The Sorceress: Blossoming Power

"Allow me to heal your most beloved, Your Honor." 

The words resonated in Xinyi's heart. It rang like melodious notes playing in her ears, lifting her exhaustion and weariness after hours of healing the Sacred River spirit. 

They had travelled far and went through a lot. She underwent a healing power crash course in a brief span of time with the aim to heal Ming when she found him. This journey was fruitful but the delays along the way were heartrending. Every delay they met, her longing to see him grew stronger, making her anxious all the more.

Yet, now, this great being in front of her offered to heal him. Was this the aim of her journey? 

"Please, I would really appreciate it," she said. Her heart uplifted from the arduous task. Although tired, her smile displayed the peace within her. Now, she didn't need to make a tiresome and unassured trial-and-error method to heal Ming. 

As a person who loved to read books ever since she was a child and a person who struggled and was still struggling to learn the art of healing, knew well the blessing of having someone she could put her faith on to heal Ming. This was a miracle.

She once read a doctor was not allowed to handle their loved one's cases because his mental and emotional aspects were greatly affected to make a proper diagnosis. That person might resort to drastic measures just to achieve her goal to heal the patient which would be fatal.

Thus, the Sacred River's spirit's offer released all the tension, fatigue, and burdens from her heart. She trusted this powerful being could totally heal Ming without her novice help.

Without further ado, all the spirit beasts swam back underwater, leaving Xinyi, the river spirit, and Ming behind on the surface. Nianshi and Guang went back with their companionss waiting at the river bank covered with grass and stones.

The lying and wounded beasts had long been healed. The combined healing essence from Xinyi and the river spirit completely cleansed the entire place. There was no longer any trace of the dreadful fight where they stood. The river bank was now still aside from the rippling water waves brought by the floating Xinyi in the middle of the river. 

Xinyi brought the stones back in her ring with a wave of her hand, including the stone slab where she stood. Her water power had kept her afloat. She learned this as she believed she could do the same way what a wind Chiangda could do.

With a wave of the river spirit's dainty hand, the water moved forward, bringing Xinyi nearer to Ming. 

"My name is Tubli, m'lady. Please put your hand on top of his head." He pointed at Ming. "While I'm healing him, call him from the depths of your heart. Send all your love to him. Make him feel that you need him," said the river spirit to Xinyi.

Xinyi's brows furrowed. "Why do I need to do that?" She thought a simple touching of the river spirit's palm and the washing of the sacred river water were enough to heal Ming, same as what the spring spirit did to her in her domain.

"I know you tried to heal him first before you healed me. Even though I was still weak and in a hibernating state, I can still feel your presence so I know what you've done when you came here. I also know that you came days ago with your two male companions, but I wondered why you disappeared. Anyway, you came back with a bigger group which relieved me from my fears that you won't heal me."

Xinyi gaped to realize her conjecture was right. Meirga sent them here, but because they didn't venture out from that small cave, they didn't find Ming. She spun around to look for that small cavern where they stayed and realized the whole place had small hills and full of trees, but missed seeing it because of the howling and rushing snows.

"Your power as a Sorceress and a Chief Guardian were good enough to heal your husband, mostly with your companions' support."

Xinyi gasped. "But how come?" Her voice trailed, feeling she might have doubted in her abilities that was why she failed.

The river spirit seemed to understand her line of thoughts and added before her mind would stray afar. "The healing failed not because your power was not good enough, but for another reason. If I am right, the reason lies in him."

Xinyi's eyes grew round. "So, you mean?"

"I hate to say this but maybe… I'm not totally sure but just maybe… he doesn't want to live anymore."

Xinyi gasped again with what he said and looked down at Ming. She couldn't believe it and shook her head to brush such evil thoughts away. However, she couldn't refute or argue against the river spirit since she had not much experience when it came to healing. However, the assuring word in his statement was the 'maybe'.

"We won't know the real reason unless we'll hear it from him. So, please proceed with his healing." Xinyi said, trying to convince herself that it was not true that Ming wished to leave her and chose to totally fade from this world. 

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Why would Ming want to die? She couldn't find a reason for him to choose death. Since his essence fought inside him for his life, then he surely desired to live. This was her conclusion. 

For her, the river spirit's healing was the most important task at hand. And let Ming speak the truth from his own mouth. Speculations would only lead to unsatisfactory judgements and hurt emotions.

Xinyi held his hands and transmitted her feelings by firmly clutching his hands with a firm belief that the river spirit's power could heal Ming. 

Tubli raised his hands and moved it as if he was forming a circle using his palms. The water rose and formed a ball around Xinyi and Ming while Tubli stayed outside.

"While I'm drenching you both with the river water, speak to him as a wife speaks to your beloved," said Tubli.

Now, this was disconcerting for Xinyi. They were husband and wife but their relationship hadn't reached that point where they were totally intimate. She didn't even know how to speak to Ming as his wife. With these thoughts crowded in her mind, Xinyi frowned.

If she was frowning, so did the river spirit. "Please, speak to him now."

She exhaled deep. Her eyes followed the water's current running around them. She could hardly see anyone outside. So, she dared to speak, believing no one could hear her.

"Ah, Ming, I hardly know you but I think I'm… I'm… I'm not sure yet but I'm…" She was about to say 'I'm falling in love with you' but doubting her feelings if it was really the case since they had never spent that much time with each other. The truth was also clear that she didn't know how one felt when in love. She didn't want to tell Ming with unclear facts in his lowest state. So, she said something else akin to 'love'. "I think I like you."

Silence. She raised her head up, deep in thoughts.

She sighed. "What else should I say?"

Silence delved for a time. Water rose from under Ming and engulfed his body. She kept her lips tight, processing the next words to say while waiting for the water to subside from Ming's body, and spoke again with anything that came to her mind.

"You are an outstanding leader and governor of Fengfu City. You risked your life and fought against Sir Tyriece to protect your people. You are a capable man at such a young age. Although you were a jerk at first but I've realized that you are a good man… No, not just a good person but a wonderful man. I know you tried to win my affection with all your obvious actions and I really appreciate it. So, don't give up and come back to… us." 

She hesitated to say 'me' and, in an instant, felt the fierce gaze from the river spirit, although she couldn't see him with the water shrouding his appearance. She was now certain that the river spirit could hear everything she said and saw through her.

"Sorry, I won't hesitate now," she said to the listening river spirit. 

She stimulated her mind by thinking of Ming and her brief moments with him while searching her inmost feelings for him, so she could say it truthfully.

---- o ----

When Ming's healing process began, Ming's spirit wrestled facing his own guilt while his back lying on the hot sand.

He could hear the whirling winds m.o.a.ned like a wailing woman. This reminded him of Xinyi. His mind replayed the times he spent with her, starting from their wedding night where he shamed her as if her existence was a stain to his being and his life.

'Shame' shouted in him.

He recalled her sad eyes when her face was full of paint smudge near Anjing pavilion. Those lonely eyes were like arrows piercing his chest. He couldn't help but cried out, "I'm sorry… I was wrong. I should have treated you better. Please forgive me." The last words were said like a whisper as tears welled and wetting the dry sand.

[This happened in Chapter 18.]

He sobbed like a child but the rising whirlwinds drowned his voice. As his shameful acts in the past replayed like a judge screaming at him 'Shame', the whirlwinds gathered together and became a massive one while he lay in the tornado's eye.

While Xinyi spoke about him inside the water bubble, Ming audibly heard her as if she was just beside him. 

"Xinyi, my love." He dared to stand to run to her and hug her for the last time before he would die but his body couldn't move even an inch. 

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