, "Thank you for your blessing, Prince Yan, that allowed me to meet Mr. Han that day."

Han Fulai smiled but didn't answer. He couldn't very well tell Zhiruo that it was truly Prince Yan's blessing that day, and that he had even gotten a meal off Prince Yan.

If Zhiruo brought him to Wangshan Hall before only because she was moved by his gratitude and had a good impression of him, now Zhiruo completely trusts him and regards him as the savior of the Guhua Sect.

He was indeed nine-tenths sincere in what he just said, but the remaining one-tenth was an act, done to ensure Zhiruo's complete trust. After all, the Wangshan Hall contained the secret techniques of the Guhua School, which might be a divine martial arts manual left behind by his fellow Chinese, Guhua, and was crucial to his future.

Han Fulai had thought it through clearly. If there was something like a divine skill manual in Wangshan Hall, he would take it out and study it carefully, no matter what. Whether for his own sake or for the future of Liyue, he had to increase his strength. But the item belonged to the Guhua Sect, and he couldn't tell Zhiruo, "I'm a time traveler, your ancestor is from the same hometown as me, and I have to take Guhua's things."

Without Zhiruo's approval, the senior disciple of the Guhua Sect, he probably wouldn't have dared to ask to take away the Guhua Sect's secret manual. But since Zhiruo now completely trusts him, he can bring it up easily.

Without further ado, he turned around gracefully, walked to the front door of Wangshan Hall, struck what he thought was a rather cool pose, and pushed the door open with one hand.

The two large, peeling vermilion doors of the Wangshan Hall remained perfectly still, with only a few specks of dust falling from their frames. Golden light flickered from the cracks in the doors, resembling fluctuations of rock elemental energy.

Han Fulai thought for a moment and understood the key point. Although only the members of the Guhua Sect knew about this place, it was hard to guarantee that thieves or similar groups wouldn't covet it. The main gate of Wangshan Hall was unlocked and unguarded, presumably protected by some mechanism or elemental seal. Otherwise, anyone could easily break in, and he wouldn't have a chance to obtain any divine skills or secret manuals.

Zhiruo's voice came from behind him: "Mr. Han, my master once told me that to enter the door, one must pass through a mechanism. Let me think, the mechanism is..."

Han Fulai turned around and smiled at Zhiruo, "The mechanism is on the three stone lanterns in the middle of the pond. Miss Zhiruo, look around and see if there are any strangely shaped stones nearby?"

"Huh! How does Mr. Han know the location of the mechanism guarding our Guhua Sect's important location?" This time, Zhiruo was truly shocked.

"Because when I pushed the door open just now, I detected a reaction from the Geo element, which means that the door here is protected by the Geo element."

Han Fulai pointed to the three stone lanterns in the pond and continued, "If lanterns are meant for lighting, it's best to build them on the bank for easy maintenance and use. Building them in the pond would require rowing a boat for things like lighting and changing the candles, which would be too much trouble for daily use. Unless they weren't intended for everyday lighting, but rather as a mechanism. In that case, what would this mechanism use to 'light' them?"

“I know that there is a kind of rock crystal with a unique shape on the land of Liyue called ‘Rock Seed’. It has many points and is shaped like petals, looking like stone flowers growing from the ground. It is said that these ‘Rock Seed’ contain the power of the rock element. As long as you break the petals of the ‘Rock Seed’, the seed with the gathered elemental power will fly out, and humans can capture those ‘Rock Seed’ and use the rock elemental power within them.”

"The seal of the Geo elemental force must be broken with the Geo elemental force, so I came up with the solution to the mechanism: use the Geo elemental force contained in the Geo Seed to 'light' these stone lanterns, transferring elemental force to break the mechanism's seal. It's that simple."

Han Fulai had actually solved this kind of lantern-and-rock-seed mechanism many times in the game, so it was familiar to him and he naturally made the connection. However, in order to appear knowledgeable in front of Zhiruo, Han Fulai deliberately explained the solution to her.

Zhiruo's feelings for Han Fulai had now evolved from trust to a degree of admiration. She nodded and searched the hillside near the pond, soon finding several rock seeds in an inconspicuous corner. With a soft shout, she pushed off with her legs, breaking the petals of the rock seeds, and sure enough, shimmering golden elemental energy emanated from them.

Zhi Ruo's "Rain-Cutting Sword" technique, which she had been practicing, finally came in handy. With swift eyes and hands, she caught three rock seeds between her fingers. Then, she spun around to face the pond, and with a wave of her hands, the three rock seeds flew precisely to the three stone lanterns, lighting them up.

Han Fulai clapped his hands lightly and exclaimed, "Miss Zhiruo, what exquisite technique you have!"

However, something was on his mind: the secret technique of the "Rain-Cutting Sword" was not suitable as a sword technique at all, but rather for practicing hidden weapons. If Zhiruo were to use the techniques of the Rain-Cutting Sword to perform hidden weapons, she would probably already be a well-known master in the martial arts world.

At this moment, the door of Wangshan Hall trembled, and dust fell from the door frame in a flurry. Han Fulai quickly moved back a little and saw the golden light coming from the crack in the door suddenly disappear, and the door of Wangshan Hall opened by itself.