Blossoming Path

I couldn’t sleep.

After the events of the night, sleep felt like a distant hope. My body was exhausted, but my mind refused to settle. I needed to do something, anything, to push away the frustration gnawing at me.

So I got up.

I found myself outside, standing in the wreckage. The cold air nipped at my skin, but I didn’t care. I just wanted to try and salvage what I could. The garden had been a sanctuary for me, a place where I could nurture life, and now it lay in pieces. I knelt in the dirt, my hands brushing over the remnants of the plants, trying to figure out where to even start.

Before long, I heard the familiar crunch of footsteps behind me. I didn’t need to turn around to know who it was.

"Brought some spare wood from the forge," Wang Jun said, his voice cutting through the quiet morning air. "It'll be enough to fix the fences. They needed to be replaced anyway."

Lan-Yin ruffled my hair, carrying a small basket with her.

I opened my mouth to tell them they didn’t need to, but she beat me to it.

"Don’t say anything about us needing rest," she added, shaking his head with a small grin. "I’ve got so much energy in me, I don’t think I could sit still if I tried."

Her betrothed nodded, a smile tugging at his lips. "Those pills you gave us... well, let's just say we owe you. And besides," he gestured to the garden, "we're not letting you handle this alone."

I wanted to argue, to tell them it was okay, that I’d figure it out myself. But honestly? I was grateful. Grateful for their help, grateful for their presence. And maybe a little too drained to push them away.

Together, we worked in silence for a while. They didn’t try to cheer me up with empty words or platitudes. Instead, they threw themselves into helping me clean up the wreckage, focusing on rebuilding the garden. Wang Jun fixed the sections of the fence that had been trampled, while Lan-Yin gathered what plants could still be saved.

I found myself glancing at the Moonlit Grace Lilies, or what was left of them. Every time I saw the crushed petals, that tightness in my chest returned. But seeing Lan-Yin and Wang Jun working so hard, it reminded me that there was still a chance to recover, even if it was small.

As the sun began to rise higher, casting golden light over the village, we paused. The worst of the damage had been cleared, but there was still so much left to do. I could already feel the strain in my muscles from the work, but it was a good kind of tired. A distraction from everything else.

We finally headed back inside for a well-deserved break. I sat down at the table, exhaustion beginning to settle in. Lan-Yin excused herself, saying she’d run home to grab something for breakfast. Moments later, she returned with a steaming pot of rice porridge, and I rummaged through my shelves for some preserved vegetables and dried meats to add to the bowls.

We sat together, the morning light filtering in through the windows as we shared the simple meal. I took a quiet moment, sneaking a bowl of sugar water under the bed for Tianyi, who’d been hiding there all night. She deserved something after staying there without a sound. It was almost unsettling, knowing she was there.

As we ate, I couldn’t help but glance over at Wang Jun and Lan-Yin. I set my chopsticks down and leaned back, curious.

"How much stronger are your reserves after those pills?"

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Wang Jun grinned proudly, his chest puffing out a bit. "According to the Heavenly Interface, I’ve reached the second rank of the Qi Initiation Stage."

Lan-Yin nodded, though her expression was more modest. "First rank for me, but I can definitely feel the difference."

I raised an eyebrow, impressed. They both made solid progress, but this was the perfect moment to explain something they might not have considered.

"That’s great," I said, "but I want to talk to you both about something important—pill residue."

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They both looked at me with a mix of curiosity and confusion.

"What's that?" Wang Jun asked, pausing mid-bite.

"Pill residue," I began, "is what’s left behind in your body after you take a pill. Even though pills give you a permanent boost in power and energy, they leave behind residual materials in your body. If that residue builds up too much, it can block your qi circulation. It’s like clogging a river with debris, it slows everything down and eventually stops it altogether." ṛ

Lan-Yin frowned, setting her bowl down. "So, the pills aren’t as perfect as they seem?"

I nodded. "Exactly. Pills are helpful, but they aren’t a shortcut to power. If you rely too heavily on them without properly integrating the energy into your dantian, you’ll end up hitting a wall in your cultivation. And that’s not all—over time, the residue can weaken the effects of future pills. That’s why detoxification pills are so important. They clear out the residue, making sure your qi flows smoothly."

They both nodded, taking the information seriously.

"And don’t worry," I added with a grin, "I’ve got detoxification pills ready for when you need them."

The three of us shared a small laugh, but the lesson was clear.

For now, though, we enjoyed the rest of our breakfast in peace, the morning sun casting a warm glow over us. Despite everything that had happened, I couldn’t help but feel grateful for friends like them.

Even in the worst moments, I wasn’t alone.

But even as I sat there, trying to soak in the calm of the moment, I couldn’t shake the feeling of being hyper-aware of Tianyi's presence. She’d been hiding under my bed all night without a word. I don't think I even heard her when I first attempted to sleep.

I caught myself glancing toward the bed more often than I should have. Guilt gnawed at me. I’d kept her in hiding, and it didn’t sit right with me, but I couldn’t see any other choice. I was responsible for her safety, and as much as I wanted to make things right, I had to be cautious. That thought didn't ease my conscience, though. I hope the sugar water will appease her for now. I hadn't cleaned under there in a while.

After breakfast, the three of us gathered what was left of the garden and headed to Elder Ming’s courtyard for morning training. The walk there was quiet, almost somber, the weight of last night hanging over us.

When we arrived, Elder Ming was sitting on his usual stone bench, his eyes closed in deep thought. He opened them when we approached, his gaze immediately falling on me.

“Kai,” he said, his voice steady, “you look troubled. What’s on your mind?”

I hesitated for a moment before stepping forward. "There was a break-in at my house last night. Someone came into my garden, destroyed a lot of the plants I’d been cultivating. They got away before anyone could catch them.”

Elder Ming’s expression darkened immediately, his brows furrowing. “A bandit?” His tone was low, but there was an edge to it.

"Maybe," I replied, unsure how much to reveal. “Whoever it was didn’t steal anything... just wrecked the place."

Elder Ming’s jaw clenched, and he exchanged a knowing look with me. “The Narrow Stone Peak disciples,” he muttered, his voice filled with suspicion. “They’ve been... persistent, haven’t they? Trying to get closer to the village, to us.”

It made sense. The Narrow Stone Peak disciples had been too eager to “help” the village and their constant presence had been wearing on me. But before I could respond, Lan-Yin spoke up.

“It couldn’t have been them,” she said, shaking her head. “We were staying at the Soaring Swallow Tea House last night, and we noticed the commotion from the balcony. The disciples were there, watching the whole thing with us. They even pointed it out.”

That gave me pause. If they weren’t directly involved, then who was? A mystery wrapped around this incident, and it only deepened the growing sense of unease I had about everything lately.

I tried to think through the haze of my exhaustion, searching for other possibilities. Who else could have done this?

Duan Jian? The thought crossed my mind, but I quickly dismissed it. After the incident in the alley with Xu Ziqing, he had made himself scarce. Even if he harbored resentment toward me, he didn’t know where I lived, or at least I hoped he didn’t.

The Iron Claw sect? Another possibility, but unlikely. They’d gone completely silent if Zhi Ruo's letter was correct. There hadn’t been any reports of them resurfacing, either.

Silent Moon sect? Another candidate, but I doubted I was on their radar. I hadn’t done anything significant to attract their attention, and as far as I knew, they had no quarrel with me anymore. Not when they were looking at upending the status quo of the province and expanding themselves.

I was running out of potential enemies. It didn’t add up.

Elder Ming’s voice broke through my thoughts. “You’re thinking about who might be responsible, aren’t you?”

I nodded, still unsure of my conclusions. "I just can't figure it out. It doesn't seem like any of the usual suspects."

“Sometimes it’s not about who you’ve wronged, but what you possess that others covet. Keep that in mind.”

Could it be about the garden itself? The herbs, the hybrids… but none of it seemed valuable enough to warrant an attack. Still, it was clear I needed to be on high alert.

Elder Ming studied me for a moment before he spoke again. “I don’t want you to train today.”

I blinked, taken aback. “What? Why?”

He gave me a knowing look. “You’re not physically exhausted, Kai. It’s your mind that’s worn out. Cultivation can do just as much for you today as any physical training would. Take the time to meditate, absorb the qi around you, and let your body and mind heal.”

His words rang true, though they stung a bit. I’d always been the type to push myself, but he wasn’t wrong. My head was a mess, and maybe forcing myself through drills wouldn’t help me clear it.

Lan-Yin and Wang Jun both chimed in agreement.

“I have to say,” Wang Jun added with a smile, “cultivation has been a lot smoother lately, thanks to the abundance of qi in the air. Don't know how I would've gotten through morning practice without it.”

Lan-Yin nodded. “It feels like it’s been that way for the past few months, but it’s really ramped up since you got back, Kai. I suppose he's a harbinger of good fortune. Many thanks, young master.”

Come to think of it, the ambient qi around the village had grown stronger, comparable to a sect’s training grounds. I was so absorbed in getting back to my daily life that I didn't notice, but even compared to the Verdant Lotus sect, the amount here didn't fall short, did it?

I looked at Elder Ming, doing my best to keep my expression neutral. “Is it true the qi here has been steadily growing? Even while I was away?”

He nodded thoughtfully. “Somewhat, but nothing like it is now. Ever since you returned, it’s been unusually strong. It’s as if the village itself is becoming a prime spot for cultivation.”

I felt my pulse quicken. The realization hit me like a jolt.

Tianyi’s Qi Haven skill. She had broken through in cultivation, did it mean her abilities were enhanced? I recalled the moment when we were riding the horses back here. Her presence allowed them to run without stopping for hours. If her Qi Haven skill had been amplified to a similar degree, then...

I needed to confirm this. But the more pressing issue was the danger this posed.

If I had noticed the change, surely the Narrow Stone Peak disciples had too.

I glanced at Elder Ming, my decision made. “Can I leave early today? There’s something I need to check on.”

He gave me a concerned look but nodded. “Go ahead. Be careful, Kai.”

As I turned to leave, the tension built within me. I had to get to the bottom of this—and fast. Something much larger was at play, and it wasn’t just about a break-in anymore.

It was about power.

And it was growing.