Chapter 24: The Concentration Training

"This is the last basic skill that I will teach you. This is looking easy but however it will be hard for a beginner like you. Are you ready?"

"Yes, sir!"

"Good. Let's go to the forest."

The two travel to the empty lot by feet. Ai Lie's body is somehow become stronger. She can walk without taking a rest or drink. Her sweat is getting less, eventhough the sun is burning her skin, different than three days ago when she started to train with Yin Ling. Maybe, she changed because of Xin Suan's blessing, and her will to protect herself from the danger awaits in the future.

"Okay. This training is to build your concentration. Have you ever meditated before?"

"No...", She shooked her head.

"Then this is new for you. The first thing I will teach you to increase your concentration is by meditating. Meditating is the easiest way to increase your focus and your spiritual magic. The more your soul is at ease, the more you gain your spiritual magic. Remember what I've told you before, you have the possibilites to slain enemy in one strike if you have enough spiritual magic. Are you following me?"

"Understood, sir!"

"Good. It seems you're also in a good mood today."

"Yeah... Hahaha. You really know me."

"Of course. You are like an open book, I can easily read your mind even without using my power."

"Umm... Is that so?", She is unsure with those words. Xin Suan is sometimes making her mad, but he doesn't know it.

"Yeah. Let's sit below that tree.", He points his finger at one of a big tree near the empty lot.

"Okay.", The two walking to the direction to the big tree.

Xin Suan immediately sitting cross-legged right after he reaches below the tree, "Come, sit beside me."

"Okay."

"Now shut your eyes. Try to concentrate."

"...Concentrating to...?", She is confused.

"To put your mind at ease. Listen to every sounds inside this forest. Feel the cold air blowing through your skin.", He shuts his eyes.

"Umm... Okay?", She tried to follow what he said.

She starts to closed her eyes. The silence breaks between them. She tried to control her mind, to focus on her surroundings that right now she can't see. The voices of the birds chirping, the sound of the leaves blown away by the strong wind, the fresh air she inhales that somehow cooling her lungs, and the heat of the sun that warmth her whole body, those all making her heart calm. She begin to feel comfortable, and get carried away by the peaceful state around her. After a few minutes of meditating, Xin Suan begin to breaks the silence.

"How do you feel?"

"...", Ai Lie didn't reply anything, she kept closing her eyes.

"Hey, Ai.", He pats her shoulder.

'Thud!', Her head bumps to his shoulder. She fall asleep.

"... This little girl.", He begin to lose his patience.

"HEY!!", He speaks loudly beside her ear.

'GASP!', "W-WHERE AM I?? W-WHAT HAPPENED!?", She is very surprised, her heart is pounding.

"I said meditating, not sleeping!!", He pinches her cheeks.

"Ahhh!! I'm sorry, I'm sorry!!! Your nails are scratching my skin!!!!"

"Oh right...", He stares at his long and sharp black polished nails, "Sorry."

"Ow... Later you should go to my room!!", Her cheeks feels hurt.

"For what? Do you want to sleep with me?", He smirks mischievously.

"I-it's not that!!! You pervert!!!", She lands a fist to the direction to his chest.

"Then for what?", he easily blocks it with one hand.

"To cut your nails!! I don't like long nails, it's untidy and dirty!!"

"D-dirty!? Untidy!?", He immediately raised his hand in front of his face. He thought his appearance is already neat and clean enough.

"Yeah! I hate it!"

"No! I don't need that, and I don't want to! Beside, everyone here has long nails, it will be very weird if I am the only one who have short nails!", He hides his hands away. It seems the demons prefers to grow their nails to help them to tear their preys meats.

"My nails are also short! Don't try to reject me! What if my skin got wounded because of you? Beside, it's for your own good!"

"My own good?"

"Yeah! Just don't try to run away from me, okay? I'll drag you if you ever try to escape!"

"... Okay.", Even the strongest asura has his own fear.

"Are you wounded? Let me take a look.", He cupped her face.

"I'm fine... I think."

"Alright. Now let's be serious. You have never meditating before, I understand that. I'm not good at teaching how to meditate properly, but Xiu Zhen will help you. She is a high priestess anyway, so she must know really well how to train you to control your own emotions."

"So... Are we going to finish this training today?"

"No, I want to train your focus in another method. Or are you already feeling tired?"

"Not at all. I'm really fresh right now. Hehehe."

"Of course you are. You were fell asleep, so it's obvious you have regained your energy back."

"Hehehe... Sorry..."

"Very well. Let's go back to the empty lot."

The two walking back to the place where they usually do the training. 'Swoosh!', Xin Suan summons ten wooden human dummies. But today, the dummies don't bring any wooden swords.

"What are these for?"

"I will try to distract your mind. Go take a look at that dummy.", He points his finger at the dummy that has a black serpent's eye emblem on it's chest, similar to Xin Suan's eyes shape. The emblem is quiet small, the size is only as big as Ai Lie's fist.

"Here, use your sword.", He summons her silver thin sword.

"O-okay."

"Your mission is to stab its chest. But I will not make it simple."

'Drap drap drap!', The dummies starts to move fast in random directions.

"T-THIS IS TOO MUCH!!"

"Not really. Their movements are slow enough. Try to concentrate, find the different dummy, and stab it."

"Slow...?? In my eyes, they are too fast!!"

"Don't complain."

"Argh... Fine..."

She tried to find the odd dummy inside the moving crowds in front of her. The more she watched their movements, the more her head became dizzy. They are moving too fast! But Xin Suan is cruel enough not to make the dummies move slower. Ai Lie is just a normal human child after all, she can't see something moving too quick.

"Ge Ge, I can't find it!", She is getting upset.

"Try to look harder. You are smart, I believe you can find it. Keep going, focus is the key."

"Ugh... This man is heartless!", She whispers to herself.

She tried to lock her sight in one point. She stared in the center of the crowd pretty long, without a blink. She realized the dummies aren't actually moving in random direction. The dummy that has an emblem on its chest is actually moving a bit slower than the other, and its the only one who is moving in circle, while the rest is in somewhat zig zag directions. Finally she found the only odd dummy inside the moving crowd. But now, how to attack its chest? Their movements are too quick, and the other dummies are running in zig zag, protecting the odd one. She has to breakthrough the crowd just to attack the main target. And yet again, her anxiety of being injured controlling her mind.

"Ah... I can't do this...", She starts to give up. She doesn't even has the courage to run near that crowd.

"Don't be so negative. All of my missions I gave you, you've done it successfully. This is the last, give your best effort. Tomorrow we will be taking a break. You have to take enough rest before the final test."

'The final test? Thank goodness, this man is really really cruel. He is seriously wants to have a duel with me!', She is desperately crying inside her mind.

"Alright... Huft...", She shuts her eyes.

No matter what will happen to her, the dummies won't stop moving unless she stabs the chest of the odd dummy, and if she doesn't want to move forward, the training won't be ended too. Whether she wants it or not, she has to breakthrough inside those crowd, and attack the main target when she gets the chance.

"Huft....", She is preparing herself, "Hyah!!!!"

Ai Lie runs forward, entering every of the opened path the she saw. She doesn't care anymore if she ever gets injured. The only main focus in her mind is to find the odd dummy and kill it. But in the process, she attacks some of the dummies that hindering her way, who were trying to protect the odd one. The moment she saw the dummy with black eye emblem flashed in her sight, her sword directly thrusting forward through that emblem. 'Stab!', all of the dummies stops moving in a sudden.

'Clap clap clap!', "Wow, you really CAN'T do that.", He is being sarcastic.

"Hosh... Hosh... I-It's not that..."

"You didn't defeated only the main target, you even defeated its guards. Look."

She stares at the sliced wooden dummies that fell to the ground, "Ah... I'm sorry...", She feels guilty to those 'innocent' ones.

"What the hell? Why are you apologizing to literally unalive creatures?"

"Be-Because they weren't supposed to be my target... But I feel disturbed by them, so I forced my sword to open me a path..."

"That's good. It means you are gradually become one with your sword. Now you know how to use it, eventhough you still need more practice. My pupil is now ready to be a swordswoman! I believe someday you can be as strong as me.", He pats her head.

"Hahaha... That's impossible... I need years of training to be a great fighter like you..."

"Who knows you can be like me in no time? But, well done, Ai Lie. You really are doing better and better everyday. With this new you, the Jinghua Ritual is not a big matter for us."

"... I'll try my best, Ge Ge. I will help you, and no matter what happen, I will help this realm. You have done so much for me, and I think this is the only thing that I can do for you..."

"You are very kind. Well, this is your reward for your kindness."

"...", Her cheek is blushing red after he landed his attack. She hides her face away, and presses it to his lower chest.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing. I'm just... Too embarrased. We have kissed for so many times now."

"Why? Is it bothering you?"

"... Not at all. In contrary, I feel... Happy."

"...", His ears are somehow turning red, "... May I...?"

"... May what?", She is waiting for him to continue his words.

"May I make you happy everyday?"

"E-eh???", She became redder than before, "D-does that mean...??"

"Yeah. I want to kiss you everyday."

"W-W-W-Whattt!? H-H-How can you say that bluntly!?"

"Your feelings are my priority. If my lips can make you happy, then I'll gladly give it to you everyday."

"I-I-I-IT'S NOT THAT!!! WHAT I MEAN IS NOT THAT!!!", She covers her face with her palms.

"Then what?", He doesn't understand.

"... It's not only your kisses, Ge Ge... But it's you. The whole you. Having you by my side is making me happy..."

"...", Xin Suan widened his eyes. He is surprised by Ai Lie's confession.

"From the day you came to this world, you are already mine. You will always be mine, and mine alone. No one will take you from me anymore, I swear it with my own life.", He kneels to her, and holding her hand tightly.

"... Ge Ge!?", Her feelings are mixed. She couldn't understand whether she should feel happy, embarrassed, or confuse. It feels like Xin Suan is proposing her right now.

Ai Lie has never been in a romantic relationship with a man before, but she knows really well that she starts to have a feeling towards Xin Suan since the day he kissed her for the first time. She tried so hard not to fall for him, but the more she thought about the affection he gave towards her, she's just falling deeper. She is aware that sooner or later, he will betray her. Beside, he once had an ex-lover who he never mentioned in front of her. Who knows who she was? Who knows whether Xin Suan is actually still has a feeling for her or not? And who knows that right now he is just toying with Ai Lie's feelings? He is a demon that was once very greedy and merciless, playing with one girl will means nothing but a joke for him.

"Ge Ge... I-"

'Rustle, rustle.', Something's moving inside the bushes. The two lost their romantic moments and started to focus to that noises.

"...", Xin Suan eyes are glowing red, readily to launch an attack if ever an enemy showed up.

'Rustle, rustle.'

"... Ge Ge, should we check it?", she whispers to him.

"Stay right here, I'll go there by myself."

Xin Suan slowly moves to where the noises came from. His steps are mute, having no sound at all. He senses a death behind that bush, and when he open it with his hands, 'Screech!', An eagle flied away, scared by Xin Suan's sudden presence.

"What's that??", Ai Lie immediately runs to check on Xin Suan.

"Look."

"R-r-rabbit!?"

"It's already dead. But the blood is still fresh, I guess it died not long ago."

"No!! I can't bear to see it!! Poor rabbit...", She isn't use to see a horrifying torn apart state of a rabbit's body, different than Xin Suan. The rabbit's body is already covered in blood.

"Ah... It's only natural for the stronger one to eat the weaker one. The cycle of food chain."

"...", She is speechless. He has the right to say that. In Ai Lie's point of view, Xin Suan was once the hungry eagle who's searching for its food, and the dead rabbit is Ai Lie, who is defenseless and who was born to be the food.

"... Ge Ge, can we bury it?", She stares at the rabbit's dead body.

"Huh? What for?"

"... So that it can have its peaceful rest."

"Wow... You really kind, Ai Lie. Are you sure you are a human and not a goddess?"

"I am a normal human, Ge Ge. Beside, some humans do this to their pets. Please, help me to dig a hole."

"Fine."

'Swoosh!', a hole, not so deep, appears beside the rabbit. He puts its dead body and buries it inside the dirt with his telekinetic magic, "Here you go."

"Wait, let me pray for a while..."

"H-HUH!?", Xin Suan widened his eyes, why a lowly dead animal should be prayed for?

'I hope you will be reincarnated as a better creature in your next life. And I wish for you to have a better life in the future. Rest in peace, I'm sorry I couldn't protect you.'

'I can hear her prayers!?', Xin Suan silently confused. Usually he couldn't hear someone else's prayers if it weren't desperate wishes or that someone is specifically asking for his blessings. Seems like Xin Suan's power and Ai Lie's prayer is connected because of the blessing he gave, but he pretends like nothing happened.

"What did you pray?"

"Oh, nothing! If I tell you, you will laugh at me. Hehehe."

"Very well. My goddess is being kind towards everyone, even animals."

"D-don't call me like that!!!", Her cheek is blushing.

"You are my goddess. I am the dark, and you are the light. We are like Yin Yang, aren't we?"

"S-stop that!! You make me embarrassed!!"

"Wait.", Xin Suan senses another very weak presence, "Something else is here."

"Where?"

Xin Suan is looking for something on the ground. Not far from the rabbit's grave, there is another hole. The hole is small and deep enough. It seems it's the rabbit's lair.

"Look, Ai."

"What is that?"

'Gasp!', "There are two baby bunnies inside here!?", Xin Suan takes both of them softly, and put their small bodies on Ai Lie palms.

"It seems their mother died protecting them. They are still alive."

"Poor little creatures...", The more she stares at them, the more she feels something melt inside her heart. They are snuggling inside her small palms.

"Awwww they are so cute!!!"

"What?"

"Look at them! Small, white, and fluff!"

"Hmm... Not as cute as you.", He lowers his face to the baby bunnies.

"S-Stop being so flirty!"

"I'm not, I'm being honest.", He bumps his shoulder to hers.

"Cih! Whatever!"

Her heart keeps melting everytime the baby bunnies snuggling, and moving slowly at her palms. Then, she gets a brilliant idea.

"Ge Ge... Can we keep them?"

"What!? No! Why would we keep something weak like these two!?"

"Because they are weak and defenseless, we are the stronger one who should protecting them! Please let me keep them, I will take care of their lives!"

"What...?", Xin Suan is actually disagree with her.

"Please! Pretty please with cherry on top!", She begs with twinkling wide eyes.

"... Alright.", He falls to her trap immediately.

"Yeayy!!! Thank you, Ge Ge!!! Hehehe..."

"...", His pride hurts.

"... Now, what names I should give to them?", She speaks softly to the tiny creatures on her palms.

"What?? You named animals!?"

"Eh? Isn't that normal to give our pets names?"

"H-huh?", He couldn't understand her strange behavior.

"Anyway, the sun is almost set, Ge Ge. Why don't we just go back to the manor? I want to make them a house!"

"H-huh... Fine, whatever."