[[Book 2 (FINAL book) of "One Lifetime is Never Enough"]]
"I would have waited for you forever."
The lament of a faraway voice that she had missed - that she had been longing to answer to - echoed in her mind.
"But, you are no longer here."
The des...
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Inside Zuo Imperial Palace. At a common garden designated for the use and enjoyment of the imperial concubines and other royal blooded women in the Palace;
Under a neatly pruned ginkgo tree, there was a line-up a few handfuls of children standing docilely. They were little girls, ages ranging between five to ten, all lavishly and brightly dressed in their best attires.
These children were young princesses of Zuo, birthed by the many concubines of the current reigning Emperor. Emperor Zuo himself was an Enlightened in his sixty-fifth year, having ascended the throne merely fifteen years ago after the previous Emperor perished due to his old age.
The late Emperor Zuo passed away as an Enlightened in his hundred-thirty-sixth year, having reigned the dynasty for close to a century. Compared to him, the current Emperor was quite late in claiming the throne, and hence his children were still quite young. The current Emperor was one of the late ruler's many sons, proven to be with the highest strength and power, both in cultivation and politics. After long arduous years competing with other Enlightened Princes of his generation, he finally was recognized to be the heir.
The princesses - despite their young ages - stood calmly, with poise and bearing that could only be contributed to their noble upbringing. However, one could not miss the slight twitch of their eyes or the sudden straightening of their bodies every time the Enlightened Ju Huang walked past each and every one of them, scrutinizing them closely.
Sage Zhu Hong sat straight on a stone seat that had been provided by a mama-in-attendance.
"Esteemed Sage," the mama finally urged herself to break the deafening silence,
"These are the princesses with the best innate-talent for cultivation. His Majesty, Emperor Zuo himself made the shortlist to ease esteemed Sage's effort in selecting a disciple."
"Hn." Zhu Hong merely let out a small hum of acknowledgment.
In her opinion, she had found the best disciple she could ever hope for. Whoever that was to be chosen from this group of sub-par talent was none of her concern. Ju Huang would be more than enough to select one to be brought back to Ping sect. Anyone would do.
Thinking of her good luck, she smiled briefly, causing the old mama to break a sweat. The smile was faint but it was the first time ever the older woman saw any shift of expression from the young Sage.
Sage Zhu Hong had always been a peculiar person. The mama still remembered almost a decade ago, when she first met Zhu Hong who was back then still a novice Enlightened. The young woman was accompanying her shifu who had come to the Palace to send off a past disciple.
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The past disciple was Zuo MeiGui (1), commonly called as Mei Zi(2) in Ping Sect. She was previously Zhu Hong's shijie, having been admitted to Ping sect a few years before Zhu Hong herself.
