“Stop sleeping already and get something to eat!” Jun Xian heartily nudged his son. Now that he’s much better and can finally eat to replenish his strength and nourish the body, what more are they waiting for?

When the servants entered the room with the piping hot porridge, the aroma was so enticing that both father and son momentarily looked at the steaming bowls absentmindedly.

The porridge had a faint smell of herbs but the smell was not too overpowering. Having not eaten for such a long time, Jun Qing could feel his stomach contracting once the bowl was placed in front of him.

Once he took in a deep breath, the aroma assaulted all his senses and his previous loss of appetite was history. He struggled to sit up in his bed to enjoy his first meal for these past few days.

After he had eaten his fill, with a bit of difficulty as he sat up in his bed and had only realized that he was in a very precarious situation while he was unconscious.

“Every doctor who saw you concluded that you were on at death’s door..if not for her….”

Jun Xian sighed as he thought about the pain of losing his eldest son … If this kind of thing happened again he really did not know if he could survive.

“But…Jun Wu Xie just started on her medical studies not too long ago, how could she have known that I could be saved?” Jun Qing was full of questions, it seems that this time, it was really a huge change in Jun Wu Xie. The wayward rude little girl from before seem to have disappeared without a trace. Even in the face of Mo Xuan Fei’s bullying, she still did not express any discontent, unlike the her before who would have whipped up a storm. She’s so sensible and level headed now.

“Recently that child has changed a lot, she’s become very sensible. I think her injury before might not be as simple as we have thought. If not for the major turn of events, she would not have changed so much in such a short time.” Jun Xian did not say it out but he had been thinking about it for a while and made a few guesses.

All these started only after she came back riddled with all those injuries. What did she go through?

Jun Qing hesitated for a moment before he finally told the truth that Jun Wu Xie had given him the lotus seed right before this incident.

“Lotus seed?!” Jun Qing frowned slightly. Initially he had thought that someone had secretly tempered but now Jun Wu Xie is suddenly involved.

“Perhaps she gave it to me without any deeper meaning or my body simply could not hold up against the poison. No matter what, I believe that Wu Xie will not harm me. But I have to say, although I’m tired now, I’m feeling much better than what I’ve felt over in a decade! The poison has deeply seeped into my bones, all these years, and though it didn’t manage to take my life away but it has been wearing my mind and spirit down.” Jun Qing was worried he would implicate Jun Wu Xie further as he hastily tried to explain.

He really wasn’t exaggerating, his body still felt very weak now however his mind was very alert. Also the poison before seem to have rendered him unable to muster up any spirit energy but now he could feel a slight throb as he tried to sense his spirit energy.

“Really? Do not think that you can pull a fast one over me. Naturally I believe in our Wu Xie. But if you still feel any discomfort anywhere, do not hide it.” No matter what, both of them are his closest kin and he did not want any harm to befall them.

Jun Qing smiled and nodded as he moved his arms in exaggerated motion in an attempt to show his father that he was really fine.

However in that moment, there was a surge of a strange feeling. His whole body stiffened as he was deep in thought.

“What happened?” Jun Xian quickly asked as he saw the strange expression Jun Qing had on.

Jun Qing gulped as he gave a bewildered look of disbelieve.

“My legs….”

“What happened to your legs?!” Jun Xian asked anxiously.

“They feel a little…sore?” Jun Qing’s voice trailed off…

 

Ever since Jun Qing had been poisoned, his legs were not able to feel any sensations, except for occasional chills from the bitter cold winter. However, he could clearly feel something now, something he had missed all these years. Even though it was pain, nevertheless, it was still a feeling!

“Father, where is Wu Xie?” He had a sudden flashback.

[“Uncle, do you trust me?”]

When Jun Wu Xie had asked him that question, he didn’t think too much into it but now after all that has happened… After she had asked him that very question, she fed him ‘that lotus seed’ after which his body underwent major changes.

All these were too coincidental!

Jun Xian had sent someone to invite Jun Wu Xie over.

When she entered the room, there was a faint aroma of herbs as she carried her little black cat in one arm and walked over to the bedside.

“Uncle woke up.” As if she was expecting it, there was not a trace of surprise in her voice.

“Wu Xie, this time Uncle really need to thank you properly.” Jun Qing smiled warmly at his niece. He saw the cat that was looking happy and contented in her arms. Jun Wu Xie had always liked animals but because of her impatience, whenever she approached animals, they couldn’t keep still and would run off. He even tried grabbing various cats and dogs and let her touch but they always end up running away so it was a very rare sight.

“No need, this is my fault.” She softly said as she stroked the cat’s fur and looked down.

This shocked both father and son.

“Wu Xie, what do you mean?” Jun Xian asked gently, fearing his tone was too harsh and scaring off his granddaughter.

Jun Wu Xie looked at both of them with bright eyes and slowly said, “In fact, there’s no reason to hide from both of you. That time, when I fell from the cliff, almost all my bones were broken, if not for Master saving me, I’d have long be dead.”

“Master?”

Jun Wu Xie nodded, “He was the one who saved me and sent me back to Lin Palace. However, he did not want other people to know about him, which is why he handed me over to Wu…brother. That entire time while I was recuperating, Master saw that I was interested in learning medicine and he took me in as his disciple. Although I don’t know about his origins, he’s my savior and I know he has amazing skills. The reason why I picked up studying medicine is not because I had an interest in it but because Master said that since my body constitution was weak and I had no contractual spirit, this was a way for me to protect myself.” She glanced over to look at them as they looked at her seriously. She continued on, “Actually, that was not an ordinary lotus seed, it was given by Master and it has the ability to cleanse the bone marrows.”

“Although Uncle has been crippled, he’s still able to feel occasional chills and his tendons are not damaged, so I thought I could try to treat it. I also ate the lotus seed, though some discomfort, my body did not have such a reaction like Uncle’s. His poison flaring up scared me but luckily master taught me the way to treat it.”

Jun Wu Xie spoke calmly, though her voice a little immature, she sounded very credible.

This speech was thought up after some deliberation to gloss over the origin of the medicine.

She had originally wanted to build up their body constitution discreetly, who knew that lotus seed would have triggered off such a big incident! Now she had to find a plausible excuse as a cover up for her medical skills. Hence, the little black cat and her had been discussing it and they eventually came up with a ‘Master’. Pushing everything to her mysterious master would pave her way free from all future problems.

After listening to her explanation, Jun Xian and Jun Qing were both in shock. They did not think that Wu Xie would ever acknowledge anyone as her Master.

When she had returned back that day, their memories were tampered with and all they knew was that her ‘brother’ had brought her back, however the specifics were not known.

Her explanation may have sounded a bit too incredible, what kind of luck did she have to meet such an expert? However, it did fit all the current questions they had in their minds, like her change in personality as well as her interest in medicine.

“Well, Wu Xie, all these time did you meet your Master here in our Lin Palace?” He had on a weird facial expression when he as asked her.

Jun Wu Xie nodded.

Jun Xian and Jun Qing exchanged glances. If one looked closely, you could even see their eyebrows twitching.

Lin Palace may not look heavily guarded however there is a great number of Rui Lin Army secretly guarding it in the shadows. Not to mention strangers, even any animals, they would be the first to know if any trespassed into Lin Palace.

However this time, they had not heard anything at all. This meant that her Master was an expert who could enter and leave this fortress at his own will while escaping the tight net of surveillance of the Rui Lin Army. He did not leave behind a single clue.

Towards this Master of hers they were piqued with curiosity but they knew he meant them no harm or else he wouldn’t have saved her and taught her medicine as well.

“For you to have such a Master is a fortunate thing. Since he doesn’t want to meet anyone, just help us express our gratitude for all his help.” From his vast experience, Jun Xian deduced that this Master of hers did not want to get involved in worldly affairs and hence did not insist any further.

To have this Master was good for both Wu Xie and Lin Palace. Jun Xian was elated.

“Alright.” She calmly replied as the black cat in her arms shot her a look of misgiving and let out a small meow.

[Master, you’ve been led astray. You’ve actually learnt how to lie so blatantly!]

 

[What Master? Oh please he does not even exist!]

Jun Wu Xie remained calm and collected topping it up with a frosty expression.

“What! You said you ate the lotus seed as well? How are you? Was it very painful?” Jun Xian had witnessed his Son who was a Battle General curl into a shrimp because of the intense pain. What more a mere fourteen year old girl who did not have an ounce of spirit energy? He was very frantic as he asked with a worried expression.

Jun Wu Qing shook her head, “I’m fine, there was a bit of discomfort but nothing like Uncle. His body reacted badly to it as he was poisoned before and the poison has seeped deep into his bone crevices over this long period. The lotus seed cleanses the bone marrows giving him a set of bones akin to being reborn. He experienced such pain as it squeezed out all the poison from every nook and cranny. As the poison is embedded deep in his bones, the purging process is very thorough to expel all the impurities and poison out. All these have been expelled out through his pores with his sweat, so there is no need to worry for any future complications.

If she wasn’t able to even save Jun Qing, she really didn’t deserve to live anymore.

When Jun Xian heard that all of Jun Qing’s impurities and poison has been expelled out with his sweat, his eyes almost popped out.

“When I woke up, I did feel a difference. My body feels much lighter and when I sat up just now, my legs could feel some sensations.” Jun Qing stated excitedly.

It had been the same for all these years, it was as though he didn’t have any legs. Now, even with the slightest feeling, he was delighted.

“Master said that after everything has been cleared, with additional medicine and medicinal bath conditioning, in half a year’s time your legs would be like before.” Borrowing her ‘Master’ to reveal how skillful she was.

The whole room was silent.

Both men stared agape at Jun Wu Xie, with eyes wide open.

After struggling for over a decade they finally see a glimmer of hope!

“Wu Xie, what do you mean by… like before…? Could it be that your Uncle can really walk again? Jun Xian could not stop his excitement , he was just short of jumping in joy in fear of scaring her.

She nodded, “He’ll be able to walk like a normal person, it’s just that he’s been on a wheelchair for over a decade, his muscles are not very developed. Hence if he wants to return to his previous condition, he’ll need up to a year to train and develop his lower body.”

“What?…I am able to return to that state in a year’s time?” Jun Qing felt as though he was floating along in a dream. He was simply dumbfounded and ecstatic to the point he felt dizzy and his expression was that of shock mixed with happiness.

He had thought that this life, he would be wheelchair ridden for good. Any hope that he could ever walk again was a dream. A dream he would trade anything for to be real.

And Jun Wu Xie said that he could walk and restore to his previous condition too!

Is he really not dreaming?

Jun Wu Xie looked at the two men who were verge of tears as their whole face were red with excitement. She looked at them with a hint of puzzled expression. Was there a need to be this excited?

She could not understand, his legs were never a problem. Extracting all the poison that had seeped deep in his bones was the problematic issue, however now that it’s been dealt with, why would they get so excited?