Heaven's Laws - Lifestone - Chapter 71

Huifen flew over to Chao before she could confirm that his focus had returned to his body. She placed herself in front of him, wanting to wrap her arms around his neck, but she stayed back momentarily so as not to startle him. That wasn’t out of the ordinary, but her feelings of apprehension were.

She stiffened her back against her foreboding. She’d been there when Father Zan was putting him through his special training. She’d seen the toll it had taken on him. It was the same after Daiyu’s death, except then he’d lost control. She knew he wouldn’t hurt her—not on purpose. Since when had she feared her own husband?

Before she realized his consciousness had returned, he strode forward and wordlessly embraced her. She ardently returned it. It was a long moment before she released him. When she did, he held her securely around the waist and didn’t let her slump back down to the floor. Their eyes met and he seemed at ease.

She immediately felt that something was wrong. Like all her fears were finally realized when he poked her on the end of the nose with his own.

“I’m okay,” Chao promised. “But you.”

He bent low like he was going to put her down but instead swept her off her feet. Only then did she remember they had an audience.

She glared at him then motioned toward the crowd.

He shrugged but didn’t resist as she swung herself from his arms. He was usually the timid one in front of crowds, but she was the one blushing. Not that it mattered. The crowd was utterly silent. Many of them hadn’t moved away from where they’d been standing while watching Chao on the scoreboard partition. She saw one girl disappear behind it as if not certain she should be there. Others were poking their heads out from behind it.

Chao took a heedlessly looked around to find every joint sect member there, except for the group outside, more than forty elders from various sects, twice that in random disciplines, and three sages were watching them. He glanced away as if they were of little concern, only to suddenly turn his back on them. When she saw what he was going for she understood.

It wasn’t just one prize on the bowl-shaped podium waiting for them. The spire’s spirit was bowing its head behind the stand and started to explain. “Master Long. There are seven different natural treasures and three pills remaining that are capable of restoring the meridians of an Earth Realm cultivator. Each of them is unique in their own right. Might I know who was injured and the extent of his injuries?”

“Brother Baros of the Morning Midst Village. Are you familiar with him?”

“Of course, Master. And his injuries?”

Before her Chao had to find the water sage in the crowd, the man flew forward and bowed his head. He didn’t step foot on the training construct’s platform but remained at its edge. “This one answers. The primary meridian that runs from the dantian to the heart.”

Huifen couldn’t help but noticed Uilleam’s change in demeanor. He’d been respectful since his arrival. There was no doubt, but he’d still treated her and her husband as youngsters, though equal in rank. Now the near peak sage was bowing at his back, as if acknowledging the true difference between them.

The artificial spirit asked a few more questions before pointing to a blue pill with white swirls. “This one is the least valuable, but don’t let that trouble you. It’s more than enough for what you have need of. The reason for its lesser value is because healing meridians is its only use. The others have some unique properties or can be used to advance cultivator as well.”

Chao strode forward and carefully took it. He then turned to Uilleam and asked. “Do you think this will do?”

The water sage saluted before stepping onto the construct. Holding out his hand, he let Chao drop it into his palm and examined it. It took a long moment. As he studied it, he slowly started nodding to himself.

“Truly miraculous,” the sage finally said. “This should do. Leave it to me.”

The man flew off over the crowd toward the exit.

It seemed her husband was about to do the same when Huifen looped her arm beneath his. “Let him handle it.”

“Then?” He seemed to finally notice the people surrounding them. “Uh. Now what?”

“Master Long,” the artificial spirit called out.

They turned back around and faced him.

The spirit continued. “Would you like me to return these resources to storage, or take them with you?”

Huifen’s eyes met Chao’s and she was so elated she let out an exasperated giggle.

Seeing her reaction, a grin pulled at his eyes, and he asked. “Do you have an extra jade pill box.”

“Certainly, Master.”

It wasn’t just a pill box the spirit pulled out, but a small chest. As it opened it, a shelf pulled up revealing two layers of long compartments to separate different materials. It then took a moment to put each in their place. “This is just the beginning of the resources available to you as the new owner. A few of them could be cultivated in a nursery, and after a few decades you could be harvesting them consistently.”

She squeezed him so hard that she immediately apologized.

He removed her hand from his arm and placed it in his hand. “This way I can squeeze back.” He was teasing her.

Despite how miraculous it could be to have meridian healing medicine the joint sect could use as it wished, she couldn’t ignore how composed Chao was after what he’d just done. She’d been worried, and even jealous, at how quickly he seemed to have gotten over what he’d done to Daiyu’s murderer, but it was now like he wasn’t affected at all. It had only been in a training construct… Why had he let the blood wash over him?

“Take it,” he suggested.

When she started to reject his request, he added. “You’re the one who’s studied healing with Sage Ping. I could help grow them, but I don’t see when we’ll have the time. Maybe give some of Pangfua and they can do it back at the sect?”

He was right on all counts. “Okay.” She then took it.

“Master,” the artificial spirit said. “The scoreboard is about to update.”

At its words, every started moving away from the training construct to where they could get a look at the stone partition. Chao wasn’t aware that they’d been able to watch him, so she took his hand and flew them over to hover over the heads of the crowd. Pangfua, Shoi-ming, and the moon sage joined them.

As the bottom placeholder’s names started to rise from the ground to join the top ten near the ceiling, Huifen saw his confusion and briefly explained that everyone had seen him fight.

His first reaction wasn’t surprise, but he gave her a pointed look. “I’m okay, my Huifen. We knew it would happen the way it did. I’m just relieved it’s over. Now there’s no doubt.”

She nodded her understanding but knew there was more he wasn’t saying.

It was then that the bottom ninety names joined with the top ten. Only then did a new name reach the list, climbing up from the bottom. It climbed slowly at first, but its speed only quickened. Once it reached the top ten, it ticked passed one at a time until it reached the royalty list. The names usually looked like they’d been expertly carved into the stone, but the second and first place names shone with golden light. As his name slipped into second place, it too glowed in golden light. Then it moved a final time and all the light gathered in her husband’s name, Long Chao.

Suddenly, someone from their group flew down to the ground and commanded, “Bow.”

Huifen glanced back to find Sage Ginevra gone. The moon sage had been the one to issue the command. Then to her surprise, Pangfua and Shoi-ming seemed to conclude the same that and descended to join their martial salutes with all that were there.

“Don’t you dare leave me up here alone,” Chao hissed with a playful tone.

“I won’t,” she said, but still flew back a little way and saluted him as well. She then saw the solemnity overtake him that she’d grown so accustomed to. She didn’t like this. Not knowing what was going on inside him. She had a lot of personal difficulties to consider, but if he hid what was going on inside, how would she know if she’d have to put her own problems aside for a time and be there for him?

He returned the salute of the whole room, before looking at her and sighing. “Let’s go check on Brother Baros.”

He flew down and gathered their discipleship group with his qi. Even Li Qiang was holding back from his normally familiar greeting. Chao called out to the spire’s spirit. “We’ll return soon.”

Huifen saw the spirit bow in response and they flew toward the exit.