A/N: A few key notes for formal title translation:

Da Ge (Big brother)

Da Jie (Big sister)

Xiao Mei (Little sister)

Shifu (Master)

Chapter Three

One month later;

I stood in my dormitory, taking a last look about me. It was a spacious room, with two beds for Rourou and myself. The room was simple, but gracefully decorated with a few side table stands, upon which rested low bowl-like vases housing plants. Carved pieces of jade sat on windowsills, lamps rested on other stands, and two painted ironwood chairs sat at a table, all beautifully carved and shaped. A few simple paintings hung on the walls, painted by Rourou for modest decoration, while some pieces of poetry were written alongside, which were done by me to compliment her works.

Even though I Saw myself returning here often in the future, I felt a lump in my throat. Kunlun was my home as well. It was a different kind of home, a fun one, an easy going one despite the close proximity to so many powerful immortals and Gods. Somehow, things were simpler here. There were no politics, no war or battles. Just cultivation, meditation, studying and training. The grounds were beautiful and peaceful. The air was pure. There were no distractions here.

A part of me did not want to leave, the part who was Hai Ting, because this was where the real Hai Ting was born.

However, the part who was Aki, called to return to Japan. And I found myself reminiscing over my twenty-first century self. For there, I was in a similar position. I was of mixed blood, half and half, torn between two lands and two cultures, between the UK, and China. It was a sensation only those of mixed blood could ever relate to, for we belonged to more than one culture, and therefore always felt drawn to them simultaneously, yet could never be fully a part of one. We belonged to multiple cultures, yet were also strangers to them.

However, it was not a bad thing. It never had been. It was always a matter of perspective, of immersing into the multiple cultures, learning about them, and feeling pride in being a part of these multiple cultures.

Therefore though I was sad, my heart was not heavy. Both China and Japan were equally in my heart, in my mind and spirit. I would never be apart from them, for I carried them within me.

I picked up my pack and looped it over my head to hang diagonally across my back. My Silver Cloud Fan I tucked into the folds of my pale white and green hanfu. And my sword, I grasped in my hand; a smooth, straight and double edged blade, protected by a reinforced rosewood scabbard and gold painted guard. A single red tassel hung from the pommel.

I glanced over at Rourou's side of the room. She was not there. Instead, she was outside in the Greeting Courtyard to see me off. I recalled our conversation from before I went into seclusion.

"Wait, you knew?" I asked in disbelief.

Rourou smiled cheekily. "We all knew. It was impossible for Shifu to keep it secret, given the circumstances of your arrival to Kunlun. So he told us what really happened, and also instructed us to not mention it to you as your memories would return with time anyway, which obviously it did, thanks to the trial. It was exciting for us, as your case was so strange and new to us all."

I sat there on the bench carved out of rock, stupefied. A visiting young white rabbit spirit nudged my hand, annoyed I had stopped stroking it. It reminded me of the rabbits I had in my childhood. Their fur was so soft. Yet an absolute nightmare for sufferers of hayfever or asthma. Somehow though, the fur did not effect me this time, and I wondered if it had something to do with the trial which had altered my body.

"It didn't change anything though," Rourou continued, distracting the rabbit with a cabbage leaf. "Whether you were from this country, or another, or from another time and world, it meant very little to us, because you were still you. In Kunlun, we are all disciples of Shifu. Our backgrounds do not matter. Here, we are all equal, and here we are fair. I mean, look at Da Ge. He is the First Disciple, and he is the son of the Eastern Sea God. And then look at Eleven, she is the first daughter of Phoenix Queen of the Three Realms. In celestial hierarchy, Eleven is the highest ranked out of all of us. But here in Kunlun, she casts that aside, because political ranks and power are not necessary for cultivation and growth. Da Ge, is the strongest disciple out of all of us. It just illustrates no matter our birth, our strength and power comes from our dedication to cultivate."

I started stroking the white rabbit again, who was happily eating the cabbage leaf with contentment. I liked this rabbit, because its eyes were dark brown, not red.

I shook my head with dismay and a slight laugh. "It is true. Here, we are all Shifu's disciples. And indeed you did not give me any preferential treatment. I was as equal as the rest of you. And for that, I am grateful."

"Well, we did pamper you a little bit. You're the youngest after all. Everyone dotes on the youngest sibling of any family when they arrive. And even after you are ten thousand years old, you will still be considered young to everyone else."

"Perhaps that is a good thing," I said thoughtfully. "It is nice to be young."

Rourou giggled. "We will always be young to those who are older than us. Though we will be old to those who are younger. Ugh, I will hate the day someone calls me 'grandma'!" She pouted, clamping her hands against her cheeks.

"I can't see anyone ever calling you 'grandma' with your baby face," I sighed. "If anything, I'm going to be called that way before you."

Rourou hugged me. "You will always be our Xiao Mei, our little sister, even if you do act older now that you have your memories returned to you. You will come back, right?"

I hugged Rourou back. "Of course. I know this for certain. So no need to say goodbye. My fate is equally bound to Kunlun as it is to Mino. I am a part of two worlds, and I will hold destiny to that."

"Good," Rourou sighed, content, though her voice was thick with tears.

I smiled in remembrance. Rourou's explanation made sense. In Kunlun, under the instruction of Baihu, we were all equal, all the same. Our only differences were how much we had cultivated and how well we had trained. Our backgrounds meant nothing, which gave us all a clean slate.

I loved them all as my martial brothers and sisters already as Hai Ting. But as Aki, I now also loved them for treating me fairly, for welcoming me with open arms and becoming one of them.

With my fan, pack and sword, I left the dormitory with a smile. I did not look back on my room, for I knew it in my heart and Saw it in my Sight of my return to this place. When that would be, I did not know, but I knew I would return.

In the Greeting Courtyard, my brothers and sisters, and Baihu waited to see me off. I was surprised to see them all there, having put a hold on their chores and training for the moment. Stopping in front of them, I bowed first to my master, and then to the disciples.

"I honoured and a little embarrassed to see you have all come to see me off," I said, feeling my face flush.

Bing Bao, the First Disciple, came to stand with me. He smiled his brotherly smile, full of kindness and virtue, like Baihu. He was more righteous than any of us.

"Of course we will be here to see you off, Sixteen," Bing Bao chided, handing me a parasol to take for the journey in case I encountered rain. "Who do you take us for?"

Warmth bubbled up within me as I looked down.

"Hai Ting, some of the other disciples and I put this together for you," Li Guo said, coming forward with a small bag. Rourou, Li Guo, and I were often getting into trouble for sneaking away down the mountain to collect snacks and goodies to enjoy.

He handed me the small pack, and winked at me before he rejoined the group. With his wink, I knew he had packed me the snacks I had enjoyed, and once again the warmth bubbled within my heart, and so did the emotion in my throat.

I am going to miss this carefree place, I thought.

I cleared my throat and swallowed. "Thank you," I said, before I then I looked to Baihu. He nodded to me, indicating I could say what I needed to say. Therefore I turned back to the disciples.

"Although I now remember what happened before I came to Kunlun, it doesn't change who I am, and I hope it doesn't change how you see me," I said to them. "I am grateful and thankful to you all for having taking such good care of me, for looking after me, disciplining and scolding me, teaching me, and laughing with me. You are my brothers and sisters, and always will be. I am not going to say goodbye, because I am a disciple of the White Tiger God, and I will return here in future. So, I am going to say 'see you next time', and we can see who has been the most vigilant in their training."

They laughed at my final utterance, and I laughed with them. "No doubt, you will all still be better than me. Though I'm not sure about Rourou and Li Guo."

"Hey!" The two intoned together.

"Sixteen has a good point," Yanzhi, the Sixth Disciple, agreed with a nonchalant nod.

I grinned at them. Then, I sighed and bowed. "Well, see you next time. I will strive to keep Shifu's teachings with me always and uphold the White Tiger name."

The disciples nodded, then either gave me hugs or pats on the back and shoulder as they saw me off. Once, they had dispersed, I turned to Baihu.

"Thank you, for letting me say goodbye to them."

"As you said, they are your brothers and sisters. The bonds of family and friendship is a powerful love to be cherished," he said kindly. "Now, I will take you as far as Hangzhou. From there, catch a trading ship to the Land of the Rising Sun. Here is some money to buy you passage." He handed me a small pouch. "And one more thing," Baihu added, pulling something out from his deep and billowing sleeves. It was a mask for the upper half of the face, pale in colour. Yet the eye holes were made of a dark material.

I took it curiously and looked up at him in questioning.

"The mask is made from the silk of the silkworms along the Pearl River, and the mask's body is reinforced with dragon scale from Qing Long's hide. The ribbon to tie it around the head is woven from the fibres of lotus roots. The eye pieces however are made of a very special crystal from the Purple Palace's Twilight Caves. You will be able to see out, but only when using the Sight, but no one can see in to your eyes while you wear it. Wear this if you need to use your Sight in a situation where those around you should not witness your changed eyes. The silk clarifies the vision of your Sight, the dragon scales gives you endurance to hold the active Sight for longer, but the crystal is more unusual, for it obscures the signature your Sight will emit, therefore protecting you from unfriendly attention."

My lips parted in awe upon such a gift. It had been made with such powerful materials, and yet I could not detect any magic presence from it at all. "No wonder the Heavenly Palace of the Ninth Heaven does not like those of the Purple Palace. This crystal can mask their magic and intentions."

Baihu smirked in amusement. "That is their grudge to sort out between them."

"What is this type of crystal called?" I asked.

"The literal translation is 'star voids'," he answered.

Like blackholes, I thought in surprise. We cannot see what is within, but whatever is inside, I'm pretty sure can see outside.

I put the mask, money, snacks and parasol into my pack, before I then turned to face Baihu formally and saluted him.

"Thank you, Shifu, for everything you have done for me," I said softly, and I meant it. I brought my hands together, knelt down onto my knees, and then pressed my palms to the ground, where I lowered my head and bowed at his feet.

"You may rise, Sixteen."

I did so. He looked at me fondly, and I gazed upon him with reverence and respectful love.

"Remember to keep training, keep studying. Your foundation is strong. Now you must build upon it," he said.

I nodded. "Yes, Shifu. I will not let you down."

He smiled. "I know."

Baihu then sighed and turned his gaze to the sky. "It is time to depart."

I took a final glance around the courtyard. My eyes traced the tops of the walls, the sweeping rooftops of the grounds further up the mountain and its snow capped peaks. The birds flew between the low lying clouds through the canopy of trees.

I inhaled deeply, feeling the pure air of Kunlun course through my body. When I would be back, I did not know exactly. It could be next year, or decades from now. However, all I knew was I would return here at some point, and it gave me comfort and strength, strength enough to hold the tears at bay, as I looked to the east.

It was time to return to my other home now.

xxx

1556; June

It was a month of travel by the time I reached Mino province. The boat trip took nine days to cross the sea, and it took a further two weeks to walk from Nagoya harbour to Mino. The boat trip was without issues. Navigating my way through Owari on the other hand, was far more challenging, given Nagoya Castle was home to the Oda. I took up an identity of a dancer, using Tai Chi and my fan and sword as the decorations for my performances. Luckily, I seldom had to perform, for performances drew attention, and attention anywhere in Owari was the last thing I wanted, least of all in Nagoya. My hanfu attire was taken for a disciple on a pilgrimage.

I kept my head down, pretending my Japanese language skills were limited, buying passage with traders on their wagons to travel further inland where I could afford it, and walking on foot the rest. It was a stressful journey, constantly looking over my shoulder to ensure I was not followed. And it was only once I had passed the threshold into Mino, when I finally breathed a sigh of relief.

Delving deep through the forests of the mountains, I breathed deeply, drinking in the sweetness of the air, listening to the birdsong, and feeling the rays of sunlight stream through the canopy of leaves. It was not as magical as Kunlun, nor did it have the same sense of divine purity. But here in the mountains of Mino, was another kind of purity, of nature, of its life. Flowers and fungi bloomed in the undergrowth. Squirrels leapt from branches to branches, and herds of deer walked between the trees.

It had been ten years since I was last in this landscape, and indeed it felt like coming home. It brought a warmth to my heart to be back in a familiar land. I was not born here, nor was I of the blood. But Japan had become as much my home as China and the UK was to me.

I took a break at mid-afternoon, where I sat down on the sprawling roots of a great tree. A stream trickled next to it, and its bubble over pebbles and roots was music to my ears. From my pack, I took out my ration for the day of dried fruit from Kunlun, and a steamed bun I bought from a travelling stall at the Mino-Owari border. I still preferred Chinese mantou, of course, but these Japanese equivalents were an equally enjoyable substitute.

As I ate, I pulled back the sleeve of my left arm and glanced down at the brace I wore, thinking of the day when I had first received it.

"Why is my left wrist so weak, Shifu? It constantly aches and I cannot train as well with it as my right side," I asked, cradling my wrist. The ache was a sickening pain, vibrating up and down the forearm from knocking the practice dummy.

"You had broken your wrist in the past, and it never healed fully, so your left forearm will always be weaker than your right," Baihu said.

My eyes widened. "I broke my wrist? When? How?"

Baihu smiled slightly, but as always, he never answered the question. Instead, he brought his hands from where he had clasped them behind his back, to the front, where it turned out he carried an object. It was a brace, almost black in colour, yet with fine green lines as thin as silken threads, swirling and bending within the material.

"This is a brace I had made for you to support your training, and for the rest of your martial life," he said. "Hold out your arm."

I did so with respect, bowing my head slightly.

"It is made from the shell of the Black Tortoise God, Xuanwu," Baihu explained as he tied the brace to my forearm. "It will provide you with the strength your left wrist lacks. Nothing can pierce it."

I gaped, before I closed my mouth and gulped instead. "This is a great gift. I must thank him personally."

"One day. But there is no urgency. Xuanwu owed me a favour, and so I came to claim it in this form. My brother hates me for it," he chuckled to himself.

Once the brace was tied, my arm was overcome by the sensation of melding with the shell of the Black Tortoise. It felt strong and steady. But when I looked at my arm visually, my skin had not melded with that of the brace. It was a sensation which only existed in the spiritual sense, like feeling a limb, and knowing my leg was as much a part of my body as my head was.

I bowed my head. "You are so kind to me, Shifu. Please allow me to repay you."

"Ah, my little Sixteen. I love all of my disciples. The best repayment is to train hard. This brace will enable you to fulfil your martial potential. There is no need to wear it all the time. But when it comes to combat, remember to put it on first, so your chances in battle are equal and fair."

I smiled as I remembered, and covered my forearm again with my sleeve. It was from a few weeks after I had woken in Kunlun. My training had begun, but given the hand-to-hand martial styles required both left and right equally, I struggled with my left side. Since being given the brace, it made everything easier. It did not bless me with additional inhuman strength. No. Instead, it returned to me the strength which had been lost when the bones had been shattered in my fight against the giant. Plus an additional feature of being able to use the brace to block direct attacks. It distributed the force of the impact so it did not hurt.

I finished my food as I thought about the brace, before I then took a sip from the stream to quench my thirst and wash my mouth out. As I knelt by the stream, looking at my reflection in the water, I wondered how the mask worked, for I had yet to try it on, not wanting to risk its use in unsafe and unfamiliar grounds. Now that I was back in Mino and deep in the wilderness off the beaten track, I could finally try it.

I brought the mask out, and tied the ribbon around my head. From behind the mask, I could see nothing. Baihu was right, in that the black crystal did not allow me to see out, for all I could see was darkness within the mask.

Therefore I pressed my hand to my chest, where the Silver Cloud Fan rested in one of the internal pockets just off-centre to the left. I inhaled deeply and slowly, and tapped into the Sight, channelling the steady stream of yin energy from the fan into my body, which in turn was taken by the power of the Sight.

Through the black crystal of the mask's eye pieces, I could See. The world I had seen with my normal eyes, was transformed into a world of night, lit and outlined only by green lines. The roots of the trees spread beneath my feet, the trunks towered next to and above me. The branches branched out to where the leaves whispered in the breeze. The water was barely noticeable, appearing like a translucent veil of green I could barely make out. But within the water, the watercress, tiny snails and micro-organisms glowed like specks of blooming pollen. Likewise on the trees, moss and mould were bright patches of green light, and between the trees, I could see the life of nature move around me, bathed in cold green light against a background as deep and as black as space with no stars.

I inhaled sharply with amazement, and took the mask off but maintained the Sight. In the distance, a deer walked past, its antlers great. The secondary shadow of its movement moved before its actual self did, and when I passed the mask back over my eyes, I just saw the secondary shadow, but outlined in green.

Deactivating my Sight, I took the mask off again, and marvelled at it as I comprehended its function. It did not change the way I Saw, but instead provided me another way to See, one which was not distracted by the physical reality of space and time. The mask showed only what was going to happen, not what was currently happening. It clarified and purified my active Sight.

There were many ways in which I could use the mask, and with the Silver Cloud Fan taking the toll of the power from me, it opened a multitude of possibilities in which I could use my ability.

I smiled down at the mask in my hands. "Thank you, Shifu," I breathed. "For taking such good care of me. I will not disappoint you."

xxx

Mitsuhide sat on his dais, hidden behind the bamboo veil as subjects brought issues to be seen by the throne. The entities who came did not speak to Mitsuhide directly, for none spoke to the Emperor directly unless they were of the highest standing and the issue was of utmost importance. Instead, Mitsuyasu, who stood as Mitsuhide's right hand, was the equivalent Prime Minister, and saw to the issues and cases requiring attention, but within the presence of the Emperor who oversaw all.

It had become routine, as very quickly Mitsuhide had to learn how to rule, and came to discover that ruling meant listening to disputes and concerns, ranging from politics, the military, power sources, food and spirits. In many ways it was not so different to his governance of Mino. The only difference was the supernatural factor of magic and ensuring the natural order turned as the Universe dictated. Anything which was out of balance, Mitsuhide saw to it.

This night, his mind gave only one ear to the standard proceedings. His other ear, listened to something else happening in Yomi, a whisper of the emergence of another Pureblood from a House which for the last five hundred years, had stayed away from politics.

The rest of the night passed. Mitsuyasu distributed the tasks amongst the subjects, and the hall was closed. Before Mitsuhide left Yomi for the human world however, Chigusa approached him in his office.

His cousin on his mother's side was an elegant creature, her beauty legendary. Chigusa was a woman of skin as white as moonlight, and eyes as dark as onyx with hair rippling as if it were liquid obsidian. She flowed as mist would over a pond blooming lotuses under the night sky and full moon.

She had grown since their first meeting twelve years ago. Chigusa had been a proud and ignorant individual, with a cold heart. Yet under the most unlikely of circumstances, she had come to love Aki after a great argument. Aki had politely rejected Chigusa's confession, but from the confession, was born a mutual respect, and even a friendship.

Mitsuhide had not thought much of his cousin twelve years ago, despite her beauty and Aki's notes stating Chigusa was meant to be his first wife. However, during the winter Chigusa and her father had stayed at Akechi Castle and since then, Mitsuhide and Chigusa had come to form a bond of friendship within the family, made stronger by both their love for Aki.

Though Chigusa remained proud and ignorant, their common ground was their intention to protect Aki, and there, they found themselves as powerful allies.

Chigusa briefly met Mitsuhide's eyes, before she knelt and bowed before him.

"Your Majesty," she greeted. "I will not keep you long. There is just one thing I must report to you." Her voice was as slippery as water on scales, and purposely quiet enough so only Mitsuhide could hear. "It concerns what you asked me to seek."

Mitsuhide frowned in knowing. "What did you find?"

"The emergence of the Pureblood on the outskirts of Yomi. Her name is Soga Tsubame."

"Soga?" Mitsuhide murmured. "That is not a name heard of in Yomi for a very long time."

Chigusa nodded. "I have not been able to discover her intentions as of yet. But I advise caution, cousin. I sense she may not be a foe as of yet, but she is also no friend to the descendants of the Minamoto line."

Mitsuhide pressed his lips into a thin line. "I thought as much," he muttered under his breath. He turned his gaze back to Chigusa. "Thank you, cousin. Caution your agents, and keep your ears open."

She nodded. "Yes, cousin."

"You are dismissed."

Chigusa bowed and retreated, and as she left, Mitsuhide watched her retreating figure, feeling a sense of worry stir at the back of his mind.

The Soga House was the original ruling clan before the Fujiwara overthrew them, he thought. They could hold grudges against us all, or none at all. I will need to watch her carefully.