"Only me?" Gale complained. "Linlin, have a big part in it too."

"Okay, both Master and disciple pair, get ready. You're under my radar from now on."

"This isn't fair," Xiaolin complained.

"You should have thought about that before scaring me like this." Wang Li pinched Linlin's cheek. "Just wait, you two."

"But it was all Master's idea," Xiaolin pouted.

"Don't worry, disciple," Gale eased her, "With the two of us together, she doesn't stand a chance."

"We'll see about that," the innkeeper said with a snort. "Anyway, tell me everything about what happened in the mayor's office. After you gave me such a panic, I can't calm down without knowing everything's alright."

"Well, this may sound a bit insane," Gale said with hesitation, "but most of what I said to scare you is almost correct."

Wang Li shot him a glare.

"Of course, the duel will take place in one year's time," Gale said, "and I'll have all the time to prepare Linlin."

"Are you being serious?" Wang Li asked, her expression incredulous.

Gale elaborated on how things went, from the forged papers of Linlin's marriage to the mayor's proposal of a duel. Of course, he mentioned that he meant for Xiaolin to deal with Han Xiao herself.

Hearing all this, Wang Li couldn't help but grow worried, even though Gale reassured her with his best effort. However, his best efforts were never enough to amend a woman's anxiety.

"I knew they were cooking up something," Wang Li said, grudgingly, "when they asked for Linlin's attendance. Why did you let them get away with this? Xiaolin is powerless, how can you expect her to fight?"historical

"There's still a year for her to train," Gale reminded.

"And you think a year is enough?" Wang Li questioned. "She barely learned to hold the sword the correct way, and you expect her to fight to the death?"

"It's only Han Xiao," Gale said, shrugging his shoulders.

Wang Li only glared at him as his disciple took joined the conversation, getting the chance.

"One year is a litlte short, but accroding to master, I can make it," Xiaolin said, biting her lips.

"On hell you will," Wang Li said, still glaring at Gale. "You'd be put through hellish training to get there."

Xiaolin didn't deny. "That's why I plan on departing with Master early tomorrow morning," she said, "I'm already a hundred steps behind most practitioners, I can't waste more time."

Wang Li narrowed her eyes. "Of course," she said, "I understand, and Gale, you better prepare her well, I don't want to see any tragedy happening."

"Don't worry, I don't even need to do my best to prepare her to fight Han Xiao," Gale said with a smile that he considered to be charming. Probably his misconception as the older woman shot him a glare. "Really, I'm serious, Linlin isn't prepared for my best. She needed to be an Iron ranker at the very least for my best training. Hell, I'm not even prepared for my best."

"I still have a problem understanding your humour," Wang Li said with a sigh. "So you plan to keep on training her with the pure crystal?"

Gale nodded. "Along with that, I'm planning on teaching her a couple of specific spirit arts to defend herself as well as going on some field trips," he said as a thoughtful look crept to his face. "Of course, all this would leave her completely exhausted, even I'm unsure if we'll be managed to put everything in the schedule."

Gale shot his disciple a look in the corner of his eyes.

"Unless someone can make food with rich life energy embedded in them for me," Xiaolin said, getting her cue.

Wang Li lifted her eyebrows, but said nothing.

"Haa, where can we find such a great cook?" Gale said in contemplation. "Someone whose rich life Qi could easily recover Linlin in an instant. Who would be able to handle this unruly disciple of mine when she decided to act foolishly?"

Wang Li was momentarily dumbfounded hearing the master disciple pair. Of course, she could understand that both of them planned this together. They hadn't only rehearsed the prank.

"Why do I have this foreboding feeling," the innkeeper couldn't help but say, shooting a glare at Gale, "that you wanted to make a maid of me?"

Gale blinked, hearing her out. "You know what? That isn't that bad of an idea."

Wang Li snorted.

"Well, it's a high paying job," Gale tempted her, clasping his palms like an evil supervillain. "And you'd also get the sweet-sweet advice from yours truly. With just one good treat, I'll make you an Iron ranker if you agree."

"Quit talking like a sex offender," Wang Li said.

Gale exchanged a glance with his disciple, telling her it was her time, since his persuasive speeches failed. Now all that was left was to emotionally blackmail the innkeeper.

"Elder sister," Xiaolin whined, "I can't do this alone. You see how brutish my master is? He'll work on me day and night relentlessly, leaving me completely spent. Look at how poor my consitution is, I can't keep up."

Gale coughed.

"Linlin, you might have worded that weirdly," Wang Li said, coughing.

Xiaolin blinked, exchanging glances with her master and elder sister. It took several seconds for the realisation to dawn on her as she blushed.

"Elder sister," Xiaolin said through her flustered expression, "I'm serious. I can't do it without you."

"So you want the three of us to do it together?" Wang Li chuckled, making her blush harder.

"Elder sister!" Xiaolin whined, clutching Wang Li's arm. "I don't care, I want you to come with me. Maybe only for a week? Can't you do it for me?"

Wang Li stared at Xiaolin's unwavering eyes and sighed.

***

The next morning the three of them prepared to leave. Sadly, they couldn't make it to four as Wang Li declined to join them this time.

Much of this should be because of what happened in her life. Also, the little incident that occurred last time she went with them. Even if the place was better for her spirit arts, she couldn't let such an accident occur again.

Of course, even if she couldn't be here, she spent the whole night making food for Xiaolin, which would solve the problem of her recovery for a couple of days at the very least.

"I almost had her," Xiaolin said as she got into the carriage with Vale. "But this is probably because she wanted to distance herself after what happened to her marriage."

"I guess you only have me," Gale said, "until we get that maid."

Xiaolin made a suffering noise hearing about the maid. Gale shot her a look and clicked her tongue.

"Well, disciple, I haven't checked on you since you went through acupuncture therapy," Gale said with a thoughtful look.

"Master, I'm completely healed," Xiaolin was too early to say that.

Gale snorted. "That I'll decide," he said and drew his palm forward, asking for her to leave her palm to him.

Xiaolin did as Gale checked her channels with Qi sense.

Gale closed his eyes, completely focused to inspect any changes in Xiaolin.

"You have certainly grown tougher after this ordeal," Gale said. "You'll probably be twice as effective into cycling with pure crystal."

"Really?" Xiaolin's eyes beamed.

Gale nodded. "I can't explain how, but that seems to be the case," he said. "But don't expect to go wack with pure crystals on a daily basis. I already had this conversation with you, right?"

"Yes, master, more than twice, to be exact."

"Well, a few extra times doesn't hurt, especially when your disciple doesn't like to heed your advice."

Xiaolin looked down in shame. "Master, I won't do it again."

"Good, but be sure, I won't let you," Gale said. "Anyway, acupuncture therapy has released your body of some hidden fatigue and foul energy. You probably noticed the change."

Xiaolin nodded. "Master," she said hesitantly, "there's something I want to tell you."

Gale picked his brows, gesturing for her to continue.

"It's something I have to show you," Xiaolin said, flustered.

"What?"

"Its. . . its. . ." Xiaolin blushed. "You have to see it, I can't tell you."

Pressing her lips together tightly, Xiaolin unfolded the over robe she was wearing slowly, while battling to not get flustered. Well, that was a lost battle from the get go. She was all red the moment she began.

"Slow down, disciple," Gale said, through his cough. "It isn't time for it."

Thankfully, Xiaolin was too flustered to hear him fumbling with words. She kept on unrobing until her upper body laid bare, save for the sleek underclothes hiding her budding bosoms.

But her figure was already alluring enough, with how much Xiaolin was blushing and shying away.

"Xiaolin!" Gale urged.

"Master, look," Xiaolin said, pointing towards a point under her belly button.

Gale blinked, finding a faint runic mark on her abdomen. It was hidden among the tear marks Linlin's body bore after her hurtful endeavour. But as she slowly healed, the mark laid bare more, though still too faint and incomplete.

"I first thought of it as nothing, just some skin tear," Xiaolin said through her blushing. "However yesterday during my acupuncture therapy, elder sister found this. I wanted to talk to you about this before, but didn't manage to get alone with you before."

"Hmm," Gale hummed, inspecting the mark with his sight.

___________

Also, the book barely has 11 reviews (10, ignoring mine) and we are nearing 180k words down. That's an awfully low number. Please review and leave a few good words about the book and make it easier for others to pick it up.