A LOTUS BORN OF MUD

CHAPTER 27 - NOT THE SMALL BOY I USED TO BE

  With hours of daylight left, BiMing proceeds to tasks he must have completed.

  First, he washes, almost reluctantly as the last traces of XiuYin washes away. Before dressing in a dark blue robe, with a darker sash for his waist and a simple silver ornament to keep his hair up in a high ponytail.

  He then set off to his small medical room where he experimented making pills for XiuYin since the day he began taking blood. BiMing hadn't given any to him times before but he was still in the process of refining them and so the amount only built up. He opened a cupboard and saw row after row of shiny, red pills filling the jars. Each jar contained one hundred pills and because each pill was of compressed blood, XiuYin would only need one a week. With this amount, it'd last at least three years, by then he should have found a way to cure himself. BiMing wrote a note similar to a prescription and wrote an address before using a talisman and transporting it to a delivery shop with a few silver pieces to ensure safe delivery.

  BIMing sighed through his nose as he took in his silent surroundings. He went back to his bedroom to grab his whisk but found a glittering black blade peeking out from under clothes discarded on the floor. BiMing bent and moved the clothes off, revealing a long straight sword. Black as the night. "Ay... That foolish boy left his sword... Or I left his sword?" BiMing sighed as he lifted the blade, trailing a finger down the length of it. Perhaps this could be his one memento of XiuYin's. BiMing stood up but a sudden blackness appeared in his mind and he staggered.

  "So you're the human panacea." The blackness whispered.

  "BiMing, shocked frozen spoke out, "Who's there?"

  "I am the sword, a spiritual one is all you need to know."

  "... Why are you speaking out to me?"

  "For what you did for my foolish master, protecting him by sending him away, I thank you, and would like to offer my services."

  BiMing looked at the sword not knowing what to think, "I..ah, thank you, but I don't know the art of sword."

  "Leave that be, I will guard your back without being wielded."

  BiMing cracked a small smile, "Hei, you're quite convenient." Before chucking the sword in the air where it did not fall, but remained suspended in the air.

  "Convenient you say -_-....."

  "I have things I must do. I will call for you when the times right, in the meanwhile...uh... do what a sword does in its spare time." BiMing turned and left, thankful for this extra aid he'll be receiving.

  The sword slowly spun in the room. "What a sword does in its spare time hm?..."

  BiMing spent the rest of the afternoon, preparing both physically and mentally. Making sure he was busy at all times lest his mind wanders places.

  As the sun slowly set below the horizon, BiMing's palms became sweaty.

  And then the head of the full, pregnant moon appeared on the horizon. BiMing settled down on a chair in the main room, sipping at chamomile tea. He remained there, waiting.

  Until the moon reached its highest peak and suddenly a wind blew through the house. The light bamboo blinds fluttered against each other as BiMing's robes blew about his feet as if representing the state of his heart.

  Candles flared to life besides BiMing, pinpointing his position in the room and highlighting his face.

  And then he finally appeared.

  The tall man, clad in black clothes lined with silver, hair billowing in the wind, wore his ominous mask as usual. He flew in through the open window on his sword and landed with grace, followed by a female figure who froze at the window due to the barrier.