The portal opened to a distant place, where Wenli feels the modern vibes, but all she could see was trees and woods that was covered with purple fogs, showing the power color of her master.
"Where...?"
"Yun'er," Wu Jian called and she subconsciously looked at her. The fog was a thick one, but that wouldn't mean, they couldn't see the faces of the master and disciple. "You mean me?" She asked pointing at herself.
"Of course! Who is here if not for you and I?"
" But my name's..."
"Zhao Wenli!! I'm already aware of that. You'll answer by my name from now on." Zhao Wenli only nodded. She's her master and not the other way round. She concluded with her thoughts. "Where are we?" She asked still surprised that everything was clear yet, blurry at the same time.
"Whatever your thoughts is"
Zhao Wenli had no time to think about this or that, she just wants to get things over with and travel back to her world.
"You're a lady without any spiritual energy. Can you keep up?" Was what interrupted her thoughts. Wenli had no clue of what she was saying, but she asked "how can I get mine?" Wu Jian waved her hands to shot her up from whatever she wanted to say. "That'll take decades for you to earn one. I'll just pass you half of mine"
"Half? Doesn't that mean...?" She was interrupted by a strong slap at her back. Before she could complain or voice out her wails, she received another heavy slap, but this time, it was powerful and she felt strange, urgely strange. "Master! This hurts. Can you stop, please..."
"Shut up!!! You're distracting me!! Close your eyes, it's less painful if you close your eyes" she advised.
Zhao Wenli did as she was told, with eyes closed and palms clutched into a fist endure whatever power that surged in her.
Two hours was like 20 years for her. When she was released, she immediately let her tears flow. "Don't let me see your tears!!!" Wu Jian ordered with a shout.
Wenli looked at her and instantly felt pity. She knows what she did for her, half of her powers will eventually mean that she's weaker than her, if she practices hard.
"No need to pity me, that's what I hate in all my years of living."
How old is she to talk like an ancestor. What on... "I wasn't pitying you, I was just... Umm.., well, whatever, as long as I'm not pitying you" sfe muttered short of words.
"Hmmm..." Wu Jian hummed then, walking towards her. "Do you know every cultivator has their spirit animal?"
"Like?..." She asked. Honestly thinking, she understood but how to explain was tougher than she thought since seeing it in movies is different from reality.
"Yes, like that" she understood perfectly. That made Wenli really have doubts about her master's real identity, well, that's that job of a psychologist no need for any awards or trophies.
"Does that mean, I'll have your spirit animal?" She asked enthusiasticaly
"Well, because, your half power is running within me "
"That is to help you cultivate. It has nothing to do with spirit animals. And besides, when you master it to a certain level, yours will eventually emerge. Just think of it as having two golden cores, flowing inside you, and if you can't control it, you'll die from it "
"What if one is removed, since two can't be in the same body?" She asked concerned.
"It's just like asking for a clear suicide "
"Then,... Is there a way to live with the two cores?"
"Only making the two one, is the only way you can survive "
"Has anyone attempted it?" Wenli was beginning to be lazy but seeing her master's serious looks made her realize that it won't be as easy as it seems.
"Of course, she called the purple Phoenix but nobody has ever seen her after that. It's rumoured that she disappeared from the surface. She has about six merged cores surging inside of her. That's enough to make her an immortal " Wu Jian explained.
"Is she that powerful?*
"I only heard not seen"
"Then, how are you sure they are all true?" Zhao Wenli asked not doubting but fear. She have to meet this great purple Phoenix or else, she's dead in her two worlds.
"Only heard not seen" she repeated.now turning to a tree, going there to stand away from Wenli. "I'm sure you know how to meditate? Remember, let your spiritual energy merge like you're having a nice conversation with the person you miss the more... And note, you're not leaving here, until you get it right"
Wenli scoffed quietly wondering how she was going to find out when she slacks off. Not like there's any surveillance cameras here in the ancient days.
Wu Jian opened the portal, and off she's out of the place, leaving only Wenli inside all alone.
"Where's Li-jie?" Hualia asked after looking around to see Wenli's master come out from the bed, not seeing anyone except her.
Wu Jian ignored her. She just didn't see the reason why such an insolence should question her without her permission.
___
Wenli tried for some time before getting bored and angry. She felt hungry but not to the point of her to start looking at things she sees as food.
She tried and tried and tried but all to no avail. She stood up and paced around trying to at least find a way out to nourish herself, before continuing her consulting, but she found no way out of the place she was in, nor out of the condition she was in.
It's not like she knows when I've already called it out? I'll just yell and tell her, that I've summoned my spirit animal then, she will open the portal and I'll sneak out... Her thoughts was interrupted when she looked at the direction her master went out from, she saw a very dark halo, facing her as if warning her of what she was going to say, would prolong her stay here.
"Oh! That was scary" Wenli thought out loud.
She paced the place, now feeling creeps running through her, she knew, she would be up for something hideous if her master Wu, finally runs out of patience.
She tried for a thousand times but to no avail. She sat to concentrate to listen carefully what Master Wu said about summoning your spirit animal. She thought for a while before remembering what she said
"Remember, let your spiritual energy merge as if you're having a nice conversation with the person you miss the most" those words rang through her ears like a jungle bell.
How was she going to do it? She misses her modern day family, but isn't sure if the animal in her, will know what a modern world is. Her family in this life, she would lie if she said she misses them. Her maid is here with her, what could she probably miss the most that she wants to have a nice conversation with? She thought for a long time before light heat her head.
She can talk about something out of the room. She doesn't understand what she meant by, merge like you're having a nice conversation with the person you miss the most, but she knows that she'll talk about the person that she wants to avoid the most.
Suddenly, the portal opened, and Wenli came, no longer hungry.
"Master I made it" she said to her master. Wu Jian just smiled at her.
How did you know when I learnt it?" Wenli curiously asked as she suddenly saw the door open.
Wu Jian shook her head, "I didn't open the portal, you opened it"
Wenli was confused " I did? But... How?" She asked curious.
"You've unlocked spirit animal, right?"
Wenli understood at a glance and modded in agreement.
"Li- jie how have you been?"
"How long have I been in there?" Wenli asked having pity on the lonely girl who might have received it hot from her master.
"It's been three days"
"What?!!! Three days?!!!" Wenli was shocked. What felt like a day was three days? "Li-jie, let me make you something to eat " she rushed out without being told.
Wu Jian observed her disciple without saying anything. She was still in thought, when Wenli tapped her.
"Master, you okay?"
Wu Jian gasped as if she was being electrocuted. "Don't touch me, unless I told you so" sfe said, voice a bit hoarsed. Wenli nodded. To her, her master, is a way of escaping death and being powerful. And sooner or later, she's going to lure her master into leading or telling her where the legendary purple Phoenix is. For nothing is more important than making sure her life is in tact.
"Let me see..." She said.
She wanted to summon her by seating but she was stopped. "Just call her by the name you've given her" Wenli gave her a worried look.
"You didn't name her didn't you?" She gave a more awkward look , the look of "I wasn't told to, my bad"
"Just channel it like you did be sure to name this time" Wenli tool cautions. Closing her eyes like she did and a blue colored Phoenix appeared flying behind her, spreading her blue flamed wings the whole body on fire.
Wu Jian's jaw dropped as she has never seen that kind. It was there, that she confirmed that there was really something about her disciple Wenli. For channeling such power , would mean another....