9. Two Years Plan

Dan Meixian who is currently copying books for her tomorrow's instruction stops and suddenly exited the sacred book.

She rose from her bed and silently follow the quiet movement inside the resident. When she saw the petite stature from the dark she said in a not loud but not quiet voice.

"Leaving?"

The man in dark turn her head and saw Meixing's image.

"M—miss. Th-this—" he nervously said but only to be more startled under Meixiang's gaze.

"You have the most practical reason among the others in following me. Wanting to end your slave contract?" she asked but not asking.

"M-miss—"

Startled, he stutter more.

"A pity I asked a while ago that if you step inside the resident it means you will be my follower in your entire life."

Ping Chun was startled and look at Meixiang nervously. With no choice, Ping Chun kneels and said, "Young miss, this slave can't afford to be young miss' follower. This—this slave is disfigured and thinks doesn't deserve to be miss' follower."

"Miss—" he hesitantly look at the young lady but only to see Meixiang's unwavering face. After some thinking he reluctantly remove his mask showing a her face full of deep wounds that is almost unrecognizable.

His eyes are close to hide his pain as he raised his face to let Meixiang see his disfigured face. This is the first time someone openly look at his disfigured face aside from his brother.

"A pity. Such a beauty was ruined." he was startled with Meixiang's remark. "Stay. I can cure your wounds and get your face back to normal."

Ping Chun was startled once again but soon recovered. He bows her head more and plead, "Young miss. Please this slave didn't deserve such. This monster—"

"Then be honest."

Ping Chun look at her in shock, "This...young miss—"

"You only wanted to break your slave contract and in the middle of our journey, the spy from Su Manor suddenly lose contact to us. Step the resident by accident and witness my aptitude test. Even after seeing my result you still wanted to leave. Even after I said I can get your face back to normal you still wanted to leave. You even brought only one or two piece of clothes blatantly saying you really wouldn't stay. Now, tell me. What is your real reason."

"Y-young miss—" with no choice he cried. "M-my brother is alone at home. H—he's heavily sick."

"If I said I can heal your brother, would you stay?"

"Miss?"

"Don't let me repeat what I just have said. I hate dumb people. Do you know why I have this patience towards you?"

Ping Chen just look at her.

"The moment you step inside this resident, I already took you as my person. Now I'm giving this last chance to you. Stay tonight and tomorrow early morning we'll bring your brother here and look what I can do." Meixiang turn her back and said once more. "Leaving tonight is dangerous especially to a weak girl like you."

Ping Chun was startled and look at Meixiang's leaving back in daze.

Meixiang went back inside her room lying to her bed before entering the sacred book continue on copying number of books. This scene continued until the sun rises.

After writing the last book, Meixiang gave a yawn. She stretch her body and found a relaxing position. Going back inside her room she get up and get out of her room.

In the courtyard, when everyone saw their young lady they bow their heads respectfully.

Mother Tian is the one who breaks the silence first, "Young miss, the breakfast is ready. I know you are hungry would you want to eat first?"

"Auntie you don't have to be too formal. Just call me what you call me before. And yes I'm hungry. Now let's go to the dining area and have the meeting there."

Everyone followed suit.

They ate together in the same table with their young miss as this weird set up goes on they got more comfortable with Meixiang a little.

After eating they sat upright and look at the lazy face of their young miss who looks----sleepy?

Did she also not slept last night just like them? Yes ofcourse they themselves who are just merely onlookers hardly slept after witnessing that result. Being misunderstood, Meixiang just yawn once again while munching the snacks brought by Mother Tian.

"Hmm now let's start the meeting." in a lazy manner she casually stated, "Two years from now, we'll go to the central and built a mercenery group."

Everyone was dumbfounded. One year? To central? Mercenery group? What?

Not to mention the tone of their young miss like discussing a simple matter.

That is the central! And a mercenery at that!

Central is where the strong survives and weaklings killed. Unlike in kingdoms ruled by the royalties, central is where the place 'survival of the fittest' really exists! In kingdoms whatever grade are they, strongest really not being the top priority but the royalties. But Central is different. There is really no ruler in it but just the strongest. That is the reason those who have talents with no background go to the Central and tries their luck.

Central really don't have rules but as the population rises, some leaders of leading organization tried to restraint some acts but still in Central, being strong and having a potential is enough to find you a good backer.

Because the natural talents go to the Central, even the royalties of different kingdoms tried to establish their branch to the Central by building an organization usually a Mercenry group to steal these talents to be part of their palaces.

"M—miss?"

"I will only say this once to this group. I, Dan Meixiang, don't like repeating things. You heard me."

Meixiang scatter her gaze to these followers of her, seeing no one refuted she continued "All of you may be skeptical of our journey to the Central but that's the reason I gave an ultimatum of two years." she leans her back against the back of her seat and patiently explain, "You may notice that the qi around the resident is abundant?"

The others nodded. They notice this before going to bed last night.

"Mother prepare the entire forest good for cultivation. Formations are around the resident to let the qi of the whole forest for the entire eleven years pour in this area. We have the whole year to cultivate here, by that we'll start our journey to the capital."

Abundant qi and absorbing too much can harm a cultivator but the Long Dynasty have too thin qi. The accumulated qi in the formation is just enough for an cultivators to absorb not to mention the formation prepared by Feihan is a high level array resulting not to harm the cultivators inside.

"Almost all of us can cultivate qi. Uncle Tian, Bai Zihan, Xian Ji are martial artist. Tian Feng and Ping Chun are magician. Auntie Tian, Old Leng, and Brother Ling can't on the other hand. Now let's start with the latter."

Meixiang waves her hand and pile of papers appeared on the table.

Others are amazed that their Young Miss must have an interspatial ring that is a luxury item to the kingdom even royalty family hardly possess such but what they didn't know their young miss possess is million times better than a interspatial ring. Tian Ling on the other hand didn't mind such only his eyes are too excited that brightly staring at the pile of papers. He was about to hug those papers but suddenly stopped.

"Hold on, Brother Ling. These are not for you."

"Little Xiang....these are?" Tian Ling showed a questioning expression.

"These are for Auntie Tian and Old Leng." she look at Auntie Tian and pat the pile of papers on her right side and in a serious tone she said carefully, "Auntie, you have the most important job among us. These are new recipes of meals and snack that is not existing in our kingdom or even in the central." without letting her followers recover Meixiang put out three interspatial sack and put it on Mother Tian's side "These are full of coins. Spend as much as you can. If it's not enough I still have a lot. Auntie you have this responsibility please learn much recipes as you can. Little Meixiang is looking forward to Auntie."

Auntie Tian who can hear the serious tone of her Xiang-er she raise her fat right hand and round it into a fist with a determined face she look at Meixiang, "Auntie will do her best!"

Everyone around Meixiang and Mother Tian twitch the side of their mouth seeing this scene. Isn't it too obvious that their young miss is a foodie? Not to mention those three insterspatial sack she mindlessly gave to Auntie Tian!

Meixiang nodded many times contently with her Auntie's reply almost drooling of those recipes she have seen in the books. Yes! Even foods are available at the library inside the sacred book. Recipes from different world is available in it that it excites her a lot puts her copying these recipes on the top of her priority stealing her time to copy medicinal books for her Brother Ling. If Tian Ling finds this out, he'll surely be devastated.

"Old Leng. Next to auntie, your responsibility is also the most important." patting the pile of papers on her left she said in a serious tone. "These are different designs of equipments and machines. Study them and try to imitate the functions of these. Some of them are to be use by Auntie Tian so ask for her comments." lying without blinking an eye, not only some but MOST of these equipments are somehow related to these unseen delicacies. "Your craftmanship isn't a foreign to me. Little Meixiang believes Old Leng.."

"This old man will obey Miss Meixiang's words."

"Old Leng need not to be formal. You can also call the younger generation by it's name or just Xiang-er."

Old Leng cough uncomfortably and said in a stiff manner

"L--little Meixiang."

Meixiang just smiled and gave Old Leng three interspatial sack. "If not enough you can just inform me. You probably will fail that will consume a lot of money. It's okay to fail, these equipments are new to us so creating them is a bit difficult."

Meixiang really didn't need to worry about money. When she entered her room in the resident she found out a bunch of interspatial sacks full of gold and silver coins and three interspatial ring full of cores and crystals and some treasure. These are all left by her mother.

Leaning at the back of the chair her lazy demeanor return as she turns her head to Tian Ling and lazily said "Brother Ling. For you, you have to become a heavenly doctor."

Everyone was dumbfounded. What heavenly doctor! Who's heavenly doctor! And what's with that tone like you have lost your appetite like heavenly doctor is no big deal!

"L—little Xiang?"

"Tian Ling! You heard Xiang-er said she didn't want repeating her words! If she said you should become a heavenly doctor you should become a heavenly doctor!" Mother Tian shouted as her chubby cheeks are turning red. When facing Meixiang she return to her smiling face.

"Auntie is really the best." Meixiang lowly laughs as she waved her hand to signal her Brother Ling to come on her side. Tian Ling followed suit under the glaring eyes of her mother.

Meixiang stands up facing the tall frame of her Brother Ling. She raise her hand and tap her palm on where Tian Ling's heart was located. Under the eyes of everyone an incantation was drawn into thin air as Tian Ling's eyes turn red for just a second.

"Can you feel my fire inside your body?"

"I---I don't know but th--there's these heat somewhere else inside"

"My fire magic is still on its early level of first stage so it's still weak. I opened a portal inside your body so part of my fire is currently inhabiting your body. This technique is only enough for doing medicine and not for a battle. Another disadvantage with this is if the owner of the fire died then the fire inside the body of the beneficiary also cease. Don't worry I won't die that easily." Meixiang casually said.

"The advantage you have is as my fire gets stronger and purer, the fire inside your body will follow suit."

Everyone's jaws dropped long ago from the moment their young miss 'lend' part of her fire to Tian Ling to her words saying she's 'just' an EARLY level to reach first stage.

What early level?! You just have your real 10th birthday this morning right?

They are too numb that they can no longer react from their young miss murmur about elves' blessings, ancient beast, fire of god, son of water fire, mutation of fire —ways to purify her fire in the future.

True to Meixiang's words, she is indeed already on her early level to first stage on her fire magic. When she entered the sacred book after her attribute test, some facilities have been unlocked. A second floor appeared turns out to be a training ground with an abundant qi, good for cultivating both magic and martial arts. She cultivated her fire attribute until it breakthrough to this level to be able to perform this.

"L—little Xiang? This? How? You?" Tian Ling ask as those who are also around give him a thumbs up mentally.

We also wanted to know!

Meixiang said with a deep meaning, "Do you know having a summoner on your side is good but having a summoner who fully knows her advantages on your side is better." seeing her Brother Ling's confuse face she just laughs. "In a simple word, knowledge is a power."

Indeed. With the knowledge accumulated in the books she read adding her being a summoner, she easily open a portal to Tian Ling's dantian and allow her part of her fire live inside him. What other's didn't know was a summoner can not only open a portal to the phantom world but also to others.

"You don't have to know much. If within a week you haven't control that fire don't expect I'll give you a new medical book."

Thinking that he now have a chance to become a heavenly doctor, Tian threw his curiousity at the back of her head and reply to her little sister slash young miss full of determination.

"Now next are those who can cultivate qi." waving her small hand seven man in black robe appeared on Meixiang's side. "Aside from the qi here is abundant you also need to have an actual combat skill. These are puppets good for your training. They all can practice magic and martial arts. The level of these puppets can only reach tier three for now so aside from Uncle Tian who is now tier five martial arts, Uncle Tian will have three of these and the rest will have one each. These puppets can only do a combat for an hour and have to take a rest for three hours to recharge."

These combat partners are inside the training ground that have been unlocked after her aptitude test. The highest tier they can reach is tier three at the peak level. Once Meixiang reach fourth stage these puppets will also upgrade to be able to reach six tier. These puppets can be customize before combat simply telling them what stage and ability they can show before their training combat.

Looking at the bright eyes of the others, Meixiang can't help but look at the dull reaction of Ping Chun and uninterested face of Xian Ji.

"Brother Feng and Brother Han."

The two look at Meixiang, Bai Zihan with his excited face and Tian Feng with still his stoic face but his bright eyes betrayed him shining too brightly from the sight of his new combat partner.

"I'm expecting the both of you not to bother Uncle Tian anymore."

Bai Zihan nodded many times while Tian Feng just cough uncomfortably.

"Brother Ji."

Startled Xian Ji look at Meixiang's way. "M--miss?"

"You are not interested with cultivating dou qi?"

"Miss---this---" he weakly smiled and shyly scratch the side of his forehead.

"Among all of you here your reason following me is---some follows because of my mother most are because of Uncle Tian and some are for someone. Your reason----" Meixian laughs in a low voice. "To be honest until now I haven't learn your reason. To see your reaction seeing these it's obvious being strong is not what your dream is."

"Miss. This---" scratching the back of his head he laughs his eyes are shy but still have the carefree look. "To be honest I always do whatever I wanted to do. I live with the horses in the stable of Su manor. When I saw young miss leaving the manor it's the first time I saw young miss eyes in such a distance. That is the first time I see clear eyes clearer than those family I have."

"You mean the horses?"

He just smiled again nodding.

The other's faces twitch. Did he just compare their young miss to the horses? And young miss seems not angry?

Meixian smiled "They said eyes is the window to a man's soul. Hmm maybe my soul is as pure as those innocent creatures."

Everyone's eyes twitch. Their miss can praise herself without blinking an eye!

"Too innocent but not dumb. Too carefree but not careless.You follow what your instinct says. With this you are always happy. You also have a clear eyes that when looking at you they can tell that you wouldn't hurt them. A characteristic of a beast tamer."

Bai Zihan tilted his head his clear eyes asking.

"Do you wanted to be a beast tamer?"

Bai Zihan didn't answer.

Meixian laughs thinking of what the boy's thought. "Once you tame a beast, you're the one who will decide whom to let it have a contract with."

Slowly nodding, Meixian smiles at the response she received. This young man who is at the age of eighteen is her first follower. So even the young man didn't have a strong will, she still wanted to cultivate him.

"You have six months. Cultivate and be stronger. Your current level is first stage in peak level. Too late too weak for your age. In six months with your current aptitude and the resources around reaching tier three is an achievable goal." Meixian look at Xian Ji's unsure face. "You can't always tame a beast with those eyes. You have to be stronger to confront them before performing the art of beast taming. In six months reach the peak of tier three stage and I will personally teach you the art of beast taming."

"Thank you, miss."

Meixian smiles. Raking her eyes to her companions her smile deepen. "I just show off and bribed all of you. I don't care whatever your reason in following me at first. This young miss hopes what happened today is enough reason for all of you to stay and offer your loyalty to this young miss. I, Dan Meixiang, never accepts a betrayal."

Everyone is startled and look at their young miss with determined face.

Dan Meixian laughs.

"In the future, let's show off and bribe each other."