The night was deep. At the summit of Sacred Source Peak, in the quiet room of Mo Lin's little villa, the candles had gone out, and all was silent.
Mo Lin held Zi Yan's soft body, the faint fragrance of her hair lingering beneath his nose, yet his mind was elsewhere.
The tenderness he had shared with Yao Yao during the day, and the shattered state she had been in before losing consciousness, were branded into his heart. Tomorrow, he would set out for Hunyuan Heaven. The road ahead was uncertain, and no one knew when he would return. He could not help feeling a little sorrow at parting and reluctance to leave those by his side.
He shifted slightly and turned onto his side, his gaze falling on Zi Yan's sleeping face beside him.
The little girl slept peacefully. Her long lashes were like two little fans, casting faint shadows across her cheeks. A satisfied smile still lingered on her lips, as though she were dreaming of something wonderful.
Mo Lin could not resist reaching out and lightly scratching the tip of her pert nose.
That tiny movement woke the light-sleeping Zi Yan. She drowsily opened her violet eyes and muttered, "Brother Mo Lin... you're still not asleep?"
"Did I wake you? Sorry." Mo Lin lowered his voice and tightened his arm around her. "I'm leaving tomorrow, so I can't really sleep."
Zi Yan snuggled deeper into his embrace, wrapping her little arms around his waist. Her voice was sleepy as she said, "Mm... once you get the lamp and cure Sister Yao Yao, you can come back sooner. Maybe we can even find the way home..."
At the mention of home, an almost imperceptible longing and melancholy entered her voice. Like Mo Lin, she came from the Dou