The weight of debt binds tighter than chains, yet some burdens we must bear willingly for those we cherish.
—Master Song Lin, Scholar of the Jade Path
Xiulan lifted the delicate porcelain cup to her lips, savoring the sweet-herb aroma. The silence stretched across the room like an invisible thread pulling tighter with each passing moment. Why isn’t he saying anything else?
The tea heated a path down her throat, doing little to calm her mounting tension. She placed the cup onto the polished table with a soft click. "The alchemy proved successful."
Master Qingfeng stroked his pointed beard, one eyebrow lifting toward his hairline. "Indeed. You’ve managed to open all your meridians as well, though the qi eddies suggest quite a rough process." He leaned forward, studying her with sharp eyes. "Most remarkable, considering your benefactor’s apparent lack of guidance."
The steam from her tea cup swirled in intricate patterns. Xiulan stared into its depths. "You’re right. I received no explanation about the process before taking the pill."
A sharp intake of breath drew her attention. Master Qingfeng’s cup hung suspended halfway to his mouth, his previous genial expression replaced by deep furrows across his brow. "Such irresponsibility could have cost your life."
He set his cup down with deliberate care. "I question whether this benefactor truly has your interests at heart. Troubling rumors have reached my ears—" He paused, studying her face. "Perhaps this explains your visit today?"
"Haaa..." Pain lanced through Xiulan’s chest. "The rumors about my family reached you already? They’re true. Father, Madam Zhang, my half-siblings—all dead. Only Zhang Wei remains as the new lord, with Mother serving as regent."
Master Qingfeng’s fingers tightened around his teacup. "Your benefactor’s work as well?"
"No." Xiulan traced the rim of her cup. "Though I doubt his guidance will continue. My cultivation success came from making two golden meridian opening pills with those ingredients, not from any advice." She glanced up. "That’s part of my current dilemma."
Qingfeng’s eyebrows shot upward. "Your master created two golden pills without failure from those supplies?" He shook his head in amazement. "That explains your meridians’ condition—opening them that way without guidance would produce such results. I am surprised he abandoned you after that effort."
"I have no master." Xiulan squared her shoulders. "I made the pills myself, in a single batch."
The teacup froze halfway to Qingfeng’s mouth. Though he recovered quickly, the momentary shock blazed across his features. "You made them? Both pills in one batch?" He set his cup back down with careful precision. "Are you perhaps a hidden alchemy genius?"
Xiulan sipped her tea, memories from her gaming days flooding back. The cultivation recipes she knew could prove invaluable. They aren’t just limited to one school or sect. A slight smile tugged at her lips.
The basic formulas required minimal equipment, though the advanced ones needed specialized pill furnaces and complex procedures she wasn’t ready to attempt.
"The process for lower-level items proved straightforward enough." Xiulan explained. "I merely got lucky."
Master Qingfeng tested the word ’straightforward’ on his tongue like a suspicious wine. He lifted his cup for another measured sip. "Perhaps you’d consider selling the other golden pill? Such an item would fetch quite the fortune."
"Haaa..." Xiulan shook her head. "That’s impossible. I’ve already used it, which leads to why I need your help."
"This isn’t what I expected." Qingfeng straightened. "I assumed you sought aid regarding your family’s situation." He studied her face intently. "At first, I theorized your benefactor orchestrated everything—either to help you escape or to control House Lin through you."
The silence stretched taut between them. Qingfeng leaned forward. "But I must ask—did you kill them? That particular rumor circulated briefly before drowning under a suspicious flood of alternate stories." His eyes narrowed. "Rather telling how certain House Lin members fought so vigorously to promote specific versions, wouldn’t you say?"
The teacup trembled in Xiulan’s grip. She set it down before the liquid could spill, considering her next words carefully. A slight nod preceded her whispered admission. "I was forced to act."
Master Qingfeng’s brow furrowed deep. "Young lady, the karma and outrage of your ancestors will follow you for life."
The words struck like sparks against tinder.
Xiulan’s hands clenched into fists. "Save your reprimands for my father!"
Heat blazed through her meridians. "He forced me into this corner after breaking his word to spare my friend! He had me whipped and then—" The words caught in her throat. "If he hadn’t been such a weak..." She sucked in a sharp breath, unable to continue.
Qi surged through her body like storm waves crashing against rocks. The room spun as spiritual energy raged unchecked through her meridians, threatening to tear her apart from within.
Master Qingfeng’s fingers danced through the air in precise patterns. Two invisible forces pressed against Xiulan’s chest, and the chaotic energy inside smoothed into a steady flow. She slumped forward, drawing in deep breaths as the emotional tempest subsided.
Cold realization trickled down her spine. He controlled my qi without touching me.
The casual display of power revealed depths she hadn’t suspected. Unlike Ren Chun’s obvious cultivation presence, she detected nothing from Qingfeng—a mastery that suggested at least two or three cultivation stages above her own.
Master Qingfeng tapped his fingers against the table in a slow rhythm. "I may have something in mind."
She maintained her bow. Incense smoke curled through the air, carrying hints of sandalwood and jasmine.
"You could create another golden meridian opening pill." Master Qingfeng’s words cut through the silence. "Such an item would hold significant value." He sighed. "However, I cannot procure the ingredients this time. Your previous purchase drove regional prices to astronomical levels." The tapping stopped. "Five million taels for a complete set."
Xiulan let out a breath and sat up. From fifty thousand to five million. That made some sense. It wasn’t like ingredients were super common and such a bulk purchase would indeed drive the price up.
It’d be like that for just about anything that couldn’t be farmed in a spiritual garden and required harvesting from the wild.
"So you want me to collect Blood Lotus, Thunder Root, and Dawn Serpent scales and make a golden pill for you?" Xiulan asked, her voice steady despite the anxiety bubbling beneath. "And in return, you’ll inspect Mei Chen and do your best to help her condition?"
Master Qingfeng’s eyes sparkled with interest. "Indeed. Such a task is intriguing enough for me to agree."
Xiulan bowed her head again. "I would be very grateful."
"Very well, it will be done," Qingfeng said. "Now that the deal is struck, we will spend the rest of the day training and discussing the specifics."
Xiulan blinked. "What?"
Qingfeng chuckled. "Do you think you could collect the items in your current state? Do you even know where they might be found? And you lack even the most basic qi control and martial arts."
Xiulan’s mind raced. He could see all that?
She saluted, hand on palm. "Teacher, please enlighten this unlearned one so she can succeed."
Master Qingfeng stood, his robes flowing like water around him. "Tomorrow I will visit young Mei Chen, but first, we must address your conditioning. Without a firm foundation, no amount of qi or strength will sustain you in the wild."
Xiulan followed him to an open courtyard behind the pavilion. The space was serene, bordered by meticulously pruned bonsai trees and a small koi pond reflecting the afternoon sun.
"We begin with the Horse Stance," Qingfeng instructed, demonstrating the position with practiced ease.
Xiulan mimicked his stance, legs spread wide and knees bent as if sitting on an invisible horse. Her thighs burned almost immediately.
"Hold," Qingfeng commanded, circling her like a hawk. "This stance builds strength and stability—essential for any martial artist."
Minutes felt like hours as Xiulan’s muscles screamed in protest. Sweat trickled down her face, but she held firm.
Was... was he doing something to her with qi? If she had not reached the Body Refining stage, she would have been crushed.
"Good," Qingfeng said finally. "Now, basic punches."
He demonstrated a series of fluid movements, each punch precise and controlled. Xiulan mirrored him, her strikes lacking the same grace but filled with determination.
"Focus on your breathing," Qingfeng advised. "Inhale as you draw back, exhale as you strike."
Xiulan adjusted her rhythm, feeling a slight improvement in her form.
After an hour of rigorous training, Qingfeng called for a break. Xiulan collapsed onto a nearby bench, gulping down water from a bamboo flask.
"Your endurance needs work," Qingfeng noted, sitting beside her. "But you have potential."
Xiulan nodded, too exhausted to speak.
"Next, we discuss the locations of these ingredients," Qingfeng continued. "Blood Lotus grows in the swamps of Blackmere. Thunder Root can be found in the Storm Peaks, and Dawn Serpent scales are harvested from the serpents in the Dawn Forest."
Xiulan’s heart sank at the thought of traversing such dangerous terrains. Or, more importantly, other than the Blood Lotus, those places sounded like they were far away. But she steeled herself. Mei Chen’s life depended on it.
"Prepare yourself mentally and physically," Qingfeng said, standing up. "This journey will test every aspect of your being."
Xiulan rose to her feet, determination burning in her eyes. "I will not fail."