The Faces of This Chapter:
Yena: a young woman carrying the weight of a hidden past | Independent, protective, cautious, and secretive
Miao Miao: Yena's best friend | a flower spirit | Gentle, caring, and fiercely protective
Jin Yue: A resourceful young man who always has a plan | Thoughtful, responsible, and deeply protective
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Miao Miao tried again and again, desperately pushing her energy against the barrier, but it was futile—Yena's mind sea was in complete disarray.
"Her mind sea is even more unstable than before… I can't break through. And without my full powers, there's nothing more I can do," she murmured, frustration and fear lacing her voice.
Yena's body burned with an unnatural heat. Her pale skin was flushed red, sweat glistening on her forehead. Her expression twisted in pain, as though waves of agony washed over her—an unseen curse tightening its grip.
Miao Miao clenched her fists, forcing down the rising panic.
She couldn't handle this alone.
Jin Yue. He would know what to do. He always did.
But he wasn't at the inn.
She searched everywhere—the dining hall, the courtyard, even the secluded balcony where he sometimes stood at night, lost in thought.
Nothing.
With no other choice, she turned to the innkeeper. "Please, get me a doctor."
The wait was endless. She sat beside Yena, dabbing her forehead with a damp cloth, silently pleading for the fever to subside. When the doctor finally arrived, his frown deepened as he examined her. "Her temperature is dangerously high… but I can't diagnose what's wrong."
After several failed attempts, he shook his head. "I've never seen anything like this."
Miao Miao's chest tightened. Of course, a mortal doctor wouldn't be able to help. But she needed a temporary solution. "Can you at least prescribe herbs to lower her temperature and some pain relievers?" she asked.
As a flower spirit, she had extensive knowledge of herbs and medicine, but Tianlok's environment was still unfamiliar—she couldn't risk using the wrong ones.
The doctor hesitated, then nodded, quickly scribbling down a list before leaving, still bewildered by Yena's condition.
She brewed the medicine and carefully spoon-fed it to Yena. It didn't lower her temperature completely, but at least she looked a little more at ease.
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An hour later, Jin Yue finally returned to the inn, only to be stopped by the innkeeper.
"How is your friend now? The doctor said her condition is serious, but he couldn't figure out what was wrong."
Jin Yue's heart pounded. He didn't wait to respond—he pushed past the innkeeper, his mind racing.
Something must have happened. I shouldn't have left them alone for this long.
But just as he reached the door, he froze.
Miao Miao stepped out, carrying a tub of water. Her hands trembled, sleeves damp, and her usual spark of energy was gone—replaced by sheer exhaustion.
"So… you finally show up?" Her voice cracked, raw with emotion. She gripped the tub's edge, knuckles turning white. "Do you have any idea how terrified I was?"
Jin Yue opened his mouth, but no words came out.
"I—I looked for you. I waited. And you weren't here."
The anger faded, replaced by the flood of tears she had been holding back. She covered her face and flopped down.
Jin Yue barely caught the tub with one hand while steadying her with the other. Setting it aside, he knelt beside her.
Her voice broke. "It was my fault. I should've done more. I should've seen this coming."
Each sob hit Jin Yue like a punch to the gut. Guilt clawed at him.
Gently, he patted her shoulder. "Miao Miao… I'm sorry. I was late. But this isn't your fault. It's mine." He steadied his voice. "Right now, we need to focus on Yena. Let's go inside."
Sniffing, Miao Miao nodded, still wiping away tears.
The moment Jin Yue stepped inside, his breath caught.
Yena lay there, her face twisted in pain, her body trembling as though tormented by unseen nightmares.
His hands shook as he checked her pulse—deathly slow. He had seen many things in his life, but this… this was beyond anything he had ever encountered.
If I hadn't left, things wouldn't have come to this.
The thought nearly unraveled him, but he forced himself to stay composed.
There was no time to hesitate.
He turned to Miao Miao. "Come with me. I need your help."
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Jin Yue borrowed the inn's kitchen, his movements swift but precise. He handed Miao Miao a fresh list of herbs. "Brew these exactly as I tell you," he instructed before rushing out.
Miao Miao followed his orders, but she couldn't shake the unease creeping up her spine. What is he planning?
Jin Yue returned not long after, carrying something wrapped in silk. As he unwrapped it, Miao Miao's eyes widened.
"This… this ginseng is several thousand years old! And not just any—this one has an immortal root!"
["How did you even get this? It is from the Divine World!"]
Jin Yue didn't answer immediately. Instead, he crushed the ginseng, extracting its essence and mixing it into the herbal decoction Miao Miao had prepared.
Now wasn't the time to question him. Saving Yena was all that mattered.
Miao Miao carefully transferred the decoction into a bowl, set it on a tray, and carried it back to the room.
As she walked away, Jin Yue's legs finally gave out. His whole body trembled, exhaustion catching up to him.
His grip tightened on the kitchen table, knuckles white.
For the first time in years, his hands were shaking.
He took slow, steadying breaths, forcing himself to push forward. Then, shaking off the fatigue, he followed Miao Miao.
Miao Miao carefully spoon-fed the tonic to Yena, drop by drop. Hours passed, but at last, Yena's temperature began to drop.
Relief washed over them both.
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Outside the room, Miao Miao finally broke the silence. "I don't want to press the matter right now, but I need to know… how did you get your hands on an elder ginseng with an immortal root?"
Jin Yue sighed, leaning back to the wall. "I stole it from my aunt."
Miao Miao blinked. "Your aunt?!"
"Yeah. I'm definitely going to hear about it later." He exhaled, glancing toward the door where Yena lay resting. "But when I thought about her… I didn't care about the consequences."
Miao Miao studied him. "You're always so mysterious. Unpredictable. Do you expect me to believe your family just keeps immortal ginseng lying around?"
Jin Yue turned to her, his voice quieter. "I thought we had settled our misunderstandings. You still don't trust me?"
She opened her mouth but found no words.
"I get it," he continued. "Everyone has things they don't want to share. But does that make me untrustworthy?" His gaze sharpened slightly. "If anything, you're more suspicious than me. Most people wouldn't recognize an elder ginseng at first glance. Yet you did—instantly. Like you've seen it before."
His words weren't accusatory, just… observant.
Miao Miao lowered her head, guilt washing over her. He wasn't wrong—they had their own secrets too. And after everything he had done for them, was it fair to keep doubting him?
She sighed. "I'm sorry. I learned about the herb from a book back home. My uncle told me about it—that's how I recognized it." She hesitated before adding, "You're a good person, Jin Yue. It's just… trusting people has never been easy for me."
Without another word, she turned and walked away, leaving Jin Yue staring after her.
He ran a tired hand through his hair, letting out a frustrated breath.
"That's… not how I wanted this conversation to go," he muttered.
For a moment, he stood still, debating whether to follow her. But he couldn't bring himself to let her wander alone—Huliya was still unfamiliar to her. Acting on instinct, he searched the inn and its surroundings, but she was nowhere to be found.
With Yena still unconscious, he couldn't afford to leave her side. He sent a few trusted men to look for Miao Miao, hoping she had simply gone off to clear her mind.
The night stretched on. Though the decoction had helped, Yena remained unresponsive. Jin Yue stayed by her bedside, checking on her every so often. Fatigue gnawed at him, but he refused to rest.
Hours later, his men returned, their expressions uncertain.
No sign of Miao Miao.
His fingers pressed lightly against his temple as a quiet unease settled over him. Where could she have gone?
His gaze drifted to Yena—still motionless.
How am I supposed to face her when she wakes up?
His chest tightened as he whispered into the stillness of the room.
"Miao Miao… where are you?"
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