The Ye Clan went into a frenzy, digging through the collapsed ruins against the clock.
The sounds of picks striking rocks and shouts mingled together, and everyone's face was filled with anxiety. After an unknown amount of time, and after clearing away a large area of ruins, they finally found Lin Kong and Ye Lingling deep within the rubble.
Ye Lingling lay quietly on the ground, her body covered in dust and a few streaks of blood, but showing no signs of injury. Her eyes were still bright, and her breathing was steady, but her gaze upwards was filled with indescribable pain and panic.
Above her, Lin Kong was struggling to support his body with his elbows, his back hunched like a taut bow, using his own flesh and blood to create a small but safe space for the person beneath him.
Looking at Lin Kong's back again—it was already a bloody mess, with gruesome wounds so deep that the bone was visible, each rib clearly exposed, and even his spine was covered with fine cracks. There wasn't a single intact part of his body, and his blood-soaked clothes clung tightly to his flesh, a shocking sight.
The only saving grace was that his chest was still rising and falling faintly, indicating that he still had a breath left.
How did he survive?
First, the External Soul Bone, the Eight Spider Lances, blocked the explosion from behind him the instant it struck, effectively neutralizing most of the violent Soul Power impact;
The second is Ye Lingling.
This Nine Heart Begonia Soul Master, possessing a top-tier healing Martial Soul, had already placed a petal—a petal imbued with his life's blood—into his mouth at the first moment. The petal was slowly dissipating, transforming into the purest life force, continuously flowing into his limbs and bones, barely sustaining his faltering life.
"Quick! Save them!"
Someone suddenly roared out, startling the stunned crowd.
The Ye Clan surged forward like a tide, carefully trying to move Lin Kong aside, but afraid of touching his wounds. They were all so anxious that their eyes were red and their hands and feet were trembling.
A very soft moan escaped from his throat, and Lin Kong's eyelids trembled slightly before he slowly opened them.
The first thing that catches the eye is a warm tent embroidered with a bright moon over an empty mountain, its elegant patterns unfolding in the hazy light.
He blinked, his hazy consciousness gradually returning. His gaze slowly shifted, and he immediately caught sight of a strand of dark hair beside him. A few playful strands fell down, brushing against his cheek, causing a slightly itchy sensation.
It's Ye Lingling.
She had fallen asleep by the bedside, her profile serene, her breathing even, her long eyelashes like two small fans casting soft shadows under her eyelids.
Lin Kong's heart suddenly warmed, as if it had been soaked in warm water.
He didn't rush to wake her, but quietly looked around. The blankets covering him had a faint, sweet fragrance, clean and refreshing, exactly the same scent he had smelled on Ye Lingling when they were embracing each other during the earlier incident.
So...
I was sleeping in her bed.
This is her boudoir.
Lin Kong's gaze drifted to a slightly further distance—by the window stood a dressing table, with some small bottles and jars scattered on it, along with a peach wood comb; next to it stood a glass-door wardrobe, inside which hung several plain-colored dresses, neat and elegant; on the bedside table, there was a small, half-eaten biscuit, presumably something she had grabbed to stave off hunger while keeping watch.
Lin Kong's Adam's apple bobbed involuntarily. He lowered his voice and called out softly, " Lingling."
There was no response.
Perhaps the soft call startled her, for she simply shook her head slightly, snuggled closer to the edge of the bed, adjusted to a more comfortable position, and continued to sleep.
" Lingling," Lin Kong called out softly.
She was still sleeping soundly, showing no signs of waking up.
Lin Kong couldn't help but chuckle softly and shake his head. He figured she must have been guarding him for too long and was exhausted to fall into such a deep sleep. Naturally, he didn't want to wake Ye Lingling, so he simply lay there quietly, his gaze falling on that strand of hair that had fallen down, and the corners of his mouth unconsciously curled up slightly.
Just looking at it makes me feel inexplicably better.
She lives on, and so does he.
This is the most gratifying thing right now.
Lin Kong tilted his head slightly, and his cheek was brushed by that strand of hair again, making him feel even more itchy. He didn't dare to raise his hand to brush it away, afraid that the movement would wake her up.
I wonder how long she's been keeping watch; she must be exhausted. We absolutely mustn't disturb her.
In that case...
Lin Kong had a sudden thought and tried to rub his cheek gently against it, but the strand of hair seemed to be stuck to his face, stubbornly clinging to it. This action only made the itch more intense.
"There's nothing I can do," Lin Kong muttered helplessly to himself.
He carefully tilted his head, slightly opened his mouth, and precisely caught that mischievous strand of hair in his mouth. He chewed it gently a couple of times, moistened the strand with his saliva, and then carefully used his head to push the strand of hair aside.
That way, it shouldn't get on my face anymore, right?
But just then, Ye Lingling, who was lying by the bed, suddenly raised her head.
Her sleepy eyes still held a hint of confusion as her gaze slowly moved downwards, finally settling on Lin Kong's mouth—where a strand of her hair was being held between his teeth.
The air fell silent.
Ye Lingling tilted her head slightly, her clear eyes filled with astonishment, as if she doubted that she had seen correctly. She subconsciously raised her hand to rub her eyes, then looked again—
Lin Kong lay quietly with her eyes closed, as if what had just happened was just her imagination.
She was even more confused. She raised her hand and rubbed her eyes hard, as if afraid that she had just woken up and was still not fully conscious, until her gaze slowly moved down and landed on the end of her hair—that strand of hair was clearly still wet.
Now she was finally completely certain that she hadn't misread it!
" Lin Kong!"
" Lin Kong!"
"You're awake!"
Ye Lingling reached out and nudged his shoulder through the blanket.
"Could you be asleep?" Lin Kong's voice was weak, his eyes still tightly closed.
"Pfft—" Ye Lingling couldn't help but almost burst out laughing. She quickly covered her mouth with her hand, her shoulders trembling slightly, but the amusement in her eyes was undeniable. "I, I'm not laughing at you!"
"I'm too ashamed to face anyone!" Lin Kong wailed, shrinking deeper into the blankets, grabbing the corners and pulling them up as if he wanted to hide himself completely.
Upon seeing this, Ye Lingling immediately became anxious.
She grabbed Lin Kong's wrist to stop him, her voice trembling with panic. "This, this is my bed! You, you, you..."
There was nothing we could do about you sleeping here while you were unconscious.
But they're all awake now!
"Don't stay in bed!" Her voice grew softer and softer, and by the last few words, her face was so red it looked like it was about to bleed, with a thin blush spreading across her ears and neck.
"Promise me you'll keep it a secret!" Lin Kong said.
Ye Lingling nodded repeatedly, "Mmm!"
How could she possibly reveal such a private secret between the two of them?