Chapter 33: Body and Mind Training

'Knock knock!', "Young Maiden, have you awake?"

"Hmm...?", Ai Lie slowly opens her eyes. 'Yaaawn!', She's still sleepy. She looks to the window near her bed, but the sky is still dark.

"What time is it....?", She rubbed her eyes.

"May I come in?"

"O-Oh! Please do, My Lord."

'Creak!', Xiu Zhen get into the room without saying a thing. But somehow, the way she stares at Ai Lie makes Ai Lie feels uncomfortable.

"U-Umm...."

"Young Maiden. Tomorrow, you should wake up earlier. Every second in our life is worthy, we may not waste our time."

"Y-Yes, My Lord. I-I'm so sorry!"

"Please, quickly come down, let us have our breakfast together. The rest is waiting for you."

"O-Okay! Once again, forgive me, My Lord!"

But it's still dawn. It's not like Ai Lie wake up too late. Yet the way Xiu Zhen rebuked her is making her like she is a lazybones who doesn't value time. Ai Lie can't believe she just opened her eyes today and already being reprimanded. Then what about next? She could only wish her training session will end in a good result.

Ai Lie has a breakfast with those icy ghosts who titled themselves as monks. Ai Lie and Xiu Zhen walked out from the shrine, yet the sun was just arose not long ago. Ai Lie's still sleepy, but this strict woman who today become her teacher is cruel enough to start the training session early morning. Even Yin Ling didn't went this far.

"Young Maiden, General Yin has once ever told me you were not good at controlling stamina. Is that true?"

'THAT MAN! CAN HE SHUT HIS BIG MOUTH!?', Ai Lie internally screaming.

"U-Uh... Y-Yes. Hahaha. I'm bad at controlling my breathing. That's why I'm bad at running."

"Very well. Now we will start our training session by running."

"E-Excuse me?", Ai Lie thought a second she just told her that she suck at it.

"Because you know you are not good at it, you have to overcome your weakness. Breathing is important, it is the key to keep your mind at ease. When you are succeed at controlling your breathing, your mind will also become calmer."

"U-Uh... O-Okay."

"Do you remember the route to the women's bath?"

"Umm... Yes?"

"Make your way run to that place and back to the shrine thrice."

"E-Excuse me?? Thrice???", Ai Lie widened her green olive eyes."

"Yes, Young Maiden. Taking a rest is indeed allowed, but it would be best not to pause your steps."

"O-Okay."

"I will wait for you here. After we have done, I will train your mind."

"O-Okay.....", Ai Lie seems to be reluctant.

"Now, please.", Xiu Zhen raised her right hand to the wood, asking her to move her 'lazy' feet.

Ai Lie started to run. She entered the wood while her brain tried to memorize yesterday's path. The path that she's been travelled became uphill, unsteady, and rocky. She has been running for a while, then she realised she is lost from the right direction. She decided to run forward, chose a random path, and hoping for her to make her way to the hot spring. And yes, after minutes of running, she could hear the water gurgling near a bunch of trees and bushes. She reached the hot spring and take a short pause.

"HOSH... HOSH... HOSH..."

This isn't even a round yet, but she is already exhausted and sweaty. She has to make this same route for three times. She couldn't believe how heavy this training session is. Despite being a monk, Xiu Zhen's way of teaching is more ruthless than Yin Ling, let alone Xin Suan. She starts to think that Xin Suan is spoiling her too much. After having a short break, she turned her back and ran to the direction to the shrine. She hoped she won't get lost from the correct route this time.

Foot after foot, to miles after miles, it's been half thrice round. She is taking a break near the spring. She fell on the way to there, and her left elbow scratched. But fortunately, she used her jogger pants so at least her feet are fine. She is collecting every breath that she could into her lungs, and wipe every drip of sweats on her face. Her belly doesn't feel so good, it feels like she wanted to vomit. But she can't allow that uncomfortable feeling to disturb her mind. She has to make her way back to the shrine, Xiu Zhen is waiting for her. If she took a break too long, who knows Xiu Zhen will scolds her again. Beside, her task is almost complete. She continued to run with every strength that she has on her feet.

"Welcome back. Well done, Young Maiden."

"HOSH... HOSH... HOSH..."

"Please, have some rest, and some drink.", Xiu Zhen hands over a drinking bottle.

"TH... THA... THANK YOU....", Ai Lie immediately sits on the ground and drink. Her face is burning red, represents how tired she is.

"Tomorrow you will have to repeat this method. And, you may not taking a rest at all, I will follow you from behind. Pausing your way cause you to done your task longer than it should be. The sun is already on the top of the world."

"WH.... WHAT....? *Cough cough* TOMORROW...? FOLL...OWING ME....?", She is still panting so hard.

Xiu Zhen nods her head.

"OH.... OKAY....."

Ai Lie couldn't describe how much she hates running and yet she had to been through this hellish so called stamina training once again for tomorrow. Ah, maybe not only tomorrow, but for the whole month before the ritual begin. She didn't know that to be a Sword Maiden she should undergo ruthless physical training that could make her become an athlete instead of dancer. If only she could turn back the time, she will never agreed to this terrible idea. She is far from the title 'heroine', she should have ignored the request to help Xin Suan and the people in this world. But her selfish heroic will and kindness in her heart pushed her to save this world from the toxin that keep spreading through the whole world, and contaminating everything it touched.

"Very well, if you have feeling better, let us move to another training."

"Okay... Phew. Hup!", Ai Lie tried to stand on her feet steadily.

"Come, follow me."

Xiu Zhen lead her to go to the waterfall not far from the shrine. Amazingly she could walk on the surface of the water without being swept away by the strong tides. Xiu Zhen waved her hand to Ai Lie, but Ai Lie couldn't move near the water. She is a human, if she stepped on it, she will definitely going to be drowned and dragged away.

"Come, do not fear."

"But how could I walk on it?? I mean, I'm not a magical creature like you."

"Trust yourself and you will see."

"O-Okay.... Excuse me.", Ai Lie removed her shoes.

She puts her toes to check the water, and yes, something is blocking her from being drowned. With no hesitation, she steps forward. She could walk steadily, as if she is walking on the ground. The cold water wet the soles of her feet, and somehow she feels refresh. Amazing. What a beautiful grace to be experienced. They really are similar to gods.

"Wow..."

"The water of this river is obeying my words. You should not be worried of being harm by it."

"I see.... It must be nice to possess such magical power."

"....", Xiu Zhen couldn't reply her words. She and Ai Lie are different creatures in the first place.

"By the way, what are we going to do on this river?"

"Meditating. Have you ever meditated before?"

"Umm.... Hehehe.", She ever tried but it was a huge failure. She is too shy to told Xiu Zhen the truth.

"Then, I take it as a no. I will teach you how to put your mind at ease. Come sit beside me.", Xiu Zhen sat on a huge stone below the waterfall, along with Ai Lie beside her. Although the water is pouring so hard above their heads, their whole bodies are dry, and Ai Lie doesn't feel any pressure from it.

"Now, shut your eyes."

Ai Lie does what she ordered.

"The purpose of meditating is to find enlightenment and inner peace. At first you might not understand what those are, but if you did it correctly, you will find them soon."

"O-Okay....", Ai Lie flinches her eyebrows, trying to concentrate.

"Now, put your mind at one focus. Find something that burdening your heart."

'Burdening my heart?', Ai Lie tries to find one. She keeps looking and looking, collecting every pieces of her memories and her negative feelings that she currently forget. Lately, she feels happy because of Xin Suan. After a moment of silence, finally something that burdening her heart pops inside her mind.

"Have you find it?"

"Yes, My Lord."

"Do share me your burden."

"It's.... My family."

".... Your family? They are... Still alive?"

"Yes, they are.", Ai Lie has no idea why she asked her that way.

"Oh... What makes it burdening you?"

"Worries. I'm worried of them, about their condition. I'm afraid.... Afraid of something worse will happen to them."

Xiu Zhen begin to curious about her life, but this isn't the right time to talk about it. Xiu Zhen thought the reason why Xin Suan confidently made a breach on the contract was because Ai Lie was a lonely orphan. Then what about her family? How can they not noticed one of their member is missing? Is her family hates her that much until they don't care about her presence or did Xin Suan erased their memories? And how could the heaven did not noticed an asura has just kidnapped one of their children? Xiu Zhen's mind being played by those unanswered questions.

"Then.... Do you harbor any hatred towards them?"

"No, I am not."

"Then, try to erase your uneasy feeling. I believe your family will be fine. I pray the fortune to be with them."

"Thank you, My Lord."

Erase uneasy feeling? It's easier to be said than to be done. Ai Lie knows very well how crazy her family is. They probably couldn't survive eventhough Ai Lie has paid all of their loan and gave them more for savings. For her family, money is the source to buy happiness, it's a fact that can't be deleted. Her brother must've spent all of it for his own greediness and stupidity, along with the help of her mother's hedonism. She can only hope for her father to have a proper job. After all, they'll need money to live everyday.

The silence breaks between the two. Ai Lie still can't understand what kind of enlightment and inner peace she should search. She has no goal to be a saint person anyway, but she may not fall asleep, this person beside her isn't Xin Suan anymore. So she just shuts her eyes, empty her mind, and listen to the noisy sound of the waterfall above her head.

"How do you feel?"

"Umm... I'm fine?", Ai Lie opens her eyes.

"You still couldn't find the inner peace that I meant. Am I correct?"

"Uhh... F-Forgive me."

"It doesn't matter. I understand that your heart and mind are at ease even without meditating."

"U-Uhh... I'm so sorry."

"Very well. Let us end our training for today. Please, take a rest, Young Maiden."

Now the training session has done, Xiu Zhen and Ai Lie seperated their ways. Ai Lie went back to the women's bath all by herself. Her body was smelly and very sweaty, so she took a bath. But before that, she washed her clothes and hung them on a branch of the tree that is not too tall. While waiting for her clothes dried, she's relaxing herself, enjoying her me time. The wind breezing heavily, her exposed shoulder are shivering. She dipped herself deeper than before. The warmth of the water made her feels sleepy. She shuts her eyes and immediately fell asleep.

'Whoosh!', The wind blows heavily. The first thing she saw when she opened her eyes is a golden sky with river of clouds.

"Where... Am I?", She scans her surrounding. Yet again, she has the same strange dream. She just laid her body on a fluffy cloud.

"This dream again..."

"My poor child."

"And this same voice again. If I ever answered to your words, you will banished me back to my body, right?"

"You have suffering long enough, my poor child."

"Who are you? And why are you keep calling me your child?"

"Soon enough, when the time is right, this endless puppetry will end."

"Puppetry? What does that even mean?"

"Soon it will end."

"Wha- KYAAAAA!!!", And once again, Ai Lie fell from the sky.

'GASP!', "Haaa.... Haaa..", Ai Lie woke up and her whole body still soaked inside the water.

"Young Maiden!", Yi Fei running from far distance.

"E-Eh??"

"Are you okay?? I heard you scream!"

"S-Scream?? Oh...", It seems Ai Lie yelled unconsciously when she fell asleep.

"Is there something happened??"

"A-Ah, no, I-I-It's not something bad... I-I was just fell asleep and have a bad dream, that's all... S-Sorry that I made you worry."

"Are you sure there was nothing harmful happened?"

"N-No, nothing to worry about, Jie Jie."

"Very well. You haven't bring a towel yet, haven't you?"

"Ah!!! Right!! I totally forget that!!"

'Swoosh!', "Please have this, Young Maiden."

"T-Thank you, but I haven't done bathing yet. I'm still waiting for my clothes to be dried... Hehehe."

Yi Fei stares at Ai Lie's clothes that hung on the branch. She raised her hand, and pulls them all with telekinesis spell. In an instant, her clothes are already dried. Magic powers that are very useful for weakling powerless creature like Ai Lie. She could only mesmerized by the event she watched a minutes ago.

"Here, Young Maiden. The wind is pretty strong, I'm afraid you will be ill if you are wandering outside the shrine too long."

"T-Thank you."

Ai Lie wonders if she scream that loud. It feels so embarrassing if everyone in the shrine heard her. This place is too quiet after all. After having a long day, she took a rest. Her feet feels tingling and sore, laying on the bed feels like laying on the cotton cloud.

'Ge Ge?', She tried to connect her mind.

'Hey.'

'Whoa!', Ai Lie unconsciously gets up from her bed, "Ouch!"

'What's wrong? Are you hurt?'

'Not really. It's just my body feels tingling.'

'It must be caused by your training.'

'Hahaha yeah.'

'How was your day?'

'It was so haaaaaard. Lord Water woke me up at dawn, after that I'm running like crazy, to the women's bath and back to the shrine thrice. Then, I'm meditating with Lord Water.'

'Women's bath?'

'Y-Your dirty mind start to play inside your head, right??'

'It's not that. I just don't have any idea where was that.'

'Oh right. It was in the middle of the wood, not really far from the shrine, but far enough if you traveled there by feet. I'm sorry for being rude to you...'

'Ah I see. You really hate physical training, aren't you?'

'I actually only hate running and else that needs more stamina and breathing. I'm suck at it.'

'Then you should train your breathing more. I will teach you after the ritual done.'

'Wait wait wait. I also need a break.'

'Of course, I will give you more time to take a rest. I don't mean to push you that hard, what I meant was to train you someday.'

'O-Okay...'

'I will pamper you when we meet. This must be hard for you.'

'E-Eh?? You don't have to, Ge Ge. Everything is fine for me, so you shouldn't spoiling me too much.'

'Why?'

'You have grant me everything I want... Foods, fancy home to live, money, clothes, and else... Because of that, I became too comfortable with the way you treat me. While in here, I learned that I should be dependent on my own. No one will help me even if I fell.'

'Hahahaha.'

'W-What's so funny?'

'You are adorable, Ai. You are frail yet strong in the same time. You are humble, also the most unique person I've ever met. That's why I am attracted to you.'

'E-Eh?? Stop that, you make me embarrassed!', Ai Lie starts to blush.

'What about the meditation? Were you meditating well or instead fell asleep?'

'N-No! I didn't sleep! Stop teasing me!'

'Hahahaha alright alright, I'm just joking.'

'But Ge Ge, Lord Water said the purpose of meditation is to find enlightment and inner peace. What are those?'

'Enlightment, inner peace, they both will be collected when you have gain absolute focus inside your mind. Usually when we meditate, we will reflect on our mistakes, hatred, regrets, or else that brings heavy burdens inside our hearts. We will think a way to fix them all. If you feel guilty, you will ponder a way to atone your mistakes, but if you harbor hatred to someone, you will try to erase that evil feeling from your heart. But it's not impossible for someone meditating in order to walk to the right path leading to heaven and avoid the evil worldly temptations, just like what usually monks do.'

'Oh I see! Some kind of self-intropecting, huh?'

'Yeah. But you are no sinner and also not a monk, it will be harder for you to collect those two.'

'Ah, then what should I do? I need to gain spiritual power too, right?'

'Hmm... Just stay as you are, I guess that will do. Beside, you have me. If something troubled you, I will remove the obstacle.'

'You are always kind, Ge Ge. But as you know, we aren't almighty. Someday, I too, have to wield my own sword to protect myself, just like what you said.'

'Very well, my independent little goddess. Still, I swear it with my life, I will always be there for you. This world is controlled by fear, and the fear is caused by my presence as the ruler. So, as long as I am with you, you will be fine.'

'You... You are amazing. To be friend with the person as strong as god, even the strongest.... I feel so grateful.'

'Hahaha. How cute.'

The two talk talks for a long time via their minds, as if they are chatting with phones. The sun has been set down long ago, and the shrine has been quiet. The air is somehow colder than yesterday, making Ai Lie feels sleepy.

'Hey, Ai.'

'Zzzz....'

'Sleeping? How could she sleep that fast and our minds are still connected?'

'Zzzz....'

'Very well, good night, my little goddess.'