There was a natural beauty to all of the rivers in their kingdom, though few could compare to the Yangtze. The spot that Taishi Ci picked out was well maintained, despite being a whole li away from any of the ports and it was clear to any passerby that it was properly taken care of for training purposes. The long weeds were trimmed to a perfect circle and within that circle were various training equipment, all of which Lü Meng was familiar with. Marked haystacks for archery, well used sparring dummies, a rack of wooden weapons of various shapes and sizes. For any that chose the martial arts, it was more or less a haven, and in the face of all of his rage, Lü Meng could not help but look on with a sense of homecoming. This was where he belonged, he told himself. Not cooped up inside a prison masked as a study quarters, surrounded by scrolls and ink!

Lü Meng followed Taishi Ci's example, dismounting his horse and removing Ying's bridge and bite so that he could graze. Content to be away from all of the stress, the horse shook his salt-and-pepper mane and trotted around, leaving his master be with his fellow officer though never straying too far, as Ying had a want to do.

"We're going to relieve this pent up anger in you," Taishi Ci said, drawing Lü Meng's attention back to him with little effort. He popped the latches on his armor and began to set them down, orderly and carefully as to not dirty them. He flashed Lü Meng a look and moments later, he did the same, though there wasn't much armor to set aside. His 'training' left little reason for him to carry it and yet he always managed to get a leather chest plate on under his robes. Perhaps it was habit that made him wear it, even knowing he would have no use for it, or maybe he was downright stubborn and refused to accept that Zhou Yu's direction was his own. His natural scowl only deepened at the thought of him and Taishi Ci caught it. "You're holding too much anger in your form. It's clouding your mind and judgement right now. You should never make decisions when you're influenced by such negative emotions."

"You think I want out of Zhou Yu's training because I'm mad?" Lü Meng felt vexed, to see his dilemma belittled like this, and he recognized the stance that the general now took. Legs spread apart, back arched and shoulders straight, and once he rose his balled fists, he didn't need to say a word as to how he planned on helping him relieve his tension. Lü Meng was skeptical, to think a simple spar would miraculously cure him of his rage, but he recognized it as an outlet and he desperately needed one right now. "My current mood has nothing to do with it."

"I don't believe you, not for a second. But enough for now. Make the first move."

It was an open invitation and Lü Meng was quick to oblige. He held no anger against Taishi Ci, not now or ever, really. Even when they were on opposing sides, there was never any hatred there. Simply a bodyguard-turned-soldier that periodically got in the way of Taishi Ci's attempts at his late lord's life. He held no grudge or resentment to this man, but that didn't mean he'd hold back! He struck hard and fast, only to have Taishi Ci block and counter, and the spar begun.

Few ever fought against the warriors named Taishi Ci and could boast dueling him to a draw. Lü Meng wished he could have claimed such a feat but he never had the opportunity. He was always chased away by his lord or forced away from the fight, and now seemed like just a good a time as any to catch up on that missed opportunity without the fear of death being the result. Regardless of not holding a grudge against Taishi Ci, he needed and outlet and knew that the man was going him a favor. Blow after blow was either blocked or turned into a counter, keeping Lü Meng alert and on his toes. For a few brief moments, his turmoil disappeared, fading away beneath the desire to catch his opponent off guard, to block and defend when he pressed the offensive, to just… fight, without the consequence of death, fear of defeat. Without being someone else's pawn.

It was bliss, but it was also short lived. "You shouldn't give up on your studies, Lü Meng."

"Isn't it my decision in the end?" Lü Meng was well aware of Taishi Ci's ulterior motive and had suspected it, even as he had followed after him. He was more surprised that he had waited so long to bring it up, but ultimately it didn't matter, did it? It seemed inevitable that the topic would come up, so might as well address it now. He spoke as they sparred, not at all distracted either of them enough to slow them down. "If our lord orders me to continue, then I'll obey. But until then, I'm done with it."

"Yes, you were always loyal to the Sun family, to a fault even. There was never a question of that," Taishi Ci said, his smile sincere though it did not offer Lü Meng the solace he was hoping for. If anything, the officer was quick to dismiss it and said nothing, only switching to a more offensive approach through Taishi Ci didn't give him an opening. "As admirable as that is, you shouldn't wait for Lord Sun Quan's order. You should want this for yourself."

Lü Meng sneered, equally frustrated that he couldn't find an opening as well as the warrior's lecture. He pressed onward, however, ever aware of Taishi Ci's stance and knowing that he could switch gears at any second. "Well, I don't."

As anticipated, Taishi Ci altered tactics and he chose to dodge instead of block, forcing Lü Meng to step forward from the momentum of his strike and he didn't see the fist coming in from his right side until it was nearly on him. He just barely managed to throw his forearm to block and had no time to brace himself for the strike, the impact rattling his bones harmlessly but forcing him to step away to avoid the follow up. The mishap left them at a momentary draw and Taishi Ci took advantage of it to question him. "And why is that?"

"You know why."

"You assume too much. I don't know what went on, but I can see the results of it." Taishi Ci was relentless, much to Lü Meng's dismay, but he at least gave him a chance to catch his breath before signalling him to raise his fists once more. Lü Meng did so and more, throwing himself at his opponent and once again the fight commenced. Despite Lü Meng's now near unabating assault, the older warrior continued to lecture him and block each and every one of his strikes. "What's the cause of your anger, Lü Meng? Is it the time spent cooped up? Is it the time spent away from your duties, or your family? Is it with his methods, or even Lord Zhou Yu himself?"

All the while, Lü Meng chose not to answer, instead focusing his attention on keeping up with his offensive. He kept pressing on, like Ling Cao might have, given Taishi Ci no opening or chance to swap from defensive and allowing his words to fuel him. He was correct on all accounts, but he'd never confess to them. And yet, regardless of his approach, regardless of his determination to use Taishi Ci words as kindle to his fire, he could not find that opening for himself and Taishi Ci would not stop pressing him for answers! All of this caused a worm of despair to wriggle its way through his heart and it was beginning to reflect in his performance. "Or perhaps it's more than that?"

"It's all of it, now just shut up and fight!"

He shouldn't have done that. He knew that Taishi Ci was trying to help him in his own way, even though he didn't really want it. He also knew that he outranked him and could easily remind him in a painful way. But not once did anger accent the warrior's chiseled features, though he managed to catch Lü Meng's fist and held it in place. Not willing to give up his offensive just yet, he tried to strike with the other fist, but not dice. With reflexes that would have stunned anyone watching, he caught that one and now held Lü Meng in place, despite how he yanked and pulled to break the stalemate. Lü Meng let out a frustrated grunt as Taishi Ci assaulted him with words while his defenses were down. "You want to know what I think? I think the one you are the most angry with is not at the situation or Lord Zhou Yu, but in yourself. Because you feel you haven't learned enough. I think that's why you're running away from this."

This sent Lü Meng reeling and he began to push against Taishi Ci's hold instead of pull away. Was he right? Was that it? He shook his head and pressed on, this time kicking his leg forward and attempting to hook the larger man's leg. He caught a grip but Taishi Ci was just too sturdy and would not yield. The failed attempt caused Lü Meng's own balance to falter and it took little effort for Taishi Ci to twist his opponent about, crossing his own arms over his chest and neck and locking him into a harmless but effective headlock. He wriggled and tried to resist but it was no use. He was stuck there, and no, he certainly didn't like it! What Taishi Ci wanted out of him was obvious but he refused to oblige. He wanted him to either confirm or deny the accusation, and thus he chose silence. "Take a moment and think, Lü Meng. You're not fooling anyone. He know you're far more intelligent that you've been letting on."

"Don't patronize me!" Lü Meng snapped, nearly choking himself trying to pull out of the hold but giving up that method when he swore he could see little dots out of the corners of his vision. Taishi Ci slacked on the hold but didn't let go. "Whatever I've learn from this 'experiment' just isn't enough! I'm not a strategist, nor will I ever be."

"No, you haven't learned enough and you're not a strategist. Not yet. Giving up now would certainly ensure that you'll remain stuck at this stage. Tell me, do you want to remain trapped here, on the side of the mountain, when the peak is within your grasp?"

It was certainly an intriguing way of putting it, Lü Meng readily admitted, and it was so profound that for a moment, he wanted to believe him. Was he really so close? His fight had lessened significantly after that was dropped on him and Taishi Ci took full advantage of that, softening his tone as well as his grip, yet still holding firm. "You are so focused on gazing upon the climb that you don't see how far up you've come nor how much further you need to go. It's alright to look down, but only to acknowledge your progress. Look for the milestones, use them as proof of how far you've come, not just to others but to yourself as well. Look away from your work every once and awhile, and admire the view."

By now, Taishi Ci had all but slacked on his grip entirely, and though he was freed Lü Meng didn't move. He absorbed the warrior's words and pondered the wisdom in them. Taishi Ci's resolve was so powerful, so fierce, that for a few brief moments, Lü Meng wanted to believe it. The warrior took his silence as a means to continue, his voice dropping in volume but not once losing its resolve. "If you don't believe me, then allow me to demonstrate. Move swift as the Wind, closely-formed as the Wood..."

Lü Meng replied, without even thinking. "Attack like the Fire and be still as the Mountain."

"Perfect." And without warning, Taishi Ci finally released him and took a few steps back, giving his opponent a chance to breathe and stretch his arms. He saw the amazed look on his face when he turned to face him and did not mock or tease as Zhou Yu undoubtedly would have. He suspected he had endured enough of that already and it was not in his nature to kick an opponent while they were down. "Now another. When the enemy is relaxed…"

"Make him toil. When full, starve them. When settled, make them move." Again, Lü Meng surprised himself and tried as he might he could not stop the unfamiliar sense of pride from swelling from within. Suddenly, it had all made such perfect sense and he found himself babbling on, ashamed by his lack of control but unable to stop himself. "I've written the damn thing so many times that I must have memorized it. Was that Lord Zhou Yu's goal? Is that why he had me rewrite it so many times?"

"I would imagine so. Admittedly I've never trained under him, so I am not entirely familiar with his methods, but I suspect that would have been the case, seeing the results of it." Taishi Ci would not lie to Lü Meng, nor would he lead him on. He was just too honest of a man and while that worried him, it was something that Lord Zhou Yu and Lu Su would have to address. "Let me ask a question. When did you stop reading off of the original material during your rewrite sessions?"

Lü Meng gave the question serious thought and answered truthfully. " I… don't remember when, exactly. But if I could rewrite it again, without the original work in front of me, maybe that would convince him that I was correct?"

"It would certainly be a good start, I would think. He's shrewd and if that was his ultimate goal, then that's likely the route he'll want you to take to prove yourself to him." Ever helpful, Taishi Ci offered his advice and then gave him another verse, his eyes betraying him. "Rouse him, and learn the principle of his character."

Lü Meng narrowed his eyes and shook his head, falling right into Taishi Ci's trap and not knowing until he was midway through the statement. "No. His activity or inactivity, not character. Force him to reveal himself, so as to find out his vulnerable spots."

"See, you know more than you thought and still, though there's still a ways to go, it doesn't take away from the progress you have made." Pleased with the outcome, Taishi Ci bowed to Lü Meng, showing his respect and sending conflicting emotions through the other man, though that wasn't entirely his intention. It was such a foreign thing for him to be acknowledged for his efforts and not simply shut down. And yet, he couldn't fault Zhou Yu for his method, as it seemed to be working to some extent.

"So it would seem." Finally, Lü Meng conceded on that front, but he still felt lost and while his anger wasn't as fierce a flame as it was before, it remained alight, deep within his chest, though tiny and struggling against the sudden frigid winds of self-doubt. When Taishi Ci sent him a questioning look, he tried to find the words in which to address him, but they weren't easy to find. "But… now what? Where do I go from here?"

"You return to your studies." Taishi Ci spoke in a manner that made it seem like the answer was so obvious, and yet he wasn't mocking in its delivery. "Go back to Lord Zhou Yu and prove to him as you just did to me, and continue down the path to better yourself."

It seemed so simple but thanks to weeks spent as Zhou Yu's pupil, Lü Meng was suspicious of simple. "And what if it's not enough? What if he chooses not to take me back?"

"Then find your own path. Continue your studies, either with a new teacher or on your own," said Taishi Ci, his voice nothing short of encouraging. It was akin to a proud parent bird that nudged its fledgling to take its first flight. Lü Meng did appreciate the sentiment and wisdom in it, but he simply lacked faith in himself. He learned a great deal and even he had to admit it, but was it enough to try on his own? If Zhou Yu could not forgive the slight against him and the destruction of his table, would he have enough to travel down that path on his own? Taishi Ci seemed to think so and he tried to siphon that courage and faith that his fellow officer seemed to have an abundance of. "You're still finding yourself, Lü Meng, and there is no shame in that. You have the benefit of reaching this crisis during a time of peace, a luxury that many in our field do not often get. Take this time to find yourself, and go from there."

Sage advice and Lü Meng could feel relief sweep over him, though exactly why he wasn't sure. Perhaps just having someone to spar with and talk with that would not demean him was enough and the doubt he held in his heart was not nearly as potent as before. Still, he had more questions and he would not be silenced. "And what if I decide it's not for me, even after I find myself? Then what?"

He wasn't sure what he was expecting and he braced himself for a flurry of words, but the warrior merely shook his head and replied with profound calm. "Then it will at least be your decision and not that of your emotions. Only you can determine how high you wish to climb, just never forget how far you've come and never allow yourself to lose your place."

"Thank you, Master Taishi Ci," Lü Meng said after a few moments of soul-searching silence, his sincerity genuine even if Taishi Ci could never truly know the depths of it. Perhaps it was too soon to have used such a moniker for the warrior, but he had learned so much from him and anything else would have felt insignificant in expressing how much he had done for him.

And Taishi Ci understood and accepted his appreciation, returning his bow in kind. "You're welcomed here anytime. I wish you well on your journey, wherever it may lead you."

Lü Meng recognized that look of disappointment in Zuo Ci's eyes and in all honesty he was genuinely surprised to see it. What could have caused such an expression, he pondered, and he had no intentions of being let in the dark for long. "What's that look for?"

Zuo Ci's expression altered slightly but it was too late. What had been seen could not be unseen and Wu's Chief-Commander was immediately suspicious. The mystic must have sensed the futility of denying any such thing, as he readily admitted to its cause. "Forgive me, I was merely expecting that to go… a slightly different route than it did, but it does not matter. I can imagine his wisdom helped you significantly in making your decision, did it not?"

While curious what Zuo Ci had been 'expecting', he was quick to move on. He was certain it wasn't just his imagination that the temperature just dropped and he grew restless. "He did. I never negged him to be the type to do so, but then again, I guess I didn't really know him at all, did I?"

"An oversight that I'm sure you corrected in time."

"Eventually. But how could I expect to know another truly when I didn't even really know myself?" Lü Meng asked, rubbing his fingers against his garments despite his gloves he wore. What use were they if they did not keep his fingers warm? "After that, I decided to continue my studies. I figured that he was right and that since I came so far that I should continued, if for no one's sake but my own. I devoted so much time to my studies after that, day and night. Ren made sure I slept and ate, though I don't remember doing too much of that. I just had to get as much of it in before I dare return to Lord Zhou Yu to prove to him that I had been worth his time and effort thus far."

"And what of that? Was he pleased with your progress?"

Lü Meng considered the question and was ashamed to admit that his response wasn't nearly as quick as one would have been, given the confidence he had been speaking with previously. "I like to think so. I may have just been enough that I returned- Lord Zhou Yu likely suspected that I knew enough and that I simply needed to be convinced myself."

"And then what of that?" Zuo Ci asked. "When would you be convinced it was enough?"

Again, Lü Meng was hesitant to give an immediate answer and had to consider it in depth. How much ridicule would he earn for admitting the truth? More importantly, why did he care if this mystic ridiculed him or not? Was his judgement any worse than his own experiences, in which he was forced to relive? "To me, it's never enough. At first I was convinced that I'd only need to know enough. Enough to appease Lord Zhou Yu and Lord Quan. Enough for Master Lu Su to look at me as a worthy officer and not a joke. Enough to make my neglect to my men and my family worth it.

"But enough wasn't enough, I found. Maybe not immediately, but any time I felt like I was ready to put aside my studies, there was something else to learn, something else to explore that I never thought about before. I've learned that you never really stop learning… though it took me entirely too long to learn that."

"We all learn at different paces and perhaps some lessons are not meant to be learned until a certain threshold in life is met. It takes more than just reading scrolls and books- it takes experiences, good or ill, it takes successes and even failures so long as you are alive, you continue to grow and learn."

"Wise words indeed," Lü Meng said, conceding and finding himself in complete agreement with the mystic, despite his ill intentions towards him. Even now, he was learning something new, though it wasn't enough. He had been looking for some manner of escape of this realm, but his opponent left fewer openings than Taishi Ci had. Magic was something he never even considered and he was beginning to regret that decision to not delve into any of that during his studies before. Eventually, this mystic would give him an opening and he would take it, he told himself. Until then, he simply had to oblige. "What about you? Have you learned enough about me to draw your own conclusions here?"

He took a chance and suspected it wouldn't favor him in any way, but he figured it wouldn't hurt to ask, as Zuo Ci flashed him a dry smile. "Afraid not. There is still much that I do not know of you, so it would be unwise to make such a decision now. We haven't even encountered those of which you are contesting these lands for. How can I be expected to make such a choice on your fate when I have not seen what it is that has led you to betray them? No, we shall continue. Do not rush this, Lü Meng. The world beyond this realm we share can wait."

Something in Lü Meng's gut made it hard for him to believe that last tidbit but he chose to keep the thought to himself. He knew nothing of magic and there was no guarantee that all of this wasn't just a distraction to keep him stationary or that time came to a halt beyond this realm. He was suspicious, and no amount of respect he may have acquired of Zuo Ci recently could suppress that fear that nagged at him. Reluctantly, he gave in and pressed the mystic to continue, all the while looking for some kind of breach in when to exploit between each memory. "Very well. Let's continue. It was around this time where Lord Liu Bei and his men found their way into our territory anyway…"

"So, anyone want to explain what the hell is going on here?"

No one could really blame the former pirate for his outburst. In fact, more were surprised that he wasn't as vulgar as they expected him to be. No, his reaction wasn't tame, not by a long shot, but the fact that he wasn't cursing up a storm left all present speechless, which only seemed to aggravate his hot wired temper. "Not everybody speak up at once. What the hell is all of this?"

Of those present, he expected at least two of them to have everything figured out, but neither Lu Xun nor Zhu Ran were quick to offer so much as a theory. Magic, whether real or merely an illusion, was neither one of their expertise and neither one was quick to readily admit this, though for different reasons. For Zhu Ran, it was for purely selfish reasons and it was that he didn't wish to look any lesser of a strategist than the other. He knew it to be selfish, though his own concern for their Chief-Commander was helping to override even that. Still, he didn't want to be the first to admit it and he glanced at the younger officer that had been studying the happening in silence, his own invitation for him to speak first.

Lu Xun, on the other hand, cared little about Zhu Ran's plight and did not care if he fell right into the archer's hands by speaking up first. No, his concerns for his mentor was clear to see in his golden eyes but he was keeping a tight leash on his emotions. It would have been what Lü Meng would want out of his students, he felt. "It appears to be a spell of some sort, though exactly what I'm not sure."

He could almost feel Zhu Ran wanting to make a snide comment but Gan Ning cut him off, not at all pleased with the answer he received. "Yes, but what -is- it? And what's it doing to Ossan?"

None present could be angry with Gan Ning, nor with Ling Tong who had taken it upon himself to fetch him, but his yelling did not help matters in the least. Lu Xun had wanted to give him something more substantial to work with but the truth of the matter was that he honestly didn't know.

What they looked at was a circular wall of light, brilliant yet there was no heat radiating from it. What had powered it were five, slender tarot cards, floating just above the ground and how they were doing so or how they could emit light only compounded to the mystery in its own right. Within those connected pillars of light were two figures: the old man that Zhu Ran and Lu Xun recognized as the wandering mystic, and Lü Meng himself. Both were sitting apart from one another, cross legged and poised, and the eeriest part was that neither man moved so much a muscle. Neither blinked. Neither even seemed to be breathing. The light obscured them every so often but both men appeared frozen in that strangely matching seated position, like matching statues. Yes, it was enough to put anyone on edge, and even Gan Ning, the famed pirate of the Silken Sails, the proclaimed equal to Wei's Zhang Liao, was disturbed by this.

Gan Ning reached for the light, despite Lu Xun's warning, and he hissed when he felt ice shoot through his hand. It reached to his elbow before he was able to pull away and flexed his fingers, surprised that whatever he felt hadn't left any outward marks of its bite. He was expecting pain, but he wasn't expecting ice!

"You're hands going to be numb for awhile," Zhu Ran said, showing off his own hand as to demonstrate that he had tried the same tactic and with little success. "I saw everything. That old kook lured him into sitting down with him and the moment he lowered his weapon, these cards just emerged from the ground and made this barrier. I tried grabbing for him but, yeah, you can see how much good that did."

"Did you try getting an arrow through?"

Ling Tong's question was laced with snark and Zhu Ran replied back in kind. "I couldn't feel my hand well enough to try."

Ling Tong scowled but before they could escalate the matter further, Lu Xun chimed in, much like his now trapped mentor might have done if he were present. "How are your fingers feeling now?"

"Well enough to try." He grabbed an arrow from his quiver and didn't even bother with the wick, as the light drizzle was sure to dampen any efforts to keep it alight. He took aim at the mystic and held nothing back, pulling completely back and releasing it with a snap. Those that knew Zhu Ran's skill knew that he seldom missed and those that knew the strategist was that he never held back, so when the arrow struck the frigid barrier and their target remained unscathed, they knew it was of no fault on his part.

The barrier had been to blame though none had seen what happened to the arrow itself. Did it crumble from the rapid change in temperature or simply faded into non-existence? The fact that they were four witnesses to this feat and not a single one had been able to spot it only added to the peculiarness of the situation. Of those there, the one to make his opinion known first was Gan Ning and not a single one could laugh at his downright childish tantrum. "What the hell is going ON?"

"Gan Ning, don't yell please," Lu Xun said, sympathy present in his soft voice despite its borderline commanding tone. Zhu Ran and Gan Ning bristled at the fact that of all people, Lu Xun was more or less in charge at the moment, and if he had seen their irritation, he chose not to acknowledge it. "Remember we still have the mission to worry about. We can't afford to distress the villagers and the less they realize how problematic this situation has become, the better."

"Screw them! Who cares, when Lord Lü Meng's trapped in that barrier?" Unable to hold his tongue, Zhu Ran lashed out. Unlike Gan Ning, though, his voice didn't carry to the nearby village, but it didn't soften its jagged edges in the least. Lu Xun was taken back by his aggression and now that he was given ground, he pressed the advantage, each word only adding a new level of discomfort to the already uncomfortable situation. "We can worry about calming the general populace down -after- we get him out of there, alright? Forget about them and start figuring out how we get past this barrier."

"Yeah! You're the smart one, aren't you? Why haven't you figured this out yet?"

Lu Xun flinched but he did not argue or fight back. Without Lü Meng there, there was no one to mediate the situation and it showed the most in how his apparent successor held himself. That left him to his own devices and his silence sent conflicting messages to the two aggressors. He either agreed with him to an extent, or he was too puff off by their blatant belligerence that he couldn't think of a single comeback. From where Ling Tong stood, he felt the tension spiking from all of them and never once did he think he'd be playing the role of peacekeeper, as he took a defensive stance next to Lu Xun. "Alright, alright, we get it. We're all worried about Lü Meng, but let's not waste time bickering about it. It's kind of hard to think with the both of you screaming your heads off at him, you know?"

It had turned their ire onto him but Ling Tong was hardly bothered by it. Whatever thanks he'd get from Lu Xun would likely wait until later, assuming there'd be one, but that, too, was like water off a duck's back. He didn't do it so much to help Lu Xun, but for the man trapped inside the mystic's barrier, though he'd never admit it to anyone. While neither cared for his interruption, they did not fight back either, both too concerned about Lü Meng to press forward on their own officer now. Please, Ling Tong looked back at Lu Xun, as his gaze was now set firmly on the obstacle before them once more. "So, if anyone has any good ideas, let's hear them. I can imagine this whole ordeal is rather inconvenient for our Chief-Commander."

'Inconvenient' was hardly the word most would use for a situation like this, and yet while they knew Ling Tong enough to know that this was his way of lightening the mood and easing tensions, they could not deny the sliver of truth in that statement. Lü Meng would have found this to be extremely inconvenient. They all merely hoped that it was all that troubled him while trapped inside the barrier...