In the depths of Wuming Demon Mountain, the Demon Sovereign's Hall lay steeped in shadow.
"Worthless!"
A hand slammed down on the table with a crack that made the lamps tremble.
At once, someone dropped to their knees.
"My lord, please forgive my incompetence."
Behind a mask, the Demon Sovereign's voice was low and furious—sharp enough to slice.
"That earthworm was a beast I refined with my own hands." The masked figure's fingers tightened against the wood. "It was tamed with the aura of the Shadow Demon King. And you're telling me it was captured—so easily—by that group of useless fools led by Liaoying?"
The kneeling subordinate didn't dare answer. They lowered their head even further, as if they could fold themselves into the floor.
A long, irritated breath came from behind the mask.
After a pause, the Demon Sovereign spoke again, slower—dangerously quiet.
"Enough. Leave, now."
A casual wave dismissed everyone in the hall.
The kneeling figure froze for a heartbeat, then rose and backed away quickly, retreating with the others.
Outside, the demon soldiers exhaled as if they'd been holding their breath for the entire exchange.
A younger soldier leaned in toward a taller figure. "Commander Hua… do you feel it? That something is different about the Demon Sovereign when he returns?"
Hua Qiuyuan didn't look at him. "Different how?"
"I can't explain it." The soldier frowned, thinking. "It's just… off compared to before. The taste in his meals changed. Even his temperament… it doesn't feel like it used to."
Hua Qiuyuan's expression remained unreadable. After a moment, he gave a slight nod.
"Since that incident," he said, "his temperament has been different."
The soldier lowered his voice. "I wonder what the Demon Sovereign has been cultivating in seclusion. How could he ruin his appearance like that? Now he wears that mask all day. We can't even read his emotions. It makes everyone uneasy."
Hua Qiuyuan's gaze sharpened like a blade.
"Mind your tongue. Do your duty." His tone turned cold. "The Lord's affairs are not ours to question."
The soldier swallowed and went silent.
Inside Jingyun Residence, the atmosphere was… considerably less murderous.
A thick stack of books sat on the table in front of Li Luoning—so many that it nearly buried him. He didn't even lift his head as he spoke.
"Take these. Once you've memorized them, I'll teach you how to use them."
Mi Xingzhe slowly surfaced from behind the pile like someone emerging from a collapsed snowdrift. His eyes widened at the two towering "mountains" of books.
"So many?!"
"Many?" Li Luoning finally flicked him a glance, unimpressed. "This is only half of what Qingyi studied before."
Mi Xingzhe's mouth opened, then closed again.
"But I don't have Qingyi's knowledge, and besides—"
"And besides what?" Li Luoning put the book down, clearly suspecting excuses.
Mi Xingzhe scratched his head, embarrassed, smiling weakly.
"I… don't know many characters."
Li Luoning paused.
For once, he looked genuinely caught.
"How few is 'not many'?"
Yun Qingyi, who had been watching with quiet amusement, picked up a book and opened it. He pointed to a character.
"What's this?"
Mi Xingzhe took the book—then immediately dropped it in panic, fumbling it like it was hot. Still, he stared hard at the character, as if sheer effort could force recognition into existence.
After a long, sincere struggle, he looked up blankly and shook his head.
Yun Qingyi picked up another book, flipped to a random page, and pointed again.
"And this?"
Mi Xingzhe shook his head.
Yun Qingyi flipped again.
"This?"
Mi Xingzhe shook his head again—more helpless this time.
Yun Qingyi didn't stop.
"How about this?"
Mi Xingzhe squinted, brows knitting, then brightened suddenly.
"Oh! I know this one." He sounded proud. "This should be… 'up.'"
Yun Qingyi went silent for a beat.
Li Luoning pinched the bridge of his nose as if a headache had already formed.
"Enough," Li Luoning said, voice weary. "Qingyi—teach him literacy first."
Mi Xingzhe's face fell instantly.
"Can we start tomorrow?" he asked hopefully. "Just… tomorrow."
"No."
Yun Qingyi and Li Luoning spoke in perfect unison.
Mi Xingzhe wilted. "Oh…"
He shuffled backward two steps, trying to slip away while they weren't looking—but Yun Qingyi's glance cut him off like a net.
Mi Xingzhe turned to Li Luoning for mercy—
—and found Li Luoning watching him with calm seriousness.
There was no mercy.
So Mi Xingzhe sat down obediently, picked up the brush, and began copying the strokes Yun Qingyi demonstrated, his posture full of reluctant tragedy.
Several days later, Li Luoning went to the Great Hall for a meeting, and Yun Qingyi had to gather herbs in the mountains.
Yun Qingyi brought Mi Xingzhe out of Jingyun Residence and told him to wait outside the hall.
Mi Xingzhe, bored out of his mind, kicked at the grass by the steps.
"Brother~"
He froze. That voice was familiar.
Turning, he saw Yue Rulun approaching.
"Sister Rulun." Mi Xingzhe smiled and saluted.
"Good boy~" Yue Rulun waved him off. "No need to be so formal."
Mi Xingzhe straightened. "Senior Sister Rulun—do you need me for something?"
"Take this." Yue Rulun produced an exquisitely carved sandalwood box. A faint golden light shimmered across its surface.
Mi Xingzhe stared. "For me? What is it?"
"A good thing." Yue Rulun patted his shoulder with pride. "It took me ages to get this from the Medicine King."
Mi Xingzhe carefully took the box, opened it, and found two pills inside—each emitting a faint glow.
His eyes widened. "This looks expensive. I can't accept it."
"Oh, don't refuse." Yue Rulun smiled. "You called me Sister—consider it a gift from your Sister."
"But—"
"It isn't expensive." Yue Rulun said it casually, almost dismissively. "I got it for free. Keep it. It'll be useful."
Mi Xingzhe hesitated… then finally nodded.
"Alright. Thank you, Sister Rulun."
He bowed deeply.
Yue Rulun's smile turned sly. "In return, how about you treat me to a drink later?"
Mi Xingzhe blinked. "A drink?"
"Yep." She raised her brows. "Your master's Blue Snow Clear Brew is famous. I'll trade you this medicine for a pot of that brew. What do you say?"
"Oh." Mi Xingzhe nodded earnestly. "Then I'll ask Master later and have him send you two bottles."
Yue Rulun stared at him.
Then she laughed—half amused, half exasperated.
"You silly boy. If I could get wine from your master that easily, why would I bribe you with something like this?" She leaned in, lowering her voice conspiratorially. "I heard Blue Snow Clear Brew—aside from the Medicine King and your senior uncle—no one can get it, no matter how much they beg."
She clasped her hands together dramatically, pleading. "But you've accepted my gift. Help me find a way, alright?"
Mi Xingzhe's mouth opened. Closed. Opened again.
He looked genuinely troubled now.
"…Okay." He sighed. "I'll think of something."
"Good." Yue Rulun looked satisfied at once. "I have to go on patrol. When you get the wine, come find me."
The hall doors opened behind them, and Yue Rulun turned to leave.
"Hey—Senior Sister!" Mi Xingzhe called after her, as if there was more to say, but she was already too far. He didn't chase.
He stood there, turning the box in his hands, studying the faint glow—
completely unaware that Li Luoning was already behind him.
"When did you become so close with Rulun?" Li Luoning asked, mild surprise threading his voice.
"Ah—!"
Mi Xingzhe jumped so hard the box flew up into the air.
Li Luoning caught it effortlessly.
Mi Xingzhe's face went red. "W-we just…"
Li Luoning tilted the box. "What's this?"
Mi Xingzhe forced himself to breathe. "Senior Sister Rulun gave it to me. She said I should keep it… for future use."
He opened the box again to show him.
Li Luoning's brows rose the moment he saw the pills.
"Purple Cold Double Pearls."
Mi Xingzhe blinked. "What are Purple Cold Double Pearls?"
Li Luoning looked at him, amused. "Do you know what they do?"
Mi Xingzhe shook his head.
"These are divided into Golden Pearls and Silver Pearls," Li Luoning explained calmly. "The Silver Pearls are excellent for external injuries. The Golden Pearls…"
He paused, letting the weight land.
"…are top-grade medicine for strengthening internal cultivation."
Mi Xingzhe's hands jerked. "Then—then I should return them!"
"No need." Li Luoning closed the box and handed it back. "I understand Rulun's temperament. If she gave you something this valuable, she wants to befriend you."
His gaze was steady. "Treat her sincerely."
Then he added, tone gentler, "When you have time, let Qingyi accompany you to choose a gift from the residence storage and return the gesture."
Mi Xingzhe accepted the box, nodding.
"Okay."
But something in his expression dulled, and he didn't know why.
Late that night, at Mirror Cloud Residence—
Mi Xingzhe was asleep.
Then he wasn't.
Nightmares wrapped around him like chains, dragging him through an endless loop. He curled tighter under the blanket, cold sweat soaking his hair and collar.
"No… I don't have it… it's not like that… I'm not…"
His hands clenched the fabric until his knuckles turned white.
Yun Qingyi returned from the medicine room and passed Mi Xingzhe's window. Hearing the movement, he pushed the door open quietly.
Mi Xingzhe was twisting on the bed, face strained, breathing uneven.
"Brother." Yun Qingyi hurried to the bedside and shook him gently. "Wake up."
Mi Xingzhe's eyelids fluttered. For a second he looked as if he might wake—
Then he sank back into the dream.
"No… don't… it's not… I'm not…"
His body jerked. His voice trembled with desperate struggle.
Yun Qingyi's brow furrowed.
He tried again, voice softer, hand on Mi Xingzhe's shoulder.
"Xingzhe… wake up."
Mi Xingzhe didn't wake.
Instead he curled in tighter, fists clenched, forehead damp, lips moving around broken words. A thin sob leaked out, barely audible.
Yun Qingyi's heart dropped.
This isn't a normal nightmare.
Even deep sleep should break under shaking like this.
Alarm rising fast, Yun Qingyi drew a breath, gathered his inner energy, and lifted two fingers. A golden spell floated from between his brows and reached toward Mi Xingzhe's forehead, trying to probe the dream.
The golden light touched—
And met resistance.
It wouldn't enter.
Mi Xingzhe's voice came out faint, cracked.
"Cold… so cold…"
His body was drenched in sweat, but his skin felt wrong—like winter.
Yun Qingyi's chest tightened. He tried again—still nothing. No vision, no dream, only that sealed darkness.
Panic surged.
He rans.
Li Luoning arrived moments later, dressed in a simple robe, hair loosely secured.
He stepped to the bed and pressed a hand to Mi Xingzhe's forehead.
"Cold?" Li Luoning's brows rose in disbelief.
Sweat beaded across Mi Xingzhe's skin, but his temperature was icy—unnatural. His breathing was rapid, neck tendons standing out as if he were fighting something inside his own body.
Li Luoning's gaze dropped to Mi Xingzhe's clenched fists.
He pried Mi Xingzhe's arms open and took his wrist to check his pulse.
"…No abnormalities."
That made it worse.
A normal pulse, yet consciousness muddled, muttering, unable to wake.
Yun Qingyi's voice shook. "Master… could it be the Ethereal Nightmare?"
Li Luoning's expression sharpened.
The Ethereal Nightmare was a sickness unique to ethereal bodies. It fed on painful memories, using them as fuel—draining the host's energy again and again until nothing remained. In the end, the ethereal body would be emptied completely and dissolve into nothingness.
Mi Xingzhe curled tighter, muscles locking as stiff as stone. His brows were knotted. Coughing wracked him. His fists pressed hard against his chest, fingers digging into his own palms.
The scent of blood rose suddenly.
"Mi Xingzhe—let go."
Li Luoning's voice cut through the room.
He seized Mi Xingzhe's hands and saw it—fingertips embedded deep into flesh, blood pooling across his palms.
Yun Qingyi rushed in to help, trying to pry his fingers open.
No matter how hard they tried—no matter how they called—Mi Xingzhe remained locked, immovable, curling tighter as if trying to disappear into himself.
Blood seeped more.
Li Luoning didn't hesitate.
Two fingers pressed to Mi Xingzhe's forehead.
In an instant, Mi Xingzhe's body went slack.
Yun Qingyi startled. "Brother! Xingzhe!"
Mi Xingzhe didn't respond—but his muscles finally relaxed.
Yun Qingyi quickly pulled the blanket over him, then looked at Li Luoning, eyes full of fear.
Li Luoning's gaze stayed on Mi Xingzhe, worry threading beneath his control.
"Don't panic," Li Luoning said quietly. "I only suppressed his consciousness temporarily with spiritual power."
Yun Qingyi's hands trembled as he gently wiped the blood from Mi Xingzhe's palms with the corner of his sleeve.
"Master… what's happening? He was fine before. Why did it suddenly turn into this tonight?"
Li Luoning's breath came out slow.
"Ethereal Nightmare."
His voice was flat, almost too calm.
Then he added, softer—like the words cost him something.
"It seems… he doesn't have much time left."