Chapter 518
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Chapter 518
As the pointed spear shot towards Luo-Luos head, her first instinct was to fall to her knees and plead for her life, but her body failed her. Her mind screamed at her to move, to block, to dodge, do something to avoid the oncoming thrust coming to claim her life, but in her trepidation, she stood frozen in place, unable to move a single muscle except to shiver uncontrollably from head to toe. Knees knocking and teeth chattering, her body played a concert of terror in symphony with the pounding of her panicked heart, and there was little she could do except stare impending death in the eye.
Except death didnt come.
Given that this was merely a training match against Lord Husbands beautiful and talented Sister-in-Law Alsantset, Luo-Luos life was never at risk, only her pride and dignity, but even those were spared as her body sprung into action at the last moment. Holding her Sceptre at either end, she brought the weapon up in an arc even as her body twisted aside, striking the spear at the base of the blade and gently guiding it away from her torso. An active parry, Sister Yan had called it, pointed out while they watched Martial Warriors spar in SuiHua, and it was different from a normal parry in that the defender would meet the attack before it was carried out to completion. This was done for many reasons, such as to throw the attacker off-balance or catch them at an inopportune moment, and Sister Yan followed this with a lengthy explanation regarding timing, balance, ripostes, and counter-parries, but it was all too complicated for Luo-Luo to grasp.
Except now, she was certain shed just performed an active parry to great effect, not only fending off Sister-in-Law Alsantsets first attack but also moving in to stand almost chest to chest with the formidable half-tiger and well past her optimal minimum range, supposedly the most difficult part of fighting against an opponent with a longer reach.
All of this flashed through Luo-Luos mind in a brief half-second, but even this minor delay was enough for Sister-in-Law Alsantset to recover. Instead of retreating to widen the distance between them, she stepped in even closer and hip-checked Luo-Luo away, a move which accomplished the same thing while leaving the half-tiger warrior in control of the match. Seeing was different from experiencing, and in the midst of their sparring match, Luo-Luo had an epiphany. Just like music, dance, or poetry, a large part of fighting relied on tempo and rhythm, on controlling it, changing it, or affecting it to aid yourself while hindering your enemy, a song played with ones weapon which had little to do with the sounds they made. While shed never faced an opponent when playing the zither, it was similar enough to draw upon her musical experiences to ease her nerves and still her troubled mind.
Surrendering her body to momentum, she danced away from her opponents unseen but anticipated follow-through, a sweep of the metallic spear which howled as it cut through empty air. Two short, plucked quarter notes to represent the step in and check, followed by a ringing half-note chord for the subsequent sweep, a simple, logical progression which had been used in countless melodies since time immemorial. Now, Luo-Luo recognized the familiar progression once more, only this time the instrument was neither flute nor zither, but rather the body of a Martial Warrior, and somehow, it still made perfect sense, the notes sounding in her mind as she watched her opponent move. The spear drew back like a descending scale, and again, Luo-Luo heard where the music was going and responded in kind, warding off three probing thrusts before sidestepping the obvious conclusion of this particular sequence, a powerful, resounding downward chop which rang out as it struck the packed dirt and sent a cloud of dust into the air.
Despite dodging the attack successfully, a cold chill ran down Luo-Luos spine as the ground shook beneath her feet. Not because of how powerful the attack was, or how itd come so close to striking her, but because she realized that her judgment had been a mere quarter-beat off, and yet it was enough to spell the difference between life and death. No longer panicked and moving without thought, Luo-Luo realized Sister-in-Law Alsantset was holding back and could have ended this match in a heartbeat if she so desired it. Luo-Luos life was in no danger, for if it was, the last strike would have landed clean on her shoulder instead of brushing gently past her leathers to leave her unscathed, but Sister-in-Law Alsantsets knowing look was telling Luo-Luo to not to be so complacent with minor success. There was no room for error in battle, so she needed to leave herself a larger margin to work with. Instead of staying one beat ahead, better to anticipate an entire measure, or even compose the rest of the melody herself instead of waiting for her opponent to reveal it, so she gripped her sceptre tight and set her mind to task while dodging a flurry of blows from her formidable teacher.
Just as she stumbled when writing her first musical piece, Luo-Luo made countless errors during her first ever sparring match, but Sister-in-Law Alsantset was merciful and always left room enough for Luo-Luo to recover. Not to say she was spared the rod, for she was soon covered in a bevy of bruises and scrapes, from shoulder to knuckle and hip to ankle. All minor injuries, she noted, ones which would heal quickly on their own and leave her sore, but largely functional. Every time Luo-Luo thought she had the melody figured out, the tempo and rhythm would change, akin to using multiple styles of music in a single piece. A calm ballad shifted into a lively march while harmonic scales gave way to discordant trills, sequences which made no sense when translated to a musical piece yet somehow fit perfectly together when played out before Luo-Luos eyes.
Of course... Music wasnt solely about playing a pleasing melody. During the new years festivities, when Lord Husband ran out of red pockets to hand out and the crowd grew unruly, did she not calm the crowd and bring them to silence by playing a dissonant tune? Why couldnt she do something similar here? After measuring the tempo and anticipating where the rhythm would lead them, she then gauged the best way to disrupt the melody and seized the first opportunity which presented itself, a downbeat during which Sister-in-Law Alsantset was retracting her spear. Until now, Luo-Luo had done nothing but defend, so this marked her first time mounting an offensive, and she held nothing back. Putting her full weight behind her two handed swing, she aimed for her opponents face and prayed she wouldnt actually injure the fearsome warrior woman, for Luo-Luo had no idea how shed survive if she angered Alsantset.
Theyd been getting along so well lately, the brusque, blunt woman taking Luo-Luo under her wing and offering guidance on traversing the Martial Path, albeit with more insults and less encouragement than she would prefer. A good teacher builds confidence, while a great one inspires it, but Sister-in-Law Alsantsets scathing criticisms seemed tailor made to tear Luo-Luos confidence to shreds.
...There was more than a little emotion behind her decision to hold nothing back while attacking, but it was all for naught however. Despite using every bit of strength she could muster, Sister-in-Law Alsantset caught Luo-Luos sceptre with a single hand and ripped the weapon from her jarred fingers. When you strike, the half-tiger said, scowling darkly in disapproval, Strike to kill. No half-hearted measures, especially not while you are sorely outmatched. Tossing the sceptre back, she watched Luo-Luo fumble to catch the weapon and nodded once she took her stance. Good. Again.
And so their match continued until Luo-Luo sported more bruises than a ripe peach after rolling down a rocky mountain path, collapsing in the dirt for the umpteenth time and unable to lift her head once more, her lungs burning and collar soaked in sweat. The world spun as Sister-in-Law Alsantset pulled Luo-Luo to her feet, grimacing as if she were one of her darling children whod been caught screaming a litany of curses. Worst of all, the blasted, beautiful half-tiger looked none the worse for wear from their almost hour long match, without a hair out of place or drop of sweat to be seen. Passable, she begrudgingly said, the word dragged out from between her lips as if she didnt truly mean it. Rest, drink, and meditate, then resume training in a quarter hour.New novel chapters are published on
A quarter hour? Even a quarter day felt too short, but fifteen minutes was hardly enough time for Luo-Luo to catch her breath, much less change out of her sweat-soaked underclothes before they grew sour and musty. A quick glance told her Lord Husband was still sitting in the audience, though she doubted he even noticed Luo-Luos performance or her current appearance as he was busy snuggling with Lin-Lin in plain sight while the Abbot loomed nearby. Despite his callous, heartless attitude towards her, Luo-Luo still didnt want Lord Husband seeing or smelling her as she was, but she lacked the strength to even shuffle off to the side and whimper much less run off to change her clothes. Unable to even speak for all her heavy breathing, she had no choice but to succumb to the whims of her handmaidens as they helped her off the field into a seat by Lord Husbands side, where only Li-Li, who was also resting in between sparring matches yet somehow looking as radiant as ever, acknowledged Luo-Luos arrival with a quiet nod.
Were she not so exhausted, Luo-Luo mightve lifted her sceptre to smash Lord Husband in the face, or the very least threaten to. Was it so difficult to smile and say, well done or perhaps offer a word of encouragement? Hateful, hateful man...
Thankfully, her handmaidens were far more supportive of Luo-Luo, as theyd grown close as sisters in the past months. Oh milady, Anrhi exclaimed, fanning Luo-Luo excitedly while Sorya held a cup to her lips. Ye were so dazzling out there, bold and heroic like a true Martial Warrior.
Ye were both moving so fast, I could barely keep track of who was who, Sorya added, but all Luo-Luo could think about was why the silly girl would offer her a mere teacup of water while she was dying of thirst. Why, if I hadnt seen ye start yer training meself a few months back, Id have thought ye started learning how to fight in the cradle, I would.
Desperately wishing to submerge herself in a lake to slake her thirst, Luo-Luo quietly pleaded for Sorya to refill the cup and panted in desiccated anguish while her handmaidens nattered away in their charming, folksy accent, one which she normally found quaint and adorable but grated on her nerves in this time of misery. Thats Imperial Blood at work, I say, Anrhi proclaimed, so proud one might think she was speaking of herself. Milady werent lying when she said she had the blood of Emperors running through her veins.
Glancing at Lord Husband sitting a few metres away, Sorya lowered her voice and whispered, Can you imagine how cute an Imperial and Bekkie blooded baby will be?
Luo-Luo wasnt entirely sure this was the case, but everyone present chimed out in agreement, having finally made sense of her thought process. So smart. After praising his beloved wifey, Lord Husband hugged her close before turning to Luo-Luo to say, The music of battle, huh? What an interesting concept.
A deeply flawed one. Clearly biased against Luo-Luo, the Colonel General huffed and said, A song follows logical progression, but a battle less so. Your opponents will not do as you expect, and when you are caught off guard, complaining about discordant harmonies wont keep your head attached to your neck.
Eh-Mi-Tuo-Fuo, the mysteries of Heaven lay bare before our eyes, but we only lack the wisdom to perceive them. Shrugging, the Abbot continued, Who are we to determine right and wrong when speaking of the Martial Path? What works for one creature might not work for another. Should we condemn the wolf because it walks on four legs instead of two, or the fish because it breathes water instead of air?
I get what you mean, but technically, fish dont breathe water. They only breathe while submerged in water, but like us, they need air to survive. They just get theirs by extracting it from the water, and just as normal humans cant breathe underwater, they cant breathe out of it.
...Junior Brother, this monk cannot fathom how you might even begin to back such a claim.
Puckering his lips like a fish, Lord Husband flexed them twice and asked, How do they blow bubbles if they dont breathe air? Seeing the Abbots poleaxed expression, he laughed and said, Its easy enough to prove too. Take a live fish and feed it, then put it in a small, airtight tank of water. Unless your tank is too large, the fish will suffocate long before it starves.
...A cruel test, is this not?
...Yea I suppose. What if you...
Luo-Luos explanation long forgotten, Lord Husband and the Abbot moved on to yet another pointless debate while Colonel General Nian Zu took a seat beside them, studying Luo-Luo not as a man studies a woman, but as a man studies livestock, wholly immune to her charms and only here to satisfy his Martial curiosity. Reminded of Lord Husbands rude comparison, Luo-Luo gave a muted huff before turning away to ignore him, though he probably wouldnt notice if she dropped dead of exhaustion right here and now.
Well, there was still ample opportunity to test her theory, as her fifteen minutes of rest ended far too soon. Grinning like Sarankho coming back with a catch, Khishig Tursinai sauntered up to Luo-Luo and said, On your feet, little princess. Its my turn to play. Molesting Luo-Luos sceptre with her gaze, Li-Lis protector came off as a touch unhinged as she said, I admit, Im jealous of your wonderful weapon, but you dont even use everything it has to offer. Ah, if only Id been born a half-decade later, then maybe Id have that sceptre instead of you.
Mother in Heaven... to think, there would come a time when Luo-Luo wished she could face Sister-in-Law Alsantset instead, but Khishig Tursinai was a far more fearsome foe, a sadistic woman who grinned maniacally every time Luo-Luo let out a piteous wail, and if past experience was anything to go by, there would be grins and wails aplenty.
Dragging her heels, Luo-Luos departure came to a halt as an armed escort marched right up to Lord Husband, but to her great relief they werent here for him. Colonel General Nian Zu, Commander Watanabe requests your presence in the Command Tent.
Im busy. Gesturing for Luo-Luo to hurry along, the shameless old warrior said, Ill be by to see the Commander later.
Begging your pardon Colonel General. Though the messenger leaned in close and lowered his voice, Luo-Luo read his lips and watched him say, This concerns the safety of not only Sinuji, but perhaps the entire front line as a whole.
As the irate Colonel General left with the escort, Luo-Luos heart hammered away as she imagined all the possibilities. Could it be? Were the Defiled finally done with these piecemeal attacks and ready to move on the Central Province itself? Would Lord Husband and his people be left in Sinuji as sacrificial pawns to slow the Defiled advance? Or perhaps theyd already struck, sending assassins after key figures inside the citadel. Lord Husbands father might already be dead, or maybe even the Legate himself, poisoned by the dark blades of the Defiled Wraiths...
Relax. Punctuating her advice by slapping Luo-Luos bottom, Tursinai dragged her away with a smile. Whatever it is, it isnt for the likes of us to worry about. All we need to do is train and fight, and thats what were here to do. Stopping in an area which had already been cleared of people, Tursinai gestured for Luo-Luo to stay still before girlishly skipping away in glee. At ten meters distance, she turned around and said, Okay then. Let that chain loose and show Big Sister Tursi what you can do. Twirling her own deadly chain and sickle, she added, And since this is a spar, you need to do it while trying not to get hit.
...Perhaps Luo-Luo had erred in refusing to go with Jixing. No, she hadnt, but it was a close thing. Incredibly close, and if Lord Husband didnt get her with child soon, then she might run screaming into Jixings arms and beg him to bring her back east, where she would be safe from Tursinai for as long as the Empire should stand.
Which admittedly, might not be long if the Defiled were truly on the move...
Chapter Meme
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Chapter 518
As the pointed spear shot towards Luo-Luos head, her first instinct was to fall to her knees and plead for her life, but her body failed her. Her mind screamed at her to move, to block, to dodge, do something to avoid the oncoming thrust coming to claim her life, but in her trepidation, she stood frozen in place, unable to move a single muscle except to shiver uncontrollably from head to toe. Knees knocking and teeth chattering, her body played a concert of terror in symphony with the pounding of her panicked heart, and there was little she could do except stare impending death in the eye.
Except death didnt come.
Given that this was merely a training match against Lord Husbands beautiful and talented Sister-in-Law Alsantset, Luo-Luos life was never at risk, only her pride and dignity, but even those were spared as her body sprung into action at the last moment. Holding her Sceptre at either end, she brought the weapon up in an arc even as her body twisted aside, striking the spear at the base of the blade and gently guiding it away from her torso. An active parry, Sister Yan had called it, pointed out while they watched Martial Warriors spar in SuiHua, and it was different from a normal parry in that the defender would meet the attack before it was carried out to completion. This was done for many reasons, such as to throw the attacker off-balance or catch them at an inopportune moment, and Sister Yan followed this with a lengthy explanation regarding timing, balance, ripostes, and counter-parries, but it was all too complicated for Luo-Luo to grasp.
Except now, she was certain shed just performed an active parry to great effect, not only fending off Sister-in-Law Alsantsets first attack but also moving in to stand almost chest to chest with the formidable half-tiger and well past her optimal minimum range, supposedly the most difficult part of fighting against an opponent with a longer reach.
All of this flashed through Luo-Luos mind in a brief half-second, but even this minor delay was enough for Sister-in-Law Alsantset to recover. Instead of retreating to widen the distance between them, she stepped in even closer and hip-checked Luo-Luo away, a move which accomplished the same thing while leaving the half-tiger warrior in control of the match. Seeing was different from experiencing, and in the midst of their sparring match, Luo-Luo had an epiphany. Just like music, dance, or poetry, a large part of fighting relied on tempo and rhythm, on controlling it, changing it, or affecting it to aid yourself while hindering your enemy, a song played with ones weapon which had little to do with the sounds they made. While shed never faced an opponent when playing the zither, it was similar enough to draw upon her musical experiences to ease her nerves and still her troubled mind.
Surrendering her body to momentum, she danced away from her opponents unseen but anticipated follow-through, a sweep of the metallic spear which howled as it cut through empty air. Two short, plucked quarter notes to represent the step in and check, followed by a ringing half-note chord for the subsequent sweep, a simple, logical progression which had been used in countless melodies since time immemorial. Now, Luo-Luo recognized the familiar progression once more, only this time the instrument was neither flute nor zither, but rather the body of a Martial Warrior, and somehow, it still made perfect sense, the notes sounding in her mind as she watched her opponent move. The spear drew back like a descending scale, and again, Luo-Luo heard where the music was going and responded in kind, warding off three probing thrusts before sidestepping the obvious conclusion of this particular sequence, a powerful, resounding downward chop which rang out as it struck the packed dirt and sent a cloud of dust into the air.
Despite dodging the attack successfully, a cold chill ran down Luo-Luos spine as the ground shook beneath her feet. Not because of how powerful the attack was, or how itd come so close to striking her, but because she realized that her judgment had been a mere quarter-beat off, and yet it was enough to spell the difference between life and death. No longer panicked and moving without thought, Luo-Luo realized Sister-in-Law Alsantset was holding back and could have ended this match in a heartbeat if she so desired it. Luo-Luos life was in no danger, for if it was, the last strike would have landed clean on her shoulder instead of brushing gently past her leathers to leave her unscathed, but Sister-in-Law Alsantsets knowing look was telling Luo-Luo to not to be so complacent with minor success. There was no room for error in battle, so she needed to leave herself a larger margin to work with. Instead of staying one beat ahead, better to anticipate an entire measure, or even compose the rest of the melody herself instead of waiting for her opponent to reveal it, so she gripped her sceptre tight and set her mind to task while dodging a flurry of blows from her formidable teacher.
Just as she stumbled when writing her first musical piece, Luo-Luo made countless errors during her first ever sparring match, but Sister-in-Law Alsantset was merciful and always left room enough for Luo-Luo to recover. Not to say she was spared the rod, for she was soon covered in a bevy of bruises and scrapes, from shoulder to knuckle and hip to ankle. All minor injuries, she noted, ones which would heal quickly on their own and leave her sore, but largely functional. Every time Luo-Luo thought she had the melody figured out, the tempo and rhythm would change, akin to using multiple styles of music in a single piece. A calm ballad shifted into a lively march while harmonic scales gave way to discordant trills, sequences which made no sense when translated to a musical piece yet somehow fit perfectly together when played out before Luo-Luos eyes.
Of course... Music wasnt solely about playing a pleasing melody. During the new years festivities, when Lord Husband ran out of red pockets to hand out and the crowd grew unruly, did she not calm the crowd and bring them to silence by playing a dissonant tune? Why couldnt she do something similar here? After measuring the tempo and anticipating where the rhythm would lead them, she then gauged the best way to disrupt the melody and seized the first opportunity which presented itself, a downbeat during which Sister-in-Law Alsantset was retracting her spear. Until now, Luo-Luo had done nothing but defend, so this marked her first time mounting an offensive, and she held nothing back. Putting her full weight behind her two handed swing, she aimed for her opponents face and prayed she wouldnt actually injure the fearsome warrior woman, for Luo-Luo had no idea how shed survive if she angered Alsantset.
Theyd been getting along so well lately, the brusque, blunt woman taking Luo-Luo under her wing and offering guidance on traversing the Martial Path, albeit with more insults and less encouragement than she would prefer. A good teacher builds confidence, while a great one inspires it, but Sister-in-Law Alsantsets scathing criticisms seemed tailor made to tear Luo-Luos confidence to shreds.
...There was more than a little emotion behind her decision to hold nothing back while attacking, but it was all for naught however. Despite using every bit of strength she could muster, Sister-in-Law Alsantset caught Luo-Luos sceptre with a single hand and ripped the weapon from her jarred fingers. When you strike, the half-tiger said, scowling darkly in disapproval, Strike to kill. No half-hearted measures, especially not while you are sorely outmatched. Tossing the sceptre back, she watched Luo-Luo fumble to catch the weapon and nodded once she took her stance. Good. Again.
And so their match continued until Luo-Luo sported more bruises than a ripe peach after rolling down a rocky mountain path, collapsing in the dirt for the umpteenth time and unable to lift her head once more, her lungs burning and collar soaked in sweat. The world spun as Sister-in-Law Alsantset pulled Luo-Luo to her feet, grimacing as if she were one of her darling children whod been caught screaming a litany of curses. Worst of all, the blasted, beautiful half-tiger looked none the worse for wear from their almost hour long match, without a hair out of place or drop of sweat to be seen. Passable, she begrudgingly said, the word dragged out from between her lips as if she didnt truly mean it. Rest, drink, and meditate, then resume training in a quarter hour.New novel chapters are published on
A quarter hour? Even a quarter day felt too short, but fifteen minutes was hardly enough time for Luo-Luo to catch her breath, much less change out of her sweat-soaked underclothes before they grew sour and musty. A quick glance told her Lord Husband was still sitting in the audience, though she doubted he even noticed Luo-Luos performance or her current appearance as he was busy snuggling with Lin-Lin in plain sight while the Abbot loomed nearby. Despite his callous, heartless attitude towards her, Luo-Luo still didnt want Lord Husband seeing or smelling her as she was, but she lacked the strength to even shuffle off to the side and whimper much less run off to change her clothes. Unable to even speak for all her heavy breathing, she had no choice but to succumb to the whims of her handmaidens as they helped her off the field into a seat by Lord Husbands side, where only Li-Li, who was also resting in between sparring matches yet somehow looking as radiant as ever, acknowledged Luo-Luos arrival with a quiet nod.
Were she not so exhausted, Luo-Luo mightve lifted her sceptre to smash Lord Husband in the face, or the very least threaten to. Was it so difficult to smile and say, well done or perhaps offer a word of encouragement? Hateful, hateful man...
Thankfully, her handmaidens were far more supportive of Luo-Luo, as theyd grown close as sisters in the past months. Oh milady, Anrhi exclaimed, fanning Luo-Luo excitedly while Sorya held a cup to her lips. Ye were so dazzling out there, bold and heroic like a true Martial Warrior.
Ye were both moving so fast, I could barely keep track of who was who, Sorya added, but all Luo-Luo could think about was why the silly girl would offer her a mere teacup of water while she was dying of thirst. Why, if I hadnt seen ye start yer training meself a few months back, Id have thought ye started learning how to fight in the cradle, I would.
Desperately wishing to submerge herself in a lake to slake her thirst, Luo-Luo quietly pleaded for Sorya to refill the cup and panted in desiccated anguish while her handmaidens nattered away in their charming, folksy accent, one which she normally found quaint and adorable but grated on her nerves in this time of misery. Thats Imperial Blood at work, I say, Anrhi proclaimed, so proud one might think she was speaking of herself. Milady werent lying when she said she had the blood of Emperors running through her veins.
Glancing at Lord Husband sitting a few metres away, Sorya lowered her voice and whispered, Can you imagine how cute an Imperial and Bekkie blooded baby will be?
Luo-Luo wasnt entirely sure this was the case, but everyone present chimed out in agreement, having finally made sense of her thought process. So smart. After praising his beloved wifey, Lord Husband hugged her close before turning to Luo-Luo to say, The music of battle, huh? What an interesting concept.
A deeply flawed one. Clearly biased against Luo-Luo, the Colonel General huffed and said, A song follows logical progression, but a battle less so. Your opponents will not do as you expect, and when you are caught off guard, complaining about discordant harmonies wont keep your head attached to your neck.
Eh-Mi-Tuo-Fuo, the mysteries of Heaven lay bare before our eyes, but we only lack the wisdom to perceive them. Shrugging, the Abbot continued, Who are we to determine right and wrong when speaking of the Martial Path? What works for one creature might not work for another. Should we condemn the wolf because it walks on four legs instead of two, or the fish because it breathes water instead of air?
I get what you mean, but technically, fish dont breathe water. They only breathe while submerged in water, but like us, they need air to survive. They just get theirs by extracting it from the water, and just as normal humans cant breathe underwater, they cant breathe out of it.
...Junior Brother, this monk cannot fathom how you might even begin to back such a claim.
Puckering his lips like a fish, Lord Husband flexed them twice and asked, How do they blow bubbles if they dont breathe air? Seeing the Abbots poleaxed expression, he laughed and said, Its easy enough to prove too. Take a live fish and feed it, then put it in a small, airtight tank of water. Unless your tank is too large, the fish will suffocate long before it starves.
...A cruel test, is this not?
...Yea I suppose. What if you...
Luo-Luos explanation long forgotten, Lord Husband and the Abbot moved on to yet another pointless debate while Colonel General Nian Zu took a seat beside them, studying Luo-Luo not as a man studies a woman, but as a man studies livestock, wholly immune to her charms and only here to satisfy his Martial curiosity. Reminded of Lord Husbands rude comparison, Luo-Luo gave a muted huff before turning away to ignore him, though he probably wouldnt notice if she dropped dead of exhaustion right here and now.
Well, there was still ample opportunity to test her theory, as her fifteen minutes of rest ended far too soon. Grinning like Sarankho coming back with a catch, Khishig Tursinai sauntered up to Luo-Luo and said, On your feet, little princess. Its my turn to play. Molesting Luo-Luos sceptre with her gaze, Li-Lis protector came off as a touch unhinged as she said, I admit, Im jealous of your wonderful weapon, but you dont even use everything it has to offer. Ah, if only Id been born a half-decade later, then maybe Id have that sceptre instead of you.
Mother in Heaven... to think, there would come a time when Luo-Luo wished she could face Sister-in-Law Alsantset instead, but Khishig Tursinai was a far more fearsome foe, a sadistic woman who grinned maniacally every time Luo-Luo let out a piteous wail, and if past experience was anything to go by, there would be grins and wails aplenty.
Dragging her heels, Luo-Luos departure came to a halt as an armed escort marched right up to Lord Husband, but to her great relief they werent here for him. Colonel General Nian Zu, Commander Watanabe requests your presence in the Command Tent.
Im busy. Gesturing for Luo-Luo to hurry along, the shameless old warrior said, Ill be by to see the Commander later.
Begging your pardon Colonel General. Though the messenger leaned in close and lowered his voice, Luo-Luo read his lips and watched him say, This concerns the safety of not only Sinuji, but perhaps the entire front line as a whole.
As the irate Colonel General left with the escort, Luo-Luos heart hammered away as she imagined all the possibilities. Could it be? Were the Defiled finally done with these piecemeal attacks and ready to move on the Central Province itself? Would Lord Husband and his people be left in Sinuji as sacrificial pawns to slow the Defiled advance? Or perhaps theyd already struck, sending assassins after key figures inside the citadel. Lord Husbands father might already be dead, or maybe even the Legate himself, poisoned by the dark blades of the Defiled Wraiths...
Relax. Punctuating her advice by slapping Luo-Luos bottom, Tursinai dragged her away with a smile. Whatever it is, it isnt for the likes of us to worry about. All we need to do is train and fight, and thats what were here to do. Stopping in an area which had already been cleared of people, Tursinai gestured for Luo-Luo to stay still before girlishly skipping away in glee. At ten meters distance, she turned around and said, Okay then. Let that chain loose and show Big Sister Tursi what you can do. Twirling her own deadly chain and sickle, she added, And since this is a spar, you need to do it while trying not to get hit.
...Perhaps Luo-Luo had erred in refusing to go with Jixing. No, she hadnt, but it was a close thing. Incredibly close, and if Lord Husband didnt get her with child soon, then she might run screaming into Jixings arms and beg him to bring her back east, where she would be safe from Tursinai for as long as the Empire should stand.
Which admittedly, might not be long if the Defiled were truly on the move...
Chapter Meme
Chapter 518As the pointed spear shot towards Luo-Luos head, her first instinct was to fall to her knees and plead for her life, but her body failed her. Her mind screamed at her to move, to block, to dodge, do something to avoid the oncoming thrust coming to claim her life, but in her trepidation, she stood frozen in place, unable to move a single muscle except to shiver uncontrollably from head to toe. Knees knocking and teeth chattering, her body played a concert of terror in symphony with the pounding of her panicked heart, and there was little she could do except stare impending death in the eye.Except death didnt come.Given that this was merely a training match against Lord Husbands beautiful and talented Sister-in-Law Alsantset, Luo-Luos life was never at risk, only her pride and dignity, but even those were spared as her body sprung into action at the last moment. Holding her Sceptre at either end, she brought the weapon up in an arc even as her body twisted aside, striking the spear at the base of the blade and gently guiding it away from her torso. An active parry, Sister Yan had called it, pointed out while they watched Martial Warriors spar in SuiHua, and it was different from a normal parry in that the defender would meet the attack before it was carried out to completion. This was done for many reasons, such as to throw the attacker off-balance or catch them at an inopportune moment, and Sister Yan followed this with a lengthy explanation regarding timing, balance, ripostes, and counter-parries, but it was all too complicated for Luo-Luo to grasp.Except now, she was certain shed just performed an active parry to great effect, not only fending off Sister-in-Law Alsantsets first attack but also moving in to stand almost chest to chest with the formidable half-tiger and well past her optimal minimum range, supposedly the most difficult part of fighting against an opponent with a longer reach.All of this flashed through Luo-Luos mind in a brief half-second, but even this minor delay was enough for Sister-in-Law Alsantset to recover. Instead of retreating to widen the distance between them, she stepped in even closer and hip-checked Luo-Luo away, a move which accomplished the same thing while leaving the half-tiger warrior in control of the match. Seeing was different from experiencing, and in the midst of their sparring match, Luo-Luo had an epiphany. Just like music, dance, or poetry, a large part of fighting relied on tempo and rhythm, on controlling it, changing it, or affecting it to aid yourself while hindering your enemy, a song played with ones weapon which had little to do with the sounds they made. While shed never faced an opponent when playing the zither, it was similar enough to draw upon her musical experiences to ease her nerves and still her troubled mind.Surrendering her body to momentum, she danced away from her opponents unseen but anticipated follow-through, a sweep of the metallic spear which howled as it cut through empty air. Two short, plucked quarter notes to represent the step in and check, followed by a ringing half-note chord for the subsequent sweep, a simple, logical progression which had been used in countless melodies since time immemorial. Now, Luo-Luo recognized the familiar progression once more, only this time the instrument was neither flute nor zither, but rather the body of a Martial Warrior, and somehow, it still made perfect sense, the notes sounding in her mind as she watched her opponent move. The spear drew back like a descending scale, and again, Luo-Luo heard where the music was going and responded in kind, warding off three probing thrusts before sidestepping the obvious conclusion of this particular sequence, a powerful, resounding downward chop which rang out as it struck the packed dirt and sent a cloud of dust into the air.Despite dodging the attack successfully, a cold chill ran down Luo-Luos spine as the ground shook beneath her feet. Not because of how powerful the attack was, or how itd come so close to striking her, but because she realized that her judgment had been a mere quarter-beat off, and yet it was enough to spell the difference between life and death. No longer panicked and moving without thought, Luo-Luo realized Sister-in-Law Alsantset was holding back and could have ended this match in a heartbeat if she so desired it. Luo-Luos life was in no danger, for if it was, the last strike would have landed clean on her shoulder instead of brushing gently past her leathers to leave her unscathed, but Sister-in-Law Alsantsets knowing look was telling Luo-Luo to not to be so complacent with minor success. There was no room for error in battle, so she needed to leave herself a larger margin to work with. Instead of staying one beat ahead, better to anticipate an entire measure, or even compose the rest of the melody herself instead of waiting for her opponent to reveal it, so she gripped her sceptre tight and set her mind to task while dodging a flurry of blows from her formidable teacher.Just as she stumbled when writing her first musical piece, Luo-Luo made countless errors during her first ever sparring match, but Sister-in-Law Alsantset was merciful and always left room enough for Luo-Luo to recover. Not to say she was spared the rod, for she was soon covered in a bevy of bruises and scrapes, from shoulder to knuckle and hip to ankle. All minor injuries, she noted, ones which would heal quickly on their own and leave her sore, but largely functional. Every time Luo-Luo thought she had the melody figured out, the tempo and rhythm would change, akin to using multiple styles of music in a single piece. A calm ballad shifted into a lively march while harmonic scales gave way to discordant trills, sequences which made no sense when translated to a musical piece yet somehow fit perfectly together when played out before Luo-Luos eyes.Of course... Music wasnt solely about playing a pleasing melody. During the new years festivities, when Lord Husband ran out of red pockets to hand out and the crowd grew unruly, did she not calm the crowd and bring them to silence by playing a dissonant tune? Why couldnt she do something similar here? After measuring the tempo and anticipating where the rhythm would lead them, she then gauged the best way to disrupt the melody and seized the first opportunity which presented itself, a downbeat during which Sister-in-Law Alsantset was retracting her spear. Until now, Luo-Luo had done nothing but defend, so this marked her first time mounting an offensive, and she held nothing back. Putting her full weight behind her two handed swing, she aimed for her opponents face and prayed she wouldnt actually injure the fearsome warrior woman, for Luo-Luo had no idea how shed survive if she angered Alsantset.Theyd been getting along so well lately, the brusque, blunt woman taking Luo-Luo under her wing and offering guidance on traversing the Martial Path, albeit with more insults and less encouragement than she would prefer. A good teacher builds confidence, while a great one inspires it, but Sister-in-Law Alsantsets scathing criticisms seemed tailor made to tear Luo-Luos confidence to shreds....There was more than a little emotion behind her decision to hold nothing back while attacking, but it was all for naught however. Despite using every bit of strength she could muster, Sister-in-Law Alsantset caught Luo-Luos sceptre with a single hand and ripped the weapon from her jarred fingers. When you strike, the half-tiger said, scowling darkly in disapproval, Strike to kill. No half-hearted measures, especially not while you are sorely outmatched. Tossing the sceptre back, she watched Luo-Luo fumble to catch the weapon and nodded once she took her stance. Good. Again.And so their match continued until Luo-Luo sported more bruises than a ripe peach after rolling down a rocky mountain path, collapsing in the dirt for the umpteenth time and unable to lift her head once more, her lungs burning and collar soaked in sweat. The world spun as Sister-in-Law Alsantset pulled Luo-Luo to her feet, grimacing as if she were one of her darling children whod been caught screaming a litany of curses. Worst of all, the blasted, beautiful half-tiger looked none the worse for wear from their almost hour long match, without a hair out of place or drop of sweat to be seen. Passable, she begrudgingly said, the word dragged out from between her lips as if she didnt truly mean it. Rest, drink, and meditate, then resume training in a quarter hour.New novel chapters are published onA quarter hour? Even a quarter day felt too short, but fifteen minutes was hardly enough time for Luo-Luo to catch her breath, much less change out of her sweat-soaked underclothes before they grew sour and musty. A quick glance told her Lord Husband was still sitting in the audience, though she doubted he even noticed Luo-Luos performance or her current appearance as he was busy snuggling with Lin-Lin in plain sight while the Abbot loomed nearby. Despite his callous, heartless attitude towards her, Luo-Luo still didnt want Lord Husband seeing or smelling her as she was, but she lacked the strength to even shuffle off to the side and whimper much less run off to change her clothes. Unable to even speak for all her heavy breathing, she had no choice but to succumb to the whims of her handmaidens as they helped her off the field into a seat by Lord Husbands side, where only Li-Li, who was also resting in between sparring matches yet somehow looking as radiant as ever, acknowledged Luo-Luos arrival with a quiet nod.Were she not so exhausted, Luo-Luo mightve lifted her sceptre to smash Lord Husband in the face, or the very least threaten to. Was it so difficult to smile and say, well done or perhaps offer a word of encouragement? Hateful, hateful man...Thankfully, her handmaidens were far more supportive of Luo-Luo, as theyd grown close as sisters in the past months. Oh milady, Anrhi exclaimed, fanning Luo-Luo excitedly while Sorya held a cup to her lips. Ye were so dazzling out there, bold and heroic like a true Martial Warrior.Ye were both moving so fast, I could barely keep track of who was who, Sorya added, but all Luo-Luo could think about was why the silly girl would offer her a mere teacup of water while she was dying of thirst. Why, if I hadnt seen ye start yer training meself a few months back, Id have thought ye started learning how to fight in the cradle, I would.Desperately wishing to submerge herself in a lake to slake her thirst, Luo-Luo quietly pleaded for Sorya to refill the cup and panted in desiccated anguish while her handmaidens nattered away in their charming, folksy accent, one which she normally found quaint and adorable but grated on her nerves in this time of misery. Thats Imperial Blood at work, I say, Anrhi proclaimed, so proud one might think she was speaking of herself. Milady werent lying when she said she had the blood of Emperors running through her veins.Glancing at Lord Husband sitting a few metres away, Sorya lowered her voice and whispered, Can you imagine how cute an Imperial and Bekkie blooded baby will be?Luo-Luo wasnt entirely sure this was the case, but everyone present chimed out in agreement, having finally made sense of her thought process. So smart. After praising his beloved wifey, Lord Husband hugged her close before turning to Luo-Luo to say, The music of battle, huh? What an interesting concept.A deeply flawed one. Clearly biased against Luo-Luo, the Colonel General huffed and said, A song follows logical progression, but a battle less so. Your opponents will not do as you expect, and when you are caught off guard, complaining about discordant harmonies wont keep your head attached to your neck.Eh-Mi-Tuo-Fuo, the mysteries of Heaven lay bare before our eyes, but we only lack the wisdom to perceive them. Shrugging, the Abbot continued, Who are we to determine right and wrong when speaking of the Martial Path? What works for one creature might not work for another. Should we condemn the wolf because it walks on four legs instead of two, or the fish because it breathes water instead of air?I get what you mean, but technically, fish dont breathe water. They only breathe while submerged in water, but like us, they need air to survive. They just get theirs by extracting it from the water, and just as normal humans cant breathe underwater, they cant breathe out of it....Junior Brother, this monk cannot fathom how you might even begin to back such a claim.Puckering his lips like a fish, Lord Husband flexed them twice and asked, How do they blow bubbles if they dont breathe air? Seeing the Abbots poleaxed expression, he laughed and said, Its easy enough to prove too. Take a live fish and feed it, then put it in a small, airtight tank of water. Unless your tank is too large, the fish will suffocate long before it starves....A cruel test, is this not?...Yea I suppose. What if you...Luo-Luos explanation long forgotten, Lord Husband and the Abbot moved on to yet another pointless debate while Colonel General Nian Zu took a seat beside them, studying Luo-Luo not as a man studies a woman, but as a man studies livestock, wholly immune to her charms and only here to satisfy his Martial curiosity. Reminded of Lord Husbands rude comparison, Luo-Luo gave a muted huff before turning away to ignore him, though he probably wouldnt notice if she dropped dead of exhaustion right here and now.Well, there was still ample opportunity to test her theory, as her fifteen minutes of rest ended far too soon. Grinning like Sarankho coming back with a catch, Khishig Tursinai sauntered up to Luo-Luo and said, On your feet, little princess. Its my turn to play. Molesting Luo-Luos sceptre with her gaze, Li-Lis protector came off as a touch unhinged as she said, I admit, Im jealous of your wonderful weapon, but you dont even use everything it has to offer. Ah, if only Id been born a half-decade later, then maybe Id have that sceptre instead of you.Mother in Heaven... to think, there would come a time when Luo-Luo wished she could face Sister-in-Law Alsantset instead, but Khishig Tursinai was a far more fearsome foe, a sadistic woman who grinned maniacally every time Luo-Luo let out a piteous wail, and if past experience was anything to go by, there would be grins and wails aplenty.Dragging her heels, Luo-Luos departure came to a halt as an armed escort marched right up to Lord Husband, but to her great relief they werent here for him. Colonel General Nian Zu, Commander Watanabe requests your presence in the Command Tent.Im busy. Gesturing for Luo-Luo to hurry along, the shameless old warrior said, Ill be by to see the Commander later.Begging your pardon Colonel General. Though the messenger leaned in close and lowered his voice, Luo-Luo read his lips and watched him say, This concerns the safety of not only Sinuji, but perhaps the entire front line as a whole.As the irate Colonel General left with the escort, Luo-Luos heart hammered away as she imagined all the possibilities. Could it be? Were the Defiled finally done with these piecemeal attacks and ready to move on the Central Province itself? Would Lord Husband and his people be left in Sinuji as sacrificial pawns to slow the Defiled advance? Or perhaps theyd already struck, sending assassins after key figures inside the citadel. Lord Husbands father might already be dead, or maybe even the Legate himself, poisoned by the dark blades of the Defiled Wraiths...Relax. Punctuating her advice by slapping Luo-Luos bottom, Tursinai dragged her away with a smile. Whatever it is, it isnt for the likes of us to worry about. All we need to do is train and fight, and thats what were here to do. Stopping in an area which had already been cleared of people, Tursinai gestured for Luo-Luo to stay still before girlishly skipping away in glee. At ten meters distance, she turned around and said, Okay then. Let that chain loose and show Big Sister Tursi what you can do. Twirling her own deadly chain and sickle, she added, And since this is a spar, you need to do it while trying not to get hit....Perhaps Luo-Luo had erred in refusing to go with Jixing. No, she hadnt, but it was a close thing. Incredibly close, and if Lord Husband didnt get her with child soon, then she might run screaming into Jixings arms and beg him to bring her back east, where she would be safe from Tursinai for as long as the Empire should stand.Which admittedly, might not be long if the Defiled were truly on the move...Chapter Meme
