Eldritch Horror Theatre

Hmph, you underestimate a lead researcher's composure.

The research assistant who had greeted him with pleasant surprise only a moment ago had suddenly drawn a sword on him.

Faced with this sudden turn of events, Fu Qian stood perfectly still beneath the enveloping sword light, not backing away a single step.

No matter how violently she demanded her wages, there would be no overtime pay.

As it turned out, the research assistant still seemed to value her current position.

Met with Fu Qian's unwavering gaze, the Longsword charging forward undaunted finally stopped without warning, its tip hovering right between his eyebrows.

It was undeniably an even more seemingly familiar scene.

A memory naturally surfaced in Fu Qian's mind: when he had first arrived at the Academy, his joining the Swarm had enraged Brother Sword Heart, who then used the private Invitation Letter presented by Classmate Liushuang to call him out.

But Classmate Liushuang—her expression cold and her gaze sharp as she leveled a sword at him once more—had improved vastly since then.

...

Pure white, empty, and boundless.

In a mere instant, the surroundings had shifted away from Professor Fu's private Laboratory.

Compared to the crude setup of his workspace, this place had clearly reached an entirely different dimension.

Aside from the blinding white stretching out in all directions, it was completely empty. It held the distinct atmosphere of a cyber prison.

And indeed, this place was not reality.

Fu Qian knew perfectly well that his physical body was still standing in its original spot.

Heart-Questioning Sword Prison.

This was the very place where Brother Sword Heart had once engaged him in a deep conversation about life—a domain where one could not speak lies.

"You've improved quite a bit recently."

Looking at Ji Liushuang as she stood a short distance away, watching him with a bright smile, Fu Qian did not hold back his praise.

When material rewards were lacking, moral support had to make up the difference.

Naturally, this wasn't a case of Classmate Liushuang being corrupted by a sword heart again, nor was she rebelling against her superior for the sake of mere overtime pay.

Following the completion of the previous mission, that particular entity was as dead as could be.

It was even less likely that she had mistaken his identity. Setting aside how smoothly she had opened the door for him earlier, he had carefully calibrated his aura along the way. Combined with the effects of his Emissary Mask, Fu Qian was confident that even if he stood face to face with Kass, the other party wouldn't easily detect the changes in him.

Classmate Liushuang's only goal with her little stunt just now was to rope him in as a sparring partner and get a professional critique.

She was truly worthy of being called a genius of the Sword Comprehension Institute. Beyond achieving a Lucent Sword Heart, her recent cultivation had clearly yielded new insights, allowing her to grasp a highly specialized technique like the Heart-Questioning Sword Prison.

It was an undeniably interesting ability. Although he had only ended up inside because he had actively allowed it, it would still be highly effective against an ordinary Mid Tier transcendent.

But setting that aside, the youth these days were certainly growing bolder and bolder.

...

"Really? It manifested quite abruptly. I was worried there might be some underlying issues, so this is actually my first time using it."

The positive review from her lead researcher clearly delighted Classmate Liushuang, and she concisely explained how she had acquired the skill.

"I was practicing as usual when it suddenly surfaced in my consciousness."

Mid-sentence, Ji Liushuang seemed to realize something. Her cheeks flushed slightly, and she offered a solemn, formal bow of apology.

"I apologize for intentionally saying that earlier..."

"When did this happen?"

Fu Qian wasn't petty enough to hold a grudge. As a mentor figure, he knew that letting an exceptional student crack a joke to relieve some stress wasn't a bad thing.

"The day before yesterday."

Aided by her Lucent Sword Heart, Ji Liushuang quickly confirmed that he truly wasn't angry. The faint trace of apprehension lingering in her chest finally dissolved completely.

"With such a specialized breakthrough, shouldn't you be consulting the professors at your Sword Comprehension Institute?"

Pondering this, Fu Qian blinked and asked the question.

"Logically, yes. However, some aspects of this felt seemingly familiar, and I was worried it might trigger an unforeseen accident."

She shot a subconscious glance at Fu Qian. Although she phrased it vaguely, Ji Liushuang effectively confirmed that she had an ulterior motive for choosing him.

Truly worthy of a sword intent that brought such absolute clarity of mind.

Her answer might have been overly abstract, but that depended on who was listening.

Hearing her describe it as 'seemingly familiar,' Fu Qian immediately knew what she was referring to. The last time he had been trapped in the Heart-Questioning Sword Prison, she had also barged into his office and pointed a sword at his head.

Even if she didn't remember everything that had transpired in between, she had still been frozen in a similar posture when he completed his mission and left.

Was she worried about implicating him if something went wrong?

After all, the professors at the Sword Comprehension Institute definitely did not hold a high opinion of him.

"I understand. I must say, you made the right choice. Having immersed myself in the sword path for many years, I've actually done quite a bit of research into these insights of yours."

Seeing his research assistant act so protectively of him, Fu Qian naturally didn't hold back, shedding all modesty to let her know she had come to the right person.

The sword path... Unity of Body and Sword, was it?

Unfortunately, his bold claim immediately triggered his research assistant's silent skepticism.

Ji Liushuang uncontrollably recalled the scene of a certain someone transforming his body into a sword on Ye Island, and her expression turned decidedly strange for a moment.

"This is the Heart-Questioning Sword Prison."

Naturally, this reaction didn't escape Fu Qian's notice. But with skin as thick as a fortress wall, his Dao heart didn't suffer the slightest ripple as he cut straight to the main point.

"Aside from trapping both your consciousness and your target's inside this space, it possesses a hidden trait. Feel it for yourself."

...

A hidden trait.

The professor actually knew about it. That meant her previous worries...

The shockingly ideal direction this conversation was taking was almost too good to be true. However, getting back to the main topic, Ji Liushuang quickly discarded her stray thoughts and focused her mind to sense the space, just as Fu Qian had suggested.

"There are no lies."

As the controller of the Sword Prison, she was still a little unpracticed, given it was her first time using it. But with his reminder, it wasn't hard for her to grasp certain underlying mechanics.

Even so, Ji Liushuang seriously sensed her surroundings for a full minute before looking up at Fu Qian and delivering her answer.

"Correct. This is the fundamental attribute of this space; not even someone in the Demigod Realm could defy it."

Appreciating her meticulous and steady nature, Fu Qian confirmed her findings and offered a more detailed breakdown.

"If one were to forcefully attempt it, it would be tantamount to shattering this realm entirely."

"In other words, the moment a lie is spoken, this space collapses in tandem."

"Based on its current state, very few beneath the Demigod Realm would be capable of doing so."

"Thank you... Also, from what I can feel, these restrictions are bidirectional. They apply to me just the same."

Having listened with absolute focus, Ji Liushuang bowed in earnest gratitude before adding the extra details she had sensed.

"Of course, as the initiator, I can choose to manually dispel it at any time."

"But if I don't, it will only release when one of the parties is completely eradicated."

"And since we are in the form of consciousness bodies here, ordinary damage won't accomplish that. It requires highly specialized methods."

"Spot on."

An exceptional student who understood everything with just a single hint truly made life so much easier.

Easily experiencing the joys of teaching and guiding the younger generation, Fu Qian mentally raised his rating for this trip to the Academy once again.

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