As the day of Lu Ye's test arrived, he found himself standing on the training field where he had to train his martial arts skills. Before him stood Damu Lan. The memory of their last encounter is still fresh in their minds. Although days had passed since they had last met, neither of them had spoken of the incident, causing their unspoken tension hanging in the air between them.
Lu Ye took a deep breath, steeling himself for the trial ahead, and tried to cast aside his lingering doubts and distractions.
"Did you find out what your spirit animal is?" Asked Damu Lan.
"I've been training my physical body and accumulating qi so I've yet to know," Lu Ye replied.
Damu Lan's unbothered gaze remained fixed on the book he held, before he finally turned his head to Lu Ye. "Follow me," he said, with a calm and measured tone.
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After walking a considerable distance from the training field, Lu Ye and Damu Lan arrived at the shore of a tranquil lake. The atmosphere was serene and calm, and the clear water glistened in the sunlight. Although a transparent mist hung in the air, it did little to obscure the beauty of their surroundings. The lake was encircled by a variety of flowers, and teemed with life, with fish and frogs making their home amongst the reeds and lily pads.
"What are we going to do here?" Asked Lu Ye, his eyes wide with wonder as he took in the breathtaking scenery that surrounded him.
"We will find out what your spiritual animal is here. If your spiritual animal is a being that requires a habitat that involves water, this place will serve us well." Damu Lan responded.
With a sudden fluidity of movement, Damu Lan began to make gestures and motions that caused his form to contort. Within moments, he had transformed into the same deep-bright pink-furred fox that had once chased Lu Ye at the Eternal Forest.
"As you can see," said Damu Lan, his voice remained unchanged, "my spirit animal is a fox. But I have customized its fur to my liking." He tilted his head, regarding Lu Ye with his serious, sharp crimson-yellow colored eyes. "Do you understand how to do it?"
Lu Ye felt a knot form in his stomach as he wondered if he was capable of transforming into his spirit animal. Tentatively, he mimicked the same gestures that Damu Lan had demonstrated.
Unlike his master, however, a thick fog enveloped Lu Ye's figure, shrouding him from view. The next moment, the fog dissipated, revealing Lu Ye in his new form.
Damu Lan was astonished as he beheld Lu Ye's transformation. Before him stood a sleek, medium-sized black raven with striking red eyes, flapping its wings gracefully.
Lu Ye, in his raven form, flapped his wings and flew towards Damu Lan, resting on his shoulder. "What do you think, master?" Lu Ye asked, his chest swelling with pride at having successfully mastered the technique.
But Damu Lan remained silent, his expression unreadable to Lu Ye. Curious, Lu Ye asked again, "Master?"
Only after a beat did Damu Lan's eyes shift to meet Lu Ye's. "You may change back now that I know what your spirit animal is," he said in a measured tone.
Lu Ye hesitated, reluctant to leave the comfortable form of the raven. Nonetheless, he closed his eyes and concentrated on reversing the transformation. In a swirl of mist, his raven form disappeared, and he stood before Damu Lan once again in his human form.
"Now that you know, what does it mean, master?" Lu Ye pressed, his curiosity piqued.
Damu Lan was taken aback, urging him to ask "Do you know the elemental affinity of my sword?"
Lu Ye shook his head. Leaving Damu Lan dumbfounded. Normally, anyone who wished to be his disciple would have made it known, but Lu Ye seemed unaware. Damu Lan decided not to press on the matter, so he decided to explain to Lu Ye instead.
"As you can see, I possess spiritual beings—one that exists in the minds of mortals and one that has passed on," Damu Lan explained before unsheathing his sword, TianXiang, and gathering his qi onto it. A purplish flame with no heat was formed on the blade. "Noble of the Amethyst Bird, shall answer to my call," he commanded. In response, a large purplish bird in the form of a phoenix, with unheated flames, materialized before them. Lu Ye was in awe, and the bird's piercing screech almost deafened him. It seemed like an illusion, yet it was as real as the blade in Damu Lan's hand.
The image of the phoenix scattered into the air, leaving behind a lingering aura of power.
Without warning, Damu Lan strode towards Lu Ye, his swords drawn and ready for battle. Lu Ye's heart raced with anticipation as he realized that his solo training had honed his reflexes to an impressive level. He quickly unsheathed his sword just in time, meeting Damu Lan's blade with a resounding clang as they engaged in a fierce duel. It was a great timing to try on the sword Jin An had gifted Lu Ye for his practice.
Lu Ye's heart raced as he called out to his Damu Lan, "Master?!" Sweat dripped down his forehead as he tried to anticipate Damu Lan's next move. But to his dismay, Damu Lan remained silent and continued his relentless attack. With agility and quick reflexes, Lu Ye managed to evade all of Damu Lan's strikes, but he let his guard down for just a moment, and Damu Lan seized the opportunity to strike the back of his neck with the flat of his blade. Lu Ye stumbled, feeling the cold metal against his skin, before falling hard onto the ground.
Gasping for breath, Lu Ye struggled to get back on his feet, but the pain in his neck was too great. He looked up at Damu Lan, his eyes filled with a mixture of fear and admiration for the formidable master standing before him.
"Listen well, even those closest to you can turn their back when you least expect it. Keep your eyes open and never let your guard down, even for a moment, no matter how much you trust someone."
Damu Lan's words lingered in the air, their weight fell heavy on Lu Ye's mind, causing him to ponder on the fragility of trust. As he looked up at Damu Lan, Lu Ye saw a different side to his usually stoic master. The seriousness in his voice and the intensity in his gaze left an indelible impression on Lu Ye.
"Be reminded that martial art is not just about mastering physical techniques, but also about developing the mental fortitude to endure any hardships that come your way."
After a moment of silence, Damu Lan's expression softened, "That is your first lesson of many," he repeated, "Do you remember it well?" His voice was firm but not unkind. He waited for Lu Ye's response, knowing the importance of ingraining the lesson into his student's mind.
"Yes, master..." said Lu Ye.
With those words, Damu Lan gracefully sheathed his sword and resumed his stance, his eyes fixed on Lu Ye.
"There isn't significant meaninfg as to why I must know your spiritua animal. I just wanted to know before training you properly," he said in a deep and solemn voice. "But, let me tell you, as a raven, you cannot command creatures of the same species. So after you have fully mastered the physical, mental and sword practice, I will suggest what creature you can call upon to aid you, understand?"
Lu Ye nodded to his master in understanding as Damu Lan turned to leave, leaving Lu Ye behind contemplating his words. As he watched his master's retreating figure, a sudden wave of unease washed over him, causing him feeling unsettled and unsure. Yet, he refused to let these doubts get the better of him, resolving instead to put his best effort and become the worthy student of Damu Lan.
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As the moon replaced the sun in the sky, darkness descended upon the world. Jin An was immersed in his thoughts when a sudden knock on the door startled him. He quickly got up and went to answer it. To his surprise, he found Damu Lan standing at the entrance, looking concerned and uncertain.
Jin An was taken aback, it was unlike Damu Lan to visit him unannounced, especially at this hour. His heart was filled with a strange mix of emotions, but he managed to compose himself and invite that friend of his in.
"What brings you here at this hour?" Jin An probed as he brought a cup of tea for Damu Lan.
Damu Lan gave no response for a moment. Finally, he spoke up, taking a sip of his tea. "What if," Damu Lan began, his voice conspiratorial, "by any chance, Bai Chang—Mo Yun were to be revived, how would you feel?"
Jin An's eyes widened in surprise, then he scoffed, a hint of disbelief coloring his voice as he retorted, "What should I do, you ask? Let's be real here. Even if by coincidence, it's downright impossible. It's clear that nobody has managed to find his head. The chances are slim to none. And even if he did, who's to say someone like him could defy the centuries and come back to life?"
Damu Lan's eyes widened in shock at Jin An's words. Damu Lan's expression was troubled, and he remained silent, lost in thought.
"You... wouldn't like it if he were to be?"
Jin An's lips curved into a faint smile as he responded with a chuckle, "I doubt anyone would be thrilled about it, Damu Lan."
Damu Lan rose from his chair, ready to leave as he spoke, "If you say so. Apologies for interrupting your peaceful night."
"No worries. Feel free to come here any time of day and night! This door is more than ready to welcome you." Jin An said playfully.
Moments before Damu Lan was about to take his leave, he paused near the doorway, "it's been thousands of years..."
"I've never ad the chance to say it to you, Jin An," Damu Lan turned his head slightly to the side, his words caught in a short breath momentarily, sparking Jin An's curiosity."
"About what happened to the core of your meridian... I'm sorry."
With those words, Damu Lan left.
Jin An remained standing stiffly there, absorbing Damu Lan's words.
"Ha ha! You really never fail to surprise me."
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