Xue Jingyun called out softly, but Ah Ning was no longer by his side. The warmth of Ah Ning's hand was gone from his palm. Ah Ning had completely disappeared, vanished before his eyes.
His gaze turned cold, his eyes now filled with piercing chill and even killing intent.
In the darkness, he scanned his surroundings and finally locked onto a spot. Above the Cold Palace, there was a black stone.
It was moving.
He flew forward and seized the stone. The stone was soft, pulsing like a human heart.
He increased his grip, only to hear the stone speak, "Don't... don't crush me, please, please don't. We can talk this through..."
"Why have the people here disappeared?" he asked coldly.
The stone gave a wry smile. "They have all entered my illusionary realm in a cycle. Unless they wake up themselves, there is nothing that can be done."
He slowly tightened his grip on the stone. The stone cried out, "No, don't crush me, I'll tell you..."
"Speak..."
The stone said resignedly, "You need to go in and bring them out."
"It's that simple!"
The stone nodded. "It is that simple."
"What is in your illusionary realm?" he asked.
The stone said proudly, "As the administrator of the Cold Palace, I can show people in the illusion their future."
"Future?"
The stone nodded. "This is my power."
"How do I enter?"
The stone replied, "Empty your mind and let yourself willingly enter the illusion."
"What do you need me to do then?" He delivered a deadly blow.
The stone became nervous. "No, no, I'll take you in."
Soon, a door materialized before him. The stone said obsequiously, "You can go in now."
He nodded, grasping the stone, and entered the door. The stone was furious. "How can you be so shameless?"
"There is no deception in war," he retorted to the stone.
The stone was so angry it nearly spat blood. It had lived for so many years, only to be toyed with by a mere boy. It was infuriating.
He saw himself standing in a room. Just as he was about to ask the stone where this was, a familiar voice suddenly came from within, "Xue Yan, don't let him in."
His whole body trembled. He looked towards the door. The illusionary him was about to walk in, but Xue Yan pushed him out. "Your Highness, His Majesty has forbidden you from entering. His Majesty is working hard, and will soon give birth to the young prince."
The illusionary him pressed his hands against the door, "Ah Ning, tell Ah Ning not to be afraid, I am here."
Xue Yan nodded, closed the door, and turned around, tears streaming down her face.
His body stiffened. He wanted to go in and see Ah Ning, but he couldn't even move a step forward.
"This is her future. Go and see it!" the stone in his possession suddenly said.
He summoned all his strength and lifted his foot, walking forward step by step. In the inner chamber, behind the curtains, she lay with a pale face. Xue Yan was on the verge of tears. "Your Majesty, you must push harder for the young prince to come out."
"Ah..." He watched as his Ah Ning exerted all her strength, and finally gave birth to the child.
The him outside the door pounded on the door, "Ah Ning, Ah Ning, how are you?"
"Xue... Xue Yan..."
Xue Yan stepped forward and took her hand. "Your Majesty, look, the young prince is out."
"Xue Yan... I... I can't go on. Tell... tell Yan Zhao that I was happy to be with him in this life and the last. I... I was very happy..."
"Your Majesty, Your Majesty, what's wrong?" Xue Yan shook her head and called out.
Outside the door, the illusionary him suddenly kicked open the door and rushed to the bed. He looked at the weakened person and said hoarsely, "Ah Ning, don't leave me..."
"Yan Zhao, we have a child..."
"Ah Ning, I don't want the child, I've always wanted you..."
"Yan Zhao, I... I love you..."
"Ah Ning..."
He heard the illusionary him roar with heartbreaking agony.
"What in the world is going on?" he asked the stone.
The stone replied, "Her body was conjured. It's not a real body. The fetus, after ten months of gestation, has absorbed everything her body could give."
"If you hadn't let her conceive, could this have been avoided?" he asked, his voice trembling.
The stone pondered for a moment. "One could say so."
"I understand."
The stone was startled. "Understand what?"
"Remove all the illusions," he said.
The stone shook its head. "I can't remove them. You must... alas, why are you squeezing me again?"
"I said remove them," his voice was exceptionally cold.
The stone knew he wasn't joking and quickly absorbed the illusions.
He finally found Ah Ning in a corner, a tear still in her eye.
He stepped forward and gently picked up his Ah Ning, holding her in his arms as if she were a precious treasure.
The stone clicked its tongue. "I never imagined the secret arts of Miao Jiang could conjure a phantom body into a real one."
"Drag everyone else out of the illusions."
The stone gritted its teeth. "Are you treating me like your subordinate?"
He turned back to look at the stone, his gaze radiating a chilling coldness. The stone immediately wilted.
It would admit defeat.
When Xue Zining woke up, she saw him by her side and felt relieved. "Yan Zhao."
She saw him open his eyes and tightly embrace her. "Ah Ning, promise me you won't leave me again..."
She nodded and slowly said, "Yan Zhao, I had a dream."
His body trembled uncontrollably, his voice also faintly shaking. "Ah Ning, dreams are all false."
She nodded. "Of course, I know, but it felt so real."
"Ah Ning, it's all false, all false."
She saw the worry in his eyes and nodded. "Yes, it's all false."
She had dreamed that one day her body would disappear, and he would become a demon and destroy everything.
She reached out and hugged him, softly saying, "Yan Zhao, let's be together forever, never apart."
If that day ever came, she would take him with her.
"Okay, never apart." As long as he could be with his Ah Ning, what did it matter if there was no child?
"Uh, when you two are being lovey-dovey, can you consider my feelings as a stone?" The stone was helpless. How old was it? It still had to watch these affectionate scenes. It was an eyesore!
"If you don't like it, you don't have to watch," Xue Jingyun said indifferently.
"I don't want to watch, but you've hung me on yourself, so how can I not watch?" The stone was exasperated.
"Yan Zhao, this is..." Xue Zining was curious that the stone could talk.
"The administrator of the Cold Palace," Xue Jingyun said.
"Does that mean you are very powerful?"
The stone puffed out its chest proudly. "Naturally. I have lived longer than all of you, so of course, I am powerful."
"Yan Zhao, can you give it to me?"
Xue Jingyun unhooked the stone and tied it to her. "Of course, you can."
The stone was furious. "Hey, I'm not some merchandise to be passed around! I have dignity."
"You? You have no dignity," Xue Jingyun said faintly.