Chapter 100: The Pill of Restoration
The reconstructed Liu Clan stood as a testament to resilience,
its newly rebuilt halls gleaming under the soft light of the next morning,
the air rich with the earthy scent of fresh timber
and the faint hum of qi circulating through the restored wards.
In a quiet room adorned with scrolls and a low wooden table,
Lin Xuan, at the 1st Layer Profound Heavenly Realm,
sat surrounded by an array of herbs—some vibrant, some wilted—
his crimson eyes focused as his hands glowed with silver-blue flames.
The Celestial Unity Crest on his back pulsed faintly,
he began crafting a pill to heal destroyed meridians,
a task born from the gnawing guilt over Luo Shuang's past sacrifice.
"These herbs… the Immortality Grass from Black Tomb,
the jade-bottle liquid—
they have to work,"
he murmured, his voice low and determined,
his fingers trembling slightly as he crushed a rare root.
The process was grueling, the Silver-blue flames dancing with precision,
each ingredient hard-won from perilous journeys,
the air filling with the sharp scent of alchemy as he fused them.
Hours passed, sweat beading on his brow,
the room growing warm with the effort,
until a faint golden hue pulsed from the crucible—
the pill complete, its life force a quiet promise.
As night fell, the clan hushed under a silver moon,
Lin Xuan rose, the pill cradled in his palm,
and knocked on Luo Shuang's door, his heart pounding.
The door creaked open, revealing Luo Shuang,
her face lighting up with surprise, her eyes soft with warmth.
"Xuan'er, what brings you here so late?"
she asked, her voice gentle, stepping aside to let him in.
Lin Xuan stepped forward, holding out the pill,
his voice trembling slightly, his gaze avoiding hers.
"Martial Mother, I've made this…
it can restore your meridians,"
he said, his hands unsteady, the weight of guilt heavy.
Luo Shuang took it, her fingers brushing his,
a warm smile spreading across her face.
"You're becoming just like him—
mysterious, cold, yet so caring and protective,"
she said, her tone laced with affection.
"You were such an innocent little boy back then,
always tripping over your own feet. Look at you now, all grown up."
Lin Xuan's heart clenched, his breath catching.
"Are you talking about Master?"
he asked, his voice thick with emotion,
the memory of Ren stirring deep within.
She nodded, her smile fading into a teasing grin.
"Yes, but… since when did you start calling him so formally?
You used to call him Ren, like he was your friend."
Lin Xuan shifted uncomfortably, avoiding her question.
"Martial Mother, can you tell me more about Master? Please…"
he pressed, his eyes pleading,
seeking solace in the past to ease his present burden.
Luo Shuang sighed, settling onto a cushion,
her gaze distant as she began to speak.
"Ren was a man of contradictions—
stern yet kind, a wanderer with a heart tied to those he loved.
He saved me once, you know, in the Crimson Forest,
and from that day, he became my anchor…"
Her voice trailed off, memories flooding back,
and Lin Xuan listened intently,
the room filled with the soft crackle of the hearth
and the weight of a bond rekindled through words.
The reunion stretched into the night,
the air growing heavy with the scent of herbs and emotion,
the pill a bridge to healing,
the guilt and unresolved past a silent undercurrent.
Lin Xuan bowed slightly, his voice soft.
"Martial Mother,
Rest now—let this work its magic."
Luo Shuang returned the bow, her smile warm.
"You've given me more than a pill, Xuan'er—
you've given me hope."