Training

At night, everyone went to their rooms to prepare for bed. Lan, who's already ready, heard a knock. The dull one-knock could only be her First Uncle. "Uncle Jing," Wei Jing comes in, "pfft..it's weird to see you in a nightgown." Jing flicks her forehead and took a seat. "Brat." Lan stuck a tongue out and pours tea for him, "what brings you here?"

Wei Jing clears his throat, "Hm, we won't be able to train--" "What?!" Lan interrupts. Jing puts up a hand, "Let me finish." Lan sat still, "We don't have a room for you here to train, and we don't know about the spies from the emperor yet. For the time being, I have a new training method I want to try. We will do that, and you will resume with literature in your room."

"Okay." With just that, Wei Jing wishes her goodnight and left.

Lan was internally excited about the new training. Her uncle's training for her was hardly different from those he's already trained. And she already surpassed those skills. Lan always looks forward to becoming stronger by learning harder skills. She self studies beyond what's asked and trains longer after it ends.

Especially with everything happening with Emperor Yuan, Lan couldn't help but feel like something's going to happen. Determined, she will become stronger to protect this family from Emperor Yuan. She will become the strongest to go against Emperor Zhuang.

Wei Jing decided to take advantage of the southern's environment to train Lan. In the morning, she was to run and climb the mountains. Then, practiced swordsmanship against him in the forest. Due to the nature of forests, the trees and bushes made it useful to stimulate the '6th sense' and fight. Lan would also run and practice near the oceans. The sand allows Lan to strengthen stamina and power.

The new physical training was tiresome. Even a talent like Lan was continuously pushed to her limit. But by night, her uncle feeds her his usual herbal soup he's given her the past five years.

One day, with the approval of Guang He, Wei Jing comes in with a rare smile. "Uncle, your smile is weird." He flicks her head, "Brat." Lan laughs.

This was their relationship. Lan was able to open the cold Wei Jing and joke around with him. She is the only one who openly makes fun of him. He grew to care for the girl when he saw himself in her. She truly has a pitiful past, but instead of moping about it all her life, she works to become stronger.

"Wake up before dawn tomorrow. Meet me at the front gate. Wear your thicker training suit," and with just that, he left, leaving Lan confused.

Before the sun could rise, Lan woke up and did as her uncle instructed. Lan came out in her thick, navy blue training suit with her dagger to her waist. Her long brown hair tied into a high bun like a boy. Jing leads her to the forest mountain, blindfolded.

"The next level to the training: Use all the knowledge and skills you've learned the past months and survive here. Find a way to come back home within the next five days," he gives Lan her a water bag and a bad of medicine [as promised to his father]. With just that, he took off.

Lan, who is surprised her grandfather would allow this, took off the blindfold to scan her surroundings. She got excited with the thought that her grandfather trusts her ability enough to let her do this and to test the skills she has.

All Lan sees are trees. But these are different; Compared to the cedar trees near their house, these are redwood. 'He left me at the area we didn't explore yet..smart.'

The sun began to rise, and Lan's first mission is to find a stream to collect water. Maybe she'd find berries if she's lucky. After that, hunt.

For three days, Lan tried to figure out the layout of the area. She'd climb trees for shelter, and continues on her journey before day breaks until dusk. The fire was not necessary being that she's wearing her thick suit, enough to keep her from the cold at night. Lan had luck at hunting bunnies, enough to fill her up for the days.

On the third night, Lan had paused her journey for rest after a shower at the stream. She sat on the thick branch against the trunk, arms crossed across her chest. Climbing was no trouble as she had already climbed mountains during training. The fundamentals aren't different.

Lan had closed her eyes when she suddenly hears the dried leaves breaking below her. Alerted, she places her hand on the dagger, examining the situation. 'The emperor's men?...' The figure in black was stumbling to sit against the tree next to the one Lan's on.

Lan slowly climbed down the opposite side to avoid him noticing her. Once on the ground, she cuts off the sleeve of her suit to use as a veil, only exposing her eyes. She slowly creeps behind him. Strategically placing her dagger towards the man. Then, quickly, she hooks her arm to his side and places her dagger to the man's throat.

She slowly spoke, "Don't make a sound. Who do you work for?"