Birth of Qinglian Water
"It's oil extracted from things like tree leaves, roots, or seeds. This one's from Hunui-cho—lavender—and it has a really nice fragrance. Want to smell it?"
The essential oils were at least high-grade. Ryeon nodded eagerly, her eyes sparkling.
Hunui-cho...
A soothing scent blended floral notes with fresh grass, calming her instantly. Ryeon scanned all the jars in a sweep. Names flashed by: Dongcheong Oil, Eucalyptus Oil, Peppermint Alcohol, Peppermint Oil, Camphor, Thyme Oil...
A clear, intense light filled Ryeon's eyes. She had a gut feeling—this was her chance to use Harmony.
Her Harmony was currently at 7 Stars. At 1 Star, things blended without clashing; at 2 Stars, perfect balance. Until now, she'd thought it was just about bodily equilibrium. But the moment she saw these oils, she knew it was more.
And if she wanted to make a move here, there was work to do. Ryeon looked up at Danmok Hyeon-u.
* * *
First, 4 parts Dongcheong Oil, 3 parts a one-to-one mix of Peppermint Oil and Peppermint Alcohol, 2 parts Eucalyptus Oil, and 1 part a blend of Camphor, Lavender, White Sandalwood Oil, and Thyme Oil.
Activating Divine Eye, Harmony, and Purification all at once, she gathered the clear oil into one jar and stirred slowly. A cool, refreshing scent rose to her nose.
Ryeon smiled faintly as she watched her spiritual energy seep into the spaces between the oil particles.
With Divine Eye piercing the ingredients' states, Harmony dialing in the ratios for the desired effects, and a final sweep of Purification—it was perfect.
Yes, that's it! My spiritual energy's draining away nicely!
By the time she'd finished one jar, her spiritual energy had dropped to '15'—the first time since awakening.
Divine Eye and Harmony are a match made in heaven? That's why they said the two synergize...
Just peering through Divine Eye at the ingredients had made her think the supplier needed replacing immediately. But as she examined the essential oil jars closely...
She glanced at her sleeve fleetingly when suddenly a prompt appeared asking if she'd use Harmony.
[Would you like to use Harmony?]
It was unprecedented, so she quickly activated her Harmony ability in surprise.
[You can combine recognized ingredients to create a product with superior effects. Would you like to check the method? This function consumes spiritual energy.]
Of course she'd do it! Purification improved ingredient conditions, so she'd used that diligently too.
The result was this crystal-clear essential oil, looking just like pure water. Rub it on a headache for mental clarity, on sleepy eyes to wake up, or on arthritic joints or stiff spots anywhere—it worked wonders. In this era, they'd call it a panacea.
At that moment, a clear chime rang out.
Ryeon savored the moment her Purification had leveled up.
"Ryeon, this is..."
She poured a bit of the finished oil into a tiny vial smaller than a child's palm and took a deep breath. The real important part started now.
Ryeon looked around, then took Danmok Hyeon-u's hand and whispered earnestly.
"Uncle, do you know what this is?"
She knew he couldn't, since she'd just made it, but she asked anyway. Danmok Hyeon-u shook his head readily. His eyes on his niece brimmed only with affection.
Uncle...
Ryeon gripped his hand. Closed-door training was brutally harsh, leaving his hands rough and callused. How could she tell him he didn't need to feel guilty about the years she'd lain comatose?
It probably won't help, but still...
"While I was asleep, I lived up in the clouds. A fairy taught me this."
"What do you...?"
"They said you suffered a lot while I slept, and still do... But this will make it better."
"What? No, Ryeon. I'm..."
Danmok Hyeon-u hurried to say he wasn't in pain at all, but Ryeon shook her head firmly. Even if his body wasn't hurting, she knew his heart ached and headaches plagued him.
"Rub it here—it cools the spot, eases headaches, and it's great for stiff necks too. I really wanted to make this for you, Uncle."
Ryeon offered the vial of blended oil. Danmok Hyeon-u tilted it like he was entranced, letting a drop of the water-clear oil fall onto his fingertip. He rubbed it on his temples.
At first, it was cool enough to make his eyes water slightly, but as he massaged, the constant dull heaviness in his head lightened. Breathing deeply, a sharp, clarifying scent cleared his mind brilliantly.
The headaches that had shrouded him since his niece's awakening faded, and his unknowingly labored breaths eased into lightness.
Danmok Hyeon-u turned to Ryeon in astonishment. She beamed back at him.
She'd borrowed the fairy excuse from servant gossip she'd overheard. They'd whispered that her quarters stayed lush and green through autumn leaf-fall because a fairy had taken her soul for seven years and returned it. Not entirely wrong, was it?
She'd seen the world's end and gained these powers; if that end was the immortal realm, then her status window was surely a fairy's voice! Afraid others might try to take her if they knew, she asked him to keep the fairy part secret. Danmok Hyeon-u nodded hastily.
"Right, of course... Who wouldn't covet such a brilliant child as you?"
He murmured, entranced, staring at the oil on his hand. Ryeon quickly changed the subject.
"If you like it, Uncle... can I give a little to Grandpa?"
"Huh? Yeah! Of course. Even now would be fine... Let me get a nice vial!"
Danmok Hyeon-u, rubbing the oil on his neck and feeling its effects, jumped up and called a servant. The startled servant hurried back with a small jade vial the size of a child's palm—heavy despite its size, carved from fine jade.
Gazing at it, Danmok Hyeon-u suddenly said,
"Qinglian Water... How's that?"
"Pardon?"
"It clears body and mind brilliantly, and though it's oil, it's clear as water... I mean, for the essential oil's name. If it doesn't have a special one yet..."
Flustered and excited himself, his words tumbled out. Ryeon felt the love in his naming—Qinglian, with her name in the middle.
She grinned widely and nodded. "No, I love it! Qinglian Water... Qinglian Water. Perfect."
Seeing her expression, Danmok Hyeon-u smiled softly, then grew serious again.
"And from today, study pharmacology with me. Or... pretend you've been studying bit by bit..."
Sudden, but Ryeon nodded. That seemed to be all; he blanked out briefly, then asked slowly, tensely,
"But Ryeon... That thing about being in the immortal realm—or on the clouds—while you slept..."
Was he doubting her? What if he said to tell the truth, no lies? As Ryeon fretted,
Danmok Hyeon-u cleared his throat. "Did... the fairies treat you well?"
"Pardon?"
"Were you cold... or hot?"
Ryeon blinked up at him for a long moment, then slowly shook her head. Only then did tension melt from his face; he smiled gently.
"Good, that's what matters. ...Thank you for making this for me."
Ryeon shyly averted her gaze and bowed her head. And there, she saw it—Danmok Hyeon-u's 'Worries' section, wiped perfectly clean.
* * *
"Ryeon... made this?"
"Yes, Father. This morning."
Danmok Cheon-gi had been preparing to teach his granddaughter, who'd memorized the Thousand Character Classic, when his youngest son burst in clutching the gift from his niece. The son's face glowed brighter than ever—the gloomy shadow since the accident years ago finally pierced by sunlight, for the first time.