"I see." The Grandmaster his tea. "I am uo stop you. I have learhat much so far iime we have known each other. Do you already know how to get to Sea God Isnd? It is ly close by."

  "I thought of hiring meraries, like Yule and the others from the guild. That always worked well, and I afford it. Or maybe join one of the trading Caravans of the Damians family as a Spirit Master. I fight for my own well enough." She said and shrugged her shoulders. "Haven't thought that far yet."

  "In that case, may I suggest something." He said, and she nodded.

  "Ask Ning R." He told her. "She is the young mistress of the Seven Treasured Gss Pagoda, and one of her honorary uncles is the Sword Douluo."

  "Seriously?" she asked, and the Grandmaster nodded. " Though I don't think they would ask one of the Douluo to apany a little girl, eve's R donig the asking."

  "Mhh. I wouldn't be too sure of that." The Grandmaster said. "I believe you may uimate your potential."

  "Grandmaster, I am many things; humble is not among them." She noted dryly.

  "How about you let me finish my point." He grumbled back. "What I mean to say is. You have always been surrounded by people like Tang San ale each of them possessing, in their own way, an immense amount of potential and talent in their prospective fields. That is not the norm, believe me; even among them, you always shih your immense spirit, power, and stubbornness. You are a taleang Yin, someone everyone wishes to recruit et on the good side of. If only for your potential alone and for the possibility of a friendly retionship one day, because the only thing you will do if you don't die is grow. So if you politely let drop you wish to learn the sword, and the request es through Ning R, it's not that impossible for them to send the Sword Doulou; even if not, they would never dare to send just another spirit master, they will send someone who knows their way around a sword. It will be in their own i, to build a powerful e to more theremely talented spirit master, after all you and your brother are a package deal."

  "High words from you, Grandmaster. Alright, I will try. I mean nothing to lose." She grinned, and then her grin turned wry. "I just o break those o my bro."

  The Grandmaster dipped his tea. "Now, that is where you are alone."

  "Yeah, sure." She leaned bad finished her water. "That I guessed already."

  "Good luck."

  "I think I am going to ." She sighed. Alright, I'll try taking Ning R. If that doesn't work, I'll just go with the inal pns and hire someone else or just join one of Damian's father's Caravans. I mean, usually, they do take along spirit masters for free, even someone as young as me."

  She smiled at him as she got up a with a nod of her head as a thanks for the advice.

  Oside, she saw that her brother was already waiting for her, sitting on a fence close by. She walked over to him and grinned. "How is the air up there?"

  "It's fine," he said and jumped down. "Penny for your thoughts?" he asked her, and she flihinking about it now was a time like never before, but then she had wao tell him about her choice at the right moment. But when was the right moment, when would the right moment e? There was he right moment to break the o someone.

  So swift.

  "I am going to leave Shrek." She told him, and he blinked before nodding.

  "Alright. Then I'll o get everything ready. Tell the director we will be leaving..."

  "Without you, " she added, ailled as if she had just said something he couldn't believe. "I am going alone."

  He stared at her. "No," he said, as if she were saying something so outndish he would never sider it, and she sighed.

  "Shreck is the right pce for you, bro, but...I don't think it's for me. I love the people here, the atmosphere, and everything. There is er school, but you know it as well as I do, maybe eveer." She stared at her hand. "The only pce with a perma solution for my special issue is Spirit Hall," she stilled. "Or Sea God Isnd."

  "Yes, I uand. That's why I say we go there together." He said puzzled and started walking towards their dorm rooms. "I don't uand why you o go there alone. I mean, we learogether as well: I am not that far behind you in terms of spirit power, and Xiao Wu and Ning Feng will e along as well."

  "No. Tang San."She said and looked at him. "I o do this. I o go there to bee stronger. Something like that that happened in the forest is not going to happen again. I want to be able to protect you betetr one day. When I am with you, I will always rely on you because you are responsible. I will not watch you take stant responsibility for me; risk it all for me when it es down to it. I know you will; even if I end up a wreck, you still care for me. But I don't want that, not for you, for Xiao Wu, or myself. To do that and to survive, I need ge. Not to tio rely on you. This isn't just a spur-in-the-moment thing; I have been thinking about this for a while now."

  He stilled and took her hand, looking at her. "But we have always been together. You have always been doing your thing too. I don't mind being the responsible oher. I don't mind taking care of you; you are my sister, my family. I don't care what happens; I just want to be together. Are you sure?"

  "Yes, I am." She smiled at him. "I'm sure, Bro. For us both, I will go away. I will e back, and then I will make a mess out of your life as usual. I will be fetful, annoying, and make you want to scream. But I will no longer be pletely depe on you. I will ensure you rely on me as much as I am on you."

  "Alright, I will always support you...so. Go ahead." he said and sighed, then sprang into worriesome brother. She could see the ge in his expression. "Have you thought about how to get there yet? I mean, it's a long way to the sea. Also, you must pack; you always fet things and spend a lot of money. I will also have to make you pack emergency food and everything: raincoats, boots, pants, and cutlery. I o make a list. Usually, I hahe finances myself, but I put the money into a bank and then name us both full authorities so you get it anywhere. If I put in more work I also make enough to support you better. And you need a ste tool and everything. I think I saw o an au a few weeks ago. It's a lot of stuff. I also o hire a guard."

  "San." she interrupted him. "Tang San."

  "Yes."

  "I am going to be fine, " she said. "Don't worry too much. Teically, I am in my thirties—mentally, in theory. Also I my own money. I am a good artist, a educated spirit master and a det Bcksmith. I mean nowhere your level but good enough."

  "I am your brother, " he said and then hugged her, making her ugh. "It's my job to worry and you will need all the support you get, and I want you to be able to fully trate on your studies and not worry about stuff like that."

  "I know, and I love you for it and that is why I want the same for you." She leaned upwards and pecked his cheek. He gred at her before his arm curled around her as he leaned his head on her shoulder.

  "What am I going to do without you." He muttered. "We have never been apart for long ever since we were born."

  "You will be just fine. " she stated and pressed down tightly on his hand. Then they saw Ma Honjun and waved at him. He waved back while he walked to the Grandmaster's pce passing them.