Grim's eyes opened slowly, the motion feeling strange after what seemed like moments of deep meditation.
Something felt different. His body felt light and more nimble.
Húxiān stood directly in front of him.
Her expression was unreadable, but there was something in her eyes that suggested both satisfaction and concern.
"Finally awake," she said. "I was beginning to wonder if you would emerge on your own."
Grim started to speak, then stopped, confusion clouding his thoughts.
"What do you mean? I was just training with Yang Jian. We were going through combat forms, and then Zhong Kui showed up to explain about the barriers..."
"That was months ago," Húxiān said gently. "You've been in deep cultivation trance before tour fight with Yang Jian."
"Months?" Grim's voice cracked slightly. The idea that so much time had passed without his awareness was deeply unsettling. "How many months?"
"Four months and seventeen days," Húxiān replied.
