“Should I still go see her?” Manstein asked himself.
Even with the additional memories that came from Ye Guhan, he would still not believe it blindly.
In the memories, there were explanations about the two faction inside Zhao Royal Family, a normal internal strife if one looked casually.
But Manstein knew that there was more reason for some of them to act like that. There was a case of indirect clash between Zhao Youran and one of the retainers and from that clash, some thing come to light.
“But maybe I can't do it for now. I mean just look at me, weak like an ant. Sometimes, fist fare better than mouth and pen.” With that, Manstein decided to not visit someone for a time being and continued to walk around the city with his foster father.
And for Han Lang, Yi Xiaodie and Kexin, they would return to the clinic and recuperate there.
“Congratulations for Young Miss for passing through the first day of the treatment.” Said Kexin happily.
“This is nothing. There's more than a week time for me to do this regularly. I hope that you will accompany me in those days too.” Yi Xiaodie said before she sighed in relief.
“True. But right now your priority is to rest your body. Looks like the additional herbs you had chosen bring significant effect on your health and cultivation.” Said Han Lang while he helped her. As a doctor, he felt happy when a person recovered by his treatment.
“Please return back. I am also happy for Young Miss Yi for her recovery but this have to be done several more times, right? So we can't bear to see you standing here in the open for long.” Ye Guhan advice as he showed his happiness.
“Right.” All of them nodded and walked to the city.
But Manstein walked slower due to the fact that he still evaluated his training inside that training ground.
‘If I released my full power, which consisted of me using both
Even after he struggled hard for half a day, he barely defeated the doll by pure coincident and luck. Manstein wanted to win against the doll by a large margin the next time he tried it so he had his own agenda.
“For someone at your level, it is a great achievement in itself. Why are you bothering to defeat that doll so much?” asked Alice from his consciousness.
“My current strength is in the lowest stratum of power, there's no mistake about it. Other than cultivating, there are also techniques and arts for me to learn and to make me stronger. If I can't raise my cultivation in a short period of time then I need other sources to increase my battle prowess no?” Manstein had thought about it thoroughly and he decided to increase his power mainly on techniques, arts and weapons.
It was because his real problem would be to advance inter stage and between stage. It needed resources and in the world where resources were scarce, the competition to get it became more apparent and fierce.
Only by learning techniques and arts were the best solution for increasing his battle prowess other than obtaining a good weapon.
“Right.” Alice agreed on that fact. Cultivation is important but so the techniques and arts involved other than the weapon.
“But it takes time and efforts to learn some techniques.” Said Alice before she continued in a stern voice, “Do you really want to do it?”
“This is my main methods. If one day I am forced into a corner, I will probably use everything even those techniques and arts from Allway sect to get what I desire.” Manstein replied but his eyes showed his decisiveness.
Manstein had remembered those forbidden arts and techniques from Allway sect for the emergency purpose. Like that one time when he absorbed the energy directly from Nightstalker King's Golden Core, he actually used a technique that allowed him to do that.
But his main worry lied in this Xuan City alone. Maybe that was a bias but kindness is not something that one can easily find, much less to develop it in this world where dog eats dog. Wishful thinking as it was, Manstein had high hope that he could bring this place to a relative suitable and safe place.
As Manstein lost in thought while he walked, he felt something wanted to get in contact with his body. Therefore, he reacted instantly by raising his hands and attempted to grab anything that came.
Unexpectedly when he looked closely, it was actually another hand that came from behind. Manstein grabbed it tight the instant he found its position but what he did not expect was the owner of that hand!
“...did you hear me?” asked Ye Guhan. Their eyes locked into each other but Manstein looked like threatened.
“What? Sorry..” unable to reply properly, Manstein did not raise his head.
“What are you thinking about that make you dazed?” curious, Ye Guhan asked.
“Perhaps about learning some techniques and arts?” Manstein replied. But he did not sure about it either because there was one thought that kept haunting him.
He took a glance at a corner of the street where a cat brought its prey on its mouth. Its prey was actually a chick.
Then he remembered that one aspect of life once again.
‘Once a mortal, remains a mortal. Their deaths are uncertain as blurry as their past and no one even know their time of death.’
Eventually, no living beings even know their time of death. Manstein started to realize why there were some people that live their life to the fullest.
‘To leave something in this world, to leave their marks in history. That is the first attempt to immortality.’
“If you want to learn some, then how can you not ask me for a pointer?” Ye Guhan smiled before he opened his mouth again, “We can talk it together with her, right. There's nothing to lose.”
“He is right. Even though I have many knowledge about techniques and ancient arts but the world keeps evolving and the people are changing.” Alice gave her piece of mind too.
“Then I will not be polite.” Manstein then nodded but his brows suddenly raised as he remembered something to said.
“Father.” Manstein said, “we should make the safety of the city priority. This is for their return and also for those leaders of their organizations.”
“Do you mean that they will return soon?” Ye Guhan understood what that mean. It was just he did not expect the time to be so short so he was caught off guard.
“Yes. They will return with a new friend of her.” Manstein answered calmly.
“But I don't know what short of experience they have when we are seperated so this can be considered as a special course.” Manstein did not want to tell about them being inside spatial crack as it was really dangerous.
“Alright. But before that....why don't we return to the residence first. Look at your clothes.” Ye Guhan's words reminded Manstein of something.
“Crap! I forgot the condition of my clothes.” Manstein now saw that his clothes were tattered and finally remembered he had to change his clothes.
-
“Hmm, I think that Sister Yue truly beautiful. Why Cousin is always on guard?” Ye Yingyuan asked.
‘Beautiful? Sure with her special tail and ears, she has her own charm. But Cousin, you should consider her background and her reason for suddenly appear here.’ Ye Xiaobai wanted to reprimand his cousin but he thought that it would be better if his cousin experienced it himself.
Right now, Ye Yingyuan and Ye Xiaobai walked side by side while Yue walked slightly slower at their back.
“You should prepare for the worst.” Said Ye Xiaobai to Ye Yingyuan before he continued, “Besides, why did you have a mark that is different from your injury?”
Ye Xiaobai noticed that among the injury Ye Yingyuan had, there were some of it that did not come from the collision of his sword so he asked.
“Ah, this is probably produced when Li Ling pinched me back. It's painful!” Ye Yingyuan said so while touching his cheek.
“Really? No wonder Aunt is looking toward you two positively but also support you. So when will you two become a couple?” Ye Xiaobai said while laughing.
This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.
“What does that mean!? I only treat her as my friend for your information.” Ye Yingyuan denied it immediately.
“Hahaha, really Cousin. A ‘friend’ sleeping in the same room and act intimately often? Only someone at your age will believe that you two are a friend.” Ye Xiaobai looked at Ye Yingyuan in doubt while his smile only grew.
Behind them, Yue could hear what they were saying and her ears twitched before she also giggled.
“Please believe me!” Ye Yingyuan’s face turned red due to the anger and embarrassment.
Then they arrived at the large chamber where the queen was sitting at her throne, looking at the entire nest with meticulous care.
They were still inside Yellow Bee Nest and they almost arrive at their home. In the large and spacious chamber, the group of three could also see other figures.
But Ye Xiaobai could not focus at all because his thought was wandering around the thing that resided on his left arm. From a distant, it looked like a gauntlet but he knew that it was the form his bow had taken.
‘This is convenient. When I need it, the weapon will unfold itself and I can use it immediately. Add the fact that I can store five arrows in its chamber, making it an emergency shot in a critical moment.’
His bow was slightly different from any bows that he had ever seen. Not only it could be folded to be like a gauntlet but it also could shoot some of its arrows automatically. Right now, he put his bow on his hand with care.
While he still lost in thought, Ye Yingyuan could discern some figure which already in the chamber. And one of them waved her hands toward him.
“Come here quick. We arrived.” The one who said it was in actuality the most familiar person to Ye Yingyuan, Li Ling.
“We arrived already? So fast. But how come we don't out from the spatial crack?” from his sense alone, Ye Yingyuan could recognize the place that he had seen and felt. The air was still the same so he could make an assumption that they were still inside spatial crack. But why? That was what he wanted to know.
Besides Li Ling, there was also his brother that radiated the aura of Mid Foundation Establishment stage, which stood there to observe the others.
“So the rest of you arrived.” This time another voice came and Ye Yingyuan knew the owner of that voice so he only turned all his body to the source.
There stood an old woman but her eyes focused solely on Ye Yingyuan. It was Northern Ice Palace Leader Shan Rao and she greeted him with a faint smile.
“Greetings to Palace Leader.” Ye Yingyuan greeted her back.
And of course Ye Xiaobai soon took notice of Shan Rao. He hesitated before he greeted her as a form of respect. Fortunately, he had remembered the face of the person that came here because of a certain condition.
“I have never seen you before.” Shan Rao said before she continued, “But you have some similarities with Ye Yingyuan so I think that you two are siblings.”
“That's right. I did not appear recently because I have to make some weapons and practice my forging skill.” Ye Xiaobai did not deny it and even explained the reason why he rarely appeared.
“And who is that girl behind you?” thos time Shan Rao's interest was piqued by the aura Yue gave.
‘Somehow I faintly recognize this aura. Just where did I feel this before?’ with her cultivation and the disparity between their power, Shan Rao could perceive one's aura but for her to not recognize it fully was rare.
The girl with her long silver hair then raised her head and her gaze then met with Shan Rao. But Ye Xiaobai felt the slight different movement that Yue made.
It was because there were too many things that he did not know about Yue, especially when she could appear right behind him unnoticed despite being vigilant at all times.
‘Since the day where she abruptly appear, I always let my guard up whether I talked with my cousins or when I create and refine my weapons but she could come near me undetected. Just who is she really?’ Ye Xiaobai hoped that Palace Leader Shan Eao would know the answer.
“This junior here is often called Yue. I'm just a slave which is tasked to bring something to that man over there.” Said Yue while she smiled at Ye Xiaobai.
‘So that belt INDEED is for me!’ Ye Xiaobai's body trembled due to accumulated anger but could not unleash it. He had to bury that emotion...deep inside his mountain of feelings.
“From your appearance, you looked like a mixture between fox and human. Is that because of your bloodline?” just from the aura alone, Shan Rao could know some things and she could see that the aura source came from the bloodline.
“For someone like senior to know it, I can't deny about it.” Said Yue politely while she took a glance at Ye Xiaobai who stared at her almost like a tiger who preyed on its target.
She raised the corner of her mouth slightly because of that reason though.
“Alright, I won't ask you or treat you differently just because you are different. I'm Northern Ice Palace Leader Shan Rao.”
Yue could not help but moved her head in acknowledgment. She remembered that Northern Ice Palace was a large power in the continent but she could not help but pity her.
Because when Yue saw her, she could know roughly what had happened to Northern Ice Palace.
“How come you are late?” Li Ling came over to Ye Yingyuan, asking for a proper explanation.
“I just finished my training. Should I say I am lucky?” because of the fact that Ye Yingyuan could barely learned the power of intent, he could not hide his happiness.
“But you should not force yourself you know. What if something happened to you which cannot be reversed or recovered from?” obviously Li Ling knew too well what training Ye Yingyuan had gone through.
That was why she could not help but worry and kept recalling what his father said to her about the intent.
‘Because you choose to wield that saber, one day you will realize the power of intent. But never force yourself to get that, certainly never.’ Warned Li Dian.
Because even his father warned her with his fierce look while placing his hands on her shoulder, Li Ling came to realize that the matter would be extremely important.
‘It’s good that he is fine now. But I can't ignore it any longer because Yingyuan wanted power to protect his family more than his desire to get a partner.’ Thought Li Ling.
That was the strangeness of the trio from Ye Family which made her admire yet helpless at the same time.
“Look, I am good just like always so don't worry about it.” Ye Yingyuan said as he patted his chest proudly. Clearly, he wanted to show off.
“I should have expected it since you...did it to me.” Li Ling stuck between her sentences because she remembered what Ye Yingyuan did to her.
He pinched her cheek abruptly, which left her in a confusing situation. That was why she still held a little grudge against him.
“I am sorry already, did I? I can't hold myself back there.” Ye Yingyuan said while he caressed his own cheek that had the new mark. But it was true he had a sudden impulse at that time due to a realization.
‘I should avoid her. It is because she...is already this cute. But this can also train my mental strength too. Hai, what a dilemma.’ At that thought, Ye Yingyuan had to let things go at its own.
‘But the real problem is my relationship with her in the future. How should I face it?’ for Ye Yingyuan, he was not ready to be engaged with anyone yet. He was confused why his mother set this things for him.
“And you better keep yourself from over exhaustion.” When she finished the sentence, Li Ling shifted her attention to another person which made Ye Yingyuan breath in relief.
‘Maybe it's good that she is not angry at me anymore. But now I started to worry about another matter. What if something happened at home?’
And the next person Li Ling came into contact was Yue. When their eyes met, there was a mutual understanding between the two and they could predict what the other wanted to say.
“What is it? You looked happy.” Said Yue while giving Li Ling a smile.
Li Ling the took a step closer and used transmission instead to convey what she wanted to say.
“It's all thanks to Sister Yue's suggestion that I know some things to do.”
And both of them nodded. Yue then looked up and gave Ye Yingyuan a look before she shifted to Ye Xiaobai.
“Is that so? Then I'm glad for you. Just remember that every little opportunity is to be used effectively.” Yue replied back using transmission.
Transmission could only be used by someone who reached the peak of Qi Condensation stage and above, meaning that Manstein would not be able to do this until he reached that point.
“Look at you. You pushed yourself too hard and even forced your way to learn the power of intent. Don't you understand the consequences?” from Ye Yingyuan's movement alone, Shan Rao could see that he had succeeded in understanding the power of intent.
For that, she felt relief and could relax. But she worried that he would do the same thing again. If his parents knew about it, they would be sad.
“I know about that. It's just I can't relax and the threat from the outside world is starting to grow bigger and bigger. I want to...” just as Ye Yingyuan spoke, he felt something inside him unstable.
He instantly fell on his knees, his head suddenly felt like it was spun around. His eyes could not even focus one bit and his hands shook out of his control.
“Told you, Cousin. Don't over exhaust yourself, especially since you wanted to learn the power of intent.” Ye Xiaobai sighed and because he was near, he could help and supported Ye Yingyuan.
“Just let your body and mind rest. Throw your thought out of that head of yours.” Suggested Ye Xiaobai.
“Cousin, is it true that outside world is cruel? Where even dog eats dog?” Ye Yingyuan asked faintly.
For a second, Ye Xiaobai did not have a definite answer for that. How come? It was part of nature for the strong to prey the weak but life is more than that.
“That's why you need to see it for yourself. Even though the situation is tense but if you join a suitable sect, you are much safer than most of the people.” Ye Xiaobai knew that Ye Yingyuan would go out from the city so he said it.
“Because I'm afraid, afraid that one day I will not have the strength to protect our family or those I cared. That is why I try my hardest just to learn something that can increase my power.” Ye Yingyuan did not dare to think about it and even clutched his head.
“Sister Yue, why is it that some person have this scary eye just like Ye Xiaobai?” then it came to Li Ling's mind that when they met for the first time, Ye Xiaobai looked at her with a wary look.
Yue shook her head a little when hearing this. After that she replied, “When one ventured long and far enough, they have to be wary of anything around them. You have to learn this sooner or later.”
Li Ling raised her head, only to see similar eyes came from Yue.Shock filled her heart but soon Li Ling regained her composure.
‘I see. People that go to the outside must be careful in their journey.’
Just as they wanted to form a larger group, the entire nest suddenly shook.
“Quick regroup with the others.” Shan Rao could feel the movement of the space around the nest changed greatly so she ordered the rest to gather.
Then from another side of the room, two people got out with surprise on their face.
“Are we there yet?” one of them was actually Ye Qingcheng. He had to adapt to his newfound power so he secluded himself.
“Yes, we're already at the right place. It's been three months in this place but I'm sure that outside this spatial crack, only a few weeks have passed.” Beside him, Wu Qing was astonished by the scale of the affected area.
“Big Brother.” Ye Yingyuan truly missed his brother so much that he only raised his hand. It was because he was not able to actively move that he could only raise a hand.
‘Big Brother's aura is growing stronger than before.’ Thought Ye Yingyuan.
Soon they formed a large group consisting of the human in the center while the beeknight protected the outer layer. They formed a standard circle formation which was designed to protect the center of the circle.
“Yue, I have to tell you that I am going to get permission from my father first, meaning we will be going to go to my family's home first. Is that fine?” within the crowd, Ye Xiaobai managed to contact Yue.
“I understand that. But are you sure....that you wanted to go to his family personally just to apologize. I ask you to do it is because I still harbor some ill will to you.”
For Yue though, the option to go to her master's family was optional. But for Ye Xiaobai, it was the most important thing he would do.
“Even if you say the same question over and over again, my answer will be the same. I must go there before I deal with some unforgivable people that I know.” Said Ye Xiaobai with a faint killing intent behind his eyes, words and breath.