Blood Cultivation

beautiful places

A stranger's frowning face was the first thing Lin Meili saw upon waking. Not the most pleasant introduction to...wherever she was, but she wasn't dead, so that was something. Her body felt refreshed, if still a bit sore. It was always sore after a long transfusion. When she sighed, the frowning face turned toward her, expression not lessening in the slightest.

"How do you feel?" The question was asked sourly and Lin Meili wondered if she had enough strength and wits about her to simply run away. She knew she did not.

"Were all the younger disciples alright?" She heard herself ask. "Nothing else happened after the beast was killed, right?"

The healer, Lin Meili surmised he must be, only scowled more deeply. "You should be concerned with your own health. After all, demonic cultivation is not kind to the body."

Another sigh broke free before she could stop it, not helping the situation. "I'm aware. I don't practice it."

"Hmm."

The juniors had been talking, Lin Meili could tell. "Is Hanguang-Jun here?"

"He is busy."

"Did he say what would be done with me?"

Again, the healer scowled. "If you're well enough to travel, you may leave if you so choose to."

"He doesn't have any questions?" Lin Meili was surprised but also not surprised, given the taciturn nature of the Second Childe Lan. "I am quite well, thank you."

"The disciples wouldn't let me give you any spiritual energy, so I would rest a bit more before you depart." Was it her imagination or was his tone slightly less gruff? "They also requested to be informed when you woke up."

"Ah, so they do have questions," Lin Meili smiled, remembering Sizhui's kind face and Jingyi's odd sense of loyalty. "May I see them?"

"They have lessons."

"When may I see them?" She rephrased. "I shouldn't wear out my welcome, but I would like to thank them for last night. They were...well-mannered."

The healer sighed this time, looking at her with a strange expression. His front of distaste had dropped further and Lin Meili was again surprised by the lack of persecution. "Wait here. I'll send them to you." With that, he gathered his robes and left, leaving no room for argument.

Alone in the room, Lin Meili took the time to explore her immediate surroundings. The room was draped in white and pale blues, broken by warm grays and browns of stone and wood. The air was cool and sweet, but compared to the night before, anything would smell better. With her arm muscles protesting, Lin Meili pushed herself up, putting a hand against the wall when her full weight was on her feet. While she didn't feel tired necessarily, her blood circulation was still pinched and slow, leaving her limbs weak and her head dizzy. After a few moments, she judged herself to be fit enough to walk, and moved over to the window, peering out onto the beauty that was Cloud Recesses.

She hoped she'd be able to walk around a little before leaving. Foliage and flowers decorated the stony paths and lent more brightness to the paleness of the Lan Sect's colors. Spotting familiar juniors walking below, she backed away from the window. Intending to be able to greet them properly, Lin Meili instead turned on her heel too quickly and her dizziness returned, tilting the world on its axis. Her hand misjudged where the bed was and rather than steadying herself, she pitched sideways and her head met something hard.

Blinking several times to clear her vision only served to cloud it further, pain gradually making its presence known as well. When she pressed two fingers to the impact point, they came away wet. She also realized she was sprawled on the floor and attempted to right herself, which was a struggle since things seemed to still be crooked.