Immortal Ice Empress: Path to Vengeance

893 I Promise

As Dominique continued her grooming ritual, Mira's mind wandered to the task ahead: training.

'Should I impart the Harmonic Trinity Cultivation Technique to her first? That might be a bit too early, but it couldn't hurt to find out. However, before anything, I think I should help bring her to the peak of the Foundation Realm. As the Core Formation is a threshold, almost like a transformation, we can integrate any special techniques during that time.' She theorized, though her evidence for this was lacking.

She had no idea whether Dominique's breakthrough into the Core Formation Realm would be similar to hers–a full-on evolution.

However, regardless of whether it was or not, she needed to find or create a personalized cultivation technique with Dominique, teach her the Harmonic Trinity technique, and find out what core formation recipe would suit her best.

That was just the beginning, as she had to ensure that she squeezed out every ounce of potential within Dominique as she advanced through the Foundation Realm.

After the bath, Dominique dragged Mira to a secluded part of the resort, where a massage therapist in white, floral clothes awaited them. "Mother, you'll love this! They use a special technique that not only loosens up the body but can even cleanse your meridians of any potential toxins," Dominique explained.

Mira, still feeling slightly out of her element in such a relaxed setting, followed Dominique to the massage area. The therapist greeted them with a warm smile, "Welcome. We have prepared a special treatment that complements your unique physiologies."

Dominique gleefully hopped onto the massage table. Mira, more hesitantly, laid down on the adjacent one. As the therapist began working on Dominique, Mira felt hands gently press into her back, kneading away the tension. Despite her initial reluctance, she couldn't deny the growing sense of relaxation spreading through her body.

As the therapist's skilled hands worked their magic, Mira's thoughts drifted to the training she planned for Dominique. 'It will be rigorous,' she mused, 'but it's necessary. She has so much potential. I need to ensure she realizes it.'

The session continued in comfortable silence, punctuated only by the occasional sigh of contentment from Dominique. Mira, for once, allowed herself to fully relax, her usual alertness fading into the background.

After the massage, Dominique, bubbling with energy, announced, "Next, we have a special yoga session designed for beastmen!" Mira raised an eyebrow, intrigued.

The yoga instructor welcomed them with a calm smile and led them to a tranquil space overlooking a lush garden. "This session will focus on poses that enhance your natural agility and strength," she explained. "Let's start with the Coiling Dragon pose, which is excellent for core strength and balance."

Dominique followed the instructor's movements, gracefully bending and twisting her body into a pose that mimicked the sinuous motion of a dragon. Mira watched for a moment, then attempted the pose herself. She felt the stretch along her spine and muscles, a sensation both unique and refreshing.

"Focus on your breathing," the instructor guided. "Let it flow with your movements, like the wind through leaves."

Mira and Dominique continued their yoga session, transitioning seamlessly under the instructor's guidance. The next pose was the Pouncing Tiger, designed to enhance reflexes and explosive power. The two of them particularly excelled at this.

"Imagine yourself as a tiger, coiled and ready to leap," the instructor said, demonstrating a low crouch that suddenly sprang forward. "This pose is about channeling your energy, ready to release it at the right moment."

Mira attempted the pose before sending a surge of power through her legs as she leaped forward. Although she felt a bit uncomfortable leaping around like some animal, as she focused more on the nuanced Qi control from the yoga instructor, she found that there was something more to these exercises other than looking strange.

The movements, along with proper Qi control and breathing, actually did alter her body slightly to enhance certain aspects of herself.

Most of it was temporary, but she did feel a slight increase in strength every time they did it.

They moved on to the Soaring Eagle pose, which involved balancing on one leg while stretching the other backward, arms outstretched. "This pose is about stability and focus," the instructor explained. "It helps improve concentration and control over the energy in your body."

As Mira held the pose, she felt a deep sense of connection between her mind and body. She started to realize that perhaps these exercises could help Dominique develop greater control over her beastly instincts. Not anything ground breaking, but there was something to be learned here.

The session concluded with the Serene Lotus pose, a meditative stance that required sitting cross-legged, hands on knees, with a straight, relaxed posture. "This pose is about inner peace and reflection," the instructor said softly. "It helps calm the mind and prepare it for deeper cultivation practices."

Mira closed her eyes and found herself slipping into a state of tranquility as the incense helped to send her into a trance. Her thoughts turned to how she could incorporate these techniques into their training regime.

As the day progressed, they indulged in various other activities the resort had to offer, each one seeming to bring them closer. They shared a leisurely lunch at a private gazebo, chatting about trivial matters–something that was a rarity for them.

After their lunch, Mira and Dominique took a stroll through the resort's lush gardens, admiring the exotic flowers and plants. The peaceful atmosphere allowed them to converse about lighter topics, a welcome change from their usual intense discussions.

"So, Mother," Dominique began, twirling a flower in her hand, "What did you think about the yoga session?"

Mira pondered for a moment before answering. "It was… interesting. The poses and the control required... I feel like they could be altered and enhanced in such a way that they could turn into legitimate training techniques."

'Is all you think about training and fighting?' Dominique rolled her eyes as she thought but didn't voice it out loud. Instead, she looked at her with sparkling eyes. "Really? I just thought it was fun. But if you think it's useful, I want to practice more!"

Mira nodded at her enthusiasm. "I'll see what I can do then…"

Their walk led them to a tranquil pond, where they sat on a bench, watching the koi fish swim gracefully. The serene setting allowed them to relax further, enjoying each other's company in silence.

As the afternoon passed, Mira and Dominique prepared for their final activity of the day – a tea ceremony conducted by an experienced tea master.

Seated in a traditional tea room, they observed the tea master's precise and graceful movements. The aroma of the freshly brewed tea filled the air, creating a soothing atmosphere.

"Tea ceremonies are about more than just drinking tea," the tea master explained. "They are a practice of mindfulness, a way to connect with the present moment."

Mira sipped the tea, savoring its flavor and warmth. She found the ceremony's slow, deliberate pace calming. It reminded her of whenever she would visit Aelina at the top of the mountain, as the woman always seemed to have fresh tea ready.

'However, instead of dealing with that old witch, I'm here enjoying my time with this kid.' She thought, trying to push Aelina's face out of her mind. Just thinking about that old, scheming woman made her blood pressure rise a notch.

The Team Master spent the next hour or so showing Mira and Dominique how to properly serve tea, the intricacies of making it, spotting quality teal leaves, proper heat control, and more.

Though Mira wasn't all that interested in tea, as she rarely drank it–or anything for that matter, it did feel nice to just sit down and learn more about the subject.

As the ceremony concluded, Dominique leaned over to Mira. "Today was amazing, Mother. I feel like I've learned so much, and not just about training or killing."

"Mmhm." Mira hummed, giving her a light nod. "...It wasn't bad."

The little blood fox beamed and dragged her Mother to the last spot.

As the sun began to set, they found themselves sitting beside a tranquil ice lake with streams of molten lava underneath. Dominique leaned against Mira, her head resting on her shoulder.

"Mother," she said softly, "Thank you for spending time with me today."

Mira wrapped an arm around her daughter, pulling her closer. "Hmmm~"

Dominique smiled, "Promise we'll do this again?"

Mira nodded. "...."

'I promise, my daughter.' Mira thought, but almost as if she understood her, Dominique's eyes widened, and she snuggled deeper into her Mother's embrace.

The girl fell asleep almost instantly. Mira inwardly chuckled and carried her to their room.

That night, as Mira lay in her bed with Dominique by her side, her mind had reached a state of true peace. She realized the importance of these moments of connection, not just for Dominique but for herself as well.

'Tomorrow, the training begins,' she thought.

'But today, we rest.' Her last thought before drifting off to sleep was a promise to herself to find more moments like these, to balance the demands of their lives with the need for simple, human connection.

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