22

He teleported back to China, and easily scaled the mountain that Yu Wu's home sat on. He didn't see her out front training, so he let himself in. He didn't bother to conceal his presence as he walked through the house. If either of its occupants objected to him being there, he would just ask for forgiveness.

He didn't find any trace of Da Shuizhi or Yu Wu until he entered the greenhouse. Inside the greenhouse, Da Shuizhi was busy doing alchemy. As educational as it was to watch a master work, Onari chose to approach and potentially interrupt him.

Da Shuizhi didn't look up from his work as Onari walked toward him, "Hello, young Onari. What brings you to my humble home today?"

Onari stopped and gave the hidden master a shallow bow, "Greetings, Elder Da Shuizhi. The purpose of my visit is to give you my thanks for your support and assistance. I managed to take my first successful step into the world of alchemy because of you. Thank you."

"Hmm… So I see… You seem to have made great progress in such a short time. Congratulations."

An awkward silence fell over the greenhouse with Da Shuizhi's words. Onari had already said everything he wanted to the old man, and Da Shuizhi was obviously busy and didn't want to be disturbed. Onari stood there awkwardly for a few moments before clearing his throat.

"A-Ahem… Actually, giving you my thanks wasn't the sole purpose of my visit. I also came to see your daughter. You wouldn't happen to know where she is, would you?"

"I see… Unfortunately, you'll have to come back another time. She is currently… visiting friends," Da Shuizhi said in a dismissive tone.

"... I will return again another day then," Onari said, his voice betraying none of the sudden suspicion he felt. "I will see myself out…"

Da Shuizhi didn't nod or otherwise acknowledge Onari as he left the greenhouse. The moment he was out of sight, Onari sent a quick text to Yu Wu, asking where she was. He received no response.

He concealed his presence, acting as if he had left the house and compound proper, and began to search for Yu Wu. Considering how isolated she was from the outside world, he suspected that she was still nearby. He didn't find her in the rest of the right wing of the house, nor in a room that he assumed was her bedroom.

His search came to a head at the door to the left wing of the house. The door was sealed with a small, simple formation. Luckily for Onari, Da Shuizhi's talents seemed to lie solely in alchemy. The sealing formation was easily countered without the seal being destroyed, and Onari slipped inside.

He found himself in a large open room. It seemed that the entire left wing of the house was just one large chamber. Marks, sigils, and formations that looked straight out of a demonic ritual covered the walls and floor of the room.

The Qi inside the chamber was twisted, foul, and corrupted, reminding Onari of the feeling he got from Da Shuizhi when he looked too closely. The malicious Qi slowly swirled around the room, focusing on a limp, feminine body that laid in the center.

A gut-wrenching feeling appeared in Onari's stomach as he rushed to the body's side. Yu Wu laid sprawled out in the center of all the ritual markings. He let out a relieved breath as he saw that she was only unconscious and not dead. Her breathing was remarkably strong and steady, and her body bore no visible injuries.

Onari directed some of his Qi into her unconscious form, cradling her core in his metaphysical arms. He gasped and his concentration almost faltered at the feedback he was suddenly receiving. It was like a puzzle piece to his soul had finally slotted into place. Something inside him clicked, and he could feel the same thing happening to Yu Wu.

Her body stirred in his embrace, and her mind began to slowly wake up. Onari coaxed Yu Wu from the brink of consciousness to full awareness. Her glazed eyes opened, blinking away confusion as she stared up at Onari.

To Yu Wu's muddled mind, Onari's pure white hair spread out around his head like a halo. His ruby red eyes shone with compassion and concern. Strong arms wrapped around her body and soul, and Yu Wu realized she had never felt more at home.

"O-Onari?" Yu Wu mumbled. "You've got to stop visiting my dreams like this."

Onari breathed out a sigh of relief when Yu Wu spoke, "Thank the heavens. You had me scared there for a second. Do you remember anything?"

Yu Wu let out an airy hum as her hands reached up to stroke Onari's cheeks, "Hmm… You called me your friend…"

"Nothing after that?"

Yu Wu shook her head as sense started to filter back into her dazed mind. Her gears slowly started to turn. She froze, and briefly pulsed her Qi to clear her mind. Onari barely bit back a moan as the sensation echoed through their current connection. His Qi instinctively answered her pulse with one of his own.

Onari's answering pulse tore a surprised gasping moan from Yu Wu's lips. It felt like a thousand warm tingles had swept through her very being. Her Qi subconsciously pulsed again in pursuit of the life changing sensation. If Onari hadn't managed to grab a tight hold of his Qi, the pair would have been thrown into a continuous feedback loop of pseudo dual cultivation.

"What… was that?" Yu Wu gasped, clinging to Onari's presence in the face of the aftershocks.

"I-I don't…" Onari shook his head. "Later. Something fishy is going on. I fear your father might not be the man you think he is."

"A peculiar deduction, young Onari," Da Shuizhi said, choosing a suitably dramatic moment to walk in and reveal himself. "If I am not the man I seem to be, then who am I?"