Tang Yin giggled and turned in her bed.

No one had caught up yet. Not even Bro or Dai Mubai. She was still the strongest at Shrek...alongside Jiang. 

"Although I need to continue working hard so the others won't catch up." She pulled her fist towards the ceiling, feeling a surge of motivation, and then crossed her legs to meditate. But once she did her thoughts wandered to him. Shaking it off she spoke to herself. 

"You are not a naive little thing that let's itself controlled by her lovestruckness. You are confident, strong and no one will hurt you again. Matter of fact...he probably really had no bad intentions. Now focus." 

She closed her eyes the energy flowed into her as she redirected most of it into her wings on pure habit.

She could try her other spirit bone as well. She focused on it and felt the warmth spreading through it. It was like pouring water into a broken jar; it shook it all up, and she hiccuped. 

If her new skill consumed as much spirit power as the spirit bone did. Well damn, she was in trouble and needed to use it sparingly. 

This was more than what Lock consumed on a superior opponent. 

Holy Moly. 

"I have to tell Jiang." She muttered, her memory flashed to him. Why had she thought about him before her brother? 

"Because you like him, dummy." She muttered. "Damn it..."

My taste in men really is not the best. But I guess it makes sense, I am now a teenager physically, at fourteen, meaning hormones all the way through and more. Wait, what if it gets worse once I'm fifteen or sixteen? Oh god. I thought these times were over. I don't wanna be a hormone-controlled idiot again. 

And embarrassing teen stories, she did have enough. Some even still remembered. She sighed. Well, it seemed like she was going to go through that again. 

"Damn. But remember you are strong and confident."

She muttered and then rose from her bed. "For now, sit-ups. Why am I talking to myself again. Probably because no one is around to talk to." 

She got out of her comfy wear and then changed into loose training clothes. Fixing weights on her limbs, she settled on the ground and started doing sit-ups. Moving helped when thinking after all. 

She also needed to go running later. 

Pulling up the stairs, she stopped as someone knocked at her door. Surprised, she blinked. This time of the day. Sweat through, she got up and opened the door. In front of her was the receptionist with a smile on his face. 

"I was asked to deliver this for you from master Chen Xin, the sword douluo. He said you would know what it is about." 

"Oh, sure. Thank you." She took the wrapped-up delivery and then closed the door. 

Opening it up. On top of it was a letter.

For Tang Yin. 

She unfolded it and started reading. 

Little Yin. I have sent you the clothes and all you need for tomorrow. An empty spirit identification and a few clothes. It is a formal wear and attire event. I was not sure if you had anything suitable with you, as the dress code states that guest should have their backs properly covered, so I sent you something along. 

Please wear it tomorrow alongside the attached veil and shawl. While there is no harm in people noticing your relation to Tang San, he has made quite a few enemies, so it will be safer for you to stay unrecognized. I am sure your brother would suggest the same. 

The dress was an impression. She took it out. White silver with blue highlights. Delicately crafted iron embellishments. She mused for a moment on how to get into it when she spotted that the leaned on a corset structure closed in front. Meaning she could help with her teeth well enough to not need help getting into it. 

A clip was added with a bow and a glass moon. 

It was a luxurious dress that screamed a bit too much, but in a way that made it almost fluffy or cute instead of tacky. 

It was a dress to wear to give up a cute, innocent first impression. She raised an eyebrow...well, curious indeed, even though she had to thank Yu Hua that she even knew about that. 

"Guess I'll be playing the innocent cutie?" She muttered and then placed the dress down. 

Back to training, she could still admire it later on. For now, a bit of mock rope jumping. 

After all, she would need to be in top shape once she got to swim against the sharks of Poseidon. 

A few guests passed by as she trained, but none spoke to her as she continued her training. Jumping up and down rhythmically with her weights while moving one of her arms as if she were holding a jumping rope. 

Afterwards, she balanced on a rock by the shore of the small pond. She started with balancing exercises and simple swordsmanship maneuvers moving slowly more complex. Since being off balance due to still getting adjusted to her missing arm, she still felt slow and awkward while doing so, but it did get better. Her movements slowly became more balanced as the wooden blade in her hand danced and cut through the air, almost dancing around the pool. 

"It's better if you do that, maybe with your martial soul." Suddenly, a voice interrupted her, and she turned around. "Gets you better results." 

She turned, seeing a young woman with a cocky smile.

"Not that I should know. I ain't a spirit master, but a bird whispered to me." The unfamiliar woman wore a golden and white dress, her hair pinned back meticulously. 

"Mhh, you got a point. But my martial soul is not a blade. Swordsmanship is my martial arts." She told her and placed the sword onto the ground, leaning on it. 

"Interesting choice for one that only has one arm." The woman mustered her. "And are not even what? Ten, Eleven maybe?" 

"Fourteen." She helpfully provided. "And the one arm thing is a recent circumstance." 

The woman snorted. "Well, I guess why your career is over then." She then pointed at the wooden sword. "And that cheap thing is too long for you as well." 

Yin shrugged. It was not like she cared, and the fact was. It had the length of her moonflower swords. 

"I don't care." She said. "It's my choice, no?" 

"Yes. And it is also my choice to ask you to stop using the gardens I paid extra for to have a view of as a training spot. I intend to enjoy flowers and tranquility, not watching a female boar training. It might not be forbidden, and you certainly are not the first spirit master to have the audacity to do so, but I have no wish to watch it."  She pointed out, and Yin walked up to her. 

"Maybe try with politeness." She said. "More successful, and those chopsticks of yours might need a little exercise, too. You'd be surprised how much that does for you, even without being a spirit master." She commented and then walked away. "I am almost done anyway." 

"Rude commoner spirit masters!" The woman cursed. "One can truly expect little of them. If only all of them were as genteel as Shrek's Devils, then the world would be easier." 

I am one of Shrek's devils. 

Tang Yin added mentally, a slight amusement but wrapped up her training. The woman did have a point.