Chapter 101: Trouble in the infirmary
Li Ming finally had a quiet morning.
No explosions. No duels. No angry elders chasing him with scrolls.
He stretched lazily under a peach tree. "Ah... peace at last."
Bai Guo, sitting nearby, plucked a peach. "You say that every time, and within an hour something catches fire."
Li Ming rolled his eyes. "You worry too much."
Right on cue, a sect messenger came running, face pale.
"Senior Li Ming! Elder Lan Yue sent me—there’s an emergency in the infirmary!"
Li Ming groaned. "See? Even the Heavens don’t like me resting."
---
They hurried to the medical hall. Inside, chaos ruled.
Healers darted around a bed where a young woman lay unconscious, her breathing shallow and Qi all over the place.
Lan Yue stood nearby, calm but clearly worried. "I found her near the southern forest. Severe Qi deviation. If we don’t help her soon, her cultivation might shatter."
Li Ming frowned. "No poison?"
Lan Yue shook her head. "Just internal damage. But... it’s bad."
He cracked his knuckles. "Alright. Move aside. Time for some lightning-style alchemy."
Bai Guo groaned. "Oh no, not that again."
---
Minutes later, Li Ming’s cauldron was glowing in the courtyard.
He tossed herbs in like he was cooking lunch—quick, confident, maybe a little reckless.
"Spiritroot, Flameleaf, Azure Dew..."
Boom.
"Okay, maybe less Flameleaf."
Lan Yue sighed. "Li Ming, are you sure this will work?"
He grinned. "No. But it’ll definitely do something."
Bai Guo smacked his forehead. "That’s what you said before you blew up the kitchen."
---
The cauldron hissed and sputtered before glowing bright gold.
Li Ming’s hands moved fast, forming seals. Then—fwoosh!—a puff of light, and a single pill floated up.
"Ha! Success!" he said, holding it up proudly. "And no explosions this time!"
Lan Yue crossed her arms. "Impressive. Try not to eat it by mistake this time."
He shot her a look. "That was once."
---
Li Ming watched as Yun Rou sat up slowly, still pale but steady.
Her silver eyes flicked from Lan Yue to Bai Guo, then finally to him.
"You made that pill?" she asked softly.
Li Ming grinned. "Of course. Trademark Li Ming lightning brew — cures poison, injuries, and possibly causes spontaneous explosions."
Bai Guo coughed. "Mostly the last one."
Yun Rou blinked. "...I see."
She glanced toward the cauldron outside, which still belched faint smoke, and decided that surviving was good enough.
---
Lan Yue stepped closer, inspecting her pulse. "You’re lucky Li Ming was nearby. That deviation nearly destroyed your foundation."
"I didn’t mean to cause trouble," Yun Rou murmured. "I was refining a new Qi circulation method... but the energy spiraled out of control."
Li Ming raised an eyebrow. "You were cultivating alone in the southern forest? That place is full of wild spiritual currents."
"I wanted to test my limits," she said, her tone simple — not proud, just determined.
Bai Guo snorted. "And your limits tested you right back."
---
Li Ming laughed, resting his chin on his hand. "Next time, at least leave a note. Something like, ’if I explode, tell my sect I tried my best.’"
Yun Rou stared at him for a second before a small laugh escaped her lips — soft, light, and almost musical.
It was the first time she’d smiled since waking up.
Lan Yue nodded approvingly. "Good. Humor means she’ll live."
Bai Guo smirked. "Or she’s delirious. Either way, progress."
---
Hours later, the infirmary quieted.
Yun Rou rested on the bed, her breathing steady, while faint silver light shimmered across her skin — her natural Qi glow.
Li Ming frowned. "That Qi of yours... it’s not normal, is it?"
Yun Rou turned her head slightly. "I was born with it. My Qi heals people... sometimes even when I don’t want it to."
Bai Guo’s eyes widened. "Automatic healing? That’s rare."
"It’s not a blessing," she said softly. "Each time it activates, it drains my own life force. That’s what caused my deviation today."
Li Ming fell silent for a moment, looking at her — not with pity, but curiosity.
Then he said, "That’s... tough. But at least it’s better than exploding cauldrons."
Her lips curved faintly. "You really like explosions, don’t you?"
"Only when I survive them."
---
Lan Yue glanced between the two and sighed. "You should rest, Yun Rou. We’ll stabilize your meridians for a few days."
Yun Rou hesitated. "Thank you... truly. I’ll repay this kindness."
Li Ming waved her off. "Don’t worry about it. If you want to repay me, help me clean the alchemy hall after it inevitably explodes again."
Yun Rou smiled softly. "Deal."
---
Later that night, the sect was calm again.
Moonlight spilled across the rooftops, and the sound of distant training echoed faintly through the valley.
Li Ming sat on the infirmary roof, legs dangling over the edge, watching fireflies float between the pines.
Bai Guo perched beside him, munching on roasted nuts. "You thinking about her?"
Li Ming shrugged. "Not really. Just wondering how I keep getting pulled into things like this."
Bai Guo chewed thoughtfully. "Fate likes chaos. You’re like a magnet for half-dead people and explosions."
Li Ming laughed. "That’s not comforting."
"True. But it’s accurate."
---
Down below, Yun Rou was sitting cross-legged under a lantern.
Silver Qi flowed gently from her hands, spreading warmth through the air.
Even from a distance, Li Ming could feel his fatigue fading a little.
"She’s... really doing it unconsciously," he murmured. "That energy feels... peaceful."
Bai Guo yawned. "Careful. That’s how you get attached."
Li Ming flicked him on the head. "It’s not like that. I’m just—curious."
"Mm-hm. Curiosity. That’s what you said about the lightning talisman that nearly fried your eyebrows."
"...That was one time."
"Three," Bai Guo corrected.
---
Inside, Lan Yue checked Yun Rou’s condition again.
The silver glow around her dimmed, replaced by the steady rhythm of controlled breathing.
Lan Yue gave a quiet nod — the girl’s foundation was stabilizing faster than expected.
As Lan Yue stepped outside, she saw Li Ming and Bai Guo on the roof and called out, "You two are supposed to be resting."
Li Ming grinned down. "I am resting! Look, my legs aren’t moving."
Bai Guo added, "Technically, he’s half-lying. Progress."
Lan Yue sighed, shaking her head. "Sometimes I wonder who’s the disciple and who’s the elder."
"Clearly me," Bai Guo said proudly.
"Not something to be proud of," she replied flatly.
---
A soft laugh drifted up from below.
Yun Rou stood in the doorway, wrapped in a light robe. "You’re all... really close, huh?"
Li Ming scratched his head. "Close? I think we just argue loudly until things work out."
"That’s still closeness," she said gently.
Then, almost shyly: "It’s nice... seeing people laugh like this."
For a brief second, the courtyard felt warmer — not from Qi, but from something simpler.
Li Ming looked at her and smiled. "You’ll get used to it here. Azure Sky might be full of lunatics, but it’s a good kind of lunacy."
Bai Guo raised his roasted nut in salute. "To controlled chaos!"
Lan Yue muttered, "There’s nothing controlled about it."
---
The night deepened.
Stars shimmered above the sect — distant, calm, watching silently over the trio and their newest guest.
Yun Rou sat beside the lantern again, eyes closed, her breathing slow and peaceful.
Li Ming leaned back on the roof tiles, staring at the moon.
"For once," he said softly, "it feels... quiet."
Bai Guo blinked. "You just cursed it."
"Don’t jinx me," Li Ming groaned.
And right on cue, a muffled explosion echoed from somewhere near the alchemy hall.
Lan Yue facepalmed. "Li Ming..."
He threw his hands up. "That one wasn’t me!"
Bai Guo sighed dramatically. "The heavens truly love irony."
Yun Rou giggled quietly — a soft, melodic sound that seemed to blend with the wind.
---
The group sat together until dawn painted the mountains gold.
For the first time in a long while, Li Ming wasn’t thinking about cultivation levels, rival sects, or tournaments.
Just... peace.
Even if, deep down, he knew it would never last long.
To be continued...