Chapter 79: Enlightenment

Wang Feiyin's voice gradually faded from her ears; Pan Yun devoted her entire being to Zhou Meiniang's body.

Her Qi slowly gathered within Zhou Meiniang, forming a Taiji-shaped energy cluster that slowly moved toward her Niwan Palace.

Zhou Meiniang, who had been softly crying and moaning in pain, gradually relaxed and fell into unconsciousness again.

Sun Xianniang exhaled in relief, laid her on the bed, and wiped the tears from the corner of her eyes with a handkerchief.

The human body holds infinite mysteries; Pan Yun dared not move carelessly—she memorized the direction and speed of that energy cluster, not daring to deviate by even the slightest bit.

When the Taiji energy cluster finally resumed its original path, Zhou Meiniang finally unknit her furrowed brows and sank into deep sleep.

Pan Yun felt something stir, detached herself from the Taiji energy cluster, and watched coldly from the side.

Freed from her control, the Taiji energy cluster continued its slow rotation; Zhou Meiniang's body seemed to have gained self-awareness—the cluster was slowly altering its course, distinct from the previous medicinal energy.

Pan Yun's Qi swiftly traversed her entire body, finding no organ dysfunction—the organs, shielded from pain, beat in orderly rhythm, even better than before the medicinal energy had been present.

Thus, Zhou Meiniang's body was adjusting itself.

Even though she had no cultivation and had never trained.

Pan Yun withdrew her inner observation, her Qi retreating from Zhou Meiniang's body.

Only when her three senses returned to her own body did she hear Wang Feiyin say: "The human body is like a universe; though small, she is the master of her own body—her body will automatically seek the best path for itself."

So she was merely an outsider, able to help her; the injury on her foot was also an outsider, able to harm her.

But whether helping or harming, the master of this universe remains the body itself—whether helping or harming, the body possesses rejection…

Pan Yun suddenly understood, closed her eyes again, scattered her five senses, and the surrounding spiritual energy trembled, rushing eagerly into her body…

Wang Feiyin raised an eyebrow, stepped back, and asked Sun Xianniang and Zhou Chao to leave, "It is more beneficial for Little Shan's wound if these two remain together now."

Sun Xianniang exited the room with concern, "Is Meiniang truly alright?"

Wang Feiyin: "If Little Shan's family is uneasy, I can have Tao Ji stay for two more days to watch over her; Huishan is not far from Mount Sanqing—if anything happens, you can send someone to ask my younger brother to come down."

Zhou Chao hurriedly asked, "Are you leaving, Master Wang?"

Wang Feiyin stroked his beard and smiled, "If Little Shan's wound stops bleeding by tonight and she has no fever, I will take my people back to the mountain."

Zhou Chao hesitated, then asked, "Master Wang, my mother-in-law gave you a hundred taels of silver—wasn't that meant to guarantee the child's full recovery until she is healthy again?"

Wang Feiyin smiled warmly, "We can only do our utmost, fulfill our duty—what follows is left to fate."

Zhou Chao: "Then you must stay, to guard against any possibility."

Sun Xianniang feared he would offend Wang Feiyin and tugged at his sleeve.

Wang Feiyin paused, sensing his unease, and smiled, "I will have my third disciple and youngest disciple stay until Little Shan's wound heals, then return to the mountain."

Sun Xianniang sighed in profound relief and immediately nodded, "Good."

Zhou Chao remained reluctant—he had noticed these past days that Tao Ji and Pan Yun, though powerful, were still far inferior to Wang Feiyin.

Just now, Wang Feiyin had performed the surgery and guided Pan Yun—he was clearly the most skilled.

He had paid money, naturally hoping to keep the most skilled one to treat his daughter; and since it was said her bound feet had ruined their feng shui, shouldn't they perform a ritual to neutralize the damage already done?

Zhou Chao: "I think Tao Daochang is still young, and Pan Daochang is even younger—Master Wang should stay; only then can we feel truly at ease. Don't worry—no matter how long the Sanqing Monastery Daoists stay, we will cover all food and lodging."

Wang Feiyin was momentarily tempted—free food and lodging, how could he not be tempted? But… "Little Shan, rest assured—my third disciple's medical skill is renowned throughout Guangxin Prefecture; if he cannot cure Little Shan, neither can I."

He sighed again, "Besides, I must return to harvest the rice."

Zhou Chao's words choked in his throat, "Harvest rice? Do you grow rice on the mountain?"

Wang Feiyin smiled broadly, "Not on the mountain—in the valley below. The monastery has a few fields, growing some grain—it's harvest time now."

Indeed, this was the season for harvesting rice; nothing else could be delayed—harvesting rice could not be postponed, not even for a knife to fall.

Zhou Chao's words remained trapped in his chest; he could only agree to their departure.

Pan Yun awoke from her enlightenment, feeling a lightness in her body unlike any she had ever known—her Upper Dantian brimmed with spiritual energy like a lake in spring and summer.

"Stillness brings calm, movement draws it in," Tao Ji's voice sounded beside her in the dim light, "Congratulations, Fifth Sister—you have entered the Fourth Stage, the Stage of Drawing in the Mind."

Pan Yun looked down at her palm, where a silver-white energy cluster had coalesced, "Third Brother, what is the power of the Fourth Stage?"

Tao Ji: "It rivals a second-rate martial artist—if you encountered Wang Yong again, you could easily escape."

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Tao Ji stepped forward, examined Zhou Meiniang's foot, then looked up at her, "Zhou Meiniang is about to wake."

Zhou Meiniang was recovering well—the bleeding had completely stopped; she was young, and once past this critical point, she would recover quickly.

When she awoke, the wound had passed its peak pain; it no longer hurt much, and children's pain tolerance was increasing.

Sun Xianniang had cooked her a delicious porridge—children forget much pain when given good food.

She ate a lot, and now she was cheerful again with her mother, "Mama, I don't hurt much—let the Foot-Binding Woman bind my feet again."

Sun Xianniang burst into tears, embracing her, "Little one, we won't bind your feet anymore—these Immortals have freed them; the Foot-Binding Woman will never come to our home again. After unbinding, there will be pain for a while, but once the bones regrow, you'll never hurt again."

Zhou Meiniang's face lit up with surprise, "Really?"

"Really."

Zhou Meiniang wiped her mother's tears with her small hand, "Mama, I don't hurt at all."

Sun Xianniang wept even harder.

After examination, Tao Ji declared that Zhou Meiniang had passed the danger zone—now she only needed proper rest to fully recover.

The anxiety on the Zhou family's faces lessened, yet their hearts remained complicated.

Zhou Chao's father was still alive—he sat in a chair, smoking his pipe, occasionally glancing at the old woman.

Zhou's mother asked Wang Feiyin, "Master Wang, is foot-binding truly bad for our feng shui? Will it ruin our child's future?"

Wang Feiyin swiftly glanced at Pan Yun, then nodded solemnly, "Indeed."

Zhou's father put down his pipe, gloomily saying, "Even imperial nobles in the palace bind their feet—how could it ruin feng shui?"

Pan Yun, lowering her head and eagerly eating the pastries, casually replied, "That's why the Southern Song imperial family, who bound feet, fell; and the Yuan dynasty, which promoted foot-binding, also perished."

Today's lucky number is any number ending in 6, screenshot as proof.

(End of chapter)