Wang saw in his mind’s eye as his dantian – a wooly yarn ball before – was compressed into an orb shape, how the crevices between the yarn threads became more smooth and uniform, how the entire thing slowly changed into a more spherical shape.
“It feels right,” he smiled, speaking to himself.
It was far from perfect, but he felt how he was about to break into the third step of the Iron Body. the process of collecting the purest chi strands from the air, then incorporating those threads unto his core, and finally, refining the energy into a more pure form.
The air on the lower realms did not produce extremely pure energies, as was mentioned in the scroll, and that meant that he had to purify it further to make use of that low energy, thus… refining.
It felt more correct to have this refined version inside of him, the impurities were still floating around in his system and he had to expel them someway.
He couldn’t wait to ascend and let go of the earthly needs, as the legends told. Excreting impurities through skin and into the air and becoming a higher being to those who were around the village. Not needing to eat but eating for fun. Having a longer lifespan, perhaps immortality, even.
Just thinking about it made him feel so great, and feeling great was somehow making the impurities move out of his body, gathered from all over his energy channels and removed through the lower portions of the system.
It made him incredibly sweaty, too. Expelling his impurities made him soaking wet, his clothes were so drenched one would think he jumped into a pond. He continued the process religiously until he was interrupted.
“What is going on?” Su gasped, “What is this?”
Wang opened his eyes and looked at the peerless beauty.
Her flowing hair the color of golden wheat blades, and her bright green eyes that reminded him of emeralds. Her skin that’s as pale as jade, and her lips are as red as rubies. So graceful and elegant even in how she stood still, tall and slender.
A figure that would make any man weak in their knees, and for some reason it brought about visions of Mt.Tai. Most important of all, Su was intelligent and witty, as well as kind and compassionate. She always puts others before herself, others such as himself.
She was a true beauty, both inside and out.
He wanted to do a poem about Su, but the words betrayed him.
“I am ejecting the impurities out of my body,” he replied, “the cultivation impurities, not the other kind,” he quickly amended. Boy was he feeling the flush in his ears now that he thought about what he said.
“You are soaked,” Su frowned and approached him.
“What are you- uh, no-” he tried to resist as she began to undress him. She got the robe away and left him with his martial pants. He felt violated.
“I’ll go and get you some fresh clothes,” Su turned and left.
He nodded to the empty room while he tried to cover his exposed body.
“Well,” the tiny squeaky voice said, “that was embarrassing. For you.”
“Rat King?” Wang frowned.
“The one and only,” the squeaker said, Wang could not find him anywhere, not even the window, as he looked around. “I see you are putting my techniques to good use.”
Wang nodded. “They were a great help,” he admitted, “I was too weak to use them so effectively. As a result of my weakness, I might’ve lost a friend.”
“I saw,” the Rat King nodded, “his cultivation was crippled as he fought the tribulations, and failed.”
Wang lowered his head. The shame of not helping the person you agreed to protect.
“Chin’s up boy,” the Rat King said, “The girl is back, we’ll talk after she’s gone.”
“I’ve brought fresh clothes,” Su smiled, holding a folded robe, pants, and undergarments. She also had a bowl of water with a cloth towel. “I’ll help you wash up.”
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“I’ll do it mysel-” he tried to protest before Su began to do it anyway.
“Enjoy this moment, boy,” The Rat King laughed, and it made Su look around. “You won’t have enough time to enjoy the small moments soon,” it added in an ominous tone.
-
‘Her beauty is like the moon,
So bright and serene.
Her eyes are like stars,
Twinkling in the night sky.
Her hair is like silk,
Flowing down her back.
Her skin is like porcelain,
So smooth and flawless.
She is a true beauty,
Both inside and out.’
Wang placed the brush down and waited for the scroll to dry. “What did you mean by what you said before?”
The Rat King consumed the bread Wang offered, a bit too happily and eager in Wang’s opinion, and it was a while before it replied. “Your tribulations are arriving soon,” it said.
“How did you know?” Wang frowned.
“Divine knowledge, you fool,” it pointed back at him, mousey features offended. “You would’ve felt it by yourself come tomorrow, but that is not important.”
“The tribulations are not important?” Wang frowned. If he failed to pass the test of heaven, he would end up being in a chair next to Chu, cultivation crippled forever, or worse.
“The tribulations will be easy with me protecting you, you fool,” The Rat King flicked its twin tails, “but those evil cultivators are coming for you.”
“What?” Wang cried out in alarm, “when?”
“They are gathering outside, right now,” the Rat King cackled.
----------------------------------------
Medical Observations: Josh (501)
David observed how the group mourned James. The shock therapy machine seemed to have some errors in settings which made a surge of currents pass into him. The technician was adamant about him not doing anything wrong, and doctor Peter insisted on him following the process the other bedlams used.
James was now, for the lack of a better word, a vegetablized patient.
That alone was enough to break the group’s interactions and that led to a severe loss in data during the next few days, as Josh did not interact much with William and Daniel anymore. They seemed content to remain on their own, rarely speaking or bothering anyone, anymore.
He could not blame them, they were probably afraid after what they witnessed, how their friend ended up. They might be mentally unstable, but they understood this on some level. Even if it was an instinctual one.
Josh, however, remained adamant about his routine of meditating and training, if one could call it that. And across the next few days he did little more than repeat those things.
Perhaps it was time for him to conclude his stay at this hospital and visit other locations.
It would be for the better, even if it saddened him greatly that he lost such an interesting group.
He saw Josh grin all of a sudden.
“What are you up to, mister 501,” David smiled, grabbing his pen.
David blinked. Now that… that was new.
Josh was doing it on purpose, with a big grin on his face.
“Nurse Olga?” He called the woman that was checking on an IV, she looked at him with a tired unimpressed look. “I think Josh is peeing on his bed.”
The nurse grumbled and rushed to the room.
He was definitely peeing, that relieved look was one of an emptying bladder.
“What you doing?” Olga snarled, “you crazy?”
“I am ejecting the impurities out of my body,” he replied, “the cultivation impurities, not the other kind.”
“You make everything wet,” Olga growled with disgust as she watched the sheets and clothes.
“What are you- uh, no-” he tried to resist as she began to undress him. She managed to remove the patient’s garbs and the sheets, manhandling Josh throughout the entire process.
“I go get clean clothes,” Olga told David. He nodded.
Another interesting incident happened shortly after, as the squirrel from a few days ago seemed to have snuck in again, and was now sitting under Josh’s bed. Josh tried to cover his body as he spoke to himself. He lowered his head a couple of times, and even looked like he was angry at one point.
“I’ve brought fresh clothes,” Olga hissed, holding a folded garb, pants, and some underwear. She also had a bowl of water with a sponge. “Now we clean you, stinky.”
“I’ll do it mysel-” he tried to protest before Olga began to flip him all around.
“Doctor David,” Peter said as he approached him. “I’m sorry that experiment didn’t go so well.”
“It is a shame,” David replied, “If he got cured, it would’ve been a great medical and mental healthcare breakthrough.”
“We fixed the machine, though,” Peter smiled, eyes away, looking at Olga.
No, not at Olga.
“You are trying it on Josh?” David realized.
Peter nodded. “Less current this time, less power overall. To be on the safe side.”
“When?”
“Tonight, when the others are asleep, to avoid any more incidents.”
David frowned, but did not protest.
Peter placed his hand on his shoulder and smiled before walking away, letting David get back to observing. It was disturbing him that throughout this entire conversation he could’ve sworn that the squirrel was glaring at them.