A few weeks later she was observing the moments of her students with a critical eye. By this point Zhang FangMin had all but disappeared, coming to the conclusion she had no intention of splitting with him her teaching duties. She did hope though that he might take over once more when she grew tired of it.

She paused next to Liang HaoHan.

She pushed his hips forward with a stick she had found to use in place of a sword.

“Balance, Gongzi, or your defence will sink.”

The boy nodded.

“Yes, Shizun.”

“Practice with Ming, try to observe his movements and anticipate them, pay attention to the details and do not lag on your defence.” she said moving her stick. When the girl lifted her gaze, she hit her legs.

“That’s for your cousin. You, instead, need to repeat the Fourteenth movement at least ten more times. Do you think you’d be able to defeat even a wandering spirit with those feeble hits?”

She blushed furiously.

“I… I am sorry, Shizun.”

“Ming GuangYing, Liang HaoHan is much stronger than you are, try to break his defence. You have to be more firm in your movements. If you were to go to battle against a monster with that aplomb they’d eat you in a moment.”

Ming GuangYing looked at her and nodded.

“Of course, Shizun.”

She sneered.

“I saw you pulling that face, GuangYing. If you do not want to practice, leave room for someone else.” she said, inclining her head to look at him.

The boy blushed, and bit his lip in embarrassment.

“Apologies, Shizun, I will not hold back in my training with Liang.”

The disciple was about to turn around, but he stopped at hearing the Mistress’ next words.

“I say this for your benefit.”

“Shizun?” he asked, confused. She stepped closer to Ming ZhenYa and looked at her, replying without turning around again.

“I know you have a reason for being here. Remember what that is and use it going forward. You might not feel comfortable right now, but… - she turned slightly. - you will appreciate the opportunities I am giving you when you will come into your full potential.”

Neither of them broke eye contact, even though his eyes were filled with questions.

That boy held much more mystery than the book ever let on. And if she could not help him at that time she knew he would have a hard time going forward, so those difficulties had to be dealt with. She knew what his potential was, and the sooner he found out the better.

He was a slacker, but one of those who could excel if only he tried a little; later on in the plot most of his insights would be the best weapons to fight Shi XinNian.

Obviously, she did not want that to happen, but she was sure that if that plot point did not develop other issues for them to deal with would arise. 

Wasting time later to help Ming GuangYing would be a shame, so it would be best to set him straight from the start.

“Think about it, Ming GuangYing. The reasons behind your actions and how you can achieve your goal. Perhaps you do not have all you need to succeed yet, but surely you must know not all battles are won with brute force.” she said, to them walk away.

The boy looked at her in wonder, surprised for the first time by the words of such an elusive Mistress. He turned towards Liang HaoHan who was smiling at him.

“Did she just imply you are shrewder than me?” he asked, grinning. The other replied as he tightened his grip on his sword.

“I doubt it, Liang-Gongzi, but I will put those words to their best use.”

“Come on then, little genius.” provoked the other.

Zhang YueLiang looked at them nodding to herself and then turned to the pupil she wanted to focus on most. Ming ZhenYa held herself incredibly stiffly, but it was her hold on the sword that worried her. She chewed on YuHua’s mouthpiece, puffing out nervously.

“Take deep breaths before hitting. - she said, hitting her wrist. The girl grimaced in pain. - You must not be afraid of hitting, or it will be your opponent to do so.” she said, stepping in front of her.

The girl widened her eyes in surprise, reacting just in time to her lunge of attack. The group of boys who were training nearby stopped to look at them.

“Your breath is just as important as your muscle strength, and seeing how both of those are lacking in you you must practice at least ten times harder than your fellow disciples to obtain the same results.” she advised as she pressed her with one hit after the other, effectively not leaving her space to move.

The disciple widened her eyes, obviously afraid, and, unable to defend herself against that - admittedly quite light - barrage of hits, she fell to the ground.

She looked down on her as the student kept her gaze lowered.

“Why are you here?” she asked suddenly. Hearing her harsh question all her disciples interrupted what they were doing. All but Shi XinNian who, however, still looked briefly in their direction.

Ming ZhenYa lifted her head in amazement.

“I’m sorry?”

“Why are you here? - she repeated, tilting her head. - You and your cousin were assigned to me by Shigong following an examination. I never saw you until the day you stepped into my classroom. And yet, from the first moment, it seemed to me you were serious about this business. So, what is it? Did you change your mind? Is this too much of a challenge for you?”

The girl’s eyes had filled with tears as she stared at her with her eyes wide open.

“I…”

“I asked you a question.”

She swept her stick in the air, causing a disturbance in the air. The girl’s ponytails shifted, ending behind her shoulders. She was now as pale as milk, and although she was still looking at her it seemed as though she could not see her.

Ming GuangTing moved as though to step in, but Zhang YueLiang lifted the stick in his direction.

“She does not need protecting, here.” she said.

She knew Ming ZhenYa’s story, at least partially. However, it was not enough, and she wanted to give her all the tools she would need. Usually, even when backstories were not narrated, characters all had a story of their own and the Ming cousins did not come from the most savoury of families. Both had refused their duty to the XuanWu’s head of the family, and although they were nobles they had fled those circumstances and ended up on QingLong. She did not know all the details, but she did not have to.

The girl, just like her cousin, had to start thinking of herself as part of the team and not as embellishment.  She was capable, she knew it. 

The girl swallowed visibly.

“You mustn’t be afraid of me, Ming. I am here to make you strong, to make you into someone others will fear.” Zhang YueLiang’s gaze became more intense as the girl stared.

“Make me someone they fear?” she asked in a whisper.

She nodded.

“You will be a warrior once I am done with you. No one will be strong enough to oppose you. You want to be a Cultivator, right? Strong enough to protect those who cannot protect themselves?”

At those words the young woman straightened, as though she had offered her what she had been after all along. She stretched her stick forward and the girl grabbed onto it to stand up once more.

“Do not hesitate to attack when the moment comes. I will teach you the difference between good and evil, what you can and should not do with this power. But it will be you who will plunge the sword, and if you won’t be ready you will not be able to defend yourself, let alone anyone else.” she finished.

Ming ZhenYa nodded as she picked up the pommel of her sword that was still on the ground. She stared at her Shizun for a moment, daring only to look at the hem of her dress.

Had she ever spoken to her before? She did not remember. Perhaps a few times, but never with such strength and feeling. Timidly, she raised her eyes expecting to meet a cold glare which is what she had learnt to expect from what other people said. Instead, she was smiling. Brightly and with honesty.

“All of this might scare you. And I get it. However, if you want this strongly enough, that sword will be your tool to bring justice. True strength though, Ming ZhenYa, comes from within.” she said, touching her chest with the tip of her staff.

Her gaze softened as she tilted her head.

“Stand strong in your beliefs and within your soul, no enemy can corrode a pure intent. However strong, no man or creature of evil will bend you. We are here to protect mortals from unimaginable perils, and this is where we must become weapons ourselves. But never forget the reason behind your choices. Be it love, friendship, a need for justice, fight for it, and you’ll never fail.”

The girl bit her lip.

“And should I fail? What if I'm not strong enough?”

The woman smiled.

“Well, that’s what the Mountains are for. - she said with a smile. She raised her eyes. - We are a family for a reason. In the moment of need we will be there. And, more importantly… - she swept her arm around her, encompassing all the people who by now had stopped practising to look at them. - they will be there for you, the same way you will be there for them.”

Ming ZhenYa took a breath, but then nodded.

“Yes, Shizun… I apologise for my hesitancy, I will not make the same mistake again.”

She smiled and pinched her chin between her fingers, brushing her fingers against her skin.

“Make mistakes. Those can be corrected, now. Make them, I am here to guide you.” she said as she tugged on one of her ponytails. The girl blushed and bowed her head.

“Thank you, Shizun.”

Zhang ZhaoDa took a step in their direction.

“I can help her, Shizun.” he said, coming closer still. She stared at him for a few moments. His breath was regular and his muscles were not shaking.

He truly was the protagonist’s best friend. Which was dumb, considering he had a crush on Liang HaoHan’s future love interest, and, just recently, they had beat each other up because of Shi XinNian.

“So be it. But… - she hit him across the back. - be sure to take advantage of this and focus on your direct environment. You are unaware of what surrounds you. I saw you spar with Ming GuangYin a few times. There are some techniques that cannot be mastered without precision.”

“Of course, Shizun.” she said, bowing.

Regardless, he smiled at having been given this opportunity and he stepped next to a distracted Ming ZhenYa, who was staring in the direction of Zhang YueLiang.