"Phew…"
Exhausted, Huo Yuhao let out a long breath. After confirming that Dream Senior was no longer in danger from the backlash of the cold poison, and that her breathing had stabilized, even the calm and logical state brought by his Necromantic Stillheart spell began to fade.
As the effects of the spell weakened, Huo Yuhao quickly sat up on the bed, mindful of the fact that continued full-body contact might lead to… undesirable situations. The chill of reason was receding, and with it, so too did his emotional detachment.
Sitting up, his eyes inadvertently fell on Meng Hongchen's smooth, porcelain-like body for three whole seconds before his rationality kicked back in. A light smack—he slapped himself across the face and immediately focused on dressing. First himself, then her. He quickly covered her with her outer garments. But as he held up the delicate dress in his hands, he faltered.
'How… do I even put this thing back on?'
He stared blankly at the flowy garment. It had been easy to remove, but the intricacies of its design were completely foreign to him. Back in his previous life, he'd never touched something this complicated outside of a costume drama—or maybe an anime figurine box. And even then, dressing someone else? Especially a girl?
With a sigh, he admitted temporary defeat. He had neither the time nor the energy to figure it out now.
But his job wasn't over yet.
There was still one more thing he needed to do.
Huo Yuhao summoned the Blade of Creation and Annihilation, the weapon glowing faintly with a soft, verdant green light. He had to give Meng Hongchen a full-body baptism of life energy. After undergoing the torment of fire, ice, and poison all at once, her physical state was fragile—this was the best time to let her absorb pure vitality and recover fully.
The room dimmed as radiant green light flowed gently from the blade, drifting toward the sleeping girl. Huo Yuhao guided the stream of life energy with careful precision, allowing it to seep into every part of her body. Her pale cheeks slowly gained a touch of pink as vitality suffused her being.
After about a minute, the accumulated life energy within the blade had been completely transferred to Meng Hongchen. But Huo Yuhao frowned. Judging by her current state, her body could still handle more.
'I won't get another opportunity like this…'
Though his soul power and spiritual energy were nearly depleted, Huo Yuhao still had some trace amounts of life energy in his body from his own reserves. Gritting his teeth, he lay back down beside her and began channeling his internal energy toward her, transferring the rest.
He endured the pain in silence. One more minute. Then another.
"Alright. That's enough… it's done."
With a sigh of complete exhaustion, he collapsed next to her. Every ounce of energy had been spent. His body refused to move, and before he could even process his thoughts, darkness claimed his senses.
…
Two hours later.
A muffled groan escaped his lips.
"Urgh… my head…"
The moment Huo Yuhao opened his eyes, he regretted it. His skull throbbed like someone had taken a hammer to it. The combined effect of spiritual and soul power depletion felt worse than a hangover.
Struggling to sit up, he blinked blearily, trying to recall where he was. A moment later, it all came back to him.
Turning his head slightly, he spotted Meng Hongchen sleeping peacefully beside him, her long lashes trembling slightly, her breathing soft and even.
'So… it really worked. She's okay now.'
Relief flooded through him, but also a tinge of awkwardness. Meng Hongchen was still clad in only her undergarments, the soft moonlight bathing her figure in a gentle glow. Huo Yuhao quickly looked away, cheeks faintly red.
He fumbled with the blanket, carefully pulling it up to cover her exposed skin.
'Even if soul masters don't catch colds… it's better like this.'
Then, spotting her neatly folded dress at the bedside, he smiled faintly and tidied it up a little more. Just as he was about to slip off the bed—
He froze.
A small hand tugged firmly at the hem of his coat.
"…Don't go. Stay… please don't leave me… scared… alone…"
The voice was barely a whisper, but it struck straight into his heart.
Turning back, he saw Meng Hongchen's delicate face scrunched with discomfort. Her eyes were still closed—clearly, she was talking in her sleep.
One hand gripped his shirt tightly. The other clutched the edge of the blanket over her head, as if shielding herself from the world.
'She's dreaming… must be having a nightmare.'
That vulnerable look on her face, so different from her usual composed, confident self, tugged at something deep inside him.
Huo Yuhao sighed softly. He couldn't leave her like this.
Carefully, he shifted back beside her, gently holding the hand that gripped him so tightly. With his other hand, he lightly patted her back through the blanket, whispering:
"I'm here… don't be afraid."
Bit by bit, Dream Hongchen's tense expression eased. Her breathing slowed, steadied.
Yet her hand never released his.
'Guess I'm spending the night here…'
Resigned, Huo Yuhao pulled out his communicator and sent a message to Jing Hongchen downstairs, informing him that Meng Hongchen was stable but still needed to be watched over for a while longer.
Then, he leaned his back against the headboard and settled into place, her hand still curled around his. He didn't try to move it again.
He stared at their joined hands in silence.
Her fingers were cold—surprisingly cold.
He remembered the few times they'd touched hands before. Dream Hongchen's hands were always a little cool to the touch. But not like this. Not this cold. This was the chill of someone who had endured pain, fear, and solitude for far too long.
'I wonder what kind of memories she keeps locked away. What she's endured. What nightmares she hides behind those smiling eyes…'
The room was silent, save for the sound of her breathing and the quiet rustling of the breeze outside the window.
He didn't sleep. He didn't meditate. He just stayed there, watching over her.
Five hours passed.
Eventually, the fatigue caught up to him. His head drooped slightly, eyes fluttering shut as he finally nodded off.
The moonlight gently spilled into the room, illuminating two figures on the bed: the young man sitting upright, fast asleep, and the young woman lying beside him, a subtle, peaceful smile on her face. Their hands remained tightly clasped together.
(End of Chapter)
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