Lying on my bed, I contemplate the mass of Qi particles around me. Despite all my attempts to improve, the only particles I can see clearly are those closest to me, approximately one meter from my body. The rest are only vaguely visible, the further away they are, the less distinguishable they become.

  Among the mass of colorless specks surrounding me, I suddenly see one of the specks that give me strange sensations and try to grab it with what I have called my mental hands, but as usual, I am unable to grasp it. This frustrates me. I can grab the neutral specks without any problem, but if the specks give me some kind of sensation, it's as if they don't exist for me. I am unable to interact with them, no matter what I try.

  I stop trying to grab the strange speck and start the exercises I've been doing since I could see the Qi, and I quickly grab a speck of neutral Qi. I start to move it, first trying to move it sideways, but as always, I'm unable to do so. The only movement I can make with them is to attract them to my body, which I don't intend to do.

  But keeping them in place so they don't move with the current, which is what I've called their natural movement, is something I'm perfectly capable of doing and the basis of my exercise. While I keep the speck I've grabbed in place, I concentrate and grab a second speck to keep it still. I feel the mental strain of doing so, but I manage it easily.

  Then I concentrate and try to grab a third speck. It's much harder and I start to feel a slight headache, but I'm able to do it with a little effort. Now let's see if I can increase my limit.

  With great effort and feeling my headache increase, I try to grab a fourth speck while holding the ones I already have in place. I almost succeed, but the headache becomes so intense that my concentration breaks and I drop the three specks I already had.

  I open my eyes as I stop seeing the Qi and remain lying down while I wait for the headache to go away and reflect on my exercises. Today I almost got the fourth speck, but the level of multitasking required is becoming more and more complicated. The second speck was easy, the third was difficult, but in the end I managed it. But the fourth is proving much more complicated than I expected.

  I could ask if there is an easier way to do it, but seeing the reactions I get when I confess that I saw and manipulated the Qi on my first attempt, I am sure that grabbing several specks in the three months I have been doing these exercises is not normal either, so I don't want to draw any more attention to myself. The attention I already get is enough.

  I sigh at the limitations I impose on myself, which I can't know are right or wrong until I suffer the consequences, and I look at my legs, not for the first time in recent months.

  It's time I did something about them, they are clearly showing signs of muscle atrophy. Fortunately, by having them move me around many times a day, I've been able to avoid many of the other problems that can arise, but this one needs something a little more aggressive, so I'm going to have to ask my mother. I decide to tell her later during dinner and, closing my eyes, I immerse myself in my training again.

  I snap out of my trance when I feel someone touch my shoulder and see Lianhua standing next to the bed.

  "Zhāohuán Wen, it's time for dinner”, she says.

  I stare at her and say “I've told you several times to call me Wen when we're alone, Lianhua."

  "I can't do that, Zhāohuán Wen”, she replies. "It would be too inappropriate."

  I can't do anything about her stubbornness on this matter, so I let her pull me out of bed without saying anything else and take me to the living room where I usually have dinner with my mother unless she is busy.

  When I arrive in the living room, my mother is already there with Fei Yi Lingxi , so Lianhua leaves me in the chair and the maids begin to serve dinner. During dinner, my mother and I talk about how our day went, avoiding any sensitive topics since there are too many people in the room.

  When we finish dinner and the maids are clearing the table, I say “Mother, we need to talk."

  My mother looks at me “Oh, this time you waited until dinner and didn't have Lianhua rush you to wherever you are at the moment?"

  I look at her with a trace of embarrassment as I reply “This time it's not urgent, it's just something related to my health and my legs."

  She seems alarmed by my words and quickly asks “Are you okay? Has something happened to you?"

  "No, Mom”, I reassure her. "But there's something I need to ask you about it."

  After those words, she seems to calm down, but she is clearly still curious about the matter. After a moment, she replies “Okay, but let's talk in my office."

  She gets up and leaves the room with Fei Yi Lingxi. Lianhua lifts me up and follows them. When we arrive at her office, they sit down while Lianhua sits me in a chair.

  "Well, what do you need to ask me?" she asks after we have settled down.

  My mother looks at me with concern, her frown barely hiding her unease.

  "Lianhua, please help me lift the hem of my dress”, I ask softly. Lianhua nods and gently begins to gather the layers of my dress, exposing my legs.

  My mother's expression changes when she sees them, her eyes filling with sadness. "Oh, my daughter”, she whispers. "Your legs... they're getting so thin."

  I nod "Yes, Mom. I've been noticing how my legs aren't growing in size like the rest of my body. I'm worried that if this continues, I could face bigger problems in the future."

  “It's normal because of your condition”, my mother nods at my words, her expression a mixture of understanding and concern as she says gently. “Your legs don't get the stimulation they need to stay strong.”

  "I know”, I reply, looking at my legs with determination. "But I've been thinking about a possible solution. While I can't completely reverse my condition, I think I could prevent it from getting worse."

  My mother looks at me with renewed interest "What do you have in mind, Wen?"

  "Well”, I begin, taking a deep breath. "My idea involves a two-part treatment. First, a doctor knowledgeable in acupuncture should treat my legs. Acupuncture could help improve blood circulation and perhaps alleviate some of the negative effects of my condition."

  My mother nods slowly, processing my words "And the second part?" she asks curiously.

  Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.

  "The second part involves exercise”, I continue. "I would need someone who knows exercises for training the lower torso and legs. This person would help me perform those movements, assisting when I can do them myself and performing them manually when I can't. It's a type of exercise that could keep my muscles active, even if I can't move my legs on my own."

  My mother reflects on what I've said, her fingers drumming softly on the table "It's an... innovative idea”, she finally admits. "I've never heard of anything like it, but it makes sense."

  "Think of it as a kind of assisted exercise”, I explain to my mother. "The important thing is that my muscles move so they don't waste away any further."

  My mother nods, her eyes filled with determination "I'll talk to the court Shangshu about your idea. He'll pass the proposal on to the court, as it's up to them to decide whether to go ahead with it and who to send. But I don't think there will be a problem."

  "Thank you, Mother”, I say gratefully. "This could make a big difference for me."

  She smiles tenderly at me. "We will do everything we can to improve your situation, my daughter. I promise you that. But since we are here, I have two things to tell you."

  I look at my mother curiously. "What is it? Is it something serious?" I ask her.

  "Not at all”, she replies. "The first is that I have been informed that you will be resuming your studies next week. Your tutor is now available again after the matters that had been keeping him busy."

  I silently complain at the news that my absurd classes are going to resume, but I don't let that show on my face as I reply to my mother “That's good news, Mom. And the second thing?"

  "You are now old enough to have a Fei Yi to take care of your affairs, so in the next few days they will introduce you..." She begins to tell me, but halfway through her speech I interrupt her.

  "It will be Lianhua”, I say as I turn back to look at her. "If she's willing, of course."

  My mother, surprised by the interruption and my words, also looks at Lianhua along with Fei Yi Lingxi. Lianhua seems a little self-conscious by the sudden attention, but she replies clearly “I would be delighted, Zhāohuán Wen. But that position requires training and knowledge that I don't have."

  "She's right, Wen. The role of Fei Yi requires specific training that RuNu Lianhua does not have”, my mother then tells me, emphasizing Lianhua's title.

  "Well, I don't see any problem with that that can't be easily solved”, I reply. "And if there are many problems, someone new will have to take care of my affairs. Someone new will have to learn from scratch how to handle my problems and keep my secrets, as well as learn my habits and tastes all over again. Not only that, but we can't know if there is someone behind that person or how loyal they will be."

  I let my last words hang in the air for them to reflect on for a moment, then continue “Lianhua, on the other hand, has none of those problems. Her loyalty is more than proven, and she knows everything there is to know about me. As for the lack of training, that is easily remedied. While I am in my classes at the library, she has nothing to do and just waits for me to finish. She can use that time to do the necessary training. And to take care of the few needs I may have while I am at the library, any maid will do."

  I pause again while those present still reflect on what I am saying, so I finish my speech "After all, I am still a child, and in the coming years, the tasks assigned to any Fei Yi will mainly be those that Lianhua is already doing. And if something problematic arises, such as her training, she can always ask her tutor."

  I finish my speech as I look at those present in the hall. For a while, no one says anything until my mother breaks the silence.

  "Again, it's something I don't think has ever been done before, but it really is a feasible plan”, she says. "But like your previous request, it's something I have to communicate to the Shangshu of the court and let them decide."

  "Thank you, Mother”, I reply. "Just presenting my proposal is fine with me."

  After all, knowing my father, any proposal I submit, as long as it is not completely irrational, will be automatically accepted by whoever is in charge if they still want to keep their job or their head.

  "Just one last thing, now that we're alone. Are you doing what I told you about not absorbing the Qi?" my mother suddenly asks me.

  I look at her in surprise at her sudden question, but quickly reply “Of course, Mom. I'm not stupid enough to do that knowing the possible consequences."

  My mother sighs with relief and gives me a complicated look "All right, as I told you before, as long as you don't do that, you can do whatever you want. Do you have anything else to tell me?"

  "No, Mother”, I reply.

  My mother gets up and says “Then we're done. Tomorrow at dawn, I'll pass your requests on to the Shangshu, and when they let me know their decision, I'll let you know."

  Lianhua also lifts me out of the chair and we leave the office, after which she takes me to my room and leaves me on the bed. I ask her to go back outside and keep watch, and I close my eyes to immerse myself in the vision of Qi.

  After all, my fourth mental hand is not going to create itself.

  I look with a complicated expression at the doctor who is filling my legs with needles as I think that I have once again underestimated my father. Either that, or my title and position make everything work faster for me.

  One day. It took them one damn day to accept my requests. It was yesterday when my mother sent the request to the Shangshu, and this morning this doctor was already asking to enter the pavilion to treat me. And he is none other than the doctor in charge of my father's health.

  And not only that, it seems that when he's done, one of the Nei Wei trainers will come to do the exercises I've requested, and Lianhua will have her training when I start my classes again next week.

  I watch silently and with considerable boredom as the doctor finishes turning my legs into a pincushion and turns to look at me "Zhāohuán Wen, I'll be honest with you. I've never treated anyone with your problems before. I believe the treatment I am giving you today will be beneficial, but I will have to keep trying and changing it as your legs react to the treatments. Eventually, I will find something that is truly beneficial, but I don't know how long it will take. For now, and for this treatment, you will have to lie still without moving for as long as it takes for a stick of incense to burn out."

  I look at the doctor and reply “Thank you very much, Taiyi Yulin."

  I watch as the doctor lights the incense stick and leaves the room, presumably to talk to my mother or Lianhua to tell them about my condition.

  With nothing else to do, I start to get bored and decide to visualize Qi to entertain myself, so I close my eyes and begin to concentrate.

  Soon I begin to see the familiar landscape of Qi, but when I look around, what I see surprises me.

  I contemplate my surroundings as usual, but to my surprise, I see that the Qi in the vicinity is being drawn to my legs, specifically to the needles stuck in them. I am frightened when I see that the needles seem to absorb the Qi and inject it into my body, so I instinctively try to grab them, but there are too many to stop them all.

  I open my eyes, terrified of not knowing if this is normal or if it is a new attempt to kill me through cultivation, so I grab the cord to call Lianhua and pull hard.

  Lianhua, who must have been in the adjacent room, quickly opens the door and enters, kneeling beside my bed.

  "Are you okay, Zhāohuán Wen?" she asks me with a worried look on her face.

  I check that no one else is entering the room and tell her what I saw with the Qi and the needles, as well as my suspicions.

  I see Lianhua sigh with relief as she begins to say “Don't worry, Zhāohuán Wen. Everyone knows that Taiyi Yulin possesses the Celestial Restoration Needles, needles capable of using Qi to help heal his patients."

  "So hes not injecting me with Qi?" I ask Lianhua, that being my greatest fear.

  "No, Zhāohuán Wen”, Lianhua replies. "Artifacts like this only use Qi to activate or amplify their effects, it's not actually injecting Qi into you."

  I relax when I hear that and, looking at Lianhua with relief, I say “Thank you very much, Lianhua. I was really scared when I saw what was happening. But how do they use Qi to do what they're supposed to do?"

  Lianhua looks regretful as she says “I'm sorry, but I can't tell you anything about that without your mother's permission."

  "Is my mother really so afraid that I'll be impulsive enough to start cultivating before I turn eight?" I reply to Lianhua.

  Lianhua just looks at me without answering, which I take as a yes, so I wave my hand to signal that she can leave.

  “Then I'll take my leave, Zhāohuán Wen,” Lianhua says as she stands up and bows, then turns and leaves the room, closing the door behind her.

  I look at the incense stick and notice that there is still more than half left before the doctor returns. After that, I still have my leg exercises to do. I imagine I will have to discreetly guide the trainer they have sent, modifying the exercises to resemble as closely as possible the rehabilitation exercises I remember from my previous life.

  But for now, I have magical needles stuck in my legs that are capable of using Qi to do something, and it would be stupid not to use the time I have to observe them and try to understand how they work, so I close my eyes and begin to observe the Qi and the needles.