Imminent Vengeance

Inside the hidden base's training room, Xiao's meditating body pulsed with power. An aura of ice qi corraled around Xiao as she was about to unlock a new level of cultivation.

Xiao's eyes opened, flooding the room with her newfound strength. A wave of ice made the entire cave tremor.

If Xiao's brush to the death with the Iron Demon Qiang rose her cultivation by 8 stars, her clash with Qiuyue elevated it to a whopping 15! Even more absurd was Xiao did not win. Xiao grinned, in awe of her new level. It may be a pipe dream but she could have risen to a whole new cultivation base if she managed to best that monster Qiuyue.

<< Congratulations on reaching your 23rd star, only 7 more and you will finally hit Peerless Daeva. >>

The sultry voice of Xiao's master rung inside her head, making Xiao's lips smile.

"Thank you, master! Now, shall we head to Jiang Shian?"

<< Let us go. Although, are you really sure about exacting your revenge on this Liuming? That flame of hers, you might have use for it in the future. >>

"Unless I get back at her for getting me kicked out, I won't be satisfied. Besides, I almost died because of her!"

<< We would never have met if she has not done so. >>

There is merit in her master's words. Still, Liuming face up to what she has done to Xiao.

Xiao raised and clenched her first in icy rage, " Don't try to talk me out of this, master. Liuming must pay!"

+++

Liuming hid her sneeze by the hem of her robe. Who could possibly be thinking of her at this moment?

It has been a week but their sect master can not let go of the defeat they suffered at the hands of some country bumpkins.

Hence the reason the core disciples are receiving a verbal lashing as they are assembled in the training ground.

"You're all worthless! How could you all let yourselves get beat up so easily like that!" Meixue's gaze fell to her number 1 core disciple. "I expected a lot from you, Lin. The woman you were up against didn't even have a weapon for crying out loud!"

(Serves you right.) Liuming internally jeered, hiding her chuckle. At last, Lin was finally getting her just desserts.

Unfortunately, their sect master was still able to pick it up.

"And you! You have no right to laugh, you weren't even able to pick up a fight!"

Liuming hung her head in shame. She would reason that the woman she was up against was an insanely strong cultivator, far stronger than even the woman berating her, but that would simply fan the flames of anger inside their already furious sect master.

Meixue's target shifted once more, "Elder Rou! Your poison did not even debilitate your opponent! You're our number one poison specialist in this sect, for crying out loud!"

The higher the cultivation, the easier it is to flush out the poison in one's body. This Xiaoyu's cultivation should be so high, that his deadly poison became a single drop in the vast ocean of the masked woman's cultivation.

Elder Rou could only cling to it as the only meaning for why his poison didn't do squat.

Unlike the Core disciples, An Elder like Rou had room to stand up for himself in a certain degree, as long as he watches his tone that is.

"Sect Master, My poison is enough to paralyze someone int 'Supreme Tyrant' realm for days! That woman is not only a good fighting, she's also a little monster!"

"Enough, I don't want to hear your reasons!"

Exhaling deeply, Meixue tried to expel the ire in her chest. Their reputation as Jiang Shian's number 1 is about to take a hit. No matter, they can just make sure that they win the tournament next year, and it's not like the other sects didn't get bodied by those country bumpkins.

"That will be all for today, resume your training since it will be your core disciple ranking test next week."

The elder, along with the core disciples cupped their hands in unison, "Yes, sect master!"

While all the other core disciples paired to spar, two of them headed straight to the training garden's exit hall.

Walking side by side, Liuming could sense the gloom emanating from Lin. Amazing, Liuming still hasn't said anything yet and Lin's day is already ruined!? Liuming smirked.

As soon as Lin turned to her side, her gloom morphed into vexation. There's just something about Liuming's smugness that made Lin want to punch her.

"Wipe that grin off your face or I'm going wipe it using my fist." Lin warned.

Not wanting to risk another war between their families, Liuming did not respond.

As they were nearing the hallway's end, the urge to tease Lin started to become unbearable! Similar to her sneeze from earlier, it's something you mustn't hold in, Liuming just had to do it.

"Is the cause of your sadness Xiao? Don't worry, wherever Xiao is right now, I can assure that there is a woman caring for her far better than you ever could."

The image of Xiao kissing Yanmei flashed before Lin's mind. The hurt of letting Xiao go for the sake of her family name washed over her heart like acid.

Lin's vision went blank with rage.

Whatever response Liuming expected from Lin, being choked out of nowhere wasn't one of them. Her inability to retaliate exacerbated as Lin slammed her back into wall.

"I've had just about enough of you, Liuming. Die." Lin's tone was vicious, injecting fear into her the redhead as much as her chokehold.

Die? Liuming froze in fear as Lin's other hand became emblazoned with electricity, a concentration of lightning on a fist like that would surely be enough to kill a person if the force behind them did not.

Lin's unforgiving gaze were similar to those of a predator about to devour its prey, the killing intent within Lin's eyes pinned down Liuming similar to the chokehold. Cocking back Lin's lighting charged fist, Liuming awaited her inevitable demise.

"HYAAAAAH!" With a shout, Lin let out all of her frustrations as her fist traveled.

Lin's fist veered to the side of her intended target. Her first crashed beside the face of the absolutely terrified Liuming.

That was close, Lin almost lost herself from the rage.

Lin let go of Liuming, making the latter fall to the ground.

"You never learn your lesson, do you, Liuming? Push me again and I might just end you next time."

Lin left as Liuming was still recovering from the shock.

Watching Lin's back fade into the distance, Liuming muttered...

"Lightning cunt."

+++

As Liuming closed the door behind her, she immediately beelined to her new roommate sitting on her bed.

Liuming tackled the catatonic Xiao, ending in a cuddle.

"Xiao, that Lin is such a bitch! I don't know what you ever saw in her!"

It was unbelievable how the shame of being berated and choked melted away as Liuming held Xiao in her arms. Jumping through hoops just so she could sneak in Xiao inside the sect was well worth it.

As a matter of fact, Lin completely faded from Liuming's train of thought as she inhaled the calming fragrance of Xiao's hair.

"What's that, you want me to brush your hair? I'll do it since you asked nicely."

Making Xiao sit upright, Liuming's comb glided naturally into Xiao's flowing hair akin to a black waterfall.

Continuing her brushing motion, Liuming would rather tend to Xiao than train. Heck, she might even fall out from the core disciple slot but as long as she had Xiao by her side, Liuming couldn't care less.

In caring for another, Liuming had not time to contemplate how much of a failure she was in her father's eyes.

In caring for another Liuming had known love.

Finishing the last stroke, Liuming went to her closet.

Ordering clothes from the top designers of Jiang Shian, Liuming would have Xiao don no less.

+++

Meixue calmly sipped her tea with her only hand.

The earthy sweetness help buried the shameful memory of their sect's defeat.

The door to her office suddenly swung open, making her almost spill her precious tea.

"Sect master, sect master!" The panicked disciple called out.

"What!?"

"The masked woman is here! Xiaoyu from the Transient Blades!"

Xiaoyu? What could she possibly want from their sect? Is she here to rub in how pitifully they lost?

Meixue shook her head. She must not rush to conclusions. If this Xiaoyu exhibits foulness in her behavior, she can simply kick her out.

Meixue stood, "Lead her to the guest room, I shall be there soon enough."

It did not take long for the two to meet.

Xiao sat in the chair comfortably, keeping her relaxed posture even as Meixue walked into the room.

"Greetings, sect master. This one is not here to cause trouble, simply to visit someone."

"Oh, and who might this someone be?" Mexiue asked.

Under Xiao's mask, her lips twist into charming smile, hiding the intentions of cruelty behind it.

"An acquaintance of mine, her name is Liuming."