Groggy, Lin Xuan finally woke. He opened his eyes to find himself in a cold cave. There was nothing around him except for a stone bowl filled with some murky water.
A few tattered cloths were draped over his body, carrying an unpleasant medicinal smell. They must have been soaked in some herbal concoction and then applied to his skin.
"Where am I...?"
Lin Xuan struggled to get up. The moment he moved, the movement pulled at his wounds, and he instantly sucked in a sharp breath. Despite the pain, he managed to sit up. The tattered cloths fell away, revealing skin underneath that was charred black, as if it had been scorched by fire.
'These injuries are really severe this time.' He drew a sharp breath. A quick internal check revealed that his insides were in utter chaos, a tangled mess.
