Day 2 Night 2 Getting a start

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-Hours Later-

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Old Xu came back after watching everything from afar. Having grabbed a few books for the two to study over for later. He gave a glance to Liang Yu and Ye Xinghe. Then towards An Xueyun. Happy for his hard-working disciples, as she had sat down to cultivate with nothing better to do.

"Good work!" Old Xu exclaimed. It was meant for all of them. "I can't help it. I am impressed with the energy you all have. Today's practice is over, come here." The three paid respects. "As your master, I have something to share with you. Martial Arts are hard. Without a strong heart, talent will not flourish. Without a strong talent, success will prove difficult."

Ye Xinghe and Liang Yu had their eyes closed in thought, which slightly bothered the old man.

"I want to ask a question before we start formal martial arts lessons." He looked hard at Liang Yu, then Ye Xinghe. Resting on An Xueyun. Turning to him was easy enough. "What do you think is most important in order to practice martial arts?"

It was quiet for a bit. An Xueyun decided to go first since Liang Yu had nothing to say at the time.

"I Desire freedom to travel around free as a bird." Old Xu mumbled the word Freedom to her. Prodding yet having a general idea already of why she wants that. "I aspire to live an unfettered life. Without sacrificing yourself for family interests. Not to just be someone's wife, this kind of freedom."

"I see. Like the Martial Goddess Tianyin of old." Old Xu mumbled. He looked at Ye Xinghe who looked at Liang Yu holding back a laugh. "Something funny?"

"She is a liar." Liang Yu said plainly. "If she wanted that, then she could have it already. Do not want to be confined by family interest and used? Bullshit!" His tone was cold and harsh, as he looked at her with disgust. "You still wear their clothes and eat their food with no issue. You are away from the influence of your family right now. Yet still, carry yourself as a "belonging" of them. You do not want freedom. What you want is pity and someone to save you."

"That is not true!" An Xueyun exclaimed.

"A concubine's daughter is not different from a royal daughter or common daughter. An intellectual will tell you that. But you hold your head up high using your status when it suits you." Liang Yu's eyes bore into her. "If you do not want to get married off, then don't. Write a letter saying you leave the family. Your sister will just take your place instead."

"I would never do that!" An Xueyun was defintely the same as the original. Unfortunately.

Then continue living a comfy life like you are now. Broken little bird." Liang Yu felt odd for some reason. He shouldn't be this mad about the girls' situation still. But images from the manga tickled his mind a little. Then the memories of the current Liang Yu defintely reinforcing his information about the various families. "So much you can do to break away from your family but you don't. Such lies you tell."

An Xueyun was shaking a little. Ye Xinghe looked angry and stared daggers at Liang Yu who just shrugged not caring. It was all a play really to get the girls' fire going. A desire for strength in her to fix her family situation.

"The royal family is not like it was in the past." Ye Xinghe commented. All eyes were on him. "The best thing to do is to find a way to increase your value to the school to free your sister. Maybe have her visit and the principal take her as a student. Or better yet, I am sure you have a few other Noble friends that can help."

The North lord Mansion could do so. Or any of the other Mansions doing so. Hell, she could just marry the blasted prince then get her sister away from the family. Killing the prince after she gains enough strength is not a bad option.

"What about you Ye Xinghe?" Old Xu asked. His eyes glancing at them all once for a second. Gauging their response to each other words. 'The girl is chasing something she does not have the conviction for on her own. As for Xinghe.. I am suprised he understands the situation so deeply.'

"I don't have lofty goals teacher. I just want my friends & family secured from the vast danger of the Empire." Ye Xinghe said simply. Liang Yu shook his head knowing that won't happen at all unless they gain strength and change the world. "But proper dues must be paid first. The clan must hand over every year, a large sum in taxes. So I must fix that issue first. The starving elders are going to be the biggest issue since they are prideful."

"That is horrible." An Xueyan said. She looked at Liang Yu. His blank face bothering her. "Why do you treat your people like that?!"

"I have no people or power in the family." Liang Yu shrugged. "I am not anywhere in line to take over. If not enough food, one changes the circumstance themself. Stop wasting it on parties or festivals and food will be available to you all. Cut back on extravagance and buy food that yields more crops and not taste. Take chances in the wild and hunt more. As if your Eternal Heaven Family does do the same. I am sure Lin Hong could tell you more about the "horrible" treatment they endure."

"I don't have power myself." An Xueyan said. "In that way, we are the same Liang Yu. I have to be careful for the sake of my sister."

"Risk death that way." Ye Xinghe said indignantly. "There has to be something you can do. I know I am looking for ways to solve my clan's issues already."

"Control the birth rate better. Have the kids help more and study more. Hell, have your people just try to better themselves. It is actually easy if you have the willpower." Liang Yu shrugged not really minding the glares he received. "If they weren't so gutless, you would ask for an investigator from the Capital to check on things."

"What!?" Ye Xinghe was shocked that was an option. Planting the seeds for plans was a little exhausting. But it had to be done just right ro control results a little.

"Come on now, your taxes are higher than they should be. Your clan leader knows it but rather cowers and save face than speak up. Either way, you die horribly or quickly if wrong." Liang Yu pulled out a notebook. Looking over something. "Yeah.. you can even ask the school to look into it. Or don't. I know, ask her to get involved. She has pull and connections."

"I do not." An Xueyun said quickly. Not wanting to have her family involved at all. A little sheepish looking at Ye Xinghe. She was sorry she couldn't do more. Misplaced guilt.

"Lies. A broken lieing bird who has a will but to prideful to do so. Cry outrage but do not help." Liang Yu pulled out a envelop and handed it to Old Xu. "If you wish to do right by the people or whatever. That will help. But if you don't help, not my fault."

"I will look at this later." Old Xu tucked it away. Inside were secrets that Old Xu told Liang Yu in the previously. A few more to help get the old man on his side quicker. "Now lastly you. What does it mean for you?"

"Power to change what I see before me." Liang Yu said with a straight face. "To break what is baring down wrongly like a weak clan that is eating away at the land. Or useless children getting married off to horrible people." His eyes flared with malice. "To kill those who wish to destroy the innocent. The have the good stuff that is in front of me. Not going to go looking for it obviously. That would be stupid."

"I see." Old Xu had a lot to think about. "Go rest, all of you." He left first.

"Hmmm." Liang Yu went back to the pit. The dagger he left inside had been there long enough. "To pierce the heart and hope for the best… " Liang Yu was ready to do this part. The call for power was strong this time around. Placing it back in the pit, he checked something in the book once again to make sure.

The other two looking at him slightly between talks. Startled seeing him plunge a bright red dagger into his chest. In a hurry, they ran over. Ye Xinghe keeping his grin in check playing the worried one.

"Raaah!" Liang Yu cried out blasting the two away with Qi. In the center of his chest, a Metal Seed appeared. The skin around blistered in pain but healed quickly with the circulation of Qi. "Ha.. ha.. ha…"

*Ting!* The handle of the dagger dropped into the pit. The blade completely compressed into his chest as the Metal Seed formed further.

"Ok.. that will make things easier to protect in the future. Just have a weird Metal Seed inside me." Liang Yu put out the fire completely and left. 'Gonna take a nice long shower. Oh wait… they don't have those. Guess a soak it is.'

"That technique might help you with your situation." Ye XInghe said to her. "He is a Flame Martial Artist like yourself. As well as a "noble" member. I don't he has any designs on you, so that should make it easier if you pretend to be close with him.

If she did so, the conflict would help them both obtain bodies faster. Which would allow them to develop Martial Arts faster. The inner turmoil she was feeling causing the Heart Method Ye Xinghe used to grow stronger.

Talking a little, the two finally said their goodbyes. An Xueyun having a lot to think about and Ye Xinghe having a cultivation to advance.

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Night time-

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Ye Xinghe had read a few more books as he soaked in the tub. His body was naturally colder now due to Frost Air Body. Circulating his Qi throw the gates, allowed for his body to move along steadily.

Spreading his Sense out, he already locked onto a Fire Bird. An Elementry Demon Beast. Guiding it all the way to his Courtyard, the Beast Manual method was used on it. With a stronger understanding of the Manuals' use later, he made sure to lay down the groundwork now for it

Once it was done getting marked and trained with the basics, the Fire Bird was placed in his Internal Space. Washed by the energies inside, it started to change. Hibernating as the Fire it naturally produced turned into Frost.

Frost Air Body giving a little protection against other Flame Martial Artist as well as the fire of all types of techniques still was incorporated inside. The stronger his own Flame Vortex Frost Phoenix attainment the stronger his defense against various fires still increased.

"Ok, the Demonic Star Martial Arts gathers a bit of qi in passing from the surroundings. Both Star Energy and Demon Energy. So that is not something to take lightly. Basking under the stars also speeds up my cultivation." The window was opened as he soaked. Every few minutes the water would freeze but a small circulation of the Flame Vortex Core and it broke free. Then he had nice cold water to use again. "Cold Water is not to far away."

Since the passageways became stronger, he could now pass more energy through at a longer interval. A few more Fire Birds arrived but they were killed. The blood poured into a few bowls for later and the hearts placed in another.

An elixer to prepare for the Demon Beast he was raising to strengthen its bloodline. The bodies were then tossed into the Flame Vortex Core. Refined producing qi that was directed to the Demon Beast inside.