705: Back to the Mountain's Ink

Back to the Mountain's Ink

Xing Hou's face changed in an instant, becoming apologetic. 

"I'm... I'm sorry I didn't know."

She lowered her head with a shameful look but Ming Yue stopped her. She looked at the young girl with a melancholic smile.

Not quite happy but not very sad either. 

"It's fine", she said to her, "It happened a long time ago when I was young, about thirteen or fourteen years old. There's no need to apologize."

The princess raised her head, still with a sorry look. 

"Although I've heard many stories, I truly did not know about this", she said. 

Ming Yue just looked at her before turning away. 

"Not many know, a beginning such as mine is a sorrowful one."

The young cultivator turned back to Xing Hou, looking straight into her eyes. 

"Even if you'll be gone for ten years, always cherish your home but at the same time, learn to find a place of your own."

She stood up, placing a hand on the princess's shoulder. 

"There is no doubt that those ten years will be harsh and difficult. However, they can also be the most valuable and broadening. Besides, I'm not much older than you and I'm younger than your brother. Don't compare yourself to me or anyone else, just go your way."

After saying such words, Ming Yue left the room, returning to her own room where Xiao Yin and Hei Yue were still fast asleep. 

The princess just sat there for a moment, turning around to see the closed door behind her. There was a strange look on her face. 

Her mind seemed to dwell on what Ming Yue had said to her. She wasn't sure how to interpret it but smiled in the end, even going as far as to chuckle a bit. 

Maybe laughing at herself. 

"Hahaha, how strange. I don't feel as nervous about this as before." 

The young girl quickly stood up, making sure that she was ready for this new chapter ahead of her. With most of her preparations done, there was just one last thing that she had to take. 

Xing Hou moved towards the weapons rack holding her gauntlets. She stared at them, studying each and every little detail about them. 

"I finally have a pair of my own, just like my brother, just like my mother", she said to herself. 

The smile on her face grew a bit bigger before grabbing her gauntlets and donning them. 

With that, she felt ready to embark. 

The doors to her room opened as she walked out, heading straight to Ming Yue's room. 

"I wonder if she'll let me come with her?" 

There was a hopeful tone to those words, excited even. Standing in front of this set of doors, Xing Hou knocked on them but there was no response. 

Her face suddenly changed to confusion and even concern.

"Strange." 

She knocked several more times, announcing herself but there was no response from within. 

An attendant approached her carrying a basket. 

"Ah, princess. if you are looking for the Fairy of the Moon, I'm afraid that she's left already."

Xing Hou turned to them with surprise to which the attendant nodded. 

"Yes, in fact, I was sent here to clean the room up", the attendant told her. 

Her eyes flickered as disappointment started to settle in. 

"I... is that so? Do you know where she's headed?" she asked. 

The attendant could only shrug. 

"Why not ask the king? He may know." 

After that, they opened the doors and walked in, grabbing the dirty sheets which had all been folded up neatly. 

Xing Hou watched for a moment before heading in a different direction, going straight to her father. It wasn't hard to find him, he was in his study, focused on several documents. 

He spoke before she even opened her mouth. 

"I know why you're here and I'm sorry to say that I do not know."

The disappointment only grew but she asked him a different question. 

"When did she leave?"

Her father looked up. 

"Not long ago, she came in and said her farewells to me as well as your mother and grandfather. And knowing her pace, she's long gone by now."

"I see." 

Xing Hou stood there in silence, the disappointment was all but clear. Looking at her, Xing Long sighed and his gaze softened as he looked his daughter in the eyes. 

"She may have said the same words that I'm going to say but... in these next ten years, you are on your own. You must go your own path. As great as Ming Yue is, I'm sure that she would not want you to blindly follow her. No, experience all that you can and if you truly wish to follow her then you may do so."

His daughter looked back at him, slowly changing her frown to a small smile.

"I understand." 

Xing Long stood up, walking out with his daughter. 

"Come, the rest of us are waiting for you outside, it is time to see you off." 

As a new chapter in her life started, Ming Yue was far from the Xing Clan. Flying just above the trees, she soared through the mountainscape, reaching her destination in less than a day. She had both beasts in her grasps, moving at a speed far faster than either of them could match.

"There it is."

Flying over the Mountain's Ink, she walked through the town, heading straight for the manor where Yuan and her husband, Wo Long were. 

Strangely enough, the old woman was at the door waiting for her to arrive. 

"I had a feeling you'd be coming back soon." 

There was a smile on her face as Ming Yue lowered her head and greeted her. 

"Senior Yuan."

The old woman stopped her from going any further. 

"What did I say? Just Yuan is fine, you're making me feel old, you know."0

"Ah, I..."

Yuan just chuckled before opening the door to let her in.

"Heh, I was only talking in jest. Come in, come in, I'm sure my husband would be delighted to see you."

And right she was, Ming Yue waited in the dining room only to hear several clamoring sounds before Wo Long nearly tripped into the room. 

He was a bit of a mess, carrying several books and scrolls in his arms. 

"Ah, Ming Yue, you've returned!"

He adjusted his glasses before putting everything down and taking a seat. 

After greeting him as well, she took about the jar and set it down between them. In an instant, the room grew cold as a frosty mist radiated from the jar. Wo Long immediately looked at it, pointing out with a trembling finger.

Even Yuan had a look of surprise. 

"Is that... is that it?" he asked her. 

His voice quivered as he saw her nod and then moved to open the jar. It was a small twist followed by a hiss as she popped it open. 

Inside were pieces of Abyssal Ice floating in the freezing cold water. The dark blue hue shimmered ever so slightly. 

Wo Long marveled at it, putting on a special glove before grabbing a single shard. 

"This... this is Abyssal Ice. Incredible. How did you do it?" he asked. 

Ming Yue looked at him with a smile. 

"It turns out that you were right. There is another place similar to the Mountain's Ink within the Frostflame Bear's territory. But there was no Abyssal Ice on it so my best option at the time was to hunt the Frostflame Bears."

Yuan looked at her in utter disbelief.

"You hunted Frostflame Bears?!"

The old woman looked at her from head to toe before staring straight into her eyes. It seemed too farfetched for Ming Yue but the young cultivator didn't seem to be lying at all. 

"Hah, the younger generation really is too terrifying. A famed beast treated like a hunter's prey, it's hard to believe."

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