Hanrui sat on the sofa, leisurely sipping tea.
Bi Ji and Zi Ji who sat on each side of him one eating cake furiously like it owes her money. The other held his hand, nervous to speak.
'Bad Master, hmph, Zi Ji won't talk to you anymore.' She thought as she devoured the cake.
'Would I be causing him inconvenience, if I seek to go with him?' Bi Ji thought nervously.
Hanrui sighed as he put the tea cup down and patted both of them.
"Now now, don't sulk my little dragon and phoenix." He said as he patted both of them on the head.
'Bad master.' Zi Ji complained but her face showed a radiant smile, enjoying the comforting pats.
Bi Ji felt her anxiousness calm down as a blush spread across her face, being patted and called so intimately.
"It's not that I don't want to take you two, it's just that you two will attract too much attention in a small place like that.
You two don't understand the disasters you can cause with your beauty alone, not to mention Gu Yuena, who is the number one beauty in this world."
Hanrui said, making them blush. Ignoring his words about Gu Yuena, as they didn't feel anything wrong about what he said.
If asked they would reply with "Ofcourse master Gu Yuena is the most beautiful. Why should we feel jealous about it? We are proud to have her as our master."
But Bi Ji noticed something and asked him. "Master Hanrui, where is Master Gu Yuena? Why didn't she come with you?"
'We are her subordinates and we didn't ask about her until now.' The two thought ashamed.
Hanrui looked away in embarrassment and sighed. "Well, I dropped this bomb about going to Notting City to her and she has been sulking ever since.
She should be back in her dimension right now, but knowing her she might be stalking Qian Renxue, to learn, just like I told her to." He replied as he thought of his conversation the previous day.
. . .
The previous day just after Hanrui dropped the bomb.
Qian Renxue looked at him as if she just got betrayed by him.
'He wants to leave? Did I do something wrong? I.. I was just shy, ok. And I didn't want to delve into feelings too much and derail my mission.
That's why I was escaping from him. But I guess I Did, took his stay for granted and didn't think about what he wanted to do.
But to think he wants to stay around the son of my father's killer. This. .this,I can't accept this.' She thought as she looked at him with helplessness and betrayed look on her face.
Gu Yuena on the other hand suddenly turned cold and looked away from him.
Even the temperature around them turned a bit colder as she looked away.
'Why am I feeling reluctant to leave his side?I like him. Yes, but why do I feel like an abandoned cat?
Does this have something to do with the 'Love Continent' he referred to? No no, I'm the Master of the Soul Beasts.
I should keep my head clear no matter how much I like him or love him.' She thought as she stood up abruptly.
"I'm leaving." Gu Yuena said before tearing the space open and entering inside, glancing one last time at a baffled Hanrui before she turned away and the space closed.
Hanrui and Qian Renxue who came out of her thoughts stared blankly at the space where Gu Yuena disappeared.
Qian Renxue sighed, as she too stood up feeling too tired to argue with Hanrui and walked away, leaving Hanrui alone.
Hanrui stood there for a while longer before he sighed. "Are these two sulking?" He thought as he retrieved a 3 pronged kunai from his space.
He looked at it with a smile of satisfaction.
"It's really hard to make a durable kunai that can handle a space transfer seal. it took 10 tries to make this one., while the rest crumbled.
I should pay a visit to gengshin city later and have a chat with the blacksmith association." He mused.
'Well it's time to pull a Minato in the douluo continent.' he thought as he disappeared with the kunai in hand and the next second he appeared at the marker he placed in his room.
"Yupp, it works just fine. As for the sulking duo, I'll deal with it later, I'm sleepy." He thought.
He plopped down on his bed and slept like a baby, though the absence of Gu Yuena in his arms did make him frown, he eventually fell into deep sleep.
. . .
Back to the present.
Hanrui got out of his thoughts and looked at Bi Ji and Zi Ji who were staring at him.
"What?" He asked, confused by their stares.
"Master, was master,Gu Yuena really sulking?, or your words unconsciously make her think of something and need space to think about it?"
Bi Ji asked tentatively, as she could feel her Lord Gu Yuena's actions didn't seem simple.
Hanrui fell in deep thought but couldn't think of anything so he sighed. "Maybe you are right, but I don't know what triggered her so I can't think of anything." He admitted.
Seeing Hanrui's incomprehension of the situation, they sighed.
"Well, I'll go see her after settling in Nottingham City, if she really needs space, this will give her enough time.
What about you two? Why don't you go, show off to your friends how much you two have grown on this trip. And you can also check on Yuena for me while you are at it.
Oh right I forgot, make sure to show off in front of that bug. So he will stay until my arrival and stop his attempts to escape." He continued.
Zi Ji's eyes lit up hearing that. "Master, can we really go and show off?" she asked excitedly as she thought about how to beat up that three headed lion—The Scarlet King.
'I think my ranking would improve after beating him.' She thought excitedly, as she recalled herself being ranked at almost at the end of the 10 fierce beasts.
A shiver ran down Scarlett King's back in the secret realm as Zi Ji started plotting against him.
Bi Ji thought it made sense that they should return to their home for a while but still felt reluctant as she stared at Hanrui.
Hanrui, noticing her reluctance, kissed her cheek and pinched the other as he replied to Zi Ji who was daydreaming and didn't notice his action.
"Yes, you can show off as much as you like." He said.
"Bi Ji, take care of this one, we can't leave her alone." He whispered to her, Bi Ji who was blushing nodded.
"Ok I'm going to see Granny, I'll see you later." He said as he left, to the Grand Library.
Bi Ji shook her head as she looked at the daydreaming child beside her.
. . .
Hanrui walked through the halls and reached the Library.
As he approached the door he heard the voice of a younger girl.
'Strange, that voice, it feels very familiar, is it Her?
It has been a year since I've seen her. I wonder how that little girl is doing.' He thought as he opened the door.
As he opened the door he saw a young girl, wearing a blue white dress, embroidered with a white phoenix and icicle pattern laughing and chatting with his grandmother.
As the door opened both Xue Li and the girl turned their heads and looked at Hanrui.
The girl stopped laughing and stared at the boy with a pout.
"Brother Hanrui." She said curtly.
Seeing her pout and greet him so curtly. Hanrui raised an eyebrow, surprised and walked over to her and placed his hand on her cheek.
"It's been a while, Bing'er. I apologise for not visiting often, I was busy with a project and traveling a lot." He said.
Shui Bing'er leaned into his touch and instantly forgot her grievance and smiled happily.
"It's ok big brother Hanrui, Bing'er knows brother is busy dealing with important things." She said her eyes still closed.
Xue Li covered her mouth with a hand to hide her smile as she watched her grandson flirt in front of her.
"So, Bing'er , did you get my gift? Did you awaken your Martial Soul?" He asked.
Shui Bing'er nodded and took a step back to show her Martial Soul.
She closed her eyes for a second and a shadow of an Ice Phoenix appeared behind her.
Cold air swirled around Shui Bing'er as her expression turned serious but shortly after she withdrew it.
She couldn't help but think how fortunate she was recalling the gifts sent by Hanrui.
**Slight Flash Back No Jutsu**
A few days ago,
Inside the Shui residence as Shui Bing'er is celebrating her 6th birthday an energetic little girl trailing behind her as they played around.
Shui Jiming (Shui Bing'er's Step-Mother and Shui Yue'er' Mother) was receiving guests.
Shui Bing'er stares at the door from time to time with a forlorn expression.
Seeing this, Shui Yue'er gets confused while her new friend with long flowing blue hair and shining blue eyes starts teasing her.
"Oh, our future captain has already fallen, what ever shall we do to save her?" She said dramatically with a mock pained look making Shui Bing'er blush but she doesn't retort.
Seeing this the blue haired girl gets bolder and teases her further, annoying Shui Bing'er.
"Qiu Roushi, are you done?" So Bing'er says as cold air permeates around her, making the girl swallow what she was about to say in a gulp.
"Yes, captain." She says as she falls silent.
'It's truly a miracle, Captain Bing'er hasn't even awakened her Martial Soul, yet she can release such cold air when she is angry.
I wonder how strong her Martial Soul will be.' Qiu Roushi thought.
Just then a woman entered the Shui Residence. Shui Jiming's eyes lit up seeing her, she approached her and received her with a warm embrace.
"Mei Mei, you are here." She said as she hugged the women.
As the name was mentioned, everyone who attended the celebration looked at her and smiled while giving her a nod.
Han Mei looked at her clingy friend and couldn't help but tease. "Stop hugging so tightly, others will misunderstand that I'm going to take a mistress."
Shui Jiming just scoffed at her as she replied shamelessly. "Hmph, who's afraid of being your mistress? I'll be proud to be your mistress.
Alas if only your brat Hanrui is older and I'm a bit younger, I could just sign my life to him. And stay around you more."
Han Mei looked at her speechlessly for a second then picked her ear and pinched it. "You're being naughty again, Jiming. Don't you ever think, your daughter will become like you?"
Shui Jiming feigned pain at her friend's reprimand as her ear got pinched.
"It's fine, I'll just sell her to your son, along with Bing'er, he can definitely deal with her.
After all, she is just like me, a face control, your brat is more handsome than any man or kid I've seen so it will work out perfectly." She replied shamelessly.
Han Mei, speechless and tired of dealing with her friend, ignored her and looked around and found her target and walked over to her.
Shui Jiming smiled triumphantly despite being ignored and watched as her friend walked over to the birthday girl.
Han Mei just reached Shui Bing'er, while she looked around Han Mei to see if "He" had arrived.
Seeing her like this, Han Mei patted her head and wished her a happy birthday and took out the gift given by her son and gave it to her.
"Sorry, Bing'er, he couldn't make it, he sent you this letter and a gift. Told you to read it before the Martial Soul Awakening." Han Mei said.
Shui Bing'er felt down hearing Hanrui couldn't make it, quickly perked up after seeing the gift.
She quickly abb excuse and left to get run and opened the letter.
{Bing'er,
If you are reading this letter then i couldn't make it to your birthday, I'm sorry for that, I'll make it up to you later.
I gave this letter and gift to my mother just in case I couldn't make it.
The gift in your hand is called the Foundation Building Pill and Body Strengthening Pill.
I choose those two because your constitution and Martial Soul are too powerful and you might not be able to control it with your weak body.
These 2 pills will help your body grow strong enough to give you enough control of your Martial Soul and constitution.
Take them before your Martial Soul Awakening.
Once again sorry for not being there, Happy Birthday Bing'er.
See you later.}
Shui Bing'er closed the letter, after reading it a few times and looked at the pill box, opened it and took the Foundation Building Pill and started absorbing it.
Shortly after absorbing it she opened her eyes and felt somewhat different but couldn't tell what the difference was, trying a few times and not finding the difference she just ignored it and took the remaining Body Strengthening Pill and popped it into her mouth.
As she started absorbing the pill she felt a difference unlike the previous pill, she physically felt her strength increasing. As her vitality also shot up.
She slowly opened her eyes and looked at her hands and clenched them and unclenched them feeling the power in her fist.
On impulse she threw a punch at the nearby wall, instantly a dent formed in the shape of her fist and spider web-like cracks spread on the wall, her fist as the centre.
Happy but embarrassed she quickly left the room and joined her friends. After everyone left, Han Mei took over the Martial Soul Awakening job for her.
**End of Flash back no jutsu**
"So it was my mother who awakened your Martial Soul. It's Good then, what about your soul ring though?
By my estimates you could hold around a 900 year Soul Ring." He asked as Shui Bing'er explained what happened.
Just as Shui Bing'er was about to reply Han Mei entered the library and refined for her.
"I'll be taking her, I just brought her here to seek your opinion on the soul ring age." Han Mei said.
"Well, I suggest taking it slow for her, although with some assistance she should be able to absorb a 1000 year soul ring.
Her body needs to adjust to the control she has over her Martial Soul and Body so, it's better not to put too much pressure." Hanrui replied.
Han Mei nodded and took shui bing'er with her while Xue Li followed her grandson to the carriage along with Xiao Wu.
While Zi Ji and Bi Ji decided to fly home. Everyone took their path and left that afternoon.
While somewhere in fanso province a boy shuddered as if a beast locked on to him.