The old servant walked through the silent corridors of the pavilion, her heart pounding wildly. Her mind was a whirlwind of conflicting emotions: relief, worry, but also a certain apprehension. After fifteen long years, Feng Lin had awakened. It was a blessing, but also a source of concern.

  She knew her duty was to immediately inform the patriarch. The Feng Clan had seen better days, but now, it was merely a shadow of its former glory. She passed by cracked walls and empty halls that once echoed with the voices of disciples in training. Now, all that remained was silence and abandonment.

  Arriving at the wing reserved for the patriarch, she took a deep breath before knocking on the door. A deep, weary voice allowed her to enter. Inside, a middle-aged man with a stern gaze sat in a worn-out armchair. His face bore the marks of the clan’s years of decline.

  — What do you want? he asked in a tired tone.

  — Master… It’s Feng Lin. He has awakened.

  The silence that followed was chilling. The patriarch slowly lifted his head, his eyes flickering with a complex light—between hope and doubt.

  — Are you certain?

  — Yes, Patriarch. I saw him with my own eyes.

  The man remained silent for a moment before rising slowly. He fixed his gaze on the servant, searching for any trace of uncertainty. But she stood firm, convinced of what she had seen.

  — Very well… then it is time to see for ourselves.

  Without delay, he headed for the exit, the servant following closely behind. The Feng Clan might be facing a turning point.

  The patriarch stared at the old servant with a piercing gaze before speaking in a grave tone:

  The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

  — Go inform my wife. Tell her that Feng Lin has awakened. She will know what to do.

  The servant hesitated for a moment, as if she wanted to say something, but faced with the patriarch’s stern expression, she quickly bowed.

  — Yes, Master.

  Without wasting time, she turned and left the room in a hurry, making her way to the matriarch’s quarters.

  The patriarch, meanwhile, remained motionless for a few seconds, deep in thought. His only son, who had been in a coma for fifteen long years, had finally opened his eyes. But what kind of man had he become?

  Frowning slightly, he turned on his heels and walked toward Feng Lin’s chamber.

  The old servant hurried through the long, dilapidated corridors of the main pavilion. Her footsteps echoed faintly on the stone floor, and her heart pounded. After so many years, Feng Lin had finally awakened… but was that truly good news?

  She arrived before a large, carved wooden door, once majestic but now marked by time. Taking a deep breath, she gently pushed it open and entered.

  Inside, Matriarch Feng sat near a window, gazing outside with a pensive expression. Her face, once radiant with beauty, bore the marks of time and hardship. Her clothes, though clean and well-kept, no longer held the splendor of the past. When she heard the door open, she turned her head slowly, her stern gaze settling on the kneeling servant.

  — Why do you come in such a panic? she asked in a calm but authoritative voice.

  The servant lowered her head and responded in a trembling voice:

  — Madam… the young master… Feng Lin… he… he has awakened.

  Silence fell heavily upon the room. The matriarch remained still for a moment, her silk fan frozen in the air. Her gaze hardened.

  — Are you certain?

  — Yes, madam! He was conscious, he spoke to me, he… he asked me for water…

  The matriarch closed her fan with a sharp motion. She seemed lost in thought, as if trying to understand what this meant.

  — Fifteen years… she murmured. Fifteen years he has been in that sleep. I thought…

  She trailed off. Her piercing gaze fell upon the servant once more.

  — How did he seem?

  — Different, madam, the servant admitted hesitantly. His gaze… it was… cold. Not like before. And when he spoke to me… it was strange. As if he…

  — As if he was no longer the same, the matriarch finished in a low voice.

  The servant timidly nodded.

  — Madam… do you think… something happened to him?

  The matriarch did not respond immediately. She slowly stood and took a few steps around the room, her gaze lost in the void.

  — So many years have passed… if he is truly awake, then we must see with our own eyes what he has become.

  She paused, then added in a firmer tone:

  — Prepare a proper outfit for me. If my son has truly returned to us, then it is time I meet him.

  The servant bowed deeply before leaving the room in haste, leaving the matriarch alone with her thoughts. An unreadable light passed through her gaze.

  — Feng Lin… after all this time, what kind of man have you become?

  Yes, to her, it was natural that after so many years, Feng Lin had changed. He was no longer the five-year-old child she had once known. Even in unconsciousness, his mind must have evolved, adapted to this long period of stasis.

  But deep down, she could not shake off a certain unease. He had just woken up, and yet, he did not seem lost or disoriented as one would expect. His gaze… It was far too calm.