Bab 15: Rebirth in Flames
"If you go, no one will honor your status as my child." General Yun looked down at Yun Da Xia; feeling a throbbing begin at his temples because of this brat.
The girl merely nodded, brushing off his words. "I understand."
"You will have no means to protect yourself if you get picked on by those spoiled brats." He nearly snarled, slamming a fist on his desk. The bang engulfed the study; Yun Wei had held back just enough of his strength to avoid turning his table into splinters.
Although he had never been ashamed of his daughter's inability to cultivate, he of all people understood how much scorn her handicap would get her. All his life, he had done his best to protect her from ridicule; his achievements were enough to keep commoners from speaking ill of his family.
However, it was free game to all those arrogant noble punks. Animosities were hidden behind cheerful smiles and jabs behind sweet words; everybody looked to bring another down in any aspect imaginable. The spawns of those people would be just as bad. He knew that they would be entitled and unafraid of getting physical, especially when there were no elders to supervise. After all, he had been their age once before.
"What if I could protect myself?" Yun Da Xia asked patiently; silently astounded that the general of a country could lose his composure over such a simple situation. Matters involving family were still foreign to her, but there was a warmth in her chest at the sentiment.
"Protect yourself how? Most of the kids of your age are at least in the fourth stage of Earth cultivation, while some seniors have reached the rank of Silver cultivation. If they decide to gang up on you, do you think your proficiency in playing the qin will intimidate them?" A mocking tone colored his words. She couldn't feel hurt by it, understanding his intentions.
She raised a brow, "I don't even have that. I forgot how to play, remember?"
Yun Wei let out a stream of curses. What kind of evils had his past lives committed to warrant him an insensitive son and an insensitive daughter in this life?
At the sight of his reddened face and volatile reaction, she breathed out a slight laugh. The sound had immediately quieted the general; his heart-pinching at the realization that he hadn't heard it in a very long time.
He sighed, "Xia'er, why do you want to attend the academy?"
When she had entered his study saying she had a request, he had never expected that it would be enrolment into the institution. He and his wife had made the decision to educate Yun Da Xia at home; hiring the best private tutors they could afford. Since she had never said anything against the arrangement, it had been that way for the past few years.
Since she was asking to attend the academy now, he feared it was because her heart could not let go of the third prince even if she had lost all memories of the past.
"I'll never be able to grow if my education and experience are confined to just this house."
"Then you can leave the manor with your tutors and guards." He retorted.
That was exactly what she didn't want. How could she be able to sneak around in disguises and investigate the current landscape of this world if she had a group of people following her around? Furthermore, none of them would be loyal to her; they'd abide by the will of her father. Anything that was deemed suspicious or potentially dangerous to her would be reported directly to him. She couldn't let that happen.
"I want to experience going to the academy. Would you let me go if I could protect myself?" She repeated. With the cure to her poison now in her hands, there was no doubt in her mind that she could persevere.
She felt it from the moment she had awakened in this world. The spiritual energy here was at its rawest form; powerful and dense. For someone at the age of fifteen, being a Silver cultivator was something to praise. But if a majority of her peers were at the Earth stage of cultivation, then it meant that they did not appreciate nor understand the extent of their privilege. Simply stating, they did not have the qualifications to act haughtily.
Yun Wei snorted, "If you have the ability to, then I will escort you to the academy myself."
She lowered her head, "Thank you for giving me the opportunity. Please remember your words, father." Her eyes carried a sparkle when she looked at him, and the old general wanted to protect that shine.
"I'm a man of my word." He waved his hand to dismiss her. She bowed her head and departed, leaving him to sit in silence for a while.
Yun Da Xia's feet carried her to her courtyard; the red of her robes billowed with the movement. Every step further away from her father's study invoked more doubts in her mind. She wasn't sure if she had made the right decision in not telling him what happened to mother.
Yesterday, Shen Huiqing had left the palace in the early morning healthy. And when she returned, there was poison in her body.
First the daughter, then the wife; poison seemed to be a running theme with the Yun family's enemy. To cripple was the purpose of the toxin in her, while the purpose of the one in her mother was to kill. The substance within Shen Huiqing seemed to have been hastily crafted; allowing Yun Da Xia to detect it easily enough. If it had been made with the same skill as the one she had been poisoned with, she doubted she would have been able to detect it until things got drastic.
Specific flowers and roots would be needed to create the cure, but they weren't any that she had access to now. There was no way that she could risk going into the Wolfsbane Pavilion to get them. If she explained to her father why she needed these things, then his rage might alert the mastermind behind the plot.
Thankfully, the poison was one that would only be fatal after a lengthy period of time passed. It gave her enough leeway to collect the ingredients herself once she went on quests for the academy.
Her heart held a brightly burning flame at the thought of going to the academy. That would signify that her cultivation had been rightfully returned to her.
"Excuse me, has my bath been prepared?" She turned to the maid that stood quietly beside her. It was the same servant girl that she had bribed with gold yesterday.
"Yes, Young Miss." The girl kept her eyes fixated on the ground below.
Yun Da Xia felt a little uncomfortable with the girl's treatment towards her. She didn't like the caste system of this olden time, but understood that she wasn't in any position to change it. At least, she would treat the people who served under her well.
Yesterday's mistake wasn't limited to what had occurred in the pavilion, but because she had involved innocents into her mess. If not for brother taking the blame, who knew what would happen to this young girl and the guards she had implicated?
Before she went to bathe, she asked. "What's your name?"
"This lowly one has been given the name Shuang Jiang, Young Miss." Her timid voice trembled a little.
Yun Da Xia gave a small smile, "Thank you, Shuang Jiang."
The girl blinked in surprise as she watched her Young Mistress disappear into the bath house. She didn't make any move to follow her, knowing that the Young Mistress had repeatedly said that she didn't want anyone to serve her.
A tub filled to the brim greeted her; whips of steam still rising from the water. With a flick of her wrist, Yun Da Xia brought out the herbs from her inter spacial ring. She dumped everything into the bath, watching the clear liquid shift into a murky olive green shade.
She shed her crimson garments; bare skin unblemished. With another flourish of hand, a silver-handled knife appeared between her fingers, its shape similar to that of a scalpel.
Holding on to the tub's edge, she slowly descended into the concoction within. A strange, thick texture like oil encased her limbs. She bit her lip; hands running down her abdomen, pressing into the place she had once seen a flash of dark blood vessels–her dantian.
Breathing deeply through her nose, she positioned her knife over the area. With a swear for good luck, she plunged the blade into her dantian; making sure she drew a clean wide line. With the antidote seeping into her wound, she gasped loudly. Quickly, she removed the knife with shaking hands; throwing it over the tub.
She brought her energy to circulate; perspiration gathering between her brows. Her neck tensed, a pained groan escaping her lips.
Each time Yun Da Xia sent qi throughout her body, it felt as if her blood vessels were being continuously scraped by knives. It was also like a fire had begun in her stomach and surged through the rest of her body; ready to decimate everything in their path. It felt like a stampede was occurring in her head. She could barely keep consciousness, but there was no other choice for her but to continue cultivating.
If she stopped now, she could end up tearing her body and soul into fragments.
Warmth trickled down her chin; iron blooming in her mouth as her teeth sunk into her lip. Slowly, her green concoction turned black; a foul stench arising from its depths. Crimson tears fell from the corners of her eyes as she struggled to take air into her lungs.
If she had survived the lightning tribulations, then she could survive this.
The weak mantra played on repeat in her head.
As time passed, the shaking of her body grew less. Her tensed jaw slowly relaxed, an ache following after. She struggled to open her eyes; wincing at any form of light. Dried blood caked her face. What was once water ended up as a dark, inky pool of muck. She couldn't even scrunch up her nose in distaste.
She didn't know how long she sat there in a pool of poison and blood. When Shuang Jiang knocked and asked if she was okay, somehow she mustered enough strength to croak an affirmative. If anyone could see her in her current state, they would be terrified.
Yun Da Xia licked her cracked and bleeding lips. Lifting a hand, she used all the energy she regained to circulate through her body one last time. There was no longer any pain; only a slight discomfort. A familiar cool and calming rush flowed through her body, causing the corners of her lips to pull up slightly. She had been successful.
Her watery eyes reflected red light, trained on her upturned palm. Yun Da Xia inhaled sharply; heart sputtering.
The manifestation of her energy had always appeared in the form of blue fire.
At that moment, instead of a familiar sapphire hue, a roaring crimson flame engulfed her hand.
PERTIMBANGAN PENCIPTA 
chonnie
chonnie We've finished the mini-arc and foundation building everyone!
From now on there's going to be a lot more action, drama, and characters ;) I hope you're excited!
My motivation runs on engagement. Please comment and review! I love reading your words and thoughts on the story. Especially if you feel like it's missing something or dragging, let me know!
Status Power Mingguan
-- Peringkat
Power 
-- Power
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