Myriad Rivers to the Sea

Chapter 1087: Healing and Moving Forward

The morning sun reflected off the pristine waters of the Five Star Lakes as Li Yu finalized the registration for his new companions. He formally inducted Faen, Borum, Seline and Alys into the Zhan Clan registry as his personal followers. This official status granted them access to the sprawling mission boards and resource pavilions scattered across the headquarters and realms. With Li Yu’s decision, they were free to do whatever they wanted or needed to do with their time unless he specifically called upon them for a task.Shortly after, a soft knock echoed through the dark wood pagoda. Seline and Alys stepped into the main hall wearing simple yet elegant martial robes. The two sisters offered a synchronized bow before looking up at him with highly practical expressions.

"We have settled into our new homes," Seline said while keeping her tone neutral. "We came to check in and see if you required our service for the morning. We are prepared to fulfill our duties as your attendants."

Li Yu felt a familiar headache pulsing behind his eyes as he could tell what she meant from her tone and demeanor. He raised a hand, rubbed his temples while letting out a long breath and cursed the entire lineage of Elder Jin.

"No," Li Yu answered firmly. "I do not need that kind of service and I have already said I will never ask you for it. I told you before that the elder created a severe misunderstanding. You are my followers and that means you generally help me fight or manage my affairs when required. It does not mean you serve me in the ways you are thinking. Please throw those thoughts into the deepest corners of your mind."

Seline and Alys exchanged a brief glance and weren’t sure if they should buy it or not. What kind of being wouldn’t enjoy being taken care of by a beauty of the opposite sex. However, they were practical women and surviving the harsh realities of the cultivation world taught them to adapt quickly to new environments. If that’s what he’s saying for now, they will simply believe him until he changes his mind.

They also recognized the incredible opportunity placed before them. They now had access to much greater resources than they could ever dream of back in their original realm. Premium techniques, rare pills and powerful artifacts were all within their reach now within the walls of the Zhan Clan. They just needed clan merit points to buy them and continue to advance on their cultivation path.

"Understood," Alys replied with a small smile. "If you do not need us here, we will head to the main headquarters. We plan to take on some tasks around the realm or perhaps travel to a different realm to gather resources and earn merit points."

"That is a great idea," Li Yu encouraged them while standing up from his desk. "Go and build your reputation within the clan and progress yourselves. I know we have joined together under difficult circumstances but I hope you are able to live within the Zhan Clan. Treat this place as your home and go on with your lives."

The sisters bowed once more and departed the pagoda to begin their new routines. Faen and Borum had already left earlier that morning to hunt down bounties and gather earth ores. Garren was much too weak to take on any tasks that would be worthwhile and joined being a guard for the lakes while cultivating in his down time.

Li Yu now had two separate groups operating under his name. His official companions were exploring the clan tasks while his Shadow Guard managed their own affairs but doing a similar thing. Fenric, Winter, Autumn, Solstice, Spring and Summer did not need to perform their usual bodyguard duties while Li Yu rested safely within the family estate. They spent their days taking on high level missions or tracking tasks for the clan to earn their own keep and maintain their lethal edge.

The pagoda grew quiet until the ambient space near the doorway rippled with silver energy. Oram stepped out of the void and his pale skin stood out against the dark wood interior. The intricate runic tattoos covering his arms pulsed with a faint soul energy as the core warden offered a respectful bow.

"I bring good news from Kyokai City," Oram reported with his serene voice. "The elders at the Ward of Tranquility found a way to remove the binding on the victims of the Celestial Crucible Clan."

Li Yu felt a surge of relief wash over him as that was something he had sometimes thought about. Hoping a cure could be found for Sora’s sister. "Did it require expensive materials or rare herbs to cure them?"

"Thankfully no special materials were needed," Oram explained while stepping further into the room. "The process only required precise Qi manipulation and specialized techniques to untangle the parasitic soul locks. Elder Vaelin discovered the method about a month ago and the healing process has already started for the entire group. It takes about a week after treatment for a victim to return to themselves."

"That is incredible news," Li Yu said with a bright smile. "What about Sora's sister? How is Lunitum doing?"

"She is awake and back to herself again," Oram confirmed. "And thankfully nothing too bad happened to her. From what I was told to report back to you, she was physically tortured in the jail before being sold off to the sect but after that she was treated relatively okay by her captors. She was still hit a few times for their enjoyment and kept docile as a cauldron but the damage is manageable and her mind is intact."

Li Yu walked around his desk and gestured toward the open courtyard. "Take me to the Veil. I want to visit them and see the progress for myself. I have been gone for a long time and want to make sure everything is okay on that end."

Oram nodded his head and channeled his energy to tear a stable rift in the fabric of the realm. A swirling corridor of silver and grey light anchored itself to the wooden floorboards. Li Yu stepped through the portal alongside the core warden and left the sunny valley behind.

They emerged into the cool and artificial twilight of Kyokai City. The scent of dried spiritual roots and burning incense wafted through the air as Li Yu followed Oram through the bustling streets toward the Ward of Tranquility. The sprawling medical compound was filled with activity as healers moved between the outdoor pavilions to tend to the recovering patients.

Li Yu walked into a quiet garden section and spotted three familiar figures sitting on a wooden bench near a koi pond. Sora looked up and her silver eyes widened with joy. She immediately jumped to her feet and rushed over.

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"Li Yu!" Sora called out happily. Daiki stood up and offered a nod of greeting while a fragile looking beastkin girl slowly rose from the bench to follow them.

Li Yu smiled and greeted his friends before turning his attention to the young woman standing nervously behind Sora. Lunitum looked very similar to her adoptive sister but she carried a heavy weariness in her posture. Her aura was weak but her eyes were clear and free from the glazed stare that haunted her for a decade.

"It is good to see you awake," Li Yu said with a gentle tone.

Lunitum stepped forward and placed her hands together in a deep and formal bow. She trembled slightly as she spoke.

"Thank you for saving me," Lunitum said with her voice thick with emotion. "Sora told me everything that happened. It is all thanks to you that I was able to get out of that terrible situation and place."

Li Yu could easily see that she was still deeply impacted by her experiences. A person did not endure ten years of captivity without carrying heavy scars in their minds if not body but usually both. It would take a long time for such a trauma to go away if it ever truly did. However, she was safe now and she could stay with Sora and Daiki for the time being to heal her heart.

"You do not need to thank me," Li Yu replied warmly. "I did it to help Sora originally and I am just happy we were successful. We were very worried we might never find you or we might find you in a state of no return."

Lunitum shook her head and looked up at him with gratitude. "I am not the only one who owes you their life. Sora and Daiki have been making sure to let all the survivors know that it was thanks to you and your forces that the sect fell. Everyone is hoping karma will find a way of repaying you for your great deeds."

Li Yu smiled brightly and waved his hand to dismiss the grand praise. "Keep pushing forward and do your best to recover. Your adoptive sister is here for you and so is Daiki. I will be here too if you ever need any help finding your footing again in this world."

Li Yu decided to stay at the medical compound for two days to observe the healing process and ensure the logistics of the recovery went smoothly. During that time, he spent hours sitting in the garden and talking with the three of them. He shared stories of his recent training expedition to lighten the mood and Daiki recounted the various odd jobs he took to earn cultivation resources.

As the hours passed, Li Yu noticed Lunitum hovering close to him whenever Sora stepped away to fetch tea or speak with the healers. She frequently sought out his presence and offered him small snacks or tea. Li Yu realized very quickly that her sister had developed a crush on him or feelings for someone who had saved them.

He also possessed a calming presence about him that for someone like her who suffered through years of terror, that aura of safety was exactly what she wanted the most. That stable presence drew her towards him and the fact that he was her savior only amplified the budding affection that she felt towards him.

Surprisingly, Li Yu was able to actually recognize this dynamic without needing someone else to point it out to him. Since he knew, he did his best to make sure she still felt comfortable and happy while gently setting a firm boundary since he didn’t want to hurt Sora’s sister. After a while of more subtle hints, he decided to be a bit more bold and direct with the hints in hopes that she gets deterred. One day as he was sitting on the wooden bench as Lunitum poured him a cup of floral tea.

"Thank you," Li Yu said before taking a sip. "I am actually trying to learn how to brew proper tea myself. I am planning a romantic evening with Lian soon and I want everything to go perfectly."

He deliberately brought up Gongsun Lian several times during their conversations since he had noticed. He talked about his preparations and how much he cared for the general.

"She is a very lucky woman," Lunitum replied softly while gazing down at her hands.

That rejection did not seem to matter to her. Lunitum still had a crush on him but she did not try to force herself between him and Lian either. It might not be anything serious but she simply liked to be around him and bask in the safety he provided for as long as she could.

Li Yu in turn did not see the harm in letting her stay close for now since he was leaving soon anyways. He continued to be himself and did not push her away anymore when she offered to walk with him through the gardens or do other mundane things.

On the morning of the third day, Li Yu walked through the sprawling medical pavilions to evaluate the situation for the other survivors. He saw the other victims resting on soft beds or meditating on wooden porches as their minds slowly returned to themselves. The parasitic soul locks were unraveling one by one thanks to the tireless efforts of the Veil elders.

The next logistical thing was to get them back to their families if they knew where they came from. If their homes were destroyed or they had nowhere left to go, the elders planned to find a place for them within Kyokai City where they could work and rebuild their lives in peace. Li Yu found Elder Vaelin reviewing a stack of medical charts near the central fountain and he approached the older woman while offering a deep bow of respect.

"Thank you for everything you have done here," Li Yu said sincerely. "You and your healers saved hundreds of lives."

Elder Vaelin looked up from her charts and offered a weary but genuine smile. "It is no problem at all, Li Yu. While we do not just go around the cosmos saving people for free, we also would not watch harm befall innocent souls without helping when we possess the means to do so."

Li Yu bowed and thanked them again for their incredible grace nonetheless. The people of the Veil had always been honorable to him and he was thankful that he did what he could to help them restore their realm. As he turned to leave the medical compound a large group of recovering cultivators gathered near the exit. The people stepped forward one by one and went up to Li Yu to express their gratitude.

A young man with a pale complexion offered a shaky salute. "Thank you for my freedom, lord. I thought I would rot in that cellar forever."

An older woman bowed her head and wiped a tear from her eye. "You gave me a second chance to see my family. I will never forget your name."

Li Yu stood patiently and accepted their thanks with a warm smile. He offered words of encouragement to the younger victims and wished the older cultivators good fortune on their future paths. It was a humbling experience to see the tangible results of their raid on the Celestial Crucible Clan and see how all these strings of fate changed due to the decision he made back then.

When the final farewells were spoken, Li Yu met up with Oram near the edge of the city. The pale core warden channeled his soul energy and opened a swirling rift back to the Zhan Clan territory. They stepped through the void and the artificial twilight of Kyokai City was replaced by the bright morning sun hanging over the Five Star Lakes. Li Yu took a deep breath of the fresh mountain air and felt a sense of closure regarding the rescue mission and truly hoped everyone would go on to live meaningful lives..

"I will be resting in the pagoda if you need me," Li Yu told his retainer.

Oram nodded his head. "I will be near the training clearing. Fenric owes me a few drinks from a wager we made last century and I intend to collect on that debt today."

Li Yu chuckled as Oram turned and walked away to find his scarred comrade. The estate was peaceful and his followers were out building their own lives now. He thought back to the string of fates of those he saved and thought of the strings of fate for the people following him. They were making the best of the situation they were put in and he also truly hoped they would be able to live meaningful lives.

With everything finally settled, Li Yu could turn his full attention toward the wooden boat and the woman he cherished that was waiting for a romantic evening on the river.