Chen Mo wanted to block it, but he was lying on the ground, unable to move.
Just as that force was about to seize Ning Rongrong—
Ning Rongrong suddenly lifted her head and stared at Shi Nian, her eyes shining with startling intensity.
"I'm out of strength," she said. "But he isn't."
She raised her right hand, palm facing Chen Mo.
Seven-colored light surged from her palm.
But the light was faint, so faint it looked ready to go out at any moment. She bit the tip of her tongue and spat a mouthful of blood onto the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda.
The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda suddenly blazed with light.
Not an ordinary glow, but a blinding radiance.
The light shone over Chen Mo, and he felt a warm force pour into his body. The pain in his chest eased, as did the agony in his left arm. He tried moving his left hand—it worked.
He braced himself against the ground and slowly got to his feet.
Shi Nian's expression changed as he watched.
"You—you're insane! Burning your blood essence?"
Ning Rongrong ignored him, keeping her eyes fixed on Chen Mo.
"Hurry," she rasped, blood still trickling from the corner of her mouth. "I can't hold on much longer."
Chen Mo said nothing. He gripped the Fish Gut Sword and walked toward Shi Nian's shadow.
Shi Nian took a step back.
But he couldn't go far—he was a remnant soul, able to drift only within this area.
Chen Mo stopped in front of him and raised his sword.
Shi Nian looked at him, then suddenly laughed.
"You think killing this wisp of my remnant soul will end everything?"
Chen Mo ignored him and thrust his sword down.
The blade pierced the shadow's chest.
Shi Nian's remnant soul began to dissipate. Starting at his feet, it slowly turned into black smoke. Yet he was still laughing, a sinister laugh.
"You'll regret this... The Divine Realm won't let you go..."
The black smoke scattered and vanished.
Only the Illusion Wisdom Skull remained. It dropped from midair and rolled to a stop at Chen Mo's feet.
Chen Mo bent down, picked it up, and turned to look at Ning Rongrong.
She stood where she was, swaying unsteadily. The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda had gone dark, and her face was as pale as paper, blood still trickling from the corner of her mouth.
Chen Mo hurried over and caught her.
Ning Rongrong looked up at him. Her lips moved as if she wanted to say something, but all she managed was one word:
"It hurts..."
Then her eyes closed, and her body went limp in his arms.
Chen Mo held her, stunned for a moment.
He looked down at her face—deathly pale, devoid of color, her brow slightly furrowed as if she resented fainting like this.
He held her a little tighter.
"Fool," he murmured. "Who told you to burn your blood essence?"
Ning Rongrong, of course, couldn't hear him.
In the distance, the sun had fully risen. Golden light fell across the ruins, bathing the chunks of concrete, rusted metal frames, and shattered windows in warm hues.
Holding Ning Rongrong, Chen Mo sat on a fairly flat stone and waited.
He waited for her to wake up on her own.
The person in his arms was so light, like a feather. Her breathing was shallow, but it was there. Her heartbeat was weak, but it was there too.
Looking at her pale face, Chen Mo suddenly remembered what she had shouted in the illusion.
"You promised me! You said you'd protect me! You can't die here!"
He had promised her then.
And he still promised her now.
He looked up at the sky.
It was blue, clear from horizon to horizon.
He suddenly called out to that expanse of blue:
"Hey, system."
A purple light screen appeared.
[What does the host need?]
Chen Mo asked, "Is there any way to help her recover?"
The system fell silent for a few seconds.
[Detected Ning Rongrong's current condition: excessive blood essence loss, Soul Power depletion, and weak vital signs.] [Suggestion 1: Seek medical attention immediately. Blue Star's medical technology can sustain her vital signs.] [Suggestion 2: The host may transmit life force through the nascent "Life Bond." However, both parties must consent, and the host will suffer an equal degree of weakness.]
Chen Mo froze.
"Nascent Life Bond?"
[Explanation: When the affection between both parties reaches 60 or higher and they have experienced deep emotional resonance, a "nascent Life Bond" can be triggered. In this state, the host may transmit life force one way, but will not receive any of the bond's other benefits.]
Chen Mo looked down at Ning Rongrong.
She was still unconscious and couldn't "consent."
He fell silent for a few seconds, then said:
"Count it as her consent."
The system fell silent.
[Are you sure, host? This operation requires the target to give explicit consent.]
Chen Mo said, "She just said she was in pain. If she were awake, she'd definitely agree."
The system fell silent again.
After a long while, the purple light screen appeared once more:
[Host's strength of intent detected to have exceeded the threshold... Initiating special assessment...] [Assessing...] [Assessment passed.] [Beginning establishment of Temporary Life Link...]
Chen Mo felt a warm current well up from his chest and flow into Ning Rongrong through the places where their bodies touched.
It was very warm, like soaking in warm water.
But at the same time, he could feel his strength draining away. He had been able to hold her while sitting upright, but now his body was growing weak and his eyelids were getting heavy.
He looked at Ning Rongrong in his arms.
Her face seemed a little less pale.
Her lips had regained a hint of color too.
He wanted to smile, but couldn't.
His eyelids grew heavier and heavier.
Holding her, he slowly closed his eyes.
Just before losing consciousness, he heard the system say:
[Temporary Life Link established. Transmission ongoing...] [The host is expected to remain unconscious for 12–24 hours.] [The target is expected to awaken within 2–3 hours.]
Chen Mo thought:
Twelve hours?
Not bad.
Better than being dead.
Then he lost consciousness completely.
The next day,
Ning Rongrong woke to the sun's glare.
She opened her eyes and saw a golden expanse. The sun hung overhead, its warmth spreading over her.
She froze, then abruptly sat up.
Chen Mo lay beside her, eyes closed and utterly still.
Her heart lurched. She reached out to check his breathing.
He was breathing.
He was still alive.
She let out a sigh of relief, then noticed his jacket covering her.
She looked down at it, then at Chen Mo's pale face, and suddenly remembered what had happened before she fainted.
Burning her blood essence to boost Chen Mo, watching him kill Shi Nian's remnant soul...
Then she had known nothing more.
But now she was awake, while Chen Mo was unconscious.
She bit her lip, then suddenly noticed her own condition.
Her Soul Power had recovered by about thirty percent. The damage to her blood essence... didn't seem as severe either. Ordinarily, after burning her blood essence, she should have been bedridden for at least three days before she could move.
She frowned, unable to understand what had happened.
Just then, the system's light screen appeared on its own.
[Ning Rongrong, current condition: partial recovery of blood essence, Soul Power restored to 30%.] [Reason: The host, Chen Mo, transmitted his life force to you through a Temporary Life Link.] [Note: The transmission lasted approximately two hours. The host is expected to awaken in 12–24 hours.]
Ning Rongrong stared at those words, stunned.
She turned to look at Chen Mo.
He lay there, his face frighteningly pale, his lips cracked, his breathing weak.
She suddenly remembered what he had just said.
"Count it as her consent."
She didn't know when he had said it, but suddenly, she understood.
While she was unconscious, this man had given half his life to her.
Ning Rongrong looked at him, her eyes reddening again.
But this time, she didn't cry.
She simply shifted him closer to her so his head rested on her lap, covered him with his jacket, then sat there, shielding him from the sun.
The wind blew, and the wild grass rustled.
Looking down at his face, she murmured:
"You fool."
Chen Mo, of course, didn't answer.
So she just sat there, sitting still.
Waiting for him to wake up.
Before you continue