An Hao the previous night in a desperate attempt to take back control of her mind pulled out the forbidden manual called "Fire Mountain". It was said the last part of the manual, the person writing it, Master Tang had already went insane and what was written was just nonsense left by his broken mind. An Hao wanted to read it more thoroughly in case there was a clue.
In Master Tang's words scribbled with glee like a child "After the 20th to 30th kill with energy draining, the aura of those around you will become visible like a smell. The honorable will smell bitter, the evil sour and the lustful a great sweetness hard to resist. But there is something else right before death, a smell I don't understand, it's like an aura into a different world, sometimes this smell is scary filled with evil, sometimes peaceful, and sometimes it feels like everything I wish the world would be. I must research this to it's fullest, now I have a purpose, a meaning to all my killing, it is so wonderful and comforting".
Fire Mountain was the first of two manuals but it was the only useful manual considered by scholars, the second manual "The Door" was widely held as a nonsense manual written when Master Tang had already gone completely insane. The only known copy was kept at the Imperial Palace Library, a fact given to her by the contact who had retrieve the first manual but didn't dare retrieve the second manual no matter how much An Hao offered to pay.
An Hao finally went to sleep thinking about how the last part of the manual wasn't all nonsense. She to had experience this sense of aura like opening up into a dream world, right before death of those she disposed. Only the second manual "The Door" would provide more clues to how she could regain control of her mind or at the least see how she might lose her mind.
An Jian just woke up stretching her arms still in her bed, to her surprised when her eyes regained focus An Hao stepped through the door to greet her. "An Jian, we have an adventure today, come meet me in my room when you are ready", "Don't I need to goto practice today?", "No I already sent a note that you would be helping me with your lightness kung fu to gather herbs in the mountain". An Jian jumped out of her bed "What?". An Hao smiled "Meet me when you are ready" and left.
Moments later An Jian came into An Hao's room "What are you scheming?"
An Hao was already in her light blue flowery dress and walked towards An Jian holding the yellow flowery dress An Jian had worn at the Sprint Festival, An Jian's eyes widen "Again!?, it doesn't suit me, why do I need to wear this?". An Hao laughed "We are going to the Imperial Palace, you need to help get me inside so I can retrieve an important medical manual"
An Jian looking flustered "How could I possibly get you into the Imperial Palace"
An Hao explained "Wen Long scholars haven't been permitted into the Imperial Palace for years now ever since the petty squabble with our headmaster" An Hao then walked behind An Jian holding her shoulders "But you my baby Jian have impressed in the ranking matches so much, there are talks they want to recruit you, maybe baby sister can become a general someday" An Hao now squeezing An Jian's cheeks. An Jian brushed her off like a buzzing fly, annoyed "You are exaggerating my reputation, no one knows who I am and no one is going to let you into the Imperial Palace because of me". An Hao looking at the flustered An Jian "Didn't you say you want to see Master Gong's kung fu? Come on put this on, he was the one that mentioned they should recruit you". An Jian continued to look at An Hao suspiciously but was willing to always help her sister because she owed her, her life. An Jian looked at An Hao noticing the desperation hidden under her teasing. "What's this medical manual? Why is it so important?"
An Hao's facial expression changed to slight expression of fear before recovering back to a smile "It could contain a breakthrough I'm looking for". An Jian grabbed the yellow dress from An Hao, and started changing into it knowing her sister was more desperate then she was letting off.
As they made there way through the bustling streets, vendors competing with each other yelling out advertisements for their products, An Jian looked at An Hao in concern as she seemed lost in thought when not putting on a smile for An Jian. An Jian then pulled at An Hao, let's get something to eat pointing to a sweet buns stall. An Jian ran off then came back with a bun in her mouth and holding one out for An Hao.
Yang Bo suddenly appeared holding 3 sticks of hawthorn candies, "Miss Jian, Miss Hao, please take one" , An Jian nodded with the bun still in her mouth. An Jian didn't see any reason not to accept the candy hawthorn and took two sticks, one to give to An Hao.
Yang Bo looking nervous, especially whenever his eyes landed on An Jian "I saw you a moment ago and wanted to surprise you with this treat, what are you guys up to today?"
An Hao smiled "We were heading to the Imperial Palace to introduce An Jian to Master Gong, I heard you were also favored by Master Gong after the ranking match" .
Yang Bo smiled timidly "You are too kind Miss Hao. Jian beat me pretty handedly, but yes my father mentioned they were interested in recruiting me".
An Hao happily "Then you should come with us".
An Jian looked at An Hao annoyed then turned back to Yang Bo "It was a good fight, I think you were not aggressive enough".
An Hao laughed thinking Yang Bo was probably too in love to fight An Jian seriously.
Yang Bo couldn't make eye contact with An Jian "If you don't mind, I will join you".
An Hao excitedly thinking having Yang Bo made meeting Master Gong even more natural, push both of them forward from behind "Great! Lets go!"
They walked quietly eating, after the sweet bun An Hao only ate one candy hawthorn and passed the leftover skewer over to An Jian. She took the candy hawthorn skewer without saying anything and yanked three hawthorns at a time with her teeth. Even Yang Bo was surprised by her boyish nonchalant way of eating, which looked out of place in her maiden like yellow flowery dress. "Miss Jian you like candy hawthorns a lot?"
An Jian continued walking without looking at Yang Bo, using her teeth to rip off another three hawthorns from the skewer, "...it's ..tasty...not bad...thanks".
Yang Bo had a cheerful smile as they kept walking.
An Hao laughed from behind thinking she approved of Yang Bo, tall and handsome and seemed to like An Jian the way she was with no judgment, too bad An Jian was completely oblivious.
When they reached the Imperial Gates closest to the Library, An Hao took note of the ancient tree that seemed to grand and wise to be cut and was left to grow into a large shaded bloom with branches almost looming over the tall Imperial wall.
The guards seeing the three approached asked "Please state your business"
An Hao came forward "We are here to visit Master Gong, please tell him An Jian, and Yang Bo have humbly come to visit the training grounds"
The guard called a runner over to relay the message.
Master Gong a jolly man in his 60's with a long white beard and thick arms like a bison was the head trainer of the Imperial Army, looked surprised to hear the two had come to visit, that was quite out of the blue but he remembered the beautiful An Jian and then thought about his son Gong Ming who was now a captain in the Imperial army and was of marrying age.
Master Gong called over Gong Ming a strong 17 yr old built like an ox, ripped and muscular with a friendly face, who was in the middle of training his men.
Gong Ming ran up to his father "What is it father?"
Master Gong smiled and said gently "We have some guest at the north gate I want you to bring them over"
Gong Ming sense something was not normal "Why can't any of the other men do it?, I'm in the middle of training my men"
Master Gong Smiled "I would like you to introduce yourself correctly specifically with the one named An Jian"
Gong Ming once hearing the female name looked at his dad with disappointment. "Are you trying to set me up again? I just want to focus on training, how am I going to get as strong as you if I'm constantly distracted"
Master Gong smirked "My boy An Jian is a great martial artist, you would only get stronger if you got to know her... now go put on something nicer and go bring them over"
Gong Ming shook his head wondering why his father kept interfering with his training and left to get change to go meet the unannounced guest.