Tale of the Lotus Heart

Headmaster explained that even though we all had potential, we needed to find our niche. There were several categories: greenery, healing, warrior, weather, and politics. Greenery types would be sent to the Floral Immortal Master to learn how to grow herbs and medicines. Healing types would be sent to the Physician Immortal Master to learn how to use internal energy to heal different ailments on other immortals. Warrior types would be sent to the Heavenly General for battle training. Weather types would be sent to Thunder Immortal Master to get a better grasp on controlling certain weather conditions for the Mortal Realm. And Politic types would be sent to the Prime Minister to study court affairs. The way to test the types was to just try it, and if a student didn't fit into any of the tested categories, they would be sent to the Prime Minister.

My first test was with a Floral Immortal. It was fairly simple. We had to grow a plant. I focused my energy into the pot of water and a lotus flower quickly emerged. Other students were still trying as I finished. The Floral Immortal saw my flower before nodding in approval.

"Do you have any connection to the lotus flower?" She asked in passing. I only panicked internally for a split second before smiling easily. Luckily, Yong already prepared for this.

"My original form is a white lotus flower," I answered easily. She smiled happily before I was sent to the next station. Normally, after a student passed a station, they would stay with that master, but with my overwhelming potential, Headmaster wanted to see what all I could do. I moved to the healing station next. The test was to cut our hand then heal it. If a student couldn't heal it, the Master would take care of it before sending them to the next station. I used the knife to split my skin. As I was about to focus my energy into healing it, it closed up on its on. I almost forgot. Yong said my body would heal itself. I had no way of testing my healing ability on myself.

"Physician Immortal," I called. He nodded an acknowledgment.

"What's wrong Princess? Need me to heal the cut?" He asked. I shook my head as I held out my healed hand.

"I have no way of testing my healing ability on myself as I heal quickly. May I use another student's hand?" I asked. Physician Immortal picked up the knife before cutting his own hand.

"Whenever you're ready," he said, offering his hand to me. I focused on turning my internal energy into the calm breeze Yong demonstrated before. I pushed that calm energy into Physician Immortal's wound. The wound closed over, leaving a trace amount of blood behind that Physician Immortal wiped clean with a handkerchief.

"Very good," he praised before I was sent to the next station. Weather was too easy. I concentrated on bringing the clouds closer and they obeyed willingly. Thunder and lightening were even seen. Finally I was into the last station. For the warrior test, we had to go through a simulated battle. I'd never held a sword in my life, but I simply treated it as an extension of my own body. Even my internal energy flowed through to the sharp tip of the blade. I easily got through the simulation even while not having much physical strength. After going through all of the tests, the Headmaster pulled me out of the hall. I curtsied respectfully.

"You called for me headmaster?" I asked.

"In all my years, I've never seen anyone pass tests for all of the factions. You are a true one in a million prodigy, Princess. I would hate to see your talents wasted in one area, so you will be our first ever multi-faction student. What to do with your talents after graduating will be up to you, but you'll be prepared for anything. I'll work out your class scheduling, but for now, just know that you are the only all around student this school has ever seen," headmaster explained.

"You praise me too much, headmaster," I said humbly. He dismissed me before I went to join the other. As night fell, we were having a welcome party. Our seniors even joined in. As soon as the seniors came to mingle with the new students, they already knew about me, the prodigy goddaughter to the Second Prince. It didn't take long for the whispering to start around me. It was part of the reason I had Ixia stay behind in the Courtyard. No one else was allowed to bring their personal maids or room separately. I knew I was getting special treatment, and I didn't want to create too much animosity on my first day.

"You must be the prodigy student everyone keeps talking about. I'm Alexander, son of the Water Immortal," a man introduced himself to me with a bow. He was quite handsome. His long brown hair was pinned back casually and he was dressed in white robes. He seemed nice enough. I curtsied politely.

"I'm Avi, goddaughter to the Second Prince," I introduced myself.

"Just the daughter to a defeated general that the Second Prince took pity on. What's so good about that?" An irritated voice chimed in. The voice belonged to a girl. Her brown hair was up in an intricate hairstyle with many jeweled hairpins. Her round face did nothing for her small, beady eyes. Her dress and robe were bright red, as if she were about to attend her own wedding. It was actually laughable. Ixia told me how the custom of Heaven was to marry in red as it was a festive color.

"Hana! There's no need to be rude. Princess Aivi is our esteemed junior," Alexander said to her sternly. Hana only scoffed.

"If she didn't come with a recommendation from the Crown Prince, would she even be standing here?" Hana retorted. I smiled gracefully ready to get back at her but someone beat me to it.

"The Princess reflected a god of gods potential in the orb and passed every faction test. She even healed Physician Immortal for his test. The Princess will be the first ever all faction student of Heavenly Cloud. She passed through her own abilities. If you didn't see her today, it's best not to make wild comments," a petite girl stood up for me. Hana stuck her nose up at the small girl.

"And who are you?" Hana asked.

"I'm the Fire Immortal's daughter, Ayana," she introduced herself.

"Careful to spread yourself too thin. Being a general's daughter, I bet the Princess was raised barbarically," Hana continued her disapproval.

"Care to bet?" I asked calmly. That peaked her interest.

"On what?" She asked.