"We are leaving the palace tomorrow," she disclosed.

"Huh!"

​​

"We absolutely cannot stay in the palace for long," she responded, understanding their urge to stay in the palace at least for a while but from her experience of how the royal family works, she definitely doesn't want to stay another day in the palace unless it is part of the fourth prince plans.

- - - - - - - - --

"If you can't master this technique then don't even dream of leaving here today!" Meng Hui threatened as she walked amidst the disciples who were training, her strictness today was worse than normal times, that is when she is angry.

She was still bothered with the look he had on his face when she told him the disciples went to close to the cave to get some herbs, she folded her arms on her chest as her mind drifted in thought being unaffected by the breezy noise the disciple was making because of their wind skill practice.

"Meng Hui," a voice called from behind, she turned around to see one of the masters of the wind sect in charge of their sword training standing behind her with his arms folded behind him, she quickly walked up to him.

"Master," she greeted with a slight bow which he responded to with a faint smile.

"Where is the young master?" he inquired, she dropped her hands and held her sword tighter, somehow, that question makes her feel uneasy even if she knows where he is and what he is doing.

"He went outside the sect to take care of some matters, is anything wrong?"

"Ah...it is nothing, I just wanted to have a talk with you two and the advanced disciples, the sect leader has instructed that everyone should start preparing for the martial hero's competition," he answered with a faint smile on his lips.

His answer brought her into deep thought, she remembered the reason why she has been practising so hard, it is not for herself to win the competition but to assist Lin Bohai in clearing the obstacles on his way to emerging as the winner.

"Ah...don't worry master, I will tell him when he returns," she responded with a reassuring look on her face, the master nodded his head in satisfaction then he took a glance at the disciples who were still training, he exhaled deeply and walked away.

After he was gone, she folded her arms on her chest and exhaled deeply, she wondered what Bohai would do if he meets Huo Ying in the competition since he was so reluctant to fight her the last time.

{Huo Ying, I will use the competition to show you that the wind sect is the supreme sect}

Meanwhile, Bohai who was still worried about Huo Lan arrived at the spot where he promised to meet her at the same time they separated, he was nervous and anxious wondering what might have caused her to be late.

He wanted to take her out of the sect to see what the bustling streets are like and what it feels like to really be free, despite the danger but he made sure he prepared everything in advance so they won't be caught.

{Did she get caught without my knowledge?}

{Did something bad happen to her?}

{Why isn't she here yet}

{Perharps she is unable to leave the cave}

{It's alright, she shouldn't have been able to leave the cave in the first place}

With all these thoughts running through his mind, he decided to leave, concluding that she must have had her own difficulty preventing her from meeting up, he turned around to leave when he heard her voice.

"Bohai," she called in a soft tone with a bright smile on her lips, he turned back around and reciprocated the smile upon seeing her, he subconsciously let out a sigh of relief when he walked up to her at a fast pace.

He stood still when he arrived at her front then he sighed again and pulled her to his chest, hugging her.

He inhaled the smell of her hair that soothed his mind.

He realized just how anxious and worried he was now that she is in his arms, she raised her arms in confusion at his sudden hug then she slowly wrapped her arms around his back.

She felt everything she has ever thought about, cried about and concerned about just disappear like it never existed in his arms just like when she slept in her sister's embrace.

She didn't think that anyone apart from her family and sect members can make her feel this way.

"You...how did you know my name, I don't remember telling you," he whispered into her ear.

"I heard that person calling you Bohai so I figured that must be your name,"

He released her from his embrace and smiled faintly, he wished she didn't have to hear his name from someone else mouth but from his own mouth.

"Do you not want to know who I am and who that person was?" he questioned with a quizzical expression on his face, he wondered if she would still love him if she knows that he is not just a disciple of the sect but the young master of the wind sect which makes her his enemy and hin, her enemy as long as their families and sects remain hostile to each other.

"Hmmm....No, I just want you to be my pretty face," she cupped his face and giggled heartily.

He smiled but not heartily, he wasn't sure if it is a good thing that she doesn't care or a bad thing but for now, he decided not to tell her.

"Do you want to leave the sect?"

"Huh....what are you talking about, you know I can't leave the sect unless..." her face turned downcast, his words reminded her of how beautiful the outside world seemed when she left the sect for a day.

Although she didn't have the chance to mingle with people or even see what the streets looked like, the memory is still etched in her heart.

"If you want, I can take you out of the sect," he watched her expression keenly, even though he wasn't sure of what he was looking for.

"Really!" she exclaimed with a look of disbelief mixed with hope.

"As long as you want it," he nodded in affirmation at which she nodded her head frantically.

"I want to, I want to...but how," the excitement on her face faded remembering that it is impossible for her to appear in the public with her appearance not to talk of leaving the sect.

"Change into this," he handed a piece of baggage to her, she curiously collected it and opened it but to her surprise, he prepared a female disciple's uniform for her to wear and a hat with a long black veil over it but that still didn't assure her it is entirely safe to go out of the sect.

"But, I can't leave the sect with this, what if I am recognised, I don't want you to get into trouble because of me and..."

"Don't worry, I have everything arranged, just trust me," he placed his hands on her shoulders and leaned in plaster a kiss on her forehead.

He drew back and gazed at her reassuringly to which she nodded and looked around for somewhere appropriate to change.

He stood to watch and looked around for anyone passing by, that part of the sect is deserted and there are very few people passing by because of the effect of her outburst which can affect anyone inside and close to the cave except for Su Ci.

"Done," she remarked as she walked to his front, she opened the parting in the veil to show her face with a hearty giggle.

He smiled and covered the parting with a warning telling her not to open it even when they are outside.

"Follow me," he held her hand and walked at a fast pace until they got to the place where the back gate of the sect is located, he hid her behind a closeby tree blocking the view of the guards at the gate then he squatted beside her and searched for a stone.

"When I reach the guards, count to three and throw this stone towards that direction," he instructed and handed the stone to her while she nodded reassuringly then he stood up and walked gingerly towards the gate.

"Young master," the disciples guarding the gate greeted as soon as they sighted him.

"How are you doing?"

The disciples were a bit flustered by his question, they glanced at each other before nodding positively.

Thud!

They flinched at the sound.

"Go check it out," he instructed them, the two disciples immediately ran towards the direction where they heard the noise come from then he waved his hands, signalling her that it is safe to come out.

She quickly scurried over to where he is then he held her hand and started sprinting before the disciples' return.

After a while of checking and cross-checking, they returned to their post but there were surprised to see that he was already gone.