Eternally Ambitious Wangfei

Chapter 44: Internal Battles with Himself

From her position, Mingxia Jie felt slightly distant from what she was apart of. She had felt this similarly in her last life. It was before she had gotten her disciple Peizhi.

Flashback

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A disciple swiped his hand in front of Mingxia Jie's face for a good while trying to get her attention. She had gone to the Sect's parties of celebration and was chilling on the staircase as she watched below the drinking of the Masters and disciples and laugh away the night.

-"Oooiii. Master? Master Jie? You there?"

Mingxia Jie's mind snapped back to the disciple. A bit confused, but understanding. She flashed him a small smile. 

-"What's the matter? You're normally one of the first to get drunk and make a fool of yourself."

-"Master, you were there?"

-"Who do you think brought you back to your chambers after you blacked out?"

The disciple took on a bright shade of red before sneaking off to get away from Mingxia Jie. Mingxia Jie looked down on the party and didn't feel apart of it. Everyone smiled and laughed, but she felt bored and slightly lonely. Which were typical for her, but didn't feel like being apart of the feeling. Escaping the merry attitude, Mingxia Jie found a quiet garden far from the party. She let out a soft sigh, falling comfortably onto the grass. The Devil Sect was located in a dead forest, but everything around her bloomed beautifully. She heard Master Yu behind her

-"Got bored?"

Mingxia Jie let out a small hum in agreement. Master Yu dressed more like a man, with the long trousers and hair tied up like a man, instead of the maiden she was. Everyone was suspicious of Master Yu's gender, but no one asked because they might die. This was, of course, a time before her betrayal against Mingxia Jie. Both had similar problems but felt that such problems were left hidden in the dark instead of out in the open. Master Yu was the first to break the silence.

-"And how's the search for a disciple handling?"

-"Yu, where is this interest coming from? You don't plan on stealing from me?"

Mingxia Jie wiggled her eyebrows at Master Yu. Master Yu smirked but said nothing to Mingxia Jie's comments. They both did not try anymore conversation but listened intently to what remained of the party. Master Yu had many more disciples than Mingxia Jie, but every disciple hoped to be Mingxia Jie's disciple. But over the years of Mingxia Jie being part of the Devil Sect, she had never taken part in training someone till she met Peizhi.  

Once every 2 years, there was a recruitment to expand the Sect more. All masters participated equally. None were required to pick one but usually, there were new additions. Except for Mingxia Jie. This year the noobies were as lame as they were the last few years. Mingxia Jie sat in her full glory with Master Yu beside her. Since she was the youngest, she had the small chair, but as well farthest from the center. Neither talked, but a mutual compromise was between them. Behind Master Yu were at least 6 disciples. But Mingxia Jie didn't care for them either way.

There were at least 20 trainees that had passed previous tests and stood proudly facing the center where the elder looked forward. He had the most disciples and always had the first pick, but out of curiosity, they had decided to ask what the trainees wanted. It went a little like this.

-"And you, the trainee had the option to pick a Master, who would you pick?"

-"Umm-- It'd either have to be you elder, Master Yu, but especially I think I have the talent to become Master Jie's student."

The elder was getting tired of hearing Mingxia Jie's name coming up. The elder faced Mingxia Jie from her chair with slightly flared nostrils.

-"Well, Master Jie?"

-"Don't look at me."

-"Are you planning on taking this year? They aren't half bad this year."

Mingxia Jie snorted softly and stood up, her dress flared and her hair whipped behind her. She turned around and waved backwards at the other Master's.

-"Knock yourself out. I don't want any part of it." 

And with that, she left quietly the stage. Returning to her silence back at her courtyards.

Flashback ends

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Mingxia Jie had stopped playing the guzheng and the people around her continued on with their merriment. A girl around her age asked to play and she left the guzheng in the girls care. True, it wasn't as good as Mingxia Jie's playing, but it fits well with the scenery. Mingxia Jie silently disappeared from the scene as quickly as she had created it. As she left an older woman called her out

-"Why are you leaving?"

Mingxia Jie looked at the older woman and continued on her path disappearing after taking the bend, vanishing up onto the roofs and back to the Velvet Piano. The older woman hummed her own answer and looked back to the merriment that Mingxia Jie had created. Back on route to her destination, she was met with the dullness of the Shanshen people, as though what she had seen was only a dream. Walking back along the dirt streets, she explored the alleyways curiously with vigour and slight boredom as though she was just scanning the streets for the best escape routes. A few meters away Bai kept his distance and continued to just watch like the creep he believed he was; trying to reason with himself that what he was doing was not creepy. But the little voice in his head didn't agree at all.

-"I'm not creepy. I'm just keeping an eye on her after all. Besides I have to follow her to assure she doesn't die because of the collar."

Right. And why didn't you just put a tracker on her instead and one of your Brothers help track her? 

-"Touche. Wait? Now I seem crazy for talking to myself."

This internal battle did not stop him from following her, still making him slightly creepy. Mingxia Jie had a sense that Bai was still following her, but did not interrupt her plans. So she did not mind him, or his internal battles that she was unaware of.