Night of the Broken Gliph

Man Chin Hung was the idol of all female cultivators. Unlike the Palace that was bustling with activity, it was so silent in the Imperial Empresss residence that one could hear a pin drop.

A youth could be seen performing physical training. He was sweating buckets, but he remained silent. Not far away was a pavilion with colourful gauze hanging from the ceiling. A woman was embroidering in the pavilion with a sweet smile. She occasionally looked up at the youth; the scene of him wiping his sweat left her in a trance.

She never had to force the youth to make him cultivate. It was like there was always an invisible whip constantly urging the youth to train. The youth was even more talented than her, and with his relentless training

How lucky must I be to get such a disciple?

Come here, Siu Ho.

The name Siu Ho gave the youth goosebumps. He headed to the huge rock and wiped his sweat with a towel, then dressed before going over.

Stop calling me Siu Ho, he said as he reached the pavilion.

The woman was the imperial empress of the Imperial Sunset Palace, Man Chin Hung, while the youth was Man Yee Ho, who was currently living his second life.

Man Chin Hung covered her mouth and smiled, the surroundings seeming to dim. Siu Ho is such a shy boy. Cmon, try this.

Man Chin Hung passed the robe in her hand to Man Yee Ho, who stared at it quietly in confusion. Having been Man Chin Hungs disciple for a while, they understood each other well. Man Yee Ho was a fan of plain coloured clothes like the dark green military uniform he wore in his previous life. In this life, he stuck to white, black and grey robes.

But the robe Man Chin Hung just gave him was red.

Man Yee Ho took it as he looked all over it. It was fully red, with a huge purple flower on the sleeves near its collar. Man Yee Ho was familiar with this flower as it populated the woods near the Imperial Sunset Palace.

They called this flower the imperial sunset flower.

Thousands of years ago, the current location of the Imperial Sunset Palace was a poisonous swamp shrouded by colourful fog all year round. Back then, an elite cultivator came and set up a sect here, naming it the Imperial Sunset Palace. If one were to take a closer look within the fog, countless huge purple flowers surrounded the sect.

Whenever the flower was in season, it would scatter its pollen everywhere. Both the pollen and seed were poisonous. This was one of the reasons for the swamps toxicity.

The flower was then named the imperial sunset flower, which acted as a natural defence and symbol for the Imperial Sunset Palace.

Noticing Man Yee Hos confusion, Man Chin Hung wore a wide smile. This robe symbolises your identity as my, the Imperial Empresss, direct descendant. You will wear this robe when you leave for the South.

The Cloud Palaces enrollment is about a year later, on foot youll reach on time.

Man Yee Ho stood rooted to the ground with the robe in his hands.

On foot?

Man Chin Hung looked at him, gratified. Siu Ho, you have cultivated well. Its time for you to challenge yourself. When you return, I will announce my successor.

Why? Man Yee Ho asked after a pause.

Man Chin Hung shook her head. She understood Man Yee Ho well. Siu Ho, you belittle the Cloud Palace. Legend has it that all ten thousand-gliphic gliphists graduated from the Cloud Palace, and its true. Ill now tell you about the age-old secret only Imperial Empresses and Emperors are aware of.

Thousands of years ago, the founding Imperial Emperor of the Imperial Sunset Palace was one of the seven disciples of the Cloud Palace of their generation, Man Chin Hung said, wearing a serious look on her perpetually smiling face.

On the other hand, Man Yee Ho looked expressionless. He was almost isolated from the world and didn't know much about the outside world besides the Imperial Sunset Palace and Spiky Tree Woods. Information about other cultivators around the world came through Man Chin Hung. Thus, the news that could shake the world was nothing surprising to him.

The Imperial Emperor back then made it clear that every potential Imperial Emperor must attend the enrollment if they can. Despite being a thousand-gliphic gliphist, he made sure to pass down to his successors that the Cloud Palace was a very mysterious place. Any small piece of information learnt from it is enough for you to become almost invincible in this world.

Go, Siu Ho, and become a disciple I can be proud of.

Man Yee Ho remained silent. The red robe on his hands suddenly felt heavy, mostly because of his unwillingness to leave.

Promise me. He spoke up after some time. Never call me Siu Ho once I return.

With that, he bowed toward Man Chin Hung. Ill take my leave now.

He disappeared into the Spiky Tree Woods as he headed South.

Watching Man Yee Ho disappear into the Thousand Miles Layered Yarn gliph, Man Chin Hung wore a complex expression. She wasnt as calm as she seemed; Man Yee Ho was like her son, friend, disciple, and her cute younger brother combined. She had always lived a quiet life, which was the reason why she never left her residence unless necessary. However, it was Man Yee Ho who changed her life. Since the illiterate youth who was even quieter than her entered her life, she slowly started to change.

She felt happy to see a person next to her whenever she looked up from time to time.

Siu Ho, dont blame elder sister. A baby bird can only grow and soar after going through challenges, Man Chin Hung mumbled to himself.

Man Chin Hung returned to the Spiky Tree Forest with the robe in his hands. Perhaps sensing his energy, the iron-armed apes didnt surround him like they normally did, leaving him to walk towards their leaders home, the residence of Man Yee Hos mother.

He told her about him leaving for the South. The iron-armed ape remained silent for some time before waving her hands.

Go.

Every kid needed to grow up. As the leader of countless iron-armed apes, she understood this principle well.

Man Yee Ho kowtowed to her with respect before leaving. The iron-armed ape didnt fully understand his actions, but she knew it was a way for him to express his gratitude to the one who had raised him. Man Yee Ho likely would have died long ago without the iron-armed ape leader taking him in back then.

He wore the bright red robe, keeping some food and clothes in the jade on his waist. Under the unwilling looks of many iron-armed apes, the youth dressed in a bright red robe left the Spiky Tree Woods. The bright red shadow walked into the world with an expressionless face.

Authors note:

I really like writing about Man Yee Ho because of the similarities between him and Drako Yau (main character of Games Dogma). It reminds me of Drako Yau whenever I write about this young man. Unlike Chui Yim and Hagrid (a character from Martial Summoner, another of the authors novels, untranslated), Man Yee Ho and Drako Yau both lack the capability to speak their minds. They are used to expressing themselves concisely, with as few words as possible.

Simple, and as simple as it can get.

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