The following morning.
Kim Seon-a stood at the doorway of the inner room, staring at the bed covered with a blue silk quilt, her cheeks slightly flushed.
She was too embarrassed to move.
Gu Moran rolled up his sleeves at the desk, took a black needle pouch from his waist, and spread it out on the table.
The silver needles were neatly arranged in three rows, each as thin as a hair, its tips gleaming coldly in the candlelight.
He picked up the longest needle, pinched the end between his thumb and forefinger, twirled it halfway, and then put it back.
Why are you still standing there? Don't you want treatment?
Kim Seon-a's fingers clenched her sleeves.
"I'll go right away."
She sat down on the edge of the bed, her back still straight, her hands resting on her knees.
Gu Moran picked up the needle pouch and walked to the bedside.
"Take off your outer robe and lie down."
Kim Seon-a's breath hitched.
She bit her lower lip, slowly untied the sash of her outer robe, folded it neatly, and placed it at the foot of the bed.
The inner garment was a thin, semi-transparent, moon-white silk shirt, with cloud patterns embroidered on the collar, a feature unique to the Goryeo court.
She lay on her back with her hands by her sides, fingers together, thumbs digging into her index fingernails.
Gu Moran placed the needle pouch on the small table by the bedside and leaned down to look at her.
"I will get close to you when I administer the acupuncture; your protective barrier may instinctively rebound."
His voice was flat.
"Take a deep breath, don't resist, the more you resist, the more chaotic your internal energy will become."
Kim Seon-a stared at the gauze curtains above the tent, her Adam's apple bobbing.
"... good."
Gu Moran extended his right hand, his fingertips slowly moving towards her wrist.
Three feet.
A slight humming sound began to fill the air.
soon.
The buzzing turned into a deep tremor, as if something around her had tightened.
Kim Seon-a's fingers tightened suddenly, her nails digging into the flesh of her palm.
But it was no use; she couldn't control it.
An invisible wave exploded from her body, creating a visible shockwave.
Gu Moran lifted the hem of his robe slightly backward.
But he didn't back down.
In the upper right corner of the view, the system panel floats semi-transparently, displaying rows of real-time data.
[Target: Kim Seon-a ]
[The point for reversing the flow of Qi in the heart meridian is located 1.2 cun to the left of the Tanzhong acupoint.]
[Key points for Qi and blood circulation: Neiguan, Quchi, Jianjing]
[Suggestion: First, seal the Neiguan point to suppress the rebound, then dredge the main meridian at the Tanzhong point.]
Gu Moran picked up a short needle from the needle pouch with his left hand, while his right hand focused his inner energy at his fingertips.
The Divine Finger Flick.
The silver needle flew out from between her fingers and precisely pierced the indentation on the inside of Kim Seon-a's wrist.
Neiguan acupoint.
Kim Seon-a -ah trembled.
The taut tremor suddenly paused, like a string stretched to its limit being pulled back.
Ouch, I got pricked.
Taking advantage of that moment, Gu Moran grabbed another long needle with his right hand, and with his true energy wrapped around the needle, he thrust it straight into the center of her chest, slightly to the left.
The Tanzhong acupoint.
The needle tip pierced the skin and flesh, drilling inwards along the meridians.
Kim Seon-a suddenly opened her eyes wide, her mouth opened but no sound came out.
Feels great!
The chaotic spiritual energy within his body was firmly suppressed by an even stronger force, and guided downwards along the needle, flowing from his chest to his dantian.
The qi trembled violently three times.
Then--
It's a draw.
Gu Moran's hand rested firmly on her wrist.
Place your palm against your wrist bone, and your thumb on your pulse point.
It's warm.
It has a body temperature.
Kim Seon-a stared at the hand, completely frozen in place.
Twelve years.
A full twelve years.
No one dared to touch her.
She didn't dare touch anyone.
Even when passing something, it has to be placed on the table three feet away.
I eat alone.
A lone swordsman practices.
I sleep alone.
When she was cold, no one tucked her in; when she was hot, no one wiped her sweat.
When you're sick, you just have to tough it out on your own.
Even if it hurts, you can only grit your teeth and bear it.
She thought this was how her life would be.
But now.
Someone's hand rested on her wrist.
That long-lost, unfamiliar sensation seeped from my skin all the way into my bones.
The tip of my nose is sore.
Her eyes instantly welled up with tears.
Gu Moran lowered his eyes, focusing intently on her pulse point, and gently pressed down with his fingertips.
"Don't move, there are still three more needles."
He released his grip and picked up three more needles from the needle pouch.
Jianjing (肩井).
Quchi (曲池)
Just three miles.
With each needle insertion, a wisp of true energy seeped into the needle, forcefully carving a path through the disordered meridians within her body.
Kim Seon-a bit her lower lip, her whole body tense.
It doesn't hurt.
It really doesn't hurt.
But tears just kept flowing uncontrollably, sliding down the corners of my eyes and soaking into the hair at my temples.
She strained to tilt her head back, trying to hold back her tears.
I can't hold it in.
Twelve years of grievances, loneliness, and despair all burst forth at this moment.
Gu Moran withdrew his hand and casually rubbed his fingertips with a handkerchief.
"Alright, I'll remove the needle in fifteen minutes. You can rest now."
After saying that, he turned and walked out.
"Your Highness..."
Kim Seon-a called to him in a hoarse voice.
Gu Moran around.
She wiped away her tears and tried to keep her voice steady.
Thank you.
Gu Moran glanced at her.
No need for thanks.
He tucked the handkerchief into his sleeve.
"Remember, starting today, you must come every day."
After saying that, he lifted the curtain and went out.
Kim Seon-a lay on the bed, staring at the top of the tent.
The silver needle was still stuck in his chest, and he could feel the end of the needle trembling slightly, as if something was being drawn out little by little along the needle.
She raised her right hand and held it in front of her eyes.
The skin on the inside of his wrist still retained the warmth of his fingertips pressing against it.
It's very light.
But it's still there.
She placed her hands on her cheeks and closed her eyes.
Tears welled up again, and this time she couldn't hold them back.
It turns out that even being stabbed can be surprisingly enjoyable.
Gu Moran lifted the curtain and stepped out of the inner room, where Shen Ling'er was waiting with a tray in her hand.
A tray held a pot of freshly brewed medicine, steam rising from the edge of the lid.
"My lord, this is a calming soup prepared for the princess. She should drink it after the needles are removed."
Gu Moran took the tray and used the lid of the cup to skim off the foam.
"Okay, you go ahead and get busy, I'll come in later."
Shen Ling'er nodded, and before leaving, she added, "The princess's barrier has just been broken, so her qi and blood must be weak. Husband, please be careful when you insert the needles."
"Know."
Shen Ling'er then carried her medicine chest out of the main tent.
Gu Moran placed the tray on the table, sat down in the chair, and closed her eyes to rest.
The system panel popped up in my mind on its own.
[Congratulations, host! The current favorability rating for the heroine, Kim Seon-a Sun-ah, is 79.]
[The bond between Xie Linyuan and Kim Seon-a in the original fateline has been detected to be weakening; continuing the journey will completely sever it.]
[Warning: The protagonist Xie Linyuan has entered Dengzhou territory, approximately sixty li from the main camp, and is expected to arrive within three days.]
[ Xie Linyuan's current status: Peak First Rank, Young Master of the Vajra Sect, Weapon: Golden Wheel, Skilled in Buddhist Demon-Subduing Palm and Vajra Indestructible Body.]
[Expected plot development: After Xie Linyuan arrives at the camp, he discovers that Kim Seon-a is getting along very closely with the host, which arouses his suspicion. He then sets a trap to test the host.]
The host attempted to forcibly possess Kim Seon-a, but Xie Linyuan destroyed his dantian, rendering him a cripple.
Gu Moran taken aback.
Destroy my dantian?
With him?
However, that damn system did provide timely notification.
Xie Linyuan, that guy...
Gu Moran made a decision in her mind.
The Peak First Rank, which is two whole major realms higher than myself.
A head-on confrontation would definitely result in defeat.
But there's no need to break off relations right now.
The most important thing right now is to focus our efforts on destroying Wa.
Gu Moran leaned back in her chair, resting her legs on the edge of the desk.
System, what's their relationship now?
[Having only met once, Xie Linyuan harbors a one-sided crush on her.]
A one-sided crush who's just a simp?
Alright, alright, this king is very kind; I'm going to save another love-struck soul.
Three days.
That's enough.
Over these three days, he will further increase Kim Seon-a's favorability rating.
When Xie Linyuan arrives, he will see a Kim Seon-a who has been "cured" by him, is extremely grateful to him, and may even have other thoughts about him.