Rubbing her face into her pillows the girl fumed in silence even though she wanted to scream. Who told him to do such a stupid thing alone? Who let him go to such lengths for such a ridiculous matter?! A martial king at peak stage gathering teardrops which were worthless to him just to give to his junior sister out of guilt and pity? Was he showing off? She wanted to destroy something, but without her hands, she couldn't even summon her snakes properly. So the frustrated girl settled for kicking over her wooden bathtub with a frustrated huff, it was unladylike but with no other way to vent her emotions. It was hard to do much else. She was not so hotheaded as to delay her recovery more by smashing objects. "Stupid!"
His talents infuriated her, his potential to surpass her so easily also infuriated her, his misplaced concerns infuriated her, his unwavering spot at the top of master's trust infuriated her, and his way of always smiling like a fool! In shorter terms, his entire existence vexed her greatly!! To the point of driving her insane! The girl's face was bright red and her pretty eyes were full of murder that didn't fit her appearance. If the disciples were to see her right now they would be shocked to death that this was truly their junior sister who was always quietly and coldly staring off into the distance.
They did not think she could have such a scary expression. I despise him. Right from the start, I knew he was the type I hate most. She hisses to herself with an aggravated expression feeling more bothered by his most recent actions than she wanted to be. Lan Biyu took a deep breath calming herself down after realizing she was letting more show than she should. If someone were to walk in on her like this would her image not be ruined? This thought sent off warning bells in her head that forces her to control her childish temper tantrum.
It was only after she could breathe normally without cursing did she lower herself on top of her bed slowly. Looking around her room and glancing at the door to make sure she did not leave it open Lan Biyu relaxed seeing as no one else could have heard the mess she was making inside her room. Lan Biyu you are acting like a child. She scowls to herself faintly and finally notices the tiny throbbing in her arms. Did she hurt herself accidentally? Once she had finally settled down Lan Biyu held up her useless arms in front of herself and pulled up her sleeves to inspect them.
She wryly unwraps the bandages and makes sure she didn't do more damage when in her fit of rage. Aside from the throbbing pain that was eating at her sanity slightly, she couldn't tell much as there didn't seem to be any serious changes. Applying another layer of medicine she glances at her tipped-over bathtub and felt her cheeks glow red with shame. "...." Without thinking more about it she stood up to exit the carriage and saw Da Chuanli was gone. Lan Biyu surveys the camp just to make sure he was truly gone.
"..." She purses her lips while her brows wrinkled with displeasure, she did not know why she was displeased though. Deciding not to care why he was missing she closes the door behind her and made her way towards the nearby pond that the other disciples had bathed in before her. Unlike their luxurious spatial carriage, the two other carriages did not have the luxury Lan Biyu and Da Chuanli had. They had to bathe and clean themselves up outdoors and if they wanted some space there was no living space within they could relax inside. Instead, they had to seek asylum outdoors.
It was arranged that the girls would bathe before the boys since the girls were surely even less used to being dirty than the boys. The girls had people to guard the pond though, Da Chuanli and Gao Chang would keep watch. They were decided to be the only two the girls trusted to not peep at them. Just as Lan Biyu fades into the forest shadows with the intent of cleaning herself. Da Chuanli enters the clearing with a pile of wood for the fires. Dividing the wood properly he stood up and enters the carriage to change his clothing as it had gotten dirty while he went gathering.
The boy for the first time in his life hesitated to enter the same living space as his junior sister, but when he saw no one in the main tea room he walks in without much restraint. Da Chuanli heads towards his room but pauses. A small crack in the entrance of Lan Biyu's room showed him a dark unlit room that had nothing more than light shining in from the middle room. Not wanting to disturb her but also feeling it was only proper he shut it properly he went over slowly. Then he felt uneasy, is junior sister asleep? She is not the type to be so careless when turning in for the night.
The girl is the type to lock all entrances to her room and has a high sense of alertness to her surroundings even when she was asleep in a safe place. Without being able to help himself he opens the door a bit more to look inside. Seeing no one inside his heart chilled like ice. White robes like clouds exit the carriage at the speed of light, Da Chuanli looks around the camp with one sweep. "Lan Biyu!!" He calls out while his heart felt like it was about to burst from his chest. Thinking the worst the young man took out his sword and dashes into the forest.
Meanwhile, Lan Biyu emerges from the cold water, her hair wet and sticking to her back showing off a slender figure. It wasn't hard to see why the spirit animal of the snake fit her so well. In her inner robes, Lan Biyu pushes her hair from her face to wash up. The cold water didn't bother her as much as it should have since she was only focused on soothing her inner emotions more maturely. Throwing tantrums were for children, she was ashamed of her earlier actions to be quite honest now that she cooled off.
Having gained her senses after the chilling water numbed her pain she carefully removes her bandages. With careful attention, she lightly holds her hands over the bruises. To her, her skin looked disgusting and ugly. She was a girl as well, it wasn't wrong to value beauty. But Lan Biyu was a perfectionist when it came to her own body. She refused to let such hideous-looking bruises stay on her for another week.
A dim glow from her palm transfers into her own body while she concentrates on her wounds. A rustle in the brushes makes her close her palm and look up with narrowed eyes on alert. "Who is there?" For a second nothing happens making her all the more alert, then faintly she heard the sound of slithering, her gaze unconsciously softening seeing the ten-foot large python. It hisses at her dangerously but Lan Biyu didn't seem to mind. In fact, she held out her hand towards it. "You must be the lord of this area, excuse this humble one for not greeting you first."
The bright red-striped python flicks its tongue out giving her a hard glare. She introduces herself as it told her to, holding herself up without fear. Her tone was respectful "Daughter of the Silver Serpents, tonight I take shelter in these woods before moving on once it's morning. Lord Raska need not worry about us overstaying our welcome, this group only comes to hunt lower-leveled demonic beasts." Its glare becomes a gaze of interest, its large body slithers into the water to approach the girl. She didn't flinch away when its scales slither up her body. He weighed a lot even with the water holding most of his weight up for her.
His tongue flicks out touching her face, but unbothered Lan Biyu doesn't scream or panic. Seemingly completely at ease with the snake she calmly stares him back in the eyes "For a young hatchling like yourself to be all alone in this dangerous world. One would think you have been abandoned~" A male voice as intoxicating as sweet poison slips from the python's mouth seeming to be mocking but in reality, it was only curious about her origin. It looks her over spotting her bruises that cover most of her upper body, it flicks its tongue out at them. "Losssst a battle with a kin, hatchling??"
Lan Biyu's eyes grew cold "I am not in the running for the top, this is from a human." The python gave her bruises a revolted look, she knew it wasn't aimed at her but at the one who caused her harm. His words were sibilating and vicious. "Cultivators! Disssssgusssting beingss! To think they would lay their handsss on a young hatching." He flashes a set of large fangs, the hissing made the pond ripple from its echo alone. "Is this cultivator sssstill alive??" She also looks at her wounds not hiding anything from him she answers truthfully.
"They are, but currently they are untouchable for they are my master's ally." The python sent her a glance full of ridicule "Ally???" His mouth opens and he gave a strange sound that resembled a twisted chuckle that did not sound quite right with his current form. "A serpent of the Silver clan caring about alliances? Your clan has grown sssoft since the last decade." Lan Biyu's words in return were alienating, her eyes sharp and seemingly discontent. "Their rules do not apply to me anymore."
The python gives her a longer look over before wrapping around her shoulders and whispering in her ear as if to tempt her. "Isssss that so? Then perhaps you would care to join my league~ As the Lady of Lord Rasssska, you would be revered and feared throughout the landsss~" Lan Biyu's lip quirks up into a humorless smile. "As kind and tempting as your offer is, I will have to decline Lord Raska. Having you as a mate will bring more trouble than it is worth." The red python flicks his tongue against her lips staring into her clear eyes for a long time before finally backing away from her fetching face. "Pity."
One could distinctly hear his honest disappointment because of her rejection, the hatchling before him would be a real beauty when she grew up. He felt it a shame for her to be amongst humans and not her own kind who would know how to treasure such a lovely hatchling. Flicking out his tongue once more after staring at her for a lengthy time. The python loosens his grip on her body sliding back into the water. "Shall you change your mind, there will alwaysss be an open position by my ssside." He glances at her wounds and seemed to frown.
"And this, allow this one to help you avenge and grant you a well-fitting gift for your grievances." She didn't bother talking him out of it, Lan Biyu saw the intimidating snake off. The elders never listen to anyone's opinions but their own anyways, she would only waste words. Looking up at the position of the moon she realized she wouldn't have time to treat her bruises anymore. Picking up her things leisurely, she changes clothes taking her wet clothes in hand, and began walking back.
The words from Raska still rang in her ears '-One would think you have been abandoned' Her gaze could chill lava as his statement continued rolling over and over again in her heart and mind. Abandoned? Only the weak are abandoned. Her lips were thin and her eyes steel up recalling a fleeting face of a handsome smiling boy with silver eyes. Only the weak die. Walking slowly she came back to see something unexpected. Da Chuanli with a dark look stood waiting for her just outside of the clearing blocking her path. Although she was still furious at him the cold lake water had calmed down her fury a bit.
The encounter with Raska had also sobered her up and gave her something else to distract herself with. She knew that snake clans exist outside of the An Xing realm, but it was her first time encountering one since leaving that place. After their previous little splat, Lan Biyu merely gives him a nod before moving to walk around him. A feather-like touch lingers over her hand but with an unexpected amount of strength in that single touch. Lan Biyu was shockingly spun around by the not-so-good-looking Da Chuanli. Her sleeves and bandages were ripped by an invisible force revealing the full extent of her injuries making her speechless.
While in a state of astonishment, she missed Da Chuanli's warm exterior growing cold like winter's night. His hands shook "Elder Shang did this?" His voice was dangerously low, for some reason even Lan Biyu was somewhat afraid to answer him at the time. Unlike others when they openly show how furious they were. Da Chuanli's expression was empty while the look in his eyes become inanimate as if the life in them had been drained leaving all but surface-level calm and fury.
It was like looking into the face of the devil when you've angered him greatly, yet he could still laugh and ask you to play another game with him. She opens her mouth and pauses, then thinking better she seals it shut and only gave him a blank stare in response. "You're hurting me." As if being burned Da Chuanli releases her hands quickly and snaps out of his strange phase. But his aura was most definitely more gloomy than it already was before.
Finding his weird stare uncomfortable she looks away awkwardly rubbing her exposed arms. Hiding a wince she stops rubbing and settles for lightly covering herself. Seeing this Da Chuanli shook his head and took off his outer layer to wrap around her. Knowing she would only look more pathetic for trying to act strong currently. Lan Biyu purses her lips letting him get away with this action pulling his outer robe around her shoulders to further hide her bruises. "Does senior Ling have something to say? If not this junior sister would like to get-"
"I'm sorry." The apology came out fast, causing her head to snap up at him abruptly with astonishment. She couldn't see his face since he turned and left the way she came. Lan Biyu could only watch as for the first time Da Chuanli is the one to walk away first. It was unlike him. Watching for a moment Lan Biyu also left, they didn't chase after each other, they do not do anything to comfort the other.
What words could be said between two people who have equally large amounts of pride? To Da Chuanli harvesting Moonlight Teardrops was easier than sorry. To Lan Biyu accepting an apology from the person she despised was admitting defeat. So in the end they could only turn away from the other without another word passed on in the darkness of the night.