8. Reborn 2

"Who are you?"

Lu Shui Hua's gaze remained fixed on his body as he posed the question. Only when she began walking towards a table a short distance from the bed did his eyes shift back to her.

He followed her movements, observing her back as she stood there. Her long black hair was neatly tied in a ponytail, and her black top and pants enhanced her commanding presence. His eyes tracked her as she poured a liquid from a white ceramic teapot into a small, similar-looking cup. Not a word escaped her lips. She seemed like someone who chose her words carefully, a woman of few expressions.

Returning to him with the filled cup in her hand, she offered it to him. Initially hesitant, he eventually accepted it, compelled by her persistence.

"My name is Hûo Nüshén," she disclosed.

Huo Nushen?

"Yes," she confirmed, almost as if she could discern his thoughts. His eyes widened once more. "Humans refer to me as The Zhuqué."

Humans?

"I can hear your thoughts, Lu Shui Hua."

"H-How do you know my name?" he stammered.

She let out a sigh.

"You and I have come a long way, trust me."

His brows furrowed in confusion. He had never met this person before, yet she knew his name? And, astonishingly, she could even hear his thoughts?

No, this must be a dream.

Wake up, Shui Hua, wake up.

At his words, she raised an eyebrow and let out a frustrated sigh.

"Drink up; it will hasten your recovery."

Taking his gaze away from her, he shifted his attention to the cup in his grasp. Without further delay, he consumed its contents, squinting his teary eyes with a hint of disgust.

"Urgh... What was that?" he inquired.

"Silphium plant and ginseng root," she replied matter-of-factly.

"But silphium has been extinct for over two thousand years," he protested.

"Out of human reach, you mean," she corrected.

His brow furrowed.

"What do you mean, 'out of human reach'?"

"Humans can only live for a certain period, growing older and never reliving the time that has passed. However, I can traverse time, control it, and halt its flow at will."

He shook his head, attempting to comprehend her words, but all he could think about was how to escape this place and return home. It felt like a dream he desperately wished to awaken from. He wasn't even considering the supposed mission that brought him here in the first place. All he wanted was to find Jiangsu and go home. The whole situation seemed far too surreal.

Where on earth am I?

"You are in Kunlun Mountain," she replied, addressing the question that had formed in his mind yet again. He couldn't help but gaze at her in utter disbelief.

She observed the fear and confusion in his eyes, recognizing his state of terror and bewilderment.

This is not the right time to explain.

"All of your questions will be answered, and you will learn everything you need to know, Lu Shui Hua. But for now, you must rest."

With those words, she turned her back on him and made her way towards the door at the far end of the spacious room.

"I will return at dawn to check on you," she declared.

She exited the room, leaving him to contemplate her departure.