[A / N: I'll try to write one and release it tomorrow, but I'm a bit undecided about which route to take. I've already written almost four chapters, but none of them are pleasing to me. – Well, that's it. If you have any ideas or opinions, you can leave them in the comments.]
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Chapter 6° Treatment
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(Training camp)
Xiao Ning'er was lucky; her bruises—there were two—were still relatively light, not interfering much with her daily life or cultivation. Otherwise, they could have started affecting her sleep, bringing a burning and freezing pain, and then she'd lose the ability to cultivate.
Under Xiang Yun's massage, the dark bruise that had originally stood out on Xiao Ning'er's ankle was slowly fading away.
"It's working!"
Xiao Ning'er's eyes lit up and she looked at Xiang Yun in slight surprise. "Classmate Xiang Yun, when did you learn how to do this kind of massage?"
The bruise that had made her use various medicines and read so many books in search of a cure was finally disappearing—and so quickly at that.
It was simply amazing!
"Besides inscriptions, which are the main products my family sells, I've also had some interest in medicine and alchemy. But I only started learning a short while ago. It's nothing special."
"If you brought this Daoyin technique to someone in your family, they'd be able to use it pretty quickly too. It's nothing incredible."
Xiang Yun explained as he continued the massage.
"Mm." Xiao Ning'er nodded. "But I still think you're amazing. I don't feel any more pain."
At first, she had felt a mild pain in her ankle, followed by sharp stings, but with Xiang Yun's massage, she now felt more comfortable than ever, and her ankle was clearing up without a single mark.
"Xiao Ning'er, don't move. I still need to keep massaging for ten more minutes to finish the first session," Xiang Yun said.
After ten more minutes, Xiang Yun sat on the forest grass, breathing deeply. His face glistened slightly with sweat. The strain of using the Daoyin technique wasn't that great, but the mental effort of ignoring the beauty in front of him was truly inhuman.
'Calm down. Don't ruin the plan now…'
He forced himself to steady his mind for a moment, then his gaze fell on Xiao Ning'er's ribs, just below her breasts. On her lower rib, there was a more serious bruise. Although it was only the size of a thumb, the color was much worse than the other.
"Let's start with the next one now." He looked into her eyes, asking for permission.
"Go ahead!" Xiao Ning'er bit her lip and looked away from Xiang Yun, murmuring with a shy expression. "Just... be gentle."
Xiang Yun nodded and moved a little closer.
A moment later, he raised his hand and extended his left index finger to press around the bruise first.
"Uhn!" She flinched, feeling his warm hand touch her skin, which had been chilled by the forest air.
At that very moment, it was clear Xiao Ning'er was extremely nervous, and her body was slightly tense.
Xiang Yun ignored it and began massaging the spot with a solemn expression, keeping his thoughts to himself.
A wave of numbness, like an electric current, ran through her as she felt his touch in her most sensitive region.
At first, she felt strange and had a hard time relaxing. However, gradually, she felt Xiang Yun's finger growing warmer and warmer. It felt like her body was on fire. A wave of heat pushed out the excess cold, making her tremble from the sensation.
The warmth of his hand and the heat spreading inside her body made her shudder whenever the wind blew, carrying in moist air.
Xiao Ning'er now seemed even more nervous.
It was as if Xiang Yun's hands carried a peculiar kind of magical power. She felt like her whole body had been electrified wherever he massaged. She felt overwhelmingly numb, to the point that she couldn't muster the slightest bit of strength.
Moreover, the pressure points of the massage were extremely precise. He was able to target her blocked blood vessels the entire time. The cells in her entire body were trembling, and she couldn't stop it even if she wanted to.
"Be gentler..." she whispered, eyes hazy.
"You spend too much time cultivating at night. The blood vessels in this area are severely blocked by cold air. If this continues, you'll keep feeling colder and colder. Please, bear with it," Xiang Yun said, before pressing harder, causing her to suppress a pained moan.
Meanwhile, he continued massaging the area, ignoring her protests.
"Your body is of the wind and lightning element, so try not to use your technique after nightfall. It'll cause the cold spiritual energy to clog your blood vessels again," Xiang Yun said solemnly.
"Don't worry. I can find a way to fix this in a few days—or at most, find a technique more suited to your cultivation. So don't push yourself too hard."
"Alright. I understand."
"You know, this cultivation technique of yours isn't very suitable for you. It damages the meridians when you practice it. The cause of your Arctic Disease might be partially due to this technique," Xiang Yun said, continuing the soul force treatment with his hands.
"From what I understand, if you change this part from 'psychic mind' to 'celestial psyche,' and this one to 'fusion of soul and spirit'... it should be better. But you still need to be careful when practicing it."
Xiao Ning'er's gaze, which had a hint of shyness at first, gradually turned into one of admiration as she listened to him.
"Hey, are you listening? What are you thinking about?" Xiang Yun asked with a small smile, noticing the strange look on her face.
Xiao Ning'er lowered her head, her cheeks blushing. She couldn't hide the odd sensation stirring in her heart.
"It's nothing… really."
Her flushed face was especially enchanting, making Xiang Yun's heart skip a beat — he nearly lost control of the technique.
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[Twenty minutes later]
Xiang Yun, with a thin layer of sweat covering his face, finally withdrew his fingers from Xiao Ning'er's ribs. He had pushed his soul energy to its limit, partially clearing her most stubborn blood vessels with precision that demanded more than just focus.
"We're done," he murmured, voice slightly hoarse from the effort. His eyes, once full of determination, now showed signs of fatigue. The first part of the treatment had been more exhausting than he'd expected, and the cold energy in Xiao Ning'er's body was more resistant than he had imagined.
Xiao Ning'er let out a shaky breath, a mix of relief and surprise running through her body. She felt the change. The nagging pain that had lingered for days had faded, replaced by a feeling of warmth and lightness in her ankle and rib. The flow of energy in her body, once slow and uncomfortable, now felt smoother, more unimpeded.
"Xiang Yun, thank you!" she murmured.
The coldness and distrust she usually projected had melted away, replaced by genuine gratitude. She saw the sweat on his forehead, the heavy breath he tried to hide. He had worked hard—for her.
Xiang Yun simply nodded, getting to his feet. "That's enough for today. The rest of the treatment will be in the next sessions. You can get dressed now." He looked away, trying to give her privacy, though his body was all too aware of her.
Xiao Ning'er hesitated for a moment. The suggestion was clear, but the situation they were in was anything but simple.
She observed Xiang Yun's broad shoulders, the way his white and blue robe was now wrinkled and damp in places. He was exhausted, yet never complained.
That touched a part of her heart.
With a slow movement, she began buttoning her blouse, her fingers still slightly trembling. Each button was a pause, checking for any sign that he was looking at her. And she noticed it—his quick, furtive glance before he turned away.
A faint blush, nearly imperceptible, rose in her cheeks, but she didn't say a word. And soon, she was fully dressed, as if nothing had happened.
Xiang Yun, of course, missed that small signal.