A Thousand Li: Villages and Illnesses: A Cultivation Short Story by Tao Wong

Author:Tao Wong [Wong, Tao]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Starlit Publishing
Published: 2021-11-15T06:00:00+00:00

***

Frowning, Xiang An stood over the seated Shen Wei, who was looking puzzled. Eventually, the apothecarist removed his fingers from Shen Wei’s wrist, having read his pulse. “You're healthy. If anything happened, it is minor enough that I am not sensing any changes.”

“Do you feel different?” Li Yao said, impatiently.

“No.” Shen Wei paused, considering and then added, “Maybe a little weaker. Which would track with the release of Chi that was mentioned, but it is quite low. If I wasn’t looking, I would never notice the difference.”

“Still…” Xiang An stopped.

“Speak, Brother Xiang!” Li Yao said.

“Brother Shen is a cultivator. Mid-Energy Storage, so the amount of Chi he has is significant,” Xing An said. “Compared to the villagers, especially the elderly and the child…”

“It would be more. And I interrupted them and Brother Shen,” Li Yao said. “If they spent the entire night drawing out the Chi…”

“Over a few nights, it could cause the issues we saw,” Xiang An confirmed.

Shen Wei touched his chest, running his fingers along his robes. He paused as he finished, pulling gently at the robes and staring at the discarded fur that was left on his fingers. He moved to discard it, only for Li Yao to catch his hand. Surprisingly, the cultivator turned a little red, freezing in surprise at being touched. Li Yao ignored his actions, plucking the strands of fur from his hand and staring at it.

“The cats?” Xiang An said, surprised.

“They’re everywhere,” Li Yao said, having released Shen Wei’s hand. She offered the fur to Xiang An, who brought it close to his eyes to study.

“Maybe some kind of forest spirit?” Shen Wei said, shaking himself free of his surprise. “I never sensed any animosity from them. Did you?” Li Yao shook her head. “Perhaps it is not conscious?”

“What do you mean?” Li Yao asked. “They’re hurting the villagers unconsciously?”

“Yes. Just like some plants and minerals can create zones of deadly chi, spirits can do the same,” Shen Wei said. “Of course, I only have heard of them. Most of my studies focus on geography and the plants that grow, not animals.”

“Really?” Li Yao said, surprised. She was trained in Demon and Spirit Beasts of course, but the training had thus far been focused on creatures that were active threats. Not, what it sounded like, environmental disasters. “The many things under heaven are vast and surprising as ever.”

“I’m… going to study these,” Xiang An said to the pair, walking away from the group to enter another room.

“That’s good, Brother Xiang,” Li Yao called after Xiang An. “Just go. Don’t worry about us, we’ll do something.”

The pair could hear the sounds of apothecarist tools being unloaded onto the table and they shared a quick, knowing look.

“Right, I guess we’ll… uh…,” Li Yao said, looking lost.

“I’ll look at my talismans. Maybe I can learn more. And if I see a cat…”

“Right, right.” Li Yao nodded. “I’ll check on the patients. Maybe I can capture some of the animals too.”

Plan decided, the pair headed out, Li Yao returning after a second to step into the kitchen to acquire a bag.

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