Maiden Of The Splitting Moon

Ming Yue was suddenly shaken by this proposal as were the others who flipped back to the Grand Elder. 

"What do you mean by this? She is of the younger generation! Not even someone at the peak of the Earth Realm!"

"Do you plan to send her on a mission of certain death?!"

Many of the experts were somewhat appalled by this decision, believing it to be rash. But there were a few who were silent, understanding the reasoning behind it. 

"Hmm... I see."

Elder Xiang muttered before looking at Ming Yue, who did not expect such a responsibility to be given to her. 

"Are you sure about this? After all, she is still a greenhorn, perhaps not compared to the others but compared to us, she is still inexperienced."

Qi Dian stood up and asked the Grand Elder directly. An expert from the Four Swords region, she was an old woman with a thin but muscular figure. Wearing black and magenta colored clothes coupled with some leather vambraces, there was a belt wrapped around her waist with seven nothces for her daggers. 

Her face was stone cold and calm, looking at the Grand Elder with a certain scrutiny. 

"I understand that she is young and perhaps, weaker than us. However, was she not pushing Dai Mian back in that fight?" 

The Grand Elder replied, reminding everyone of the scene they saw, how Ming Yue had utterly destroyed Dai Mian for a full minute or two. The strength she put out was shocking to say the least. But it was not enough to convince them. 

"But much of that strength came from her sword."

"Yes, not to mention, after the battle, she collapsed and her body was past its breaking point. The only reason why she is standing right now and still not in bed is due to her friend."

"It is too much for her to bear. Furthermore, do you expect her to kill him? He revived several times already!"

"Indeed! That bastard is only a step away from being a monster!"

Despite these reasons, the Grand Elder was steadfast, sticking to his proposal. 

"You all misunderstand, I am not asking her to kill him but to find him. It would be even better of she could delay him or weaken him even further. I am well aware of his constant revivals which is why I only ask that this young one only finds him. All of us will be occupied for at least a few months with the damage done to the land. Of everyone we know of, she has the highest chance of surviving a battle with him."

He then stood up, placing his hands on the table as he looked at everyone. 

"Do you understand? We have no choice but to ask someone else. The chaos in the continent will ensue and all of us have our own responsibilities in keeping the peace. Who knows how long the dust will settle after an event like this."

No one in the room spoke, fully understanding the reasoning behind his decision. Now was the best time to chase after Dai Mian but with the continent brought to its knees, it was too rash for any of them to go. Furthermore, there were few with an actual chance of dueling Dai Mian. Of them, Ming Yue was one.

The Grand Elder then looked at Ming Yue, with a stoic face. 

"I understand that this may seem like a burden too heavy for you and perhaps it is but the options are limited. You may choose to reject it or accept, none of us will think worse of you."

Ming Yue was quiet, deep in thought before looking up at the Grand Elder.

"Could you give me a day to think it over?" she asked. 

The Grand Elder smiled.

"Certainly, all of us understand that this is not an easy choice to make. You may leave now, there is still much to discuss."

MIng Yue was sent out and she returned to her room. Her two beastly companions sensed the turmoil in her mind and stuck close to her, trying to soothe her mind. 

"Should I go or not?" she thought. 

As much as she was interested in the Demon Continent, the task asked of her was a heavy one. Furthermore, she was an outsider, not a part of this group but connected nevertheless. 

"Do I want to do this?"

Ming Yue was unsure of herself. 

"Xue Yue...."

"I don't have anything to say. The choice is yours."

Despite asking her for clarity, Xue Yue had no answer for Ming Yue. 

"It doesn't matter to me whether you want to go or not. I am only a passenger in your soul. If we do go, it would make for an interesting journey." 

"I see."

Ming Yue stayed in her room to ponder for several hours before going out to the deck. Alone, she moved silently, carrying her sword and looking out. It had grown dark but the sky was clear and the stars lit up the night.

"Hm, there's someone here."

As she was about to unsheathe her sword, Ming Yue noticed someone else standing towarded the front, gazing at the night sky. 

"That's one of the inheritors, Elder Xiang's Inheritor..."

Indeed, it was Yu Hua, leaning against the fence as looking out at the stars. Ming Yue recognized the blade by her side as well as her emerald colored robes. As if sensing someone's gaze, Yu Hua turned around and locked eyes with Ming Yue. 

She then gestured her hands, calling Ming Yue to join her and the latter did so. 

As she came closer, Ming Yue had a much better look at the Inheritor. Despite having a rather intimidating weapon, Yu Hua had the appearance of a young, frail girl. She seemed at elast a few years younger but Ming Yue did not treat her without respect. 

"Greetings, Inheritor."

Ming Yue cupped her fists and bowed but Yu Hua stopped her. 

"We learn under the same elder. It is more appropriate to call me Senior Sister."

Yu Hua's voice was somewhat high- pitched but carried a tone of responsibility and maturity. Her behavior did not quite fit her appearance.

"Then... Greetings, Senior Sister."

"Hm, what brings you here, Junior Sister? Is there something weighing on your mind perhaps?"

"Uh... yes... I've been given a task to go to the Demon Continent but I am unsure of whether I should go or not."

"Really, interesting..."

"Yes, I decided to go outside and have a breath of fresh air to clear my mind."

"I see."

Yu Hua paused, her eyes still looking at the starry sky. 

"I suppose you've seen Elder Xiang already."

"Yes, yes I have."

"You know, there have been talks about him retiring but at the end of it, he made his decision and chose to stay as the Blade Elder."

"Really?"

Ming Yue was surprised to here that but at the same time, she realized that it would've been discussed sooner or later. After all, Elder Xiang lost one of his legs and his sword arm, having that same strength as before was only a dream. 

"I was there when he made his decision. He did not skip a beat to reject retirement and continue his position as the Blade Elder. You know his character, don't you? He only does things if it interests him."

"I do."

"Then you know that whatever choice you make, it should be the one that interests you."

Yu Hua turned to looked at Ming Yue, her eyes revealed sea-green irises that were spirited. 

"He may be a eccentric, middle- aged old man with a penchant for wine, but it isn't as if he makes decisions on a whim. So long as he still finds interest in what he does, nothing will stop him. So if, you can't choose, think of what interests you. Overanalyzing will just complicate your thoughts and cloud your judgement."

Ming Yue looked down before turning towards the sky, looking up at the stars. In that moment, she thought about the elder and all the experiences she had gone through.. All of them were dangerous, risky, deadly and after it all flowed through her mind, she made her decision.