Chapter 41: Cultivating Flutter

Xiulan sprawled across the packed dirt of the city manor courtyard, chest heaving as she stared at the drifting clouds overhead. Her spear lay just beyond her fingertips, the wooden shaft still warm. Sweat trickled down her temples despite the cool afternoon breeze.

Feng Yu’s face appeared above her, blocking out the sun. “I can’t believe how terrible your endurance is.”

“Aaaaah.” Xiulan expelled a long breath. “I haven’t exactly had time to work off a lifetime of idleness and easy living.”

“How old are you?” Feng Yu’s eyebrow arched skeptically.

“Uhh, sixteen, I think?” Xiulan paused, mental calculations spinning. Twenty-four as Li Mei plus sixteen as Xiulan... twenty? Forty? The math made her head hurt worse than the training. Twenty seemed right, but her current body was definitely sixteen. “Yes, sixteen.”

A predatory smile spread across Feng Yu’s face. “So I’m a year older than you, little martial sister. Just listen to your big sister now—every time you start moving, you forget to breathe properly. That’s ruining your endurance because it’s choking off your qi flow.”

Xiulan pushed herself up to sitting, muscles protesting. “I know that’s the problem! But how am I supposed to breathe when you’re swinging your sword at me nine hundred times per second while chasing me around? This isn’t training—you’re just torturing me!”

“But this is how I was taught.” Feng Yu scratched her chin thoughtfully. “And I’m not actually that fast yet!”

Yet? If she even gets close to that number, it’ll break the sound barrier and blow everything up. Haaah. Xiulan climbed to her feet, brushing dirt from her training clothes. “And how many years did it take before you got anywhere? We only have today before we leave.”

“Good point.” Feng Yu brightened. “How about we focus on qinggong instead? You can run away while I fight things.”

A weak laugh escaped Xiulan’s lips as she contemplated more “training” with her enthusiastic new martial sister.

“I’d love to learn how to jump around and move faster,” Xiulan said. Her muscles still ached, but those pains flowed away quickly as her qi flowed better with her regained breath.

Feng Yu strode to the nearby table and snatched up two cushions. She placed them on the ground facing each other. “Sit.”

Xiulan settled onto one cushion, crossing her legs. The fabric felt cool against her sweaty skin. Feng Yu mirrored her position and reached across the space between them. Her hands clasped Xiulan’s, warm and soft despite years of sword training.

“You know basic cultivation meditation, right?” Feng Yu asked.

“Uhh...” Xiulan hesitated.

“Oh, come on.” Feng Yu squeezed her hands. “You’ve been using qi techniques. You must know the basics. Close your eyes and focus on your meridian flow.”

The request clicked into place. Xiulan closed her eyes, sinking into the familiar meditation state. Her qi flowed smoothly through each of the five main meridians in a continuous circuit. Each breath maintained the harmony—inhale drawing energy in, exhale pushing any excess through the system and out of her body. The dantian pool in her core radiated warmth at her center.

“Exactly.” Pride colored Feng Yu’s words. “Good job.”

Heat bloomed in Xiulan’s palms, followed by an alien energy that crept through her hand meridians. The sensation burned red-hot against her own starry blue qi, making her skin tingle. She yanked her hands back, breaking contact.

“That was me.” Feng Yu tilted her head. “Did it startle you?”

“A bit.” Xiulan flexed her tingling fingers. “I’ve felt something similar with Mei Chen when—” She stopped short as Feng Yu leaned forward, amber eyes intent. The realization struck that she’d kept Mei Chen’s condition mostly private, sharing only with Master Qingfeng.

“My friend suffers from an illness.” Xiulan chose her words carefully. “She produces too much yin energy. I provide qi to help stabilize her condition.” The simplified explanation felt inadequate to describe Mei Chen’s state between life and death. “Master Qingfeng watches over her while I complete the missions to help her recover.”

“Huh. You have a lot going on, don’t you?” Feng Yu extended her hands again. “Sharing qi flow makes technique learning easier—you’ll feel everything through your own meridians.” A pink flush spread across her cheeks. “That’s what makes it intimate.”

“Ren Chun’s method differed.” Xiulan traced the memory of their training sessions. “He tracked my qi flow but only pointed out mistakes.”

“Huh.” Feng Yu’s brow furrowed thoughtfully. “Maybe he didn’t want you feeling what he felt? Seems rather one-sided.” She wiggled her outstretched fingers invitingly. “Ready to try again?”

Xiulan drew a steadying breath and reached out to clasp Feng Yu’s hands again. Her qi quivered within her meridians like ripples across a disturbed pond, betraying her nervousness.

“Relax.” Feng Yu’s amber eyes sparkled with amusement. “I’m not going to eat you.”

Haha…

Closing her eyes, Xiulan pictured her meridian network—starry blue lines tracing through her body in familiar patterns. The alien heat trickled into her palm again. Instead of pulling away, she tracked its progress as it followed her qi flow like a glowing thread, circling through her pathways before exiting through her other palm.

A gasp escaped her lips as some of her own qi slipped free, flowing unbidden into Feng Yu’s meridians. The sensation pulled her awareness along, revealing an intricate network unlike her own.

Feng Yu’s qi burned like contained fire—not painful, but radiating intense warmth through four open meridians. Smaller pathways branched and wound between them in complex detours, creating an elaborate labyrinth for the energy to traverse.

The journey through Feng Yu’s system stretched far longer than her own direct routes. When their qi finally completed the circuit, the two distinct streams flowed between them—fire and starlight intertwined.

“Ha... ha...” Feng Yu’s eyes widened. “So this is the power of the golden meridian pill. Your qi flows are truly peerless.”

Xiulan sensed the shift in Feng Yu’s qi—a darkening of the warm flames into something heavier, sharper. The other girl’s amber eyes flickered with naked envy. Xiulan instinctively pulled back, but Feng Yu’s grip tightened, holding their connection steady.

“I’m just human too.” Feng Yu drew a steadying breath. “Let me show you the Two Heavenly Steps technique.”

The fire-bright qi flowing between them changed, pooling at specific points along Xiulan’s meridians. The careful precision of each placement drew a map in her awareness—ankle, knee, hip, shoulder. Red energy pulsed through their joined hands, flooding Xiulan’s pathways with alien warmth that settled into those same critical junctions.

Each inhale brought Feng Yu’s essence deeper into her system. The qi burned like cinnamon and cloves across her tongue, spicy-sweet and impossibly intimate. Their breaths synchronized as the technique’s pattern etched itself into Xiulan’s mind with crystalline clarity. The precise arrangement of energy flows formed a template she could never forget.

“Open your eyes,” Feng Yu whispered.

Xiulan’s eyelids fluttered open. The training yard tilted oddly beneath them—because they hovered a foot above their cushions. Her stomach lurched at the strange sensation of weightlessness.

Feng Yu planted her feet on the packed earth, guiding Xiulan down with their still-clasped hands. A gentle squeeze preceded her nod toward the compound gate. “Heavenly Steps is about picking a spot and moving to it perfectly.”

“What do you mean?” The residual qi from their connection tingled through Xiulan’s meridians.

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The answer came not in words but action.

The charged qi in Xiulan’s pathways activated with a snap. Everything blurred. Wind whipped past her face as they jolted toward the gate faster than her mind could process.

Before she could catch her breath, another surge of energy launched them sideways.

“Two steps.” Feng Yu released her hands.

Xiulan puffed out her cheeks, trying to settle her churning stomach from the instantaneous movement. The distance they’d covered in mere heartbeats would have taken dozens of normal steps.

“It goes a lot higher than two steps, but this is the first to learn.” Feng Yu brushed dirt from her robes. “You can use it while moving, falling, anything. But qi barriers or solid objects will stop you cold. Get it wrong and you’ll smash yourself into things.”

“That’s still really...” Xiulan paused, searching for words to describe the incredible technique. “A lot better than I thought.”

A predatory grin spread across Feng Yu’s face. “Now it’s your turn.”

“What?” Xiulan’s eyes widened.

“Trying while I’m here to help is the best plan.” Feng Yu squeezed Xiulan’s hands encouragingly.

“Haah, okay.” Xiulan closed her eyes and concentrated on directing her qi flow. Tiny specks of red energy from Feng Yu guided her own starry blue qi, nudging it into precise configurations through her meridians. The foreign warmth tingled as it traced the correct pathways. “Is that right?”

“Yes, but you need to do mine too or we’ll rip apart—and trust me, that would hurt.” Feng Yu’s amber eyes sparkled with amusement.

“Oh, right.” Xiulan focused on threading her qi through Feng Yu’s system.

The convoluted pathways twisted and turned like a maze, causing her energy to stutter and stall. Feng Yu attempted to guide the wandering thread, but it snagged on a dozen different blockages before reaching even the first point.

Frustration bubbled up in Xiulan’s chest. Why did these pathways need such complexity? Her qi bumped against another minor blockage. Instead of following the winding detour, she shoved her energy straight through.

“What...” Feng Yu gasped.

The Second point filled. Xiulan pressed forward, forcing her qi through the obstacles. Pop. Pop. Pop. Her energy threaded rapidly between the designated points, ignoring the prescribed paths completely before returning to her own meridians.

Feng Yu’s fingers clenched around Xiulan’s hands. She released a sharp puff of air.

Xiulan frowned. “Is it wrong?”

“Try it out.” Feng Yu drew a measured breath. “Just focus on the two spots and release at once.”

The world blurred into streaks of color as Xiulan’s qi surged through the designated points. One heartbeat they stood by the gate, the next they materialized across the courtyard. The technique pulled at her meridians with each jump, leaving tingling aftershocks in its wake.

“Great job!” Feng Yu panted, doubling over slightly. Sweat beaded on her forehead.

“Are you okay?” Xiulan steadied her own breathing against the rush of movement.

Feng Yu nodded and released their joined hands. The connection between them unraveled like a loosened thread, her fiery qi dissolving into Xiulan’s cooler flow. Pink crept across Feng Yu’s cheeks as she straightened.

“I just didn’t expect...” Feng Yu dabbed at her forehead with her sleeve. “When you opened those blockages so suddenly...”

“They felt really bothersome.” Xiulan flexed her fingers where the phantom sensation of their shared qi still lingered. “We both seemed frustrated trying to work around them.”

“They were.” Feng Yu nodded again. “They definitely were.”

“Why so many blockages?” Xiulan rubbed her palms.

Feng Yu sighed. “Not everyone gets a golden meridian opening pill.”

She crossed her arms. “Most cultivators unlock their paths with a master’s help and inferior pills, or even manually with just their dantian and qi pressure. You started with everything pristine and perfect.”

A trace of envy crept into her voice. “The rest of us work through Body Refining step by step—clearing meridians, strengthening ourselves. You only need to focus on your body.”

“Oh.” Xiulan frowned. “But if I could help clear those blockages, why didn’t your master do it for you?”

“They make us learn the hard way.” Feng Yu pouted at Xiulan. “And apparently that golden pill makes you an expert at that, too. What a cheat.”

“Also...” Pink bloomed across Feng Yu’s cheeks, spreading into a deep crimson. She waved her hands frantically. “Just... it’s... don’t do it with just anyone, okay? It’s intimate! There are connotations! Don’t do it!”

Heat crept up Xiulan’s neck. “Okay, okay!” She cleared her throat. “But why doesn’t everyone just use a golden pill?”

Feng Yu’s jaw dropped. “Everyone use a—how would we get them?” She shook her head in disbelief. “I only know of one, traded for a heavenly dragon spirit sword years ago.”

Feng Yu peered at her. “Master alchemists spend centuries trying to recreate it. They go bankrupt before succeeding! Maybe Flameheart Sanctum knows the recipe but they would keep it as one of their school treasures, hidden in a vault.”

Oh. Xiulan’s stomach clenched. Actually, that sounded familiar. Hadn’t she come on the recipe timing and method when looting fragments from that very school’s ruins?

Her game knowledge wasn’t just useful—it was priceless. Master Qingfeng’s request... was she in danger?

Feng Yu wrapped an arm around Xiulan’s shoulders. “You did great learning the technique. I’m sure this was better than that dumb Ren Chun’s attempt!”

Xiulan smiled and nodded, but her thoughts raced with concerns about the value of her modern memories.

She glanced around the courtyard, measuring the distance they’d covered. “The qinggong surprised me, though. It’s impressive, but different from what I imagined.”

“What do you mean?” Feng Yu tilted her head.

“I thought qinggong would let me jump across rooftops and float between things.” Xiulan gestured vaguely at the surrounding buildings. The instant-movement technique still left her meridians tingling with residual energy. “This teleporting step thing seems way more advanced than what I expected.”

Feng Yu pressed the back of her hand against her mouth, but failed to contain her laughter. The sound rang across the courtyard like wind chimes.

“What?” Xiulan blinked. The qi in her meridians pulsed with uncertainty.

“That’s the most basic thing ever.” Feng Yu lowered her hand, amber eyes sparkling. “Just wrap qi around your body and push in whatever direction you want to go. Can that even count as qinggong?”

The blood drained from Xiulan’s face. Her mouth fell open as the implications sank in. “It’s that easy?”

“I need a drink.” Feng Yu shook her head, sandy brown hair swaying with the motion. “My new little martial sister stands so crooked with her skills and knowledge. Any more lopsided, and you’ll topple without touching a drop of liquor.”

Heat rushed to Xiulan’s cheeks. “Hey!” She bit her lower lip, fighting back embarrassment.

A commotion erupted at the gates. They both turned toward the sound of creaking wagon wheels and clanking metal. Two guards escorted a cart bearing an enormous bronze bell—no, not quite a bell. The metallic construct resembled an oversized pill furnace, although it was strangely different.

“Is that the dawn serpent scale collection array?” Feng Yu bounced on her toes.

“I... guess so?” Xiulan scratched her head. “Nothing else should arrive today.”

A Treasure Pavilion servant approached with measured steps and offered a crisp salute. “Miss Lin, Master Qingfeng’s requested item has arrived.” He extended a wooden scroll case. “The usage methods are detailed within. The master wishes you and your companions good fortune in your endeavor.”

Feng Yu darted to the wagon before Xiulan could respond. She scaled the wooden sides with practiced grace and rapped her knuckles against the bronze surface. The hollow echo rang across the courtyard.

Xiulan gaped as her martial sister climbed atop the massive device. “What are you—”

“This will be awkward to carry.” Feng Yu balanced on the curved surface. “The size alone makes it top-heavy. It’ll throw off your balance when you’re wearing it.”

“Wearing it?” Xiulan’s stomach dropped. “How could anyone possibly—” The implications hit her like a hammer strike. They needed to haul this monstrosity up a mountain. Through a forest.

Master Qingfeng hadn’t mentioned a word about transporting such an enormous piece of equipment.

Why didn’t he warn me about this? Is everything a test? The thought echoed as she stared at the impractical collection device.

At least they could prepare and head out for Fershere in the morning now.