chapter 49

Would you like to experience staying awake while trying this?

The sunlight streamed in, and Zhan Yunwei had just woken up when she realized something was amiss.

The secret realm was fraught with danger. Unless she was utterly exhausted or her spiritual power had been overly drained, it was nearly impossible for her to sleep soundly here.

Though she had fallen into a drowsy slumber late in the night, she distinctly remembered leaning against the stone wall to rest.

Now, however, she found herself waking up in Lord Yue's arms.

Her head rested on his chest, her right hand lightly clutching Yue Zhiheng's robe. When he had been pulled out of the water last night, his garments weren't even this wrinkled.

The soul artifact was curled up near the fire, seemingly having stood guard throughout the night. It was nothing more than a cluster of ice-blue mist. By the time morning arrived, it had grown dim and much smaller, looking listless.

Zhan Yunwei couldn't fathom how she ended up in Yue Zhiheng's embrace. This certainly couldn't have been his doing—his injuries were severe, and given their distant relationship in recent days, there was no way Lord Yue would hold her in his arms while sleeping unless he had lost his mind.

Nor did she suspect the soul artifact—it looked too drained to have managed such a thing. That left only one awkward possibility:

Had she climbed into his arms herself?

Taking a deep breath, she quietly released her grip on his robe, intending to slip out of his embrace before he woke up.

Better avoid any unnecessary explanations.

Just as she began to move, the soul artifact, which had been keeping watch, noticed she was awake and mustered the energy to greet her.

No, no, no...

Zhan Yunwei had no time to stop it before the soul artifact made a sound.

Though it couldn't speak, it could produce noises. In its weakened state, these noises weren't as crisp as before, resembling soft bubbles bursting.

The moment it made a sound, Zhan Yunwei knew she was done for. Yue Zhiheng, ever vigilant, was bound to wake up at the slightest noise during the night watch.

Sure enough, as she looked up, she saw Yue Zhiheng open his eyes.

Despite the short night, Yue Zhiheng seemed visibly better, though his face was still pale. At least his lips had regained some color.

Before Zhan Yunwei could fully retreat from his embrace, their gazes locked. He appeared to recall something, and silence fell between them.

Zhan Yunwei quickly withdrew from his arms, murmured an apology, and asked, "Are you feeling better?"

Thankfully, Yue Zhiheng didn't question how she had ended up there. His expression unreadable, he simply replied, "Mm."

Initially leaning against the stone wall, he sat upright once she got up.

The soul artifact glanced at Zhan Yunwei and then at Yue Zhiheng, clueless about the awkward atmosphere.

Zhan Yunwei, however, found the cave's heat oppressive and couldn't stay a moment longer. She was also relieved that Yue Zhiheng hadn't brought up the matter of checking his injuries.

The less said about that, the better.

Recalling the spiritual fruit she had spotted while scouting for a cave last night, Zhan Yunwei turned to Yue Zhiheng. "Lord Yue, wait here for a moment."

Watching her hurriedly run off, Yue Zhiheng kept his eyes on her retreating figure for a while before lowering his gaze and changing back into his inner garments.

The soul artifact, lying by the fire, observed his stoic expression as he changed. It was impossible to tell what he was feeling.

Before long, Zhan Yunwei returned, carrying spiritual fruits and spring water.

Though the secret realm was perilous, it was rich in natural treasures. Since entering, no one had had much to eat.

Aside from finding food, Zhan Yunwei had extended her spiritual energy farther during her outing. After the rain, many spiritual creatures and minor demons had emerged. Sensing the presence of strangers in the valley, the nearby demons were cautiously observing, their curiosity evident.

Since Yue Zhiheng was still recovering, it was now Zhan Yunwei's responsibility to take care of him. There could be no mistakes.

She placed the fruits into Yue Zhiheng's hands and handed the frosted orchid she had gathered to the soul artifact, as it would aid its recovery.

The soul artifact hadn't expected to receive anything and rolled up the frosted orchid, gently brushing her fingers. Such kindness!

Feeling slightly stronger, Yue Zhiheng said, "We should leave the valley."

The valley was chaotic and unsuitable for recovery. After the rain, major demons would soon arrive to devour the minor ones.

With far more experience in navigating the secret realm, Yue Zhiheng naturally took the lead. Zhan Yunwei nodded in agreement.

They had little to pack and set off immediately.

Yue Zhiheng retracted the soul artifact and summoned a green-faced ghost crane, which they both mounted.

Zhan Yunwei couldn't help but marvel at the convenience of artifact cultivators. If it weren't for Yue Zhiheng's reluctance to sell such creatures to the sects, she would have wanted to buy a few herself.

The ghost crane flew for about half a day. By the time the afternoon sun was at its peak, Zhan Yunwei noticed how the secret realm had transitioned into summer without her realizing it. Its cold was unyielding, and its heat was equally merciless.

Today was the twenty-sixth day of the seventh lunar month.

The ghost crane flew toward a cliff, eventually landing near a cave with a cold pool.

Compared to the valley teeming with life, the sheer cliffs were clearly a better place for recovery.

Zhan Yunwei had already felt stiflingly hot. Stepping into the cold-pool cave was like being embraced by a refreshing breeze.

The cave wasn't well-lit, with only a line of sunlight reflected by the pool, casting shimmering patterns on the walls. Smooth stone surfaces surrounded them, resembling the secluded sanctuaries described in ancient texts where cultivators would meditate for decades.

Using her spiritual energy, Zhan Yunwei scanned the cave and, finding no anomalies, finally felt at ease. Noticing Yue Zhiheng's pallor worsening, she quickly helped him sit down.

"Are you alright?" she asked.

Yue Zhiheng nodded slightly.

Zhan Yunwei had seen his injuries before and knew they couldn't heal overnight. If he hadn't shielded her, he wouldn't have been so gravely wounded.

Zhanyu Wei couldn't help but feel worried. She rummaged through everything she had brought into the secret realm—elixirs, talismans—trying to find something that could ease Yue Zhiheng's discomfort.

When she finally looked up, she realized that Yue Zhiheng had been watching her for some time.

Her movements paused. Deep down, Zhanyu Wei knew something between them had changed. She couldn't quite pinpoint what it was, but the shift was undeniable.

Zhanyu Wei asked softly, "Why did you save me yesterday?"

So, the words spoken at the alley—those were lies, weren't they?

Even though Zhanyu Wei had vaguely suspected that Yue Zhiheng's words then weren't from the heart, she had still felt his determination to never see her again.

She understood clearly that once they left the secret realm and found the antidote for the "Heart Entanglement" curse, there would be nothing left between them. Yue Zhiheng would return to his position as the Master of Che Tianfu, and she would continue her path of learning spirit arts, saving the common people, and revitalizing her sect.

If they ever met again, it would only be on the battlefield.

Zhanyu Wei knew this. She believed Yue Zhiheng thought the same. After all, if he intended to eventually kill her, it made no sense to save her from the Earth Spirit yesterday. She hadn't expected him to intervene at all.

Without the Ling Emperor's orders, the only possible reason Yue Zhiheng might protect her would be to avoid losing his cultivation due to the curse. But under those dire circumstances, any other spirit cultivator would have prioritized self-preservation. Yue Zhiheng, ever pragmatic, should have done the same.

An unsettling thought surfaced in her mind, one that made her heartbeat quicken and become erratic. She met Yue Zhiheng's gaze directly.

So... why, Yue Daren?

The cliffside was silent, the only sound in the cave coming from water dripping into the cold pool.

Drip. Drip. Each drop seemed to strike her heart.

Yue Zhiheng studied her face, noticing the girl's bright chestnut-brown eyes, unblinking as they stared at him.

Zhanyu Wei's breath hitched slightly, her long lashes trembling. She couldn't tell if she felt anticipation or fear.

To be honest, Yue Zhiheng didn't know how to answer her.

In the past, when Zhanyu Wei had asked questions he deemed foolish, he'd typically sneer and respond with a dismissive, "What do you think, Miss Zhan?"

But this time was different. Yue Zhiheng knew that if he responded with that same rhetorical question, Zhanyu Wei would give him the answer he was unwilling—or afraid—to admit. And then, how could he deny it?

Some truths cannot be hidden.

But Yue Zhiheng had learned one thing during his time in the underground palace: never expose your true feelings lightly. If they are not reciprocated, they will surely be trampled, leaving you bloodied and broken. Watching Yue Qingluo's unrequited devotion toward Lady Xuan was a bitter reminder of that. Yue Zhiheng would rather bury his feelings than face such a fate.

Besides, there was something he needed to hear from Zhanyu Wei herself.

Leaning against the stone wall, Yue Zhiheng fixed his gaze on her and asked, "At the time, who did you think it was—your senior brother?"

Zhanyu Wei froze for a moment. Yue Zhiheng's tone was calm and unreadable, but for some reason, she felt this answer was of great importance to him.

There was no reason to hide it. Zhanyu Wei shook her head. "I knew it was you."

She added softly, "Yue Daren carries the scent of ice lotus."

So even though his face had been obscured then, she had recognized him immediately.

Her honesty was evident, and because she didn't look away, Zhanyu Wei clearly saw the change in Yue Zhiheng's expression.

It was hard to describe. For a fleeting moment, the guarded scrutiny in his eyes seemed to dissolve, replaced by a fleeting mix of anguish and joy—an almost bittersweet tenderness.

In the end, all of it settled into a faint, genuine smile in his eyes.

Zhanyu Wei didn't understand why, but she could tell that smile was sincere. Her own lips unconsciously curved into a soft smile in response, her eyes shimmering with light.

For some reason, seeing him happy made her heart feel warm.

That innocent, almost silly smile from her completely overwhelmed the lingering pain in Yue Zhiheng's heart.

The two of them were so close that Yue Zhiheng only had to lift his hand to touch her cheek.

His calloused fingers brushed gently against her face. Their breaths intertwined, and the tender, tentative nature of the touch made Zhanyu Wei realize what was about to happen. She froze slightly but didn't pull away.

This time was different from the night of the Qixi Festival by the river. This time, everything felt strange. When his lips lightly pressed against hers, her heart pounded uncontrollably, beyond her own restraint.

Her breathing grew uneven as his lips moved against hers. She trembled, unsure of where to place her hands, until they instinctively grasped the fabric of his robe—a robe already crumpled from earlier, now thoroughly creased.

When he gently pried her fingers away, she thought it was finally over, only to feel his hand guiding hers to wrap around his neck.

Holding her close, his other hand cradled the back of her head as he continued.

Zhanyu Wei had never imagined a kiss could be this lingering, this intense. She shivered softly, her legs feeling weak.

His lips brushed against the corner of her mouth, then moved to her pale, jade-like neck, planting a soft kiss.

He didn't answer her question with words, but everything she needed to know was conveyed in the overwhelming passion of that kiss.

When she had blurted out her question earlier, she hadn't expected Yue Zhiheng to truly feel this way.

His spirit artifact had been sealed back into his body.

His voice murmured close to her ear, "Tonight is the 26th."

Her misty, water-filled eyes looked up at him. It took her a moment to process what Yue Zhiheng was saying—July 26th. But the antidote for the Heart Entanglement curse was still missing. When the demon beast died, its inner core had vanished without a trace.

Yue Zhiheng gazed down at her and said, "Do you want to try it while conscious, Miss Zhan?"