Maiden Of The Splitting Moon

As her eyes turned normal, she glanced around before quickly pulling her sword away, sheathing it immediately. The pressure quickly faded, both the owl and fox rushed forward towards her, whimpering in fear for her wellbeing. 

She knelt down to calm them before looking at the Four Claws, all of whom slumped down in exhaustion. But they weren't tired enough to show a fearful look towards her. 

"I'm so sorry about this."

There was a guilty look on her face as she apologized to them. 

"I... had taken part in a war which has led me to end up with this condition. While the family that lived here left due to the encroaching danger, it would also be safer to get away from me."

She then looked at the Four Claws.

"Whether or not you still want my help is up to you", she told them. 

Afterwards, she went out of the house to both wash off the sweat and clear her mind, leaving the four individuals alone. Hei Yue and Xiao Yin followed, plenty worried about her.

There were many thoughts within the minds of the Four Claws before three of them looked to Yu Tu.

The rabbit beast person was right but they weren't expecting it to be a full- fledged war. The hesitation in their hearts grew but Niu Hong was the first to quell those thoughts as he looked to the other three. 

"She's simply too dangerous! What if we end up dead before the ruins can kill us?"

Knowing what his decision was, She Xing immediately protested, glaring at their leader. But Niu Hong put a hand on her shoulder with a calm expression. 

"She is practically the strongest person we've ever seen. Even if I was prepared for her, I wouldn't last for more than a thousand moves and that's being optimistic. With her, we can definitely push the Savage Lands back and reclaim our homes. We could grow strong enough to do it ourselves! The benefits far outweigh the risk! Besides, she stopped herself this time!" he explained. 

"And what about the next time? Is she going to stop herself then? What about after that? And then after that? What if she only agrees to this first one and never again?"

Qiang Rong looked at him, combing through his ruffled fur. His eyes were full of doubt over this decision. 

Niu Hong looked at them all for a brief moment before sighing. 

"Fine, then just for this one ruin and no more. With how difficult it is to enter, there has to be something there that can help us."

With that they agreed, the Four Claws would work with Ming Yue once. Whether or not they would work together again depended on what would happen now. The night soon passed without any more interruptions as everyone returned to their beds. 

As the sun rose and morning came, the Four Claws awakened one by one, getting out of their tents with droopy eyes and yawning. Among them was Qiang Rong, who stretched out his arms, yawning the loudest before scratching his back. 

He looked around to see his comrades still half asleep before turning to look at the house. His eyes lingered before going wide awake as he nudged to the others and pointed. 

"Look over there, it's the human!"

As they all looked, they saw Ming Yue doing her daily training. Something that she had always done, waking up at the crack of dawn to practice her swordsmanship. 

Brandishing Blood Moon, she struck the empty space before her. The sword had evolved into a weapon spirit connected to her and while she could use it, Ming Yue knew it wasn't enough. 

"There's more to it, I'm just not strong enough", she muttered, "Maybe I have to reach the Sky Realm first, but to reach that..."

This was something she was unsure about or rather hesitant about, the confidence to succeed wasn't there. 

Lost in thought, her training slowly intensified as she sped up her attacks. 

"Can you still see her sword?"

Qiang Rong stared hard, even squinting his eyes but asked the others as he barely saw anything. 

Among them She Xing no longer paid any attention, checking her equipment instead.

"I can sort of see it but I think she's getting faster."

Yu Tu quietly answered, of the three, she strained her eyes the least. But Niu Hong tried his best, staring until his eyes started to sting and gave up soon after. Instead, he looked at her in awe. 

"I might not even last a hundred moves, at least without any treasures. If we include all of that, it's probably a fifty percent chance. Are all humans like her?"

He spoke with amazement, studying Ming Yue instead of her sword. 

"Too bad none of us use swords, though there really aren't many that use them."

Qiang Rong sighed and looked down but then his fur perked up as an idea came to him. 

"Hey, why don't we go for a quick spar?" He asked the others. 

"What? Against her? It might be a quick loss for all of us."

The snake woman scoffed at the idea but Qiang Rong had more to say or rather, he corrected himself. 

"Not one against one, us four against her." 

There was a short pause between them all before someone responded nonchalantly. 

"Sure." 

They looked towards one side to find Ming Yue standing among them with her sword out. There was an amiable expression on her face as she glanced at them all. 

"if you would all like to spar, I am open to it. Whether it is one against the other or all four of you."

She spoke bluntly and clearly, making it known to them all. 

Qiang Rong grinned and looked to the rest of the Four Claws. 

"Let's not think of this as victory or defeat but a warm-up for the expedition."

He spoke lightly before reaching for his staff, spinning it around as if he already knew it was going to happen.

Niu Hong, Yu Tu, and She Xing looked at him before reaching for their weapons as well. 

"Out of all of us, only you'd be the battle maniac."

She Xing looked at him annoyed but relented, grabbing her two swords and putting them on her back. 

"Ugh, come on let's go."

Having finished checking her equipment before them all, she was the first to go and looked at Ming Yue as she walked past. It wasn't a look of hate or frustration towards the cultivator but rather one of doubt and a slight dislike. 

However, Ming Yue wasn't really bothered by it. 

Niu Hong followed whilst Qiang Rong hopped over gleefully and Yu Tu gave a respectful bow. 

Together, they moved to an empty part of the clearing where Ming Yue stood opposite the Four Claws. Taking her stance, she looked at them and took her stance, pointing the sword down. The moment it happened, Blood Moon quietly hummed with power. 

Niu Hong took out his short axe, She Xing had her two swords, Qiang Rong had his staff, and Yu Tu retrieved throwing knives from her sleeves. 

Ming Yue watched them closely and saw their eyes sharpen in an instant.

All four of them moved in an instant!

Nie Hong snorted out as he shared forward followed by Qiang Rong, who spun his staff swiftly. Both She Xing and Yu Tu split, attacking from the left and right. They did not plan on holding back at all, rushing Ming Yue in a span of seconds!

As they came, she vanished from her position as the axe swung out at empty air and the staff smashed down onto the soil. 

"Where did she go?!"

They sniffed the air and quickly spun to find Ming Yue behind them. Before she could strike, they moved as quickly as possible forcing her back. 

Landing a distance away, she narrowed her eyes at them. 

"Their reactions are much quicker than that of a demon's and a human's, is it because they originate from beasts?" she wondered. 

But now was not the time to think about this. 

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