A Woman’s Pride

Back at the Mei palace, another room was filled with the female kin and disciples. They were studying cultivation as well but also learning about the eastern clans. Mei An, the leader of the Mei clan, was teaching this session. "Now that the other disciples have been sent on their task, your task will start soon. Going back on our first lesson. The eastern region is what?" He asked. Yuming stood up. "The Eastern region is where the four Northern clans are. The Yue clan, the Chisheng clan, the Xue clan, and the Nuwa clan. Most of the northern region has a hybrid population." She said, "Very good, lady Yusheng! And what about hybrids?" He asked. Mei Bao, the daughter of Mei An, stood up. "Hybrids evolved from mated humans and demons. Today, there are less demons and more hybrids. But demons had betrayed hybrids and humans long ago, making demons our enemies. And some humans today still do not accept hybrids." She answered. Yuming glanced at Hung Meifeng. She had a straight face but looked annoyed. She noticed Yuming glancing at her. The two stared at each other. Yuming smiled at Hung Meifeng. She was grateful for the life of her brother. Suddenly a messenger Mei disciple charged into the room and bowed at Mei An's feet. "Master! The kin and other disciples are in trouble. A hole has opened within the tunnels and three kin disciples have fallen into the trench! Young master Yusheng, young master Ning, and young master Hung!" The disciple said. Yuming's heart stopped. Trench? Tunnels? What are they talking about? Mei An turned to the female disciples. "It looks like your test will start early. There is a tunnel system under the dead grass field. A hole has collapsed and resulted in the young masters falling in. You all are to help them." He said. But what he never said was that the disciples in the trench were not alone

The creature was close to the cave the disciples were hiding in. It continued sniffing around. Hung Liang pulled out his sword. Jinghua put a hand on the sword and shook his head. Hung Liang clenched his teeth and pulled the sword away, cutting Jinghua's hand. He put pressure on the cut across his palm. Hung Liang continued and walked straight up to the creature. All Jinghua could do was yell. "HUNG LIANG, WAIT!" Hung Liang waved his sword and hit the leg of the creature. It squealed in pain. It was about to grab Hung Liang with its mouth but an arrow hit its head. From above the trench were the female disciples. They had ropes. Hung Meifeng was the one who shot the arrow. Yuming stood next to her. "Hey dumbhead!" She yelled from above. "We're here to save you so get your asses up here!" Bingwen was overjoyed. But that joy quickly changed to fear as another beast came from behind the girls. "Yuming!" Bingwen yelled. She turned around and stared at the beast. It was smaller than the beast in the trench. "Yuming, help them out of the trench. We'll take care of the beast." Hung Meifeng said. And she did. A few disciples and Yuming threw ropes down into the trench. The disciples went first. Jinghua was working on dragging Hung Liang to the ropes instead of pestering the beast.

Hung Liang finally made his way up the ropes which left Jinghua and Bingwen. But the trench was crumbling due to the echo of the beast. "Yuming! You and the others have to get out of here!" Bingwen yelled. "But what about you and Jinghua?"

"We'll find a way out!" Yuming's face dripped in tears. "I don't want you to leave me again, Bojing!" She cried. Hung Meifeng took her arm as rocks from the tunnel started falling. The beast on top was completely crushed. The two were practically left for dead. They were now completely caved in.

"Why did I let her go?" Bingwen said, sliding down against the wall and sitting in a cave. The beast whined and went back to its cave. Jinghua clenched Jin Si. he wanted to say something to make Bingwen feel better but there really wasn't anything to be said. They were trapped for who knows how long. Trapped with that beast. Bingwen didn't want to be with Jinghua. He didn't want to be with him because he knew that Jinghua was someone he used to know. That..he Used To know. A memory was sparking up inside Bingwen's head. With wordś of the younger voice of Jinghua. It was a conversation between both of them when they were younger. Bingwen remembered Jinghua. "We were always together…as kids…" Bingwen said, shocked. Jinghua turned quickly to him and leaned down to bingwen's level. "You remembered me?" Jinghua asked happily. "We would train together and eat together and…then..you left. You left me alone. For so long. Why? Why would you just abandon me like that?" Bingwen said, gripping his sleeves as a cold breeze rushed through the cave. Jinghua looked down in discouragement, clutching his cut which was bleeding out. The dripping sound of blood caught Bingwen's attention. He glanced at Jinghua's hand. "What happened?" Bingwen said as he began tearing apart part of his sleeve. Jinghua was confused but answered. "It was that bastard, Hung Liang's sword. Cut me on the hand when I tried to hold him back from attacking the beast. And…what are you doing?" Bingwen had fully ripped off his sleeve and had torn it into strips. "Can I see your hand?"

"I appreciate the concern, but really, I'm fine." Bingwen grabbed his hand anyway and started wrapping the strips around the cut like a bandage. Once he was done, Bingwen went back to sitting against the wall. Jinghua sat down next to him. "I'm happy you remember a little bit of our childhood. How did you do it?" Jinghua asked. "I….Don't know. The memory just came to me out of nowhere." Bingwen reliped. He turned to Jinghua and smiled. "But I'm hoping there will be more."