Waking up in pain wasn't something uncommon for Jin Chenxi. He'd been beating by enough times by enough people to get used to it by now. 

However, even by his standards, this was a truly unpleasant way to start a day.

"Good your finally awake"

The sound of an unfamiliar voice seemed to expedite Jin Chenxi awaking, as his eyes fully opened and his head swung to the direction of the voice. 

Sitting down on a chair was a small old man, with perhaps the longest beard he'd ever seen, working away on what he assumed was an unconscious man.

"Quite the hit you took, young man," the old man said, not turning to look at him "if it had connected properly, your organs would have popped like balloons" the old man finished in a matter-of-fact manner. 

Jin Chenxi just blankly stared at the old man trying to comprehend the situation. 

Realization, however, quickly flooded his now widened eyes.

"I won," he breathlessly said, laying his head back onto the bed he found himself in. A weight seeming to be lifted.

"Yes, slit the boy's throat right open, I heard," the old man replied confirming his thoughts.

Jin Chenxi just laid there for a while, the short fight playing in his mind. It was a close match, a second slower and he would have died, he was lucky not to have died from the hit that he took anyway.

It was too close, he should have done better, he should have been faster.
But he won. He lived. And he would Improve with time.

There was no need to dwell on small losses, better to think of the major victories.

"I assume you're a doctor," Jin Chenxi said, once again turning to look at the old man.

"I wouldn't go that far, but yes, I'm the one who heals you and other injured competitors." answered the old man, turning to look at Jin Chenxi for the first time. 

Jin Chenxi stared into the old man's eyes, trying to bore into the old man's soul. 

 "Do I have to pay?" Jin Chen asked, his voice hard as steel, his hair cloaking his hair. 

Their eyes seemed to hold each other for a moment before the old man broke the contest in a fit of laughter.

"Don't you worry boy, the treatment was taking out of your winnings" the old man laughed out his face slightly red.

Jin Chenxi just breathed out a relieved sigh. A genuine smile on his face. 

"Thank the heavens. Though may I ask how much is left ?" Jin Chenxi questioned. He wasn't even sure how much the prize was supposed to be.

"You still have six silver left over," the old man said, turning back the unconscious man he was treating "It's on the table at the end of your bed" He finished.

Leaning forward to see over the bed and there it was a small leather bag.

"How long was I unconscious by the way?" Jin Chenxi questioned moving to stand, finally noticing the bandages wrapped around his chest.

"A Day" was the old man's curt reply.

No wonder he felt so dull. He'll need to cultivate when he gets back home. 

"Are my Robes here?" Jin Chenxi asked, picking up the coin purse.

"You mean those brown rags? yes in the draw".

Jin Chenxi was quick to don his only set of clothing. Brown rags they might be but at least he doesn't freeze to death. 

Fully dressed, Jin Chenxi was ready to start part two of his master plan but he did feel like he was forgetting something.

"If you're wondering where your sword is, you'll see at the door as you leave," said, the old man Anticipating Jin Chenxi question.

"Thank you," he said, as he moved to the door that was being propped open by his sword. 

"By the way old man what's your name?" Jin Chenxi questioned tieing the sword to its sash around his waist.

"Cai Fu, boy"

"Well, thank you and goodbye, Cai Fu,"  said, Jin Chenxi with a bow

And with that Jin Chenxi had left, and gone back into the warm embrace of the sun's light. 

Looking around to try to get an idea for where in the city he was, maybe he should've of asked the old man he still could, but that would be a bit embarrassing.  

Jin Chenxi quickly realized where he was though. The slums. 

And not too far from his home, either.

A quick five-minute walkthrough, the damp and dirty endlessly twisting streets of the slums, and he was home to his damp and dirty home.

He was quick to get inside and sit down in the lotus position.