107 — Rebirth

A faded sensation flowed through Zhang’s spirit. Like water flowing through a dry creek after years of drought, bringing fresh life with it. Qi flooded Zhang’s meridians, flowing in a wave from the core of his abdomen. It was a surge, and for a moment he felt as if he was on the cusp of a breakthrough, as his dantian failed to keep the flowing Qi in check.

Then an invisible hand swirled around his core, pushing down on his abdomen, as the Qi inside churned and swirled in circles. A voice reached into Zhang’s spirit, like the chime of a bell ringing in the wind, it echoed and clinked.

“Does it hurt?”

The words were not in any form Zhang understood. In fact, he hesitated to even call them words. Yet their meaning was clear to him, as clear as any tongue he’d ever spoken.

“It… doesn’t,” Zhang replied, taking a moment to assess his body. His spirit felt as if it was floating in the void, untethered and detached from everything. But one by one, he found vines and tendrils growing around him, as they connected him to something he’d lost touch with.

A ring blazed in his sight now, a glowing circle of light nested in the centre of a sprawling tree. Yet Zhang understood, somehow, even this vast tree was but a mere shadow of another.

Through his spirit sight, he found the tie in his soul, connecting him to his Saviour, Lu Jie. He followed it along, letting his spirit be swept by the tides, as he found himself in front of a small sapling. It was a fragile little thing, budding from the void with bright green leaves that spread outwards into the sky, but the moment Zhang laid his eyes on it, he felt the world descend upon his shoulder.

All living things awakened to Qi had an aura of their spirit. For many it was impossible to measure this aura, the presence of it too insignificant and miniscule to be detected. And at the same time, some creatures had an aura so vast, those of insignificant strength could never comprehend it.

The little sapling was one such thing.

If not for the ties to the spirit directly, Zhang would’ve never been able to grasp the vastness of the aura of this tree. For a moment, he let his sight spread with the tree’s aura, and he saw his sight spreading over horizons, spanning lands and mountains as the whole world appeared in his sight.

Zhang stumbled back, disoriented by the sight and fearing his spirit would tear apart from it. Putting his eyes away from the tree, he instead gazed towards the sky above, as he saw a golden ring circling slowly high above. A silver paler circle like his own was set around it, less formed, weaker, yet no less brighter for it.

“Not here. Not ours,” the voice spoke once more, growing more clear.

Zhang turned, and saw the little silver lilly bobbing through the darkness happily. Waddling up to Zhang, the little spirit extended a hand.

Zhang stared at her for a moment, before he scooped the spirit up in his palms. “What’s your name?” He asked the spirit.

“Silverlight!” The plant exclaimed. Yet the words were distorted somehow, changed, before they reached his ears.

“Yin Guang?” Zhang asked cautiously.

The spirit lilly put a hand to her mouth as if in thought, before she nodded. Zhang smiled. “Do you mind if I call you little Yin?” He asked.

The spirit lilly shook her head. “Must go back!”

“How? Do you know how to go back?” Zhang asked, looking around the void.

“Open eyes! Wake up and we will be back!” Little Yin exclaimed, jumping up and down on her palm in excitement.

Zhang frowned. A moment later, he focused on his spirit, commanding it to open its eyes.

Nothing changed, as the darkness stirred around him lazily.

“No no! Must open other eyes!” Little Yin shouted.

“You aren’t making this very clear, Little Yin,” Zhang said with a frown. His gaze drifted across the darkness, mind trying to place together which eyes the silver lilly was referring to.

“Open my eyes. How do I open my eyes?” Zhang murmured. There was a sensation pressing at him, as if he was missing something very obvious.

“Master has been blind for a very long. Open your eyes and see!” Little Yin said, as she jumped his shoulder and to his face, grabbing cheeks.

Zhang stared into her silvery beady eyes, watching the swirl of Qi in them, before something clicked.

Closing his eyes, he opened a sense he’d lost for years.

Slowly, lethargically, like a limb grown atrophied from lack of use, his Qi senses blossomed, as the world around him settled into view.

With a flood of Qi, Zhang found his spirit pulled back, as his eyes shot open.

With a powerful gasp, Zhang rose from his bed, coughing. The taste of herbs filled his mouth, a tangy herbal smell filling his throat and nose.

Zhang felt a shudder go through his body, as he coughed and hacked, before the vile taste hit him in full force. He rushed to the side, back arching in disgust as the contents of his stomach made its way out.

The sound of dry retching and gagging filled the chamber, as thick black sludge mixed with red blood made its way out of his guts.

“Let it all out boy. Let it all out,” the old granny said, rubbing his back as Zhang retched.

When he’d hurled enough of the gunk, she handed him a wet cloth to wipe himself with, and Zhang soon realised that the gunk was not just inside his gut, but covered his entire body.

“Yeah, he needs a bath, Probably five. And burn those clothes, the stink doesn’t go away. Trust me, I know from experience,” Lu Jie said, seated nearby.

Zhang felt the world spinning, as he directed his gaze towards Lu Jie. His eyes were red from the retching, yet even so, Zhang felt better than he had ever felt physically.

“What… happened?” He rasped, looking towards Lu Jie.

The boy’s smile extended in a manic grin across his face, sending a shiver down Zhang’s spine.

“I have no idea, and I’m dying to find out.”

***

I waited patiently as Zhang went through three rounds of washing, clearing out the filth that covered his body so thoroughly. After having changed into his new clothes and rid himself of the filth, the boy walked into the chamber, standing tall and strong, as he took a seat in front of me.

Silverlight rode on his shoulders, looking oddly fitting at the position and I silently observed the boy.

“Do you have any idea what happened to you?” I asked Zhang.

“I was hoping you could tell me, brother,” the boy said, folding his arms into his long sleeves. My smile widened further at his words.

“Zhang. There is a lot that needs to be explained. But if I am right, then you are the first person after me to have touched Chi,” I replied, trying not to let my excitement seep into my voice.

“Chi?” Zhang asked, voice confused.

“Heavenly Qi, the aura of the world, Essence, whatever name you want to give it. It’s the thing in the air around you and me, that we purify into Qi, and demons purify into Gu. That base energy is what I call, Chi. It is what you’ve somehow managed to touch upon. And I’m starting to suspect it has to do with the fact that you have no dantian to speak of whatsoever.”

Zhang sat silently, looking back at me evenly.

“Not surprised?” I asked, surprised by his lack of reaction.

“No. Brother Jie, with no disrespect to your skills. I’d already been prepared for this outcome. You tried your best, and if things didn’t work out, then perhaps the Heavens did not wish for my fate to be changed,” Zhang replied, fists clenched and pressed against his thighs.

“Oh. No no no no, you misunderstand Zhang. You don’t have a dantian, but you’re still a cultivator. It’s a massive mystery! And an extremely fascinating one too! My current hypothesis is that you cultivate and use Qi the same way spirit herbs do, since they do not possess a dantian either, but clearly have the ability to use Qi and absorb it to grow.”

Zhang stared at me silently, before his gaze shifted to the other members in the room. Labby, Yan Yun, Su Lin, and Granny Lan all sat nearby, watching our talks in silence.

A moment later, Zhang burst out in laughter. “Brother Jie, you really don’t have to do this. Just tell me the truth, I can handle it. Making these tales does not suit you,” Zhang said, looking at me.

I squinted my eyes, but did not reply.

Zhang’s smile slipped, as the frown on his brows began to deepen. “No, there’s no way. Surely you jest. I’m a… spirit herb now?” Zhang said, as if baffled by the notion. “What am I to do? Eat more spirit herbs to cultivate? Abandon my Path?” He scoffed.

“Perhaps,” I replied. “I frankly have no idea. And I’d like to learn more. But no Zhang. You’re no less of a cultivator than you had been. I pulsed my Chi through you, and you didn’t accept it, so you can’t use Chi, but your eyes absorbed them instead. You’ve got a very special ability, one that none of us have any idea on how it’s going to develop.”

Zhang sputtered, staring at me silently. “Does that- do you mean to say… I’m cured now?”

“You are, Zhang,” I replied.

The silence grew longer in the room, as Zhang simply sat still in place, unmoving for over a minute.

I was worried that he didn’t hear or misunderstood my words again, but the boy looked up at me, before I could say anything. “Can I… please. I’d like to have a moment alone.”

“Brother Zhang—“ Su Lin tried to interrupt, but I stopped him. I could vaguely sense the emotions going through Zhang from our new link.

In silence, I stood up, followed by the rest of the members as we left the room one by one, leaving Zhang to himself.

None of us mentioned the quiet sobs coming from the chamber.