Xian Tiandi woke late in the morning, his body still heavy with exhaustion. Sunlight streamed through the window of his room at the inn. He'd pushed himself hard last night, depleting his spiritual energy to dangerous levels.
He sat up slowly and assessed his condition. His dantian felt empty, like a dried well. His meridians ached from the massive circulation of chaos energy. But nothing was permanently damaged. A few days of rest and cultivation would restore him completely.
'The Five Element Lotus is secure,' he thought with satisfaction.
He reached into his spatial ring and withdrew the treasure carefully. The lotus glowed softly in his hands, its five petals each radiating a different elemental energy. Fire, water, earth, metal, and wood merged in perfect harmony.
