The Emperor and the Dragon

Lantern Festival pt. 1

Back to the Past

   Time flies by ever since Luo Binghe completed his task of being Shen Yuan's student. Shen Yuan would occasionally pit Luo Binghe and Shā Huálíng together for a spar, but it always ends the same way each time. He was hoping this could help build their relation, as his students, but it was only wishful thinking. For instance, at this very moment, Luo Binghe was pitifully pinned by Shā Huálíng's red robes as she grins down at him with a shark-like grin.

   "Haha...you lost again, Shixiong!" Luo Binghe would struggle against her binding robes but it was a lost cause. Shen Yuan rubs his aching temple, "Huálíng, please stop terrorizing your senior brother." After the whole debacle of Luo Binghe and the boulder, Shā Huálíng had been trying to one-up him in various situations. Hunting, sparring, identifying plants and beasts, to name a few.

   "But Shifu, he's so weak. Even the weaklings at my sect could beat him!" Shā Huálíng steps off of Luo Binghe's chest and retracts the robes that had him pinned down, with a pout on her face while doing so. There was a method to her madness, Shen Yuan knew. The demonic race has always held the ideology that strength is what makes a person powerful; how else could one survive in a world such as the demonic realm with no strength. It would virtually be impossible. From highborn demons, such as herself, and to even lowborn demons, were taught this lesson, either the hard way or the traditional way in a household. That's why Shen Yuan couldn't stay mad at her, for this was what she had known all her life. It wouldn't be fair for him to do that, but he also knew it wouldn't be fair for Luo Binghe either.

    He could see how his older student's hands clenched into a fist; the boy made no move to retaliate, which was a good sign at least. Shen Yuan ushers Shā Huálíng away from the boy to give him some space and attempts to talk some sense into her, explaining that Luo Binghe didn't have the same advantages as she did. "Do you understand now Huálíng? Before your senior brother met me, he had no prior mentor and cultivation." Shā Huálíng huffs loudly and turns her head away from Shen Yuan with her arms crossed atop her chest. "So? That doesn't give him an excuse for being weak." Shen Yuan intuitively raises his sleeve to hide the frown that rests on his face, furrowed brows. What could he say? What should he say? She believes her words are true; a person with a firm belief in something was someone dangerous. It came from deep within, fear. There was something in her eyes, something that she wasn't telling him.

    As an outsider, he didn't have any rights to pry in her business. But as her teacher, it wouldn't be wrong for him to want to know about her wellbeing or her struggles. Although there were certain boundaries he won't cross, he wants her to tell him about her troubles, herself; he will not force it out of her. "And why do you say that?"

    Shā Huálíng flashes him a weird look, but she still takes the time to think over his question. Over time her face gradually gets frustrated, knit brows, she tries to explain, "Because...well, if you're weak that means," Huálíng takes a shaky breath before continuing, "that means you are nothing; you are worthless." The latter part was said so silent, almost as if she was speaking, no...repeating the words of someone else. She was fully turned in his direction now; her eyes were dim and bottomless.

Those were not words said by a ten-year-old. No, those words came from another source.

    Hearing it was much worse than thinking about it, Shen Yuan thought. It doesn't surprise him the slightest that she said this, but it pains him to hear how quiet and distant she got. Shen Yuan reaches out and pulls her into a hug, patting her little back. "No, being weak doesn't make you worthless nor does it mean you are nothing. Whoever told you that was wrong."

    "But father is never wrong, being powerful is the only way to be happy. If I'm not strong, how could I call myself a member of the Shā clan?"

    "Is power the only way to be happy," Shen Yuan gives Shā Huálíng some room, by pulling away then starting again, "sometimes it's alright to show weakness. Courage and endurance come from our weakness and vulnerability; it's the byproduct of strength. So don't cut yourself short Huálíng, you are a person as well; it's normal to show and have a weakness."

"Really?" Hesitation. Eyes wide.

    Shen Yuan playfully pokes at her glowing demonic mark and smiles down at her. "Yes, really." She returns his smile with one of her own.

"Shifu...can I request something?" Amused, Shen Yuan nods his head in acceptance.

    "Can you hug me again?" Blink. Blink. Hm. Not what he was expecting her to say, but seeing how red she was turning, Shen Yuan happily complied. He gently wraps his arms around her and lightly pats her braided hair. She reminds him of Luo Binghe, both were so sticky. Oh, that reminds him!

    "When we go back you have to apologize to your senior brother, alright? Instead of making fun of his disadvantage, how about you show him how to be as good as you? It wouldn't be fair if you two fought on different footings, plus it would be more challenging for you, wouldn't you say?"

"Hmph, fine. I'll try to apologize."

"Good."

    The two made their way back to the training ground where they last left Luo Binghe. Shā Huálíng walks up to where Luo Binghe was busy with his sword practice and speaks to him in low tones for the first time. Shen Yuan was glad to help the two's relationship improve to a much more better position than what it was before. Shā Huálíng suddenly brightens from something Luo Binghe just told her and runs back to where Shen Yuan stood. She pulls on his front robe with eyes filled with newfound liveliness. "Shifu, we have to go to the lantern festival tonight!"