Rebirth as a Wind Cultivator

Chapter 54: The Ebb before...

The balance between yin and yang is not merely philosophical—it is the fundamental rhythm of existence. When this balance falters, chaos ensues. The skilled healer must understand that restoration requires not just knowledge, but the courage to reach into the depths of darkness and guide the light back.

—Sage Tang Xue, Mistress of the Eternal Frost

Xiulan knelt beside the bound assassin. Assassin was a good word for him. "Do you work for the Chao family?"

"No." The cultivator spat blood onto the ground.

Feng Yu’s boot connected with his ribs. He wheezed but maintained his defiant glare.

Xiulan winced internally, but she had already steeled herself to adding torture to her list of crimes. She rifled through the man’s robes, finding an embroidered symbol hidden in the inner lining. Madam Zhang’s beloved crest from her family stared back at her, written in black thread on black fabric. "Interesting choice of tailor. Their shop does quality work."

The assassin’s eyes widened before narrowing to slits.

"How many more cultivators are with you?" Xiulan pressed.

"I work alone," the lie fell from his lips.

Feng Yu knelt down and struck several points along his back. Lancing his meridians? The assassin screamed, body convulsing against his bonds.

"Try again." Xiulan kept her voice level.

"I’m just—" Another precise strike cut him off. "Fine! I’m a scout. More are coming. You’ll all die like dogs!" He panted heavily.

"When? What’s the attack plan?"

"An army approaches." The assassin choked through bloodied teeth. He tried to laugh but only ended up wheezing.

"Specifics. Now." Xiulan leaned closer.

Silence answered. Feng Yu stepped back, shaking her head slightly.

"What cultivation levels should we expect?" The question hung in the air as the assassin choked and gasped.

"Don’t bother." Feng Yu crossed her arms. "Your strike shattered his dantian along with his spine earlier. He won’t last much longer."

Xiulan sat back on her heels. They’d learned nothing new, but at had at least confirmed a few things. She drew her dagger and granted him a swift end.

Monster. Her teeth clenched. I’m not. He was an enemy.

"Did the pill survive all that?" Feng Yu asked.

"We still need thirty minutes." Xiulan wiped her blade clean.

Xiulan watched Feng Yu brush soot from her singed robes. Her sword remained pristine, but everything else showed battle damage. How did her clothes survive that inferno at all? There must be some cultivation technique for fire users to avoid burning through their wardrobe.

Her fallen hourglass caught her attention. Xiulan righted it, resetting the time measurement. The waiting gnawed at her nerves. Her cuts stung and itched beneath her robes. A glance at Feng Yu revealed not a single scratch despite the fiercer battle she’d fought.

"I should meditate." Xiulan settled into a cross-legged position.

"I’ll keep watch." Feng Yu moved to patrol the ruins.

Xiulan closed her eyes and directed her qi flow. Instead of the usual highways between main meridians, she attempted to wind the energy through the outer channels where the poison damage had accumulated. The qi fought against her the more complex the path she tried to force. A grunt escaped her lips as she struggled to maintain control.

Feng Yu made it look effortless—those precise turns her qi thread made, dancing exactly where she wanted it. The realization struck hard.

Her shortcut to perfect meridians had left a crucial gap in her skills. The straightforward patterns she relied on worked fine for simple techniques involving twenty or thirty points. The Heavenly Two Step combined with her ’Stun Gun’ had pushed those limits.

She needed to practice yet another thing...

The thought brought frustration. Since becoming a cultivator, time for practice, learning, and training had been in short supply. Crisis after crisis had stolen any chance.

There had never been time to breathe. Nor did it look like she would get any before things came to a head.

Was this karma finally catching up to her?

"It’s time." Feng Yu’s touch broke through her thoughts.

Xiulan opened her eyes and nodded. Great, even the half hour of meditation had just turned into an unhelpful self-therapy session.

At least she had time-skipped the wait.

Xiulan gripped the earthen plug with steady fingers. The clay felt warm against her skin as she eased it free from the hole. She opened the mold with practiced precision.

Golden light spilled out from her fingers.

"You did it!" Feng Yu stepped closer, amber eyes reflecting the glow.

"Of course." Xiulan held the large pill up, examining its perfectly smooth surface. "The real question was whether our little skirmish had ruined everything."

Feng Yu laughed—a clear, bright sound that echoed off the manor’s walls.

The completed pill radiated power, but Xiulan’s excitement faded as she studied it.

The golden sphere represented more than just payment for the Treasure Pavilion’s aid. In the large scheme of things, she was nothing special. All her power had basically sprouted from this cheat item.

Now that she had made another, if someone took it, they would steal that uniqueness. Families that wanted the best for their scions—old masters who wanted to give their students a head start—would stop at nothing for such an item.

Feng Yu finished adjusting her own borrowed attire. The pristine sword hanging at her side completed the image of an untouchable immortal. No trace remained of their earlier battle.

"Ready?" Feng Yu asked.

Xiulan nodded. It was time to face Master Qingfeng—and decide Mei Chen’s fate.

Xiulan slid the velvet box across Master Qingfeng’s tea table. The rich fabric caught the lantern light, casting subtle shadows across the carved surface.

Master Qingfeng opened the box with careful precision. He lifted the golden pill, holding it up to catch the light. The pill radiated a soft glow that reflected in his eyes. "Remarkable."

He returned the pill to its velvet nest and closed the box with a gentle click. "I suspected you spoke truth about your abilities, but seeing a third pill of this quality confirms your story beyond doubt."

"Mei Chen?" Xiulan leaned forward, forcing herself to remain still despite the urgency burning through her.

Master Qingfeng reached beneath his desk and produced four items—a pair of thick golden bracelets that seemed to pulse, and two amber-colored stones that gleamed with an inner fire. All of it radiated with intense yang. He turned toward Feng Yu. "Would you be willing to assist as well?"

Feng Yu straightened her spine. "I will help for Xiulan."

Master Qingfeng picked up one of the amber crystals and extended it to Feng Yu. "You and I will need to assist by channeling the yang crystal’s energy into her."

He lifted the golden bracelets and turned toward Xiulan. "These will fortify your constitution against the yin energy. Without them, you’ll be overwhelmed—and I’d rather not deal with two wrathful spirits. I do not want to be forced to repair the forging room again."

"Again?" Xiulan raised an eyebrow.

"Mei Chen woke once. The commotion was... substantial."

Xiulan’s eyes widened. He hadn’t mentioned this before. What else hadn’t he mentioned.

She drew in a slow breath, forcing down the familiar surge of anxiety that had consumed their last meeting. Panic leads to mistakes. Stay focused. "I admit I would like to proceed immediately if that’s the case."

"Indeed." Master Qingfeng nodded. "We’ve faced enough delays. Come."

Feng Yu and Xiulan followed him down the corridor toward the forging room.

"Master Qingfeng," Feng Yu spoke up. "With your cultivation level, wouldn’t you be better suited to perform the qi exchange?"

"Mei Chen’s spirit accepts Xiulan’s qi willingly. For others, she resists. My intervention would only cause damage."

Feng Yu cast a worried glance at Xiulan.

Xiulan kept her eyes locked on the approaching door. The concern was touching, but... No room for doubt now.

A chill crept through the air as they approached the doors. She suppressed a shiver.

Master Qingfeng pushed the golden doors wide. A frigid blast swept across Xiulan’s face, carrying the sharp scent of frost. The room beyond reeked of prior violence—shattered gilding and twisted bronze artifacts littered the floor. Crystalline ice coated every surface, negating the yang energy that should have permeated the chamber.

It didn’t look like the repairs had been very thorough. The cost to restore everything would be... signifigant.

Xiulan’s fingers brushed the empty pocket where the golden meridian opening pill had rested. At least its value had bought them this chance.

Her gaze found Mei Chen and her breath caught. The peaceful repose she’d expected was replaced by brutal restraint—golden shackles encased both wrists and ankles, binding the young maid to float in the air.

"What..." The word escaped before Xiulan could stop it.

"A necessary precaution." Master Qingfeng stepped forward. "We must begin immediately after releasing her, before she wakes again."

Xiulan swallowed hard against the tightness in her throat.

Master Qingfeng flicked his wrist. Three cushions sailed through the doorway from the main pavilion, arranging themselves in a triangle that pointed toward Mei Chen. The heavy doors slammed shut behind them with a pulse of qi.

Master Qingfeng turned to Feng Yu. "You know how to join a formation?"

Feng Yu nodded.

"I’ve never..." Xiulan started.

"Less concerning." Master Qingfeng cut her off. "You’ll form the center. We channel to you. Focus only on Mei Chen. There is no real guidance for what you must do. Follow what feels right."

Yang surged through the golden bracelets as Xiulan slipped them onto her wrists. Warmth flooded her meridians, spreading through her entire body like liquid sunlight. The sensation reminded her of a summer afternoon.

A proper explanation would be nice. But time pressed against them like a physical weight. Xiulan stepped toward Mei Chen’s suspended form.

The shackles yielded with surprising ease—a simple press and click released each restraint. Xiulan caught Mei Chen’s descending form and guided her onto the stone slab. Despite the supernatural cold radiating from her body, Mei Chen’s skin remained oddly pliant beneath Xiulan’s touch, like freshly fallen snow that hadn’t yet crystallized.

Rapid breaths escaped the girl’s lips in visible puffs of frigid air. The surrounding temperature dropped further with each exhale.

"We’ll establish the array first." Master Qingfeng’s words cut through the chill. "Then you should proceed as before, but maintain the connection until yang and yin equalize through both of you."

Xiulan knelt on the cushion beside Mei Chen and wrapped her fingers around the girl’s left wrist. The vast reservoir of yin qi within nearly stole her breath—what leaked into the forging room was merely a drop compared to a frozen ocean. The sheer volume of energy felt like an entire continent of ice pressed into a human form.

Are we trying to melt Antarctica here? If we’d started sooner... no, focus on now.

"You can do this." Feng Yu’s steady voice carried from behind. "Don’t worry."

"Hah..." Xiulan managed a weak laugh. "With your belief in me, maybe it’s true."

"Let us begin." Master Qingfeng’s command rang through the chamber.