"This is getting unbearable for my brain" Ming said exhausted, trying to keep himself calm, looking at me and Alysia smiling innocently.

"You have a daughter?!" Liam exclaimed. He then opened up his eyes "Oh now I see.."

Everyone looked at the officer. Ming moved his own hand toward his front like he was expecting the worst.

"Lady Bai Hu ran away from his family because she was pregnant... her father is the perverted guard" he started to explain pointing his finger towards Hue, who looked totally lost "But after years, the cute and isolated family got spotted by the Lady's clan, and to avoid to be separated they let themselves brought as slaves in Yinyué by those awful men of Arthus Lands" he almost teared up while all the people in the room were looking at him confused.

Alysia clapped like she was enjoying a performance, and I sighed.

Once I explained the situation, Ming sighed loudly and Liam nodded.

"So, you adopted her while you were both in the cage?" Liam asked and BaoBao nodded while I was feeling a bit overhelmed by Ming's aura.

He was standing stiff, while holding his head with his right hand. I could see his lips having a sorta of tick probably trying to release some of his nervousism.

"It's not..." I looked at BaoBao looking at me with her eyes, that were literally throwing hearts at me "I mean..." I got embarassed "I decided to protect her, I mean, look at her, she's an angel!"

"Angel?" Lin almost spit that word, making me thin my gaze towards him, like I was ready to scold him "I found her shouting at the petty officer that she wanted the Ice Fairy, and she didn't want to go to any family other than hers. She climbed up the officer and pulled his ears and... She was so chaotic, that I had to interviene, so she climbed up my arms and told me to bring her where the lady was.. I thought that anyway I wanted to talk with her, so I brought this little monkey with me" he explained sitting next to me, to rub his hand through her hair, making me smile a bit "She almost made me bald, she's not an angel at all" his smile became an evil one, as he looked at her.

Ming put his hands on his hips and leant towards the child I was holding "If she's your guardian, then..." he looked at me and smiled innocently "You will need to work harder to maintain both of you in this manor" I could feel he was having fun teasing and challenging me.

Some servants came and I hugged Alysia, happy she was okay "BaoBao, we're gonna live here, but you will have to be good and listen to the servants, okay? We're here to serve the Yuan's family" I explained her, as the servants came to bring her away.

She happily went with them and I looked at Ming with a smile, trying to thank him for the favour he did. BaoBao really needed a good place to stay, and I wanted to do what I could to help with it.

"Eh?" Lin looked at me and then Ming "She's gonna stay in the Yuan's house?! Why father?" he asked and Liam seemed concerned by Lin's reaction "I wanted her to be my trainer and you want her as a servant in the house? She's a soulmaster!" he exclaimed, making us all surprised.

"What are you talking about? Lady Bai Hu is not gonna be your trainer, ever" Ming said as he crossed his arms and looked at Lin, who looked susprised.

"I must agree with the Head General, my lady can't teach" Hue said crossing his arms on the backrest, resting his head on top of mine. I looked a little bit up and looked grumpy.

What does he mean? I used to train him!

Liam laughed, as he noticed me giving death stares to Hue. Ming smiled evilly, making me feel even more embarassed.

"Why? She's surely a Soulmaster of the element of ice, she's strong! You didn't see her technique! And..."  Lin looked at me and froze on spot, like he noticed something, while staring at me and Hue close to each others "He... is..."

Ming looked confused and Liam smiled "So you feel that too"

Me and Hue looked at them. Hue sighed under Ming Yuan's stare.

"Am I missing anything?" he asked and Liam laughed

"I was waiting for Lord Lin to be sure of it" Liam smiled, and laid his head on Lin's shoulder, looking at me and Hue.

"Seems like you're not just a perverted doctor" Hue said as he put his hands on my shoulders "You see it, Lord Lin?" he asked "Every Soulmaster should be able to see it"

"See what?" Ming asked as he wasn't a Soulmaster himself, he looked confused and full of thoughts in his head.

I think he was actually tired.

He looked and sounded like he was slowly letting the fatigue get over his figure of invincible general.

He's human after all.

Lin looked terrified "There's a golden string of energy that connects Lady Bai Hu with Hue... it's one and it's the same energy..."

"It means same soul energy... which means..." Liam smiled at Ming Yuan "That's one of her swords"

"What? Not even my wife had a sword that could turn into a human form" Ming looked confused as I smiled innocently.

Actually yes, I simply never had the need to show you since the only reason Hue is not in my body is because this would break faster.

"I am here to protect my lady" Hue said, staring at Ming and Liam. He then looked at Lin who looked even more excited than ever, and that made him a little bit confused.

"That's amazing! I have never heard of Soulmasters having fragments of their souls as friends! You must have felt lonely, Lady Bai Hu!" 

I don't know if I wanted to cry or laugh to hide the fact that I wanted to cry.

I simply felt dead inside.

You little brat.

"Humans have less perception of the soul energy than Soulmasters. This morning when I entered in the room I felt like I was talking to the same person even if my eyes were seeing two" Liam explained "Well, glad Lord Lin assured me!"

"Father, she needs to train me!"

"No. You're strong enough" Ming said and Lin looked irritated by it.

"How can you say that? I need to train more, I want to be at mother's level to protect you!" He said as he closed his hands into fists.

"Lin, we know nothing about this Lady" he said "I would never let an outsider be with my son, I don't trust her"

Hue sighed "There's no need to waste time, she can't teach"

"Why do you say so?!" Lin asked and I smiled seeing his reactions. In five years he surely became more challenging and determined.

You've done a good job Ming.

"She's..." Hue sighed and looked around "The reason why you can all see me, is because my Lady is... weak, if she cast any of her spells, along with my power she would collapse... If I go back and stay for too long, her body would not be able to recover."

Liam looked confused along with Ming "How can a Soulmaster end up in a situation like this... Soulmasters are born with this energy... There shouldn't be problems unless..."

"It's always been like this since she was little" Hue lied and Liam nodded.

"This would explain why she was isolated" Liam said looking at Ming "A Soulmaster who can't properly use her energy to fight would have been a target for the Cult... It's good that she wasn't anywhere to be seen."

"Till now" Ming sighed and looked at me "Rodrigo... You said he was the one who put to sleep the people in the cages?" 

I nodded and Ming looked at Liam "Do you think The Cult would be interested into killing her?" he asked and I felt like something was wrong.

Wait a minute?

I was here to protect HIM, not to be protected?

How can I protect if I can't even fight properly, damn it.

"Well... if all this is true" Liam rubbed his hands on his chin, trying to get an order in his head "Rodrigo didn't care about her as he thought she couldn't save the situation considering her weakness... He probably thought that she wasn't strong enough to fight the black magic" he smiled "But he probably thinks she's dead by now considering the law we have here" 

That made me almost die inside for another time.

"Perhaps..." Liam

Ming looked at him and then me.

"There's no way I will be one of their target, I am too goofy and I can't even use my sword see?" I said innocently looking at Hue, who was begging me to shut up.

"They surely have a better target." Liam said "They wouldn't waste time on her" 

"Go to the servant room, I had enough of this" Ming said. I stand up and followed one of the servants called by Ming.

Hue followed me. Before going away I bowed and smiled "Thank you"

Ming looked at me and nodded a little, but I could tell he was simply navigating in his thoughts. 

"I guess our conversation will not finish today as well.." he sighed and I smiled happily

"Means we're going to have more tea time together, right?" I asked, making him surprised and then irritated.

"GO." He said pointing at the door, while Hue was pulling me from my arms

***

Lin looked at his father with a surprised gaze "Why?"

Ming sighed and looked at Lin "Once she recovers, I bet she will train you"

Lin smiled "Does this mean you'll allow her?" he asked and Ming nodded "Thanks father!"

"But you keep an eye on her whenever you two are together" 

"I am part of the Yinyué guards! I will surely keep an eye on her, Father!" he said happily "Then, I will go to my training camp, see you!" 

Ming looked at his son taking his leave, and then looked at Liam, who looked weirdly serious. 

"He will probably try to reach the Cult as soon as he comes back to Arthus Lands" Liam started, as he noticed Jing sitting again on the couch

"Rodrigo's plan placed when I sent many units to protect the cities of Yinyué region from the attacks of the Cult... They did bait most of the Soulmasters out the city to be sure their sorcery would have had enough time to create chaos or some damage in the capital... and cause a big misunderstanding between the two reigns" Ming walked some steps towards the window "Seems like this house hasn't people who are loyal to Yuan's family"

Liam opened up his eyes "Are you sayin..."

"They knew the city had less protection, they knew I have sent many elite Soulmasters to deal with that awful sorcery... Liam" Ming closed his eyes and then smiled gently "We surely have a spy.... now, now this is even more interesting"

Liam looked worried "They still want to try to wipe out the Yuan's family" the blonde man sat on the couch and did stare at Ming "I will put more units protecting the manor"

"There is no need, we need our units to protec the cities." Ming argued, making Liam annoyed at his tone.

"Ming.. I think all this is too reckless. What are your real plans with Lady Bai Hu? I think they won't care about her, they want your head for the same reason they wanted Fen's one"

Ming laid his back against the couch and smiled "Seems like things are going to get interesting.. They are finally going out their hole after what they have done to her."

Liam looked surprised "You seriously... you were waiting for them to show off?"

Ming looked at his friend with an obvious face "It's obvious that night they wanted to kill me, they didn't manage to" he explained "Let them come for my head" he smiled as his eyes became more golden than usual, showing for a moment the madness of the Fire Lord; his blessing and curse. Liam could swear he saw for a moment fire tongues around the Head General

"Also" Ming continued, and Luocha coughed a bit, trying to pull himself together "Do some research about Hue"

"How? It's Bai Hu's soul fragment" 

Ming crossed his arms "Didn't you feel something was off... Only one ice clan is so mysterious about ice techniques and registers... You will have to search and get me everything that could explain Lady Bai Hu's presence and peculiarity"

Liam rubbed his hands through his own hair a little bit frustrated "Oh my... Are you asking me to visit Baixue Clan's archieve? They're going to give me hard time, they dislike you even more since... her..." he stopped and Ming closed his eyes for a moment, trying not to get cought into his memories.

"It's an order" he said giving him a serious stare.

Liam sighed and stand up "If I do not come back, tell my Head General he was my best friend" he said doing a dramatic pose, making him smile a bit.

"Sure will do"