On the fourteenth dawning, a small "cluck" from Xu Yi Fei's chest caught Zhao Ye's ear. He leaned close as the newcomer's lids fluttered open.
"Where… where am I?" Xu Yi Fei murmured as his gaze found Lan Xuan's.
"Safe, Brother Xu," Lan Xuan beamed. "You rest now—recover steadily."
Zhao Ye dropped to his knees, tears of relief flooding his eyes. "Yi Fei! You're… you're back with us!"
Xu Yi Fei managed a faint smile. "I… I feel whole once more."
Lan Xuan placed a hand upon his pulse. "Your qi is steady—balanced as ever."
Xu Yi Fei sat up, gaze drifting to Ou Zhengqing. Gratitude shone in his eyes. "Thank you, Brother Zhengqing—my savior."
Ou Zhengqing bowed. "All in a day's duty, Brother Xu."
As dawn bathed the temple's courtyard, the five friends gathered in quiet triumph—no longer mere wielders of arcane arts, but brothers bound by clay and spirit, by trials under moonlight and waters deep.
Thus ends our tale of Xu Yi Fei's second birth—an urban legend forged in clay, blood, and friendship. May his name shine from city lights to mountain mists, a testament to bravery and the unyielding power of brotherhood.