Mei slept in her new bedroom, which was located in one of the smaller buildings within her master's courtyard. It was the best sleep she had experienced in a long time. The academy spared no expense in treating their Elders; the room was at least twice as large as her previous one in the outer court. Her body had been completely exhausted from the built-up stress over the last couple of months when she wasn't sure if she would make it. Now that she had her own master, Mei felt like she could finally rest a bit longer. It was quite calming.

The sun hadn't risen yet, but she was sure that sleeping a bit longer wouldn't harm. Closing her eyes again, she gave a gentle sigh.

"Tell me..." a shadowy figure stood over her bed, which Mei had not noticed. "Is my new disciple so lazy that she does not get up at an appropriate time? Or does she think this is a vacation since she passed my test yesterday?" An almost sinister aura radiated from the voice; in fact, it felt more sinister at the moment than her new deity.

Mei's eyes popped open as she stared up at the person before her. Before her was her master, who wore something not typical for her. She wore a training uniform that clung tightly around her body, giving her an even more womanly appeal than before but in a completely different sense. Her hair was tied tightly into a bun with two jade pins keeping it in place.

"What do you have to say for yourself?" Cui Xinya said in a terrifying voice that spoke from between her clenched teeth. Her eyes stared intensely at Mei, causing a shudder to go down her spine.

Mei looked outside; the sun had yet to rise above the distant horizon. Seeing this, Mei looked at her master puzzled.

"Get. Up." Her master said, smiling, her mouth twitching slightly, giving her a crazed appearance that layered upon all the other horrifying feelings she was already sending out from her body language.

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Mei propped herself onto her elbows as she sat up to stretch.

"I SAID! GET UP!" Suddenly, her master grabbed her bed from under her and pulled it out, sending Mei flying onto the floor. Mei looked up at her master, who had a crazy look in her eye.

"Seito Mei, you have exactly two minutes to get outside dressed and ready to go training with your master this morning, or you will be cleaning the entire courtyard yourself, and I will make sure the head servant gives you hell!" She said loudly enough for the neighboring courtyards to hear.

Mei watched, stunned, as her master left. What just happened? Is my new Master insane?

"You've got one minute and thirty seconds now, Seito!" her master's voice sounded out from the main courtyard, sending Mei's heart to her feet.

Mei rushed and threw on her academy tunic and tied her hair up in her red ribbon before running out into the courtyard. Her master was tapping her fingers impatiently on her forearm as she waited for her student to approach.

"You only have ten seconds left, Seito. Let me be clear before we start our morning routine... you will be out here before the sun rises every day for training. Expect to be sweaty every morning. Every night, you will wash yourself in the hot springs with me, and we will cultivate while soaking in the waters for one hour. This is besides your usual classes with the other Elders. Do you understand?"

"Yes, Master Xinya!" Mei bowed swiftly.

"Good. Today we will be building your endurance and speed. We will be running for a distance with intervals of sprints in between."

"How far will we be going, Miss Xinya?"

Cui Xinya looked up at the sky as she thought. "I think fifteen li will be good today."

It took several seconds for Mei to realize what number her master had said. When she realized she had indeed said fifteen li, Mei gave a stunned look to her master, wondering if she were serious.

"Stop staring at me, Seito; it is uncanny with those eyes... shall we be off?" She said in more of a statement than a question. Master Xinya didn’t seem worried if the statement offended Mei or not.

The next moment, her master launched off running towards the courtyard exit, going much faster than Mei figured their pace would be for this much distance. Quickly catching up, she matched the pace of her master. As an outer disciple, it was not uncommon to undergo rigorous physical training, but she didn’t expect to triple down on the physical training as an inner court disciple.