Time hurried on, leaving the scars of passing years, flowing away unnoticed like a waterfall. In the blink of an eye, several days had passed.
On a street pieced together from slabs of pitch-black stone, drizzling rain sent ripples through potholes filled with mingled sewage and blood. Now and then, a speeding carriage rolled through, sending filthy water splashing in every direction.
At the end of the street stood a quiet, elegant little courtyard. Inside, everything was clean and orderly, the air fresh and cool-a stark contrast to the filthy street outside, where the stench of blood mingled with rot. They seemed like two different worlds.
Inside the courtyard's pavilion, however, an exquisitely furnished room was in utter disarray. The luxurious, soft bed looked as though it had been ravaged, its sheets hopelessly rumpled.
Spots of filth stained the bedding. A faintly pungent odor, tinged with the scent of blood, rose from the bed and permeated the room.
On the bed, Yun Yun had wrapped her naked, shapely body completely in the bedding and curled into herself, as though only this could give her the slightest sense of security. Her smooth, fair arms remained exposed, clutching the covers tightly against her chest.
Dark red marks covered those fair, slender arms, glaring and jarring to the eye. Their peculiar visual impact could make a person's beastly blood boil and bring out their savage instincts.
Yun Yun stared fixedly at Hun Changqing, who sat on the edge of the bed, already neatly dressed in black robes and exuding an eerie, terrifying air. A trace of hatred lingered in her eyes, but there was far more confusion and uncertainty, along with a little relief. Her gaze was immensely complicated.
Yun Yun recalled how, several days earlier, Hun Changqing had pressed toward her with