Time flowed amid the fragrance of medicine and silence. A few more days passed, and the scabs on Tang San's back began falling away in large patches, revealing tender new skin beneath. The numbness in his right arm had mostly faded. Though he still could not exert strength, simple bending and stretching posed no problem. The Mysterious Heaven Skill's self-healing ability, combined with Teacher Shao Xin's unstinting use of precious medicinal herbs, had produced miraculous results.
That morning, Tang San finished his routine circulation of the Mysterious Heaven Skill and slowly opened his eyes. He moved his right arm, feeling Soul Power flowing once more through his meridians, accompanied by faint stabs of pain. A sharp glint flashed through his eyes. It was time.
He pushed open the door to the quiet room, and the long-missed sunlight was almost blinding. The corridor was empty; his companions had likely already gone to the Training Ground. He headed toward the inn's entrance, his steps steady and utterly free of weakness.
On the Training Ground, the seven Shrek members were engaged in intense coordination drills. Dai Mubai's roars, the howl of Ma Hongjun's flames, Xiao Wu's nimble figure, Zhu Zhuqing's ghostlike charges, Ning Rongrong's crisp commands, Oscar's soul incantations for making sausages, and Xiao Xiaoxiao's focused Spiritual Power fluctuations... everything was familiar and brimming with life.
When Tang San's familiar figure appeared at the edge of the Training Ground, every sound and movement froze in an instant.
Dai Mubai was the first to react. His tiger eyes widened, then burst with wild joy. He rushed over in a single stride and slammed a heavy fist into Tang San's uninjured left shoulder. "Xiao San! You finally came out, damn it!"
The blow was not light, and Tang San swayed slightly. Yet a genuine, long-lost