"Ahh, this is life," sighed Yue Ying blissfully as she sank her body into the steaming hot bath water in the Meditation Garden's changing rooms and bathhouse.
Various moans and sighs of agreement echoed back from all the young women currently in the large bath as the six of them soaked their aches after a morning of sparring in the large communal bath. "Why do we - not - have a bath house in our training area, First?"
After the short break after the first battle, the girls had sparred two more times. Both battles were much more hotly contested than the first, with Chénli's suggestion that the teams be switched around with one ranged attacker for every two defenders being eagerly accepted.
In the second spar, the combination of Ài, Biyu and Míng had successfully fended off the combination of Chénli, Yue and Chàng, with Dàilán acting as a 'random' factor that was constantly trying to take advantage of any weak point on both teams. This had resulted in Chénli's team focusing on trying to keep Dàilán out of the way, which let Ài's team beat them from the side.
The third round had been a free for all, in which Míng had decisively outlasted everyone else, but Dàilán claimed the most kills including a heated final showdown with Chénli, only for Míng to take out both of them as they grew tired. As everyone had to watch for everyone else's attacks, Míng's bunker strategy was the most powerful.
The time and effort it took to break her bunker, left you open to attacks from everyone else. This was made worse by the fact that her formations could blast someone and leave them ripe for picking by opportunistic attackers.
Míng also moved around and kept herself protected with explosive formations as well as creating trip holes and sudden bumps in the sand of the garden - so that without at least two people pinning her down while a third attacked her directly - she was able to handle two attackers by herself, while the others got stuck in one-on-one battles.
Needless to say, after almost a shi and half of sparring in the sand under the hot morning light of the Golden Crow and getting flung about by lightning shocks and physical take downs, everyone was nursing their share of sore muscles, bruises and scrapes, which the medicinal hot springs baths felt very good on.
"We do not have baths, because our - practice area - is just a back corner of one of the fields that we just sneak off to when no one is paying attention, Second," replied Míng irritably, splashing water and glaring across at Dàilán who returned her gaze innocently from the smaller two person bath attached to the side of the larger one, "Why - does - your 'Meditation slash Cultivation Garden' - have - a bath house attached to it anyway, Third?"
"If I have a Cultivation breakthrough, I need somewhere to clean up any impurities of course," replied the youngest Heiress equably, "besides baths are very relaxing for putting you in the right frame of mind for Cultivation, do you not think?"
"And the reason for the incredibly powerful privacy wards?" snorted the Eldest Cousin as she looked around the bath house, "Not that I am complaining, of course."
"Oh, I might have dropped a couple of words in hearing range of Third Elder about peeping male Cultivators, while he was having the Garden constructed for his daughter's thirteenth birthday," remarked Chénli offhandedly as she leaned her shoulders back on the bath's padded edge.
Biyu giggled, pointing an accusing finger that her boss. "Yes, that - would - explain why he suddenly stormed around the House with a black countenance for a full day last year - then went out and posted a Clan mission for the most reputable team of - female - Guan Formation Masters he could afford in Contribution points during the construction of this place."
Chàng lifted a small wet hand to her mouth. "I remember that! Third Elder is usually so calm. All the servants were on edge that day wondering if he was going to order punishments for the staff for something bad occurring."
Dàilán blinked in surprise, splashing as she pushed back from the edge of her bath. "I did not know any of that."
Ài laughed and dunked her head into the hot water, before coming back out with her hair slicked back. "Well, we were all instructed to keep your birthday surprise a secret. That is why it is in such an out of the way pocket of the Third House. So you would not stumble across it by accident, before it was ready."
The youngest Heiress sighed, then frowned, hitting the surface of her bath irritably. "It seems strange that regular female Clan members are encouraged to have professions, while the nobles stop their own daughters from the same. Talk about hypocritical."
Míng snorted and sank lower into the water. "You mean you are surprised at double standards? Female Clan members are supposed to support the clan just like the males. Us Heiress', are supposed to be beauties to be married off for alliances - if we are too strong, other Clans may not want us for fear we might supplant their husbands."
Míng shrugged, pushed herself up out of the water and leaning on the edge of the bath peered at the sides of the walls of the bath house. "Your father's direction to the Formation team probably explains a lot of what I'm seeing in the Formations here."
The eldest teen touched a finger to the wall beside the bath; a portion of runes and shapes lit up with a golden glow around the walls of the bath house and she whistled. "Whatever you do, do not ever invite any boyfriends over here in the future, little Cousin. I see references to blinding, castration and flaying - all linked to male gender. Any man that comes within an arm span of this place or tries to use a technique to look inside - he will not survive, or die quickly."
Chénli frowned, looking with interest at the glowing shapes. "I thought the formations stopped anyone from looking or listening in, not just males?"
Míng nodded. "Oh they do. Women will just be temporarily blinded and deafened with a warning on their first attempt to physically access, unless Third or Chénli invites them inside directly - or on any attempt to use a technique to see into the bath house. They try again, it kills them. So I guess it is lucky you came in with us, Third."
Ying shuddered. "Could we not talk about work for a bit?
Dàilán paled slightly and rested her arms on the edge between the two baths, looking disturbed as she looked at the patterns of light. "I did not know any of that. I would have hated to have hurt anyone by accident."
Chénli shook her head, "You would not have - I would have warned you. Your father told me about the invites only for female friends - although he never mentioned anything about it being a male death trap."
Dàilán rolled her eyes at the over-protectiveness this implied. "Father can be silly sometimes."
Chénli sank into the water, one leg extending upward, smiling slyly. "I do not know about that. It comes in handy if you can direct it."
Her mistress snorted and stuck her tongue out. "Please, I know you are sweet on Father. I am - sure - that sometimes he looks at you as if he sees Mother again, too. I have told you before to go for it Chén'er - it has been five years - and Mother would be upset to see him lock himself away like this. Age is meaningless when Cultivation at his level is involved. I swear he looks younger than he did ten years ago, anyway."
Chénli's cheeks were glowing, but she tried to act matter-of-fact, as she pushed herself back into a normal seating position. "Third Elder is in True Sky, ageing starts to reverse around that point," she shook her head, "there is no way I remind him of your Mother… she is… was... a legend."
"Speaking of Cultivation, Third," interjected Míng, "seriously, what in the hells?"
Dàilán blinked water out her eyes, pushing her hair back, her teasing of her friend diverted - blinking in confusion at the non-sequitur as Chénli looked gratefully at the older teen. "Sorry, I do not follow…?"
Ying rolled her eyes. "Oh, - I follow - all right. You are supposed to be at True Earth… but I would have sworn some of the crap you pulled during today was Peak, if not Sky. You should re-test."
"A recent development - some slight improvements lately from some of the things I read in that book I gave you, First." Dàilán waved away the suggestion irritably, "I have not had an Advancement or a Tribulation. The last thing I need is for the Clan to start getting into their heads I am an actual cultivation genius of some sort - Sky at fourteen? Hells, Second Uncle would throw a fit and try to get me married off again - as a threat to his precious slime ball of an Heir."
Ying looked fascinated. "I need to have a closer look at that book. But maybe you should see if you can test privately Third, there is no way you are only an Earth Eighth. A hidden tile up your sleeve can be useful on a bad run."
"I have been telling her that all week," grumbled Chénli, "but does she listen?"
Dàilán glared at her oldest Cousin playfully. "Speak for yourself, Dagger. There is no way you only rate a Low Apprentice Master with some of the formations you ran today."
Míng flushed. "My skill with Formations may have advanced beyond my official rank, but my Cultivation is not keeping up. I am only at Low Earth rank - and that is holding me back - as you saw today."
The eldest cousin sighed and frowned. "On top of that It is not easy for me to find a way to visit the Formations Association unnoticed to be assessed. Grandmother says I could pass the True Apprentice Assessment, but I have not been able to get to the association for testing."
"What does the Matriarch have to do with you being a Formation Master?" asked Dàilán curiously.
"Grandmother is the Guan Formation Master, of course," interjected Ying, "most of the Formations work the Clan sells, she oversees." Her stomach grumbled and she blushed. "As nice as this bath and the gossip is, I am hungry. Let us get out of here. I want lunch."
Accompanied by a chorus of agreement, Ying left the bath first, the other girls leaving the bath in her wake to dry off, rub on healing salves on various bruises, cuts and scrapes then change into the fresh clothing that had been placed into the changing room.
---
The seven girls sat around the table in front of a table laden with the remains of a small but luxurious banquet in the small dining room attached to Dàilán's suite. Under the circumstances, while the maids were serving as needed - and had organised everyone else's portions before their own - they were eating together with the three Heiress' at Dàilán's insistence; although Míng and Yiing seemed slightly scandalised, they raised no objection, given they had all been sparing, bathing and talking closely together already.
The room had been quietly filled with the sounds of satisfied eating for almost half a shi and with most of the dishes emptied, people were eating slowly - starting to make small talk as they tucked away a few last bites
"I must commend your entourage," said Ying approvingly, her eyes shining as she nibbled and looked around at the impeccable room and lavish feast as well as the excellent manners and assistance demonstrated by the maids, "Your point at the breakfast about the quality of staff is well demonstrated."
Sourly Míng frowned, while eating efficiently. "Unfortunately, our parents control our entourages. Bunch of useless parasites the lot of them - Chàng and Biyu could take them all down without even needing to open their eyes - to say nothing of Ài and Chénli." She looked at Dàilán, "I envy you."
Chénli frowned, nodding as Dàilán inclined her head graciously in thanks for the compliment. "I had wondered why you two visited without your entourages both times - I take it there are some reporting on you?"
Ying nodded in agreement as she ate delicately but swiftly on a stir fry mix of lightly sauteed vegetables and pheasant. "Which means we will not be able to do this very often. Today is a special case, given our entourages were co-opted by our mothers - a round of visits to the other Clans to follow up on yesterday's success. Despite the frown that I have spotted Father wearing over the last day, with Clan Gi involved, the women's quarters have taken over Guan's relationships with other Clans. Our mothers even hauled the male Heirs along with them - I think they are worried about their daughters gaining precedence over their sons."
Dàilán shuddered as she chewed slowly on a chicken drumstick. "I pity any girl that gets saddled with either of those two. I trust that they are exactly what they appear to be?"
Míng snorted coldly as she served herself another bowl of rice, waving off Ài's attempt to serve her. "Ha. Yes they are pair of spoiled brats with precious little in the way of competency in anything except wine and chasing skirts."
Chénli laughed, gesturing to the pair of Cousins across from her. "Are you sure? Until the beginning of this week, we thought the same about both of you - except it was Court Fashion and boys."
Ying giggled and bit down on a plum. "Yes, unfortunately, they have everything they could possibly ever want and more besides - why would they need to conceal anything?"
Míng nodded sadly, lifting a bowl of noodles to her face. "Dragon and others have looked hard. There is nothing to find. Just wastes of space - vicious and cruel." She put the bowl down and looked around the dining room, changing the topic.
"Our Suites are nothing as grand as this - we do not have a dining or receiving room - just a bedroom with attached bathing and toilet and small study/dressing room."
"These are the Heir Suites," admitted Dàilán, "normally it would be given to the male heir, but…"
"And the privacy, defence and communication Formations here… very strange," said Míng, "they are unorthodox - but very well designed and in almost perfect condition despite not being maintained for quite some time."
"I believe they were installed and maintained by my Mother until her... passing," responded the Youngest Heiress.
"The mistress' mother was a member of my Sect, Chénli interjected firmly. "Some information is not to be discussed."
Míng paused and inclined her head respectfully. "I will not inquire further then. You might recommend that one of your Sect's Formation Masters come here to touch up the Formation. It is not serious, just normal wear and tear."
Chénli bowed in response. "I thank the Master for her advice - and her forbearance." She looked around the table, making eye contact with Ài. "It seems we have finished eating?"
Dàilán looked around at the empty plates and satisfied faces. "It seems so."
Ài jumped to her feet, with Biyu and Chàng following, bowing gracefully. "We three will leave you to discuss business then - leave the cleanup to us."
Ying rose and bowed to the three. "Please communicate my admiration to the House staff for an exceptional lunch."
Míng rose and echoed her as Dàilán and Chénli stood and the youngest Heiress smiled at the other three. "Do pass on my personal thanks to Head Matron."
Ài bowed again with the other two, a satisfied smile on all their faces. "Of course, Mistress."
The four young women left the table and headed across the receiving room, with the youngest leading the way to her study.