His Concubine 2

He did not wasted any time, and hurried back into his rooms where he was supposed to rest. But instead of lying down, he sat down on his bed and began to Breathe, running his zhenqi through his somewhat exhausted body. Partly to recover his spent energy, and partly to figure out the quality of Huang Fuyun's rotund frame.

Which was so fat that he couldn't even bring his legs up, into a proper lotus position!

But that was something that he would have to deal with later, Huangfu Yun promised himself. After he made sure that there were no issues.

One and a half hours later, he breathed out in relief. Things were actually much better than he had originally thought: Huang Fuyun must have been born under a lucky star! Someone had actually dredged his meridians when he was but a young child, and so expanded the same. That meant that he could handle more zhenqi in his body than most people of his age!

On top of that, his body had also been nourished by a variety of rare herbs and toughened by a process that would have made him capable of handling three opponents of his age. If he had bothered to train hard, he would have already cleared the basic tier of cultivation and formed his own Sea of Qi! Unfortunately, the fat slob had only cared about lazing about, and never really put in an effort!

However, it seems all of his extradordinary meridians and his exceptional physique, now belonged to Huangfu Yun! He had only run through the simple initiate level training method earlier, circulating his zhenqi through his meridians, and it had been enough to awaken the same! This Huang Fuyun had actually been on the cusp between first and second level Qi Gathering, and that little bit of effort, taking no more than a hour or so, had been enough to increase his standing!

Just the thought of that was enough to make the former eunuch want to stand on the shore of the Heavenly Lake and laugh his heart out! The Heavens were on his, on Huangfu Yun's, side!

Then he sobered up and shook his head at himself. What Heavenly Lake? He wasn't going to head back there, just to look over the remnants of what he had failed to achieve.

Indeed, he was no longer a eunuch, and no longer tied to the Nine Mountains Kingdom. Whatever that had happened to that place no longer had any links to him, after his original death. So he was free to do what he wished now!

Of course, he would have to find out what he really wished to do. That was still a great mystery for him, at the moment.

Then he giggled, and got up again. Whatever else he should do, he was certainly not going to miss indulging in what he had missed, in his last lifetime! And there was nothing wrong with what he intended to do either, by any social mores or legal codes! Surely a man was allowed to 'work' his concubine a little harder, when she was still someone new to his bed, wasn't he?

Huangfu Yun found Protector Ling outside his door, when he was finally done with his Breathing Exercises. Although he was certain the old man could not tell the details of his workout, the fact that he had been exercising his qi, and replenishing the stores that he had just used could not be disguised. Not that he had any inclination to do that.

There was something that the old man was itching to ask him, Huangfu Yun was certain. No doubt, it had something to do with the injury that he had suffered a good while ago. The same that was affecting his progress past the simple Completion Phase of his cultivation.

"Young Master."

Huangfu Yun sensed the slight change in the old man's address at once. While Protector Ling had not stinted on his earlier honorifics when he spoke to Huang Fuyun, there was a definite respect in his voice now, when he spoke to him. Something that was certainly not present earlier, when he had reported to Huangfu Yun earlier, regarding his efforts on Yang Xiaochun.

"Oh? Protector Ling? Something brings you here? I trust that my ... my concubine is not experiencing any difficulty with her brother?"

His pretence at nonchalance did not go down as well as he had hoped it would with the older man. Elder Ling frowned his way, although he did answer his questions:

"She is there with him now. Although I believe that she is at the end of her endurance. She should be falling asleep all over him soon. If she has not done so already.

"I had left them alone for close to an hour, while I stood watch over you at your internal energies practice," the old man admitted softly.

His expression was also somewhat softer. That is, compared to the usual stone-hard face that he presented to everyone that he came into contact with. Including Huang Fuyun himself.

"Then ... Would I be mistaken, if I was to believe that Elder Ling has some business with me? Something to do with the old wound that you had suffered? The same one that Huang Tiancheng - my father, has promised to deal with?"

"That is correct."

Protector Ling, or to give him his full name, Ling Qishan, had been guarding Huang Fuyun for a good many years. Ever since he started learning alchemy, as far as Huangfu Yun could dredge out of the fat, idolent fellow's memories.

And Huang Tiancheng had even had his son examine the old man's internal organs and such, now and again, to educate him on the hazards of certain martial art practices. Especially when it had something to do with those medicines and martial arts that had to do with cold, with yin, pulses of energy.

Which gave Huangfu Yun exactly the opening that he needed. He decided to push everything onto his distant, and supposedly powerful, father. Huang Tiancheng was a Master Alchemist, after all. And he had already had years to study and to come up with a plan to deal with Elder Ling Qisan's problem.

"My father had already spoken to me about your injury. From what I can remember, he said something about you being affected by a strike that was filled with a zhenqi that was severely cold in nature. Something called Xuan Ice? Or similar to that. Well, that is lingering in your body now, so there are only a few medicines that will work on you.

"And those are rare, and very difficult to get a hold of."

Huangfu Yun eyed the grey-haired old man as he said that, and saw at once how he seemed shocked by the rotund young man's words. "That is no different from what your father said to me. Although he did not mention the Xuan Ice bit. But you are correct, my enemy had used what he called his Yin-aspected Martial Arts, called his Xuanyin Palm, on me some twenty years ago. I have only survived until now because of your father and his Yang-aspected pills."

"But you saw how I was able to manipulate the zhenqi within Yang Xiaochun's body earlier, and now you are hoping that I might be able to do the same for you now? To get rid of the bitter cold zhenqi remaining in your marrow?"

"Yes! Yes, you see it immediately!"

Huangfu Yun nodded at the old man, who wore his hope openly on his face. He was not bothering to disguise his anticipation of Huangfu Yun's answer either. Well, how could he do that, after wasting close to twelve, thirteen years of his life?

Not that Huangfu Yun was about to aid him in alleviating such a problem at once. He could, but it would take him a great deal of effort. If he were to do it in his current state of achievement. It would be much easier, for both of them, if Huangfu Yun could delay such a move until after he had reached a higher level of cultivation.

Something that he would have to convince the old man of now, it seemed.

"You must understand, Protector Ling, that my father is working on your problem. And that there are risks if another person, even someone who is aware of what he is attempting, were to dip his fingers into the matter."

He paused then, to give the old man what he hoped looked like a stern stare. It was hard to figure out what he looked like now, when he displayed such tricks. After all, he was much fatter now, and did not have chance to practice the same in a mirror, like he did back in his other life.

"I take it that you are only asking this of me because of the coming Winter. The pain should be especially bad, during that time of the year."

The Elder jumped at the excuse immediately, showing that he was no fool, and would not miss an opportunity when it was presented to him. "Exactly so! Exactly so. Hence I was hoping that you might have some method, to ease what I have been suffering in the cold season ahead. Your father has been away so long, so I have not received any pills from him for a while."

Ah! That was the crux of the matter there! Well, it was not as though Huangfu Yun had no way of dealing with the cold qi that was still lingering within the man's body. It was just that his own reserves were too lacking! If he were to attempt something now ...

But there was no danger in giving the old man some hope. Especially since he was intending on rely on Protector Ling to deal with Yang Xiaochun's injuries anyway. And wouldn't it be a lot easier on him, if there was a strong pair of arms around? Particularly when they were so experienced in the ways of the world. This world?

"Well, I could try to concoct the pills for you. Or would you care to try something a little different? Something that might cause you a bit more pain, especially if you tried running your zhenqi in the cold season. But it might result in you experiencing better results, and speed up your recovery.

"Would Protector Ling like to give it a try?"

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