NOVEL WEB Chapter 7: The Bloom Before Dawn
A pale hush settled over Green Willow Village long before the roosters stirred. Lin Fan lay awake on his mat, eyes fixed on the wobbling shadow of the spirit tree outside the window. Seven hours earlier, the Lung-Clearing Flower's timer had slipped below one hour. Now it pulsed at the corner of his vision like a heartbeat—00:18:07, 06, 05…
He eased to his feet, careful not to wake his mother. Her breathing was slow but steady; the ragged edge of every inhalation already sounded softer than it had a week ago. He tucked the quilt higher on her shoulders, collected a clay kettle, and stepped out into the night-cooled yard. Stars still clung to the sky, dimming only where the east hinted at lavender. The spirit bed near the tree glowed faint green, each tiny sprout trembling as if it could sense the moment coming. Lin Fan knelt and rested both palms on the warm earth.
[Verdant Pulse on cooldown: 12 min]
[Crop maturity: 00:17:22]
"Almost, friend," he whispered. "We just have to hold the energy steady."
While he waited, he busied himself lighting a small iron brazier, stacking dry twigs, and placing the kettle on its stand. He poured fresh well water and added a few slivers of ginger for warmth. The moment the Lung-Clearing Flower bloomed, he would need to brew no pause for celebration.
Footsteps scuffed behind him. He turned to find Li Hua wrapped in a short wool cloak, wisps of hair escaping her braid.
"You should be sleeping," he said, surprised but pleased.
"I tried," she answered, gaze flitting to the glowing mound. "The air felt… different. Like something important was going to happen." She clutched a small bundle. "I brought fresh lotus-leaf paper. Father uses it to wrap precious silk, thought it might help preserve whatever you harvest."
Lin Fan's throat tightened. "Thank you."
[Timer: 00:09:51.]
The final minutes dragged. Cool wind rustled the rice; frogs croaked from the distant creek. Twice he flexed numb fingers, afraid he would miss the precise second.
[00:01:07.]
Light welled beneath the soil. The sprout straightened, leaves stretching wider than his palm. A bud unfurled, layer by layer, revealing petals of translucent violet shot through with silver veins. Fragrance sweet yet crisp as mountain air filled the paddies.
[Quest complete: Cultivate Lung-Clearing Flower]
[Reward granted: Skill—Herbal Remedy (Grade C)]
[Permanent Spirit Energy regen +10 %]
Lin Fan exhaled shakily. Using sharp nail and gentle touch, he cut the stem close to the root. The blossom was warm, almost pulsing. He set it on Li Hua's lotus-leaf paper; she folded it with the care of a jeweler.
"What now?" she asked.
"I brew a tonic." He lifted the kettle just as bubbles kissed its rim. "Stay if you like, but the smell might be strong."
"I'll fetch more firewood."
While she worked, Lin Fan consulted the new skill:
[Herbal Remedy: Extract curative essence from Grade C or lower plants. Success rate 100 %.]
Straightforward. He dropped three petals into the simmering water, activated Herbal Remedy, and watched the liquid turn pale gold, then bright jade. Thin wisps rose, forming shapes of tiny lungs that shimmered and vanished.
Ten minutes later the tonic was done. He filled a small clay bottle, corked it, and wrapped it in cloth. The remaining petals he sealed in another lotus-leaf packet.
Li Hua leaned close, brow furrowed with awe. "It smells like morning mist after rain."
He laughed softly. "That's exactly what Mother needs." She touched his elbow. "Let me come, too. If anything happens."
"A rumor already follows my every step," he said gently. "If people see you with me at dawn, you'll be swallowed by it, too."
A moment's silence, then she nodded. "Come back safe."
"I will." He tucked the bottle inside his shirt and hurried toward the house.
Inside, grey dawn edged through cracks in the shutters. His mother stirred when he knelt beside her.
"Lin Fan?"
"Shh. I brewed medicine." He helped her sit, propping cushions at her back. Steam curled from the cup as he poured. "It may taste bitter."
She managed a small smile. "Anything made by my son can't be too bitter."
She sipped. Her eyes widened, surprise, not pain. A faint glow spread from her chest outward, visible even to the naked eye. She breathed again, deeper than she had in months, and released it in a long, clear sigh.
Tears blurred Lin Fan's vision. He blinked them away, forced a steady voice. "How do you feel?"
"Like spring sunlight," she whispered. She pressed a hand to her lungs. "The weight… it's gone."
He closed his fingers over hers. [Spirit Sense] confirmed it: the sputtering flame inside her body now burned bright and even.
Knock. Knock.
Lin Fan stiffened. Footsteps, voices outside. Too early for casual visitors.
He opened the door a crack. Two uniformed men, the magistrate's retainers Chief Han had warned about—stood on the path. One bowed.
"Lin Fan? Steward Liu requests your presence sooner than arranged. A carriage waits."
So soon? Panic fluttered, but his mother's steady breathing behind him reminded him what he had just achieved.
"I'll gather my things," he said, voice calm.
The men waited by the gate. Lin Fan turned to his mother. "I must go explain my farming method to the magistrate. Rest. Li Hua is nearby if you need anything."
She caught his sleeve. "People in high places can be dangerous, Lin Fan. Promise me you'll bend like bamboo, not break like dry stalks."
"I promise." He packed the leftover petals, a change of clothes, the rice sample he'd prepared as "fertilizer proof," and slung his worn satchel over his shoulder. One last look at his mother's clear eyes gave him strength.
Outside, dawn painted the sky peach and gold. Villagers peeked from doorways as the retainers led him to a modest carriage. Li Hua stood at the fence, cloak pulled tight. He raised a hand; she pressed hers to her heart in silent answer.
As the carriage wheels groaned into motion, the Spirit Farmer System flashed:
[Main Quest updated: Negotiate with Magistrate Cao]
[Optional: Identify hidden threat inside the manor – Reward unknown]
Lin Fan settled on the wooden seat, fingers brushing the vial of tonic tucked safely away. He had healed one life. Now he would test whether a farmer's roots could hold firm in the halls of power.
The road bent out of Green Willow Village, but the scent of dawn rice and blooming spirit flowers clung to him, a promise that wherever he walked, the earth itself would walk with him.