The following morning. Jun Xi with his arms folded stood leaning against the door frame of Ming Yue's room gazing upon her sleeping figure.
Ming Yue sighed in her sleep. She was rolling around in her bed sheets, hugging and kissing her pillow, obviously dreaming of a certain someone. If anyone else had witnessed this scene, they would probably have died from embarrassment for Ming Yue's sake. However, Jun Xi merely shook his head and cleared his throat.
"Ming Yue." His low and bassy voice caused the random nicknacks on the table and the dresser to shake.
"Mm..." Ming Yue mumbled, still in her sleep.
Jun Xi formed a quick and simple hand seal and shot a string of energy into her body.
"Uh?" Ming Yue's whole body suddenly rolled off her bed and she hit her forehead against the floor, waking her up instantly. Her sleepy eyes looked around confusedly, until they landed on Jun Xi.
"What happened?"
"It's time for your martial arts training." Jun Xi said.
"Ugh... Do I have to? It's so early..." Ming Yue rubbed her sleepy eyes and looked out the window, the sun had still not gone up.
"If you don't, then the next time you transform..."
Ming Yue shuddered. The thought of being locked up into that small, dark box flashed through her mind. "I'm going. I'm going!"
A few moments later, Ming Yue and Jun Xi arrived at the training fields. An old, skinny man, leaning on a cane, stood before a bunch of six to seven year old children instructing them on a few martial arts moves.
"Hah! Hah! Hah!" The children exclaimed as they synchronously cut the air with their wooden swords.
"Teacher Hao Bao." Jun Xi made a formal greeting, clasping his fist.
The old man limped over to Ming Yue and looked up and down her body with a discerning eye. "So this is the one you wanted to join my class? Don't you think she's a bit too old?" The old man said, squeezing the handle of his cane.
"This young one is stupid and ignorant. She'd be happy and humbled to learn from the great master." Jun Xi said, pushing Ming Yue's head into a bow.
Ming Yue shot Jun Xi an angry look. Who are you calling stupid? You're stupid! She didn't dare to say it aloud in front of the old man, so she could only silently vent her anger.
The old man nodded in approval while stroking the handle of his cane. "Very well. Go and join the back row." The old man gestured.
Ming Yue shot Jun Xi a pitiful look and with head lowered she walked over to the back row.
Seeing this, Jun Xi stiffened. Why did it feel like he was abandoning a pet? Quickly shaking that idea out of his head he left.
The young boys and girls sniggered as she walked past them, obviously thinking it was way too funny for an "adult", at least from their impression, to join their class.
As she appeared in the back row, a young boy, no older than five or six and half her height, walked over to her with his head held high, beating his chest. "Beautiful lady, stand by me and this boss will teach you everything he knows!"
"Adorable!" Ming Yue exclaimed upon seeing the little cutie and ruffled the boy's hair and squeezed his cheeks which were still round and full of baby fat.
The young boy's round little face immediately turned a bright red and all the kids around began laughing out loud. Unknown to Ming Yue, this little boy was the infamous bully of the group and it wasn't uncommon for him to play tricks on his comrades, such as pulling the girls' hair or extorting the boys for medicinal pills or even a few coins.
Completely emasculated, the young boy turned tail and escaped over to the other corner of the training field.
The teacher harrumphed, gaining everyone's attention.
"As you can see, today we have a new student. Her name is Ming Yue. Please be kind to her."
"Yes, teacher!" The kids responded in a choir.
***
Meanwhile, in another corner of the Righteous Sword Sect.
"Are you sure?" Fu Ping asked.
"Yes, we're sure. We heard from the teachers talking that First Senior Brother's disciple would join in on the youngest generations training today."
Fu Ping's willow leaf shaped eyebrows creased as she and the two Dai sisters hurried along toward the training fields. As they arrived, both of the Dai sisters gasped as they pointed toward the girl in the back row. So it was true! Even though they had heard it, they couldn't truly believe it until they saw it. It didn't make much sense to them that their First Senior Brother's disciple would train with the youngest generation.
"That's her?" Fu Ping asked as her gaze landed upon the girl in the back row.
***
At the training field.
Ming Yue was swinging her wooden sword and began to feel she was getting the hang of it and increased her strength.
Then suddenly as she swung it down with her full strength it slipped out of her hands and flew like an arrow straight ahead.
Twang!
The wooden sword stuck into the ground and vibrated from the impact.
Three girls who were spectating the training cried out as the sword landed just a few feet away from them.
"Oops." Ming Yue was so embarrassed she wanted to run away and hide.
The children began laughing again.
Teacher Hao Bao squeezed the handle of his cane then spoke to Ming Yue, "What are you waiting for? Get the sword and continue to practice!"
"Y-yes!" Ming Yue ran to the sword with her head lowered from shame. As she arrived, she barely looked up at the three girls and made a quick bow. "Sorry!"
One of the Dai sisters took a step forward and scoffed. "You can't even keep up with children what makes you think you're worthy of being our First Senior Brother's disciple?"
Ming Yue was stunned hearing her condescending tone.
"Junior sister, don't say that. I'm sure it was just an accident. It can happen to anyone. " Fu Ping said while pulling at a fold of Dai Jie's dress, looking pitiful.
"What are you saying Senior Sister? You're too kind." Dai Jie said. "If you don't kneel down and... huh? Where did she go?"
"Look over there!" Dai Lie shouted as she pointed toward the back row of the children.
"When did she get back there?" Dai Jie asked.
Back at the back row, Ming Yue was now fired up. She had left right after Dai Jie had told her she was not worthy of being Jun Xi's disciple and had missed the rest of their little white lotus act.
Now she was fired up with motivation. Before she was only half-heartedly putting in any effort as she thought it was too early in the morning for any physical exercises and she was generally a rather lazy girl.
"You can do this, Ming Yu! You can't disappoint Jun Xi! Fighting!" She held the wooden sword firmly and began to swing in synchronization with the other children again.