Maiden Of The Splitting Moon

"Of course, you have! No, you know what, It's getting dark. Let's have a meal over this, we have a lot to talk about, you and I!"

Xuan Yin immediately walked off while Ming Yue looked at everyone else and bowed. 

"I apologize to all of you that were waiting. we can continue this tomorrow."

Afterward, she followed her friend, trailed behind by their pets, a falcon, an owl, and a fox. The others watched the pair go before whispering amongst each other again. Soon enough, news of Ming Yue and her friend spread out across the camp. 

Some were curious about Xuan Yin while others were simply in awe of the details of their spar. 

Meanwhile, the pair went to the canteen where dinner was being served. It was a block-like building with wooden stools and tables. There were windows with views of the lake making for a pretty sight. 

And for tonight, dinner was a tray with rice, stir-fried vegetables, thinly sliced marinated beef. Along with it was a bowl of soup, cooked with tofu and small bits of chicken. A simple meal but delicious nonetheless. It was certainly an improvement compared to rice gruel, especially now that the cooking facilities were built. 

As soon as they set their trays down, Xuan Yin began to talk, taking a bite every now and then. 

"You're barely twenty and you've outmatched all of these people! How are you not a monster?!" she questioned. 

Ming Yue could only reveal a dumb look at her friend. 

"I know I'm strong but I'm no genius. If the situation were different, I could've lost a few times."

She spoke so innocently, adding to the exasperation of her friend. 

"Agh, that humbleness of yours. You're not just winning against them, you're pretty much overpowering them. You've been winning all of the spars in less than a hundred moves, maybe less than ten! I don't know how you've grown so strong so quickly, but face it, you're a monster!"

While they ate and talked, the three beasts all had their meals while watching, small bowls of cooked meat and greens.

"I mean, I was able to enter Heaven's Gate and a lot has happened." 

"Heaven's Ga- wait, what? When? How?" she asked. 

Ming Yue quickly explained while omitting a few things. The pair spoke and shared until late into the night. While she had grown stronger so had her friend. 

"Hmph, you might have been to Heaven's Gate and the Dark Water Kingdom but I've been to the Four Swords Region and three of the Six Great Kingdoms! I made quite a name for myself especially during the chaos in the past year or two!" she boasted proudly. 

Ming Yue listened before perking up over the mention of the havoc caused by Dai Mian. 

"Have you been to Red Lotus Country yet?" she asked. 

Xuan Yin nodded. 

"Of course, that's where my grandfather retired. The moment the Heavens came down with lightning and thunder, we both hid for safety before going out to help with the rescue."

Before continuing, her face turned serious as she spoke with a darker tone. 

"It was bad, one of the worst things I've ever witnessed. The destruction and the death... there was so much. Along with my grandfather, the both of us did as much as we could, moving from one city to the next. Fortunately, the emperor was quick, sending down orders for the Demon Brigades as well as the Jade Dragon Pavilion. If not, the losses would have been much worse. Not to mention..."

She leaned in, lowering her voice.

"While their initial losses weren't bad, the Redmist Sanctuary chose this time to attack."

"Really?" 

Ming Yue was surprised but ultimately understood, this was the perfect time for crime to run rampant. 

"Yeah, even though we killed one of the lords, they found a replacement so they're back to being the four lords. I managed to bump into the Bandit Lord but I couldn't catch him. Still, the others managed to run rampant for a bit before the Demon Brigades contained them. But with the Lifeless Lord, they couldn't finish them off", Xuan Yin explained. 

"Then, about the current state... how is everything?" Ming Yue asked. 

Her friend sighed before answering. 

"For now, it is calm but who knows what could be stirring up. Still, with all this chaos, a lot of talent revealed themselves. From the experts of the Eternal Blade Sect to the various other groups, all sorts of people in our generation have made their name known. That includes Liqiu."

"Liqiu? From Maple Root City? Is she doing well?" 

"Amazingly well, despite the mess that happened, she recovered and now leads the Zhao Clan. I managed to speak with her for a bit while there and she was asking about you as well. And well, there wasn't a lot of news about you until now!"

"Really? That's good to hear."

She thought back to their time in that very city, foiling a plot hatched by Ling Xue and the Elder. Although their time there was short, it pained her to have witnessed what had happened to Zhao Liqiu. 

"You know", she revealed, "Those two demons, I met them here." 

Xuan Yin's eyes widened as she put her chopsticks down. 

"Seriously? Did you kill them? What happened?"

"No, I didn't. They had no desire to fight me anymore. After all, their goal from the very beginning was to get back home and they did it. You know the Yao Clan right? They're from that clan and they're allies with us. I might not have any grudges with them but I cannot say the same for you or Liqiu." 

"The Yao Clan, you say? Weren't they attacked by the enemy? Had to take refuge in the North Fort but they managed to come out unscathed because of their Princess."

"Their princess was that demon who posed as the Yong Clan's benefactor, Miss Ling."

"What?! Who would've thought such a thing would be true..."

Xuan Yin rubbed her chin while thinking but ultimately ended up with a smile. 

"Ah, there's no need to think about it anymore. We're in the south! Here to defend this point while the new fortress is being made. And well..."

She looked at Ming Yue, scanning her body up and down. 

"I can't help but ask now but... did something happen to your equipment or did you actually become a soldier?" 

Her face had a rather dubious expression as she continued to stare at the standard issued soldiers' armor.

"Oh, they're currently getting worked on. I won't have them back for another few weeks."

"Ah I see, I see. Now there's been a lot of rumors and I'm going to have to ask you about it all."

From there, Xuan Yin kept on talking and talking to Ming Yue. Rather than finish up at the peak of night, their talk continued until the next day.

This was something she hadn't done in a long time, talking with a friend. She couldn't help but keep a happy mood while conversing with Xuan Yin. 

By the end of it all, they retired to their rooms freshening up for a new day. For now, all was quiet but things were stirring. 

Up in the north, in the mountains that the Yao Clan used to live in, the Idol of Chaos floated in the center. Surrounded by those of the Mu Clan and Kong Zhi's men, it stared into the sky, causing the clouds to churn with just its presence. 

"The Heretic is not here. There is no point in lingering any longer, we will return to the clan."

It spoke out, a collective of hundreds of voices of the Hundun Clan, echoing throughout everyone's ears. 

None of them dared to look up, sweat formed on their foreheads. 

"What of.... what of the south?" one of them asked. 

"The south? If she is in the south, then we shall be there." 

The clouds began to light up and thunder as this being of black lightning rose up into the skies, vanishing from their sights. 

How long would it take before reaching her? How long did she have to prepare?