The sunset gently exhaled its final glow of twilight, vanishing behind the mountains.
"We've reached a safe place."
Yangyang's voice brought Noah back to his senses. He looked ahead—Taoyuan Vale's lights were just coming on in the near distance.
"Baizhi, we're here!"
Chixia suddenly called out loudly, waving as she jogged toward the entrance of the village.
There, a black-haired woman with cool, clear eyes had been waiting for some time—Baizhi.
Noah and Yangyang quickened their steps, soon reaching Baizhi. Chixia enthusiastically made introductions:
"This is Baizhi, researcher at Huaxu Academy. This is Noah—we met him on the way back. He's a friend."
Baizhi nodded. Her slender fingers pointed upward from below toward Noah without touching him. A white Echo suddenly appeared and slowly circled him once.
"No pollution from Threnodian power. Physical condition completely normal…"
As a professional proxy player for Wuthering Waves, Noah naturally knew that the cool woman before him was using Youtan to perform a medical check on him.
In the game's storyline, Baizhi had done the same thing the first time she met Rover.
Though Baizhi appeared distant and unapproachable on the surface, she was actually warm-hearted beneath the cool exterior—otherwise she wouldn't have waited quietly at the village entrance for Yangyang and Chixia to return.
Seeing Baizhi's serious expression, Yangyang gently shook her head and spoke softly:
"No need to worry too much, Baizhi. He's just an ordinary traveler. Let him rest in Taoyuan Vale for now. Chixia and I have more important things to discuss."
"Mm. Let's talk as we walk. Everyone's waiting for you to return. About Jinzhou…"
Baizhi trailed off. She took a work ID from her pocket and handed it to Noah, a trace of apology in her cool gaze:
"Mr. Noah, welcome to Jinzhou. Due to certain circumstances, we're unable to properly host you right now."
"This is my researcher ID. Take it and walk straight ahead about two hundred meters. There's a young Taoist priestess practicing fist forms there. You can ask her to arrange lodging for you."
"No problem at all—I completely understand! Thank you very much."
Noah accepted Baizhi's work ID. After bidding farewell to the three women, he walked in the direction she had indicated.
He suddenly glanced back and saw the three hurrying toward a large, brightly lit building in another direction.
Judging from Baizhi's abruptly interrupted words, something new must have happened in Jinzhou.
Grumble~
A protesting growl from his stomach interrupted Noah's thoughts. After walking all the way from Cloud Ridge Valley to the village, he was starving.
Yangyang and Chixia hadn't eaten dinner either—they were probably hungry too. But clearly, for them, Jinzhou's situation was far more important than food.
At this thought, Noah's expression grew complicated. He shook his head, pushing some ideas aside.
He was just an ordinary person. Faced with this broken game plot, a Scar from the Fractsidus who had clearly grown several tiers stronger, and the unknown situation in Jinzhou…
There was nothing he could do.
"In the worldview of Wuthering Waves, ordinary people have to struggle just to stay alive. To live better, you have to become stronger!"
Clutching Baizhi's work ID, Noah couldn't help shaking his head.
The game's characters weren't born powerful either—they gained various combat abilities by awakening resonance.
Perhaps he could ask a strong Resonator for guidance and try to awaken his own resonance ability by imitating others.
Counting his steps, Noah continued forward. A slender, well-proportioned woman was practicing martial arts with her eyes closed.
The woman had delicate, charming features and wore a long robe primarily black with white accents. Her movements were light and fluid, completely focused.
Falling leaves rustled as they were guided by her gentle aura, tracing a graceful circular arc in midair before drifting slowly to the ground.
With just one glance, Noah recognized her: the permanent 5-star Aero attribute character from Wuthering Waves—Jianxin!
Though the storyline didn't give Jianxin many chances to shine, Noah—who had deeply studied the game—knew she was truly powerful, someone who could even exchange a few blows with Rover.
As the successor of the Fengyi Fist, Jianxin practiced the Fengyi Fist 3,000 times every day, reaching a realm of pure martial perfection that allowed her to awaken Aero resonance, achieving fist speeds of up to 340 meters per second.
At that moment, Jianxin slowly concluded her set of Fengyi Fist forms nearby. The surrounding wind also came to a halt.
"Wonderful! Watching the young Taoist priestess practice is truly a delight—breathtaking!"
Jianxin exhaled a long breath of white mist and opened her eyes. She saw a casually dressed young man. Hearing the praise, she smiled gently:
"You flatter me. I am Jianxin, successor of the Fengyi Fist. May I ask who you are?"
"My name is Noah. I have a request for the young Taoist priestess's help."
Noah briefly explained his identity and purpose, handing over Baizhi's work ID. Jianxin accepted it, a look of understanding appearing on her face:
"I see. Mr. Noah, you haven't eaten yet, have you? Come with me."
"No rush, no rush."
Noah quickly waved his hands. His eyes brightened slightly as he looked at Jianxin with complete sincerity, getting straight to the point:
"I observed that your martial skill is exquisite. I hope to learn one or two techniques from you for self-defense. Would the Taoist priestess be willing to teach me?"
If he could learn Fengyi Fist, even without resonance ability, he would still be stronger than an ordinary person.
Noah's request was quite bold, and he was mentally prepared for refusal—after all, it was someone else's secret art; how could it be taught lightly…
"Of course."
A thoughtful look crossed Jianxin's face before quickly turning to acceptance.
It was rare to meet an ordinary person outside the Taoist school who showed interest in Fengyi Fist.
Since he was sincerely asking to learn, teaching him a little would be fine.
Soon, beneath an old tree, Jianxin sat cross-legged in meditation with Noah:
"To practice Fengyi Fist, one must first attain a calm mind."
Jianxin spoke slowly, her voice like a gentle breeze, unhurried:
"As the saying goes: Dispel desire and the mind naturally calms; clarify the mind and the spirit naturally clears."
Noah mimicked Jianxin's posture, sitting cross-legged beside her. Listening to her explain the mental method of Fengyi Fist, he was baffled:
"I don't understand. Requesting a simpler explanation."
Jianxin pressed her lips together: "Close your eyes. Think of nothing. Feel the frequency of the world."
"Oh, got it."
That made sense—though it sounded rather mystical.
Noah calmed his mind, suppressing all stray thoughts, trying to sense everything in the world.
A gentle breeze brushed past. Though Noah's eyes were closed, he suddenly experienced an unprecedented sensation—
The world was so clear!
[Exploration Module "Perception" — Activated.]
A line of small text abruptly appeared in his mind.
(Here comes the cheat!)