Lingxi was inclined in his arms. Zeyan helped her stand properly, still holding her firmly by the waist, as she was unable to stand without his support.
He composed his right hand, extending his index and middle fingers while curling the remaining three.
A faint yellow light sparkled at the tips of his fingers.
However, his eyes were completely different—dark, intense, and strained. It was clearly visible from his expression that this was not easy for him. His gaze was locked onto hers, directly into her eyes, as if he could feel her pain through that connection.
The next second, he touched the tips of his glowing fingers near her chest.
Lingxi's breath hitched violently. For a moment, she was unable to breathe at all. Seconds later, she released a shaky breath and placed her hand over her chest, removing it from his shoulder.
Zeyan held her even more tightly, pulling her closer to him. His eyes softened as they continuously searched her face for any sign of worsening pain.
But suddenly, Lingxi pushed him away with all the strength she had left.
She staggered back, breathing heavily, barely able to stand on her own. Then, without warning, her feet were pulled backward. Her body was no longer under her control, as if an invisible force was dragging her in a different direction.
Despite her weakened condition, she began moving—walking forward unwillingly.
"So it has started," Zeyan snapped.
Yanlong and Zeyan immediately followed her, maintaining a careful distance. They neither touched her nor tried to block her path, knowing any interference could worsen the situation.
Even in her fragile state, her speed increased beyond normal limits. The evil spirit inside her drove her forward. Within moments, she was no longer walking—she began running uncontrollably.
"Master," Yanlong said anxiously, "she's heading toward another edge of the Night Valley. There's a deep abyss there. Why is the spirit taking her that way? Does it want to kill her?"
"No," Zeyan replied firmly. "It won't. The spirit is unable to fully suck her blood because I sealed it. It's restless and trying to reach the mastermind controlling it. That place is likely the source of the spreading aura. Don't stop her. Let her go."
Within moments, they reached the edge of the valley.
A vast, terrifying abyss lay before them.
Lingxi continued moving closer to the edge.
"Master!" Yanlong shouted. "She's going to jump! If she falls from there, she will die!"
"Abyss or heaven," Zeyan said in a steady, unshaken voice, "no power in any realm can harm her while I am present."
The very next moment, Lingxi jumped into the abyss.
Without thinking even for a second, Zeyan leapt after her. Yanlong followed immediately, taking his dragon form mid-air and spreading his massive wings as he flew after them.
Before Lingxi could fall too far, Zeyan reached her and caught her in his arms. Holding her tightly, he guided their descent.
"Don't worry, Zeyan said softly, I will not let anything happen to you".
The effect of his words was visible in her painful eyes which showed a sign of ease for that moment.
They landed safely on the ground below.
The instant they touched the ground, Zeyan released her and moved aside—he knew that even a moment's delay could endanger her.
Nearby stood a cave.
Lingxi rushed straight into it.
"I have never seen this cave, Master," Yanlong said as he reached them.
"So the one controlling all this is hiding deep within this abyss," Zeyan said grimly.
They both followed Lingxi into the cave.
The inside was dark, with a strangely warm temperature. Lingxi finally stopped near a black stone placed at the center of the cave. She placed her hand on it, breathing heavily. This was the first pause she had taken since being dragged here.
Her legs gave way, and she fell to the ground, but her hand remained pressed firmly against the black stone, as if glued to it.
Zeyan rushed toward her. He knelt beside her, gently placing his hand on her cheek.
"Are you fine?" he asked urgently. "Lingxi, look at me."
She slowly turned her face toward him.
"I don't know what's happening," she said in a weak, trembling voice. "I can feel something wrong inside me. I wasn't in control of myself—I came here without knowing why. But now… now it feels like something is eating my body from the inside, and I can't do anything."
"Aah—!" she cried out suddenly, clutching her chest tightly as her breathing became uneven.
There was no one else around them.
Only darkness, silence… and the growing presence of something terrifying.
Lingxi suddenly touched her throat, as if experiencing a strange sensation.
"I… I suddenly feel like it's dry," she said faintly.
"Do you want water?" Zeyan asked immediately.
"No," she denied, then closed her eyes, as if sensing something.
But it wasn't her—it was the evil spirit inside her, continuously struggling to feed itself, unable to suck her blood.
Lingxi suddenly stood up and began walking deeper into the cave.
"What happened? Where are you going?" Zeyan asked urgently. "You said you weren't feeling well."
"Leave me!" she shouted. "I'm thirsty!"
She continued walking forward.
Zeyan and Yanlong followed her, and soon she stopped at an unexpected sight.
Before them lay a pond—not of water, but of blood.
It was a large, round pool filled with boiling red blood. Inside the blood writhed countless snakes, identical to the ones Zeyan had killed in Night Valley.
Lingxi moved toward the pond.
Zeyan immediately grabbed her hand.
"Stop! Where are you going?" he snapped. "Can't you see? That's blood!"
"Leave me," she cried, trying to pull free. "I'm thirsty. I want to drink that blood."
She tried to rush toward the pond again, but Zeyan pulled her back and held her tightly in his arms. Of course, he could never allow her to go near that poisonous pool.
"Lingxi!" he shouted shaking her heavily. "Come to your senses! That's blood!"
"I know," she replied desperately, "but I want to drink it."
Yanlong stared at the pond and suddenly noticed the snakes inside it—how they were sucking the blood.
"This is the place from where it all started, Master!" Yanlong shouted. "The snakes… I think they all are acting as blood vessels!"
Zeyan looked keenly at the pond while holding the uncontrollable Lingxi in his arms.
"These are the same snakes," he said grimly. "We have to leave this place. There is no one here—the mastermind is not present. He must have fled already."
He tightened his grip on Lingxi.
"The evil spirit is restless because it can't consume her blood. That's why it's driving her insane with this thirst."
"Leave me!" Lingxi screamed again. "I want to drink that blood!"
"It's poison! You will die!" Zeyan shouted back.
Before he could pull Lingxi away, the snakes inside the pond began to move. One by one, they crawled toward the edge.
They were not four or five—their number was nearly fifty.
All of them emerged together.
Yanlong took a step back.
"Master," he said tensely, "it seems like they're coming out to attack."
"Don't you dare kill them," Zeyan warned sharply. He knew the consequences.
"Then what should we do?" Yanlong asked.
On one side, Lingxi struggled harder than ever, desperate to drink the blood.
On the other, dozens of snakes slithered toward them from the pond.
The situation was spiraling out of control.