Chapter 108. The Face
Yo. The Library of Wan Shi Tong.
Over the following week, I experimented extensively with the life energy crystals. First, it's worth noting that they didn't dissipate or lose their capacity, even in the human world, which I had secretly feared. Most likely, they had already "adapted" to this protective state, and the change in environment didn't affect them.
Beyond being excellent "batteries" for my life energy source, they also serve as a great way to stay alive, even with fatal injuries. All it takes is to draw energy from the crystal, and it rushes to fill the energy loss caused by the wounds. Empirically, a long, bleeding cut will close and be forgotten in half a second. And this is without even letting my own energy act, which would speed up healing even more.
This led to another brilliant idea. I have many loved ones, some far from my bodies. Anything could happen to them, so why not give them a spare life? Thus, I began creating jewelry for my girls, students, parents, and closest allies. The list grew quite long. At one point, I thought I wouldn't have enough crystals. But why would they need massive energy reserves when even a tiny crystal, with just a bit more than their reserves, would suffice for healing any wound? Besides, an "overdose" of life has its downsides. I've already experienced it...
I was curious to see what would happen if I constantly pumped myself with energy beyond the norm. It started with simple over-excitability, minor pains near my life energy source, and a slight increase in heart rate. Despite some discomfort, I felt compelled to keep moving. Later, my heart rate soared, as if it might burst from my chest. I constantly felt short of breath, unable to get enough air. I decided not to risk it further and released all the excess energy. Green swirls seeped out, involuntarily reminding me of opening the eight gates.
- "I only drew a little, but what if I accidentally absorbed a hundred times my reserves?" I thought. Death would be certain.
Dividing one crystal into smaller pieces worked, but even they were too powerful. They contained too much energy. Making them even smaller wasn't possible, and I lost two crystals in the process. Wrapping my hands in my chi, I carefully split a crystal in half, remembering to "seal" the exposed edges with my energy to prevent dissipation. Soon, I realized that by "venting" the energy, I could stop it from dispersing when it reached the right parameters for the person it was intended for.
Over time, I'd already measured the energy levels in my loved ones' bodies, so I immediately began crafting jewelry, shaping the crystals into more beautiful forms.
All that remained was to teach them to draw energy in case of need. I think Mom, Kaya, Katara, and Yui will learn this easily, as they're already trained to add energy to water for healing. Plus, the Healing Huts now offer advanced courses in controlling pure life energy. Suyuki and Shizuka shouldn't have issues either. They have a basic understanding thanks to Avatar Kyoshi's exercise regimen. The others will find it a bit harder, but they should manage—some will grasp it quickly, while others may take months.
I know there are several books on these crystals, but I decided to look into them later. I wanted to figure it all out myself first, or I'd lose half the interest.
- "Can I create such a crystal myself?" The question popped into my head and wouldn't leave. After quickly finishing the crystals, I tried crafting my own.