Zeyan tried to use his powers again, but it was of no use. His immense power and high cultivation were not responding. He was indeed the most powerful Demon Emperor, possessing the special Blood Flame Veins, yet none of his abilities worked. Instead, he grew weaker with every passing moment.
He lost his balance and vomited blood. He was about to fall, but Lingxi held him.
"My lord… what is happening to you?" she asked anxiously.
"Why are you worried?" he said, looking into her eyes. "You should be happy. Your work is getting easier."
"Which work?" she asked.
"What's the use of pretending now?" he replied weakly. "Don't you want to use this opportunity?"
"Which opportunity? I don't understand what you are talking about."
"And I don't understand what you are waiting for, what's going on in your mind," he said.
Though he could barely speak, he still forced himself to talk. He tried hard to resist, but his strength was fading rapidly. Lingxi struggled to hold him, but soon he collapsed, leaning against her shoulder.
"How can I save you?" she cried. "Tell me what is happening. Why aren't your powers working?"
"That snake… it was carrying a spell," he said faintly. "The moment it died, the spell activated."
He weakened with every second as the black mist continued absorbing all his strength.
"Why are you still here?" Zeyan asked her.
"Can't you understand?" she shouted. "I'm trying to save you, that's all!"
"But why—" Before he could finish, he vomited blood again.
"Because you are dying!" she screamed." And even in this state you want to argue with me."
Zeyan's consciousness began slipping away. He struggled to keep his eyes open.
"I have no other choice…" Lingxi whispered desperately.
She removed the white, shining hair ornament attached to her hair and threw it into the air. Instantly, everything froze—even the air itself. The black mist surrounding them was unable to resist the power of the hair ornament. Everything stopped except Lingxi and Zeyan.
Zeyan was barely conscious. He could sense that the aura around him had frozen, but he couldn't speak. The spell had already damaged him badly.
Lingxi supported him and tried to move him away from that place. He could barely walk, but she somehow managed to take him away from that place.
She saved him from the mist, but unfortunately she doesn't know the way to go out from the Night Valley, she soon found herself lost in the black forest.
"Where should we go?" she asked the unconscious Zeyan. "I don't know the way…"
He was breathing heavily.
He tried to say something, but before he could, he completely fainted.
"My lord… My lord…" she tried to wake him, but there was no response.
She placed him under a tree, letting him rest against its trunk. Lingxi looked around anxiously—there was no one in sight.
Night Valley was indeed an isolated place , there was not even a drop of water which Lingxi could give to Zeyan.
"What should I do!" She snapped. "I have nothing to do with this man but I don't know why seeing him dying is making me anxious. Moreover till now he has not done anything wrong with me."
Suddenly, she noticed several figures descending from the air.
It was Yanlong, accompanied by several guards. As soon as they saw Zeyan's condition, they rushed down.
"Your Highness!" Yanlong shouted in shock. None of them had expected to see him like this.
"What have you done to His Highness?" Yanlong demanded harshly.
"I haven't done anything," Lingxi replied.
"Then why is he in this condition?" one of the men shouted.
"It's not because of me!" She replied. "I have not done anything it's...."
"Enough," Yanlong interrupted. "Treat His Highness first. We'll deal with her back at the palace."
They immediately took both of them back.
---
On one side, Zeyan was being treated in his chamber.
On the other side, Lingxi was being tortured—again and again—forced to confess to a crime she had not committed.
She was held in a different part of the palace. At first, she could only see stone walls around her—it was a prison. Her hands were tied with spiritual restraints, and her body bore several cuts.
A man dressed in black stood in front of her, interrogating her.
"What did you do to His Highness?" he demanded.
"I didn't do anything," she said in a broken voice.
Immediately, the man extended his hand, emitting a red ball of energy. Lingxi was hit by the force and vomited blood.
"He is the Emperor," the man said coldly. "A mere snake spell cannot harm him this much. If you tell the truth and help us awaken His Highness, your punishment may be reduced. Admit it—what did you do? Why is he still unconscious?"
"I told you, I did nothing," she replied weakly. "Whatever happened, I've already told you. If I had powers, I would have escaped long ago. Why would I let you torture me? Think about it—if I truly had power, would I still be here?"
"Girl, don't try to fool me with such nonsense," the man said angrily. "I'll ask you one last time."
"No matter how many times you ask, my answer will remain the same," she replied.
"Fine," he said coldly. "If you won't admit the truth or help us, there's no point in keeping you alive."
The man formed a flaming sphere with his hand. It was large and violent—there was no doubt that if it struck Lingxi, she wouldn't survive without spiritual power.
Lingxi too knows that, she was even not able to move her hand, she was tied with magical powers and death was standing infront of her.
"I thought Zeyan will be a danger for me I saw him as a danger for my life" she whispered in her mind. "But I never thought saving his life will be cost mine. It can't end like this"
He finally hurled the fireball toward her.