Maiden Of The Splitting Moon

"I'm sorry I was gone without telling you", said Ming Yue. 

Hongyu just held onto Ming Yue tightly, quietly sniffling until she finally stopped and let go. As she did, the young girl looked behind Ming Yue before suddenly clinging back onto her. Her eyes were wide with shock and fear which caused the cultivator to look behind her, where Ao Qin was standing. 

Even Hei Yue and Xiao Yin looked at home warily, poised to attack. 

The dragon-kin stood there idly. Despite just standing there, his appearance was very intimidating to people. After all, Ao Qin originated from dragons, he had quite the fearsome aura. 

Ming Yue turned and looked at him before kneeling down to talk to Hongyu. 

"Don't worry, he isn't there to hurt us, okay? Even if he is, I won't let him. So don't be scared, I'll go make us some breakfast first."

Standing up, she turned to look at Ao Qin. 

"Would you like to join us for breakfast before this spar?" she asked. 

"Breakfast? I am not the person to refuse something like that!" 

Ao Qin replied quite happily, following the pair back to the house. Soon enough, the three of them, along with the owl and fox were having a light breakfast of congee with a variety of chopped vegetables mixed in. 

While they ate, the dragon-kin looked at Ming Yue curiously before asking her a question. 

"Are the both of you the only humans here? Are there others?" he asked. 

Ming Yue did not glance at him but responded. 

"I will answer your questions if you answer mine. And should you leave this place, do not spread news of our existence." 

With this proposition, he nodded and agreed. 

"There is no problem in that. And if you're still worried, I will not report you. Doing so would cause the situation to be worse than it already is, anyway."

Ming Yue's eyes flashed after hearing that and then answered Ao Qin's question. 

"As far as I know it is just us two." 

"I see, but you are not related that is for sure. Both of you have different origins", he said. 

Ming Yue continued to eat as he spoke. 

"That is true, I found her in those ruins from earlier and I somehow came here months ago after a great battle. And what do you mean by the situation?" she inquired. 

The dragon-kin looked down at his food and sighed heavily. 

"The situation huh..." he repeated. 

There was a difficult look on his face as he revealed mixed emotions, a bit of frustration, anger, and helplessness. 

"I don't know how much you know about our way of life here but there are hundreds of clans, some small, some large, and some extinct. Although the clans banded together to combat the Savage Lands, none of them are united. And much of the conflict comes from the elders of each tribe, not the chiefs but the elders themselves. They're petty folk but they hold the power."

Looking at her, he drew a line in the air.

"There are two prevailing parties at the moment. One side wants to preserve strength, build resources, wait for the right moment. The other side calls for action, wanting to fight their way to the top, no matter the cost. There are a few other ones but these two are the main parties."

He then pointed at Ming Yue and Hongyu. 

"Either way, there is no doubt that they will all look for you and they will probably wring you out for as much worth as you have. The fact that you came here from the Human Continent means that there is a way to get there, a way to communicate and call for help. And considering that you are a strong fighter, they will ask you to help them, even try to use you for their own purposes. After all, the Savage Lands isn't the only danger."

"Not the only danger? What do you mean?"

"The other clans, they vie for control over one another. Some even try to swallow up the others. With your strength, you could shake up the tribes. You could be a guardian or a conqueror", he explained. 

Ming Yue thought about his words, slowly eating her lunch. She then looked up at him, staring straight into his eyes. 

"And you? What side are you on?" 

When asked this, Ao Qin revealed a somewhat lonely expression as he looked in a different direction, staring at the empty space before him. 

"I'm on no one's side for I am the last remaining survivor of my clan", he revealed. 

"I see."

The dragon-kin looked at her and smiled. 

"You don't seem bothered by it, perhaps it is because you are the same as me, the same as the others."

Ming Yue was quiet, not responding or showing any reaction and Ao Qin continued to talk. 

"This sort of story is common for those of the Reclamation Division. We are powerful but we are also alone. Some still have one or two others but that's it, most of us have no one but ourselves. Either way, we all joined the Reclamation Division because we had nowhere to go. You could call it a place for outcasts even. Because of that, other clans seek to curry our favor for their own intentions. Some accept, others like me find it to be vile behavior", he said. 

Ao Qin then chuckled a bit. 

"If I had revealed your existence, you would be in the same situation as us maybe even worse. That is something I'd rather not wish upon someone if given the choice."

"I see."

There was a brief silence as everyone ate. Hei Yue and Xiao Yin had finished their meal first, followed by Hongyu and finally Ao Qin and Ming Yue. At that point, the young cultivator looked at him. 

"Do you want to spar now?" she asked him. 

Ao Qin looked at her before looking down at his empty bowl. There was a strange light in his eyes as he raised his head and shook it. 

"No, no, I don't", he answered and continued. 

"You feel like a kindred spirit of sorts, rather, there's a familiar smell on you as well. It's different but familiar and somewhat strong, did you perhaps meet a real dragon?" Ao Qin asked. 

Ming Yue's eyes widened in surprise at this as the dragon-kin spoke out. 

"Hah, my tribe are descendants of dragons, it would be strange if I didn't find that out."

He then narrowed his eyes, looking at her. 

"Considering your reaction, it means that you have. I'd rather not fight someone who has met an ancestor. With each second, you seem even more unfathomable. Hah, it seems that the only thing I can do is leave", he said. 

Ao Qin stood up and stretched out before looking around. 

"There's another reason I can't touch you", he added. 

Ming Yue looked at him curiously. 

"Why is that?" 

"This home of yours, it is Bai Sheng's home and she is the daughter of the Byakko Tribe's chief. Although she was exiled, her father cared for her deeply and so, vowed that anyone who dared disturb her peace will face the full wrath of the Byakko Tribe. And she returned recently with her son meaning that she must have entrusted this place to you", he said.

Ming Yue nodded. 

"You're right. Her son was the one that found me and cared for me while I was heavily injured. I owe them deeply for that. This place had become unsafe due to the expanding Savage Lands so she left this place to me. If she could, she would've brought me but it wouldn't be wise to do", she explained. 

The dragon-kin rubbed his chin and spoke out.

"I see, I see. Hah, if she had not been exiled, she would've been chief long ago but she left with her husband. The pair were quite powerful and I'd rather not make an enemy of her.. But I should warn you, now that they've returned, there is no doubt that the Byakko Tribe will come here."

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