Shen Yuan stood on the balcony of his abode, overlooking the courtyard where his newfound 'army' had gathered. A scowl darkened his features as he observed their cultivation levels. Most were still struggling at the peak of the Purifying Realm, and only a handful had barely stepped into the first stage of the Heaven Path Realm. It was laughable. "An army?" He scoffed. "No, this was a pitiful collection of stragglers."
"Useless," he muttered under his breath, his voice laced with venom.
Closing his eyes, he extended his divine sense, probing their Qi flows. What he discovered made his fists clench. Impurities. Thick, pervasive, and corruptive. The disciples' Qi was riddled with it, blocking their progress and tainting their cultivation. Shen Yuan's aura flared unconsciously, sending a chill through the gathered disciples, who exchanged uneasy glances.
"Impure Qi," Shen Yuan growled, his voice cutting through the tension like a blade. "Have you all been drinking poison for cultivation, or are you just this incompetent, that you didn't even realize that martial techniques of different types from one's Qi can corrode the Qi flow?"
The disciples shuffled nervously but said nothing. Shen Yuan exhaled sharply, reigning in his anger. Getting angry won't fix this. He reminded himself.
With a wave of his hand, he summoned his brush. A massive scroll unfurled before him that could contain hundreds of people and with precise, deliberate strokes, Shen Yuan began crafting an intricate array. The Tai-Chi Array.
Each stroke of Shen Yuan's brush carried a trace of his Qi, weaving the array with flawless precision. Yin and Yang symbols formed at its center, radiating a faint golden light. The outer edges spiraled with patterns resembling rivers of energy, channeling the flow of natural Qi from the surroundings.
As he worked, the disciples watched in awe. They had never seen such mastery in array creation, let alone one imbued with such overwhelming power. The moment Shen Yuan placed the final stroke, the array pulsed, releasing a low hum that resonated through the air.
"Stand in the array," Shen Yuan commanded, his tone leaving no room for argument.
The disciples hesitated for a moment, unsure of what to expect, but the allure of potential improvement outweighed their fear. One by one, they stepped into the glowing formation. As the array activated, a wave of Qi swept through their bodies, extracting impurities in a visible mist that dissipated into the air.
Cries of pain and relief echoed as the disciples felt their Qi flows becoming smoother, their bottlenecks loosening. Shen Yuan watched silently, his arms crossed, but inside, he felt a glimmer of satisfaction.
As the mist of impurities dissipated into the air, leaving behind disciples with smoother Qi flows and a renewed sense of vigor, Shen Yuan's focus wavered. His eyes scanned the horizon beyond his courtyard, the vibrant colors of the sunset painting the skies in brilliant hues. Yet, the beauty of the scene failed to stir him.
Instead, an invisible weight pressed against his chest, a sensation foreign and unwelcome. Anxiety!
Shen Yuan clenched his fists at the thought. He was not a man prone to doubt or fear. His path had always been clear, his goals unwavering. But now, as he prepared for war against the elders of the sect, a shadow lingered in his mind.
His divine sense spread out like a net, scanning for threats in the vicinity. Nothing. He probed deeper, extending his consciousness toward the elders' quarters, but their energy signatures were as they should be, static, predictable.
Still, the unease persisted, gnawing at his core.
"What is it I'm missing?" Shen Yuan muttered under his breath.
His mind raced through the possibilities. Could the elders have set a trap he hadn't anticipated? Was there a force beyond the sect that sought to exploit the chaos brewing within? Or was this simply the pressure of leading others, of placing his trust in a group of disciples he barely respected?
The last thought made his lip curl. He refused to believe he could be vulnerable to such a mundane weakness.
Shen Yuan took a deep breath, centering himself. He needed clarity, not speculation. The war ahead demanded his full attention. Yet, the more he tried to rationalize the unease, the deeper it dug into him, as if some unseen force whispered warnings he couldn't fully hear.
"Shen Yuan!"
The sharp call jolted him from his thoughts. Turning, he saw Feng Yanqing approaching, though her usual fiery energy seemed dimmed. Her steps were slower, and her face was pale, a sheen of sweat glistening on her brow.
"You look terrible," Shen Yuan said bluntly, his sharp eyes narrowing. "What's wrong?"
Feng Yanqing huffed, brushing a stray lock of hair from her face. "Nice to see you care," she said with mock irritation. "I've been channeling energy into your array all day. Someone had to stabilize it while you were busy glaring at the horizon."
He frowned, his gaze softening as he took in her exhaustion. "Why didn't you tell me?"
"Because I knew you'd say something stupid, like, 'don't push yourself." She waved a hand dismissively, though the effort made her stumble.
Before she could fall, Shen Yuan was at her side, steadying her with a firm grip. His expression darkened, though not with anger this time. "You're reckless."
Feng Yanqing managed a weak smile. "Takes one to know one."
She leaned against him for a moment before stepping back, her legs wobbling. "I just need to rest a bit. Your lap looks comfortable," she added with a playful smirk, though the blush creeping up her cheeks betrayed her teasing tone.
Shen Yuan blinked, momentarily caught off guard. He hesitated, then sighed, sitting down and patting his lap. "Fine. But don't get used to this."
Feng Yanqing chuckled softly as she eased herself down, resting her head on his lap. Her breath steadied, and for a moment, she closed her eyes, letting the tension in her body melt away.
"You know," she murmured, her voice quiet but laced with mischief, "you're not as heartless as you pretend to be."
Shen Yuan raised an eyebrow, leaning back slightly. "Don't start with that nonsense."
She opened one eye, her lips curling into a faint smile. "If you keep overthinking everything, your brain might actually explode."
To her surprise, Shen Yuan let out a low, genuine chuckle—a sound so rare it made her pause. "You'd make a terrible cultivator but a decent doctor with advice like that."
Her playful smile turned into a pout. "Are you mocking me?"
"Maybe," Shen Yuan said, his hand moving almost instinctively to ruffle her hair. The gesture was uncharacteristically gentle, and for a brief moment, the usual sharpness in his gaze softened. "Thanks. You've given me warmth in this chaos."
Feng Yanqing froze, her face turning a deep shade of red. She quickly sat up, brushing her robes in an attempt to regain composure. "I….I don't know what you're talking about!"
Shen Yuan stood, brushing off his own robes and stretching lazily. "Don't overdo it. I can't have you collapsing on me in the middle of this mess."
He paused, glancing at her over his shoulder. His voice was quieter now, almost wistful. "Even if I fail in this war... I'll come back for you."
Feng Yanqing stared at him, her heart skipping a beat. She opened her mouth to respond, but no words came. Shen Yuan had already turned and walked away, his silhouette fading into the dimming light.
Left alone, Feng Yanqing touched her lips lightly, a small, unbidden smile creeping onto her face. Shen Yuan's words replayed in her mind, and for the first time, she felt an unfamiliar sensation in her chest.