Shan Yifeng slowly stirred awake again, his eyes fluttering open again to the soft light filtering through the window.
A familiar voice greeted him almost imdiately.
"I told you to rest," Elder Mati said, standing by the low table with her arms crossed.
His vision cleared and the first thing he saw was the unmistakable gleam of her smooth, shiny bald head.
"...You took the wig off," he muttered, blinking.
Mati shrugged with casual grace, the corner of her mouth twitching in amusent. "It gets itchy when worn too long. Besides, you're not exactly in any shape to tease ."
She held out a wooden cup. Steam curled lazily from its surface, carrying a fragrant scent, warm, soothing, and faintly sweet.
"Here. Drink this. It's brewed from pink ginger herb and moonstone flower. Good for your recovery… and it tastes good too."
Shan Yifeng pushed himself up with effort, wincing slightly, and reached for the cup with both hands.
"Elder," he asked, eyeing the drink curiously, "don't you have a na for this concoction?"
Mati chuckled and settled onto the cushion across from him. "Not really. These herbs don't get formal nas. It's a trick passed down from one of our ancestors, the less you label it, the less it gets copied."
He gave her a confused look but didn't question it further. He brought the cup to his lips and took a long, appreciative sip.
"Ahhhh…" he exhaled, eyes closing. "Still as tasty as ever. Can I have another?"
Mati laughed, soft and surprised. "Sure, sure. But trivia ti, how many tis a day did I say you're allowed to drink it?"
"Twice in a day," he answered without hesitation, raising a finger with mock seriousness.
Her lips curled into a smile. "Good, good. Your brain still works. You may be half-dead, but at least you rember my words."
She poured him another cup, her movents fluid and practiced. "Next ti I tell you to rest, you rest."
Shan Yifeng gave her a playful salute and downed the drink again. "Ahhhh… tasty."
Then he looked at her, genuinely grateful, and nodded.
"Yes, Elder."
That smile caught her off guard.
Mati turned away quickly, but not before the blush crept up her cheeks.
"A-Alright. After you finish, you can go," Elder Mati said, the sudden fluster returning to her voice as she stood. "I… I need to et with Sister Akha. She's summoning over there."
She didn't wait for a response.
The words had barely left her lips before she turned on her heel and left the room in a hurried stride, her steps a little too quick to be casual.
The door clicked softly behind her.
Shan Yifeng let out a long, silent breath of relief the mont she was gone.
His shoulders slumped, and his hand instinctively went to his chest.
"She didn't notice…" he murmured, his eyes narrowing toward where she'd worn the ring just monts ago.
He allowed himself a small, satisfied smirk.
"Good."
With deliberate care, he shifted his body into a lotus position, wincing as the lingering pain from his injuries flared.
Still sore, still bruised but atleast it was functioning.
He placed his hands on his knees and closed his eyes.
The warmth of the drink began to spread slowly through his limbs, seeping into his core.
The pink ginger's dicinal essence was subtle but potent.
It worked through his bloodstream like a river of warmth, gently coaxing damaged cells to knit together.
Bruised bone ached less, and even his ragged internal energy seed to realign.
The moonstone flower's spiritual essence brought clarity to his thoughts, steadying the turbulence inside him. His breathing slowed, deepened.
Stay focus... steady... no distractions.
His inner world began to calm, the noise from the day slowly dissolving into stillness.
Little by little, his battered body began to nd.
After a few minutes of focused breathing and channeling, Shan Yifeng felt that the lingering tightness in his muscles had eased up.
The burns dulled to a manageable throb. He rolled his shoulders, then shifted his weight and found, to his surprise, that he could stand without limping.
A grin tugged at his lips.
"Looks like that weird ginger brew really works."
He draped his outer robe over his shoulder, adjusted the sash, and made his way out of Elder Mati's house.
The air outside had cooled, laced with the gentle hush of nightti cicadas.
The sky had deepened to ink, stars beginning to scatter across it like pearl dust.
Crossing his usual training ground, he paused briefly, the grass crunching beneath his feet. The wind tugged faintly at his clothes.
Then—
"Did you do it?"
The voice was low, whispering like a breeze in the grave.
Shan Yifeng jumped back, instinct overriding thought.
His hands snapped into a defensive stance, spirit energy pulsing at his fingertips.
His heart kicked up in alarm.
"Who's there?" he snapped, scanning the darkness. "Show yourself!"
A figure stepped out from the shadows behind the training dummy.
Angie.
Her arms crossed, the glint of the moonlight caught in her golden eyes, sharp and amused.
"I asked if you replaced it already," she repeated coolly.
Shan Yifeng relaxed, though he shot her a half-annoyed look. "You scared the hell out of for a second."
He exhaled, then chuckled and plopped down onto the grass with a tired huff. "Don't sneak up on people like that, dragon woman."
He reached into his robe and tossed her a small object underhand. "Here. It's done."
Angie snatched the ring out of the air with childlike glee, her smile blooming instantly.
She held it up, inspecting the flawless craftsmanship.
Her eyes sparkled.
Like a little girl who had just gotten her favorite toy, she twirled once on the spot, practically vibrating with excitent. "You actually did it. This is… perfect."
Shan Yifeng watched her, bemused. "So… when are we going to this mysterious place of yours?"
Angie's smile froze. Then curved, sharper, slyer.
"Oh, what do you an we?"
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