The journey to Master Jing's Eastern Retreat involved traversing exactly the sort of breathtaking mountain scenery that cultivation manuals insisted promoted spiritual harmony and enlightenment.

  Xiaolong, who had personally witnessed the formation of said mountains over several uncomfortable geological epochs, found herself significantly less impressed than her human companions.

  "Observe how the misty peaks embrace the morning light," Ming Lian commented with genuine appreciation as they navigated a particularly narrow trail. "Such natural beauty restores spiritual balance even in trying circumstances."

  "Mountain mist!" Hui Yun bounded ahead, tail swishing. "Got seventy-three different spirit bits in it! The east council says so! Every mist bit needs proper... um... counting!"

  Li Feng, being carried on an improvised stretcher of bamboo and cultivation-reinforced silk, managed a weak smile despite his deteriorating condition. The overnight journey had not been kind to him—his spiritual energy now fluctuated in irregular bursts visible even to non-draconic perception, and the cool touch of his water essence had developed an alarming fever-like quality.

  Junior Disciples Wei Lin and Chen Yun took turns carrying the front of the stretcher, their expressions oscillating between concern for their senior and the particular reverence young cultivators reserved for scenic vistas presumed to contain profound enlightenment opportunities.

  Both had packed an absurd number of spirit stones—seventeen each, as it turned out—which clinked rhythmically with each careful step along the mountain path.

  Xiaolong walked beside the stretcher, monitoring Li Feng's condition with the same obsessive attention dragons typically reserved for counting treasures in their hoards. His meridian disruption had progressed beyond mere asynchronous circulation into what human cultivators called "Cascading Disharmony"—each irregular energy pulse triggering increasingly severe secondary disruptions throughout his spiritual network.

  In her true form, Xiaolong could have simply exhaled restorative mist capable of reconstructing his entire cultivation foundation to perfect harmony. In her current form, walking alongside him with increasingly unfamiliar worry gnawing at her insides, she could do little more than occasionally adjust his position to minimize discomfort.

  This helplessness—watching a problem unfold without the ability to instantly solve it through overwhelming power—represented exactly the type of human limitation she had sought to experience through reverse cultivation. Now that she was experiencing it, she found the sensation profoundly unpleasant.

  "Master Jing's retreat should appear after the next ridge," Ming Lian announced, consulting a jade map that hummed with subtle location-finding enchantments. "The healing springs there are said to contain water essence refined over a thousand years—precisely what Li Feng needs to stabilize his condition."

  "A thousand years," Xiaolong mused before she could stop herself. "Barely enough time for proper essence maturation."

  Ming Lian glanced at her with curious amusement. "And what timescale would you consider adequate, Fellow Daoist Xiaolong?"

  "I simply meant..." she backpedaled, realizing her draconic perspective had slipped through, "...my tradition holds that truly refined essences require... extensive temporal investment."

  "Oh! Oh! Three thousand years minimum!" Hui Yun interjected, bouncing in circles around them. "Western folks say so! Quality goes up like whoosh if you wait! Five centuries maybe okay if you're in a hurry-hurry!"

  Ming Lian's eyebrows shot up with scholarly interest. "Three thousand years? Your tradition must maintain remarkable historical records. The sect archives contain few reliable documents predating the Seven Sects Division."

  "Our records are... well-preserved," Xiaolong replied diplomatically. While she hadn't personally witnessed events from three millennia ago, draconic archives contained meticulous documentation passed down through generations. Dragons, with their obsession for hoarding knowledge alongside treasure, maintained historical records that would make human archivists weep with envy.

  "Most fascinating! Perhaps during Li Feng's recovery, you might share some of these historical perspectives? I've always been particularly interested in accounts of the Celestial Accord Formation."

  Before Xiaolong could formulate a response that wouldn't reveal too much about draconic historical knowledge, the ambient spiritual energy shifted subtly, taking on the particular resonance pattern of deliberately cultivated natural formations—the metaphysical equivalent of wilderness transitioning to carefully tended garden.

  "We've entered Master Jing's domain," she noted.

  Ming Lian looked impressed. "Your spiritual perception is remarkably acute. Most cultivators don't notice the boundary until the meditation stones become visible."

  "I felt it seven steps ago!" Hui Yun yipped, tall-tips twitching indignantly. "Got fifth-era marks with seven-era tweaks! Very fancy!"

  "Naturally," Ming Lian agreed with barely concealed amusement. "Your spirit beast perceptiveness is truly exceptional."

  The fox preened, six tails swishing with self-satisfaction. "Good boundary-feeling is basic stuff! Wei Lin did okay though. For a beginner."

  Wei Lin, who hadn't noticed the boundary at all, looked simultaneously embarrassed and confused at being singled out for this dubious compliment.

  The path ahead opened into a terraced valley where mist rose from multiple hot springs in perfectly circular patterns that defied natural formation. Stone pavilions dotted the landscape, each built to capture specific spiritual resonances from the surrounding mountains.

  At the valley's center stood a modest but elegant structure of dark wood and pale stone, designed to blend with the natural terrain while simultaneously standing apart from it—the architectural equivalent of a meditation master sitting comfortably in a crowded tea house yet somehow occupying their own separate dimension of tranquility.

  As they approached the central building, an elderly woman emerged with the unhurried movements of someone who had long ago transcended the concept of temporal urgency.

  Master Jing stood barely taller than a child, her body curved like a windswept pine, yet she moved with fluid certainty. Her eyes, sunken beneath impressive brows, held the clarity that came from several centuries of uninterrupted cultivation focus.

  "Azure Waters disciples." Her voice cracked like stones in a dry riverbed. "And... interesting companions." Her gaze lingered on Xiaolong and Hui Yun with the assessment of someone who perceived significantly more than they commented upon.

  "Master Jing," Ming Lian bowed with formal respect. "Elder Wei sends his regards and requests your assistance for our fellow disciple."

  The elderly cultivator approached the stretcher, her gnarled hands hovering over Li Feng's body without touching him. Her eyes half-closed as she traced the invisible patterns of his spiritual circulation.

  "Resonance Disharmony." She snorted. "Worse than most. Trying Waterfall methods without foundation work. Hmpf. Typical."

  "Yes, Master Jing," Li Feng admitted weakly.

  The old woman clicked her tongue. "Young fools. Always skipping steps. Water teaches patience. Water disciples? Impatient as fire." She jabbed a finger at his chest. "Your sect name should be 'Rushing Waters' not 'Azure Waters'."

  This observation caused Li Feng to wince with recognition. Master Jing continued her assessment, her fingers tracing patterns above his meridian channels that left faint blue luminescence in their wake.

  "Third-stage progressing toward fourth. Primary channels backflowing. Core showing harmonic disruption. Bad, not fatal. Yet." Her fragmented speech pattern gave the impression of someone who had long ago dispensed with linguistic niceties as unnecessary ornamentation.

  She straightened, her ancient spine crackling like kindling. "Central Spring Pavilion. Now. Before meridians collapse completely."

  Junior Disciples Wei Lin and Chen Yun lifted the stretcher again, following Master Jing toward one of the larger stone structures near a steaming hot spring. Ming Lian fell in step beside the elderly cultivator, providing a concise briefing on Li Feng's condition.

  Xiaolong found herself walking slightly apart, observing the retreat with the particular attention dragons reserved for potentially valuable territories. The hot springs weren't merely natural formations but deliberately cultivated spiritual nexuses, each pool's mineral composition and energy resonance pattern modified over centuries to produce specific healing effects.

  The arrangement formed a complex formation array spanning the entire valley—a healing matrix of impressive sophistication for human cultivation standards.

  "Pretty good water-magic," she commented to Hui Yun, who bounded alongside her with undiminished energy. "For humans without cosmic sight."

  "Humans clever!" the fox agreed, momentarily dropping its chaotic manner. "No cosmic bits but still make good stuff. Work together over years, get almost-immortal quality despite tiny-tiny lifespans."

  This unexpectedly insightful assessment reminded Xiaolong that despite its chaotic exterior, Hui Yun possessed genuine wisdom as the Ancient Whispering Forest's emissary.

  "East council says humans best at working-around-limits!" the fox immediately added, reverting to its typical disjointed delivery. "Seventy-three ways to cheat being not-cosmic! Very adaptable!"

  The Central Spring Pavilion proved to be a circular structure built directly over a hot spring, with open sides that allowed steam to flow freely through the space.

  Its floor featured intricate channeling formations carved into stone that guided water vapor in specific patterns designed to stimulate spiritual circulation. At the pavilion's center sat a shallow pool lined with glittering crystals that hummed with subtle harmonizing energies.

  Master Jing directed the disciples to place Li Feng on a stone platform beside the pool. "Outer robes off. Need meridian access. Quick, quick."

  As the junior disciples helped Li Feng remove his travel-soiled outer garments, Master Jing approached Xiaolong, head tilted like a bird studying something peculiar.

  "Not water cultivator." Her statement carried the finality of someone who didn't ask questions but simply confirmed what she already knew. "Ocean depth, not river current. Different. Very different."

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  This observation came dangerously close to recognizing Xiaolong's fundamental nature. Dragons were often associated with oceanic depths in human mythology—not because they typically lived there, but because the immensity of their cosmic power resonated with the vastness of oceans in human perception.

  "My tradition approaches water from a somewhat different perspective," Xiaolong replied carefully.

  "Hmm." The old woman squinted, then poked Xiaolong's shoulder with a gnarled finger. "Don't care what you are. Care what you can do. Healing needs all perspectives. Unusual ones especially."

  This acceptance without full explanation represented exactly the sort of pragmatic wisdom Xiaolong had gradually come to appreciate in certain humans. Master Jing clearly perceived something unusual about her nature but prioritized healing effectiveness over categorical classification—a flexibility dragons rarely demonstrated.

  "I offer whatever assistance might prove beneficial," Xiaolong replied.

  "Good. First, diagnosis." Master Jing returned to Li Feng. She removed several jade bottles from her sleeves, measuring tiny amounts of various powders into her palm. Mixed with water from the crystal-lined pool, she created a paste that glowed with subtle blue luminescence, which she applied to specific points along Li Feng's meridian channels.

  "Watch." She stepped back as the paste began to change colors. "Paste shows truth. Eyes lie."

  The glowing dots shifted hues according to the condition of the meridians beneath them—healthy channels maintaining blue luminescence, while disrupted areas shifted toward purple, red, or in the most severely affected locations, an alarming black that seemed to absorb light rather than emit it.

  "Primary channels, third-stage disruption." She pointed to several red spots near Li Feng's heart. "Secondary channels nearly collapsed." She indicated black spots along his arms. "Core resonance worst. See the pattern?"

  Xiaolong watched as the spot above Li Feng's dantian—the center of cultivation energy—fluctuated between bright blue and deep purple in an irregular rhythm that reminded her of a dying star's final erratic pulses before collapse.

  "Self-reinforcing cycle established." Master Jing's brittle voice grew momentarily stronger as she explained. "Each disruption feeds others. Grows stronger. Left alone? Complete collapse in seven days."

  The junior disciples gasped at this prognosis, while Ming Lian's expression tightened with concern.

  "The treatment approach?" he asked.

  "Three parts." Master Jing held up gnarled fingers. "First, stabilization—mineral bath to stop progression. Second, realignment—acupuncture to break cycle. Third, reconstruction—guided energy with herbs to repair channels. Simple concept. Complex execution."

  This methodical, stage-by-stage approach represented the fundamental difference between human and draconic healing approaches.

  Dragons addressed spiritual injuries through overwhelming force—simply flooding damaged systems with cosmic energy until they reconstructed according to the dragon's will. Humans, lacking such overwhelming power, developed intricate, precise methodologies that worked with natural healing processes rather than overriding them.

  "Start now," Master Jing continued, turning to the disciples. "Juniors, prepare Eastern Harmony Pool with these salts. Ming, help with acupuncture tools. You." She jabbed a finger at Xiaolong. "Brew this tea. Has special infusion needs. Your energy might help."

  This assignment—neither dismissive nor overly revealing—suggested Master Jing had made remarkably accurate assessments about Xiaolong's capabilities without fully identifying her true nature. The old woman handed her a wooden box containing various dried herbs, roots, and crystallized essences, along with a small jade scroll describing their preparation requirements.

  As the others dispersed to their assigned tasks, Xiaolong examined the herbal components with draconic perception that cataloged their properties at levels human cultivators could never perceive.

  The mixture represented sophisticated understanding of essence harmonization—each ingredient chosen not merely for its individual properties but for how it would interact with the others in sequence.

  "Tea needs seventeen special spirit-moves!" Hui Yun declared, sniffing around the preparation area uninvited. "Can help! Got special nose for good herb bits!"

  "Lower your voice," Xiaolong hissed. "And perhaps make yourself useful rather than just talking?"

  "I help lots of ways!" the fox protested, bristling. "Spirit-beasts see herb-magic humans miss!"

  Despite its theatrical delivery, this actually represented a legitimate capability. Spirit beasts often perceived material properties differently than either humans or dragons, sometimes identifying aspects neither would naturally detect.

  "Very well," Xiaolong conceded. "You may examine these roots for optimal spiritual potency while I prepare the primary infusion base."

  The fox immediately began sniffing the herbal components with exaggerated concentration, occasionally emitting small mystical-sounding hums and muttering terminology that sounded suspiciously improvised. Despite its theatrical approach, its selections did indeed identify the most potent specimens with surprising accuracy.

  As she worked, Xiaolong found herself repeatedly glancing toward Li Feng. The junior disciples had moved him to the Eastern Harmony Pool—a smaller hot spring whose waters shimmered with pale blue luminescence after the addition of Master Jing's mineral salts.

  Even from this distance, her draconic senses could detect the gradual stabilization of his most severely disrupted meridians as the mineral-infused water worked its effects.

  This concern—this persistent attention to a specific human's wellbeing—represented yet another fundamental shift in her draconic nature.

  Dragons might protect territories, possessions, or occasionally lesser beings under their specific patronage, but they did not experience this particular focused worry about individuals outside themselves. The emotion felt alien yet increasingly natural, like a new muscle being exercised through previously impossible movements.

  "Water boy getting better," Hui Yun observed quietly. "Not fixed though. Core still all jumbled."

  "The mineral immersion addresses symptoms rather than fundamental causes," Xiaolong agreed, carefully measuring essence crystals into the brewing tea. "The disharmony originated at his spiritual core when he attempted techniques beyond his foundation capacity."

  "Bit off more than he could chew," the fox noted sagely. "Humans do that. Not just humans though."

  This pointed observation—clearly referencing Xiaolong's own reverse cultivation journey—carried uncomfortable accuracy. She too had embarked on a process without fully understanding its consequences or preparing for its challenges.

  "Sometimes worthy destinations require pathways discovered through walking them," she replied, finding herself quoting Li Feng's water cultivation philosophy rather than traditional draconic wisdom.

  "Got that right!" Hui Yun's tails swished. "East council calls that 'find-as-you-go' stuff! Say it's bad but sometimes good things happen anyway!"

  The healing process continued throughout the day, moving methodically through Master Jing's prescribed stages. The mineral bath stabilized Li Feng's condition enough for the specialized acupuncture treatment—a complex procedure involving needles made from seven different materials, each capturing and redirecting specific energy frequencies to break the self-reinforcing disruption cycle.

  Through it all, Xiaolong observed with the particular attention of someone simultaneously fascinated by methodology and concerned about outcomes. The human approach to healing—patient, methodical, building upon generations of accumulated wisdom—contrasted sharply with draconic methods of overwhelming cosmic force.

  Yet she couldn't deny the effectiveness of Master Jing's techniques, which worked with Li Feng's natural healing processes rather than overriding them.

  By evening, his condition had improved from critical to merely serious—still requiring extensive treatment but no longer at risk of imminent meridian collapse. Master Jing finally allowed herself a brief rest, settling onto a meditation cushion with a sigh.

  "Core disruption stabilized." She took a cup of restoration tea from Ming Lian with a nod. "Cycle broken. Tomorrow, rebuild channels."

  "How long until full recovery?" Ming Lian asked.

  "Seven days minimum for basic function." Master Jing's directness never softened with social niceties. "Full recovery? Month at least. No shortcuts."

  This timeline meant they would entirely miss the Cloud Summit Gathering—a realization that caused visible distress to flicker across Li Feng's face despite his improved condition.

  "The sect demonstrations—" he began weakly.

  "Can happen without you." Master Jing cut him off with the particular finality of someone who had outlived a hundred stubborn patients. "Unless you prefer permanent cultivation crippling over missing one ceremony?"

  Put that way, the choice seemed rather obvious. Li Feng subsided with reluctant acceptance, though Xiaolong could detect the disappointment he couldn't entirely conceal.

  "Recovery needs proper time!" Hui Yun declared after a moment of awkward silence. "South healing folks say rushing breaks things worse!"

  "Fox speaks truth. Oddly." Master Jing studied Hui Yun with narrowed eyes. "Six-tailed guardians usually quieter. Less... bouncy. Strange development path, yours."

  "Very strange!" Hui Yun's tails swished with apparent delight at being singled out for attention. "Had seventeen weird growing-up things! Not supposed to be like normal fox!"

  Master Jing's expression suggested she found this explanation both informative and entirely insufficient, but she merely nodded with the acceptance of someone who has lived long enough to recognize which mysteries aren't worth unraveling.

  "Rest tonight," she instructed, rising from her cushion with movements that belied her apparent physical age. "Tomorrow needs fresh energy. You." She pointed at Xiaolong. "Stay. Talk."

  This specific request sent alarm rippling through Xiaolong's carefully maintained human composure. Had the elderly cultivator perceived more about her true nature than she'd initially anticipated?

  As the others departed to their assigned quarters, Xiaolong remained behind with Master Jing, maintaining outward serenity despite internal calculations of exactly how problematic this conversation might become.

  "Your energy." Master Jing circled her once, eyes narrowed. "Not human pattern. Not cultivation variation. Something else. Something old."

  This assessment came dangerously close to direct recognition of Xiaolong's draconic nature. She chose her response carefully. "My cultivation path follows somewhat unorthodox progression methodology."

  "Hmpf." The old woman's snort could have dried up a small pond. "Call sky 'blue sheet' if you want. Still sky. Don't care what you are. Care what you do. Your concern for water boy? Real. Tomorrow, need your help. Your special harmonizing."

  This request represented either remarkable pragmatism or subtle testing—possibly both simultaneously. Rather than pursuing questions about Xiaolong's true nature, Master Jing focused on practical healing contributions.

  "I offer whatever assistance might prove beneficial," Xiaolong replied.

  "Good." Master Jing's ancient eyes fixed on her like twin copper coins. "One more thing. Old woman's wisdom. Take or leave."

  Xiaolong inclined her head in cautious permission.

  "Healing not from power. From presence." Master Jing tapped her own chest with a gnarled finger. "Boy's meridians need fixing, yes. But his spirit? Responds to you. Connection between you two? Not normal. Something deeper. Something stranger."

  This observation caught Xiaolong entirely unprepared. The implication that Li Feng's essence recognized and responded to hers, despite the fundamental difference in their natures, suggested connection possibilities she had never considered.

  "I... will contemplate this observation," she managed, finding herself uncharacteristically at a loss.

  Master Jing nodded once, sharply. "Good. Rest now. Tomorrow comes early. Always does." With that cryptic statement, she shooed Xiaolong toward the guest quarters with the same impatient flick of hands one might use to scatter chickens.

  As Xiaolong made her way to the guest pavilion, she found herself contemplating the elderly cultivator's final observation. The idea that presence might prove more healing than power contradicted fundamental draconic understanding, which valued overwhelming force above all other approaches.

  Yet she couldn't dismiss the observation.

  Throughout the day's treatment procedures, she had noticed Li Feng's spiritual energy responding to her proximity—subtle harmonization occurring without deliberate technique application. This connection, whatever its nature, transcended standard cultivation interactions.

  From the bamboo platform that served as her sleeping area, Xiaolong could see the moon's reflection in one of the smaller hot springs. Its perfect circular image rippled occasionally with passing breezes, momentarily distorted yet always returning to wholeness—much like Li Feng's disrupted cultivation seeking return to natural harmony.

  For the first time in her five-thousand-year existence, she found herself contemplating whether the universe operated according to principles more sophisticated than mere cosmic power hierarchies.

  Perhaps connection carried healing properties that transcended raw force—a concept utterly foreign to traditional draconic understanding yet increasingly supported by her experiences during reverse cultivation.

  As sleep gradually claimed her awareness, one final thought surfaced with unexpected clarity: if Li Feng's essence truly recognized and responded to hers despite their fundamental difference in nature, what did that suggest about the possibility of genuine connection between dragon and human?

  The question lingered, unanswered yet insistent, as conscious thought gave way to dreams filled with rippling water and unexpected harmony.