Bonds of Darkness: Swordmen's Redemption

Genesis Arc - Ch. Twenty: Inner Struggles

Pondering, Y/N searched his memory. They had shared heartfelt conversations, trivial chatter, but no, no medicines. "No, she didn't. All she did was take care of me," Y/N said, his tone softening at the memory.

Dan Feng scribbled in his pamphlet, jotting down notes on his patient's status. After a few seconds, he closed the pamphlet with a snap and packed away his things.

"Well, I will keep you here for one more day, then you can go. For now, just report anything if you feel... funny," Dan Feng instructed, his tone suggesting this was more than a mere formality.

"Don't worry about me, just leave me to peace. I want to continue my sleep," Y/N said, a smile tugging at the corner of his mouth.

With a chuckle, Dan Feng walked towards the door, his hand resting on the knob. Before opening it, he threw over his shoulder, "Good night then."

"Heh. Good night to you too," Y/N replied, the warmth in his voice belying the sarcasm of the words.

As Y/N turned in his bed, the room's shadows began to writhe and dance, as if alive, stalking the edges of his consciousness as he drifted back towards sleep.

---

A few hours into Y/N's slumber, a violent noise shattered the tranquility of the room—the doors were flung open with such force that they seemed to quake on their hinges.

Y/N's body jolted upright, though his eyes remained determinedly shut against the intrusion of reality. A moment passed before he let the light filter through his eyelids, revealing a world suddenly too sharp, too real.

"Y/N!" The voice cut through his grogginess, undeniably cheerful. It was Baiheng, his foxian friend, calling his name like a song.

"Hello, Baiheng," he greeted back, his voice gravelly with sleep.

"Hehe~ It's nice to see you in top condition," Baiheng replied. Her silver-purple hair shimmered as it cascaded down her back in gentle waves, the ends tickling the air with an almost musical whisper. Her azure eyes, deep and fathomless, sparkled with a lively energy, a stark contrast to her porcelain-like skin.

Y/N couldn't help but smile at her lighthearted compliment. His gaze then drifted to the duo standing behind her.

"Hello to you too, Jing Yuan and Ying Xing."

"Good morning, Master Y/N," Jing Yuan bowed slightly, the respect woven into his voice as much as his posture.

Ying Xing stood a little apart, his matured presence marked by fair skin, long blue hair with red tips, and eyes like smoldering embers. "A humble morning to you, Sir Y/N," the Artisan greeted with a smile that didn't quite reach his eyes.

Y/N waved an arm in a casual salute. "What's the occasion?"

Baiheng plopped down beside his bed, an apple in hand. "What else? To visit you!" She took a bite, speaking around it. "When I heard Jingliu say you've awakened, I had to drag these boys along with me." Her gesture towards Jing Yuan and Ying Xing was playful, one chuckling, the other averting his gaze.

"Mmm," was all Y/N hummed in response.

A calm settled over the group, each lost in their own thoughts. Y/N remained seated on his bed, Baiheng munched on her fruit, Jing Yuan found a stool and settled nearby, while Ying Xing stood in contemplation, eyes closed, undoubtedly crafting his next masterpiece in his mind.

Finishing her fruit, Baiheng broke the silence. "Oh, Y/N. Have you heard about your promotion?"

His gaze snapped to her, intense and searching, causing Baiheng to shift uncomfortably.