Dark coagulated blood dripped from the corner of her mouth, she leaned her back against the wall then sighed deeply with her eyes closed.

She placed her hands on her chest then squeezed it tight.

​​

With the support of the wall, she walked towards where Huo Lan is seated but she just watched her from afar as a motherly smile formed on her lips.

"Huo Lan, as long as you can gain your freedom, I will give my life for it," she wiped the blood at the corner of her lips.

- - - - -

"Huo Ying!" Huo Lian called as she looked around all the training spots in the sect to find Huo Ying who seems to be secluding herself from the rest of the sect, she finally found herself in the least expected place.

"What are you doing here?" she questioned as she walked towards Huo Ying who is on the grassland where they normally train in archery and also horse riding.

"I should be asking you that question," Huo Ying responded with her hand still fixated on the target as she pulled the large bow in her hand with the feather of the metal arrow causing her blisters, Huo Lian widened her eyes at the sight of the bow and arrow.

She stormed closer to her then grabbed the bow just as Huo Lan was about to fire.

"Are you crazy?! this is the misty rage" she screamed.

"Let go," she hissed with her eyes still fixed on the target and determination evident in her eyes.

"Even the sect leader struggles to pull this bow, let me tell you, Huo Ying you are overestimating yourself," she continued with her hand holding the bow tighter, a part of her wants to let go of the bow because she knows the moment someone who doesn't have the power to pull the bow lets go of the string then that person's arm will be broken with a serious internal injury that might even lead to death, even though she has a bit of envy in her heart, she still can't let her do that to herself.

"I know, that is why I have trained so much to increase my arm strength,"

"Stil..."

"Let go," she hissed again with a hint of threat in her voice.

She didn't want to make Huo Ying flare up again and the little seed of hate in her heart made her let go of the bow.

She tried to stretch the bow further but she couldn't, still, she decided to fire it, she is indeed overestimating herself even if she doesn't know it.

She closed her eyes then sighed deeply before opening it again, she loosened her finger to let go of the bow but before the string could leave her hand, a stone suddenly knocked the bow off her hand causing the arrow to hit the ground just a few meters away from her.

She winced then turned to the spot where the arrow landed, a deep frown and a look of anger enveloped her face as she turned towards the direction where the arrow came from.

"Huo Bingchen..." she hissed silently as he walked towards her with his hands at his back and a mocking smirk on his face.

"Huo Bingchen," she pronounced louder.

The smirk on his face widened.

"You really overestimate yourself, just because your cultivation suddenly increased doesn't mean you are now stronger than your father, who do you think you are to pull the misty rage?" He just wanted to rile her up, after all, it has been a long while since he has been a jerk to her.

"Huo Bingchen, don't cross me,"

He narrowed his eyes as he looked into her eyes, he could see her desperation, her desperate effort to become stronger in order to help her sister gain her freedom, in fact, they all know Huo Ying doesn't believe Huo Lan can hone her power.

To her, Huo Lan is a little sister who needs her protection from the harsh world that has taken away her family and happiness and to give her back what she lost, she is willing to do anything.

"Cross you..." he scoffed then moved closer to her.

"Even if you want to become more powerful, this is not the way, if something happens to you because of your stubbornness, do you think you can still help your sister, you should believe in her...after all, she is your beloved sister," he really doesn't want to speak like this to her but he can't help himself, he wondered what he would do if he was Huo Ying.

"Huo Ying, listen to Bingchen, you are already powerful enough, you are almost on par with Huo Li and as you know, there is hardly anyone in our generation that is capable of defeating Huo Li,"

Huo Ying sighed then rubbed her forehead, she tilted her head backwards to resist the tears that threaten to fall.

She has been troubled by the consequences of Huo Lan being unable to hone her power, the people already think of her as a threat and if that is truly confirmed on that day, she might even get killed not to talk of being imprisoned forever.

She couldn't hold it anymore, she threw her hands around Huo Lian who wrapped her arm around her back as she wept aloud on her shoulder.

"I just came here to tell you that the sect madam has called us, when you are done you should come," he sighed then walked away.

{I wonder just how much pain you hold in your heart, you never cried in front of me but...}

He thought as he walked away.

Huo Lian was also in thought as she patted her back, if Huo Mei was in the same situation as Huo Lan then she might not even be this strong.

After consoling her, they made their way towards the sect hall where they met the elders and the other guardians already there including Huo Li and the main disciples of the advanced disciples.

"Mother,"

"Sect madam,"

They greeted in unison then they stood at the side of the hall where the others were standing.

"Since we are all here then I will not beat around the bush, in the upcoming Martial hero contest, Li Bing, Wu Que, Mo Tian, you will all fight in the martial heroes contest, no one else is to participate" she announced, the elders and everyone else looked at her in confusion.

"Mother, you have always taught us never to underestimate out enemy, they might be advanced disciples but what if-"

"There is not what if, even if the situation arises then only the guardians are allowed to fight, you and Huo Li are to sit back," she ordered with a firm authoritative tone.

In saying that, the elders already understood her intention.

"Mother, I have been training very hard for that day, how can you suddenly say that I can't fight in the contest,"

"Master, I have also been preparing myself, there is hardly any chance to have a real contest, please I can't miss this opportunity," Huo Li pleaded.

"Sect madam's intention is already clear, if our advanced disciples can defeat the young masters of the other sect then it means that the strengths of the guardians and the young mistress are great and it will also help us hide our strength," the third elder explained but they were still not satisfied.

"Nothing you say will change my mind and if the situation doesn't call for it, the guardians are not allowed to participate,"

"Sect madam, Lin Bohai is not to be underestimated. I heard he is regarded as the genius cultivator of our generation," Huo Qiang added being the cautious person he is, he has already gathered some information that they didn't know whilst they were in seclusion.

"We don't have to worry about this, as long as none of you guardians can win him then it is best we forget about winning," she firmly responded.

"There is something else that we are all forgetting, now that the flame sect has come out of seclusion, it is only right that you attend the emperor's birthday," the first elder reminded.

"Why is that? We belong to the jianghu world," Huo Mei questioned while they all looked confused.

You all don't know this but since the four major sect originated from the royal family then we are still somehow tied to the royal family," he explained.

"That's right, I almost forgot about this issue, in that case then Huo Qiang and Huo Ying will accompany me to the palace, that is all,"

She glanced at them all before standing up from her seat to leave the hall while Huo Li followed behind her.

They all looked dissatisfied, the guardians knew that even if she let them fight it will only be in a desperate situation, as for Huo Ying, after her experience in the court, she really wants to visit the palace again.

But then she remembered what the first elder just said...{Does that mean I and my sister are princesses?}