"What's wrong?!" Aerestia pushed her attention towards Shuren.
"Just the backlash from the battle, I'll bear with it." Shuren exhaled a sharp breathe, barely keeping it under control. "The cuts are shallow, so I'll just force the wounds closed."
At his level, he could force the muscles in his arm to close the wounds, allowing him to not make a mess with blood pouring out constantly. It was one of the benefits of attaining an Iron Talisbody, having trained it for years.
"If you say so…"
The One Tailed Ash Tiger nudged at Aerestia, urging her to come follow.
"You're going to look for the Ash Tiger's cubs?" Shuren enquired as he came back to his senses, forming a flying nimbus to carry the corpse alongside him. Now that he reached Stage 7, controlling his flying nimbus without needing to be directly on it was much easier.
Aerestia patted the head of the Ash Tiger, and it purred. "Yes. I think they were being chased to become familiars, which would've been useful to that Nekron Path cultivator." She summoned her flying nimbus, and the Ash Tiger jumped up to rest on it, exhausted from the battle. Fortunately for Aerestia, she didn't take any damage with the scuffle earlier, just needing to meditate to cycle her Qi.
Shuren rested his Ruyi Staff to his shoulder. As the adrenaline and stress subsided, the Ruyi Staff he had been holding in his right hand slipped from his fingers and dropped to the floor. The corpse of the Pyros Eagle plopped to the ground as his flying nimbus disintegrated.
Kneeling on the floor, the muscles of his right forearm spasmed vigorously, resembling giant worms squirming beneath his skin, which instantly sent him into shock. His eyes became bloodshot, his left hand stammering towards his pouch.
"Q-Qi Reversal!" Shuren yelped, shivering in pain. It felt like thin needles going haywire all over his arm. The price for his brazen breakthrough and new technique.
Aerestia sprinted beside Shuren, dropping her staff aside. Without hesitation, she grabbed a Spiritual Qi Pill, a consumable version of the Spirit Jade currency, which had condensed Qi absorbed in nature.
"Quick, cycle your Qi." Aerestia said as she squeezed Shuren's cheeks to open his mouth, inserting the Spiritual Qi Pill.
Right now Shuren was bereft of all his Qi, and the backlash of using a new technique which rapidly drained his Qi caused his arm to not only be physically damaged with bruises, but its blood flow being reversed.
Shuren grit his teeth, closing his mouth as he devoured the pill in one go. He had to ensure that the pill was not broken, as breaking it would minimize the effects. Only with the pill resting in his stomach could he absorb its entire contents through osmosis.
Aerestia ripped Shuren's robes that covered his damaged arm, making a long strip.
"I'll make a tourniquet, one second!" Aerestia said, while wrapping the strip around four inches above his right elbow tightly, tying a half knot. She went back to stumble through her belongings.
Shuren could only grunt and nod at Aerestia. Veins bulged in his neck as he meditated on the floor.
Finding a thin vial made of wood, Aerestia used it as a windlass, tying another half knot over and cranking the vial around, tightening the scarf as much as possible to restrict blood flow.
The cramps and rampaging blood flow faded away as light returned to Shuren's face. His body's temperature had also increased to the point he was breathing out mists of hot air. Aerestia tightened the tourniquet a bit more, just in case.
Around 5 minutes later, the time it took for a stick of incense to burn, Shuren eased up, sighing out in relief. His robes stuck to his back from the amount of sweat expelled, and his right arm shivered when he tried to move it. He had enveloped his entire body with Qi once again, the empty jar now half filled with water sloshing about.
"Good! To think there was such a technique to restrict Qi Reversal so fast. I am in your debt, Lady Aerestia." Shuren said, shuffling himself to face her and digging his head down for a deep bow. "My sincerest gratitudes."
She waved her hands in humility. "No, I only had to do what I must. Here, bring out your arm. Your blood flow has eased, so I can remove the tourniquet."
Shuren had a wistful smile, following her instructions. Despite still wincing in pain, his condition had greatly improved.
There was no used to going through Qi Reversals, no matter how many times he had experienced it.
It wasn't a surprise it happened now with Shuren breaking through in the middle of a fight, while attempting a new technique.
The other cases of Qi Reversal being common were during realm breakthroughs and its worse counterpart; Qi Deviation. As long as one was prepared, Qi Reversal could still be treated quickly. Qi Deviation would push you to the brink of life and death, with your entire body and soul self immolating with your Qi. In the utmost worst cases, though even Immortal Cultivators wouldn't die, they would turn mad, transforming into a walking disaster.
The most famous case of this was the Eternal Knight, who would appear during wars. A crazed Immortal Cultivator and a myth, a dark knight stabbed with dozens of weapons through his armour would tread on an active battlefield, each step causing the earth he walked on to kill any inhabitants. The theory in his actions originated from a complicated Qi Deviation, to the point even his corpse would continue to walk in a crazed manner.
Shuren's arms eased up as the wrapping had been removed. His entire arm had discoloured blue, but it would heal in a day or two with ease.
This girl… No, Lady Aerestia not only has a sound mastery of the Ice Path; she also pursues Beast Taming and has great knowledge as a medic. *To think the way of her speech blinded me in the beginning.
She's strong.
Aerestia supported Shuren as he stood up on his legs and received his Ruyi Staff. Once more, he manifested his flying nimbus once more to carry the corpse of the eagle, while Aerestia picked up her belongings and headed to hers.
"So then, let's finish this off." He gently stepped on his lowered flying nimbus to meditate, waiting for her to lead.
"Um, yes. Follow me." She took a moment to summon her flying nimbus, the rotund spirit bird. The Ash Tiger had awoken, panting, while signalling to Aerestia the direction. Shuren thought back to the merchant he met at his father's office.
Heaven's Eye set, and rays of calypso-orange beamed across the horizon. Shuren began a conversation with Aerestia.
"Just what was that medical technique you used on me?"
She was rubbing the neck of the Ash Tiger, easing her pain. "It's a blood restrictive method called a tourniquet. It's usually intended for severe blood loss, but can also be applied in certain situations, like with Qi Reversal. I've had it happen to me once too in the past." She said with a shaky smile, recalling that memory.
Does she mean Qi Reversal or severe blood loss?
"How long have you been in the Cloud City for?"
Aerestia had an unfocused gaze when she looked at the horizon as dusk arrived. "A week after the Unhallowed Monolith surfaced."
Shuren had the urge to slap himself for asking when he noticed her reaction. So she's one of the direct survivors.
The Unhallowed Monolith.
A polychromatic auspicious tower that stood at the corpse of the Divine Tree, the capital of Yestervaul.
It was also the main reason for the refugee crisis in Cloud City right now. The patriarch and founder of Seven Clouds Sect made a deal with the remaining leaders of that city, allowing them to migrate. Cloud City was still a very young province, and they were struggling with bearing the effects of harbouring a massive increase in population.
They rapidly expanded the farmlands and forcefully expanded the commercial economy to compensate. Tensions were still high between the Humans, Silvents and Vulfoans. On top of that, as part of the deal, the Seven Clouds Sect annexed the city and took complete control of their land, though destroyed and corrupted, alongside having the right to explore the Unhallowed Monolith.
Even on this farmland at the edge of the city, he noted the words of the farm owner giving a backhand comment about Aerestia. Since when did mortals judge the superiority of cultivators based on their appearance and personality?
Strength and status were all that mattered.
Shuren himself only moved here three years ago with his family after being estranged from the main Liu Clan. He was the last person to give an opinion on the situation, as the reputation of his surname allowed him a smooth process to gain a permit of residency.
He had a puckered forehead, changing the topic. "My father once had a meeting with a Silvent merchant by the name of Eurastale. Your flying nimbus looked just like that bird that was like a ball. Is that a bird native to the south?"
She whipped her head back to face Shuren, her silver hair glistening amongst the dusk. "You know Sir Eurastale?"
He lowered his chin in agreement.
Her smile was as radiating as the rays of Heaven's Eye. "My older brother works for him. Ever since that incident, he's been expanding his business to accommodate us. If it weren't for merchants like him, the situation of us survivors would be much worse. We've been able to get new jobs because of the interest in our Spiritude Armaments and Woodspirits techniques."
She continued on, forgetting about Shuren's other question. "So that's why your staff felt similar to mine. Who was the crafter?"
"It was my father."
Aerestia blinked, and her eyes widened a bit. "Your father's learnt how to sculpt Woodspirits? But he's not a-" She stopped herself before continuing.
Shuren raised his chin, almost crossing his hands before the pain compelled him to stop. "My father's well connected. His main business is with Silvents and Vulfoans after all. He's learnt from the best."
In the distance, a large rock could be found amongst the grassy plains. The Ash Tiger purred.
"What's the name of your father's business?" Aerestia asked as she plopped off her flying nimbus, following the Ash Tiger.
"Sky Soaring Spirits. He's also going to open a warehouse soon in Silverwoods." Shuren lowered his flying nimbus, allowing himself to step off. He still let it remain manifested, holding the body of his prize.
"I like the name. I think your father is a good person." Aerestia said as a matter-of-fact, facing Shuren.
"Obviously, my father's the strongest." Shuren had dimples as he grinned with those words.
A chuckle rang out, Aerestia failing to hold her laugh. Even the Ash Tiger snorted.
"What?" Shuren said.
"Nothing, you just don't look like the kind of person to say that."