Chapter 84 - Stable Emotions

In the Viridian Forest Arena the two figures met in mid air. One was covered in frost while the other held black flames in both her hands.

A pale fist brushed against the black flame, creating a crisscross pattern at the point of contact. The pattern burst out and exploded sending both the figures away from each other.

Cheng Xiu landed on her feet, and rushed towards Frost as the black flame engulfed her hand completely. The Qi of the Flame consumed the Qi of the ice when they made contact once more.

Cheng Xiu created two more copies of the Red Carp Sword and launched herself towards the lean figure of Frost, her original sword engulfed in flames.

Their figures blurred as they continued to engage in combat. Explosions burst out around them.

Frost's fist rushed towards Cheng Xiu's heart, and an Ice Sword appeared in her other hand.

Cheng Xiu flicked the Sword away and grabbed the fist. The Ghost Flame engulfed her enemy's hand.

Frost raised her leg to kick Cheng Xiu in the guts.

Instinct had Cheng Xiu let go of the sword in her hand, and use the now free hand, covered in the black flame, to block the offending limb.

An intrinsinc pattern appeared at the point of contact and exploded.

Cheng Xiu was thrown into the sky because of the impact, and spun in the air.

She tumbled to the ground.

Cheng Xiu frowned as she tried to stand up again.

The Qi in her heart fluttered.

Cheng Xiu rolled into the forest.

Ice blades pierced the ground that she lay on just a second ago.

Cheng Xiu was impressed. The recovery time of the Immortal was far greater than her own after the explosion that threw both of them away. The match finally showed the one thing about being an expert that Frost had, and she did not.

The ability to adjust.

No matter how smart and resourseful one was, there were some things that could only be gotten through hardwork. And the ability to recover from explosions was something one could not easily learn.

"You are not the first one to be able to counter my ice powers," Frost said as she walked towards Cheng Xiu. "And you won't be the last. I have only one advantage, and that is my ability to stabalise my emotions."

Cheng Xiu's eyes shook. Those words...

Her mind went towards an old memory of a woman with long silver hair who always smiled for her.

'My advantage is that I can stabilise my emotions.'

A little Cheng Xiu frowned at the burnt cake in front of her, the tearstains on her chubby cheeks leaving a trail.

'I want to control my emotions too,' Little Cheng Xiu said with a pout on her face. Her lips trembling from barely held back sobs. More tears fell down her cheeks.

The woman with the silver hair brushed the tearstains away with a laugh. 'Not control, because no one can control emotions without becoming mere machines, but stabilise.'

'Stabilise?' Little Cheng Xiu asked.

The silver haired woman hauled the child up into the air, and tickled her.

The garden was filled with laughter.

The woman placed the child onto her laps, and held her in a tight embrace. 'To stablise emotions is to remember the good when something bad happened, and to remember the bad when the good happened. This helps me moderate my powers. It is something that everyone can do. I just do it consciously and have the ability to maintain that stability of emotions.'

'Can I do it too?' Little Cheng Xiu asked.

The woman gave her a considering look. 'Hmm...maybe...if you eat all the vegetables in your plate, and listen to mommy's every word, and stop fighting with the boys in your class you will.'

Little Cheng Xiu narrowed her eyes. 'No.'

The silver haired woman sighed. 'A'Xiu...aren't you mommy's good girl?'

Little Cheng Xiu shook her head. 'No. A'Xiu is a bad girl. Mommy...then cake?'

The silver haired woman sighed. 'I wish you would show half the obidience that you show your father towards me.'

Little Cheng Xiu looked at her in confusion.

The woman nodded. 'Fine, you Daddy's girl! Let's make him a new cake!'

Little Cheng Xiu laughed in exitement, and grabbed the butter.

The older Cheng Xiu in the Viridian Forest stood in a daze as Frost dashed towards her with an ice Sword.

Long Hei frowned at SelaXiu's figure as the lean girl stood motionless. "Brother Phoenix...she is..."

"You guessed it," Star Phoenix said. "Frost has captured SelaXiu's in her Ice Mirrage."

"I did not expect her to use skills she used against experts of the game against a Rookie," Long Hei said. And then he blinked. "Wait...why is she able to use that skill at the Level 10 barrier?"

Star Phoenix raised his eyebrow. "You can probably guess."

Long Hei sweatdropped. "Please don't tell me that Frost's abilty to infulence people's emotions is not a skill but a Qi Manifestation."

Star Phoenix nodded and looked away.

Long Hei stared at Star Phoenix for a long time, waiting.

Star Phoenix frowned as he realised Frost was not moving anymore.

"Brother Phoenix?" Long Hei called.

Star Phoenix kept staring at the two still figures at the edge of the forest. "Yeah?"

"Why are you not responding? Why are leaving me hanged?"

Star Phoenix blinked and looked at the green-robed man in confusion. "What are you talking about?"

"Is Frost's ability to manipulate emotions a Qi Manifestation?"

"Didn't you not want me to tell you the truth?"

"Are you trolling me?"

"Yes, Long Hei," Star Phoenix said with a sigh. "It has to be a Qi Manifestation."

Long Hei nodded. He turned towards the two still figures. "What is happening with Frost? Why is she not moving?"

Star Phoenix sighed. "Because SelaXiu has one technique that is not controlled by her consciously, apparently."

Long Hei was about to question Star Phoenix about his weird and cryptic phrasing when vines burst out from the ground and wrapped itself around Frost in a cocoon of black vines.

"The Spirit Pet!" Long Hei cried out.

Star Phoenix nodded. "The spirit pet."

The rest of the immortals looked at the cocoon with greed in their eyes. A spirit pet that could work despite its master being immobile and not able to give it any instructions.. Its grade must be high, maybe it was even at the B Rank.Sta