The sun had begun to dip below the horizon and Rize followed her master to the springs that were reserved for inner court disciples and their masters. Some masters had private rooms where that they would use with only their students while others used the public bathhouses. They traveled up the hill to the top level where her master's private spring was located along with several other masters. The walk was surprisingly short as Master Cui’s courtyard was located near the base of the springs which Rize already knew would be of great benefit to herself.

When they entered the fairly large hot spring complex made from traditional bamboo wood so it wouldn’t retain the heat as much. The steam from the spring was so refreshing almost instantly she could feel her ki beginning to rebuild as she depleted it immensely throughout her first day of training with her master. If the steam of the spring was so densely filled with ki energy how would actually soaking in the spring itself be? Her master had already quickly stripped off her clothes and slowly walked into the spring letting the steam conceal her naked body.

When did she take off her clothes?!? Rize thought to herself that her master didn’t hesitate with much. Very much a straight shooter. Which she appreciated.

"Come on my Minako Rize you need to get in. Strip down. Do not be shy we are both women here." Cui Xinya said impatiently.

"You mean right here in front of you?" Rize said blushing "isn't there a changing room?"

"Don't be ridiculous and just change we are both women there is no need to be shy. My goodness it isn't as if you never see a naked woman. You see one every day in your mirror Minako." Cui Xinya said her voice hiding a hint of irritation.

Rize decided it was best not to argue and grabbed her red ribbon that kept up her hair pulling it so it came undone letting her long black hair fall down concealing her chest. Quickly undoing her tunic she jumped into the spring so that her master couldn't see her as much as possible. This was the first time that she had ever bathed in the presence of another person and she was still quite uncomfortable.

"Minako take this time to cultivate your ki and commune with your deity if you so desire." Her master said closing her eyes as she let her head rest on a one of the rocks along the edge of the spring.

Rize knew exactly what she would do, she needed to understand more about her blessing she received and that would help her in the future if she needed to fight again. Closing her eyes she quickly muttered a prayer to Naga-Jin.

“Lord of Venom Naga-Jin please hear my request and speak with me. Your humble follower requests an audience.”

"Good evening child. You've finally contacted me!" an image of a white serpent entered her mind curled up on an island made of her ki energy it was small and barely large enough to hold her deities large frame and herself on it. The island was made up of a fine white like sand and small plants made up of pure ki were sprouting. "It sseemsss that you are here to asssk me sssomething or you would've waited for me to contact you firsst... isssn't that right?"

"Yes lord Naga-Jin... I mean to ask you more about your nature so I can train more efficiently" Rize said hoping to get straight answers. Looking around Rize started to realize that this wasn’t simply an illusion… “Lord Naga-Jin…what is this place?”

"Well this place iss the physical manifestation of your ki energy in your body. Asss you grow and develop thiss place will grow and mature." Naga-Jin hummed to himself as he thought "However, to ansswer your second question child, I am a sserpent god we are often quite despissed among the pantheon of godss, commoners, and nobility alike. My nature iss that of issolation so do forgive me for giving you thisss warning. If the general public findss out that I am ssspecifically your god it may prove to be difficult for you asss it sso often iss for ssserpent godss. Firsst thing you sshould know besidess my inheret nature of being an asspect of sserpents iss. I am alsso the god of venom sso realisstically my blessing sshould give you a wide variety of venomss that enhance your physical attacksss. You ssaw that with the firsst venom you ussed when you touch that man who wass a disciple of a labor god." The giant white serpent coiled and moved around Rize as he talked to her almost as if he was trying to intimidate her.

"So that wasn't him falling over from my attack strength?" Rize said slightly surprised as she didn't remember the specifics of the fight as it all became instinctual near the end. Something that wasn’t uncommon for people who were recently blessed by a deity.

"No my young naïve child. That wass my venom at work sspecifically a venom that causses the muscles to constrict and make difficult or imposssible to move."

Rize finally understood why he was in so much pain once she landed her palm strike on him... "Lord Naga-Jin what else will your blessing do to me?"

"Well that is rather ssimple" he said hissing a smile forming on his snake like mouth "you will take on some of the characterissticss of an sserpent. Your ssspeed will increase and you may even grow fangss. You didn't notice, but your eyess changed to the sshape of an sserpent ass well." Naga-Jin said ever so slightly in a mocking tone.

Rize was slightly perturbed by the fact that she would look more like a snake for all intents and purposes, but she was the one who sought out this god and she had to live with it even the idea of being an outcast wasn't unfamiliar to her so it was probably better this way anyways. It actually made her feel rather good knowing that even gods can experience being an outcast like humanity. Rize soaked in the spring letting the spiritual energy seep into her body turning it to key which started to slowly grow the Ki Island in her body. When she turned to see if Naga-Jin was still there he was already gone. With a smile she thought Thank you Lord Naga-Jin I guess we both won't be alone anymore.

…

Ezio soaked in the spring knowing he would be able to cultivate extremely well under these conditions. His master was sitting in the spring cross legged a towel over her head as he seemed to have fallen asleep sitting up which made Ezio think his master was a little odd. Who passes out sitting up? Ezio’s first impression of his master was relatively good thus far.

After successfully training all day the spring was a huge relief and he could feel his muscle aches disappearing as he soaked. He had one week to increase his power as much as possible and show his father how far he had come in such a short amount of time.

"Ezio..." his master called his eyes still closed "tomorrow we will be choosing a weapon for you it is traditional for a master to have a day with their student before doing so."

Excitement filled Ezio's heart he wanted to get up completely energized tomorrow. "Master I have finished cultivating. May I leave for my room?"

"Hmmrph" his master grunted in acknowledgement which Ezio quickly learned meant go ahead, but quit talking. His master was a man of few words.

Lifting himself out of the spring he wrapped a robe around himself slinging a towel around his neck and walked out with his training cloths in a sack that he would give the servants to wash for him tonight. He opened the wood sliding door and exited drying his hair more so he wouldn't get a cold from the cool night air. Ezio quickly walked down the hallway focusing on keeping the robe from opening up.

*shhwwwak*

The sound of another door opening came to his suddenly and before he could react he ran into someone. He couldn't react in time so their legs got tangled causing each other to fall over. Sending him sprawling to the ground making him look like a complete moron.

Propping himself up his anger flared "hey! watch where you are goin..." before him on her butt was the girl from several days ago, but to his surprise she was completely naked save a towel wrapped around her that barely covered her most private areas.

The girl looked up a furious look in her eyes until she realize their situation as well. Her face became red like an apple "What are you doing!" she yelled loudly and uttered a single word that caused Ezio's face to go completely red as well "pervert!"

Quickly standing up he tried to argue back "I didn't do anything you were the one who walked out the door without looking!" He said defending himself.

“Are you stalking me?” She said glaring at him.

“Huh?!? No! Why would I stalk a girl like you!” Ezio said flabbergasted.

“Really than why do you keep on bumping into me. If you are not doing it purposefully you are clumsy and a blockhead if you are you are a PERRRVERRT!” Rize said saying pervert extra carefully.

“Don’t be ridiculous you insane woman!” Ezio said now angry.

"Stay away from me! Pervert. Or next time I won't be nice!" she grabbed her cloths from the floor and walked away down the stone steps heading towards the courtyards.

Ezio stared dumbfounded for a moment as she watched the black haired blue-eyed girl walk away she was quite pretty if not for the horrible personality and being slightly smaller than the average girl. Wait! he stopped himself ‘Master said to stay far away from her she is no good! No positive thoughts about her allowed!’ He pumped his fist steeling his mind. He would do everything he could to keep away from that girl! Anyone that unreasonable was not someone he wanted to associate himself with.

…

Cui Xinya laughed to herself as she heard the confrontation from outside she was most pleased with her student so far, but she couldn't let her know that. Also there was the problem of her deity she looked up at the ceiling imagining what a serpent god would be like. She had never heard of a god known as Naga-Jin the serpent god of venom and she doubted very much that he was a benevolent god. Cui needed to find out more about this god so she knew tonight she needed to commune with him at his shrine and she would find it tonight, even if she had to keep up all night from her sleep.

“So annoying.”

Frowning to herself she whispered out loud. "A serpent god...that could bring me a bit of bad luck if I don't play my hands correctly...at least this will be fun and interesting." She smiled as she got out of the spring and looked towards the east a fond and loving expression on her face.

"Something interesting is happening Mofeyr and I need your guidance...won't you speak to me?" There was no response only a slight breeze entered the spring blowing gently across her face.

Minako Rize didn't like that boy something about him seemed familiar and off about him. She wasn't one to ignore her instincts and she learned today even more to trust him. The fact that he was so perverted that he would make excuses for what he did boggled her mind. Of course she knew that it was most likely an accident, but his defensive reaction to what happened pissed her off and therefore he is a pervert.

She entered her room and threw the towel over the hanging rack. Looking at her bare back she looked at his block serpent tattoo if she were honest with herself she thought it looked pretty cool, but it was not appropriate in the empire for a woman to taint her skin with ink it was even frowned upon with males of nobility.

"Guess that kills my shot at being part of nobility." She snickered to herself not that Rize ever had any hope in herself ever getting past the prejudice of her eye color.

The moon was high in the sky now and Rize threw on her sleepwear and climbed under her covers. It was better to get sleep now tomorrow was going to be long if today was any indicator. The inner court was far more intense than she had originally hoped.

Rize’s last thought was someone whom she had not seen in a long time. Her own mother who currently worked with Mr. Itakura at his shop in the city. Rize didn’t hate her mother, but all she ever tried to do was talk about her father and Rize didn’t have any interest in talking to her father. Not now and not for a very long time.