"It's… quite serious…"
Liu was currently listening to Yisheng as they spoke right outside the Sword Saint's Shrine. It was already late at night, with the sun long set.
After Yui fainted, Liu had hurriedly dashed toward Yusheng's residence to fetch him. Due to how slow he was in climbing the mountain, Yui even had to carry him so they could get to the shrine sooner.
Once they arrived, Yisheng did his thing and used the best of his abilities to treat Yui right there and then. Fortunately, it seemed all the necessary herbs and materials were already present in the shrine. At the moment, Yui was stabilized, and it seemed like her temperature was being regulated, but all of the treatments performed were only temporary.
"Tell me what's going on, Yisheng? Talk to me!" Liu raised his voice, something he wouldn't naturally do to a senior.
For the past couple of years, he had refined his behavior to best reflect the kind of master he had. He was always respectful, calm, and kind. Yui had changed him to become a much better person than he was in the past.
But, at this point, it seemed like all of the efforts he made in that regard had been lost. No courtesy or consideration dwelled in his eyes.
"Liu… I'm sorry, but the Sword Saint specifically instructed me not to tell you anything."
The moment Liu heard this, his eyes widened. His master… was hiding something from him? How long had it been? How long had she been keeping her illness hidden?
'She… told Yisheng not to tell me?'
He had thought he was the only one who could keep his master's secrets, but was he just being very conceited?
"Trust me, Liu, I also want to treat the Sword Saint, but this his condition has worsened far more than even I can prevent. At this rate…"
Liu swiftly grabbed Yisheng by his robe and gave him his long-lost murderous glare. His eyes gleamed with actual bloodlust, and the sound of his grating teeth echoed through the compound.
"Tell me what is wrong with the Sword Saint!"
"I already told you, he forbade me from—"
"I DON'T CARE! TELL ME!"
Liu could feel his heart racing, almost to the point that he was hyperventilating. It felt like something in his chest woule explode, and that caused his eyes to grow ever so bloodshot.
In all likeness, he resembled a demon at this point.
"F-fine. I understand. I'll… I'll tell you." Yisheng finally let out a whimper.
Upon heaing this, Liu let the older man go. He had an expression of guilt mixed in with his anxiety, but he chose not to say anything. This was the time to listen.
"The Sword Saint has had this condition even before you arrived in this Sect. After his battles with the Three Pillars, he was able to usher the world into an era of peace, but he also sustained a heavy injury that plagues him till now."
'A heavy injury?!' Liu had never heard of anything like that. Not from his master, nor from anyone else.
"The injury caused the Sword Saint to be extremely weakened, to the point that he couldn't even muster ten percent of his original strength. He decided to go into seclusion, refusing to make a public appearance after that battle. That's because doing so would alert the Pillars that he has grown weaker."
Liu understood now. If it was made public that the Sword Saint, the one who maintained the balance and served as the guardian of the era of peace, was unable to use 'his' original strength, then it would spell doom for the world's already fickle notion of stability.
"He decided to spend the rest of his days here, in this Sect, taking in people and raising them to be able to take care of themselevs. I'm sure the Sword Saint often wanted to help the world more, but… his weakness prevented him from doing anything more drastic."
Liu also understood this. He could remember how many times Liu expressed her desire to help everyone. Wasn't that why he was trying so hard? So he could help her?
So they could save the world together?
"The damage done to him wasn't really fatal as long as he regulated his remnant energy and didn't stress his body too much. For as long as I have known the Sword Saint, he hasn't succumbed to any averse effects… not until recently." At this point, Yisheng gave a very grave expression as he stared at Liu.
"Why? Why is it only surfacing now?"
"It's because of you."
Liu's heart thumped loudly once he heard this. He felt a very hot feeling in his chest, but he couldn't quite understand it.
"M-me?" He asked.
"Yes. Though he never explicitly told me, I diagnosed the progression of the damage from when the Sword Saint started teaching you. No, maybe about five years ago to be exact."
Once Yisheng mentioned this, Liu's face instantly turned pale. He instantly realized what the source of the problem was.
'Swordcraft! Yui is like this because she taught me Swordcraft!'
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[A/N]
It seems Liu bears the fault for this.
The reason his master is hurt... is because of him.
Tense silence erupted in the vicinity as both Liu and Yisheng stared at each other with differing forms of clogged-up emotions.
For Yisheng, he felt a tinge of betrayal as he revealed a secret that wasn't his to utter. As for Liu... his expression depicted what could only be described as immense shock.
One bordering the very edge of despair.
"A-actually, the first instance was when you were saved nine years ago. It was the first time I had seen the Sword Saint so weak. It was so bad that I had to tell him to tell me the problem. That was the first time I got to know about his injury. To be honest, even I don't completely understand it."
"Ahh… haa…" Liu felt like he was going crazy just from hearing Yisheng's words.
"Don't feel too bad about it, kid. I warned him to stop, but he wouldn't. It seems the Sword Saint really wanted to teach you. I can only wonder why…"
'It's all my fault. It's my fault that Yui is this way!' If she never saved him… if she never taught him Swordcraft, then she would still be healthy.
He carried all the blame for her current suffering, and the realization that that single truth brought to him caused him to slowly sink into despair.
"H-how long does the Sword Saint have?" He asked.
"I… am not sure. It's never been this bad before. He must have stressed himself too much this time."
"Give me an estimate."
"Maybe… a couple of months."
Hearing that caused his heart to bleed even more. Liu clutched his chest, feeling so much pain that he wanted to rip his own heart out.
"I… I see…"
His head shamefully hung on his shoulders, and at this point, he had lost all the strength in his body. He could feel himself sink into the deep dark pit of despondency.
"Liu… there might be a way. A way to save the Sword Saint."
"W-wha…?"
"There's a plant known as the Frost Mandrake. It exists in the Spirit Labyrinth of Eternal Glaciers."
"A-ah… haa…"
"It's said that the Frost Mandrake can permanently freeze any defects and evaporate them as mist. It's power is Divine, and it should be able to cure the Sword Sain—"
"Why didn't you say anything before?!" Liu grabbed Yisheng by the collar once more, this time a beam of life reflecting in his eyes.
"It's because, while we know the location of the Frost Mandrake, none of us can make it there and retrieve it…"
"Why?!"
"It's a Spirit Labyrinth, and a high-level one at that. It requires a Spiritualist, and one who is of at least the peak of Master Level to even think of attempting it."
"A-ah…"
It was no wonder Yisheng thought it was hopeless. In the first place, this was the Eastern Continent, and nearly everyone was a Martial Artist. Everyone in the Sect were also Martial Artists.
It was already impossible… or was it?
"I'll go." Liu's voice echoed in the darkness, and a very reckless smile formed on his face.
"You can't Liu. You're a Martial Artist. You'd just be throwing your life away, I guarantee tha—"
"I won't. Trust me." His smile grew broader.
A dazed expression formed on Yisheng's face. He must have wondered what could cause the boy before him to suddenly grow confident.
If only he knew the secrets of Swordcraft.
'I have access to all the energies; Chi, Ki, and Mana. I'm also at the Master Stage.' Liu was qualified in every way.
Besides, all of those reasons paled in comparison with the prime motivation behind his decision.
'I can't allow Yui to die! I won't!'
Over the years, there had only been one reason for living—one purpose for his existence. It was the Sword Saint.
Yui was his light. She defined his life.
"I could never live with myself if I were to lose her…" He whispered, gently settling his gaze on Yisheng.
"Tell me the coordinates. I'll fetch the Frost Mandrake."
"But, it's too dangerou—"
"I won't die, Yisheng. My master is here waiting for me. I can't die yet." His confident smile and completely assured demeanor finally convinced Yisheng. Something about the glimmer in Liu's eyes told a single message.
That he was going to succeed no matter what.
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[A/N]
Alright!
Time for Liu's first quest outside the Sect. It's going to be short, but let's see what kind of adventure awaits him.
Will he succeed? Will he fail?
What do you all think?