The Calm Before the Storm

The atmosphere inside Sun Lixia's villa was thick with tension, but the family had little time to focus on their fears. In the upstairs room where Li Chen lay, still unconscious but alive, the scent of burning herbs filled the air. Zhang Mei, seated beside his bed, carefully watched the slow rise and fall of his chest. Every movement, no matter how faint, gave her hope.

Her hands trembled as she adjusted the bowl of medicinal herbs on the table nearby. The concoction that Master Chen had prepared for Li Chen was delicate and required precise attention. Twice a day, the herbs were to be burned, their smoke filling the room, designed to expel the remnants of dark magic that still tainted his body. It was the only way to cleanse him from within, to ensure he had a chance of healing.