Maiden Of The Splitting Moon

"Your skin, it's so clean and clear. How do you do it? With the constant fighting and what not, you haven't had any scars or blemishes? How do you do it?" she asked. 

Ming Yue was dumbfounded by the question. 

"My... skin? I don't do anything special..."

Her words were quiet but it got everyone riled up. 

"Nothing?"

"What? Really?"

All of the sudden, they crowded around her in curiosity. Dozens of them surrounded her, taking closer glimpses and looking at each other in shock. 

"How is that even possible?"

"You look so delicate! Does cultivating to the Earth Realm do this to you?"

"How old are you?"

"What kind of experience did you have?"

Ming Yue was taken aback, bombarded by questions she wasn't even sure how to answer.

Hei Yue saw her helpless state and leaped out looking at the other soldiers with a cold look. Not to mention, that Snow Owl of hers was about to flap its wings and attack. 

"No, stop you two!"

She scolded them quickly before answering the curious soldiers as best as she could. Strangely enough, she found this experience somewhat familiar.

"This is like when I first came to the brothel. All of the women there kept asking me questions, Cui Fen protected me that time but I'll be on my own this time", she thought.

It was a strange feeling but a sense of closeness began to form between her and the soldiers. 

"You're already at the Earth Realm and you're not even twenty years old!"

"You must be a genius! And you're not even one of those nobles or from a clan but a village girl like us. How exciting! Where in the continent are you from?"

"Did you learn from a master? What sect did you go to?"

"Ah, we're barely out of the Human Realm ourselves..."

"Well, there's only so many resources that we can get. In the end, it's all about talent, isn't it?"

They lamented while learning more about her as she did to them.

Man or woman, they were just ordinary soldiers, many of whom were farmers or villagers that joined in hopes of making a name for themselves or to secure a better life for their families. 

"Barely out of the Human Realm..."

Ming Yue looked at the soldiers, finding that all of them were at this very Realm. The highest of which was at the Ninth Level, just one shy of reaching the Earth Realm. Most of them were older than her by a few years, even as they conversed excitedly with her, she could see that they were weary. It was a detail that seemed to stick with her even after she left the bath.

The conversation had slowly transformed into gossip from which she could barely follow, thus she excused herself. Returning to her room with the well-cleaned fox and owl, she promptly went to bed but she couldn't go to sleep. As good as that bath was, there were simply too many things on her mind, of them all were the soldiers.

"They were all Human Realm, weren't they?" 

She couldn't help but get hung up on this. 

"What? Do you think they're too weak?" Xue Yue blurted out.

"No, no. It's just... no, it's nothing."

Covering herself in the blankets, she soon fell asleep, awakening to a fresh day. 

Ming Yue saw the sun rise up and got out of her bed, leaving her sleeping pets whilst she went out. It wasn't particularly busy outside, there were patrols here and there. Some of the training fields were being used but she soon found one that was unoccupied. 

She took out Drifting Sky, checking the blade for any nicks but there would never be one. 

Then the young cultivator took a stance and began her sword practice. At first, they were simple swings, one step forward, one step back. They were slow and controlled but as time passed, she went faster and faster, practicing only the techniques that required her sword. 

She was focused and she was composed, her body moved from one corner to another as her blade flickered. Light would flash in a split second whenever the sunlight hit the flat of her blade. 

Up until it was time for breakfast, she practiced without rest. 

And when she stopped, she felt someone's eyes on her. 

Ming Yue looked and found someone watching her, their hands rested behind their back as they did so. This person was familiar, a cold aura that which emanated a chilly feeling. His eyes carried a deep blue color as his hair was shaved on one side, the rest was flowing behind his back. His clothes were exquisite, patterned robes of white and blue, accented with a bit of gray. 

His face was emotionless, a handsome man with a blank look. Something about him didn't seem quite right. 

It didn't take long for her to recognize this person, especially when he spoke. 

"I didn't think I'd see you here, girl. I thought you'd still be in that little country, fighting in tournaments and whatnot."

Talking with a bit of surprise, he walked closer to her and examined the young woman. 

"Nearly at the Sky Realm... Talent like yours is somewhat hard to come by."

She did not turn her blade towards him but instead sheathed it. 

"The Lord of Azure Souls... Why are you here?" she asked. 

"Why do you think? The war, no? When the High Council heard the news of what had happened here, they quickly dispatched all Thirteen Messengers, me being one of them."

"The High Council? The one you mentioned at the tournament, you are with them?"

"Smart, yes, I am. I am also here with a message from the Grand Elder for you."

He then passed on a letter to her before promptly floating and flying towards the inner regions, most likely to speak with the Commanders. However, Ming Yue suddenly called out to him. 

"Did you really have to terrorize the Red Lotus Country? Taking over bodies and killing others just to cause fear?" she asked. 

He stopped mid-air and turned back to her.

"I suppose you're strong enough to know the truth..." He said. 

Coming back down he walked up to Ming Yue giving her a contemplative look. 

"I deemed it a necessary action, yes. Becoming a villain just so your country would not join this war effort, was the most efficient way. After all, fear is a very powerful tool and I've done this to several other countries as well."

He chuckled as he spoke. 

"I've gained quite a number of titles though, Lord of Azure Souls was my favorite."

"So you could not have warned us? You had to put on a show at the tournament?"

Ming Yue was somewhat surprised and irritated at his words. 

"Sometimes a show is needed and besides, warning your little countries? You're naive. Protecting those countries, keeping them from the war is the best course of action."

"Why?"

"It is a measure of safety, a plan in case something worse is to come. What little strength these small countries have should be preserved and allowed to grow because... Should we be pushed back into the Human Continent, should the Six Kingdoms and the High Council fail, these small nations will become the last bastion of hope."

As he spoke, his gaze turned very serious and his voice had become solemn. But it was only for a moment as he relaxed his expression and turned to leave. 

"Of course, that is if that were to happen. Now I have my own things to do, you should go read that letter and decide on your next course of action."

Just like that, he flew off, leaving Ming Yue with the message in her hands.. She looked at it and returned to her room.