The world was thrashing all around me and my whole body hurt. I tried to open my eyes and with a considerable effort I succeeded.
“She is awake, boss!” someone shouted. I tried to focus but my entire vision was cloudy. It took me a few heavy blinks to focus on the figure. It was one of the wagon hands working in the caravan.
I looked around me. They covered me in some blankets and laid on a rather small wooden floor, above me was cloth and rib structure of a wagon. At least I found the answer why the entire world was in a constant earthquake no one else cared about. I looked at the back of the wagon and saw only darkness. It had to be a night, yet we were still traveling.
I opened my mouth to ask what was happening, but I coughed almost immediately. Luckily I could feel no blood in my mouth this time. I tried to rise, but I fell back as my hand refused to support me and I collapsed back on the floor of the wagon.
“Oh, you are awake. You know you are rather lucky to be alive, you know?” Edward the Beggar barged in uninvited.
I nodded hoping he would not talk too much, even my ears hurt. I had a rather good idea of what had happened to me.
I used too much of the Qi remaining in my body, which led to speeding up the process and swift deterioration of my condition. Admittedly, it was significantly quicker than I was expecting but still the bandits fled and apparently did not return, so I was willing to call the last battle of my life a win.
“We took care of the wound on your side and bandaged it properly, but honestly old Smith did not know what was wrong with you. You kept spewing more blood than the human body should have, some of your bones were apparently broken and a lot of your muscles were completely torn.” He summarized all of my injuries.
His description confirmed what I was suspecting. The wounds happened as parts of my body ran out of sufficient quantities of refined Qi to keep up. I felt like I danced with demons the night prior, because I had no more Qi in my system to fuel my healing and my body continued eating itself seeking a source of Qi to fix itself, worsening my condition and opening even more internal tears as it did so. My condition should not have deteriorated so quickly, yet here I was on the brink of death.
“All we could do was keep you from choking on your own blood, which is rather poor service for someone who saved our lives and our wealth,” Edward continued his explanation.
A particular nasty bump jolted me, and my spine screamed in protest. I did not know how I kept sleeping through this.
“What happened to everyone?” I rasped out of my throat.
“Well, the bandits who were too wounded to flee we tied and left with the rest of the caravan. They will face Imperial justice, otherwise everyone else is okay, they went on their way with my deputy. We also buried the guards who gave their lives for our safety, but that is mostly everyone,” Edward answered my question.
I was confused. I was not with the caravan?, but then why was I in a wagon and why was the road so bumpy?
“Where are we going?” I was able to ask with a great effort.
“We are on the way to an acquaintance of mine. He's actually quite famous in these parts. Have you heard of Li of Thousand Books?” he asked without actually answering my question.
I shook my head despite the protests of my body.
“But why?” I asked. It was the only thing I got out of my mouth in my state.
Edward looked aghast at my question, “I was getting to that. You see. We have no way of treating an honored cultivator like yourself and we cannot let our savior die. That would be just wrong,” I saw, that I could not get him to the point and so I had to suffer the full explanation, “We could take you to Jiaomay city and hope the doctors there could treat you, but then I remembered Li’s estate was not far from here and I was certain he could help you more than any fancy doctor in the city. He used to be a cultivator, so I am rather sure he will at least know what was wrong with you. So I grabbed a wagon, some help loaded you up and drove you to his estate.” he finished his explanation after seven more big bumps.
“Thank you,” I said. It was nice of him to want to help me, but I had no hope of success. Elder Zhin, the best medic in our sect, who cultivated Wood Qi, could not cure me. I could only hope my mortal healing would keep my injuries at bay so I could at least see my family for one last time.
“Anyway, are you hungry?” Edward was considerate enough to ask.
I shook my head once more. Worry showed on Edwards face.
“I will get you some porridge, you have been out of it for four days. We need to get some food for you.” he said and left the carriage.
He was correct to worry, but food was the last thing I could think about. My whole body hurt, my throat was parched and my death was coming ever closer.
My lack of appetite would not dissuade Edward. He forced some porridge into me, luckily he brought water first and I could at least for a time calm my throat and could now only endure the bumps on the road.
Finally, the sun was rising, and the wagon stopped. The helper helped me to rise and brought me down on the ground.
I did not even entertain the option of walking on my own. I nearly collapsed just by being brought down from the wagon on the ground and accepted the indignity of being carried.
It at least gave me a chance to experience morning air and look around.
We were standing in front of a large white building, which served as an entrance to the estate. There were other white buildings with red tiles on top in the distance and a tall white wall encircling the whole place.
In front of us was a large wooden gate. It was not engraved or imbued with iron. It was just a solid piece of wood.
Edward walked and knocked on the gate.
“I hope the servants will move their lazy bones. It is rather cold,” he said. I felt no cold at all, so I could only nod.
“I met Li, when my father introduced him to me. I was a young lad, younger than you and Li was already here in his estate growing his fruits and vegetables. He struck a deal with my grandfather. We would come and take away his produce and he would offer us one of the best pieces of apples and pumpkins in the land. It is a great bargain, but I am rather sure he has a different source of income, then apples and vegetables, just look at the size of the estate.” Edward was talking to me to pass the time. My curse was he would not give me my peace, my blessing was that he kept me from thinking about my state.
Finally, a man opened the door.
“Let us in and bring forth your master Edward the Beggar begs for his aid in the name of our long acquaintance.” Edward said the servant looked confused, but then saw me.
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“I will bring the master as quickly as possible. Meanwhile, take her inside, there is a room in the second door to the left.” the servant said. It surprised me that the servant acted decisively and did not panic at the sight of an injured person delivered to his doorstep, but I was in no shape to wonder about it.
We entered a normal, if very well kept courtyard. Well, they carried me to the courtyard, but who cares about such details.
The room they brought me to was well lit and smelled like the building we dried herbs from the garden in the sect. I doubted it served the same purpose, but the smell made me nostalgic.
The carriers put me on a long table in the middle of the room and waited for further instructions.
“Edward, what catastrophe brings you to my humble abode?” a voice from the outside asked.
“Honored elder Li, terrible bandits gravely wounded a brave cultivator in a battle defending my humble caravan. Her wounds were beyond our ability to mend and so Ii remembered stories of your skill and grace and brought her to your humble abode. I beg you to apply your considerable skills and help this brave soul, who was willing to fight for us mortals,” Edward pleaded with Li.
“You are laying it mighty thick, are you not? Nevertheless, I shall help you. We should reward good deeds, but I am not sure my skills will be enough. I am not a skilled healer, as I remind you every time you beg me for a remedy for your bad back,” jovial tone was Edward’s answer.
“Now let's have a look at the patient,” Li said. I turned towards the door to see what kind of man Li of Thousand Books was a tall man. He had to duck when he was entering the room. He dressed himself in the traditional white cultivator’s robes and carried himself with assurance typical for cultivators, which screamed cultivator.
What spoke about him was a simple fact: He was old. His hair was white and his face was wrinkled. Time weakened his skin in the passage of the years. It was of course not impossible for Cultivator to grow old, but only the lowliest of the low, who never reached beyond the Earthly Body stage, could not mask the effects of aging.
He was smiling as he entered, “So where is the unfortunate patient?” he asked no one in particular in a jovial tone, then he saw me and his expression instantly turned serious.
“What happened to her?” He turned to Edward the Beggar, but he did not wait for an answer as with a few gestures energy emanated from his hand and a wave of Qi rushed towards me enveloping me in a tingling feeling as the technique filled my body. My breath grew deeper and pain diminished, even if just for a moment.
“I do not know, honored elder. She took a few blows in battle and suddenly collapsed. Our healer suggested someone poisoned her, but I do not know of a poison which acts this way and so quickly.” Edward explained as the elderly cultivator studied me.
“Stop pretending to be an honorable person you scoundrel. I remember well enough who stole my apples, when you first visited,” cultivator Li said, without moving his eyes from my body.
“I am begging you for mercy, great cultivator,” Edward said, but cultivator Li paid him no heed, instead he gestured once more and a bloom of vital energy flooded me.
I shook at the unexpected flow and sat up. The pain was still there, but my body could move once more.
“Well, I think the young cultivator would be the one to provide better answers, Edward. My sight allows me to see the damage, but I am not skilled enough to even guess its source” Li said and looked expectantly at me. I looked at him surprised. To revivify me with such a speed was a high level technique and to do it with such ease spoke of great skill. It was not a cure exactly. Cultivator Li flooded my body with Wood Qi supporting all my muscles and organs with its restorative properties and at least for a moment suspending my ailment, once the technique expired my body would return to its true state even worse for wear from all the activity I would undergo under the effect of this boost.
“I am no cultivator, honored elder-” I explained, but a voice from outside disrupted me before I could even properly introduce myself.
“I demand that the Master of this house present himself and welcome the great cultivators who blessed him with a visit to his house. I, Haoyu Yi, humble disciple of the wandering cultivator Irpin of Wandering Earth, demand so,” someone shouted outside.
Cultivator Li just rolled his eyes, “If you would continue your story, please, I am sure our fellow cultivator will wait for his turn as is appropriate.”
I had my doubts, which were confirmed immediately as a man of my age burst into the room. He was dressed in red robes dirty from the travails of the road and sported rather impatient expression.
“How can you leave cultivators waiting, when they demand your presence?” he half shouted, if he saw me he gave no sign he cared about a sick person in the room. Edward wisely backed away, but Li just looked annoyed.
“Irpin, you old fox, some people sleep in the morning or have actual jobs to do instead of playing at vagrants the whole year, so if you would be so nice and explain you puffed up disciple the proper manners. I would be rather happy.” Li raised his voice.
Haoyu Yi looked like he swallowed a fish with this impudence. A hand emerged from nowhere and grabbed the disciple by shoulder pulling him out of the building.
“We do not barge into places uninvited and demanding the best, foolish disciple. Have I not told you that already?” a young man attached to the hand emerged from the thin air scolding his disciple.
“But master-,” one glare, which froze even my blood, silenced the young cultivator.
“I just asked you to announce our arrival and wait for a response and I certainly did not ask you to barge into buildings and disrupt medical procedures. I will think of your punishment later, but now apologize.” Irpin of Wandering Earth said to his disciple.
I could see anger warring with respect in the young cultivator's face. Finally, respect for his teacher triumphed over his pride.
“I apologize for my rudeness. I shall not commit such an act in the future,” he intoned as if he had to drag each word out of his mouth with the help of the flight of dragons.
“Well, it will have to be good enough. We cannot keep master Li from his duties and go over proper ways to apologize later. Your lack of such ability is certain to impede your cultivation journey.” Irpin turned to cultivator Li and me, ”I offer my apologies. I hope we have not intruded upon you too harshly and hope we will repay you for our rudeness in the future,” he said and bowed to us.
“Good, now move it outside. I will find time for you when I am finished with this case,” cultivator Li dismissed them and turned to me.
Young cultivator looked like he would argue, but his master dragged him away.
“Edward, if you would be so nice and left. I do not think the lady will want to share her story with you here,” Edward nodded and left, while cultivator Li spoke to me, “Now, if you could actually start your story, so we can get to the core of your ailment,” he said to me.
“Like I said I am no cultivator, a fellow sect disciple shattered my dantian, and I had to give up on the path of immortality,” I started.
“So that is why your dantian is gone, but you still hold Qi in your body. You have walked the path of cultivator, even tragedy of such magnitude does not change the facts of who you are,” cultivator Li interrupted me.
“It does not matter. I will be dead in a few weeks anyway,” I muttered.
“So it's self-devourment syndrome. I was wondering, but that makes the issue at hand much clearer.”
“How does it make it clearer: I will die and my escapades just sped up my inevitable end?” I pointed out and shut my eyes.
“Well, yes. It was rather noble of you to protect Edward and his people, especially if you knew the price you would pay for your intervention. It is something more cultivators should aspire towards.”
I shrugged, I could feel the pain growing as the technique abated, “I do not regret my decision, but it was not a wise one. It shortened my lifespan considerably and now I will not even have time with my family.”
Cultivator Li smiled, “Well while I cannot cure your destroyed dantian, you underestimate my skill. I can pull you together enough to give you a few months. If you do not overexert yourself again.”
“I know this technique does not heal,” I said wondering what he meant.
“Ah, you are a perceptive one,” cultivator Li smiled even wider, “But I picked enough healing tricks and secrets to patch you up. Sadly, I am not skilled enough to stop your syndrome and each patch up I can do will be less permanent than the other, until your body's natural regenerative ability collapses completely.”
He was still smiling, ”While I am thankful for your help, I do not think this is a lucky thing. It will just delay the inevitable and as you said yourself, there is a limit you will push my healing.”
“Well, yes. There is only one cure for your condition, which is getting refined Qi into your system,” Cultivator Li’s face grew more serious, but still his tone was chipper, “Luckily for you. I might have a solution for your problem.”
“How?,” I asked, and a cough racked my body as soon as I said even that one word.
“Let’s discuss it after I fixed you enough so you can actually walk without support of my techniques,” Li said.
I could only weakly nod as strength drained from my limbs and I laid down on the table suffering through the returned waves of pain, as cultivator Li began his work.