王磊 gritted his teeth, trying to focus through the throbbing in his head. The room was dimly lit, the only source of light coming from a flickering oil lamp in the corner. Dust motes danced in the air as he slowly sat up, his muscles protesting with every movement.

"Finally awake, huh?" a gruff voice broke the silence. The old man stood at the foot of the bed, his face etched with deep wrinkles. His eyes, though cloudy, still held a sharpness that almost pricked at the back of Wang Lei's neck.

Wang Lei glanced around, his mind racing. This wasn't his room. Not the cramped apartment he'd shared with his roommates, nor the messy dorm he'd lived in during college. This was... different. Ancient, almost.

"What... where am I?" he asked, his voice hoarse from disuse.

The old man chuckled, a dry, rasping sound. "You're in the Azure Bamboo Valley, kid. More specifically, in the old man's residence. I'm Liang, by the way. The one who found you." He took a step closer, peering over the edge of the bed. "You've been out for three days. That lightning strike was close."