Chapter 9: The First Step Into Pain
Monkey shifted from foot to foot, tail flicking restlessly. "Alright, Pingli… now that you've confirmed what we all suspected, how do we fix this? I brought the boy to you because I know you must surely have a method."
Pingli's face brightened like someone had promised him an all-you-can-eat banquet. His belly bounced a little as he clasped his hands behind his back.
"What now?" he echoed, eyes twinkling. "Now… comes the fun part."
Monkey narrowed his eyes. "Pingli, will you just focus on the boy instead?"
"Oh, I am focused," Pingli said cheerfully. "Painfully focused, in fact. And the answer is simple." He turned dramatically to Mingye. "It's not about what we are going to do. It's about what you are going to do."
Mingye's shoulders stiffened. His heart felt like it had leapt straight into his throat. "Me?"
Pingli crouched so they were eye level. His cheeks jiggled with the movement and his long earlobes swung as he grinned so wide it looked like he might swallow his own face.
"Boy… do you want to get stronger? Will you do anything to do so?"
"Yes." Mingye didn't even blink. The answer tore out of him instantly. "I'll do anything."
Huosang let out a delighted bark of laughter. "I like this one already!"
Gu Shan lifted an eyebrow. "He's reckless. He doesn't even know what will be asked of him and he agreed without hesitation."
Aorun gave a small nod. "Recklessness is acceptable. Cowardice is not."
Monkey didn't say anything—he just observed.
Pingli slapped his knees. "Excellent! Then let's begin."
He straightened, rotating his shoulders as though preparing for a morning stretch.
"Mingye, sit."
Mingye blinked. "Sit?"
"Yes, sit! You do know how to sit, don't you? Hands on your knees, chest up, back straight. A solid meditative posture shows proper attitude." Pingli motioned with a flap of one chubby hand. "Chop-chop!"
Mingye hurried to comply, lowering himself onto the soft moss. He adjusted his posture: legs crossed, back straight, hands resting lightly on each knee.
Pingli circled him once like a teacher judging a student's stance, then nodded with great satisfaction.
"Yes, yes, this will do."
Mingye swallowed. "What exactly… are you going to do?"
Pingli wiggled a finger. "Calm the chaotic energy inside you. It will settle your roots temporarily. It will reduce the pain you feel in your bones and allow you to breathe without breaking a sweat. And it will help you grasp one or two beginner skills—which you'll need, because you'll soon be going to the forest to get the main ingredients to remove the poison. And you'll do it alone."
"The forest? Will I be going alone?" Mingye asked.
"Yes. I can't help you gather the ingredients. I can't—rather, we can't—enter that part of the forest. We can only linger around here." Pingli told him.
"I'll be going with you," Monkey said. "You won't be alone."
The others nodded. It was a unanimous decision.
Pingli touched Mingye gently. "I'll ask again. Are you willing to do this? The road ahead of you will be filled with pain and danger. It won't be easy at all. Are you sure?"
"Yes," Mingye said firmly. "I'm sure."
Pingli gave a satisfied grunt. "Then let us begin."
He settled into the same meditative pose behind Mingye and placed one thick, warm hand between Mingye's shoulder blades.
Pingli inhaled deeply.
Aorun, Huosang, Gu Shan, and Monkey fell silent.
"Relax," Pingli murmured. "Empty your thoughts."
Mingye exhaled, trying to clear his mind. His heartbeat thudded loudly in his ears, but he focused, forcing the tension from his shoulders.
"Good," Pingli murmured. "Now close your eyes."
Mingye obeyed.
The world dimmed.
And then—a cool wave rolled down his spine, spreading through his limbs, his ribs, his chest. Mingye let out a slow breath he didn't realize he'd been holding.
A tranquil heaviness washed over him.
His heartbeat slowed.
His lungs expanded more easily.
His body felt lighter—almost floating.
Huosang tilted her head. "He looks calm."
Gu Shan stroked his beard. "True. I'm wondering if it will be like this throughout."
Monkey leaned forward, watching worriedly.
Aorun observed with unreadable eyes.
Pingli's voice came like a whisper:
"Good… good… let your spirit settle, boy. Don't resist. Let everything flow…"
Mingye did as Pingli instructed—
and then a spike of agony shot through his bones.
It felt as if someone were breaking every bone in his body. The pain was almost identical to what he'd felt when they had severed his limbs.
"This is only a fraction… I can't watch. The boy will die," Huosang said, covering her eyes with her hands.
"I doubt the boy will die," Aorun replied calmly. "He has a strong will."
"Will alone isn't enough to help him survive." Huosang gritted her teeth.
"You have such low hopes for the boy you just claimed to like," Gu Shan muttered.
"He's small. Can't you hear his screams? I can only imagine how bad it will be when Pingli actually treats him. He doesn't need to do anything—we should just let the boy live peacefully."
"That is for the boy to decide," Monkey said. "Just because he is small and young doesn't mean he won't survive. You forget—he has the Primordial All-Root Body."
"And you all seem to be forgetting what that same Primordial All-Root Body did to the world. Look at this place! It's the result of people's greed!"
"…Greed already destroyed the boy's family and the life he knew." Monkey shook his head. "I never planned on bringing him here. I wanted him to live peacefully. But who would have thought…" He exhaled. "It's better for the boy to become stronger."
The others stared at Monkey quietly.
"I hope this doesn't put him in even more danger than before," Aorun muttered.
Mingye screamed again—
louder this time—
tears pouring down his cheeks.
Then suddenly…
everything stopped.
It was like he hadn't been screaming some minutes ago. The forest quieted as Pingli removed his hands from Mingye's body.