Shen Yuan regained consciousness to a wreck of a body. It felt as if gravity weighed him down 10 times over, like he got hit by a truck and hurled down a 20-story building—and he knew very well how either of that felt. No energy was left in his bones to even raise his arms.
It must be exhaustion, but he remembered the formation blowing up before he blacked out. Did he do it?
He forced his eyes to fully open and tipped his head up to meet the eyes of the man he expected to see, embracing him in his arms. They were sitting on a stone floor and both were still very much drenched, but the cold didn't seem to reach them.
When he opened his mouth, only 10% of his voice managed to come out. "Did we break it?"
"Yes, you did. We're currently inside," Ji Zhixuan reassured with a nod.
Shen Yuan turned his head and studied the space around them. Chains hung down from the ceilings with their empty ends dangling above a muddy black pool and dented steel bars scattering below them. The scent of sage mixed with a pungent smell of rotten flesh and a hint of ambrosia lingered in the air.
The pulse was no longer here.
He frowned. "Is this it?"
"I found the dagger. It's the same one I saw in the fortune teller's past vision." Ji Zhixuan showed the dagger to Shen Yuan. "This is one half of the Aruthysts, isn't it?"
"It is. Where did you find it?"
"…"
Not hearing any reply, Shen Yuan looked up at Ji Zhixuan to see the struggle and aversion in his eyes. If Ji Zhixuan could lie right now, he most definitely would.
He clasped his hand, bringing his attention back to him. "Don't worry. I can handle it."
"…The temple preserved and sealed my previous body. The only way to retrieve the dagger is to destroy it."
"Oh." Shen Yuan took another glance at the pool before resting his head back on Ji Zhixuan's shoulder. "It's alright. I was looking forward to seeing him again even though it was just his body, but in the end, it was an empty shell and you're already here with me right now."
Ji Zhixuan softly smiled and caressed Shen Yuan's cold cheek. "How are you feeling? Are you cold?"
"Not the worst I've ever been. I'll survive." Shen Yuan let out a weak laugh. "Speaking of which, where's Juliard? Is he alright?"
"He's fine after drinking a potion. He's keeping watch outside."
It was then Shen Yuan remembered the danger breathing down their neck and strained himself up. "Wait, why are we still here? It's not the time to chat around. We should hurry and leave."
"You haven't recovered yet." Ji Zhixuan pulled Shen Yuan back by his waist and held him firmly in place. "No need to worry about that anymore. Let him come."
"What do you mean 'let him come'? I already recover enough to fly us back to the palace."
"And then what? It won't make any difference. You prefer to not engage with Zhou Jingchen in full health. Do you think we can win against him with your current condition? However strong I am, I still need you."
"…"
"It's fine. It was only my selfish wish anyway." Ji Zhixuan rubbed Shen Yuan's hair to placate him. "Instead, let's think about how we can make him kill me using the other half of the dagger and not any other way."
"What if both of them come?"
"Since…who was his name? Zain? Since he has the dagger, I'll have to stick with him. Juliard will handle the surname—"
Crackle.
Boom!
Thunder echoed into the chamber and the walls shook from the strike. Shen Yuan and Ji Zhixuan turned to the entrance of the room and looked at each other.
Zhou Yi was here.
"What's Zhou Jingchen's ability?"
"Lightning."
Shen Yuan clicked his tongue. They couldn't guess which one of the two was outside. He clenched his jaw and stared at the dagger. After a long silence, he finally came to a decision and took it out of Ji Zhixuan's hand.
Ji Zhixuan felt the tug on his collar and let himself get pulled to the floor. Shen Yuan rolled their position over to straddle him.
He didn't resist. He would never resist.
"If it won't make any difference anyway, I'll just kill you here and now." Shen Yuan rested the tip of the dagger on Ji Zhixuan's neck, slowly gliding it down to his heart. "I didn't want to do this because I won't be able to retrieve your life force like this, only your essence, but it's better than you getting killed by Zhou Yi without the dagger and this portion of you disintegrates."
"If I may be honest, after knowing how these daggers work, I deathly prefer for you not to use it on yourself, so this works well for me." Ji Zhixuan took his glasses off and set them aside. "But I have a better suggestion."
"What is it?" At this point, Shen Yuan was open to any idea other than directly killing Ji Zhixuan.
"Eat me."
More blasts barraged from outside, signaling the beginning of violent exchanges. If it was Zain, Shen Yuan knew Juliard wouldn't last long against him. He could only hope it was either Zhou Jingchen or if it was truly Zain, he wouldn't be sharp enough to suspect Juliard wasn't alone.
It could only be now or never.
He returned his focus to Ji Zhixuan and for a second, he thought he heard him wrong. "What did you say?"
"Eat me, Ah Yuan." Ji Zhixuan stared into Shen Yuan's eyes, dead serious. "This body I'm using is my own, not a product of this world. You don't need to eat all of me. A bite of my heart should be enough."
"And you know this…how?"
"Myself."
Shen Yuan raised his eyebrows.
"I know you don't like fishy taste, and I don't want you to force yourself to consume something more unpalatable than raw seafood, so you don't have to if it's difficult for you."
"Really? That's what you're worried about?" Shen Yuan didn't know if he should laugh or cry. "I mean, I'd preferred it grilled and seasoned, but I wouldn't die from a bite."
They chuckled in amusement and gazed at each other for seconds that would never be enough.
When another blast occurred, a particularly powerful one that cracked the walls, Ji Zhixuan knew it was time. He gave a firm nod. "Do it."
"Not closing your eyes?"
"That'll be a waste, won't it?"
"Then, don't blink."
Shen Yuan tightened his grip on the dagger and raised it high. He swung his arms and plunged the blade into Ji Zhixuan's chest. Blood rose in Ji Zhixuan's throat and splattered out like fireworks, almost like a celebration.
Not minding the mess, Shen Yuan cut a straight line down to the base of Ji Zhixuan's ribs. He pulled the dagger out, tossed it aside, and jammed his hand in without a sliver of hesitation.
The soft, warm flesh clinging to his fingers contracted with every beat of the dying heart, squeezing with every heave of his lover's last breaths. Once his palm cradled the definitive proof of the love his lover carried for him, he held it securely in his grip and ripped it out in one faithful pull.
"Gakh–!" Ji Zhixuan hacked out another batch of blood.
His body twitched and spasmed from the insurmountable, mind-breaking pain, yet his dimming eyes stubbornly remained open, locked on the beauty dyed in red.
Shen Yuan opened his mouth wide and took a large bite, making sure Ji Zhixuan saw everything from his angle. The strong taste of iron and piscine washed over his tongue, and excessive blood dribbled down his chin like the most delectable wine.
The red dousing his usual pristine figure reminded Ji Zhixuan of their wedding and knowing it was his blood that his lover was bathed upon brought him a satisfaction that no heaven could ever give to him.
He knew it was twisted and perverted, but it was the greatest form of love he could give to his most beautiful bride.
His most beloved salvation.
Shen Yuan didn't stop at one bite. He took another and another until the very last bite. Power swelled in his chest like boiling magma from the deepest layer of hell and burned his body as if lava erupted within his veins. The heat melded his bones into steel and seared a deep, scorching mark in his spirit.
He could feel it.
The vulture's soul.
The soul that loved him.
He leaned down and pressed a deep kiss on the cold, dead lips before straightening back up and heaving a long, content sigh. Hearing the footsteps rushing downstairs, he closed his eyes and prompted his leave.
When Zhou Jingchen arrived in the chamber, only the bloody corpse was left.