The sun's harsh noon rays struggled to overwhelm the thick, shrouding leaves of the tall trees. Fortunately, the sun light that penetrated through the trees softened as it landed the forest ground; giving the entire lair a misty vibe which reminded one of the weather during the spring season.

Everything felt solemn, untarnished by unwanted human noise as compared to that of the town's clamor. One could hear the orchestral sounds from the birds and animals; soft whispers of the swaying grasses and plants that carpeted the ground; and of course, the everlasting flow of the stream rushing against the bed rocks.

At the heart of the deep forest, a humble hut stood unperturbed. Not far from it was a spartan training ground filled with these amenities: a bamboo beam buried in the ground held by medium-sized rocks where one could practice the improvement of balance; myriads of fat cotton sacks filled with decaying leaves and earth were hanging on the branches of the tall trees used for strengthening one's fists and feet; a few wooden squares were erected to serve as targets when practicing one's skills in archery, and there were also several obstacle courses to improve one's speed and agility.

At the training ground, an old master stood tall and dignified in front of his student despite the limp in his other leg. He wore a simple black cotton training robe with a white sash tied around his thin waist, it cascaded down his dull white trousers which was weathered by time. His student wore the same except for the color- the robe and trousers were dull white while the sash was pristine white - this was to give a distinction between their status.

"You may think that your body is fragile and weak but don't be disappointed for it is only a shell. If you work hard towards the goal in uniting the elements of the nature and the forces around you, then you can utilize a power that has always been within you. Although it may have been latent but with practice and determination, you can harness the energy and use it to subdue opponents who are bigger and stronger than you." Master Tang Jiao Quon, an ancient man with intelligent small eyes and stern features said with certainty.

"Do you hear me, young lady?" He asked when he sensed that Yan Mei Ling's thoughts seemed to waver out of nowhere.

Yan Mei Ling shook her head from the peculiar thoughts that had continuously bothered her and gave her attention back to her master. "Yes, I hear you, Master."

Master Tang Jiao Quon stared intently at his only student as if trying to see through her thoughts. "It is a good thing that I am not holding my stick or else I am going to beat you back to your senses."

Yan Mei Ling bowed her head in contrition. "I am very sorry, Master."

Master Tang Jiao Quon walked around the grassy ground of his lair which was conveniently shaded by bamboos, beech, Ailanthus Altissima and many different varieties of trees.

His thoughts went back to the past when he used to have a training ground situated within the Imperial palace grounds.

He was once a highly regarded master of combat techniques and trained the best warriors of the empire, including the Emperor and his officers in the past. His training ground in the Central Capital used to be filled with strong and eager young man. However, after the cold and brutal war against the barbarians of the North; he, unfortunately, incurred great wounds and injuries that permanently paralyzed his other leg. With one working leg left, he saw himself unfit to teach martial arts.

His perspective had dimmed and since he could not set himself as a perfect example to his students, he decided to leave the Central Capital without informing anyone. He led a hermit life in the mountains, channeling whatever strength left in him through meditation and understanding how the nature works with one's body.

With the passage of time, the great name Grand Master Tang Jiao Quon had been erased from the minds of the people. While his courageous deeds might have been immortalized in the scrolls of the empire but just like the most famous myths, they all seemed like a fictitious tale now.

His forty years of silent solitude and meditation had been disrupted when a young child had managed to climb the perilous mountain of Dark Skull. It surprised him how someone found him but what had not prepared him was when the child begged him to be her master.

He had initially declined because he did not have any interest to each anyone and, not just that, the child was a girl. How could a delicate-looking little girl possibly learn combat skills? But the girl was persistent. Not only that, when he stared into her eyes, he could undoubtedly sense the warrior within her with an unfathomable power waiting to be harnessed. It had shocked him for he had never came across anyone with such latent power and it would be a shame to not cultivate her skills. Since she was full of determination, he agreed to teach her.

For the past five years, the little girl, named Yan Mei Ling, had proven her eagerness to learn even the most difficult ones. She was different from her former male students. Despite the physical limitations of her body and her vexed soul, she became true to her word to follow his words and teachings without any complaint.

He greatly admired Yan Mei Ling's extreme fortitude and willful desire to learn despite her age and sex. Thus, her seemingly distracted mind was a surprise to Master Tang Jiao Quon.

"I know that something is bothering you, young lady. I may be your teacher, but I can also be your confidant - you can tell me all the things that are bothering you. As I have always reminded you, bottling up intrusive thoughts can impede your focus in learning."

Yan Mei Ling stared at her old master's firm countenance and quickly bowed her head to hide the flushing of her cheeks. She certainly did not want to tell him what was bothering her - what would he think of her?

"Ah - I am truly in a state where my thoughts are in a muddle, but I think I can perfectly handle myself. My eagerness to learn has overshadowed those thoughts. Please teach me now, Master Tang Jiao Quon."

Master Tang Jiao Quon stared at Mei Ling and slowly nodded his head. "Do you see those huge stones on the stream, young lady?"

Yan Mei Ling followed the direction of where her master's gaze. It was at the stream where the trees bowed in reverence, creating a shade on the clear water. "Yes, Master."

"I want you to meditate on the smallest of the huge stones for three hours using one foot."

Yan Mei Ling's mouth went agape in shock. It was impossible! She could not even imagine herself standing for an hour on one foot - how much more three hours? What was her master thinking? This was not the kind of training that she had in mind.

"To be able to achieve balance, you must relieve yourself from all of the intrusive thoughts in your head. Can you do it, young lady?" Master Tang Jiao Quon challenged.

Yan Mei Ling stared at the huge stones at the stream and the strong determination to succeed overwhelmed her apprehension.

"I can do it, Master."

°°°°°

The wind descended softly from the Eastern morning sky tracing gentle steps on the long, dull brown brick path leading to the big Imperial Garden's heart.

Feeling utterly amorous, the wind continued its path sending side wise kisses to the parading flowers - chrysanthemums, forsythia, peonies and others - until it reached the drawbridge connecting the other side of the garden to the arched pavilion shrouded with wisteria, hibiscus, and plum trees.

The thin bamboo trees and cascading willows swayed causing the lotuses on the wide lake-like pond to stir and create miniature whirlpools on its greenish grey water. As if enticed by the playfulness of nature, the gold fishes and carps danced beneath their liquid domain, gliding gracefully under the shadows rendered by the lotuses.

At the far-right side of the arched pavilion, a wonderfully crafted low bench shied away from the subtle morning light. An ancient big tree with mottled silvery trunk and pine tree obliged it by basking shade on the bench. Just a few steps away, a tree with contorted stem and twisted roots leaned almost against the imperial garden's smaller pavilion.

Li Lei Shuang stood from her room's balcony while staring silently at the scene nature created in the imperial garden; her elbows propped against the balustrade while her left hand rested on the right.

She could hear the soft swinging sounds of the circular white lanterns hanging on the ceiling. The wooden lattice doors were pushed at both sides of the paneled entrance baring her bedroom to the gentle morning light and breeze.

When the gentle zephyr sweetly caressed her soft cheeks, the door beyond the paneled entrance of her room earned an instinctive glance. But she decided not to heed the impulse though the prospect of sauntering at the imperial garden proved to be tempting. She merely contented herself with watching the magnificent bloom of the different garden plants from her balcony while drowning herself in the thoughts inside her head.

She and Yan Mei Ling had always loved colorful flowers and the fresh breeze brought by the spring wind. However, she could not stop thinking about Yan Mei Ling. Being older than her best friend, she felt a sense of responsibility towards the latter.

Li Lei Shuang never approved of Yan Mei Ling going up the dangerous mountains to train and dreaded the thought of the latter being hurt during the competitions. Unfortunately, she knew that her voice of disapproval would appear mute to her best friend's ears. The only thing that she could do was to pray for her best friend's safety and change of heart in the future.

She should be very understanding and patient to Yan Mei Ling. She knew why her cousin had this intense desperation to become a warrior.

It rooted from the fact that Yan Mei Ling's lineage descended from the Empire's greatest warriors. And, more importantly, her desperation to prove to her father, Unit Commander Yan Bao Rong that she was capable of being a great warrior as their ancestors had been. Yan Mei Ling had believed that her father did not want a daughter but a son because he thought that women were not capable of bringing glory to the family.

Yan Mei Ling's father was widowed after her mother died giving birth to her. Although he could have married again, he never considered it because of the dedication that he had to his deceased wife. He poured all his attention to his duties to the Emperor and the Imperial Palace, leaving Yan Mei Ling feeling neglected and in dire need of parental affection.

'My father has never loved me because I know that he always wanted a son. He may not say the words, but I can sense it every time I express to him my desire to be part of the Imperial army. He tells me that women are weak and will never have the chance to become great warriors but should tend to household duties instead. But I will never give up; I am going to disprove his stance about women because being a woman does not only mean getting married, raising a family and then attaching oneself to a lifetime of domesticity.' Yan Mei Ling had said with gumption and intelligence uncommon in her age.

'I was able to climb the mountain of Dark Skull that my maidservant's grandfather told me where the greatest warrior of the Empire had stayed. I saw him and his lair. I knew that he was the only one who could help me to become a great warrior, so I beg him to teach me. He refused at first because I am a female. Can you just imagine the kind of condescending perception all the males have towards the females? But in the end, I successfully persuaded him to teach me. If you could only feel the happiness that I felt when he agreed to teach me, it was just so surreal. I will finally be a warrior, Li Lei Shuang!'

'You don't have to put yourself in grave danger just to make your father recognize your worth, Yan Mei Ling! You could prove yourself in other means than being a warrior; you do not have to be one. It is too dangerous for you and it's not even worth it.'

'My father will never recognize my worth if I'll just engross myself in all feminine and domestic duties, besides, what happiness will it bring me? You know that I have always wanted to become a warrior - it is in my blood!' There was a different flare in Yan Mei Ling's hard eyes - a conviction that could never be dissuaded. 'Li Lei Shuang, you should support me because it will make me happy. Are you not my best friend?'

Li Lei Shuang silently sobbed in disappointment. She could not bring it in her heart to oppose Yan Mei Ling.

'Sometimes one does not always have to support everything that her best friend wants to do. However, if that will make you happy, then I will not object. But please keep this in mind, I will always pray for your safety, Yan Mei Ling'

Yan Mei Ling happily hugged Li Lei Shuang. 'I know you will understand, Li Lei Shuang. However, I beg you please do not tell anyone especially my father about my plan. As of now, only you and Yeng know about this.'

'I won't. I promise you.'

Li Lei Shuang wept silently in her heart every time she remembered Yan Mei Ling's decision to become a warrior. She tended her attention back to the beautiful plants and flowers dancing gracefully against the zephyr from her balcony, but their beauty failed to lighten her up - she was too worried for Yan Mei Ling.

A knock from her door took Li Lei Shuang's attention. She saw a group of female attendants came and bowed to her; one of them came forward and bowed again. "Good day, Princess, the Son of Heaven calls for your presence at the family room."

Li Lei Shuang nodded gently and then the group of attendants came near her to escort her to the family chambers.

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