I slowly open my eyes and the first thing I see is Lianhua looking at me with a calm smile, and I can't help but notice that she is already naked. Then I look at myself and see that I am covered in the same disgusting substance that Lianhua calls impurities, but this time it doesn't cover me completely, it's just a thin greasy film covering my skin.

  After seeing me open my eyes, she anticipates my thoughts and naturally comes over to pick me up in her arms. As she lifts me up, I see how she also gets stained with the impurities.

  "I'm sorry you got dirty”, I say with a crooked smile.

  "It's nothing, Zhāohuán Wen”, she replies as she gently settles me into the tub and gets in herself, beginning to clean me carefully.

  "It's funny”, I say, breaking the silence. "There are far fewer impurities this time. Last time, it seemed like my whole body had expelled a mountain of dirt."

  "That's because last time you purged all the impurities from your skin at once”, Lianhua begins to explain. "Now you've only tempered a small part of your muscles, so the impurities are only those in the affected area."

  I take a moment to process her words as I weigh the logic of her explanation and find no fault with it, so I ask her my next question. "And how does someone know when they have finished tempering a part of their body?

  "It's something you know naturally”, she replies as she continues to clean me gently.

  I shift slightly in the water, uncomfortable with the vagueness of the answer, and continue to ask her “But when I did the Skin Tempering, it was my father who stopped me. I don't remember feeling anything special that indicated I was done, just a strange sensation."

  Lianhua pauses for a moment, but after a brief moment of hesitation, she continues cleaning me as she replies “The condition you were in then was not normal, and I can assure you that I had never seen anything like it before, so I can't give you an answer to that. I can only tell you about my experiences when I was at your stage."

  As she answers, Lianhua finishes cleaning the last part of my skin and then cleans her own hands and arms, which have gotten dirty in the process. When she's done, she picks me up and we get out of the tub, after which she dries me carefully.

  Once we are both clean and dry, Lianhua dresses me and settles me into the chair. She then puts on her own clothes, and when we are finally finished, she grabs the chair and we leave the bathroom together and head for the courtyard.

  When we arrive, I see that the space has been transformed. Several tables covered with food are set up in the sun, decorated with flowers and ribbons that flutter gently in the breeze, while the maids' children are already playing with Xia.

  My gaze wanders to a corner of the courtyard where I see my mother and Lingxi, who are talking quietly as they watch the scene, and I say to Lianhua “Take me to where my mother and Lingxi are."

  She nods without hesitation and gently pushes me across the courtyard until we are next to them, where my mother greets me with a warm smile.

  "Are you okay?" she asks me when I arrive.

  "Yes”, I reply, smiling back at her. "I just have a few questions about my cultivation session and I'd like to ask you about them."

  My mother seems to become serious for a moment, but her smile returns when she answers me and says “I'll be happy to answer them, but that will have to be tomorrow. Today I want you to relax and enjoy the day."

  I nod and let my gaze wander for a moment to the children still playing in the courtyard. Ling Xia, apparently noticing my presence, runs up to me with a mischievous smile and takes my hand.

  "Come with us!" she says excitedly. "I want you to play too."

  I am tempted to refuse, using my condition as an excuse, but Ling Xia insists and says “I have an idea so you can play without any problems. Please!"

  With a resigned sigh, I smile and signal to Lianhua to take me to where the children are waiting for me. The afternoon passes with laughter and happy shouts, and to my surprise, I find myself enjoying the moment more than I could have imagined. The problems of cultivation, the doubts about Qi, and the strangeness of the runes seem to dissolve like mist, and I decide, for today, to let myself go and simply enjoy the day.

  I wake up to the soft but firm voice of Lianhua calling me, and I open my eyes to see her standing next to the bed.

  "It's time to get up, Zhāohuán Wen”, she says as she leans over and gently helps me sit up. "Breakfast will be ready soon."

  I let out a sigh of gratitude as she helps me get dressed and makes sure every garment is perfectly placed. Her movements are precise and gentle, which makes the process quick, and once I am ready, I sit down in the chair.

  "Ready, Zhāohuán Wen?" she asks me with a smile.

  I nod, so she begins to push me toward the dining room, and as we move through the hallways, the freshness of the morning air clears my head. When we arrive, I see my mother and Lingxi already at their seats and little Xia half asleep in her chair. Her sleepy expression brings a smile to my face.

  "How are you, Wen?" my mother asks me with a warm smile.

  "Still a little tired from yesterday, but fine”, I reply, trying to stifle a yawn. Hearing me, Xia seems to wake up immediately and starts talking excitedly, as if the words had been waiting to come out.

  "It was so much fun! The best birthday party ever!" she exclaims with sparkling eyes, and begins to recount in great detail what happened and what she did at the party.

  Lianhua, next to me, serves me breakfast while Xia continues to talk nonstop, reliving every detail of the celebration with contagious energy that fills the breakfast with harmonious joy. Despite my tiredness, the warmth of the food and the voices of my family make the moment feel special.

  When we finish eating, I turn to my mother "Mom, do you have time now to talk about some questions I have?"

  "Of course, let's go to my office”, my mother says, after which she and Lingxi get up and head for the exit. Before they leave, I look at Xia and see that she is finishing her breakfast.

  "You need to go to my study and read the book you're halfway through”, I tell her. "When I'm done with my mother, I'll come ask you about it and answer your questions."

  Xia sighs and, after puffing out her cheeks in a slight protest, nods and says to me before getting up and leaving “All right, but don't be too long.”

  Once alone, I turn to Lianhua and say “Let's go to my mother's office."

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  Lianhua nods and gently pushes my chair. When we arrive, we find the door ajar and enter without knocking, after which Lianhua closes it behind us.

  I see that my mother is watching me with a mixture of curiosity and patience, and after waiting for Lianhua to position my chair, she asks me “Tell me, what are your doubts?"

  After thinking for a moment about how to explain it, I begin to recount my recent experience with the runes and the strange resonance I felt with the Qi. Her expression changes as my story progresses, and when I finish, she pinches her eyebrows together and says to me in an exasperated tone “The strangest things keep happening to you when you cultivate, Wen."

  Her words make me blush, and I see her put her hands on the table to stare at me.

  "Unfortunately, I have no knowledge of runes, so I can't answer your questions”, she admits with some frustration and turns to Lingxi and Lianhua to ask “Have either of you heard anything similar?"

  They both shake their heads, and Lingxi responds first “No, Furen."

  Lianhua adds “No, I've never heard anything like that."

  After hearing their answers, my mother looks at me again and says “The only solution I can think of is for you to talk to a master of formations, talismans, or enchantments. Perhaps he can answer your questions."

  But before I can smile with relief, she continues, adding “Although it would be better to wait until we return to court. If I call a master in the city, it is likely that what we ask him will end up being known to more people, which, without knowing if it is good or bad, is not advisable. It is preferable to consult someone your father trusts."

  I nod, understanding her reasons, although internally I sigh with frustration as I face, once again, an obstacle that delays the answers I seek, so I say with resignation “All right, Mother."

  My mother seems to understand my expression and gives me an understanding smile, as she seems to grasp my thoughts without the need for words. After waiting a moment, I decide to take the opportunity to make another request "Mother, can I ask you for something else?"

  "Sure, tell me what you need”, she replies after listening to me.

  "Yesterday, while I was cultivating, the Qi in the room was depleted in less time than it takes for a stick of incense to burn out. I spent almost more time waiting for it to return than I did cultivating”, I tell my mother. "Would it be possible to hire someone to install a Qi collection formation similar to the one my father had?"

  As soon as I finish, I notice a change in the atmosphere of the room. My mother covers her face with both hands while Lingxi and Lianhua sigh in unison. The tension is palpable, and I realize that I've probably said something weird once again before my mother takes her hands away from her face.

  "Wen, under no circumstances repeat this to anyone”, she says in a firm tone. "Except maybe your father."

  A chill runs down my spine and I swallow hard before asking “Why shouldn't I say it?"

  My mother looks at me sternly "Do you remember the conversation we had the night after your first cultivation session?"

  I concentrate for a moment and immediately remember our conversation about sects and their drug cartel-like practices, so I quickly realize what my mother means and ask “Is what I did so unusual?"

  "Yes, Wen”, my mother replies seriously. "Qi depletion is a common problem, which is why formations are so valuable. And to give you an idea of what you've done, when I was at your stage, with my modest talent, it used to take me almost a period to deplete it."

  She then turns to Lianhua with a questioning look and asks “Lianhua, since you managed to get into Yushitai, you must be more talented than me. How long did it take you when you were at the same point Wen is now?"

  Lianhua nods slightly and replies while looking at me “In general, it used to take me half a period."

  After hearing both my mother's and Lianhua's stories, I realize once again how everything that happens to me and has something to do with cultivation is extremely rare, but my mother interrupts my thoughts as she continues.

  "That's precisely why I must deny your request, as you would finish Muscle Tempering too quickly”, she tells me. "And although finishing Muscle Tempering is not as noticeable or obvious as Skin Tempering and can be easily hidden, it would attract a lot of attention if you suddenly stopped cultivating. And there are too many people here who would notice."

  Before I can protest, my mother raises a hand to stop me as she smiles slightly and, with a twinkle in her eyes, adds “Besides, it's a good time for you to experience cultivation like the rest of us."

  I understand the implication, and seeing her smile, I realize she won't change her mind, so I take a deep breath and finally say “Thank you for your answers, Mother."

  Lianhua stands behind me, ready to lead me out of the room, and after saying goodbye to my mother, I say “Take me to my office, where I'm sure Xia is already waiting for me."

  As we head toward the office, I begin to make plans and wonder where I can fit at least a couple of hours of cultivation into my daily routine.

  The bathroom is silent as I cultivate, and the calm atmosphere helps me focus on the small specks of neutral Qi that I hold firmly in my mind. Five of them are trapped under my control, and with my free mental hand, I slowly drag the other specks as they approach my sphere of influence.

  As I do this, I congratulate myself for coming up with this exercise to make use of the time while more Qi specks approach after I have cleared my surroundings. And the exercise is paying off, as I have noticed that it is becoming easier to hold the specks, so I even think that soon I will be able to create my seventh hand, which had eluded me until now.

  As I wait for new specks to enter my sphere of influence, I think about my idea of cultivating while Lianhua pushes me around the mansion in my chair, and how I quickly dismissed the idea when I remembered her disapproving expression.

  "I don't think your mother would allow it, Zhāohuán Wen”, she said in a sharp tone, making it clear that this idea would go against the purpose of not allowing me to train in Qi collection. Even so, I can't help but think it's unfair, despite understanding my mother's reasons. With a resigned sigh, I continue to absorb the specks I can until I feel a hand on my shoulder.

  "Zhāohuán Wen, it's time”, Lianhua says, and when I open my eyes, I see her ready to help me bathe.

  I absorb the last specks and let Lianhua bathe me carefully and then dress me. Shortly after, we head to the dining room, where my mother, Lingxi, and Xia are waiting for us, all ready for breakfast. The conversation is light, and despite the trivial topics, I notice that Xia looks radiant and full of energy.

  "I was planning on going out today, since I've been too focused the last few days and need to clear my head”, I tell my mother when I finish, and she smiles at me as she replies “Sounds good to me."

  Hearing me, Xia jumps up and down in her chair and says “I want to go too!"

  My mother nods as she looks at us with amusement, and we get ready to go out accompanied by our usual escort. When we reach the square, I notice a mixture of murmurs and more glances than usual. Although I've been going out regularly for a year now and most of the residents are used to seeing me, today the atmosphere feels different.

  As we walk across the square and approach the entrance to the shopping street, I finally realize what is bothering me.

  Observing the passersby, I see that many are wearing clothes that are clearly different from those here, their colors and styles are unusual, and their gazes, fixed on me, exude such obvious curiosity that it does not go unnoticed.

  "Lianhua, do you know why there are so many new people?" I ask her as I look around.

  "No, I have no idea”, she replies, also looking on with some surprise.

  I consider asking Lianhua to inquire at a nearby establishment when I remember the conversation between Ling Tian and my mother, in which he mentioned the connection between what happened to his family and the imminent opening of something called the Celestial Fragment of the Sands. As I observe this crowd of strangers, the pieces begin to fall into place in my mind.

  I look at Xia, who is watching the scene intently, intrigued by the variety of costumes and people around her, and decide not to mention anything about the Ling family or Ling Tian, at least not where she can hear me.

  “Lianhua, do you know what the Celestial Fragment of the Sands is like?” I ask her as I watch many of the strangers question the outsiders while pointing at me.

  She shakes her head and replies “No, Zhāohuán Wen, I don't know."

  I consider sending her to ask a local passerby, but I remember that I have an even better source of information, so I say to Lianhua “It's time to visit our favorite supplier. Take me to the Golden Pearl Pavilion."

  Lianhua looks at me for a moment before suggesting “Wouldn't it be better to go back and ask your mother? I'm sure she must already know about all this."

  "No, I'd rather ask a local”, I say with a confident smile. "Besides, I'll have to go there in a few days anyway to get some new books."

  Lianhua sighs resignedly and begins to push my chair toward the Pavilion "All right, Zhāohuán Wen, but I hope we don't stop at every store you see along the way. The situation today is not safe enough for shopping."

  I laugh softly at her concern and call out to Xia, who seems delighted by the novelty of the crowd, and say “Xia, hold on tight to the chair, okay? With all these people, you could get lost."

  She nods and clings to one side of the chair, after which Lianhua begins to push the chair toward the Golden Pearl Pavilion, and I see how the Nei Wei, faced with the large crowd, instead of following us, decide to form a perimeter around us and clear a path for us.

  Seeing the annoyed faces of some of the strangers as they have to move aside for the Nei Wei, I can only hope that no Yao Zhi appears to try to intimidate me with his rank and that I can reach our destination in peace.