A Prisoner in Her Own Home

After listening to her father trying to cheer her up for a while, Lian Xue finally returned to her room and shut her door.

Lying on her bed, she began to think about her plans moving forward.

So, they plan to hold the wedding in a month's time...

She rolled over in her bed, the blanket held tight in her grasp as she gnashed her teeth.

I have to get stronger. I have to be at least in the Qi Gathering Realm. The higher, the better.

The problem was that time was certainly not on her side. Every stage, not to mention realm, of cultivation required time. Time she simply did not have.

At the very least, since I acquired that mysterious sutra, I have felt I can make a breakthrough into the Qi Gathering Realm with little effort. Still, I am unsure of how to go beyond that. Perhaps father would know, but that would also cause him to ask questions. While I do not mind revealing my strength, I am unsure how well he can keep in hidden. Perhaps I can spin it as pure curiosity of mine.

As her thoughts continued, she ended up drifting off into a deep sleep.

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When she woke the following morning, she made her way to the clan library. Though guarded, anyone of the family was freely allowed in the library. Despite being blind and clearly hated, this was no exception for Lian Xue.

The library was quiet, its high ceiling and lacquered shelves filled with ancient scrolls and thick manuals. Her fingers ran over the etched titles, but it didn't matter. She couldn't read them.

She tried anyway.

Scroll after scroll was unfurled before her. She tilted her head, listened, even tried running her fingers over the ink as if it might speak to her. But there was nothing. The knowledge was locked away, guarded not by steel or spell but by sight. Her echolocation and her blood sight were of no use here.

Her teeth clenched.

This is stupid. I'm stronger than ever, and I still can't even learn what any common cultivator can pick up with ease.

Her hands curled into fists, trembling. She wanted to tear the parchment in half, to scream.

Common cultivator? Even a basic mortal off the street can read if they were taught.

"Oh… how fitting," a sickly sweet voice rang out from the entrance. "My servant told me you were back. To think, the runaway returns and out of everything, tries to read? This is just too sad. Poor blind Lian Xue, you should know you can't read. Have you gone mad in your time outside the clan?"

Lian Mei.

Of course she was here. How annoying.

Lian Mei strolled into the library in robes far too extravagant for the setting, flanked by no guards as she believed she didn't need them. The elders loved her. The servants fawned over her. Worst of all, perhaps, was how much she loved herself.

"You know," Lian Mei said, tapping her chin mockingly, "when you're married to Jin Wei, maybe he'll read the scrolls out loud to you. Like a bedtime story. Oh, maybe he'll teach you how to beg!"

That was it. Lian Xue did a quick scan to make sure no one was nearby.

She smirked at the results.

No guards were near. No eyes to tattle.

Lian Xue moved with lightning speed. Her hand shot out, grabbed Mei by the collar, and yanked her forward before slamming her onto the library floor.

Lian Mei gasped, stunned, as Lian Xue placed her foot firmly on her stepsister's head.

"Apologize," Lian Xue said coldly.

"W-what are you doing!? Get off me!"

Lian Xue pressed down, not enough to injure, but enough to remind Lian Mei of the strength difference between them.

"I said apologize."

"Okay! I'm sorry! You crazy blind freak!"

Lian Xue removed her foot and stepped back without a word.

Lian Mei scrambled up, eyes wild with confusion and fury. She looked like she wanted to say more, but instead turned and fled from the library.

Lian Xue exhaled slowly, then quietly straightened her robes.

Time to go.

She returned the scrolls neatly to their shelves, then exited. She said nothing to the guards when they found her moments later and escorted her out of the library.

Her next stop was the martial courtyard.

Training would start soon. Maybe this time, she could better learn some actual combat techniques.

As for her domination of Lian Mei, she didn't care or worry in the slightest. Even if she were to tell anyone, would they believe her? How could a blind, powerless girl knock her to the ground and step on the her that has cultivation?

The clang of wooden dummies and sharp grunts of exertion filled the Lian Clan's eastern courtyard. Morning mist still hugged the earth, but already a group of young disciples stood in neat rows beneath the watchful eye of Bai Mu.

Clad in gray robes tied tight at the waist, he stood with arms crossed behind his back. His hair was tied into a high warrior's knot today, and his sharp eyes missed nothing.

"Again!" he barked, voice cracking like a whip.

Many fists struck forward in unison. The air trembled slightly from the collective force, but their instructor's expression remained impassive.

"Too slow. Your weight is in your heels. Again!"

Off to the side, Lian Xue stood slightly apart from the others, her red robes catching the faint breeze, blindfold snug across her eyes. Two guards stationed near the entrance of the yard kept quiet watch. She could feel their gaze, just as she felt the eyes of a few younger disciples flicker her way from time to time mostly out of curiosity, some out of contempt. She couldn't understand why exactly it was she could feel gazes. It was perhaps just another thing she received either from her cultivation method or by enhancing herself through the stages of cultivation up to the peak of the Body Tempering Realm.

Lian Mei was also here and the moment Lian Xue arrived, she cast a hateful glare her way. Then, as if thinking of something, her face turned a little pale before continuing to listen to the critique of their forms.

Instructor Bai Mu approached her after the next set of drills, stopping just a few paces away. He didn't speak right away.

"Back from your little walk, are you?" he questioned, voice low and gruff.

Lian Xue inclined her head slightly. "Good morning, instructor."

Instructor Bai Mu only grunted in response. The words of the elders echoed faintly in his mind:

"If she shows up, you make it hard for her. We don't care how. Remind her of her place. She's not to be rewarded for running away."

He glanced over to the pair of guards stationed along the wall. The two silent watchers assigned to follow Lian Xue's every move would undoubtedly report everything they see here to the elders later.

I will get in trouble if I don't comply.

He didn't hate her. Yeah, he found those lifeless eyes a bit disturbing, but he never truly hated her. If he did, he would have made training a lot harder for her. Instead, he typically allowed her to just sit on the stone bench while he tried to pretend she wasn't there.

While people could argue whether indifference was truly much better than hate or whether there was much difference in being the bully versus being the bystander, Instructor Bai Mu truly thought he hadn't been unfair to her over the years.

Today, he had to be a bit unfair.

He let out a sigh.

"Alright then, Lian Xue. Since you're so eager to train, let's see what you've got. Step forward."

Whispers rippled through the group. This certainly hadn't happened before. They all stopped and watched with eager anticipation.

Lian Xue stepped forward without hesitation and walked calmly to the center of the formation. She could feel the stares of everyone as she proceeded. She could probably guess Lian Mei was feeling great about her situation given what happened in the clan library.

"Let's not start with anything complicated," Instructor Bai Mu said, projecting his voice loud enough for all to hear. "Show me a basic right hook. No martial arts, just a classic street brawl punch."

He crossed his arms, fully expecting a pitiful swing. Perhaps a misstep, maybe even a stumble. The girl had been blind since birth, after all. Perhaps after everyone has a little laugh at her demonstration, he can dismiss her to her room and be done with the matter.

Lian Xue exhaled slowly.

She could see the blood of those that had it in her mind. She could gain a grasp of where everything is when the wind blew as a form of echolocation. Unluckily for her, the training dummy did not have blood, and the wind was currently not blowing in the training area.

She took another deep breath.

Ignoring the impatience starting to build in the onlookers, she was thinking of a solution. If all she needed was sound, perhaps she could make it.

She placed her tongue to the roof of her mouth. With a bit of suction, she made a clicking sound. As the sound resounded, she could see it! She could see the training dummy! It had worked!

She shifted her weight and sent her right fist directly at the training dummy.

Bang.

With a solid strike, she had hit the training dummy right in the face!

The surroundings became dead silent. The smiles

 Instructor Bai Mu's brow rose as his eyes widened a bit. He took a step forward.

"Punch it again," he stated.

Bang.

There was something terrifyingly crisp in the motion. Her posture was rooted. Her punch, clean. Shoulder turned, knuckles aligned, hip snapping forward in perfect sync with the motion. The clicks she made went unnoticed as the shock of her hitting was overshadowing it.

Lian Mei couldn't believe what she was seeing.

How is this blind trash doing that? Why isn't Instructor Bai Mu chastising her? Don't tell me her form is perfect... I refuse to believe it!

Mei silently walked up to the training dummy. They were not driven into the ground. Instead, they simply had a support that stretched behind them on the ground to take the impact of hits while resulting in little movement.

With some effort as they were heavy, she began to move it away from Lian Xue. She moved it approximately ten meters to the northeast of her before stopping.

Even though everyone saw her do it, they all kept silent, even Instructor Bai Mu.

"I want you to kick it this time. Plant your body and with all your strength, kick the dummy in the head."

He thought this time, she would surely fail. Additionally, charging up that much force only to miss would certainly cause her to lose her balance and fall to the ground. Maybe he didn't get her the first couple times, but he was sure to get her this time.

Lian Xue grinned inwardly.

Did they think I couldn't hear Lian Mei moving that loud dummy? Not to mention sound, I can see where she left it as she is still standing next to it and I can see her blood pumping. So eager to see me fail? I'll show you.

She let out a clicking sound and, without hesitation, bolted right for the dummy.

Using her momentum, she slammed her foot on the ground and by pivoting, launched her other leg and foot directly at the dummy, heel forward, with her foot retracting immediately back into a perfect stance after connecting.

BANG!

A loud collision sound rang in the training area. Everything fell into silence until the sound of someone falling to the ground shortly followed.

Lian Mei, who had been standing next to the dummy, collapsed as she felt her life flashing before her eyes. As Lian Xue launched that kick, her foot had come within centimeters of hitting her straight in the face. The thought of that kick having landed on her face invoked terror within her.

Instructor Bai Mu was the first to snap out of his daze.

"Enough demonstration..." he said, "Go and sit down. I wish to talk to you after."

Cupping her hands and giving a small bow, Lian Xue said nothing and made her way over to her usual spot before sitting down.

The training had continued after that. Although it wasn't normal, due to Lian Xue's shocking performance, everyone tried their best to practice their moves.

Her performance was by no means perfect. Instructor Bai Mu could have nitpicked if he truly wanted to. What was most shocking was the fact that she was even able to perform as well as she did.

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The sun began to shine directly into the courtyard as noon approached. Feeling it was time, Instructor Bai Mu spoke up.

"Good job today, but I will be expecting a lot better tomorrow! Everyone, go get washed up and I will see you in the morning!"

Like animals fleeing a forest fire, everyone took off from the courtyard. Everyone, that is, except Lian Xue.

She stood and approached without question. He waited until the last of the youth had left the courtyard, then walked over to her in the shaded corner hopefully out of earshot of the guards. Cicadas chirped faintly from the trees above.

"How?" he asked quietly.

She tilted her head. "How what?"

"Don't give me that horse shit. That form was incredible given that... you know, you're blind. So I'll ask again: how?"

Lian Xue folded her arms. "I practice every day."

He snorted. "Bull. You and I both know that was more than practice. I wasn't born yesterday. What you demonstrated was something only someone that has been in a real fight could've shown."

She shrugged. "Just practice."

He eyed her for a good bit, trying to pressure her into divulging something to him. When she didn't fold for what seemed like forever, he sighed.

Finally, he grunted.

"You've got fire, girl. A dangerous kind, but maybe it's what you need. The elders might want to see you fail, but I think I am done taking orders from them in my training yard. If you want to learn to fight for real, I'll teach you."

She blinked. "Why would you want to help me? I don't believe in free lunches. What do you get out of this?"

He silently eyed her again, his opinion of her rising another notch.

"You know, you are mature for your age. I know some old people even my age or older than I am and they aren't as wary as you are."

When she didn't respond, he continued.

"Anyways, you're right, there is no such thing as a free lunch. Truthfully, I was inspired by your performance today. I expected you to fail today. I was even anticipating it, as much as I hate to admit it. You proved me wrong and I think I truly want to see you go beyond. Seeing you shine gives me hope that my old bag of bones can continue cultivating. You have inspired me, therefore I wish to pay you back."

She allowed herself a small, genuine smile.

"Then I'll come tomorrow."

"Come here earlier, about an hour before the rest. I can't promise that your cultivation will rise enough to make a difference, but I can at least teach you the forms in order to begin your journey of the Body Tempering Realm. In addition, I will teach you the Lotus Palm. You should have already been taught it as the young miss of the clan. I am sorry... I will make this up to you."

His mistake about her cultivation stemmed from the fact that she held her strength back in hitting the dummies today. Her supposed perfection in form had actually stemmed from her cultivation level helping to stabilize her body, not from pure skill and familiarity. While the force and power were retained, other aspects symbolizing her cultivation were still visible.

"Okay, I will see you tomorrow!"

With another cup of her hands and slight bow, she turned and began walking back to her room, the guards assigned by the elders following silently behind.

With time ticking away until her marriage, she needed to get all the help she could get.

Today, she achieved her first step on her path to that goal.