As the Ice Dragon King finished speaking, a ghostly blue light began to emanate from his body, rippling outwards like water and gradually enveloping Gu Yuena and Xuan Ming.
In this eerie blue light, Gu Yuena felt a momentary dizziness, and when she came to her senses, she found herself in a state of chaos. All around her was endless grayness, without direction or boundaries, as if the entire world had fallen into eternal silence.
Led by the Ice Dragon King, a white wooden door appeared before Gu Yuena's eyes. "He's inside."
Gu Yuena nodded, grabbed the doorknob, and gently pushed the door open. A flash of intense white light appeared, and she found herself in a strange white room.
A pungent, strange smell filled the air, along with various metal instruments she had never seen before, beeping and ticking. She saw Xuan Ming lying on the bed, his face as pale as paper, his lips bloodless, his eyes staring blankly at the ceiling, as if his soul had been ripped away, leaving only a lifeless shell.
Gu Yuena's heart clenched, an indescribable pain spreading from the depths of her soul. She slowly walked to the bedside, gently sat down, and reached out to stroke Xuan Ming's face, but stopped just before touching him, afraid that her touch would disturb this fragile soul.
" Xuan Ming..." Gu Yuena called softly, her voice trembling with a hint of tenderness. However, Xuan Ming did not respond, remaining immersed in his own world, oblivious to everything around him.
" Xuan Ming, can you hear me?" Gu Yuena asked softly again, gently taking Xuan Ming's hand in hers.
Xuan Ming's eyes seemed to flicker with a hint of doubt as he looked at Gu Yuena beside him.
Are you hallucinating?
The thought flashed through Xuan Ming's mind, and a self-mocking look appeared in his empty eyes.
I just finished a dream and then started hallucinating; it seems my death is imminent.
Thinking of this, Xuan Ming slowly closed his eyes.
Gu Yuena felt a pang of pain in her heart as she saw the fleeting self-mockery in his eyes. She gripped Xuan Ming's hand tightly, her voice softer yet firmer. " Xuan Ming, this is not an illusion. I am real. I am right beside you."
Xuan Ming did not respond; he seemed completely deaf to Gu Yuena's voice.
Before Gu Yuena could say anything more, the instrument beside her suddenly emitted a sharp, piercing alarm. The previously regularly fluctuating lines instantly became a straight line, indicating that Xuan Ming's heartbeat had stopped.
Gu Yuena's pupils contracted sharply, and she gripped Xuan Ming's hands tightly. " Xuan Ming?"
Before Gu Yuena could say anything more, Xuan Ming's body vanished in a phantom.
The next instant, the scene in the ward shattered like fragile glass, with shards of light and shadow dancing in the air, as if time and space had lost their constraints.
Gu Yuena felt as if she had fallen into an endless abyss, surrounded by endless darkness, while Xuan Ming's past flashed before her eyes like a revolving lantern.
Chapter 240 Are you going to stab me to death?
In this endless darkness, Gu Yuena was swept up by Xuan Ming's past. Those images were like sharp blades, piercing her heart. She saw Xuan Ming struggling in suffering since childhood, being bullied and betrayed. Every hope he had was shattered like a bubble, leaving only deeper despair.
He walked alone on the road. It was already late, and the dim light of the streetlights cast a long, long Shadow on him. The chirping of insects came from the roadside grass, sounding particularly jarring in the quiet night. He looked up at the sky, where countless stars twinkled, but not a single one shone for him. He was always alone. He lived alone, and he would die alone. It was as if he were still alive, yet as if he had never lived at all.
Gu Yuena's tears streamed down her face uncontrollably. She reached out, wanting to touch Xuan Ming in those images, but only passed through the illusory shadows in vain.
Gu Yuena felt a sudden dizziness. As the scene before her gradually cleared, she found herself in a cold, rainy night. At that moment, Xuan Ming was huddled in a dilapidated mud house, with the cold rain pouring down like silver needles, mercilessly lashing his thin body.
Xuan Ming hugged himself tightly, his body trembling uncontrollably. Rainwater streamed down his hair, soaking his tattered clothes.
Gu Yuena was frantic with worry. She rushed towards Xuan Ming, knelt down, and gently embraced him. Xuan Ming's body stiffened abruptly at first, and then he began to struggle violently.
"Don't touch me... don't touch me..." Xuan Ming's voice was hoarse and desperate, filled with a deep fear and resistance. He thought this was just another round of torture, an endless mockery of fate.
Gu Yuena hugged him tightly, tears mingling with the rain. She whispered, " Xuan Ming, it's me, Gu Yuena. This isn't torture. I won't hurt you. I'll protect you."
"It's fake, it's all a lie!" Xuan Ming roared, biting down with all his might. Gu Yuena winced in pain, but didn't loosen her embrace. She merely frowned slightly, still speaking in a gentle yet firm voice, " Xuan Ming, feel it. This pain is real. I really am Gu Yuena, not an illusion, and I'm not here to deceive or harm you."
Xuan Ming paused slightly, and the force with which he was biting Gu Yuena loosened a bit. He raised his head in confusion, looking at the face in front of him that was full of tears and rain. The familiar outline gradually overlapped with the Gu Yuena in his memory.
"Gu... Yue Na?" Xuan Ming's voice carried a hint of uncertainty, as if he couldn't believe what he was seeing.
Gu Yuena nodded vigorously, her eyes filled with heartache and pity. "It's me, Xuan Ming. I've come. I've come to take you away from this painful place."
A flicker of doubt crossed Xuan Ming's eyes. He slowly released his grip, but then abruptly pushed Gu Yuena away, shrinking back as he muttered, "No, it's all fake. You're all the same..."
Gu Yuena didn't give up. She slowly approached Xuan Ming again, reached out, and gently tugged at his sleeve. " Xuan Ming, look, I can feel your warmth, I can feel your trembling. This isn't a dream, nor an illusion. I know you've endured too much pain and been hurt by too many people, but I will be different. I will always be with you, protecting you."
Xuan Ming's body was still trembling, but his eyes were no longer as empty and resolute as before. He looked at Gu Yuena's outstretched hand, and a strange warmth welled up in his heart, a warmth that he both longed for and feared.
"Why... why are you so good to me?" Xuan Ming's voice was choked with emotion.
Gu Yuena gently wiped away the tears and raindrops from her face, and said with a smile, "Because you are Xuan Ming, the Xuan Ming who, despite suffering so much, remains strong Kindness. I want you to know that you are no longer alone; you still have me, and people who care about you."
Xuan Ming's eyes gradually reddened, and tears flowed uncontrollably. He slowly reached out and gently touched Gu Yuena's face, feeling the real touch, as if to confirm that all of this was not an illusion.
" Kindness?" Xuan Ming took a few steps back.
No, you've all been fooled.
"I'm not Kindness, it's all an act, it's all fake!"
Xuan Ming's eyes narrowed, and his body began to grow rapidly. A ferocious, roaring Black Dragon sprouted from behind him, and Blood Spear radiating a cold, bloody light appeared in his hand.
Die!
Xuan Ming's killing intent erupted, his only desire being to destroy everything. The ferocious, roaring Black Dragon danced wildly behind him, seemingly intent on tearing the entire world to shreds. The Blood Spear in his hand emitted a cold and dazzling crimson light, as if it were a weapon of death from hell.
Gu Yuena's eyes widened. She hadn't expected Xuan Ming's reaction to be so intense. The surging killing intent was like an invisible giant wave crashing over her, making it almost impossible for her to breathe.
" Xuan Ming, calm down!" Gu Yuena shouted, trying to awaken the last shred of reason deep within Xuan Ming's heart.
However, Xuan Ming was no longer listening to anything at this moment. His mind was filled with endless pain and anger. The betrayals, humiliations, and torments he had suffered were like sharp blades, constantly piercing his nerves, making him want to Destruction it all.
"Die! Disappear!" Xuan Ming roared, and with a sudden swing of his Blood Spear, a sharp beam of blood light shot towards Gu Yuena like lightning.
Gu Yuena was startled and quickly dodged to the side. The bloody light grazed her clothes and carved a deep trench in the ground behind her.
" Xuan Ming, this isn't the real you! Deep down, you're Kindness, and you don't want to hurt anyone!" Gu Yuena continued trying to awaken Xuan Ming while dodging his attacks.
But Xuan Ming seemed to have gone mad, launching attacks relentlessly. The roar of the Black Dragon and the sound of the Blood Spear tearing through the air intertwined, causing the entire space to tremble.
"He's gone mad! Come out now!" The Ice Dragon King's voice rang in Gu Yuena's ears.
"Why? I didn't provoke him," Gu Yuena asked, puzzled.
" Evil aura. I didn't expect that thing to have such a huge impact on him. All his emotions were distorted by this aura, and even his last shred of reason was transformed into the purest killing intent," the Ice Dragon King said helplessly.
"He's completely gone mad. You come out first; it's impossible to wake him up this way."
In that chaotic and dangerous Nightmare world, Gu Yuena was filled with resentment, but she also knew that the situation was critical. She could only follow the instructions of the Ice Dragon King and, with the guidance of the Ice Dragon King's power, forcefully broke through the shackles of the Nightmare world and returned to her room in reality.
Before Gu Yuena could speak, Xuan Ming, who was lying on the bed, suddenly became violent. Blood Spear emerged from his hand, and the Black Dragon behind him also became ferocious.
A bloody killing intent emanated from Xuan Ming. As the Blood Spear was swung, Gu Yuena hurriedly summoned the Silver Dragon Spear, but she was still blasted away by this violent force.
Gu Yuena slammed heavily against the wall, a trickle of blood spilling from the corner of her mouth. She endured the pain, her gaze fixed on the berserk Xuan Ming.
At this Xuan Ming, Xuanming's eyes were bloodshot, and he exuded a chillingly Evil aura, like a Ferocious Beast had gone out of control and was about to Destruction everything around him.
" Xuan Ming!" Di Tian quickly intervened, releasing his Darkness Domain to suppress Xuan Ming.
Bi Ji quickly went to Gu Yuena's side and helped her up, asking, "How could this happen?"
Just as the Ice Dragon King was about to use the power of the dragon bones to forcibly suppress the Evil aura within Xuan Ming's body, a purple figure rapidly descended from the sky and blocked Xuan Ming's path. It was Bibi Dong, who had been summoned by the Nine-Tailed Heavenly Fox.
"These people really know how to have fun," the Nine-Tailed Heavenly Fox Youyou.
"They've driven my little cutie crazy."
"When did he become your little darling?" Bibi Dong's gaze was cold and stern, and a dense Divine Slaughter's Domain instantly spread around her. The chilling killing intent was as cold as tangible ice, surging towards Xuan Ming in an attempt to suppress the out-of-control Evil aura on his body.
Xuan Ming felt the powerful suppressive force and his body paused slightly, but soon, the Black Dragon behind him let out a deafening roar, and the Blood Spear, with a world-destroying momentum, stabbed fiercely towards Bibi Dong.
Bibi Dong's gaze sharpened, and she immediately activated the Soul Devouring Spider Emperor, " Eternal Wound!"
Xuan Ming was in a berserk state and instinctively sensed this deadly threat. He instantly activated his sixth Soul Skill, Evil God Thorn. A sharp thorn flashing with gray-black light and exuding Evil aura shot out from the tip of the Blood Spear and collided fiercely with Bibi Dong's Eternal Wound.
In the instant the two forces collided and neutralized, Bibi Dong's Eight-Winged Purple Light Wings transformed into Eight Spider Lances, which pierced into Xuan Ming Xuan Ming's body and began to frantically plunder the Soul Power within him.
As his Soul Power was continuously drained, coupled with the suppression of the Divine Slaughter's Domain, the violent and Evil aura emanating from Xuan Ming gradually stabilized.
However, despite the chaos, Xuan Ming instinctively sensed the danger. He recklessly thrust his Blood Spear towards Bibi Dong, determined to perish together with her.
Bibi Dong was focused on plundering Soul Power and suppressing the Evil aura on Xuan Ming's body, so she had no time to dodge. The Blood Spear pierced through her stomach in an instant.
"Damn it! Are you trying to stab me to death?!" Bibi Dong roared, unleashing her Divine Slaughter's Domain at its maximum.
Under the influence of this energy, Xuan Ming's body trembled slightly, his eyes still somewhat dazed, but a glimmer of clarity appeared in his bloodshot eyes.
" Bibi Dong?" Xuan Ming shook his head and asked tentatively.
Bibi Dong overjoyed to see Xuan Ming finally regain some consciousness, but the sharp pain in her abdomen made her frown. "You're awake now, so hurry up and put that piece of junk away!"
Xuan Ming snapped back to his senses, looked at the shocking wound on Bibi Dong's abdomen, and subconsciously pulled the Blood Spear back.
"You bastard!" Bibi Dong felt a sharp pain in her abdomen, her body went limp, and she almost fell to the ground.
Xuan Ming panicked and quickly reached out to support Bibi Dong, "Are you... alright?"
Bibi Dong took a deep breath, enduring the pain, and glared at Xuan Ming, "Can't you go slower?"
If she hadn't been prepared and activated her ninth Soul Skill, Immortal Body, she would have been seriously injured by that bastard!
Seeing this, Bi Ji quickly stepped forward and unleashed her powerful healing energy, "I'll help you..."
"No need, I can handle it myself." Bibi Dong waved her hand, mobilized her Soul Power, and the wound on her abdomen disappeared at a speed visible to the naked eye.
After treating the wounds, Bibi Dong's gaze swept across the entire scene, lingering particularly on Bi Ji, Zi JI, and Gu Yuena.
"Oh, aren't you going to give me an introduction?"
"..."
Chapter 241 A Third Blossom
After Xuan Ming returned to normal, Bibi Dong didn't say much, just made a few casual jokes and left.
Given the current situation, if she stayed, Xuan Ming would definitely be in a very awkward position.
I just woke up; I can't let this guy get confused again.
"I'm sorry, I..."
Xuan Ming looked at the mess on the ground and the injured Gu Yuena with a guilty conscience.
Gu Yuena gently shook her head, her eyes showing no blame. She slowly walked to Xuan Ming's side, her gaze tender and concerned, "It's good that you're alright."
Xuan Ming's expression was somewhat unnatural. "You... saw it?"
Gu Yuena lowered her head slightly, "I'm sorry, I..."
"Thank you." Xuan Ming gently interrupted Gu Yuena.
Gu Yuena was slightly taken aback. "You... don't blame me?"
"I'm the one who's caused you trouble," Xuan Ming said.
He didn't know what he feared most, and he even thought he was fearless, but in reality, he was afraid. He constantly worried that everything he had might just be a dream. True fear is never anger, but helplessness.
"That woman seems to recognize us," Zi JI said.
In the Divine Slaughter's Domain, the disguise the Ice Dragon King had placed on them failed under the impact of that power. But strangely, the woman didn't react at all, and didn't even glance at them.
"She knows," Xuan Ming said.
Bibi Dong knew that Xiao Wu and Ah Rou were in his hands, but instead of exposing them directly, she chose to pretend she didn't see them.
"It seems there's something special about your relationship." Zi JI didn't ask any further questions, and took out the Head Soul Bone she had obtained from killing Shi Nian, handing it to Xuan Ming.
"The one that the human who plotted against you dropped it. You might not need it, but your human friends might."
Xuan Ming accepted the Soul Bone. "Thank you."
Zi JI was slightly taken aback, then stepped forward and gently hugged Xuan Ming. "Aren't we friends?"
"... Hmm." Xuan Ming's body stiffened slightly, but he quickly relaxed and hugged Zi JI back.
"It seems you need to strengthen your mental defenses," Di Tian said.
Although Xuan Ming can usually control himself, he has ultimately suppressed too much. If an accident occurs, he will go berserk, and that pure killing intent and destructive desire will be indiscriminate.
He wasn't targeting anyone in particular; it was simply that his pent-up anger had lost its rational restraint and erupted all at once.
"Mental defense capabilities..." Zi JI's eyes changed slightly.
"You mean that bug?"
The insect at the bottom of the Lake of Life, although not even as strong as an ordinary Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast, actually possesses a cultivation level of over 900,000 years, even approaching 1 million years!