Enchanting Cult Leader 25

"Young Master, it's time to take your medicine!" Expecting the usual rejection, Mo Yu was astonished when Gu Han simply took the medicine and drank it. It was a surprising turn of events—he had finally agreed to take the medicine. How remarkable! It seemed Red Embroidery's influence had worked; she had only visited once, yet had managed to persuade the Young Master.

"Mo Yu, we have rested enough. In a few days, we will return to the Eternal Night Order," Gu Han said with newfound resolve. He had come to terms with it—there were still many things he needed to accomplish. The culprits who caused Elora's death were still free, and he could not allow them to escape justice. For her sake, he had to live on.

"Yes, Young Master," Mo Yu replied, his spirits lifted upon seeing the return of his master's former vigor. His blood surged with excitement.

Under Bing Li's careful care, Gu Han's injuries healed within half a month. Once recovered, he returned to the Eternal Night Order.

Upon his return, Gu Han swiftly apprehended a traitor within the organization—someone his father had trusted deeply. Following this, his father, disheartened, no longer wished to manage the Eternal Night Order, and thus, handed over control to Gu Han.

Taking his place as the leader of the Eternal Night Order, Gu Han wasted no time in wiping out the entire Skycrest Sect with ruthless precision. News of Evan Skylar's deeds had spread far and wide, and the martial world, knowing of his transgressions, remained neutral, offering no resistance to the obliteration of Skycrest Sect.

After eliminating Evan Skylar, Gu Han passed on the leadership of the Eternal Night Order to Mo Yu and withdrew from the martial world. From that moment on, it was as though Gu Han had vanished, never to be seen again.

Two years later, Nebula Sect had regained its reputation, and under the leadership of Red Embroidery, it had become the most prominent sect in the martial world.

In a secluded valley, the moonlight was hazy as Gu Han sat quietly in the courtyard, drinking, his face marked by desolation. Nearly every night, Elora's image haunted his dreams—she would laugh, cause a commotion, but whenever he tried to hold her, she would vanish like a wisp of smoke, carried away by the wind.

He called out in pain, but the only answer was an echo in the emptiness. Upon waking, he was left alone, the loneliness unbearable.

His longing had become a wound, and no medicine could cure it. He didn't know when he would ever find her again.

Three years earlier...

"Darling… I'm late. The ones who caused your death are dead. You can rest easy now," Gu Han whispered softly, kneeling before Elora's tomb, his voice filled with tenderness.

After her death, he had built her a tomb in the name of their marriage, a tomb with the garments of the deceased. In his heart, Elora was his wife, his only love.

These years had been miserable for him. The things he most wanted to say, the person he most wanted to see, could only be kept locked inside, eating away at him. The longing had become almost self-destructive, and he couldn't endure it much longer.

"Darling, walk slowly. I'll join you soon."

But just as Gu Han was about to end it all, Red Embroidery's voice interrupted. "Elora isn't dead!" Hearing this, Gu Han froze, unable to believe his ears.

"You... You're telling the truth?" he asked, his voice trembling.

Red Embroidery nodded. "But I don't know where she is. The five of us share a bond with the Sect Master—a bond called the life-and-death curse. The mother of the curse resides within Elora's body. If she dies, we all die, but we're all alive... which means she didn't die. However, we've sent many groups to search for her over the years, but they've returned empty-handed."

"That's fine, as long as she's alive... as long as she's alive..." Gu Han muttered, clinging to hope. As long as she was alive, he would find her.

From that moment on, he withdrew from the martial world and dedicated himself entirely to searching for Elora. Every time he heard even the faintest rumor of her, he would rush to investigate, regardless of its truth. Two years had passed, yet each time he returned, he was met with disappointment.

Recently, he had heard of a woman resembling Elora who appeared in this valley. Driven by hope, he had rushed here immediately. But after several days, there had been no sign of her. Was it another false lead?

With a deep sigh, Gu Han turned back toward the makeshift bamboo hut where he had been staying.

...

"My pouch!" Gu Han entered the courtyard and realized the pouch Elora had given him was missing. He had clearly attached it to his waist this morning before heading out hunting. How could it be gone now? Had he lost it along the way?

Frustrated, he immediately abandoned his catch and retraced his steps to search for the pouch.

He combed the entire forest but found nothing.

Despair settled over him as he slumped against a tree. The pouch was the only remaining token of Elora's presence, and now he had lost it. If Elora ever found out, would she be even more reluctant to meet him?

Just as he sank into self-reproach, a pale hand appeared before him, holding the pouch.

"Young Master, is this yours?" The voice was gentle, and Gu Han eagerly reached for the pouch, but before his fingers could touch it, the hand withdrew.

A surge of violent energy erupted within him. He wanted to kill this person. But when he looked up at the figure before him, his body froze as if struck by lightning.

The woman in front of him was smiling, her eyes sparkling with recognition. "Young Master, this pouch looks so familiar..." she began.

Before she could say more, Gu Han swiftly pulled her into his arms, sealing her lips with a desperate kiss. His emotions poured into the kiss, a desperate, passionate hunger as he claimed her lips, his tongue plunging into her mouth, savoring the sweetness that belonged only to her...

Elora felt his body tremble in fear, and she sighed inwardly, blaming herself for having taken so long to heal, causing him so much worry. Gently, she wrapped her arms around his waist, responding to his fervent kiss with equal passion.

Gu Han sighed in relief. This was real! It wasn't a dream! She had finally come back...