It took Emperor Huan a few seconds to recover before he immediately set up a barrier to prevent others from listening to their conversation.
"Grandmaster Tian. EXPLAIN YOURSELF!"
"Please your Majesty, ease your anger. She doesn't know anything yet."
"DOESN'T KNOW ANYTHING? SHE KNOWS ABOUT THE PROPHECY THAT ITSELF IS A MAJOR MISTAKE."
"I know, please forgive me! It slipped out of my mouth as I was talking to Miss. Jing on our way here."
"You... How could you accidentally let such an important matter "slip" out of your mouth!"
"Is it such a big deal that I know?"
The two grown men didn't know how to answer her. If they said no then she would pester to tell them and if they said yes, that would just raise her curiosity even more... What to do...
"If this prophecy is about me I think I have a right to know about it."
"...There... There is a prophecy that has been passed down since the founding of the Song Empire." said Grandmaster Tian. "After Song Xuegang broke through back then, the large crystal in Shuijing Hall wasn't all that he found. There was also a small Mythril tablet... that is where the prophecy came from. It said:
'As that which keeps us warm begins to wane, a heart that beats will stop.
A swift end will lead to an abrupt beginning.
'He' that reverts from the otherworld will arise as chrysanthemums blossom.
A pillar of light illuminates the sky, and the four beasts shall awaken.
Gather they will as the eight pillars are falling and Yanlou will arise to reclaim that which was stolen.
Hand in hand, they ...'
The rest had already been cut off but... we think that you're the one the prophecy talks about."
"..." Jing Ling didn't believe it. Just because a rock had a passage on it they believe it's a prophecy. "How...can you be so sure that it's about me?"
"The line: 'A pillar of light illuminates the sky' matches your potential testing," said the Emperor. "We are not certain which is why we didn't want to tell you. However, at this moment, you're the only guess we have."
Jing Ling was trying to take all of this in when she realized that everything made sense now. The reason why she was here even though she most likely died back then in her world. Why her condition suddenly worsened in the winter and it was also their beginning of winter when she arrived in this world... "Then what does the other half the prophecy mean?" thought Jing Ling but her thoughts were interrupted.
"Sigh. Grandmaster Tian, take Miss. Jing to the library and let her pick out a manual. Don't think too much about this Miss. Jing."
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After Grandmaster Tian helped Jing Ling pick out a manual and seeing her off, he went back to talk with the Emperor.
"Your Majesty... Why didn't you tell Miss. Jing about them?"
"...What's the point?"
"They're after her life! She has the right to know about them."
"Then what do you suggest I tell her? That there's a powerful evil organization of devil worshippers that are trying to revive the King of Hell, Yanlou, and are trying to kill her to prevent the prophecy from happening? That she will have the burden of saving everyone?"
"Yes... You're right... my apologies."
"It's alright. We just need to protect her from them."
That night Jing Ling couldn't sleep. Her mind kept going back to what she heard in the Emperor's study.
'A pillar of light illuminates the sky, and the four beasts shall awaken.
Gather they will as the eight pillars are falling and Yanlou will arise to reclaim that which was stolen.'
Yanlou? The King of Hell? That's just ridiculous! He doesn't exist!... Or I at least hope not," thought Jing Ling. "Doesn't that mean I will need to fight the King of Hell? Maybe it really isn't talking about me at all!... But the first half matches my circumstances. Noooooo I don't want to have to fight a GOD! I'll die T^T."
Jing Ling tried to make sense of that prophecy but since she didn't know what to expect she tried to push it to the back of the mind until a hint appears.
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Ever since Jing Ling picked out the Yincang Breathing Technique from Emperor Huan she has been practicing the manual every day. The Yincang Breathing Technique is a King level manual yet it is very simple. As long as the practitioner controlled their breath and followed the breathing pattern described in the manual, they will be able to hide their realm from anyone under Supreme realm.
It took 3 months but now Jing Ling could even use it unconsciously. Thus, every day Jing Ling have been training non-stop since she isn't worried about being exposed anymore. However, the more engrossed Jing Ling got into her training, the more worried Lady Jing Ying became worried. Every day she watches her daughter dress like a boy and does nothing but train. One night she couldn't hold it in anymore and decides to talk to her husband.
"Dear, there's something I want to talk to you about."
"Hmm? What is it, Dearest?"
"It's about Jing Ling. I am worried about her future. All she does is train and cultivate day and night!"
"Why is this a problem? It is a good thing that we don't have to force her to train like I need to with those two brats."
"I understand that she has violet potential so you want her work hard as a cultivator, but what about her future as a wife? She's going to have to get married one day and Jing Ling won't know how to do anything young ladies her age should know."
"We can let her learn those things later on..."
"But what if she is invited to the palace one day and she doesn't know any etiquette or rules? She's going to be looked down upon by her peers!"
"That's true. Sigh, why don't we do this? We can hire a teacher for her."
"Who should we hire? How about Madame Feng? She's renowned as the best teacher for young ladies these days."
"Do as you wish Dearest but let Ling'er know before you invite Madame Feng over."
"Of course, I will speak with Ling'er tomorrow."
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The next day Lady Jing Ying woke up earlier than usual to head over to Jing Ling's room and talk to her before she started her morning training.
"Ling'er are you awake?"
"Mother? Please come in. Why are you looking for me so early in the morning?
"Well, dear, your Father and I talked last night and we thought it would be best if you started to learn etiquette, embroidery, music, and cooking. Of course, you won't be learning everything all at once so let's concentrate on etiquette for now."
"When will I be taking these lessons?"
"How about in the afternoon three times a week?"
"But mother! That's going to slow down on the time I have for my cultivation!"
"I know Ling'er that you love to cultivate but this is necessary for your future as a female. In the future when you get married, all these skills are needed, so, please sacrifice some of your cultivation time."
"Sigh. Alright, mother. I'll take the lessons."
"Fufufu, thank you for listening to me Ling'er."
After leaving Jing Ling's room, Lady Jing Ying quickly wrote a letter to Madame Feng to invite her to teach Jing Ling as a live-in-teacher.
The next day, a letter addressed to Lady Jing Ying arrived. Madame Feng had accepted her invitation and will arrive three days later.
For the next three days, Lady Jing Ying was happily preparing for Madame Feng's arrival while Jing Ling was counting down the days in dread.
Finally, on the third day, a cart pulled up to the Jing residence as Lady Jing Ying and Jing Ling was waiting to greet Madame Feng.
A tiny woman slowly got down from the cart with the help of the driver. Although the woman's hair was all gray, her face was still maintained very well, with only a few smile lines around the eyes. At the moment she wore a thick brown hanfu, decorated with golden threads on the outermost layer.
"Madame Feng, it is our honor to have you stay at our house. Thank you for accepting my invitation. Please come in! You must be cold and weary from your travels."
"My, my. Is this your daughter Jing Ling? She is quite the beauty!"
"You're too kind Madame Feng. Jing Ling! Quickly, come and greet Madame Feng."
"Jing Ling greets Madame Feng." Jing Ling said in a soft tone while attempting to curtsy.
"Aiyo, I have a lot of work ahead of me don't I? Miss Jing! your posture is terrible! Your back isn't straight, you're not bending down enough. You face! It's not at the right angle. Everything is wrong. Sigh. Looks like I will need to teach you from the beginning and we're going to start right now."
"Whelp, there goes my peaceful days," thought Jing Ling.