Maiden Of The Splitting Moon

"Bai Ying, grab the Seven Wood Tub" Elder Shen quickly instructed the cat while he grabbed several medicinal treasures and a liquid of some sort.

As for the cat, Bai Ying, it stood up and walked through the messy room, slowly growing in size until it was larger than a normal man. It approached a large seven colored wooden tub that was large enough to fit several people.

"Where do you want it?" Bai Ying asked.

"Place it on the Tranquility Formation, fill it with water and throw in the bones of a Severing Sloth."

"A Severing Sloth? That's a bit too much for just a girl", Bai Ying questioned.

"Don't doubt me."

"Okay then."

Quickly, the Seven Wood Tub was placed on top of a rather large formation, one that of the stars in the sky. It was filled to the brim with water to which some carved up bones and numerous plants were thrown in.

"Alright then, time to put her in", Elder Shen approached Ming Yue and quickly undressed her before dipping her body into the tube, placing her in a cross-legged position.

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He then looked at Ming Yue's two pets, "You two come help me out."

Both of them quickly approached him in a somewhat dizzy state as they watched the Spirit Elder move at such a quick pace.

"When I activate this formation, the two of you should add a portion of your energy into it as well. Since the both of you have been with her for such a long time, the addition of your energy should improve her chances of recovering her mind", he said to them.

As if understanding him, they moved about happily and moved towards the Seven Wood Tub.

The tub itself was quite small, only large enough to fit one person. Yet the formation it sat on was large, in fact one of the largest formations that marked the floor.

The three approached the formation while Bai Ying stood back and watched.

Carrying a bottle of some sort, Elder Shen removed the plug and poured out a viscous black ink onto his hands. With his ink covered hands, he began drawing strange marks on the outside of the tub. The ink snaked around, forming all sorts of images and symbols. Once he completed it, he stood at the outside of the formation and looked at the two beasts.

"Are you ready?" he asked them.

Both gave him a resolute look and began to circle their own energy. Without taking another breath, the Spirit Elder placed his hands on the formation and began chanting.

Slowly but surely, the Tranquility Formation began to glow slightly absorbing the energy that Hei Yue and Xiao Yin gave. The Seven Wood Tub's contents mixed together turning into an amber color as the formation began feeding energy into it. The amber water began to ripple gently, converging onto Ming Yue who sat in the center of it.

Once it was activated, the three watched before Elder Shen turned back.

"All that's left is to wait", he said.

Although he walked off, Ming Yue's two pets stayed and watched with hope and anticipation.

"At any moment now, she could awaken", they thought and thus they waited.

Bai Ying returned to its original size and walked next to them.

"Don't just sit and wait like this", the cat said, "Something like this could take forever to recover from, you should return to the Medicinal Elder and relax. Once she awakens, you will naturally know."

Despite Bai Ying's advice, they barely budged, watching Ming Yue.

"Hm, what loyalty."

Indeed, the three had been together for almost a year now, forming a close bond. Things like sharing meals and hunting together was a common activity for them. Not to mention, both Hei Yue and Xiao Yin gave Ming Yue a sense of comfort and family.*

As they watched Ming Yue, Du Hua returned to her quarters. Compared to Elder Shen's place, her's was quite different. It suffused the sweet aroma of medicine. There were numerous pill bottles placed within a shelf that covered the entirety of a wall. Opposite of it was a plethora of plants, a variety of colors and shapes that brightened a room that did not need brightening. Large windows made for allowing plenty of sunlight to come in and several cauldrons that sat over a raging fire could be found at the middle of her room.

Although calling it a "room" was too modest, rather it was a large workshop with enough space to hold hundreds of people.

As for Du Hua, she had changed clothes and redid her makeup. She looked at the boiling cauldrons before leaving her workshop. Her two attendants waited outside and followed her. Walking through the institution of Heaven's Gate, she reached a large set of doors and entered. Behind those door was a grand room which had a oval table in the far back. Behind that table was a young looking man reading through some books. He seemed younger than twenty with quite boyish looks, short hair and some freckled cheeks that made him quite cute.

Despite his young appearance, those who stood in front of him could not shake off a feeling of smallness. It was as if they stood in front of a god. Even someone such as Du Hua felt this way. Perhaps he was at the Heaven Realm but if not, then he was ever so close to reaching it.

"Du Hua", he said, "What brings you here?"

"Grand Elder Huang, I came to talk about the Tao Feng."

"Them? What happened?"

Du Hua recounted what had happened at Clear Spring Mountain, all the while the Grand Elder held a pondering expression. At the end of it, Grand Elder Huang sat back in his chair before standing up.

"I suppose we should take care of them", he said.

Far from Heaven's Gate, in a deep valley with mist thick enough to block the sun, there was a fortress of sorts. It was imposing, a mix of the ominous and the magnificent. On one end, it was an awe-inspiring sight but the aura seemed less than welcoming.

Was this where the Tao Feng resided?

Within this fortress, in a great hall at the highest level of this great structure, was Zuo Er cowering in front of a figure seated upon a gray throne. The figure's face was hidden under a hood but with the way Zuo Er acted in front of him, this was none other than the Sect Master of the Tao Feng Sect.

"You attempt this great plan of yours and return a failure", his voice boomed throughout the hall.

It was deep and powerful, a type of grit found in that of cold blooded killers was heard in every word he spoke.

"I have no excuse, I have failed you master" said Zuo Er.

His body was covered in sweat under the immense pressure that the Sect Master evoked. His legs were in crutches.

"You have more than failed me. You have disappointed me. More than just a failure, you returned as a cripple. You've lost control over your legs and you can no longer use martial arts. I put so much resources into you and now? What use do you have?"

He looked up still with determined eyes.

"Next time, I will not fail you!" he answered back with assurance.

"Next time? Indeed next time...", the Sect Master looked at him.

His eyes were fearsome, piercing in fact.

"Well then, let's make sure that this time, you won't fail" he stood up and walked to his protege.

Holding his hand out, energy gathered in his palm and entered Zuo Er's chest.. From it, Zuo Er suddenly lost consciousness and his master carried him into a hidden hallway, one that led to the deepest parts of the fortress.