Within a courtyard, a young boy and girl could be seen sparring diligently, correcting their posture with each move they make. Nearby was another young man positioned in a horse stance, holding two dumbbells, one in both hands. One could clearly see this young man was pouring sweat all over his body under the high noon sky.
"How long are you going to punish Bu Keng for?" asked Kiu Thao sitting besides Silver,
"His punishment was already finished when the sun reached the highest," smiled Silver sipping a cup of warm tea. He truly admire Bu Keng's perseverance.
"Let's not bother about it, we'll use this as an early morning training regime for him."
"En. Has my father given you any tasks so far? It's been two days since you've been here."
"I've spoken to him yesterday while you were out, but he's waiting for my official status as an alchemist before he proceeds."
"Sounds like something he would do but I'm curious as to why you're hiding your true cultivation?"
"It's better to stay cautious and under the radar. Why not become a wolf wearing sheep's clothing? You can change the tides of battle in the blink of an eye by letting them underestimate your strength."
"Hmm, such profound words. I truly admire your wisdom, Silver. Bu Keng, Yong Dango, Yong Satay and I won't speak a word."
"I trust that you won't."
"Thank you. What of my training too?"
"We'll start tomorrow for you. Do you know well hidden and open area nearby?"
"Yes! It's within the Crescent Forest, a little past the Dragon Gate Lake. I can show you after their training," nodded Kiu Thao.
"Training is finished!" exclaimed Silver as he got off his chair.
"Let's get ready then."
**Thud
Bu Keng fell dumbly onto his back due to relaxing his shoulders too fast as the one ton dumbbell shifted his balance. His face could only turn beet red from embarrassment as he stood up and brushed the dirt and grass stuck on him. Both Yong Satay and Dango held back their laughter in their throats, breathing heavily as they stood in a straight posture awaiting for the next task.
"Go wash up and get ready," commanded Kiu Thao chuckling lightly at Bu Keng's mishap.
An hour later, everyone had washed up and change into new robes, finally setting off to Crescent Forest. They travelled down the trail towards, past Dragon Gate Lake and entered into the Crescent Forest. As time went on, walking uphill, through winding unmarked trails, and small mountains, they finally stopped as they walked into an enormous field. Surrounding this field were giant oak trees growing as tall as 20 meters high.
"This field is well hidden. It's impossible to find such a nice area like this with such tall and thick trees hiding it. This would be a good area to live in," informed Silver as he glanced around the field as the sun shone through the open spaces between the green and purple leaves of the giant oak trees.
After some thoughts, Silver used his divine sense to spread throughout Crescent Forest to ensure there were no underlying issues. From what he could see, there really wasn't much around in range of 100 kilometers. Any further would be some beast king territories, but to him, there were just super ants that need extra strength when stomping them.
"Everyone, come here early in the morning for your training," announced Silver as he stared at the four with a serious expression.
"I will go through all the training regime with all four of you but Kiu Thao will have his own individual training. No one can intrude until he is done his training. I'll be only training you and giving pointers, but don't expect me to be lenient either."
"Ah, yes," replied Kiu Thao, feeling a bit surprised. Although he was confused about why he had to train by himself but he trusted Silver to make the right judgements.
The other three nodded in unison, after all, their master had requested Silver to train them ever since that day. They all shuddered at the mere thought of sinking into a sea of killing intent once more.
"I must inform my father I will be training with you, including these threes," informed Kiu Thao.
"I will return before the sun sets."
"Do what you need to do. I have no problems," replied Silver.
"Thank you, Silver," all four thanked in unison, smiling brightly. They were happy to have met Silver. Ever since they met him, they learned all sorts of new ways to train and improve themselves. With such an expert guiding them, it granted new possibilities for the newer generation of their Kiu Clan. Hopefully, in the near future, they could rise in prominence.
Once they said their goodbyes, the four went back down the trail they came from, heading towards their Kiu Clan. After they left, Silver began his preparation to form the arrays in various areas. Browsing through his spatial ring, millions of items mentally appeared before him. He carefully inspected each individual pieces he could use for his multi-formations.
'I should try to implement the first portion before they come back' thought Silver, tapping his chin. It was hard deciding on the foundations he deemed necessary. At best, he'll create the outer formations at the 100 kilometer mark and work from there.
The next day.
Kiu Thao stood still as sweat slid down his back, drenching his loose white shirt. The only sound that could be heard was his heart beating anxiously and haggard breathing. After his finishing his first training regime, he could only feel like a deer in the headlights with Silver's question. It was nearly impossible to tell unless someone knew. Even those in the Kiu Clan had been hushed as if it were a disgraceful act.
But this seemingly young man found out with little to no hints.
"How?" questioned Kiu Thao as he stood under the sun in an empty field, isolated from the others.
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"When did you find out?"
"The moment I met you. Although you're clever and self-aware, a cultivator at a higher realm could instantly see through your simple facade. That skill you've cultivated can fool and block most divine senses, but my sense is quite unique, so finding out is really a child's game," answered Silver in calm and collected tone. He was unbiased to the way Kiu Thao lived their life. Why bother with another life when you have your own life to live.
"This is why I wanted to speak to you alone. If I said it in front of the other three, they may go hostile and attack me. Of course, that would cause a small matter into an unwanted situation."
"They would. They've already been trained to kill anyone who finds out and may use that information to control me. My father had been very strict on the information pertaining to me, silencing hundreds of people."
"Like I've said before, your clan is rather strict but that's not something I should worry about."
"Yes, my father wanted a successor but instead I was born. As I got older, he noticed that my features were different, like a curse. Luckily, both my parents had enough senses to read the ancestry of both families, finding out it was a normal thing that happens every other generation of my mother's Bing Clan."
"A young, androgynous woman, dressed as a man that pursues females are quite common. I have no problems of who you are. A sworn brother will always be a sworn brother, no matter what and who they are."
"Thank you, Sir Silver," sniffled Kiu Thao, tears sliding down from the corner of her eyes.
For so many years since she was born, she always felt different and unattracted to the opposite sex. Although her childhood friends knew, some left due to obvious reasons. Growing up, only Long Chaoxing and her family accepted her of who she is, including the trio who has served her since birth.
She would be harrassed constantly by many men, even women, telling her it's not someone of a noble clan should do. Evenso, her father still doted on her. However, he was the patriarch of their Kiu Clan, so he had to stay impartial to minor issues due to the clan's rules.
When she introduced Silver, her father berated her for doing something irresponsible. As a father, who wouldn't believe a random passerby they met out of the middle of nowhere could be trusted so easily. They could have bad intentions for their clan in secret, plotting to overthrow their Kiu Clan.
However Kiu Thao stayed firm in her decision as her intuition were always correct. She was sure Silver was a person worth befriending and possibly, a blessing for the clan. Her father couldn't deny her intuition as her mother and her Bing Clan were born with keen intuition. Due to their strong perception, they had always befriended and marry whoever they wanted without fear. It was quite rare for their Bing Clan to be wrong, but they always tackle the problem from the root. Their clan were considered a fortunate clan, with strong and desirable bloodlines despite how small they were.
Because of their connection through marriage and friends, they scared off many clans or individuals who had bad designs for them. Who dare to offend someone who had a powerful background?
Legend has it that her mother's Bing Clan were descendants of a divine being called, Fenghuang. This legend were told down hundreds of generations as many of the females in the Bing Clan produced an androgynous child every other generation. Kiu Thao was one of those who was born androgynous.
"En, let's focus on the true matter here. Your body, due to your bloodline, has a mixture of both yin and yang," informed Silver, squinting his eyes into Kiu Thao internal structure.
"It's quite interesting. I know of another person of dual constitution of fire and ice but yours is a lesser version of a person with a true Yin Yang constitution."
"Yin Yang constitution? What is that and why is mine a lesser form?"
"True Yin Yang constitutions are very . . . infuriating. In the day they become male and during the night, female. They're really apathetic, a face that can be discerned as either male or female, depending if the sun or moon is out, just some slight . . . physical changes. Luckily, you do not have that problem. If you did, I'm sure you'll be stuck in your home forever, unable to leave. At worst, you'll probably be kidnapped and experimented on. The only way to lose that constitution is to give up your chastity, during either Yin or Yang mode but the downside, you'll be stuck in that gender forever."
"Which mode do they choose?"
"It varies so I cannot give you a solid answer."
"How do you know of this?"
"My master told me of it before. He has great knowledge as he traversed through all the nine continents."
"I wish I could have a great and powerful master like that . . ."
"It's fine, he's no longer with me."
"Oh . . ."
"Those of the lesser Yin Yang constitution just become androgynous, either looking female with male parts or male with female parts. Many born with True Yin Yang Constitution would truly be jealous of you, as you can understand based on the information I have given you. However both True and Lessers can learn any art, skills or techniques of either yin and yang energy. I would prefer you to master them one at a time, ensuring that your foundation is solid. Your Kiu Clan has a very neutral art, which anyone can learn. This includes your Bing Clan, which is quite rare. Not every clan would have a neutral and informative cultivation manuals. Most would be incomplete or kept in utmost secrecy."
"What will I learn then, if not the Kiu or Bing Clan manuals?"
"I'll write it down based on your answer. Now the main question is, would you restart your cultivation over?"
Kiu Thao stood there pondering over the matter. Silver had given her servants the ultimatum to start over or continue their cultivation path with his pointers. All three chose to start over as they trusted Silver's words. So, in return, he wrote three different cultivation manuals on the spot.
Once he finished, he gave the manuals in a specific order as each were specifically catered to them. All they had to do was memorize their manual and destroy it before him. This ensured no one but themselves had these types of unique style. Of course, they were allowed to pass it down to future disciples or children as he added a simplified version that could be cultivated by anyone.
They felt indebted to Silver, treating him like a half-master, as they went their ways to comprehend and cultivate their new manual. In their hearts, Silver was on top of a high pedestal that was above the heavens.
"Alright, I will start over just like the other three," replied Kiu Thao after thoroughly making his decision. She wanted to be strong and unique in her own way, a chance like this will never come again. It's better to seize the chance the moment it arrives or you'll be living a lifetime of regrets.
"Let's begin," nodded Silver sending the information by tapping Kiu Thao forehead with his index finger. Afterwards, Kiu Thao kowtowed three times after obtaining new information.
"Alright, I must head to the Alchemy Division," informed Silver exhaling a heavy breath. It was time to pick up his badge and become a full-fledged alchemist.
"Make sure you train well. Do not worry if I do not come back. I have other things that I have to do while in the city too."
"En. I'll inform the rest," smiled Kiu Thao feeling elated. For her, Silver was a godsend, someone worth more than her life. She would protect, defend and fight alongside him, disregarding her own just to repay him.
Even Bu Keng, Yong Satay and Dango felt exactly the same as her.
Silver exited the secret field, traveling out of the Crescent Forest and down the winding path into Blue Dream City. But, before he got to the path towards Blue Dream City, Silver sensed two foreign individuals following him. Based on his keen senses, these two individuals had no bad intentions but he felt slightly annoyed.
In the end, Silver pretended to not notice as he entered the busy streets of Blue Dream City. Upon stepping onto the street, the feeling of being followed, disappeared into thin air.
Silver felt surprised, he was a powerful Sovereign Realm cultivator but he couldn't see the appearance of the two stalkers nor track them. At best, they weren't harming him in anyway nor showed any ill intent so he threw the thoughts into the back of his mind as he reached the Gold Spring Merchant Association building.
"You think he caught us?" asked mysterious stalker one.
"I'm sure he didn't, or he would of turned around and looked at our direction," replied mysterious stalker two.
"What if he's just playing dumb?" added mysterious stalker one.
"If so, then that'll be fine as well. We'll lay low. Let's return to the restaurant quickly or my daughter will give us an earful for not doing our part," responded mysterious stalker two.
"Better her than your wife."
" . . ."