A Different Morning
A Different Morning
"Thank you."
Ming Yue lowered her head before walking in with the others. It was a large and very spacious room, allowing even Liang Wei to stretch out and relax. It had a luxurious set of furniture accompanied by a big bed. There were large windows overlooking the capital city and the light of the setting sun peeked in.
The cultivator set Hongyu into the bed, tucking her in before sitting by the table and looking out the window.
Her eyes grew a bit softer as she watched the sun setting. Liang Wei and Hei Yue curled around her chair, nuzzling into her arms while Xiao Yin was perched on another chair.
"To think people mourned for me", she muttered to herself.
It was strange to find this out, for people to mourn her death despite still being alive.
"I wonder what the Elders will say when they find out that I'm alive, what will everyone think?"
There was a warm feeling in her heart when the thought crossed her mind. She was back on the Human Continent, she just had to reunite with the others. After a moment, she stood up from her seat and headed out of the room.
"Stay here, keep close watch of her."
Ming Yue looked at the three beasts, gesturing towards Hongyu before going. Walking down the halls, the young woman slowly made her way toward a set of closed doors. They were ornate and contained a single lock at the handles.
Looking at it, she sighed, resting her head on the doors.
"The Stellar Sky Foundation..."
Although little had changed about the exterior, the lock was a new addition and there didn't seem to be a keyhole anywhere. Instead, it had Elder Shen's sigil, a black flame with a circle and three dots within it.
"How would I unlock it? There's no keyhole so there's no key for it. There must be something else."
She thought carefully, touching the lock and studying it.
But the unexpected happened.
The moment she grasped the lock, it clicked and the sigil glowed as it sensed her energy. The glow grew stronger until the lock itself was illuminated, disintegrating into motes of light. Ming Yue was awestruck, unable to say a word as she pushed the doors open and walked in.
The Stellar Sky Foundation hadn't changed all that much.
Instead of having some simple furniture, it was completely empty. A large room with only windows facing towards the capital city. Her eyes scanned through every inch of the room before stopping at the center where she had activated the room long ago.
"Hah, what did Elder Shen do here?"
She stepped up to the center and sat down, crossing her legs. Her eyes closed as she began to focus, circling her energy before letting it fill the room. The ghostly blue aura emerged, producing a heavy pressure and the room darkened.
The Stellar Sky Foundation trembled before the markings on the walls and floor glowed as her power fueled it. A giant sphere emerged, complete with all of the different energies coming from her body.
Opening her eyes, she looked at it, admiring the pretty sight.
"The Stellar Sky Foundation, it can amplify and aid people in controlling their power."
The words said by the Grand Researcher echoed in her mind. Ming Yue's eyes flashed with a certain realization as she looked around the room.
"Did he... improve it?" she asked herself.
"The symbols are slightly different from what I remember but... this feeling..."
Holding her hand forward, the young woman went and touched the swirling energies, watching them move about playfully.
"Right, Quintessence Energy, Wind Dao Energy, Lightning Dao Energy, Sword Dao Energy, Mental Force, Heart, Soul... all of the different energies in my body. I can actually see them."
Of the forces before her, some were larger than the others but that was a given, after all, she used some abilities more than others.
"There's a balance but... I need to utilize Mental Force more. Rather, I should create some techniques with it. Maybe I can merge it with something else..."
Lost in thought, she spent the entire night in the room, fiddling around and experimenting. It was only when the sun rose up that she came out. Even then, there was some dissatisfaction on her face.
"Damn it, there should be a way for me to use it more readily", she muttered to herself, "Using Mental Force as it is isn't very good. It has its uses but... it really isn't something I'd use."
Despite spending time and effort forming this new power, Ming Yue realized that she really hadn't used it. In all this time, she hadn't even used it more than a few times. But what was the point? She had her sword so there really was no need for it in combat.
"Maybe I should just use it defensively", she thought, "If it's like this, I would be more protected against mental attacks. There really is no need for me to use it in a fight."
She was quiet for a few moments, pondering on this idea as she returned to the room.
"Mm, maybe one technique just in case, but what?"
Walking into the room, she looked around to find Hongyu getting up from her bed, rubbing her eyes groggily. The little girl must've heard the door open, waking up to see Ming Yue coming back.
"I could always think about it later."
Ming Yue smiled as she looked at Hongyu and the trio of beasts, walking up and sitting on the edge of the bed.
"Come on, let's go wash up and get some breakfast."
It didn't take long for them to be out in the streets of the capital city, walking through the street markets. They were a very eye-catching group, especially with Liang Wei but it seemed that no one recognized Ming Yue, who took notice of this.
"My name has spread but at least my face isn't as widely known. At least, I don't have to cover my face."
Grateful on the inside, she led the group around, looking at the wares that the stalls had to offer. She turned around, glancing at the others, and chuckled.
Let alone Hongyu, Hei Yue, Liang Wei, and even Xiao Yin were eyeing the food around them. Ming Yue's cooking might not be the worst but nothing beats food from the street markets. There was already a bit of drool forming on their lips. Even she was craving all the food that was around her and so she did what any person would do.
"Alright, go pick whatever you want, We haven't had good food in a while so we might as well eat all we want."
The moment she said that the others quickly dragged her from one place to the next. Fortunately, Ming Yue still had quite a bit of gold in her spatial ring to buy it all. By the end of it, every one of them gathered on a bench, happily enjoying their breakfast.
It was a mix of steamed buns, fried honey leaves, and many other grilled foods.
As they ate, they enjoyed the hustle and bustle of the city, watching people go by. It was a different start to the day than they were used to, more lively, more fun.
The cultivator couldn't help but look around her, seeing all of the people.
She had been gone for over a year but just a year away was a long time.
"Hm? Ming Yue, is that you?"
An elderly man's voice spoke out causing her to look in that direction. Finding the source of that voice, there was a slightly stunned look on her face as she stood up to greet this person.
"Senior Cheng Wei."