Break a leg, Yin Yu!

3. It's just like cultivation

He met Yin Yu a few weeks later, walking around Ghost City, where he went to meet Hua Cheng at the market. Yin Yu was on his time off, wearing plain black robes and neatly tied hair, and without his ghost mask. He wasn't usually stopped on the street by friends or acquaintances, so he was somewhat surprised when Xie Lian greeted him,

"Yin Yu! Long time no see", he said, pulling Yin Yu aside so they could talk privately. "So, how is it going? Are you enjoying it? How do you feel?"

He replied, uneasily, "Your Highness, hum, I'm not sure this is going to help me".

Oh wait: I've forgotten to tell you, esteemed reader, what was Xie Lian's idea to help Yin Yu's personal crisis! Very well: Xie Lian spent 800 years roaming the mortal realm; he has seen much, and heard much. Therefore he could always give practical and down-to-earth advice about any problem. That's right, that's also another reason why others went to seek his counsels.

Xie Lian suggested Yin Yu to join a theatre course, based on the well-known fact that they can help to overcome shyness and fear of speaking in public and build self-confidence. It made all sense: you had classes – with other people – on how to move, project your voice, the type of message you want to show an audience. And it's a character there, not you...

Yin Yu continued, "So far we stood on a stage, swaying our arms and pretending to be a growing tree. Or walk around with closed eyes to feel the space with all your senses. I mean..." he couldn't continue, and Xie Lian understood his deep discomfort. From his description of the theatre classes, if it was anyone else, they'd be way less polite about it.

"Alright, look Yin Yu. It might look nonsense now, but the classes must be like that for a reason".

The classes were in Royal Capital too, on a distinguished drama school, famous for producing acting and singing talents for no less than The Imperial Opera Company. Hua Cheng himself had to pull some strings to find this school and get Yin Yu accepted – this one was a rare example of an institution where talent alone can get you far.

Xie Lian continued, "See it as cultivation. When you start cultivating, you have to do a thousand sword swings to the left, then a thousand sword swings to the right, till you feel your arms almost falling off right? You don't see how the swings will make you a swordsman right?", he smiled.

Yin Yu smiled too, and for a brief moment Xie Lian saw him as a bright youth with shining eyes as he had seen on the flashbacks Hua Cheng showed him long ago. He was probably thinking of his life back at his sect, when he indeed had to do uncountable sword swings. And uncountable other things that didn't seem to make sense at the time, till they did!

"Your Highness", he replied, nodding; which Xie Lian mentally translated as complete agreement.

"Gege!", he heard Hua Cheng calling him from a distance, and his heart beat faster; he soon saw him, tall and handsome walking nonchalantly around Ghost City's market stalls, and smiling.

He waved and replied, "San Lang! I'm coming".

Turning back to Yin Yu, he said, with a tone full of conviction, "Stick to it Yin Yu; I have a feeling this is a calling, and the right path for you. Remember: just like cultivation..." He patted Yin Yu on the shoulder and went over, almost running, to where Hua Cheng was waiting for him.

Naturally, I can't tell you if it's the right path for Yin Yu, reader. You have to carry on reading...

Is this the right path for Yin Yu you think? 😄

Let me know in the comments...