chsdbacks Chapter 105 Healing and Opening the Heart
Chapter 105 Healing and Opening the Heart
Days flow by quietly, like a mountain stream. The hustle and bustle of Biyou Village seems like a memory from a previous cycle. In these secluded wooden cabins deep in the mountains, time takes on a different quality—slow, clear, and carrying the rhythm of growing vegetation.
Nie Lingfeng and Chen Duo's lives quickly established a simple and regular rhythm.
Morning class.
Every day at 3:45 AM, as dawn breaks and the mountains and forests are still shrouded in a milky white mist and the crisp scent of dew, two figures, one tall and one short, appear precisely on the open ground in front of the wooden house, sitting cross-legged.
Nie Lingfeng was still wearing his dark gray outfit, his long gray hair loosely tied back with a cloth strip. He closed his eyes, focused his mind, and breathed deeply and calmly, blending subtly with the surrounding mountain forest atmosphere. He wasn't deliberately cultivating; it was more like he was communicating and harmonizing with heaven and earth, consolidating his understanding of the "Easy Way of No Seeking."
Chen Duo was wearing a light gray cotton outfit, her hair tied low at the back of her head with a thin straw rope, just like Nie Lingfeng's. Her posture was much more upright than before, but it still carried a hint of stiffness. Her hands were placed on her knees in a simple mudra, her eyes were closed, and her long eyelashes cast subtle shadows in the morning light.
"A pure heart remains unperturbed even when the sky falls..."
She began her daily morning practice—silently reciting the Ice Heart Mantra. At first, her voice would slightly escape her lips, with awkward pauses. But as time went on, her voice grew softer and softer, eventually transforming into a pure, flowing intention within her heart. The "qi" (vital energy) around her also underwent subtle and continuous changes.
In the first few days, Nie Lingfeng could clearly sense that whenever Chen Duo tried to enter a state of "stillness," the dormant primal poison within her body would stir restlessly like a disturbed swarm of snakes, emitting a cold and corrosive aura that disturbed her mind. Chen Duo had to expend a great deal of mental energy to fight against this instinctive "noise," and her forehead was often covered in fine cold sweat, her brows furrowed.
But seven days later, things changed.
The peaceful power of the Ice Heart Mantra, like a gentle stream, began to truly seep into her heart, which was being eroded by toxins. As she silently recited it, the cold and restless energy within her body, though still present, seemed to be enveloped and separated by an invisible, flexible, and cool "ice membrane." It still surged beneath the "membrane," but it could no longer easily break through the barrier and interfere with the core of her consciousness as before.
Chen Duo's expression gradually relaxed. Her breathing became longer and more even, and a very faint coolness belonging to the Ice Heart Technique began to emanate from her body. This was not real cold, but a kind of spiritual "coolness" brought about by a clear mind and the absence of distracting thoughts.
Sometimes Nie Lingfeng would open his eyes and quietly watch her. He would watch the morning light gild her pale profile with a soft golden edge, and watch the emptiness and numbness that had long shrouded her brows be replaced by a faint but real "focus" and "tranquility." A faint sense of comfort would well up in his heart.
Daytime class.
After the morning class, it's time for collecting and identifying.
Nie Lingfeng would take Chen Duo to explore the mountains and forests surrounding the wooden house. He no longer just wanted to find food, but consciously taught her to identify various plants, fungi, minerals, and even observe animal tracks and habits.
"This is Poria cocos, which grows under the roots of pine trees and can calm the mind and soothe the nerves."
"This red mushroom is poisonous and should not be eaten. Remember the white spots on its cap."
"Look at these paw prints, it's a deer, it came to the water's edge yesterday evening."
"This stone contains a faint trace of golden energy, which is slightly beneficial for nourishing the meridians, but it is very weak."
His explanations were simple and direct, without too much complicated theory, focusing more on intuitive pointing and usage. Chen Duo always listened attentively, her emerald eyes fixed on the direction of his finger. Occasionally, she would reach out and carefully touch the leaves of non-toxic plants or the cold rocks that he allowed her to touch, feeling the unfamiliar and novel textures and temperatures.
She learns very quickly, with an astonishingly good memory. She can almost perfectly remember anything Nie Lingfeng has said once. But she rarely asks questions, more like a passive, efficient information receiver. Nie Lingfeng isn't in a hurry. He knows that for Chen Duo, re-establishing a "connection" with the world is more about feeling than understanding.
They would wash the wild vegetables and mushrooms they had gathered by the stream. When Nie Lingfeng started a fire to cook, Chen Duo would sit beside him, watching the flickering flames and the food bubbling in the pot. Sometimes her gaze would drift into the distance, as if she could see some distant and blurry scenes through the simple smoke from the fire.
As the sun sets and twilight descends, it is time for the second session of the Ice Heart Mantra practice. The content is similar to the morning lessons, but it is often accompanied by the unique tranquility and coolness of the mountain forest at night, allowing for a deeper understanding of "quieting the mind."
However, for Chen Duo, there is another special day every month, a project that she both vaguely fears and is filled with some complicated expectations for—taking Nie Lingfeng's blood.
Nearly a month has passed since the first treatment. During this time, Nie Lingfeng would choose a time when Chen Duo's condition was relatively stable every three to five days to perform a deep treatment for her. The process was still painful and difficult, each time like dancing on a knife's edge or carving on rotten wood. But Chen Duo's endurance was increasing, and her use of the Ice Heart Technique was becoming more and more proficient. She could often assist Nie Lingfeng's internal energy, more effectively soothing the restless toxins in her body and making the treatment process slightly smoother.
Her health improved at a visible pace. Her pale cheeks regained some color, her hands and feet were no longer constantly cold, and the emptiness in her eyes was replaced by increasing vitality. Stubborn toxins in her body were being gradually peeled away and purified; although the progress was slow, the trend was positive.
But Nie Lingfeng knew that the "residual poison" deep within his heart and lungs, most deeply entangled with the source of life, was like the most stubborn reef, difficult to eradicate with his current strength and methods. They were like dormant volcanoes, which could erupt again at any time once they were no longer suppressed.
One's own blood is currently the most effective "suppressant" and "stabilizer".
That evening, after the treatment, Nie Lingfeng's face was paler than usual, and his forehead showed obvious signs of fatigue. But he still took out the specially made silver needle and pricked his fingertip.
A drop of orange-gold blood, imbued with immense life and purifying power, slowly seeped out. Under the dim light of the oil lamp, it resembled molten amber, with golden light flowing within.
Chen Duo sat opposite him, looking at the drop of blood, a complex emotion flashing in her emerald eyes. There was a dependence on the power represented by that drop of blood, a vague longing for the monthly "replenishment" (which would make her feel unprecedentedly relaxed and "normal" for the next month), but deeper still, there was a feeling that even she herself might not be able to clearly articulate... unease and guilt.
She knew the blood came from Nie Lingfeng, and that he would be noticeably weaker after each bloodletting. Although he never said anything, she could sense it.
"Open your mouth." Nie Lingfeng's voice was low and hoarse.
Chen Duo hesitated for a moment, then slowly opened her mouth.
As the blood dripped down her tongue, it transformed into a warm and powerful current the moment it entered her mouth. Without needing to swallow, it spread throughout her body. The familiar comfort, the feeling of relaxation, and the sense of peace as if the stubborn toxins in her body had been completely "soothed" enveloped her once again.
But this time, amidst the comfort brought by the warm current, she clearly caught Nie Lingfeng's slightly furrowed brows and the fleeting weariness in his eyes.
"...You," she swallowed the lingering, strangely fragrant taste of blood in her mouth, and spoke softly, "doing this every time...won't it...damage your body?"
Nie Lingfeng was taken aback, clearly not expecting her to ask that. He smiled, a tired but gentle smile: "It's just a little blood, not really an injury. My constitution is special, I recover quickly. More important than this, it's that you feel better."
Chen Duo lowered her head, looking at her hands resting on her knees. Her fingers trembled slightly from the pain of her recent treatment, but the unsettling black lines on her palms were now almost invisible. This drop of blood each month was like a powerful "sedative" and "adhesive" for her broken body and restless soul, allowing her to experience the sunshine, the breeze, the taste of food, to learn, and to... live like a relatively "normal" person.
This "gift" was too heavy. So heavy that she didn't know how to respond, or even dared to think deeply about the price behind it.
"Thank you," she finally managed to say again, her voice so soft it was almost inaudible.
"You're bringing this up again." Nie Lingfeng ruffled her hair naturally. "Go to sleep. Starting tomorrow, I'll teach you something else."
The next morning, after the Ice Heart Technique morning lesson, Nie Lingfeng did not take Chen Duo to collect materials as usual. Instead, he picked up a simple short bow made of hardwood and animal sinew, along with several sharpened wooden arrows, from the corner of the wooden house.
"We're not going to gather anything today," he said to Chen Duo, who seemed a little confused. "I'll take you hunting."
"Hunting?" Chen Duo repeated the word, her emerald eyes reflecting the rough outline of the short bow.
"Yes. Wild vegetables and dry rations alone aren't enough for nutrition. You need more meat to replenish your energy and blood," Nie Lingfeng explained. "Moreover, hunting is also a form of... cultivation. It trains your eyesight, patience, reflexes, and control over your own energy. Ultimately, you need to find a way to channel and utilize the power within you; simply suppressing it isn't a long-term solution."
He led Chen Duo deeper into the denser forest. The trees here were taller, their canopies blocking out the sun, and the ground was covered with a thick layer of humus, soft and spongy underfoot. The air was more humid, filled with a complex aroma of various plants and fungi.
Nie Lingfeng slowed his pace, almost silently. He gestured for Chen Duo to follow behind him, to learn his walking style—how to avoid dead branches and fallen leaves, how to use the shadows of trees to conceal herself, and how to adjust her breathing to synchronize with the environment.
Chen Duo studied very diligently. She was already accustomed to quiet and secrecy, and now she used this instinct to track and stealth, showing a surprising talent for it. Her steps were even lighter than Nie Lingfeng had expected, and her emerald eyes, like those of a most alert fawn, constantly scanned the surrounding environment, capturing every subtle movement and change in atmosphere.