Cultivating in Honkai! Chapter 31: Hiding Under the Lamp

Fortunately, Bronya’s gaze did not stay for long. She stared at the laptop, as if waiting for Cocolia's orders.

“...Bronya will escort you.”

“Where’s my old man?”

Kiana finally spoke. Her bottled-up emotions are about to erupt.

“He is traveling the world. The sa as you.” Cocolia evaded her question.

“Do you know where he is?”

“I am afraid not. It is better to ask your handler.”

“...”

She cleverly pushed the bla to Ryoma.

Kiana tightened up her fist. She seed conflicted as she stared at Cocolia on the screen.

“I haven’t sent my words of gratitude to you.” Cocolia shifted her attention to Shi Tian beside Kiana. “Your traces are dealt with neatly. There’s no need to worry about the officials.”

“Thank you.”

Unlike Kiana, Shi Tian held his composure well. His eyes looked at the woman across the screen. Her tone and mannerisms are similar to the professional bosses and COOs that visited his parents. She held that vibe that can intimidate weak-willed individuals.

“Kiana’s father… You won’t tell us anything about it, no?” He asked.

“I did not say that.”

“...”

Cocolia saw him turn silent. It was her plan. Give Kiana the hope to et her father and she will most likely stick to one place. That was how Theresa kept her in Saint Freya. Coincidentally, it also occurred now, but in a different place instead. All that mattered to cocolia is Ryoma owing her a favor.

Shi Tian saw through it. No matter how bad his previous weak ntality was, he can still catch on cues. It helped that this exact sa move was used by Theresa, too.

He looked at Kiana.

‘How should we move from here?'

Since they are presented with the option of staying in Cocolia's orphanage, he won't shy away. The Cocolia in 2014 might be crazy and unreasonable, but the Cocolia now is still rational. She hasn't lost her children to the X-10 Experint yet.

There is also Shi Tian's thoughts of teaching immortal cultivation to others; to the main casts there. If Bronya and Seele has high grade Spirit Roots, they can raise their strength to the Foundation Establishnt Realm within four years, if not shorter.

Of course, this plan still has many flaws. It required Shi Tian to know more about them. Only then would he actually decide on what to do.

‘I need to sort it out.’

*****

Bronya ended up doing as she said. She escorted us inside a car that drove out of the city. She sat beside Kiana. I took the window seat. There are two other people in the front seat, one driving and one ard.

Taking advantage of this peace, I closed my eyes.

Inside my mind, I did so ntal gymnastics. The puzzles of the [Xinhai Wuji Heart Sutra] are random. It might be patterns like a Rubik’s Cube at first, then a maze, a riddle, and so on.

…

Eight hundred puzzles.

I finally reached the eight hundredth puzzle.

The opening of my eyes welcod an unprecedented clarity. My eyesight is enhanced by the technique. I can recall my mories more clearly.

More importantly, my Sword Heart grew. Its growth depends on the consistency of my determination. As long as I don’t conflict with my inner beliefs, it will grow.

With the [Xinhai Sutra], my mind becos more clear. I get to notice things I won’t pay much attention to. It makes my Sword Heart grow, in turn giving my dantian and ridians a cultivation boost.

It is one of the solutions I thought for slow cultivation speed. Once these techniques form a cycle, my cultivation speed becos faster. Sword Heart is not the only one capable of doing it.

There’s also the Innate Talisman of talisman-making, Natal Spiritual Flas of alchemy, Hexagram Spirit of astrology, Treasure Organs of artifact refiners, and so on. They correspond to the Sword Heart and provide cultivation speed bonuses.

Simply put, they are job-exclusive passive skills.

Originally, I could only learn one. Sword Heart cannot coexist with Innate Talismans and the likes. I can still learn alchemy, but I won’t have its ‘job-exclusive’ trait.

It is all thanks to the [Xiutian Yin-Yang Jue Art]. Its basis is to cultivate the dantians and ridians into the five elents yin-yang, thereby having a trait of ‘adapting all laws to oneself, which ans I can have all of these job-exclusive passive skills. If I can learn all of them, my cultivation speed will skyrocket.

Unfortunately, except for the Sword Heart, the rest needed spiritual materials—and I don’t have them.

It sucks to be broke.

Just then, I felt Kiana poking my shoulder.

“You can permanently stay in the orphanage.” She whispered. “Why didn’t you agree?”

“Hm?”

My eyes widened. I recalled Cocolia’s previous offer. She knew my status of being holess and invited to be a permanent resident. I did not take on her offer.

“I won’t mind helping you find your father. My decision won’t change. Also, you still have a lot to learn.”

I crossed my arms and looked outside.

I admit. I grew more attached to the Tuna after two and a half months. It might be arrogance or self-righteousness at first… but I can’t bring myself to abandon her now.

When the ti cos and she faces the Herrscher inside her…

I hope she won’t be as desolate as the version of her inside the ga.

It is already depressing as a ga, what else now that I am living in their world?

“Hm..?”

A strange gaze landed on . I instinctively looked for it and saw Bronya giving a side-eye. Her hands are relentless when it cos to eating the HOMU-thed biscuits I gave to her. It is already her fourth pack.

Her strange looks…

It’s already the fifth ti today.

Only if I can read her mind…

“Don’t regret it.”

I was almost startled by Kiana’s reply. I looked at her again. I received an urge to tease her.

“Do you want to throw away?”

“No!”

Unexpectedly, she took it seriously. I felt guilty all of a sudden.

“I am joking. Sorry…”

Just like that, ti passed like flowing water.

*****

Thirty minutes ago.

‘He is dangerous…’

Bronya is a forr assassin. She was taught how to use everything on her advantage. From reading expressions to acting, she knew about it. Her two months inside Cocolia’s place wore her tense side a bit, but the Silver Wolf of the Urals is still there.

Although numb to many things, she isn’t unfeeling.

“Shi Tian. Twelve years old.”

The teenage boy introduced himself while Kiana was changing clothes inside the bathroom. He cusped his fist and gave a slight bow.

“Da. You can call the Bronya.”

He nodded before he asked:

“Do you want sothing to eat? We have a couple of snacks left.”

“...Anything.”

“Um.”

He ca back bringing a pack of unopened biscuits. Her eyes lit up upon seeing its HOMU design.

For the past two months, the HOMU reminded Bronya of her first toy—a matryoshka doll. She started to develop a liking towards it. Along with that was a hoarder ntality.

In short, Bronya likes HOMU.

Knowing he saved Seele without saying anything, she has a good first impression of him. Good people exist, but seeing one is as rare as a mont of peace in Bronya’s life.

“...Thanks.”

“Welco.”

A trace of confusion appeared on her face. She looked at the ek and harmless Shi Tian. He gave out a smile as a greeting to her thanks.

It was completely inconsistent with her other first impression towards him. He shot five people, burned three, and killed one of them.

How can a person be good and ruthless at the sa ti?

Bronya saw a part of herself in him—the life of war and killings she went through.

She will not believe that he was rely a civilian two and a half months prior to this eting.

‘Can I also be like him…?’