Jian slumped to the cavern floor, the Forbidden Emperor's Sword still clutched in his hand, its crimson veins pulsating in rhythm with his own exhausted heart. He closed his eyes, letting out a ragged breath. The forging had taken every ounce of his Qi, every fibre of his being. He was utterly spent, a hollowed-out shell. He felt like he had been torn apart and painstakingly reassembled, stronger, yes, but at a terrible cost.
He spent the next three days in the cavern, in a deep, trance-like meditation, recovering. The Forbidden Emperor's Sword lay beside him, its pulsating crimson veins providing a subtle, invigorating spiritual feedback, slowly replenishing his depleted Qi. He felt its nascent consciousness stir, a loyal, eager presence, a silent partner in his vengeance. It communicate
