Never Wake Up Again

Mo Zhu's forehead was still resting against the crook of her neck, the scorching heat radiating from his body impossible to ignore.

Currently, the youth was extremely weak. When he closed his eyes, he lacked his usual cold and distant demeanor, even appearing somewhat gentle and approachable. Looking closely at him now, he resembled a teenager in his teens more than a calm individual who had lived for a hundred years.

If one ignored the Gu worm squirming beneath his skin, this was indeed a picture of a handsome youth fast asleep, making it hard to look away.

Yu Zhiling gazed at him for a moment longer, gave a couple of resentful snorts, but ultimately still gently propped him up, carefully supporting him toward the side hall inside the Deacon Hall.

***

When Mo Zhu woke up, a faint scent of orchids lingered in the air.

Previously, every time the Gu worm flared up, when he lost consciousness and then woke up, he would always feel a bone-searing, burning pain spreading throughout his meridians.

But now, his dantian was enveloped by a warm stream of spiritual energy. That spiritual energy was powerful yet gentle, leisurely circulating throughout his body, nourishing thousands of blood vessels and soothing every burn caused by the Gu worm.

This was the effect of the Spring Return Pill, a high-grade healing medicinal pill in Zhongzhou that might not even be bought with ten thousand top-grade spirit stones. This medicine could temporarily suppress meridian damage and alleviate the reaction of the Gu worm.

Every time the Gu worm flared up, he would suffer in pain for several days. Yet this time, the Spring Return Pill had completely suppressed it, to the point where it... barely hurt.

She had actually been willing to let him use such a precious immortal pill.

His chest felt tight, and a surge of blood rushed straight to his throat. Mo Zhu pulled back the blanket and covered his mouth, coughing softly. He tried to suppress it, but he still could not stop mouthfuls of black blood from spilling through his fingers, staining the cold floor tiles with dark streaks. This was the residual toxic qi in his body.

Mo Zhu wiped away the trace of blood on his chin. His outer robe had been changed, and the bloodstains on his body had been wiped clean.

The mattress beneath his back was moderately soft, and a small bronze incense burner sat at the head of the bed, slowly releasing a soothing scent.

He slowly raised his eyes. Beyond the carved screen was a desk, where a person was slumped asleep, her cheek resting on her arm while her other hand hung loosely off the edge of the table.

The youth got out of bed with an unchanged expression, his footsteps as light as air.

Serpents were the best at concealing their movements.

He silently approached her without making a sound, step by step, like a serpent stalking its prey.

Stealthy, cautious, and filled with killing intent.

His hanging hand flipped upward, and a long, thin ice blade condensed in his palm, its sharp edges gleaming with a cold light. Just then, he stepped in front of Yu Zhiling. His tall figure blocked the light in the room, casting her entire slumped form into shadow.

Mo Zhu's gaze was calm and rippleless as he looked down at the oblivious person before him.

She used to be extremely cautious, never letting her guard down in front of outsiders. Yet now, he was standing right beside her, radiating such clear killing intent, and she still hadn't woken up.

He knew he could not kill her yet.

Killing her now would cause too much trouble; his plans would be disrupted, and his path forward would become many times more difficult.

But if he set reason aside, a voice whispered: *It doesn't matter if you kill her. Even if the path is harder, you can still keep going.*

After all, didn't he harbor the intention to kill her every time they met?

The icy blade drew close to her neck, its tip even touching the pulse beneath her skin, yet she still did not wake.

*If that is the case, then never wake up again.*

"Mmh..."

A sleepy murmur escaped.

Yu Zhiling's sleep was restless. In her dream, she felt freezing cold all over, as if someone had turned down the air conditioning.

She clearly remembered setting the AC to twenty-six degrees before sleeping.

So cold... it really was cold.

Frowning, Yu Zhiling sleepily mumbled, "Xiao Ai... turn up the AC."

The surrounding space was dead silent.

Yu Zhiling: "..."

She opened her eyes.

She snapped back to reality.