The room was thick with the heady scent of incense, its aromatic smoke curling and dancing in the dimly lit chamber. Master Chen Yunlong sat in the center, legs crossed, his body perfectly still, his breathing deep and rhythmic. His eyes were closed, his brow furrowed in intense concentration, as if he were attempting to connect with something beyond the physical world.
The stillness of the room was deceptive, however. Within Master Chen's mind, there was a storm brewing. His chest heaved with each breath, the weight of something dark and unseen pressing down on him. Sweat dripped steadily down his temples, soaking into his robes. He had been meditating for hours, trying to pierce through the fog of uncertainty that had enveloped him since that fateful battle in Yunxie Village.
