Rebound

24

"Your hand healed up quickly," Baoshan said as she examined it, "did your husband help you with that process?"

"Wai Po, don't tease me," I said, "at least it's healed."

She laughed, "alright, alright," she said and sat beside me. The two of us were outside sitting under a pavilion. Lan Zhan was meditating close by, "now, will you tell me what's been going on with you?"

I sighed, "I just feel like my body isn't as strong as it used to be. I spent so long without a golden core and suddenly I have it again. I think my body is just trying to find balance," I explained, "I lack not only physical strength but mental and emotional strength, Wai Po."

"Oh, my boy," she said and took my hand, "your strength will return but the will and drive have to come first. If you do not have the will to try or the motivation for this, you will lack in your cultivation. Why do you suffer still? You do not have to be this way anymore. You have a husband, you have a little boy that adores you, and you have your grandmother right here beside you. Why are you being so hard on yourself?"

"Perhaps I have grown used to being this way," I said, "I want to get strong again but what is the point. Even if I clear my name and seek vengeance, people will still view me as vile and despicable. A monster. The training so far I have felt fine with, but recently I noticed that my body just doesn't want to link back with its spiritual energy."

"It is trying to bind the yin and the yang together so the two energies within your body can co-exist. You can raise an army of corpses but you can also fight with a sword. You can hunt with a bow while blindfolded and your eyes are those of the deceased. You need to learn to accept what has happened. You may not be able to forget it either. It is best to learn to accept it all as it will make you stronger. It shows that you know suffering but you are still alive and you are willing to fight for what you believe in. Your husband is here for you. He stuck to your side and he wishes to remain that way. This training process will complete a lot faster once you learn to accept and move forward," She explained.

I nodded, "Every time I think back about everything, all I can see are the bodies that died because of me. Lotus Pier, Uncle Jiang and Madam Yu, Wen Ning and Wen Qing, my Shijie. Everyone I either cared for or tried to protect has died. The only people that are left is you, Lan Zhan, and A'Yuan, and I fear losing all three. I fear being alone. If I lost you, I do not know if I have to will to be here any longer," I explained.

"You and your husband have already created a bond. One can now, only exist because of the other. Remember this," She said, "there is a space that you can go here within my mountain. It will seclude you from everything. I will watch over the boy, take Wangji and go there. It will help you gain your confidence and strength back," she said.

"Where exactly do we go?" I asked.

she handed me a light blue feather, "once you find Wangji, let this go and follow it," she said, "you two will go into seclusion for a while."

"Normally when going into seclusion, one must go alone, why must we both go?" I asked.

"Because he is the key to help you gain strength again," she answered, "also, this type of seclusion is only for cultivation partners."

"Are we to dual cultivate for several weeks at once?" I asked with a smirk, "that is a lot of sex if that is what you are referring to."

She laughed, "it may be part of the process, but there is more to this method with cultivation partners. You will understand once you get there," she said and left me alone.

I looked at the little blue feather in my hand and sighed. I went over to where Lan Zhan was meditating. I didn't want to disturb him so I just sat beside him and stared out at the lake in front of me as I waited. It didn't take long for him to wake from his meditation, "Wei Ying, why didn't you ask for me?" he asked.

"I didn't want to disturb you," I said, "you looked peaceful."

He nodded, "I am grateful that you did that, but please wake me next time so you aren't sitting here waiting on me," he advised.

"What if I wanted to used the opportunity to stare at you? You are so beautiful it's hard to not want to watch you," I told him.

He suddenly looked a bit flustered. His ears turned a bright red, "So shameless."

"Oh, I know," I said with a light laugh, "now that you are out of your meditation, Baoshan gave me something. She said it will lead us to a place where you and I well be in seclusion for a while. She will be watching over A'Yuan in the meantime."

"Why both of us?" He asked.

"She said this place of seclusion is meant for cultivation partners," I told him.

He nodded and stood up. He helped me up as well, "let us get going then."

I then opened my hand and let the feather guide us. We followed it through a trail in the woods until we reached a cave. We walked within the cave for what seemed like a long time before we reached a large pocket. It was very bright but there was no sunlight. The walls were filled with a bunch of crystals that produced a faint light source. It lit the cave up and we were soon sealed within this room within the cave. There was a large pool of crystal blue water and in the center was a platform. There were step stones that lead over to the platform. Lan Zhan and I crossed and once on the platform, the water began to ripple.

Soon enough, a water dragon appeared from the water. It seemed it lived within the depths of the water. He swam around the platform several times, causing the water to funnel downwards. The platform began to sink but a barrier domed over us to keep us dry. The platform sunk to the bottom of the lake and once there, we felt the surge of spiritual power immediately begin to flow around us. Whatever this was, it was going to be interesting.