A debt repaid.

As Lee Yenshu drifted in and out of consciousness, fragments of hushed voices and swirling visions flooded his senses. He caught glimpses of the strange, ethereal realm he had stumbled into, with its impossible structures and alien sky. But overlaying it were flashes of the mysterious woman who had appeared as he collapsed - her stormcloud hair, her robes that flowed like wisps of cloud.

He tried to cling to her image, but it faded in and out like mist in the wind. Other visions arose - violent flashes of battle, cries of anguish, and a creeping, viscous darkness that seemed to consume everything it touched. Whether these were products of his imagination or glimpses of some deeper truth, he could not tell.

After what seemed like an eternity, Lee Yenshu awoke with a sharp gasp. He bolted upright, eyes darting around in bewilderment as he took in his surroundings. Somehow, he was back in the mortal realm, in a small, tidy room with sunlight streaming through the windows. The alien realm and its uncanny beauty felt like a half-remembered dream.

-Easy there. You have been through quite a lot. Rest easy for a while.

The voice was soft, yet resonant with power. Lee Yenshu turned to see a striking woman seated beside his bed - not the stormcloud maiden from his vision, yet exuding a similar presence that vibrated on the very edge of perception. Her jet black hair cascaded over pale green robes embroidered with flowering vines. Dark, penetrating eyes peered at Lee Yenshu from beneath long lashes.

-Who...where...

Lee stammered, still struggling to process his situation.

The woman offered a faint smile.

- I am Jade Willow, guardian of these lands. I sensed a disturbance in the veil between realms, and quite the violent and unwelcome disturbance. Then, I found you standing outside of the breach, injured, as something vile, and dark, had just been ripped from your soul. A young spirit saved you, she is resting now, you should really be saying your thanks once both of you recover.

Her words stirred hazy memories - the oozing shadow, its hateful voice raging at Lee Yenshu as if blaming him for thwarting some evil design. He shuddered at the recollection.

-That thing, the darkness...it spoke my name. Said it would make me suffer. I knew that voice, I just knew...It was Maoyei's voice...

Jade Willow arched an eyebrow.

- Troubling that it seems to harbor such intimate malice towards you. It seems like it didn't want to leave your soul, but the pull of the Yin realm was too much. Do understand, not all denizens of the Yin realm are evil, even if people think that way, the Yin is no more more evil than the Yang, it's just that some creatures are naturally drawn to shadows, as some as naturally drawn to shine light. Tell me, do you recall anything else about this encounter?

Lee Yenshu squeezed his eyes shut, straining to dredge up details from his addled memory.

- There were...figures. Hooded travelers, moving in secret. I followed them through a shadowed portal...into the other realm. They, were tracking a creature, a small, harmless creature, part rabbit, part deer.

Flashes of the bizarre, impossible vistas flickered through his mind.

- I don't know what happened after that. I only remember a pain, like something was reaping a part of my soul apart.

He looked to Jade Willow, who had fixed him with an intense, searching gaze as if peering into the depths of his soul. After a long moment, she spoke.

- I believe you have stumbled into a matter far beyond your understanding or ability to contend with, something you are yet prepared to face. That being you just described, is a Yang Beast, a denizen of the Yang realm, and it's far from harmless, even if it does seem like that. They like to break into this realm, and lure people into the Yang realm, once they are there, they can no longer return. The hooded ones, are probably lunar hunters, they patrol the edges of the realms, they came from the Yin realm, and hunt creatures that should not be in the mortal realm.

Her voice had taken on a fervent edge as she spoke, her features etched with grave concern. Rising smoothly to her feet, Jade Willow began to pace slowly back and forth as she continued.

-The thing you call Maoyei, he is most likely a denizen of the Yin Realm, that had fled to the mortal realm. He must have taken refuge on your soul, and, once you stepped into the Yin realm, he was forcibly taken back, and given material form once more.

She paused, turning her shadowed gaze back to Lee Yenshu.

- If this darkness had bounded itself to you across the realms, then perhaps fate has intertwined your path with these forces beyond your knowing. I have no idea on the role you have yet to play. But I would start to steel yourself, cultivator...for you now walk a razor's edge with oblivion on either side.

A tense silence hung in the air as Jade Willow's ominous warning permeated Lee Yenshu's thoughts. Despite her courtesy, he could sense her underlying suspicion regarding the nature of his involvement in this mysterious affair.

- I can only thank you, you and the spirit that saved me. There's just too much I dont know of the world.

He rose slowly from the bed - his body still weak and heavy, but revitalized by Jade Willow's care. He felt lighter somehow, as if a weight was suddenly released on his body.

As he was still getting up, Jade Willow moved closer, and with a quick movement, she picked up the book once gifted to him by the pine tree. The lifebound chronicle shone bright in her hand, before vanishing in the air, and coming back at Lee Yenshu's side.

- That's a incredible book you have there. The only reason you are alive really. As soon as I was about to kill you, thinking you were a invader from the upper realms, the book showed itself, and allowed me to read it. But now, it refuses my touch. There's a hint of a ego in that treasure, even if it's not a full will yet, it can grow, just as you can.

There was no hesitation on her words, Lee Yenshu knew right away, she would have killed him, and maybe even the spirit that saved him, was it not for the book showing up, and grabbing her attention.

-Do not meddle in the affairs of the upper realms kid. It only leads to destruction. We must have balance, in all we do, life is death, death is life. All thing should always be in balance.

A hint of sadness could be heard in her voice, and on her eyes, that focused on nothing real, but instead, seemed to focus on a long past memory.

- Even if sometimes, the balance of the world, takes everything you love from you.

A silence filled the room after her words, Lee could feel just how deep her sorrow was, the mood, the air, even the light in the room, it all shone in a bitter tone, whatever the world took from her, it was a pain that lingered on. But still, something was on his mind. He had to ask.

- This gateway between realms...can you seal it?

The only thing he could think at that moment, was about Maoyei, if this could seal him in the Yin Realm, it could give him time, or even solve the issue of having to fight him one day. But, he dared not hope for much, never. 

Jade Willow studied him, the sadness on her eyes vanished, and, there was a hint of curiosity take took it's place, as she replied.

- The veil has already healed itself, such is its nature following any breach. But one sufficiently determined could pierce it anew. Of course, trespassing between spheres again would threaten the stability of all existence. Any with wisdom should take great caution.

So, in the end, there was still a way for Maoyei to return, Lee Yenshu felt that this has only given him some extra time, if any at all. But, for the moment, there was nothing he could do, but get stronger, and to try and figure out more of the world, as to be fully prepared for when he did breached the boundaries of the realms.

- Thank you, for helping me, and for tending to my wounds. Is there anything I can do to repay your kindness?

Lee Yenshu lowered his head, waiting for her reply. In fact, he wanted to venture into the world, and train, but, a debt must always be repaid.

Jade Willow tilted her head contemplatively before replying.

- I didn't helped you out of the kindness of my heart kid. You saved my kin, it was the least I could do. The spirit that saved you, was also just repaying her debt. 

Upon hearing this, Lee Yenshu's reached to the spirit core he always kept close, but it was not there anymore.

-If you are looking for the young spirit, she's sleeping in another room. She used quite a lot of power to pull you back to this realm.

She fixed Lee Yenshu with a sharp look.

- I got to say, destiny do like to play tricks, most storm spirits like me, we die out, just like a storm can't rage forever, we have the tendency of suffering Qi Deviation, and have to be put down. It's the way of the world, but, on rare occasions, some of us survive, but I never heard of someone trying to save a storm spirit.

Jade Willow studied him a moment longer, then inclined her head.

- As I've told you, you should just consider this my debt being repaid, for you saving one of my kin. And, if I can, I would ask that both of you roam the world together, she is still young, and could fall to Qi Deviation again, having you by her side, will calm my mind.

This time, a faint smile appeared on her face, showing just how much beauty she had, hidden in those sad, and penetrating eyes. 

- I'll go wake her up, and tell her you are up, she wanted to thank you for saving her that time, and, for taking care of her while she was resting in her core.

As Jade Willow left the room, Lee Yenshu felt back into bed, he was tired, and relieved at the same time. Maoyei was no longer tied to his soul, and for that he was glad, but... He now had a body, a physical body, and was on a higher realm than the mortal plane, just how strong would he get, and in how many ways, could he plan to torture Lee and the ones he loved. Those thoughts were rampaging on his mind, when the sound of hastened footsteps and the door opening flooded his ears, and, before long, in front of his eyes, was the spirit that saved him.

Not a single thought in his mind was on Maoyei, nor on his future plans, or anything like that. All he could think about, was how beautiful that woman in front of him was, how the silk like hair, greyish in color, just like a forming storm, flowed to no end. And how those eyes, that felt like thundering flashs, were focused, and clear. The only think he could do, was to get lost in her beauty, he was at her mercy, just like a boat on a stormy sea. If she wanted, she could either save or sink him, and he would be okay with both.

-Lee? Did you hear me? Are you sure you are okay?

It took a while for Lee Yenshu to realize she was talking to him, it wasn't until she reached her hand to place it on his forehead, that he snapped out of the trance he was in.

Blushing, he came back to his senses, averting her eyes.

-I...I'm okay, thank you for saving me.

The woman just smiled, and gave him a hug.

- No problem, now we are even!