Morning arrived with suspicious calm that made Hunter immediately distrust the universe's intentions. Not that he ever trusted the universe. Or himself if he was being honest.
Clear sky stretched overhead like it hadn't just spent six days trying to murder everyone through accumulated spite. Weak sunlight painted everything gold. Hunter sat in the courtyard attempting qi circulation under Liu Mei's supervision, his meridians protesting but holding together without tearing.
"Flow is stable," Liu Mei announced after two minutes of poking and prodding his cultivation like she was checking produce for bruises. "Sealed tears holding. You're cleared for light activities. Passive circulation only. No active techniques whatsoever."
"What counts as strenuous?"
