For five days, my hardest challenge was not falling asleep. Slowly but surely, my dantian was transforming into an elegant and eerie structure I've seen inside Lin Chu.
Then there was a knock on my door.
"Master Ru!" The voice belonged not to a servant, but to the most high-ranking of my officers—Captain Qui Chai. "Master Ru, pardon me for breaking your seclusion—but this news can't wait!"
I opened my eyes, paused the movement of Qi in my forming Proto-Core, and walked up to open the door.
Judging from the way Qui Chai's face paled, my impression of Lin Chu's bone-chilling glare was very close to the original. Anything less wouldn't have shaken him—he was a grizzled veteran with badges of honor on his armor and scars under it.
Qui Chai respectfully cupped his shaking hands.
"Forgive me, Master Ru Yujin! Please let me deliver the news!"
