Budding Seed

The rhythm of their days continued, a cycle of training, shared meals, and the ever-present hum of unspoken tension between them.

Li Mei diligently practiced the sword forms and unarmed combat techniques Ren taught her, her body growing stronger and more agile with each passing day.

Yet, her internal cultivation remained stubbornly stagnant. Her qi was still a mere flicker, refusing to grow despite her best efforts.

One evening, after a particularly grueling training session, Li Mei sat by the fire, absently tracing patterns on the small, worn pouch she always carried.

Inside, the seeds she had purchased in Serinor pulsed with a faint warmth against her palm. Lately, she had noticed a change in them.

They seemed to react to her energy, their colors growing more vibrant, their warmth more pronounced whenever she was near Ren, especially during their intense sparring sessions. They had started to grow bigger.

As if sensing her gaze, Ren looked up from cleaning his sword. "Is something wrong?" he asked, his voice a low rumble in the stillness of the cave.

Li Mei hesitated, then held out the pouch. "These seeds," she said, her voice barely above a whisper. "I bought them in Serinor, before… before everything happened. They've been… changing."

Ren took the pouch, his brow furrowing as he examined the seeds. They were indeed larger now, their colors – crimson, gold, azure, and emerald – shimmering with an almost unnatural intensity.

He could sense a faint energy emanating from them, a subtle vibration that resonated with Li Mei's own qi. He had never seen anything like them before. They looked like they were about to sprout.

"They seem to be reacting to you," he observed, handing the pouch back to her.

"To your energy." He paused, then, acting on a sudden impulse, he reached out and took her hand, his fingers gently encircling her wrist.

"Let me see your qi."

Li Mei's breath caught in her throat at his touch. His skin was warm and calloused against hers, sending a jolt of unexpected energy through her.

She closed her eyes, focusing on the faint flicker of her qi, trying to guide it towards his touch as he had taught her.

Ren frowned. Her qi was weak, barely perceptible, but as he focused, he felt something else. A strange purity, a subtle resonance he had never encountered before.

And then, he felt it – a faint tremor in his own qi, a subtle shift as if it were being… cleansed, refined. It was a fleeting sensation, but it left him startled.

He abruptly released her hand, his usual impassive mask firmly back in place.

"Your qi is unusual," he said, his voice carefully neutral, betraying nothing of the strange phenomenon he had just experienced.

"It is weak, but… pure. We will focus on strengthening it. Starting tomorrow, we will incorporate seated meditation into your training."

It was dangerous to let her hold his hand.

The next day, their training took on a new dimension. After their physical training, Ren instructed Li Mei to sit in the lotus position, facing him.

"We will meditate together," he said.

"Focus on your breath, on the flow of your qi. Try to sense mine, and let it guide you."

At first, Li Mei struggled. Her mind wandered, her qi remained stubbornly unresponsive. But slowly, gradually, she began to feel it – a faint resonance with Ren's powerful, steady qi.

It was like a beacon in the darkness, a guiding light in the confusing labyrinth of her internal energy.

After their meditation, as they were about to part for the night, Li Mei hesitated. "Ren," she said, her voice barely above a whisper.

"Could… could you hold my hand again? Just for a moment. I think… I think it helps." She tried to ignore the heat rising to her cheeks, the way her heart pounded against her ribs at her own boldness.

Ren looked at her, his storm-gray eyes searching hers. He knew it was dangerous, that he was treading a thin line.

But he also knew that her cultivation was stagnant, and he had a responsibility to help her. And if he were honest with himself, he craved the connection, the strange energy that flowed between them when their skin touched.

He nodded, his expression unreadable. He reached out and took her hand, his fingers wrapping around hers.

The contact sent a jolt through both of them. Li Mei closed her eyes, focusing on the warmth of his touch, on the steady pulse of his qi.

She felt her own qi responding, growing stronger, flowing more freely. It was as if his energy was awakening something within her, unlocking a hidden reservoir of power.

She had reached the late stage of Qi refining and then her realm has been stagnant. She will do anything to get her revenge and this was nothing to her.

They continued this practice each day, sitting together in silent meditation, their hands clasped. The connection between them deepened, both physically and spiritually.

Li Mei's qi grew steadily stronger, fueled by the unique interaction with Ren's. She was getting closer and closer to the next level.

One night, Li Mei had a vivid dream. She saw herself standing in a field of radiant flowers, their petals shimmering with all the colors of the rainbow.

As she reached out to touch them, a single, luminous, crimson flower petal detached itself and floated towards her, finally settling between her eyebrows.

She awoke with a start, her heart pounding. The dream felt significant, more real than any she had experienced before.

As she reached up to touch her forehead, her fingers brushed against something soft and delicate. It was a flower petal, identical to the one in her dream, crimson and luminous, resting between her eyebrows. It was a part of her now.

The next morning, the change in Li Mei was subtle but undeniable. The flower petal, nestled between her brows, seemed to radiate a soft, inner light, enhancing her natural beauty, giving her an ethereal glow.

Her charm seemed to have intensified overnight, her movements more graceful, her presence more captivating. It was the first bloom of her physique.

Ren noticed it immediately. He found himself stealing glances at her, his gaze lingering on the delicate curve of her neck, the way her hair cascaded down her back, the luminous petal that now adorned her forehead.

He was becoming increasingly drawn to her, his desire a constant, burning ember beneath his exterior.

During their training, his touches lingered longer than necessary, his fingers brushing against her skin, sending shivers down her spine.

He would correct her stance by placing his hands on her waist, his touch sending jolts of electricity through her.

He would stand close behind her as he guided her through a sword form, his breath on her neck, his body a solid, comforting presence against hers.

Li Mei, far from objecting, leaned into his touch, her body responding to his proximity in ways she couldn't explain.

She craved his touch, the warmth of his hand, the strength of his presence. The unspoken tension between them had reached a fever pitch, a dangerous undercurrent to their every interaction.

They had been training together for many months now, and their bond had grown beyond that of teacher and student, morphing into something deeper, something far more complex and perilous.

It was only a matter of time before the dam burst, unleashing the torrent of emotions they had both been holding back for so long. They were both madly in love with each other.