"How did you do that?" asked Akiza.

"This is an Artifact Weapon," said Cixi. "It has special properties.

"Artifact?" Akiza said in a confused voice.

"The quality and strength of an Artifact depends on what was used to make it," explained Cixi.

"How is quality and strength measured?" asked Akiza.

"Quality is determined by the skill of the person who makes it, the more skilled the person, the better it should turn out," said Cixi. "Strength is measured by the Stage of development that the parts used to make the Artifact are from and your affinity with it. If you get a Elementary Stage creature, then it will be weak. If you get a Spirit Stage creature, then it will be stronger. Before your match with Master Saki, you must acquire at least a high quality Emperor Stage Artifact!"

"Emperor Stage!" said Akiza with a tone of shock. "There's no way I can defeat an Emperor Stage creature." At this point, Akiza really wished she had known about this so she could acquire parts of stronger creatures from the Immortal Realm. "So many missed chances," she thought to herself.

"You may not have to," said Cixi. "You can always take it the parts of a defeated Emperor creature."

"Would a Spirit Core work?" asked Akiza as she had the Dragon Spirit Core given to her by Kongming.

"The Core can be used as a supplement, but you need something bigger like a bone or the branch of a tree," Cixi explained.

"They're not easy to find," said Akiza.

"There are a few places where they appear more often, such as a Corrupted Land," said Cixi.

Akiza had heard this term before. A Corrupted Land. She was asked by Kongming to look for a Demon Lord in one to the North.

"What about the Corrupted Land to the North?" asked Akiza.

"You mean Labyrinthos?" said Cixi. "That one is relatively weak, I don't think you will find an Emperor Stage beast there."

"I was asked by Grandmaster Kongming to go there and the Vault," explained Akiza.

"Grandmaster Kongming asked you to?" said Cixi. "He must have a reason for sending you there. Did he explain why?"

"No," said Akiza. She was lying Kongming had talked about the Demon Lord that created the base for that Corrupted Land.

Cixi thought about it for a moment. "The Grandmaster must have a reason for sending her there, but why?" She would have to go to find out. But this was a perfect opportunity. Akiza needed to go, but it would give her a reason to follow. "How about I come with you?" said Cixi.

"Really?" said Akiza said with a surprised voice. She had wanted to see other places, but since she left the basin, she has more or less been trapped in another forest or the school.

"We will go once I get approval from the other Masters," said Cixi. "But you must not wear our school uniforms or colors outside."

"Why?" asked Akiza.

"Our school has a lot of rivalries with other schools, and Labyrinthos is a place where many people gather," said Cixi. "If we wear the school's clothes, another school may come to fight with us."

"We can beat them though!" said Akiza.

"What if two Emperor Stages showed up," said Cixi. "I can hold one, but would you be able to fight another yourself?"

Akiza lowered her head. She knew what this meant. The answer was no. If they broke into a fight with another school, it was likely they would both be killed.

"I will get you some new clothes to wear," said Cixi. "As your Master, I order you to wear them, no questions asked."

"Okay Master," said Akiza. She would later regret those words.

Akiza headed to the Vault and showed Master Shifu her card. Master Shifu was the guardian of the Vault. The Master would be responsible for any losses, so they stayed vigilant.

"Right this way," said Master Shifu. He guided Akiza to a wall. He stood infront of a wall and activated his Internal Energy. The wall split open in two.

"Did Grandmaster Kongming tell you about the Vault?" asked Master Shifu.

"No," said Akiza. "He only told me to come here."

"The Vault stores many of the Academy's valuable training resources and skill books," explained Master Shifu. "Junior Disciples and above have access to them, though some skills here can only be personally taught by the Masters."

"Do you feel anything different?" asked Master Shifu.

"There is something strange coming from the back, but I cannot tell what it is," said Akiza.

"Show me," said Master Shifu.

Akiza followed the strange sensation she felt. As she made her way towards the back, she started feeling a tingling senstation. "We're getting closer," said Akiza. Shen the sensation was strong she stopped to look around. "There!" she said pointing at a room with a barrier in front of it.

Master Shifu looked inside. It was a preserved red, white, and pink dress feathered dress that belonged to a previous student. Master Shifu had no idea how old it was. It had no special properties as far as he could tell. "Did Grandmaster Kongming mean for you to have this?" he thought.

"Grandmaster Kongming told me it would be something for me and that I needed to go to Labyrinthos," Akiza replied.

Master Shifu opened the barrier and gave it to Akiza. She immediately put it in her Dantian for keeping. "Thank you Master Shifu," she said.

"The Grandmaster intended for you to have it, but I have no idea why," said Master Shifu. "He must have some plans for you, but if that is what he told you, then this is probably something you were meant to have. If the Grandmaster told you to do something, it is probably something that only you can do."

"Thank you for the information," said Akiza. Master Shifu then guided Akiza out of the Vault.

A week passed before Akiza heard from Cixi again. Cixi had to get special permission to leave because she was a Master at the school, but with the Duel of Life and Death and a special request by Grandmaster Kongming, they could not refuse. Akiza also said goodbye to Serph as they would be separated for an extended period for the first time since Akiza got into school.

"What is this?!?" said Akiza as she discovered what Cixi had sent her. It was a bright red dress for children along with underclothes and a belt as well. "I have to wear this..."

"I'm sure you would look beautiful in it," said Serph.

Akiza's face turned red as she slapped Serph across the face. "You're just like Master!" she shouted.

Serph realized that Akira might not have been the great Hero that everyone believed him to be. Akira just might have been a dirty old man.

"But you agreed," said Serph. "There's no way to back out now."

"I know," said Akiza as she reluctantly put it on.

The next day, Akiza met with Cixi before they departed. Cixi was wearing something similar too. She wore the sword across her back. She was wearing a blue dress similar to the one given to Akiza, with underclothes. "Why these clothes Master?" Akiza asked.

"Mobility," said Cixi.

"Mobility?" Akiza was confused.

"It is the same reason why I wear a skirt as part of my uniform," said Cixi. "Clothes that are too tight, too heavy, or too lose impedes mobility. This was the compromise I learned to make. As long as you wear some pants that are not too big or too small under, it is fine."

"Okay," said Akiza reluctantly.

The two departed for Labyrinthos. Cixi wanted to know what Grandmaster Kongming wanted with Akiza. Akiza wanted to know what Labyrinthos was and was happy to have Cixi teach her all these new things.