Standing at the prow, Adujan watched as the flat-bottomed ship cut through the waves, propelled forward by the wind in its sails and the oars beneath deck, moving faster than any horse or quin could ever hope to match. The Azure Sea stretched out endlessly over the horizon, its vast, crystal-clear waters hiding innumerable wonders and danger. Opening her arms to the sea air, she relished the salty tang of the chilled wind as it wrapped her in its comfortable embrace. Though her feet remained anchored to the ship’s deck, it felt like the wind would carry her away, leading to wild, fanciful daydreams of freedom and flight. Someday, she hoped to stride across the clouds in utter defiance of gravity, but not even her accomplished Teacher was capable of extended flight, only able to fall slowly at best.

Glancing back to share her mirth, her grin slipped away as she saw the huddled frame of Du Min Gyu, the vaunted hero who changed her life for the better. Though he hid it well, she noted his immense discomfort from the way he stood, his robes wrapped around him and using Kyung’s body to shield himself from the draft. Overcome with guilt, she stepped away from the prow and linked arms with Teacher Du, leading him back to the comfort of their room. Once inside, she prepared a pot of tea as she’d been taught, a needlessly intricate approach for adding hot water to dried leaves. Although she didn’t understand the reason for all the fuss, it was harmless enough and Teacher Du enjoyed guiding her in all facets of life, not only in combat.

Despite all his grumbling and cursing, Teacher Du cared a great deal for her. While his health had much improved following Healer Taduk’s treatment, he was still nearing the end of his life at a hundred and seven years old. He had no place standing on deck yet he endured the brisk morning’s chill without a word of complaint, there to protect her from the other passengers. He’d spent the entire trip south warning her of the dangers lying in wait. As both a half-beast and a woman, not even his distinguished name was enough to keep her safe. Apparently, ‘certain formalities’ needed to be observed before she was free to wander about on her own, but what those formalities entailed, Adujan was at a loss. The old man was stubbornly cryptic and vague, but she expected something like a public debut.

Ugh. She’d sooner fight a duel to the death than mingle with the aristocracy. What if she embarrassed Teacher Du in front of everyone? Handing him a bowl of tea, she felt a tinge of pride as he sipped and nodded, reaching out to pinch her cheek with a smile. “Good tea, child.” A small praise but it meant the world to her, the imposing ‘Great Teacher Du’ treating her like a favoured granddaughter. Though crotchety and ill-tempered with others, he always treated her well, speaking softly with a kind smile. He never scolded her, at most showing surprise at her ignorance while cursing the Herald beneath his breath. Once finished, his lips would curl into a smile as he began the lesson with Adujan hanging onto his every word.

In a few weeks of travel, her strength grew in leaps and bounds thanks to Teacher Du’s instruction. Every morning and night, she would demonstrate whichever Form he requested, moving through the stances beneath his studious gaze. Only after she was finished would the lesson begin, breaking down each stance into easy to understand components and explaining the important details of even something so minor as the direction of her toes. Since accepting her as a student, Teacher Du opened Adujan’s mind to the endless possibilities of the Forms, patiently answering her questions and enlightening her with simple, straightforward explanations.

It's no wonder his lessons were so sought after, with would-be students seeking him out from all across the Central Plains just to listen to an hour-long lecture. Even the Society of Heaven and Earth had no choice but to swallow their pride and treat him with respect despite his open support of their enemies. Giving them no face, Teacher Du had left their invitations unopened and unread, marching through the northern gates and out the southern gate without stopping, immediately seeking passage to Yantai. Instead of guesting with one of Situ clan’s rivals, he loudly proclaimed his disdain for the Society as a whole and spent the night in a run-down inn next to the docks, all so they could leave as soon as possible.

This was power, a man alone and unblinking before the behemoth which was the Society. Though they sought to make peace, Teacher Du spat in their faces and suffered nothing for it. How many others could do the same? Not even the Herald could openly defy the Society without reprisal, strolling through their streets with naked contempt while their underlings strained to smile and play nice. It wasn’t his strength alone which allowed him this freedom, but the strength of his following. Since his crowning victory over the Butcher of KunLun, Teacher Du instructed hundreds of students and raised multiple disciples to prominence. It surprised her to learn Cho Jin Kai was not even forty years of age and already a Brigadier on the cusp of promotion to General. He was dead now, his life lost in defence of the North and the loss weighed heavily on Teacher Du, often lapsing into moments of quiet introspection to mourn. Though she’d found the Brigadier’s personality distasteful, he was the closest thing to a son Teacher Du had and she was forced to admit they shared many of the same traits: arrogant and overbearing in demeanour, callous and discourteous towards outsiders while wholly devoted to his family.

Though saddened by Teacher Du's melancholy, Adujan was determined to surpass him in every way possible, bringing new glory and honour to Teacher Du’s name.

She spent the rest of the day in their cabin, telling stories of the People and losing in chess to Teacher Du. As he laid down for a nap, she slipped out to check on Zabu and Shana. The two quins occupied a second room by themselves, Zabu unwilling to let strangers approach now that Shana was plump and ready to lay eggs. In a few months, there would be a litter of fuzzy pups to hold and hug, and Adujan could hardly contain her excitement.

And so her days were spent in relative relaxation, their tiny cabin unsuitable for martial training. Aside from keeping Teacher Du company, the rest of her time was spent with her senior student, Du Kang Bing. Only a few years younger than Cho Jin Kai, the Colonel wasn’t favoured by Teacher Du despite their admittedly loose family relation. It wasn’t personal, Teacher Du merely sensed Kang Bing was fast approaching his limits, a common genius rather than an extraordinary one. Unperturbed by the cold treatment, he bore no enmity with Adujan, befriending her without ulterior motive. Though Kyung was far more handsome, the stony faced cat-man was wholly dedicated to Teacher Du and a boring, unwilling companion. In contrast, Kang Bing regaled her with tales of Teacher Du’s accomplishments in return for stories of the Herald, her fellow student enamoured by the beautiful Lieutenant General. It was galling to have all her flirtatious advances rebuffed out of hand, but it was better this way. He was far too old and much too married for her tastes, a father of three and husband to many more.

This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

After five days of sailing along the coast, Yantai finally came into view, the city where she would spend the next few years. She had to admit, the cities of the north paled in comparison. There was no outer wall to Yantai, only a sprawl of beautiful red-bricked and blue-tiled buildings. Many a curved roof and elegant arch dotted the landscape, with too many multi-level buildings and pagodas to count. Though there seemed no order or reason to the city’s layout, she saw no chaos or clutter from her vantage point, blocks of houses arrayed in a haphazard yet logical manner, with long, wide roads stretching uninterrupted into the distance. Red paper lanterns lined the streets, waiting for night to fall before they were lit, and she could only imagine how beautiful a sight it would be. Beneath them, a multitude of people bustled to and fro, with even the poorest of them dressed in colourful rags while the wealthier citizens wore beautiful multicoloured shirts and dresses. Green trees sprouted up at regular intervals, adding another splash of colour to the already dazzling sight.

“Close your jaw before a gull flies into it, girl.” Teacher Du sidled up and clapped her on the shoulder, bringing her in for a half embrace. “My city is beautiful, but what you see here is merely a fraction of its glory. Save your awe for the parts that matter.”

“Yes Teacher.” Wrapping her arms around him, she watched as their ship prepared to dock, the field of fishing boats and merchant ships making way once Teacher’s banner was raised. A few people even cheered to welcome him back to the city, but Teacher Du took it all in stride, refusing to acknowledge any others as he told her about Yantai’s rich history, his calm, comforting voice filled with pride. Listening carefully, Adujan cherished the attention, unused to being treated so well. Though the People raised, fed, and clothed her, she’d never known the love of a family.

She imagined it was something like this.

Upon docking, a horse-drawn carriage awaited them, but with Zabu and Shana in tow, Adujan couldn’t board. Noticing her hesitation, Teacher Du waved the carriage away and hopped onto Zabu’s back, the cantankerous quin quietly accepting the burden with a tiny huff. Riding Shana, Adujan followed her teacher through the streets at a leisurely pace, Teacher Du greeted respectfully by all. Unhindered, they made their way into the city’s centre where his enormous manor stood, pointed out to her during their wait. Striding through the front gates, Adujan was greeted by a veritable army of servants, bowing to their returned master.

Hopping off of Zabu, Teacher Du patted the quin. “Kyung, find the quins somewhere to settle down according to Adujan’s specifications.” Flashing her a smile, his voice softened. “Girl, go with the maids and clean up, there will be a grand meal in your honour. As much as I’d like to keep it small, I’m afraid my siblings and cousins will insist on joining us, and they'll each invite their friends, who will bring their family and friends and so on. I’ve a few things to settle before then, so keep out of trouble.” With a wink, he was gone, striding off as a horde of serving girls descended upon her.

Overcome with shock and confusion, Adujan meekly went along as they herded her off, throwing her into a tub of hot water to scrub away the stench of travel. What followed was an experience bordering on torture as they brought out a myriad of terrifying tools, clicking their tongues while they plucked, filed, tweezed, and scraped away at her. Within the hour, Adujan longed for simpler times back in the North, eyeing the exits and planning her escape, testing the girls for signs of combat experience.

Resisting the urge to flee in terror, Adujan suffered through their ministrations in silence, unwilling to bring shame to Teacher Du. Thankfully, their torture didn’t last too long, moving on to better things as they cut her hair and massaged scented oils and lotions into her smooth, unblemished skin. The stress of travel and a new life melted away beneath their strong fingers, barely able to keep from moaning as she fell into deep, relaxed slumber.

This took some getting used to, but it was well worth the effort. It didn’t get much better than this.

Well, maybe if it was team of robust, handsome men massaging her...

Sometime later, Adujan found herself in an unfamiliar room being awakened by an unfamiliar maid. New clothes were laid out for her, crafted in the colourful style of Yantai. A pair of skintight, flexible trousers and a form-fitting silk tunic, both so bright they made her eyes hurt. Thankful for Teacher Du’s gift, her cheeks strained from her smile, warmed by the knowledge he cared enough to remember she hated wearing dresses. How he found a seamstress to finish the work so quickly was a mystery, but the clothes fit perfectly, framing her legs and hips well.

If Rain were here to see this, she was certain his eyes would pop out of their sockets.

The thought cast a pall over her joy but she rallied quickly, following the maid to dinner. After a ten minute stroll through the halls, the maid curtsied before a small door, indicating Adujan should proceed alone. Nervous and excited, she opened the door and stepped through, coming out onto a platform overlooking a courtyard, where a banquet was in full effect. Hundreds of small tables filled the courtyard with important-looking people seated at each one. Curiously, as soon as her presence was noted, their all turned their attention to her, with many envious or hateful glares thrown her way.

This was her worst nightmare come to pass, and all she could do was pray she looked presentable.

“Good, good, you’re here.” Beaming with joy, Teacher Du stood from his seat on the platform and waved her over, only two small tables set on the wide stage. “Beautiful, I wager the seamstress will be inundated with requests for more outfits like yours. A dashing young heroine making her debut, how striking.” Leading her around the tables, they stood before his guests, the entire courtyard silent as the grave while waiting for him to speak. “Honoured guests, as you all know, I lost my first disciple in the North. A talented young man, Cho Jin Kai was like a son to me, but his loss was not in vain. He died defending against the Enemy and served the Empire well. His duty is done. May he rest in the Mother’s embrace.”

The crowd echoed the sentiment and Adujan did the same. After a moment of silence, Teacher Du took a deep breath and continued. “But there is good news. On my journey to collect my disciple’s remains, I came across this young woman, Adujan, Sentinel of the People. Noticing her talent, I accepted her as my student and brought her back to Yantai, confident I could raise her into a hero of the Empire.” Pausing, he glanced about the courtyard. “I was wrong.”

A cold hand gripped Adujan’s heart as she froze in terror, her heart stilling at Teacher Du’s words. Had it all been an act? Was this to be his revenge for Cho Jin Kai’s death? She turned to look him in the eyes, and all her fears fell away, seeing only love and affection in his gaze. “Adujan is peerless and beyond compare, possessing a brilliant mind and tenacious attitude. There is no doubt she would become a hero of the Empire even without my tutelage. With it, she will soar into the heavens to reach the pinnacle.” Clasping his hands in a salute, Teacher Du bowed at a forty-five degree. “Adujan, this old man would like to take you in as my Terminal Disciple, to pass down all my knowledge and secrets to you and none other. Will you accept?”

The crowd collectively gasped and broke out into whispers as Adujan nodded, tears spilling from her eyes. Following his instructions, she kowtowed thrice before him, her voice breaking as she recited the formal oath to accept him as her Mentor. Helping her stand, Teacher- no, Mentor Du- wiped away her tears with his handkerchief, his wrinkled smile full of joy and relief. “Careful now,” he Sent, clasping her hand with a wink. “This next part will earn you many enemies, but I doubt you would object.” Turning to the crowd, he announced, “As I am lacking an heir, I hereby formally adopt my Terminal Disciple, naming her Du Min Yan.”

Ignoring the shouts of outrage and denial, Yan hugged the old man and cried into this chest, thanking him between sobs as he patted her back. “No need for gratitude, girl,” he whispered, voice filled with emotion. “I always wanted a grandchild but I couldn’t be bothered with a wife and children. Too messy, this way is much cleaner.”

Laughing, she shook her head, unable to express her feelings. All her life, she’d dreamed of finding a Mentor and a family.

Today, she found both in the same person.

Chapter Meme