A slow breath. Eyes closed. A coiling heat beneath my skin. A torrent, forced through a pipe too small. A valve, waiting to explode.
Push.
My eyes opened, and I grit my teeth as I held my hand out. And for a moment, my hand gleamed a bright blue, covered by a thin sheen of light. Many have called it different names—chakra, chi, lifeforce—but it's still the same by the end of it all. A power born from being alive.
I then gasped as I collapsed back onto my bed, wincing as I felt my entire body curl in, as if I'd forcefully been pulled by an unseen force.
I'd just woken up from a not-so-comforting sleep, and to get my mind off what'd happened yesterday, I decided to get myself used to my new Energy. It took me minutes of focusing, and I managed it. But even that single moment of success had caused me an immense amount of pain, and now I could only lay on the bed as I waited for the pain to ebb away.
I took a tired breath. Still, I found this just a tad more amicable compared to heading out right now. After what'd happened yesterday, I genuinely feared I wouldn't be able to get anything done without getting stopped every minute or so. I would've used my new Talent's ability to glide to get me out of here, but that'd probably just make everyone's assumptions worse.
After some time, the pain lessened enough for me to stand up from the bed. I made my way to the door, and immediately my expression fell. There were dozens of mailed scrolls slipped through the bottom of my door, each more lavish than the last. Each of them probably costed more Mora than what most would earn in a week.
I stared at them for a good moment, before I decided to bring them all back to my bed. Dropping them all into one pile, I picked one out by random and began reading. Because since I wasn't planning to head outside yet, I might as well spend the time doing something else.
I rolled the scroll open, and I couldn't help but smile wryly. As I'd expected, it was essentially a very posh message about turning me into some superstar 'whose fame shall reach across all lands'. It sounded like some shady recruitment offer, but with the Mora being offered, I didn't doubt many would find the offer appealing.
I tossed the scroll aside and took another. And again, it was pretty much the same intent being written in a slightly different manner. I put it away and opened another. Once more, same thing with slightly different words.
It continued on for quite a while. Each scroll a message repeating over and over, much like a toy that knew little else but mimicry. It was almost impressive, really. Were they that drawn to my performance that they would risk embarrassing themselves like this? Or was listening to me busking out on the streets that shameful as someone of their status?
But then, I came across a scroll that was different.
"Lady Venti," I began, smiling wryly. Everyone had understandably assumed I was female due to my clothes. "I humbly invite you to our House. My son has recently been injured in battle against the demons, but your performance has returned some of his vitality." I frowned slightly. "I will offer what I have for another performance, and shall you do so, we at the House of Feiyun will forever be in your debt."
I fell silent for a good while. House of Feiyun-, something about that name felt familiar. But more than that, the writer mentioned that my song had 'returned some vitality' to their son?
I analyzed the writing a little more closely, using my new [Hawk Eyes] to glimpse as much detail as I could. And sure enough, after comparing it with the scrolls I've read, the writing seemed a little more shaky. As if the writer couldn't quite focus on writing the message.
I narrowed my eyes. Though the scroll made no mention of it, I couldn't help but feel like this was more serious than it let on. Not only that, though I couldn't check for its credibility, many had mentioned that being attacked by demons was almost nearly fatal for most humans.
Could it be…?
I put the scroll down, and stood to leave. Maybe I was wrong about it—the writing could be shaky due to a number of reasons—but I had a feeling that said otherwise. Besides, I suppose this was an excuse to see if I could find out why the House of Feiyun sounded so familiar to me.
I came just inches from the door when a thought hit me. I would be taking a visit to a noble's house today, and I was still dressed in my usual robes. I wasn't an expert on the etiquette of Guili, but showing up in these was probably fairly rude, wasn't it? It'd be better if I-
I sighed as I turned to the dresser. It seemed, once more, I must wear the hanfu Guizhong had given me for my performance. I didn't mind wearing it per se—the silk felt quite nice to wear—but these robes had been the one to destroy the down-to-earth image I'd created over the past few weeks.
But there was little I could do, and so my gender-neutral robes were once again replaced by the hanfu. With the scroll in hand, I left my room behind as I descended down the steps, and I did my best to maintain a smile as the owner saw me. "Good afternoon, mèimei!" His greeting was a little too enthusiastic, and I politely laughed as I bid him farewell.
The moment I came out to the streets, dozens of eyes immediately turned my way. I maintained a careful smile as I walked, though my steps were a little hurried. Thankfully I had my Minimap to guide me to where the House of Feiyun was, and I used it to distract myself from all the attention I was pulling.
Before long I came before my destination. The noble's house was a large manor, built from carved marbles and bricks and layered wood. It had the same opulence as the other manors I'd occasionally passed by.
The guards stopped me when I approached, but when I showed them the message their lord had given me, they escorted me to their lord's office. When I entered, I was greeted with a lavish interior; a main room that was thrice as large as my own room, halls lined with immaculate portraits of the house's ancestors, pedestals with priceless artifacts and trinkets.
Then, the guards stopped and opened the door. I took a small breath, thanked them, and then entered the room alone.
The office itself was functional, compared to the lavishness just outside. Walls lined with bookshelves, a desk filled with all sorts of parchment, and a large window behind the desk to let sunlight stream in.
And behind that desk was a large man, with dark blue hair and eyes reminiscent of deep amber. He smiled as he saw me enter, standing up and giving me a small respectful bow. "Welcome, Lady Venti. I thank thee for answering my selfish request."
I chuckled. "There's no harm, good sir. You'd called me here in service of your son, have you not?"
His expression fell to a somber frown at my words. "Yes, that is correct." He sighed, and at that moment, he simply looked like a father worried for his son's safety. "It has not been long since he resigned from the militia due to his injuries, but his affliction has only grown worse."
I tilted my head. "Affliction?" I asked. "I humbly apologize, for I find myself uneducated regarding matters such as this."
He shook his head. "It's no fault of yours, Lady Venti." He sat back down with a tired slump. "The people know that an injury from a demon is fatal. That is correct." He held his forehead and sighed. "What the militia wishes to hide is how that fatality comes to be."
The man lit the small incense burner on his desk, letting faint wisps of smoke rise into the air. "Demons are beings entrenched in karma." He began softly. "Those injured by them will be afflicted by that same karma. And unless one was an adepti capable of bearing that darkness, many would fall to it." His eyes darkened. "Becoming demons themselves."
My eyes went wide. This 'karma' was that dangerous!? Was this why only adepti like Alatus could so bravely venture to the wilderness to hunt demons down?
Wait, if that was the case, why was I fine? Shouldn't I feel the effects as well?
I shook my head. Now wasn't the time to ponder that. "How long does your son have?"
He shut his eyes, ashamed. "Days, at best."
I sucked in a breath. Thank the gods that I'd decided to read those scrolls today. If that whim hadn't passed, who knew if I'd ever come and read that scroll.
I closed my eyes. He had called me here so that I could sing for his son, likely to further slow down the corruption that was taking over his son. But as miraculous as that was, it was only a stopgap. The karma would still be there, and left unchecked, his son would become a demon.
Thankfully, I'd gotten another reward from the Gacha.
[Sunlight Healing 4★
A blessing from the sun, capable of driving away the encroaching darkness. For even in an isolating universe, there exists billions of burning lanterns, shining upon the emptiness of space.
Allows User to Heal another's injury. Amount of Healing depends on the Energy spent. Healing also cures the target of any affliction.]
I clenched my fists. "Then let us not waste any more time." I said, and the lord stared at me for a moment before he nodded. He led me out the room, and with the guards walking behind us, we headed to his son's room. It was up on the second floor, and soon, the lord and I went in.
I stifled a gasp as I saw the young man lying on the bed. His dark blue hair was reminiscent of the lord, but I could hardly focus on that. He had long strips of cloth wrapped around him, but I could still see how most of his skin had turned a worrying purple. And with my [Hawk Eyes], I could see how that purplish growth almost seemed to pulse and writhe.
"Father…?" The young man asked, before he then saw me. He quickly tried to sit up, but the lord gently pushed him down. "And…Lady Venti?"
I pursed my lips as I sat by his bedside. "What's your name, good sir?"
He smiled tightly. "This humble one is Tianqiu." He weakly bowed. "I am honored to have you visit me."
I stopped. Tianqiu, was it? Again, the name felt familiar. Though there was an odd feeling to it as well, as if the name wasn't exactly the same. I shook my head. "It is nice to meet you, sir Tianqiu." I smiled sadly as I glanced at his marred body. "It has been painful, hasn't it?"
His lips parted for a moment, before he fell silent. His body shook for a moment, before he took a shallow breath. "...it has." He admitted, and I could see the way his father's shoulders shook.
I closed my eyes. I could use [Sunlight Healing], but I knew it wouldn't be enough. My Attributes just weren't high enough to purge the karma that'd settled deep in this young man. I needed more.
But I only had one method of temporarily increasing my strength, and it wasn't something I could hide from these two.
The hesitance lasted only for a second.
My image amongst the people was already strange in the first place. Some had looked at me with a reverence that should be reserved for the divine. If I let two more people see that I wasn't as normal as others were, how bad would that truly be? And in return, I could save someone who'd been doomed to an inevitable death.
The choice was obvious.
"Sirs, might I ask for something?" The two men turned my way, and I smiled. "I will now do something. Can I entrust thee not to share this to others?"
The lord stared at me, and as if he'd come to an epiphany, quickly nodded. "Your trust shall not be misplaced, Lady Venti." And though Tianqiu didn't say anything, I saw him slowly nod in agreement.
"Thank you, good sirs." I took a deep breath, and holding my hand over Tianqiu, I called upon my Talents.
A great light shone from me as my destiny coalesced, forming into a bright green halo that hovered over my head. My strength increased twice fold, and the Energy I'd struggled to control just earlier became easy to mold. Then, energy surged into my palm, and a bright yellow light glowed from my hands.
And the two men watched in wonder as the corruption writing across Tianqiu's body began to recede. The lord watched in awe; it'd become clear that clearing karma was a realm solely owned by the divine. Not even the adepti are capable of clearing karma, merely banishing it. Once the corruption took hold, there was little else to do but to put the afflicted out of their misery.
But in his compassion for his son, he found himself incapable of ordering for Tianqiu's death. He'd earned shame for his decision, but now he was glad he had stubbornly held his stance. For now he could feast his eyes on this divine miracle.
Tianqiu was even more awed, because he could feel himself getting better. Feel the darkness inside him be physically destroyed, as if the demonic karma was an ant and Lady Venti's light a great sun that scorched any shadow that dared to gaze upon her. And with how she glowed and the halo that hung above her head, there was no other possible explanation as to who Lady Venti was.
A god. Somehow, someway, his father had managed to attain the attention of the divine, and now he would be saved. He couldn't hold back his tears at the miracle and silently prayed, thanking his savior for her kindness.
Not that I noticed any of that. Even with [Freedom Song: Awakening] active, purging the corruption was no easy task. After all, my Energy still sat at a pitiful 2 in this state, and it took all my focus to ensure I didn't miss even a speck of darkness inside Tianqiu's body.
After minutes of constant focus, I finally managed to completely clear Tianqiu's body from any lingering karma. And once I did, I let my Talents deactivate. The moment the halo above me vanished, I felt a great weakness strike me, though I managed to maintain a polite smile. "How do you feel now, sir Tianqiu?"
He unwrapped the cloth around his arms and marveled. His hands, once purple and dirty, were now completely healed. Even the scars he'd attained from training and battle had vanished. "I feel…amazing." He whispered, and he gingerly tried to stand. And to his great wonder, he didn't even need his father to hold him as he stood.
"Truly wondrous!" The lord cheered, and uncaring of shame, he went down to his knees and bowed. "I thank thee, Lady Venti! All my blessings I heap upon this honored one!"
I laughed shyly. So exaggerated, these people were. "No worries, good sir."
He stood back up and smiled. "And do call me Liangqiu, Lady Venti. It is my thanks for the blessing you have brought upon this house."
I nodded. "Thank you then, sir Liangqiu."
The cheer continued when the three of us left the room. The guards saw their young lord walking and quickly put two and two together. But Tianqiu also made it clear that his healing must not be shared. At least not yet.
The guards understood. After all, some of them had seen the way Venti and Guizhong had walked together yesterday. And now seeing their young lord miraculously walking once more, it wasn't hard to infer who Venti truly was. So they nodded and vowed to keep the truth concealed.
"Might I invite you to a meal, Lady Venti?" Liangqiu asked. "I promise to present a great feast!"
I smiled. "Then I will burden you a little more." I said. After all, I was still quite tired from healing Tianqiu so thoroughly. I was more likely to stumble and fall face-first into the ground if I went home now.
The man laughed joyfully as he patted his chest. "Your presence will never be a burden, Lady Venti!" And he then quickly ordered his guards to inform the chefs to prepare a feast. They all saluted before they quickly marched away.
Tianqiu cleared his throat. "While we wait, might I lead you around? There is much to see here, that I guarantee."
I smiled politely. "Of course, sir Tianqiu."