I'm sorry for the delay. The last few days were instead occupied since I (after nearly two years, thanks to Corona) met with an old and very dear friend.
The way back was actually relaxing, almost comfortable. Tang Yin discovered that her first spirit ability included the perks of varying the thickness of the ranks she used. Some were as thick as tree trunks, others thin as spider silk.
Lize, Ari, and Yule observed the kids with growing fascination and fear. Their abilities and skills grew alarmingly, even more so for the Tang twins. Even though Tang Yin's spirit power was under control for now, it was clear that she would break through the thirties before anyone else.
During their march, Ning Feng and Yu Hua joined Tang San's and Tang Yin's morning routine, which included meditation. But, instead, Tang San meditated, and Tang Yin sat beside him, drawing into the muddy ground with her left hand and failing miserably.
Ning Feng and Yu Hua also started to meditate but understood after a while that they had done something wrong. Tang Yin finally decided to stop moping and showed them how to move and a few modern exercises. Yu Hua got them down rather quickly, but Ning Feng struggled.
After their exercises, Ning Feng often had to be carried for a while due to exhaustion.
Two days after the storm, they finally returned to more known parts of Spirit Forest and knew they were heading the right way.
Then, Tang Yin saw Ning Feng and Tang San talking to each other a bit farther away from the rest while she took out her meal for Jiang, as promised. So she put down the stew from this evening and walked towards them, already guessing what was going on from Tang San's troubled expression.
"Still about joining Tang Sect?" She asked, and Ning Feng nodded.
"Yes, she is determined she will not regret it even though we have little money and only a few resources.", Tang San said, and Ning Feng nodded, uncommonly eager.
"I-I t-thought about i-it, I w-will join T-Tang Sect a-and leave S-Seven Treasures, t-the only thing there that m-means something t-to me is my m-mommy an-anyway, and s-she will n-not blame m-me. So I want to w-walk my o-own w-way.", Ning Feng said and cuddled her teddy. It was a habit she noticed that Ning Feng did when she felt unsure of herself or was making a decision.
"Okay, as the Vice Master, welcome to Tang Sect." Tang Yin held her hand, and Ning Feng took it, smiling.
"Thank you for having me.", she answered and smiled brightly, taking Tang Yin's hand.
"You are welcome.", Tang San said and looked at her, "You are now number three."
Smiling and chatting, they headed back to close the fire where the others were already eating.
"You left us something, right?" Tang Yin said happily and looked into the large pot. Empty. "That's a joke, right?" she asked, and the others shook their head, "It has to be a joke; there was a lot."
"hahaha hahaha." Lize started to laugh, and the others joined in, "Gods, your expression." she wheezed between laughing, and Tang Yin was not very amused about that but had to laugh anyway at her own stupidity. For a moment, she thought they really had eaten it all.
"Now, where is it?" she asked, and the Grandmaster pointed next to him where Luo San Pao was lying and guarded three bowls of stew with a bright smile on his face.
"T-thanks for g-guarding." Ning Feng muttered, and the three of them took their bowls, happily wolfing down their food when a cry was uttered and had all of them turning and jumping into action.
"Pack your stuff, kids!" Yule shouted, and everyone hurried up, gathering their things together.
"What kind of spirit Beast is it?" When he was picked up by Lize, who was shoving her duffel bag into Tang Sans's hands, Yu Hua asked but received no answer. "Can you and your Sis manage to keep up?" She asked, and Tang San nodded.
"We are fast enough."
"Not even dinner!" Tang Yin whined, rushing after them, using her Spirit ability to catapult herself forward.
Lize stormed forward, closely followed by the Grandmaster. Ning Feng ran by herself until Yule picked her up and the Tang twins in the middle by themseles.