Chapter 1: Another day...

"What is up with the girl's hair? it's so different!"

"Stay away from her guys..."

"She should have been gone a long time ago"

...

"People just won't leave me alone can they..." Mi said waking up from an uneasy nightmare. Her long hair started to stiffen but soon relaxed and became smooth as water.

Staring at the ceiling in her darkroom, realizing the sun has not risen yet. She removed the blanket and straightened up on the side of her silk bed. She stood up and put on her indoor sandals and walked to the doors to the balcony that was in her room. While going outside, she could barely see her surroundings since it was still dark even though she was on the temple's 4th floor.

While walking on the balcony, moments later she could see the small light from the sun rising in the horizon. Walking back to her room, she realized that she promised her dad that she would go back to the training with uncle today. She started regretting that decision because she did not feel the mood for it after that dream she just had.

"I wish I could just run away from this place...," Mi muttered to herself as she walked over to her closet.

Her closet was filled with fancy clothes, yet they seemed to never be worn and covered with a layer of dust. Kneeling on the floor she reached the corner to grab a white training robe and pants and dressed into them.

After she was done dressing out of her pajamas, she slid open the wooden door in her room and started walking towards the stairs. After walking four floors down to the main floor there were a few maids and servants cleaning the walls and floors. When people started to see Mi walking down the stairs, they all made room for her to move through.

"Just Intime to eat Mimi," said her mother who was sitting at the table taking a sip of her morning green tea, "Your hair looks so messy today, why don't I help you brush."

"Mom there's no need...," Mi tried to talk but stayed silent instead. She knew her hair was messy and did not bother fixing it. Her abnormal black hair symbolled as cursed or death in her village, after all, the village is part of the order of the White Blossom.

People belonging to the White Blossom or Bai Mei Hua has two prominent characteristics which were their white hair and white eyes. Mi on the other had had black hair and white eyes which startled everyone in the village when she was born.

There was another group they call Heilerens but they themselves state that they were the order of Black Lotus. They themselves also have two prominent characteristics which were their black hair and black eyes. Mi was lucky only because she had white eyes, otherwise, people would have killed her right after birth besides her parents who were very protective.

Looking at her mother who was making a comb out of her own hair before walking behind Mi and started combing. Normally people could straighten their hair with the use of their power, but Mi was still young to gain full control to do so.

The order of the White Blossom and Black Lotus both have a special ability that was only unique to them and them alone. They can manipulate their hair creating objects of their choice such was weapons like bows and swords. Their hair becomes hard as steel, making it unbelievably strong. But there is a cost when creating, they had to spend energy called Rai that is stored in their body to keep the object they create before it falls apart and become normal hair. They can reattach the hair they used to make things back as if nothing happened.

After Mi's mom finished fixing her hair, they both sat at the dining table to eat. At that moment Mi and her mom were waiting for father to come before they started eating. Mi's father finally came moments later and sat in between her and her mother.

"It's rare to see you up so early," Mi's father said in surprise, "well let's eat!"

They ate their morning breakfast as a family, and these moments make Mi feel calm and happy which was the reason why she did not think about running away. Her family are the only one that did not see her different.

After they finish their food, Mi was the first one to leave and started walking towards the training grounds south side of the village. About 30 minutes have pasted, Mi finally reached to her destination. At the moment, it seemed that she was the first one here.

"It seemed like I came too early...," Mi thought.

Looking through the open space in front of her, rocks, trees, tall grass, and bamboo were all she could see. Pondering what to do now, Mi walked towards the forest of bamboo where the river is. She held a portion of her black hair and turned it into a pair of black daggers which she broke off and held one in each hand.

She practiced the basic Tai Ji Jian for a good 15 minutes before the rest of her class came. Mi's uncle oversees teaching the new generation to fight using their hair and helping them to control the Rai in their body's in consumption and endurance.

"Wow, would you look at that, the demon is here," said one of the boys who just arrived.

"I know right, I wish she could just get out of my sight," one the girls behind the boys said, "hehe she should color her uniform black as well, suits her color."

Mi ignored them and walked towards the middle where the rest of the class is for announcements from teacher. Her uncle was taking attendance standing on top of the rock started calling out people's names.

"Feng Mo"

"Here"

"Li Yun"

"Here"

...

Moments later, the teacher called out all the names besides Mi because he already knows she's here, but the main reason was that people would give her a death stare if she ever talked or make an action.

"Today we are going to practice sparing against each other, so everyone picks a partner and will practice going against each other," the teacher said, "Mi come with me I'll be your partner for the time being"

Mi removed herself away from the crowd and followed her uncle to an empty spot in the fields. The other students looked at Mi with disdain before they dispersed to find partners of their own.

"How long can you keep your daggers without running out of Rai," Mi's uncle asked.

"About an hour and 30 minutes give or take," Mi replied getting into a fighting stance.

"Not bad, a 100% improvement from 45 minutes, now let's see how long you can last against me," the teacher said as he dashed towards Mi and grew himself a white Zhanmadao. (A sword made to cut down horses, an ancient Chinese weapon back in the day to deal with Calvary)

At least 5 hours have gone by so everyone took a break to eat and rest. Mi on the other hand decides to climb up in a tree and rest there and not eat since she did not feel hungry. About two o'clock in the afternoon, the teacher told everyone to gather again. But something happened, and one of the students fell to the ground.

"Apologies to Mi right now!" the teacher yelled after hearing the boy talk about how Mi was a demon that would terrorize this village.

The boy in front of him stared back at him with no means to do so. The other students who were beside the boy also revolted against their teachers request.

"Why should he!"

"Teacher that girl is a Heileren child!"

"She is not one of us!"

…

Bullying people was not exactly common for them; the older they are the more people want to show that they were better than those under them. However, Mi's age was not the issue; in fact, she is one of the oldest among them. One after another the students continued to throw insults about the girl; each filled with hatred and despise.

The teacher was getting very impatient and continued to scold them. Mi who was leaning against the tree was not too far from the crowd was angry but decided to stay quiet and gripping forcefully the hair within her palm.

"That's enough!" The teacher was just to have enough with his students and yelled. "All of you join in pairs to be ready to fight me and Mi since no one here is willing to cooperate."

"That's not fair, you are the teacher, there's no way for us to...," the student who was still on the ground spoke, but he was cut off by the teacher.

"That is not my problem, you children have already lost my respect, and this is what happens." The teacher replied without care then walked over to where Mi was at.