Volume 1: Bo'an Awakening & The Calamity Storm
Chapter 48
The Miracle of Xiaomo's Legs
Night descended over the South Street district of Bo’an City with a heavy, stifling silence. Meandering dirt alleys vanished into flickering shadows, broken only by the sporadic whistle of wind whistling through warped wooden walls and the squeak of a rusted metal sign swinging before an entryway. This impoverished quarter of manual laborers invariably drifted off to sleep far earlier than any other corner of the city. After long days spent hauling crushing loads and pinching pennies, people yearned only to collapse onto their hard wooden boards, seeking fleeting escape from the bone-deep exhaustion that gnawed at their joints.
Inside modest house No. 47, an incandescent bulb cast a faint, amber glow across the cramped room, illuminating a dinner tray resting beneath a woven bamboo food cover. On the tray sat a plate of boiled morning glory paired with fermented soybean dip, a small bowl of sour tamarind broth, and a glazed clay pot holding several golden cuts of sardines braised with ginger and soy.
Lin Hai—Lin Feng’s weathered father—had been dead to the world since dusk. After a grueling multi-day trek driving a heavy freight truck laden with raw magic ore back from the Cang Lei Ridge outpost, his entire frame felt battered down to the marrow. The intermittent rumbles of his snoring, interspersed with the dry, rasping coughs of a man in his early forties whose posture had already bent like that of an elder of sixty, drifted steadily from behind the coarse cloth curtain partitioning the inner bedroom.
Lin Feng gently slid the wooden latch shut. Pulling off his dust-caked tactical jacket, he hung it neatly from a wall peg. His gaze then drifted toward the small timber desk nestled beneath the room’s single window.
There sat his younger sister, Lin Xiao Mo, resting quietly in an aged wooden wheelchair. She wore a thin, hand-knit woolen cardigan in pale blue with fraying cuffs. Her lustrous raven hair fell loose over her shoulders, framing a petite, oval face that bore the faint pallor of one kept long from the sun. The moment she heard Lin Feng’s footsteps, her clear, almond-shaped eyes lifted like a calm autumn pond, and a radiant smile blossomed across her lips, dispelling every trace of weariness from the humble room.
“Brother, you’re back!”
Xiao Mo turned the hand-rims of her wheelchair, the wooden axles creaking faintly across the concrete floor. Rolling over to the dinner table, her nimble hands swiftly lifted the bamboo cover.
“Uncle Zhang’s market stall received fresh fish brought in from the South Riverbank today,” she said warmly. “I asked Uncle Ba to buy a portion, then braised it with spicy ginger for you and Father. Go wash your hands quickly and eat before it turns cold.”
Watching his sister’s gentle and considerate manner, an overwhelming wave of warmth surged through Lin Feng’s chest, laced with a familiar, piercing pang of heartache. Ever since their mother had passed away years ago and their father spent his life toiling on perilous roadways to scrape together meager wages, the burden of cooking, laundry, and cleaning in this modest home had fallen squarely upon Xiao Mo’s shoulders. Afflicted from birth with paralysis in both legs, she had never once run across open fields, had never known the feeling of striding upon the earth with her own feet. Yet through it all, she unfailingly wore a sweet, soothing smile to comfort those around her.
Lin Feng did not sit down to eat. Instead, he walked over and dropped to one knee beside her wheelchair, reaching out to gently smooth a stray lock of hair behind her ear.
“Xiao Mo, did you eat enough tonight?”
“I ate early with Father,” she replied, her long, delicate lashes fluttering slightly. Her sharp, perceptive eyes quickly picked up on something unusual in her brother’s demeanor. It was not the weighted exhaustion or quiet anxiety of previous days; rather, an undercurrent of profound emotion shimmered within his gaze, burning with an intense, unwavering light.
“Brother... has something wonderful happened?” she asked softly, her voice melodious like a silver wind chime.
Lin Feng smiled, offering no immediate reply. Reaching into the inner pocket of his tunic, he carefully drew out a jade vial no larger than a thumb. Carved from pale translucent nephrite, it radiated a faint, pristine chill. Inside sloshed an emerald-hued liquid flecked with miniature phosphorescent motes, as though an entire spring of distilled earthly essence were captured within its glassy walls.
The moment the vial entered the room, an extraordinary, crisp fragrance wafted outward—sweet and revitalizing, reminiscent of morning dew condensed atop thousand-year spirit herbs. The stale, damp air of the modest home seemed washed clean in an instant.
Xiao Mo stared at the jade vial in astonishment, then looked back into her brother’s radiant face. Though she possessed limited knowledge of the magical world, her instincts told her that the liquid contained within was no ordinary remedy accessible to the common folk of South Street.
“Brother... what is this?”
“This is Spirit Condensation Essentia blended with the root of thirty-year Life-Renewing Snow Lotus,” Lin Feng explained in a gentle tone, his eyes full of affection. “It is the premier medicinal remedy to reconnect damaged meridian pathways and revitalize nerve fibers that have lain dormant for years.”
Xiao Mo’s delicate face instantly lost its color. Her lips trembled as she stammered:
“Such precious medicine... must have cost an astronomical fortune! Brother, where could you possibly have obtained so much money? Did you... did you put yourself in danger? Was it something at the academy... or with the Ling Clan?”
At the mention of the Ling Clan, a flash of deep-seated dread flickered in Xiao Mo’s eyes. She would never forget the arrogant cruelty of Ling Zhuofeng when he drove her father and brother from the clan estate years ago, nor the cutting insults that had scarred their pride. She would rather remain confined to this wheelchair for the rest of her days than have her brother risk his life or lower himself to serve those heartless aristocrats on her behalf.
Recognizing the fear gripping her heart, Lin Feng took her cold hands into his own, giving them a firm, reassuring squeeze.
“Silly girl, your brother isn’t that foolish. This is compensation earned entirely through legitimate contracts as a scout and combat assistant for an official city hunter squad during this holiday break. I have zero ties to the Ling Clan, and I haven’t done anything that violates my conscience. Xiao Mo, trust me.”
The calm conviction in Lin Feng’s eyes gradually dissolved the knots of worry in her chest. Looking at him, her eyes glistened with unshed tears.
Lin Feng carefully removed the cork stopper. A faint azure mist drifted upward, carrying the rich, invigorating aroma of mountain flora. Pouring half the iridescent elixir into a small porcelain teacup, he raised it to Xiao Mo’s lips.
“Drink, Xiao Mo. This portion will nourish your internal organs and inner meridians. The remaining half I will infuse directly into your legs through mana-assisted acupressure.”
Hesitating only for a heartbeat, Xiao Mo obediently leaned forward, taking small, measured sips of the miraculous brew. The moment the elixir touched her tongue, it transformed into a warm, soothing stream that flowed effortlessly down her throat, fanning outward into her chest and core. An unprecedented sensation of lightness washed through her, coaxing a healthy, rosy flush onto her pale cheeks as though every pore had opened to breathe in clean mountain air.
Once she had finished the cup, Lin Feng pulled a low wooden stool over and positioned himself before her. He carefully gathered the cuffs of her linen trousers, rolling them upward past her knees to expose her lower legs.
What met his eyes were limbs that were paper-pale and thin from disuse. Blocked by congenital cold-toxin since infancy, the muscle tissues along her calves had atrophied, the delicate skin traced by faint bluish veins with virtually no tactile responsiveness. Over the years, no matter how many jars of common medicinal liniment their father had rubbed into her skin, her legs had remained cold and unresponsive.
Lin Feng inhaled deeply, focusing his thoughts. He poured the remaining emerald elixir onto his palms. The luminous liquid coated his hands, casting a tranquil jade luminescence.
Gently, he rested his palms against Xiao Mo’s kneecaps.
“It will feel intense and cold at first. Hang in there, little sister.”
Xiao Mo pressed her lips together and nodded firmly.
Lin Feng closed his eyes. His consciousness sank into his spiritual sea, reaching out to the primordial dragon talisman suspended within his chest. The black pendant hummed softly in response, releasing a surge of primordial energy that was remarkably pure, gentle, and saturated with boundless life force.
Unlike the fiery, destructive nature of his Fire element or the fierce crackle of his Lightning Stardust, the sovereign vital breath drawn from the ancient pendant possessed an innate power to harmonize and restore all living things. Skillfully, Lin Feng guided this gentle restorative mana down his arms. Channeled through the medicinal essence of the Snow Lotus root, it permeated through her skin, sinking deep into muscle fibers, bone marrow, and dormant nerve channels.
Sssss...
A wisp of pale, grayish vapor carrying the icy chill of stagnant cold-toxin began rising from Xiao Mo’s knees!
In that exact instant, Xiao Mo’s eyes widened in utter disbelief!
A distinct, prickling sensation erupted deep within her marrow—intense, electric, and tingling! It was a sensation she had not experienced once in all her fifteen years of life! In the past, whether pinched or prodded, her lower limbs had responded with nothing but numb silence, as though they were detached from her physical being.
Yet now, she felt warmth!
A vibrant, heated current surged through her stiffened joints, steadily breaking through the icy blockages that had choked her meridians for over a decade. The sharp combination of tingling and heat brought beads of sweat to Xiao Mo’s brow, yet she refused to utter a single cry. Her slender fingers gripped the wooden armrests of her wheelchair with such force that her knuckles turned white, her wide eyes locked onto her legs in breathtaking wonder.
Lin Feng maintained a steady flow of restorative energy. His hands moved with measured precision, applying rhythmic pressure along the vital acupoints—from Futu and Dubi below the knee, down through Sanyinjiao, and straight to the Yongquan points at the soles of her feet. Under the catalyst of the primordial dragon’s restorative breath, the medicinal essence permeated deep into the atrophied tissues, initiating a miraculous process of cellular renewal.
Ten minutes passed in silent focus.
Sweat dripped from Lin Feng’s forehead and chin, yet his fingers remained steady, meticulous, and infinitely gentle.
Suddenly—the big toe of Xiao Mo’s right foot gave a distinct, involuntary twitch!
“Bro... Brother!” Xiao Mo’s voice broke, shaking with overwhelming emotion. Her whole frame trembled: “I... I moved it! My toe... it just moved!”
Lin Feng paused his hands. Looking up into his sister’s tear-streaked face, his own eyes shone with triumphant joy. Wiping the perspiration from his brow with his sleeve, he extended both hands toward her:
“Xiao Mo, take hold of my shoulders. Try standing up!”
“Stand... stand up?” Xiao Mo gasped, her chest heaving. Rising on her own two feet had been a forbidden dream, something she had never dared entertain even in her wildest reveries. Fear gripped her—the terrible terror that if she tried and collapsed, this fragile miracle would shatter into dust.
“Do not fear. Your brother is right here,” Lin Feng said softly, his voice firm and steady as a mountain, an unyielding shield against every hardship the world could offer. “I will never let you fall. Come, give it a try!”
Looking into his steadfast, loving eyes, a sudden surge of courage blossomed within Xiao Mo’s chest. Taking a trembling breath, she reached out her slender arms and rested her hands securely upon Lin Feng’s broad shoulders.
Lin Feng gripped her forearms gently, providing steady, upward support:
“Press your weight into your heels... That’s it... slowly straighten your knees...”
Xiao Mo bit her lip with determination. Gathering every ounce of willpower and vitality within her body, she directed her strength into her newly awakened legs.
Creeeak...
The wooden wheelchair shifted back a fraction of an inch.
Slowly, the young girl lifted herself from the worn canvas seat that had confined her for fifteen long years!
Her bare feet pressed directly against the cool concrete floor. Her calf muscles tightened, trembling under the sudden burden of her body’s weight. Yet they did not give way! Her joints bore the strain, holding her slender frame upright!
One second...
Two seconds...
Three seconds!
Xiao Mo was truly standing! Supported by her own legs upon the earth, free of the wooden chair!
Though the exertion quickly overwhelmed her newly awakened muscles after three brief breaths, causing her balance to waver, Lin Feng was already there. He gathered his sister into a secure, protective embrace, catching her before she could fall.
Xiao Mo buried her face into Lin Feng’s shoulder. Hot tears spilled freely down her cheeks, soaking through the coarse fabric of his shirt. Sobs that had been stifled for years finally burst forth in the quiet night, shattering a lifetime of buried shame, helplessness, and sorrow:
“Brother... I stood... I really stood on my own...”
“I’m not a useless invalid anymore... I won’t have to be a burden dragging you and Father down anymore... Brother...”
Holding his sister tightly, Lin Feng felt a burning sting in his own eyes. He patted her back with infinite tenderness, his voice thick with emotion yet ringing with fierce pride:
“You were never a burden, Xiao Mo. Never! You are this Lin Feng’s greatest pride in this world!”
“Trust me, this is only the very first step. In the days ahead, I will acquire even greater restorative treasures and heal your legs completely. I will take you to see the world—to gaze upon the grandest magical citadels and the most breathtaking grasslands under the sun!”
Beneath the warm, gentle glow of the single bulb in their modest home, the two siblings held one another in quiet, boundless gratitude.
Behind his sister’s back, Lin Feng’s hand slowly curled into a resolute fist. His gaze turned toward the dark silhouette of Mount Cang Lei towering against the night sky outside the window.
Out there, the Graduation Duel Tournament of Feng Lan Magic High School drew nearer with each passing day. The Ling Clan, Han Yi, Ling Zhuofeng... every individual who had ever looked down upon and trampled his family would soon face reckoning for their arrogance. No clan and no power could halt his rise. He would climb to the absolute summit of this world, propelled by his own hands and the blazing flames of his supreme power!