Lotus's Gift
"Elder Feng requested you specifically?" The staff member blinked, momentarily taken aback.
"Yes," Yao Xuan confirmed with a nod.
"Ah… of course. Please, wait a moment. I'll need to inform Elder Feng first. You don't mind?" The attendant's hesitation was brief. If any other new member had made such a claim, he would have dismissed it. But coming from a fourteen-year-old Master Forger, the words carried undeniable weight. He hurried off into the association's depths.
Five minutes later, he returned, slightly breathless. "Yao Xuan, please follow me. Tang Wulin, the President wishes to see you as well."
They were led deep within the association, finally arriving at a vast chamber that served as both storeroom and sanctum. Precious metals lined the walls, and in the center stood a colossal forging table wrought from spirit-forged silver. Behind it sat Feng Wuyu, his wild red hair and intense presence commanding the space.
"Yao Xuan, you're here." Feng Wuyu's grin was broad and genuine. "I've spoken with your teacher. He's agreed to let me guide you while you're at the academy."
"My teacher agreed?" Yao Xuan feigned mild surprise.
"Had to persuade him a little!" Feng Wuyu chuckled, a rumble of pure satisfaction. "Was a bit stubborn at first. But I mentioned I'd be happy to visit for a weekly 'friendly discussion' about forging techniques. He saw reason quite quickly." His tone was smug but warm.
Yao Xuan smiled inwardly. The direct approach had its merits. He bowed respectfully. "Disciple Yao Xuan greets his teacher."
"Good! That's what I like to hear!" Feng Wuyu's laughter echoed in the chamber. "Under my guidance, reaching Saint Craftsman before you graduate is a certainty. You'll report to me for forging instruction three afternoons a week. Understood?"
"Understood perfectly," Yao Xuan agreed.
"Excellent. Now, a teacher should give his new disciple a gift." Feng Wuyu stroked his chin, his eyes appraising Yao Xuan. "I sense your soul power is at rank thirty-nine, on the cusp of a breakthrough. Here." He produced a crystalline case. Within, resting on a bed of eternal ice, was a flower of breathtaking beauty—petals like compressed moonlight, radiating a serene, profound cold. "A Ten-Thousand-Year Snow Lotus. It can purify and amplify soul power with no lingering impurities. It will solidify your foundation for the Soul Ancestor rank. Furthermore," his gaze turned serious, "I will use my martial soul to help nourish and temper your meridians. This will ease your breakthrough and strengthen your future path. With this, securing the class monitor position should be straightforward."
"My thanks, Teacher." Yao Xuan bowed again. "May I inform my companions so they do not worry?"
"Go on. Be quick."
As Yao Xuan stepped aside to send a brief mental message to Gu Yue via their spiritual link, Feng Wuyu turned to Tang Wulin. "Tang Wulin. Your talent is substantial as well. After a… thorough discussion with Mu Chen, we've decided I will oversee your forging development here too. Do you understand?"
Tang Wulin's eyes lit up. "If you would have me, Senior, I would be honored to learn from you."
"How could I refuse another promising blade to hone? Good. Disciple Tang Wulin, your gift." He handed over two lumps of unrefined, star-speckled metal. "Meteorite iron. Good for practicing your fundamentals."
"Thank you, Teacher!" Tang Wulin accepted them with reverence.
Yao Xuan returned. "I am ready."
"Follow me. Wulin, acquaint yourself with the association. Look over the task board." Feng Wuyu led Yao Xuan to a quieter side chamber, gesturing for him to sit and center himself.
"The treasure you are about to absorb," Feng Wuyu began, his voice low and instructional, "is a Ten-Thousand-Year Snow Lotus. Its essence is one of extreme, penetrating cold. Typically, only a Soul Saint could hope to refine it safely. While your bloodline is exceptionally vigorous, you are still a Soul Venerable. The process will be challenging. I will first use my soul power to fortify your meridians, preparing them to act as a conduit and buffer for the energy. Even so, refining such a treasure will not be painless. You must endure. Are you prepared?"
Yao Xuan met his gaze, calm and sure. "I am prepared." The trials of his bloodline had forged a will that would not flinch.
"Then we begin the meridian nourishment."
Feng Wuyu placed his palms on Yao Xuan's back. A wave of profound, controlled heat flowed into him—not scorching, but deeply warming, like the heart of a benevolent forge. It was the essence of Feng Wuyu's Blazing Fire Dragon martial soul, tempered and directed by a master's precision.
"Guide it," Feng Wuyu instructed.
Yao Xuan synchronized his own soul power and the pulsing energy of his bloodline, merging them with the incoming heat. Together, they began a deliberate circulation through his body's pathways.
"Hmm?" Feng Wuyu's eyebrow rose in surprise as he sensed the immense, resilient vitality within Yao Xuan's veins. "Your foundation is even more formidable than I perceived. You might have managed the lotus alone. But this tempering will still benefit you greatly." He increased the flow of energy slightly.
For two hours, the cycle continued. The fiery essence scoured Yao Xuan's meridians, not to burn, but to anneal—increasing their flexibility and resilience. It lapped against his bones, muscles, and organs, a nourishing bath that drew out minute imperfections and bolstered his entire physical form. When the energy had circulated forty-nine times, Feng Wuyu gradually withdrew his hands.
Yao Xuan opened his eyes, taking a deep, clear breath. The world felt sharper. His internal pathways hummed with a new, vibrant elasticity, and his body felt more cohesive, a perfectly tuned instrument. A quick internal check confirmed his soul power had condensed further, its density increasing by a tangible margin.
"Your vessel is now prepared," Feng Wuyu stated, satisfaction in his voice. "The lotus is yours to refine. Remember the principles I will teach you. I will be here to oversee." He handed Yao Xuan the icy case.
As Yao Xuan focused on the radiant flower, his thoughts momentarily drifted to Gu Yue. He could almost feel her quiet, supportive presence, a silver thread of certainty amidst the challenge to come. This power was not just for himself; it was for the shared path that lay ahead.