The Demon Lord surrendered himself to her warmth, forgetting all worries for that fleeting moment.
Wrapped in each other's arms, they slept peacefully together.
Morning arrived quietly.
Zeyan was the first to open his eyes. For a moment, he remained still, watching Lingxi's sleeping face resting against his bare chest.
Her breathing was slow and calm. A rare, genuine smile curved his lips.
He lifted his hand and gently brushed away the loose strands of hair falling over her cheek.
The soft touch disturbed her sleep.
Lingxi stirred… and slowly opened her eyes.
She was not ready for what she was about to see.
The moment reality struck, her eyes widened in shock.
Her head was resting on Zeyan's bare chest. Her hand was placed near his neck.
Before she could scream, Zeyan reacted instantly, pressing his palm firmly over her mouth.
"Don't you dare shout," he snapped in a low voice. "Before you create a scene, let me be clear—you are the one responsible for this situation."
She glared at him furiously, trying to pull his hand away, but his grip was stronger.
"You only forced me to sleep with you yesterday", he snapped, and removed his hand.
"You're lying!" Lingxi shouted the moment he removed his hand, sitting up abruptly.
"You're lying to me!" she repeated.
"You're the one who became an uncontrolled weapon last night and attacked me," Zeyan replied calmly, sitting beside her.
"What nonsense are you saying?" she shot back. "I would never do that!"
"You already did," he cut her off. "Give yourself a moment and try to remember what happened last night."
Last night…
Her words faltered.
Fragments of memory flashed through her mind—her hands clutching his clothes, calling him closer, seeking his warmth.
Her expression changed instantly. She closed her eyes, and when she opened them again, her face was burning red with embarrassment.
"So, you remember," Zeyan said, watching her reaction closely.
"No, it's not like that," she lied quickly."I tried to but I can't remember anything".
"Really?" he smirked. "Your face says otherwise."
She looked away, unable to meet his gaze. She remembered everything—but admitting it was another matter entirely.
"Fine," Zeyan said after a pause. "Let's say you don't remember anything. But then why are you so disturbed seeing yourself beside me? From what I know… this is exactly what you wanted."
"No! It's not like that," Lingxi replied hurriedly.
"Then what is the issue?" he asked, leaning closer.
She hesitated before speaking.
"I was unconscious. That's why I'm worried. I shouldn't have troubled you. Last night was the first time you were so close to me… I wanted to be in my senses."
"If that's the problem," Zeyan said lightly, "then there is no problem at all."
Before she could react, he pushed her back onto the bed and leaned over her, his bare body hovering close.
Lingxi's breath hitched. Her hands instinctively pressed against his shoulders.
"It's not too late," he said, his sharp gaze locked onto hers.
"Nothing special happened last night," he continued slowly, brushing a finger down her cheek. "But now that you're fully conscious… we could change that."
"My lord…" she said hesitantly, trying to steady her breath, "You must be tired, I didn't remember but feeling like I really troubled you."
He slid his thumb across her lips. "Not at all tired. In fact, I slept peacefully for the first time in years. All my exhaustion vanished."
Just as the moment deepened—
"Your Highness! Your Highness!"
Urgent knocking echoed through the room.
Zeyan paused, then straightened immediately, moving away from Lingxi.
The knocking continued.
He got off the bed and walked toward the door, only to be stopped by her voice.
"Are you really going to open the door like that?"
He glanced down at himself, realized, and quickly grabbed his upper garment from beside the bed, putting it on before opening the door.
Yanlong stood outside, his face tense.
"Forgive me for disturbing you, Your Highness," Yanlong said, bowing slightly. "But this is urgent."
Zeyan stepped out with him, leaving Lingxi alone in the room.
"Something serious must have happened," she murmured to herself.
"What happened?" , Zeyan asked as they reached to his room.
"My lord, corpses and skeletons have been found near the forest of Night Valley." Yanlong spoke immediately.
"What?" Zeyan exclaimed sharply.
"Yes, my lord. And judging by their condition, I suspect this is the work of evil spirits."
"But how is this possible , the spirits are sealed in Night Valley," Zeyan said grimly.
"Yes, my lord—but the bodies were completely drained of blood, leaving only skeletons. This is exactly how evil spirits hunt."
Zeyan clenched his fist. "So it has begun… I suspected something, I thought it is just starting but this incident shows that things have gone too far , possibly I missed a crucial detail."
"Your Highness, if you permit, I will investigate the area myself."
"No," Zeyan replied firmly. "I will also go with you. If the spirits break free, they will destroy everything."
Outside the room, Lingxi stood silently, having heard everything.
A spark ignited in her eyes.
"This is my chance," she whispered to herself.