Chapter 51
The room was silent.
Too silent.
The kind of silence that only appeared when everyone was afraid to speak the truth aloud.
Zhuo Yichen lay motionless on the bed.
His face was pale.His breathing weak.
Every rise and fall of his chest felt uncertain.
As though the next breath might not come.
Lu Wu stood beside him and slowly withdrew his hand.
“There is a way.”
The words immediately drew everyone’s attention.
“The Yunguang Sword can separate the demonic essence inside his body.”
Hope appeared.
Only to be shattered moments later.
“But it requires an Ice Yi descendant.”
Zhao Yuanzhou looked toward the broken fragments of the Yunguang Sword resting nearby.
The sword that had protected Yichen his entire life.
The sword that had now become pieces of cold metal.
His voice was hoarse.
“It’s broken.”
Nobody answered.
Because they all knew.
The sword had broken protecting Yichen.
And before that-
it had cracked because of Zhao Yuanzhou.
Because of his rage.
Because of the Blood Moon.
Because of him.
Lu Wu hesitated before speaking again.
“There is another way.”
Everyone looked up.
“In the Wilderness grows a sacred Kui Wood.”
“It can restore life force.”
“It may keep him alive.”
May.
Not save.
The difference was enough to make everyone’s hearts sink.
Before anyone could speak, Ying Lei stepped forward.
“I’ll go.”
“No.”
Zhao Yuanzhou immediately objected.
Ying Lei shook his head.
“You stay.”
His eyes moved toward the unconscious figure on the bed.
“He needs you.”
For a moment, Zhao Yuanzhou couldn’t answer.
Because it was true.
Yichen needed him.
And yet-
he was the reason Yichen was lying there.
That night, while his body remained unconscious, Zhuo Yichen dreamed.
It wasn’t a battlefield.
There was no blood.
No swords.
No screams.
Only sunlight.
Warm sunlight.
And laughter.
A tiny baby rested in his arms.
Chubby cheeks.
Tiny fingers.
Soft black hair.
The baby’s eyes kept closing while drinking milk.
Every few seconds his head would droop.
Then jerk awake again.
Only to fall asleep once more.
Yichen laughed.
The sound was so light.
So happy.
“This baby is too cute.”
Across from him, Zhao Yuanzhou folded his arms dramatically.
“I see.”
Yichen looked up.
“What?”
“The baby receives all the attention.”
Yichen stared.
Then burst out laughing.
“He is literally a baby.”
“That changes nothing.”
The demon looked deeply offended.
“For months I’ve been replaced.”
The baby yawned.
Immediately both parents looked at him.
Zhao pointed.
“See?”
“No one loves me anymore.”
Yichen rolled his eyes.
The sleeping child stretched his tiny hand and grabbed Yichen’s finger.
Instantly Yichen’s entire expression softened.
His eyes filled with tenderness.
“So small…”
His fingers carefully brushed the baby’s cheek.
His voice became quiet.
“I really wonder…”
“How did you ever fit inside my tummy?”
The demon nearly choked.
Yichen smacked him before he could speak.
The baby slept peacefully between them.
Safe.
Warm.
Loved.
A family.
The kind of happiness neither of them had ever truly possessed.
The kind fate always seemed determined to steal away.
Then suddenly-
the dream shattered.
Darkness swallowed everything.
Zhuo Yichen’s eyes opened.
For one brief moment.
The room exploded into movement.
“Yichen!”
Zhao Yuanzhou was instantly beside him.
But Yichen wasn’t looking at anyone.
His eyes searched desperately.
As though he had lost something precious.
His lips trembled.
“…baby…”
The word escaped softly.
Broken.
Confused.
Longing.
Everyone froze.
“…baby…”
Then tears appeared at the corners of his eyes.
Not fully awake.
Not fully asleep.
Caught between dreams and reality.
Between this life and another.
“…where is my baby…”
The words were barely audible.
Then his eyes closed again.
His hand slipped from the blanket.
And he fell back into unconsciousness.
The room became silent.
Because the sadness in that voice…
didn’t sound like a dream.
It sounded like someone searching for a child he had once loved.
And lost.
Zhao Yuanzhou sat completely frozen.
His face had gone white.
Because he knew exactly who Yichen had been looking for.
Xiao Bao.
Their son.
The child who had lived only two short months.
The child he had failed to protect.
The child whose tiny face still appeared in his nightmares.
For a moment, Zhao Yuanzhou couldn’t breathe.
Then he gently took Yichen’s hand.
And bowed his head.
Tears silently falling onto the blanket.
✨❄️❄️❄️❄️✨✨✨⚔️⚔️
Days later, when the Five-Colored Stone rose from the pond, everyone thought heaven had finally shown them mercy.
The legendary stone glowed beautifully beneath the moonlight.
Hope returned….
A way to repair the Yunguang Sword.
A way to save Yichen.
A way forward.
Suddenly….
Then Li Lun appeared.
His vines touched the stone.
And vanished.
Nothing happened.
At least not immediately.
When Wen Xiao carefully brought the Five-Colored Stone beside Yichen-
the stone cracked.
A tiny sound.
So small.
Yet devastating.
CRACK.
Another fracture followed.
And another.
Until the entire stone shattered before their eyes.
Nobody moved.
Nobody spoke.
It felt as though destiny itself had broken apart.
Zhao Yuanzhou stared at the fragments.
His heart sinking.
Li Lun had never wanted the stone.
He wanted hope destroyed.
And he had succeeded.
When Ying Lei finally returned from the Wilderness, he looked exhausted.
Covered in wounds.
Barely standing.
Yet he held the Kui Wood tightly in his arms.
Like it was the most precious thing in the world.
The moment he entered, he rushed toward the bed.
“I found it.”
His voice cracked.
“I found it…”
The sacred wood released gentle green light.
Slowly, warmth returned to Yichen’s body.
His breathing became steadier.
His face regained a hint of color.
Everyone cried from relief.
Everyone except Zhao Yuanzhou.
Because he knew.
This wasn’t salvation.
Only borrowed time.
Later that night, Zhao Yuanzhou sat beside Yichen’s bed.
Holding him carefully against his chest.
His demonic energy flowed softly into Yichen’s body.
Trying to ease the pain.
Trying desperately to keep him alive.
Yichen’s head rested against his shoulder.
Unconscious.
Fragile.
Far too light.
As though he were already drifting away.
Zhao lowered his head and pressed a trembling kiss against his hair.
Then another.
Then another.
As if afraid these might be his last chances.
His voice finally broke.
“The Kui Wood won’t save him.”
Nobody answered.
Because nobody wanted to hear the rest.
“The demonic energy is spreading.”
His arms tightened around Yichen.
“If it continues…”
His throat closed.
He couldn’t say it.
He physically couldn’t.
Finally, Zhao forced himself to speak.
“The pressure will destroy his body.”
His voice shattered.
“His organs will rupture.”
Tears streamed down his face.
“And he’ll die.”
The word echoed through the room.
Die.
Such a simple word.
Yet it felt crueler than any blade.
Zhao buried his face against Yichen’s shoulder.
Holding him desperately.
As though his embrace alone could stop fate.
“Please…”
His voice trembled.
“Just hold on a little longer.”
His tears soaked Yichen’s robes.
“I know I’m selfish.”
“I know I don’t deserve it.”
“But stay.”
His hand shook as he brushed Yichen’s cheek.
“Stay with me.”
“I’ve lost you too many times.”
His breathing became uneven.
“I can’t do it again.”
The room fell silent.
Only quiet sobs remained.
And beneath the moonlight-
a demon who had lived for twenty thousand years sat beside the person he loved most.
Holding him.
Protecting him.
Praying.
Not as a great demon.
Not as Zhu Yan.
Not as Zhao Yuanzhou.
But simply as a man terrified that the love of all his lifetimes was slipping through his fingers once again…