"How do you feel?" Lan Meishan asked as Ningyan took a sip of the calming hot tea.
Warmth spread through his body almost instantly. Ningyan closed his eyes and let out an embarrassingly loud moan.
Meishan blinked.
Ningyan felt… better. He was dressed in fresh robes Meishan had provided, seated in a quieter chamber of the imperial library. One that looked lived-in.
Artifacts lined the shelves. A dining table sat near a neatly arranged bed, and behind it, a large circular window overlooked the cultivation space.
He lowered the cup and set it on the table. Meishan sat across from him, spectacles back in place, emerald serpent eyes fixed patiently on his face.
"Oh.. heh." Ningyan stretched his arms, working out the lingering stiffness. "I can't really pinpoint it."
Meishan nodded slowly. "You may feel numb for now."
"Numb?" Ningyan echoed. "Yeah. That's it."
"It took four days for the core-strength sharing," Meishan said evenly. "Your core is adjusting... quietly."
