A Cold Glance

Huan Meirong paused in the third floor and went straight to the first bookcase at her right, the one that had a black flame pattern above. She read the introduction of the divisions that had books in them and placed her hand over the restriction of one in the first file to the left, third line. She left her hand there a few seconds before retiring it and quickly dodging to a side. The book got launched out, she picked it up; it was a fire attribute, Martial Saint level cultivation technique.

Then, she went to the last bookcase on the right side, this had a beautiful black flower pattern above. There were only five divisions with a book inside, she saw the descriptions and heaved a sigh; there was only one martial cultivation technique of the wood attribute but it was a Martial Grand Master level one, so she didn't take it. In the past she had cultivated with Martial Emperor level techniques, hence, she will practice her wood attribute martial cultivation technique instead.

She walked out from the pagoda and took a rest in the beautiful pavilion in the middle of the lake. She fell asleep without noticing it and woke up a few hours later, she thought, 'Ummh… This Emp… Errh… it will take a while before I get used to this. Hmmh, how do I go out from this place?' She scratched her head and said, "Let's try feeling that little black stone and see if I get out." She managed her soul force and scanned her soul, she didn't know if that will work, she was supposed to be inside that black stone, after all.

"Agh! The sixth time!" It worked; she didn't get it how but it seemed to work out. The bad thing was that she was thrown out from that place, she will need to figure out how to land the next time.

"Eldest miss, eldest miss, what happened? Is eldest miss alright?" The worried voice of Zhi'er reached her ears. The little kid wanted to check, but he hasn't been called over and didn't dare to cross pass the division screen.

"I'm alright. I just fall from the bed." She sighed and proper herself up.

She went out from the division screen while shaking her head. She didn't hear a word after some time and asked, "What is it?"

She couldn't see Zhi'er but when she said she fell from the bed, the little boy got scared. His little and tender face was white as a sheet paper.

He didn't answer and walked around her, inspecting her.

She felt the little boy walking in circles and understood, she said, "I'm alright. It's nothing big. What time is it now?"

Zhi'er nodded his little head after seeing her being alright, he answered, "It's almost time for them to deliver the afternoon meal. I have already filled eldest miss bathtub with clean water, but it is cold," when he said the last sentence, she could hear his resentful tone.

She nodded, 'When was the last time I took a cold bath? Rhhrrm… I don't remember', she thought before saying, "Let's take a bath together."

"But..."

"Don't argue, Zhi'er. You need to take a bath too and also to help me wash."

The little boy closed his opened mouth and did as his master commanded.

They entered the wooden tub after undressing and Zhi'er said, "It isn't that cold, Zhi'er even feel it a little warm."

"Indeed, let's bath quickly to be in time for the afternoon meal." She had used her soul force to disperse the cold and warm it, though it wasn't as fast and effective as using her fire attribute, it was more than enough.

Zhi'er heavily nodded and quickly helped her to wash her hair and back. They only took ten minutes to bathe.

Five more minutes passed and the meal was sent. Zhi'er ran out to pick it at the call.

There were two bowls of porridge but this time they weren't that diluted and even a bit fragrant. He swallowed a mouthful of saliva. The maidservant in charge to deliver them looked at him with despise before walking back.

He didn't mind it; he was already used to such treatment. He ran back saying happily, "Eldest miss, this time is also porridge but this smell so good. It must be really tasty."

"Oh" She didn't found strange her meal being the same as the little kid, she had seen this treatment on this body previous owner memories.

She sat before a little old wooden table and sniffed the porridge when was placed in front of her, she nodded after not finding something out of place in it and started to eat the porridge.

She turned around after hearing no other sound aside from hers eaten and asked, "Why isn't Zhi'er eating?"

"I ate eldest miss breakfast. Zhi'er isn't hungry yet."

Before she could say something, Zhi'er stomach had already done it, a low grumble was heard. She couldn't help but laugh out and said with a faked anger, "Tsk, what I have said of lying. Eat it or it will turn cold. Don't dare to lie to me again, or there won't be food for Zhi'er for three days."

He turned red from shame and paled to her miss anger; he nodded and began to eat effusively.

Time went by and night came, after eating porridge at dinner once again. She went out from the little cottage to her backyard, it was a bit chilly but she didn't mind.

She stretched her arms; she wanted to get familiar with this body.

*Cough, cough...*

"Zhi'er, go inside and sleep, here is cold and it's late already."

"But eldest miss..."

"Go in, is an order." This time her tone was commanding that he didn't dare to refute; he followed her orders.

She continued to stretch her body after hearing his steps entering the cottage. She did it for less than an hour before her body began to dance.

Her dance wasn't a normal dance; it helped to maintain the body balance despite the fancy moves that made the dance mesmerizing. She had foolishly fallen in love, in the past; she was a genius of her Huan family, she got their full support as she also was the only daughter of the Patriarch and married the Crown Prince.

She had played a great role when he ascended the throne. But later, the Consorts and Imperial Concubines came, she forgot that strength was what mattered and started to think other things; she began to act charming and learnt how to please him to gain his doting. Therefore, she got well versed in dancing, zither and cooking. Love is truly blind; she fell completely into his hands.

Her graceful dancing changed after some tens of minutes, turning strong and resolute with the dignity of someone who was high above all. Her wide sleeves made flapping sounds becoming the melody of her dance while her inky and loose black hair moved at her will, like flowing water, floating around her body, making such look picturesque.

At some point in her dance, she felt a chill and tripped her steps and she fell to the ground; she unconsciously opened her blind eyes wanting to see; she shook her head at the presented darkness before standing up.

She didn't close her eyes and made a surveying motion as if trying to find out something.

At length, she tilted her head to a side before turning around and walking back to her little cottage.

She furrowed her brows after closing the cottage's door; she had felt a cold glance on her. It had come from the forest behind the City Lord's House wall. She was pretty sensitive when it comes to someone having their eyes set on her; she had been the centre of attention in the past, so she didn't need to use soul force to take notice of it.

After giving circles in her head, she dismissed her thoughts and went to bed. She didn't have anything of value and her current looks were awful, so nothing bad could possibly happen. And with her heart being at easy now, she fell asleep.