The Party

Due to how Dongling squealed at her hairstyle, Itachi reckoned she should keep her hair that way in public after wearing her hair loose for two months. Those heavy buns Huang Beiyue always does feel so heavy to the neck. It was once knee-length, but to Dongling's horror before she styled her hair, she cut it to the length of around her tailbone area. in a blunt, straight-even cut.

'Miss, why'd you cut your hair?!'

'...a literal pain in the ass from so much weight. Inconvenient.'

'I-Inconvenient...?' Dongling squeaked weakly.

'Yes. My neck hurts from all that weight, too troublesome to maintain even with your help.' Itachi continued. Besides, such long hair is such a security risk...what's stopping people to use her hair against her to hold her captive while inflicting pain on her skull? 'Moreover, I'm worried about something like this. I'll demonstrate and sorry in advance...' Itachi demonstrated why she disliked long hair the painful way.

'Kyaaa!'

'This is what enemies will do to us if they got us through our hair.' Itachi patted Dongling's head in comfort. 'That is why I want us to master what we've got. Make it truly ours...our weapon.' she said. 'And nobody will ever know we got stronger. Nobody is to know. That is our way.' Itachi taught Dongling. 'We are to be flowers...who possess poisons and thorns. Nobody will expect anything of us, therefore not see us coming at their most arrogant.' Itachi taught her. 'And we will strike like lightning to kill all our enemies.'

'Yes, miss!'

'The carriage will be here soon...I better use the facilities.'

It's still spring, therefore cold.

The annual palace banquets.

There's two a year.

The Spring one is where nobles and their legal families can attend for the social debuts of their children/younger children. A truly social event in hopes of finding matches for sons and daughters. The season where after cold, life blooms once more. It's clear her uncle hopes that if she debuts today, she would meet a man who would love her so she wouldn't be alone. However, when before Concubines and their children are allowed to attend, they lost the privileges thanks to Qi Qin, the disgraced daughter of Chief Counselor. So only legal wives, trueborns and concubine-born children were allowed to attend.

The Emperor doted on her so, as if she were his own child. In a way, she was, as her mother and the ruler were twins so they share half of the same blood.

But Itachi wasn't stupid.

Each time he speaks of her mother with her, it was strongly implied, that he held forbidden feelings towards his sister and she who was more beautiful than her mother with no trace of Xiao Yuancheng on her looks, that he imagines that she would have been the daughter they should have had, had his love been allowed to bear fruit with her. She was treasured by the man as she was all that's left of the woman he loved.

Then there's the Winter one. Where it's only military and experts gathering.

What both got in common, is that it's cold as hell!

From the venue to the washroom, it takes a good thirty minutes to go there back and forth, unless you know a quicker way how to not be missing for an hour.

The main enemy: chilly air.

One has to have a steel bladder as a result.

Young ladies and gentlemen who were disciplined enough can come. To avoid shaming their families and their reputation about said bladder issues, so 12 is the youngest they can come here, present themselves and not shame their clan.

Welp, she's a ninja.

Enduring was what's expected of her. Besides, there's shunshin...

xxx

Xia Guang Hall, after she and Dongling got off the carriage, Beiyue now has to walk on foot towards the hall and mix herself with the other noble ladies in order of age and marital statuses.

Those who have fiancees are at the very front, and those who haven't, are at the back. Those who have, wore the latest clothes with embroidery and hairstyles that symbolize that they're spoken for. The singles of course, wear part of their hair down and wear brightly-colored clothes with embroidery.

And so...she hid herself, using the Meisaigakure no Jutsu. Another technique she'll teach Dongling soon before her first technique.

The men go see the Emperor, ladies go see the Empress.

Everyone is attracting attention. They wear fancy beads, jewels and pearls, a dazzling line-up, every young lady and noble ladies all look very touching, wearing splendid clothes and attires, every one of them wearing red and green, striving to be seen. But by wearing the same colors, it actually makes them a forest with nary a tree standing out. She who wore white with flowery embroidery, not the golden wavy patterns everyone sports, was standing out which was why she concealed herself until the time came.

She checked on her own chair, invisible.

Her chair is fine and no hidden gimmicks on her area too. So she mingled herself with the crowd as palace maids guided the ladies to their seats according to status. She and Princess Yingye, her uncle's trueborn daughter, know where they'll sit, so no need!

This year has changes.

Because of the heinous crimes of Princess Royal's Residence, their table and seating was noticeably gone, as the Emperor took custody of his niece, Princess Huang Beiyue.

What was she like now? Has she been recovering from years of poisoning and malnourishment? The Emperor will surely summon Prince Xiaoyao for his services, they thought.

They suddenly spotted a young girl clad in white, walking behind Princess Yingye who was clad in pink, purple and white.

Her skin was icy white. Her form petite with appeal that her chosen outfit and the way she styled her hair with white flower accessories with diamonds made her look like a Tianshangnu! With her icy white skin never kissed by the sun, it made her pitch-black hair and eyes, and her red-matte lips stand out.

It took seconds for them to realize who this beauty was.

It's Huang Beiyue herself!

'It's Huang Beiyue!'

'It seems she's cured from poisoning...'

'Looking better but a little on the thin side.'

'Beautiful...but she clearly doesn't know martial arts for obvious reasons.'

'Yeah, that demoness deceived all of us...'

'I wonder if she's getting instructed? Martial Arts is everything in this world nowadays...'

'Look at the Anguo Gong Clan!'

Different people came this year.

The previous Gong and Gongzi fell ill to the angry curse of Princess Royal. While it's clear why the Xiaos were cursed, the cursed Xues were tight-lipped on why they got cursed too. People say the brothers squabbled on who the next Anguo Gong will be, so their own eldest trueborn sons will be the Gongzi when Che met his downfall.

The new Anguo Gong was Xue Ren, coming with his wife Xiang and their children, the 15 years old Ying who was now the Gongzi and his two sisters, Lan and Lian who were 13 and 12. Behind Ren's family was his older brother and his family. Xue Lei and his wife Zuan, and his children. His sons Sai who was 23, Kai 20 and their niece, Meng who was 15, the daughter of the disgraced Yang. All of whom are in Lingyang School.

Because Xue Yang got the title from their father, Senior Master Xue, he did not hesitate to spend all fortune on his son, Xue Che's cultivation when he had potential as a Summoner, while the other brothers got a sizable inheritance, but are still expected to work for the affluence of the family. The other Xue Children were all Warriors.

They were clearly braving to come here due to their family's damage in order to not lose any more face.

Soon, the banquet was full, well almost because someone was late. One Prince Feng Lianyi.

Itachi twitched.

The beauties of her old world, even her own former face, was worth nothing compared to the beauties he was seeing here. Even the men were good-looking and the one who stood out the most, was Mr. Late who also wore white like she had.

And the eyes he has...

...were eyes that she knows.

...eyes that are watching, while concealing himself.

xxx

The royal siblings had no idea how to interact with their youngest cousin Huang Beiyue, the girl who suffered in her own home while lies about her were spread as she was poisoned for years and helpless. They believed the lies of the Xiaos who were played with by an evil woman and committed evil after evil within an immoral household.

When everything was exposed, their father was at their angriest and scariest. Royal Aunt was bestowed to Xiao Yuancheng by their royal grandmothers and she and her daughter suffered as did Concubine Fang. In a household where being a good person made you worthless and useless but being immoral gains. Their father then hunted down Xiao Qiyuan, to drag him to his punishment he had inflicted on his son, wives and daughters who were in on the conspiracy. His spirit beast was granted to another but Beiyue gets his money and space rings to completely pay off the debt the Xiao Family owed.

The other Xiao relatives had no idea what Yuancheng, Qin and Xue had been doing, as they were supporting the main family outside the estate...and now, everything they worked on, lost forever. They were banished from Nanyi Country. That was lenient due to the fact they really WERE clueless after a thorough, brutal interrogation. The only one who can quell his wrath, was the wronged princess whom he visits on his free time. And then he hunted down royal aunt's former maids and inflicted physical punishment before throwing them out the streets.

And now, she's here for her first social appearance. She turned 12 last winter after all.

She's beautiful.

But with eyes of a dead person that haunted them both. They lived and grew up happy while she...

...knew only hell.

xxx

The banquet proceeded as normal.

Socializing, performances and of course, dinner.

When the first half of the banquet was over, it was socializing time!

But Itachi wasn't interested in that and simply went home after putting a piece of paper in her uncle's hand.

xxx

'She didn't stay very long.' Lianyi noted as when its time for socialization, Beiyue quickly left during socialization time.

'She doesn't trust easily.' Xiaoyao told him softly. 'When she and her only maid suffered the Xiaos who ruined her in all ways except virtue, it was them against the world. They were abandoned by those supposed to raise them. Nobody helped nor saved them until Huiwen's Curse struck the household and Xue Yang and Che.' he said. 'And a mother's love destroyed the evil causing their daughters pain.'

'Princess Royal and Concubine Fang.' Lianyi noted. That, had been huge news all over Linhuai City. A curse fell upon Xiao Yuancheng's family-not all Xiaos-but his servants who bullied the girl were also cursed. When their crimes came out, the Emperor happily smacked down Third-Generation Punishment in the dungeons, and hunted down the doctor Concubine Xue bribed, subjected to Third Generation Punishment too. Xue Yang and Che were cursed too...but Xiaoyao told him WHY they got cursed...because Beiyue overheard the servants sadistically talk about what their masters planned with the former Anguo Gong. However, curse aside, she ensured it was SHE who dumped Xue Che, not the other way around and never gave the boy satisfaction to amuse himself with. Only the Royal Family, Royal Doctor, Xiaoyao and the Xue Family knows the truth. And naturally being friends, Xiaoyao told Lianyi.

'Indeed so. It will be a long time before Yue'er and her maid can trust anyone who wasn't his majesty.' said Xiaoyao. 'There were claims of seeing her in the library self-studying, unable to trust tutors as well since when Huiwen died, Yuancheng ended their time with her making her think they abandoned her too with an incomplete education. It'll be a lonely life, until those girls can trust others again.' he said. 'And recently, she took an exam.'

'So soon?'

'Yes...just one month...she perfected an Imperial Exam Test Paper. said Xiaoyao. 'And to think she did it as a joke. But she hasn't done the oral exam since its not exam season so there's no jury to judge her with.'

xxx

Itachi returned home on her own to her residence where she found Dongling cultivating.

"Probably does since not much for her to do these days..." she thought.

But before summer, they'll clean the outside while it's still nice and cool, as who wants to work in the summer?

She took off her finery, and changed into cheap casual wear.

There was a reason she did NOT like social gatherings even in her youth before she became a nukenin.

For the time being, she too, decided to make her time productive, by studying.

xxx

Next day...outside in the woods by a rocky craggy area...

'Alright Dongling, one offensive technique first, before I teach the last stealth technique to end our set of Escape and Stealth technique set...for Offense is the best Defense...last time we confirmed that you're an Earth-Element in affinity. So you can be a Pharmacist if you choose but to be one, you must have perfectly-refined ki control.' she said. 'But for now, we start with techniques. The long-range first as it's the hardest to do and uses up a lot of power, but it trains you at the same time.'

'We'll start with Rock Pellet technique.' Itachi went on her knees with her hands touching the soil, and sure enough, soil-shaped balls the size of pills shot out and struck a tree where she can see holes! Dongling gulped. 'You wrap ki into soil, shape them into balls and you control them with your will in shooting towards your enemy at blink-fast speeds.' she said. 'You can even shape them into needles or blades if you like, but changing shape requires ki control and ki expenditure...the bigger the more, not to mention you have to shoot many bullets at once.'

'Your task is to be able to shoot human targets at 10 meters without tiring.' Itachi set the benchmark that horrified Dongling.

'10?!'

'Yes...we're a war-torn world which is why cultivators are trained as soldiers.' said Itachi. 'In war, to keep a squad at bay, this technique is indispensable.' she said, demonstrating the technique in a lethal spray form with a fan-shaped range, and striking at 30 meters, even. 'Have fun, Dongling. I'll cook the meals today.' said Itachi cheerfully.

'Princeeeeess!' Dongling wailed at the tough job of mastery she was required to do.

'You can do about 30 when you're a 7th layer cultivator...reason I can is because of my method of gather to spend so I technically do not run out of energy.' her words made Dongling's jaws drop.

And Dongling is currently a 2nd-layer Cultivator. Yup, still in Genin status.

Cultivators increase their energy reserves by absorbing Ki in the air till they hit 'the wall' that required breaking through. Once their dantian grows through such training and say for example, stopped training due to money issues, they can then recover any spent ki simply by resting.

Itachi supposed these nine levels represent what she knew in life...Genin, Chuunin and Jounin. Three levels of rank each, while Spirit Master and Spirit King as Kage levels and Spirit Ancestor as someone like Madara.

She's a hard worker so Itachi has nothing to worry about with her student.

Around nighttime when they returned home, tired for the day...

'Uggghhh...I wonder if other warriors do this sort of training too, I feel all beat up~' Dongling moaned as it took effort to simply go home.

'They sure did and they did it starting at six years old...so we who are 13 and 12 are in no place to complain.' Itachi chuckled. 'I hope before summer starts, you are at least 4th layer in status.'

'Yes miss.'

'Truthfully you have Summoner Potential, but obtaining a spirit beast is tricky.'

'Yes, we have to defeat them to gain their respect.' Dongling recited her knowhow. 'Because of the double-benefits.'

'Yes. Both Summoner and Partner Beast will boost each other's cultivation, there's no way they'd serve those weaker than them.' said Itachi thoughtfully. 'I'd rather you be a 9th layer cultivator before we get you a Spirit Beast. Only then will you take the pill required to turn you into a Summoner.' she said. '9th Layer Cultivators turned Summoners would make you at least, 4-star Summoner in comparison as mother taught me.'

'Just that...' Dongling moped gloomily, disheartened at the equivalent after all that work.

'Yes, it's why Summoners are called 'cream of the crop'...' Itachi sighed. 'Summoners are greatly respected so. The strongest among all cultivators. Nobody will even DARE cross a Level 2 one. However, Summoners make a fatal mistake...they eschew martial arts in favor of making the beasts do all the work and neglect their body entirely, and rely on the reputation being a Summoner brings...so let's not make that mistake.' she tut-tutted. 'You must be a capable fighter in your own right, first.'

'Yes!'

Satisfied with that, they took a hot bath, and went to bed.

xxx

Next morning was this.

Breakfast Time...

'Princess Beiyue! We have a letter from his majesty!'

And it was about her schooling but first they'll have a teacher test her ability to defend herself first as no doubt, people still expect highly of her due to her mother's name, now that she's cured from poisoning! The Emperor would rather shelter her but not even he can do anything about it! The most he could do, was put her in Imperial College but even then her safety isn't guaranteed...she has to fight for herself. Politics was the main enemy here.

Itachi felt annoyed.

'Looks like I'll have to downplay what I have for now...'