The Wudu Palace

Yú Yìfēi muttered angrily to herself as she planned on some torture methods for her best friend, glancing at the Ruyi Pavilion she couldn't find her best friend beyond irritated she stomped towards the Main Hall in a final search but as if the Heavens were laughing at her she found it empty, it was only her and the light breeze present, swaying the light blue curtains as well as her white robes like a mother swaying her child to sleep.

The vein on her forehead popped, and she shouted, "BÀI SHUÎYUÊ WHERE ARE YOU ?"

A maid came rushing to the Main Hall, scared for her life, as she saw the usually happy and kind Wind Master pacing angrily; she calmed herself down before speaking meekly, "Wind Master, would you like some tea?"

This caught the Wind Master's attention as she took frighteningly quick steps towards the scared maid who backed away in fear. "What's your name? It seems you are new, so I will ask this nicely, Where in the Hell is your Water Master?" She asked with her signature close-eyed smile, which she used when she was angry but didn't want the other person to feel it.

The maid was taken aback by the quick change in the mood of Wind Master but quickly answered, "My name is Jade, and Master is training the prince."

Yú Yìfēi left as soon as she heard training; she knew where they trained; it wasn't anything new to her. She walked by the beautiful flower beds of the palace towards the Xia River, where she saw her friend standing near the floodplain while her prince shivered in the cold river.

"Concentrate on the powers flowing through your veins and slowly connect them to your surroundings." advised a calm yet lightly deep voice that belonged to the Water Master.

Yú Yìfēi leaned against the wooden frame of the roof which was built next to the shore of the Xia River she shared many memories of this place, and her anger seemed to melt away at the sight of her friend teaching her student who once again tried his best but couldn't change his form, Yìfēi sighed she never understood why ShuîYuê kept on training the boy when it was very clear that he won't be able to stimulate his powers to change his form but whenever she asked about it to the Water Master she always repeated the same thing, 'Since he hasn't given up on himself how can I give up on him?' that was what Yìfēi had heard plenty of times before, so she no longer bugged her friend about it anymore.

"It's okay, try again." ShuîYuê assured the boy in the river, she noticed someone leaning against the wood frame and knew it would be none other than the Wind Master, the boy tried again but failed he looked at his teacher with a sad yet determined expression, "Come out Jīnyú let's take a break. You rest here. I'll be back soon." she said to him before joining the Wind Master.

"So you are finally free, huh?" Yìfēi asked in a fake, angry tone, cheeks puffed to show her annoyance.

"Not exactly. It's break time, though." ShuîYuê answered as she sat down, taking off her shoes and dipping her feet in the river. Yìfēi did the same, but she winced as soon as her feet touched the river.

"You are cruel for making him train in this ice-cold water," Yìfēi mumbled, pulling her feet to her chest and rubbing them to warm them up.

ShuîYuê pulled her friend's feet away from her chest and slowly dipped them in the water her friend tried to push her hand away which was firmly holding her leg down, but failed she gave up as she got used to the low temperature, they sat in silence the cold breeze sending a shiver down their spines, Yìfēi covered her self with her robes pulling them close to her, "You ran away today as well. Why don't you talk to them?" Wind Master asked softly. It was quiet in the Wudu Palace, much to Yìfēi's dislike.

ShuîYuê splashed her with water, grinning at the sight of her friend scowling; Yìfēi cursed her with some colourful vocabulary, which ShuîYuê stuck her tongue out to, "No! Stop trying to change the topic by splashing me with this incredibly cold water like you. The question I repeat is why don't you talk to them ?" Wind Master questioned, wiping her face.

"You know it better than anyone, Yìfēi; I don't trust them, especially when it comes to discussing the Emperor."

"What could they possibly do? They have been with us through thick and thin, and you still treat them like they are strangers." Yìfēi pointed out, clearly upset with her best friend's aloof behaviour.

"I know I respect them. I care for them as well. It's just that I can't seem to trust them... not entirely, at least." ShuîYuê drifted off, staring at the trees.

"Still at least pretend, you know Fèng seriously gets hurt from your behaviour." Yìfēi reminded, watching the rigid expression on ShuîYuê's face.

"I know, but isn't it better for him to be hurt by me than to be betrayed instead?" ShuîYuê tried her best to reason with Yìfēi.

"I still think you should at least pretend a little bit. For me, do it, pretty please." Yìfēi smiled brightly, eyes sparking, putting diamonds to shame as she looked at her best friend.

"Fine," ShuîYuê grumbled under her breath about how unfair it is to take advantage of your best friend and blackmail them.

"You know you can't say no to me for anything. You have never." Yìfēi said, satisfied with her best friend.

Side Hall of Wudu Palace

The dinner table was being set for the Water Master to have dinner. Yìfēi lazily walked past ShuîYuê and plopped down. ShuîYuê rolled her eyes but said nothing. They served dinner, which Yìfēi stared at starry-eyed, and she happily filled up her plate and began shoving the delicious food down her throat, "Slowly, slowly, don't choke, the food isn't running away anywhere." ShuîYuê advised while taking a bite of her favourite cream puffs.

"You are truly a menace to the world; when I am at your place, you are always eating boring things, but when I am not at your place, you eat such delicious food! what kind of a person are you?" Yìfēi complained with a mouthful of her favourite rose cakes.

ShuîYuê smiled, "A horrible one." she joked. The maid Jade from earlier, who was frightened by Yìfēi, had only joined the Palace a few days ago. She knew who Yìfēi was thanks to the Wind Master's habit of crashing at the Wudu Palace whenever she pleased, but the young maid hadn't ever seen the Master of the Palace smile.

Bài ShuîYuê was very reserved and didn't talk much to anyone in the Palace, the only people Jade had seen talk to her were the Wind Master and the Prince, it seemed Wind Master was close with the Water Master as they chatted throughout the dinner what surprised Jade was that the Water Master actually spoke more than a few sentences and even smiled in between, the Head maid of the Palace noticed Jade's astonished expression and explained. "They have been best friends for years and are like sisters," Jade nodded in understanding. Well, it sure was nice to have Wind Master here. At least this palace was warm whenever she visited.

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Wudu Palace is located in the western part of Heaven, West territory is renowned for its literature, various sorts of small and big businesses, tea, and its port, which is the largest port of Heaven expanding parts to South and East territories, direct contact with the open sea allows a vast variety of seafood to be sold at the markets, aside from pirates who loot the cargos, its also the only territory to share a part of the border between Heaven and Hell, the border forest is forbidden for commoners to approach or use as sometimes the ghost fires linger in the forest, a second-ranked ghost is rumoured to be haunting the said forest.

West territory is one of the hardest territories to break into as the security and protection is under Water Master's care.

From the Royal Library of Central Palace

Word count: 1400