As the two figures left from the woods, slowly the two crystal pair of eyes took their attention away and was off on their way to play in the woods.
The sun was going to fall soon, and their favourite moon was about to come out in the sky so their four little legs became even more in high spirit as they dashed through the forest.
...Hm, tonight they would also go play with those wolves.
On the other hand, Hui Lan was walking down with a slight disappointment on her face.
...She didn't feel happy about what she had down and truly wanted to practice as fast as possible.
Her cat-like eyes looked up at the elder's back as he walked in front of her. Meanwhile, she was hugging her new wooden sword in her arms. Elder Zhang was nice enough to let her keep it.
On the other hand, along their way, his teachings were still being replayed in her head one after the other.
He said...she thought too much? And he went on about a flow?
...Was it because she calculated too much in what moves she could do and could not?
...Sigh, if that was the case, then she would have to shut her mind like a baby bird taking its first few steps.
Soon, the master and student had arrived at the same door that they had come from. Coming down the mountain was that hard as going up the mountain, but her knees were shaking with every step she walked down the mountain.
Elder Zhang pressed onto some clicks while Hui Lan memorised it from behind.
In no time, the steel door that was camouflaged with the hill revealed a pathway in front of them.
The Elder took a step inside first and Hui Lan followed.
The two soon arrived within the main halls of the underground place.
Hui Lan looked around...she still did not know what to even call this place.
...All this time she had been just practising and doing this and that test.
Moreover, there were no clues or no names identifying what kind of place this was.
The only thing that she found was that book...which wrote 'Welcome to the Rui Ren' and signed by Rui.
"Feng Hui Lan," Elder Zhang's voice quickly brought Hui Lan back to reality.
"Yes, Master!" Hui Lan replied straight after.
"Eat and wash up. Then go to your mother, she will teach you this evening." After Elder Zhang had finished speaking, he then took off to hibernate inside his own chambers or that's what Hui Lan thought.
"Yes, Master." Hui Lan then made her way towards where everyone was at.
...Did she have to wash three times a day? And was the only break she was going to get was during lunch and dinner?
Hui Lan looked up at the enclosed ceiling in resolution. She sniffed her thoughts away.
...Fine.
...If that was how she had to get better and stronger.
Hui Lan then made her way to join the dining table with her rumbling tummy.
.
.
.
After dinner.
Feng Furen sat down in front of Hui Lan underneath the Yun tree in the middle of the entire arena.
Both had their respective teacups in front of them.
However, on Hui Lan's side of the table, there was the Shadow book lying beside its new owner. Meanwhile, her new wooden sword was also leaning on the ground beside the table.
"You will go over Xin Li's history with me. Afterwards, you will practice the Yin Ying move."
"Yin Ying move?" Hui Lan's eyes glanced over to the book beside her.
...Hm, so it was really some kind of move.
"Yes. This particular move is gifted to only those chosen by heaven or more like in the royal family line. Before Xiao Chao had left, he could sniff the mark in you. That is why you are to inherit this move. It would not take long before you will master this because you were created for this purpose…" Feng Furen spoke before bringing her teacup to sip.
"Feng Furen, what is this move for? If I did not guess wrongly, is this made for attacking or…"
Although Feng Furen felt like her heart was pricked when Hui Lan had called her by her title instead of mother, she kept it to herself and continued, "What you said is not far from it...but it is not a separate kind of move, but the Yin Ying move was created to make the practitioner stronger and by stronger, it means your steps would be faster so fast that you are only a shadow to your opponent and every step is firm like steel. You will move like the shape point of a dagger and no one will be able to see you unless they had also acquired the Yin Ying move as well."
Hui Lan's heart began beating faster.
...It was that good?
"However, those that want to acquire this but are not blessed by the heavens themselves would only look for their own death. For their spirit would become like a shadow and their health would deteriorate. How the Yin Ying move is supposed to make one stronger, on the other hand, it would make those imposters grow weaker." Feng Furen placed her chin in her hands coolly, "But there are always ways that they could get by with the defects…"
"I understand." Hui Lan replied like a good student.
Feng Furen put her hand down before sitting up straight, "Now, back to Xin Li." The Elder looked down at the contents in her teacup blankly before speaking, "You might have some memories left from Hui Lan, but there are things that I have not told her and things that the world outside does not know."
Hui Lan nodded to gesture that she was ready.
"Xin Li, Mu He, Sha Yin, and Fu Ke used to be one Kingdom called Da Ning. These four kingdoms although separate but needed to depend on each other to live on. The core of Da Ning was how each country would supplement the other kingdoms. Without each other, the four kingdoms would only look for their own doom.
The past Emperor, Emperor Shen Ge had torn the kingdoms apart which resulted in the state Da Ning is. The Emperor also knew of the fact that the four kingdoms could not live without one another, so he set out to steal from his brother's kingdoms.
His brothers did not give in and attacked back.
You must have heard about the Rui Ren by now. And I heard that you are trying to find them...don't worry, they will find you. You just need to wait for the Rui Ren to reveal themselves to you when the time is right.
Nevertheless, despite how much the Rui Ren had tried to advise Emperor Shen Ge and the rest of the Emperors otherwise, all still persisted in their own ideas which had caused the division between his brothers.
In addition to the Rui Ren, Xin Li ministers were separated into two sides, one supported the Emperor's greater cause and one like I and your father supported the unity of Da Ning.
The Xin family which is the Empress Dowager's family had also tried to stop Emperor Shen Ge, but the entire family were all somehow entitled as rebellions. The Rui Ren were chased out and their whereabouts are unknown
As for I and your father, we were forced to fight alongside the Emperor or else...everyone we knew including you who was just born would be killed…
The Emperor chose the right person to fight his wars for both I and your father did not lose any wars. We fought until there was one fight that had settled it all and Da Ning was officially separated and doors were closed and people were kicked out.
Da Ning was no more." Feng Furen took a sip of her tea, "And that is all for the brief history. The rest, you must find out for yourself."
Hui Lan nodded in silence.
Both Feng Furen and General Feng...they must have been through so much…
Not letting the atmosphere fall any more sentimental, Feng Furen quickly instructed Hui Lan to get up, "Now, let's see what you practised from the book shall we?"
"You knew?" Hui Lan was slightly surprised. She did not tell the elder that she had practised it.
The corner of Feng Furen's lips was slightly raised up. How could she not know that this Hui Lan would not give it a try? The elder then opened her lips again, "Let me show you something."
Feng Furen got up from her seat full of grace.
And then even before Hui Lan could blink, Feng Furen's figure transitioned into a line of dark shadows.
The elder then landed on top of the Yun tree.
"That is the Yin Ying move." Feng Furen spoke without showing any tiredness.
Hui Lan got up to her feet in amazement.
"Go on, show me your moves. I'll help you learn it faster." Feng Furen nudged.
Immediately, Hui Lan began showing what she had learned yesterday by herself in front of Feng Furen.
The elder's owl-like eyes watched Hui Lan carefully and took notice of every little detail that needed change.
After Hui Lan was done, she returned to stand in one spot.
Feng Furen nodded, "Not bad." She then jumped lightly in the air and landed in front of Hui Lan, "But when you move your arms and legs, release your thoughts and don't think of anything. Show it to me again."
Hui Lan then showed it to the elder once again, but this time, Feng Furen helped to reposition her posture.
With Feng Furen's guidance, Hui Lan could feel her body moving much lighter.
Hence, until late in the night, the mother and daughter pair practised the Yin Ying move together.
It was so until Hui Lan's moves grew floppy which was a sign to stop. Feng Furen sent Hui Lan to bed to rest prepared for tomorrow.
...
Hui Lan's next two days went on like the first day and the only one student in the entire place was practising with full focus.
The world outside still did not know of the Empress' disappearance.
So it was like that, until the fourth day…
.
.
.
"Where is the Empress?"