Feng Chen's eyes opened slowly, the bright white of the Supreme Creator's realm fading from his vision and giving way to the dim light of his cave.
The familiar scent of earth and stone greeted him, grounding him back in reality.
He took a slow breath, his senses gradually adjusting, his thoughts still racing with fragments of the surreal encounter.
In front of him, he noticed the bird. It had fallen asleep, its feathers a soft cocoon around Yin and Yang, who lay nestled in its wings.
Both serpents were still unconscious, their breathing slow but steady.
The bird's protective embrace around them filled the air with an odd sense of tranquility.
For a brief moment, Feng Chen felt an unfamiliar warmth... a reminder that he wasn't entirely alone in this journey.
But his peace was short-lived.
He could already feel the weight of the Supreme Creator's words settling into his mind, lingering questions that refused to leave him.
