Chapter 35: Travel Preparations - Part 1
Azhula was stunned.
She hurried to hand over the Star-Shifting manual without hesitation.
She watched as Riven flipped through it slowly.
Selene, sensing his needs, gently approached the table and carefully prepared the Spirit Ink.
She tucked up one sleeve and handed him the inked brush with the other hand.
The entire sequence unfolded like a dance, marked by silent understanding between them.
Azhula stood to the side, watching, her heart quietly aching with envy.
This kind of silent connection...
This kind of natural warmth...
She hoped one day she could have someone who understood her as deeply as that.
Riven sat down at the table.
His calligraphy was swift and sharp, yet graceful.
A lifetime of scholarly elegance has been built through dedication and continuous effort, shaping a style that is truly one of a kind.
He dipped the brush, swiftly writing three missing lines, each composed of elegant Martial characters, filling in the gaps within the manual.
When Azhula leaned over again to look, she immediately felt the difference.
The entire manual seemed to breathe differently. The character glows and shifts like stars.
The meanings are connected; the art is complete.
That was the mystery of ancient martial scriptures.
One missing word, one misplaced verse, and the entire art could collapse.
Riven swept his fingers across the drying ink, his pure yang energy instantly baking it dry.
He handed the restored manual back to Azhula.
"There," he said calmly. "Now it’s complete. You can practice safely."
Azhula clutched it tightly, deeply moved.
She lowered her head, her voice soft and guilty.
"Your Highness, I didn’t know the manual the Young Master gave was incomplete. Maybe he didn’t do it intentionally..."
She was defending Murong Fu. But even she realized how retarded her words sounded.
How can an ancient manual lose verses and crucial concepts without deliberate action?
She was terrified Riven might decide to take revenge.
At the same time, bitterness rose in her heart.
She and Azira had entered the Duke’s residence on Murong Fu’s command.
And Murong Fu still sent a faulty manual?
If Riven had been a ruthless man...
They would have been dead the moment he discovered the betrayal.
.........
Murong Fu, have you ever stopped to consider the safety of Azhula and Azira?
Such methods... were beneath contempt.
Azhula’s heart grew heavier by the moment, her mind tangled in anxiety.
Seeing the fidgeting girl, Riven Ashvale threw his head back and laughed heartily.
"Hahahaha.... a mere manual is nothing," he said, voice warm and easy. "The real treasures Lord Murong gave me are Azhula and Azira."
"Ah...?" Azhula froze for a moment. His words seemed to echo in her mind.
The more she repeated his words, Azhula’s face warmed with a deep red flush as she gazed down at the floor.
The words were so blunt! Too direct, but... somewhere in her chest, a soft sweetness bloomed.
In His Highness’s eyes... she and Azira mattered more than some secret martial art.
She clenched her hands into her skirt, trying to steady her racing heart.
Selene Virelyn, standing nearby, gave Riven’s arm a small, swift pinch.
Without waiting for him to react, she turned to Azhula with a bright smile.
"Azhula," she said lightly, "after we change our appearances, I’ll send you back to the Peony Manor."
Her voice carried a gentle teasing.
"You’re smart and quick-witted. My mother will finally meet her match."
Hearing this, Azhula straightened her back, her eyes earnest.
"Your Highness, Sister Selene, please rest assured. I will do my very best. But... if I leave, what about Azira?"
Riven answered without hesitation, his tone steady.
"Don’t worry. Azira will come with us. She’ll stay by Selene’s side during the journey."
Traveling in pairs.
It sounded almost idyllic.
Still, Riven and Selene were both relatively new to the Martial world, young and untested.
Not exactly suited for traveling alone just yet.
They weren’t leaving to suffer hardship or test their endurance.
They were setting out to seize opportunities and to spread his name in the Sundawn lands.
So why not bring along some maids and trusted people? Enjoy the journey properly, with comfort and safety.
Azhula felt a wave of relief wash over her.
His Highness truly is thoughtful and kind...
She knew better than anyone how brutal it could be to wander the martial world.
If things were poorly arranged, they could easily end up sleeping under trees or roughing it in the wild.
He’s probably more careful since Selene is coming along with him.
......
Inside the Green Plum Cottage—
Azira curled up tightly under her quilt, her thin, delicate shoulders trembling in the cool night air.
The dim light from the moon seeped through the window, casting shadows that danced across the walls, echoing her unease.
Soft, choked sobs filled the silence of the night, a sound that seemed to amplify the loneliness surrounding her.
"Big Sister... where are you?" she whimpered, her voice barely above a whisper, but heavy with fear.
"Azira is so scared..."
She felt the darkness wrapping around her, a cold embrace that sent shivers down her spine.
Creak...
Azira, who was already scared, felt her heart stop for a moment when she heard her sister’s voice.
"Zira"
The little girl flung the quilt open and looked at the girl who entered the room.
Getting out of bed, she ran towards her older sister.
"Sister!"
Azira cried out, tears spilling down as she threw herself into her sister’s arms.
Azhula caught her, hugging her tightly, her voice low and soothing.
"I’m here, sis. It’s okay now. It’s okay."
Azira clung to her desperately, her body still shaking.
"I... I thought... You weren’t coming back," she sobbed.
"Shh," Azhula murmured, brushing her fingers gently through Azira’s hair. "How could I leave you behind? Silly girl."
Azira wiped her face on Azhula’s sleeve, sniffling.
"But... but I was so scared. It was dark... and cold... and you weren’t here..."
"I know," Azhula whispered, her heart aching as she hugged her little sister.