'Lory, promise me when all these things are over, you will stay with me, every step of the way!'

'Lory, you have to let me go!'

​​

'Princess, they're coming!'

'LORIENT!'

Suddenly, a cold and pale hands held her face, a pale face with bloodshot eyes leaned towards her, he roars with blood flowing from his eyes, 'WHERE IS SHE?!'

Lory woke up panting, there's a thin layer of cold sweat on her forehead. Zhao Li Xin immediately helped her sit up, "What happened, Lory? What happened?" he cupped her face anxiously.

Lory's eyes move right and left as if she's looking for something until she was finally aware of Zhao Li Xin's worried eyes staring at her. Lory's chest heaved rapidly, only when Zhao Li Xin embraces her did she gradually calmed down. Even though it was warm inside the carriage, she felt so cold that she curled deeper in Zhao Li Xin's embrace.

"I feel cold," Lory said weakly.

Zhao Li Xin used his Qi to raise his temperature, at the same time to warm her up, "Do you feel better now?"

"Hm…" She answers softly.

Lory didn't realize she was not only screaming in her dream; her scream was loud enough to make everyone's carriage stop. Jin Hao had already stepped out of his carriage but Zhao Li Xin signed to him from the window not to come in, even Yang Xi Ying, who was also worried, can only prop her head out of the window, when Zhao Li Xin's carriage start moving again, they had no choice but follow.

"Bad dream?" Zhao Li Xin asked.

She answered weakly, "Yes…"

But the dreams of his princess is never simple, he knew that it could be something more if it involves Lory, that's why he felt unsettled, he's scared that she would fall unconscious for days again, just like before; whenever that happens, he feels helpless. He couldn't do anything but wait.

"Where are we now?" Lory's mind slowly became clearer.

"We'll be arriving at Jiu Yun Sect in less than an hour," Zhao Li Xin tightened his embrace, he rested his chin on top of her head, "Are you feeling well?" he's concerned.

"I'm fine," Lory replied softly.

"Do you still feel cold?"

"I feel better now," she smiled hearing his usual nagging.

"Do you feel thirsty? I'll make some tea for you." he released her to make some warm tea, but Lory grabs his robes.

"No, don't do anything… Stay like this…" she pleaded, asking him to hold her, Zhao Li Xin's heart aches when he saw her pleading look, he smiled at her then wrapped his hands around her. In times like this, he feels that his princess is so small and frail like a crystal glass; he wonders if she would break if he holds her too tight.

Zhao Li Xin sighs deeply, how he wishes he can lock her somewhere safe, he wishes he can wash her pain away but sadly, he can't, how could he, someone who never concerned himself with family, friends, or home, could ever understand how painful it is to lose all of that.

That is why he never knew what the right words to say to comfort her, he only knows how to hug her and tell her that he's here and he will always be here.

"Milord, we have arrived," Mong Ki said from the outside.

Zhao Li Xin helped Lory wear her fur cloak. He raised the hood over her head and adjusted it to cover her ear from the cold wind then he covered both her hands with fur gloves. She looked like a ball of fur when she got out of the carriage.

"We can only walk from here," said Yang Xi Ying who also wore a cloak but thinner since she's also a cultivator and for people like them, the cold was nothing.

"Are we going to climb up?" Lory can only see trees with yellow and red leaves all over the place.

"We are, it's an hour of walking at a normal speed, and then we'll need to climb the stairs to reach Jiu Yun's front gate," Yang Xi Yin is worried for Lory because she's not a cultivator. This much walking is nothing for them but it could be taxing for Lory.

Zhao Li Xin, without asking permission, suddenly carried her in a princess style, it happens too often that she kind of already expected it, Jin Hao and the Mong's were also immune to it, it was only Yang Xi Ying, who blushed when she saw their intimate interaction, while her bodyguard also looked uncomfortable, they did not dare show it.

"Let's go." Zhao Li Xin said with an expressionless face.

Zhao Li Xin took a long leap. He bounced from tree to tree at high speed, followed by Jin Hao and the others, Yang Xi Ying, who have lower cultivation, almost fell behind, fortunately, Lory told Zhao Li Xin to decrease his speed, only then did Yang Xi Ying caught up with them. Ten minutes later, they arrived at the stairs that would lead them to Jiu Yun's front gate.

It's a long and winding step all the way to the top, Lory looked at Zhao Li Xin gratefully. There is no way she can climb those stairs without fainting in the middle of it. Who the hell build a house on the top of a mountain?

Zhao Li Xin took a high jump, in a second, he passed through a hundred steps, then he takes another jump and repeated it while carrying Lory with him, it's amazing how he's not even sweating from all that daunting exercise. It took them another fifteen minutes with high-level qin gong to reach the top of the stairs, they needed to wait for another five minutes for Yang Xin Ying to catch up and she needs another minute to regulate her breathing.

At the same time, someone opened the front gate for them, seems like Jiu Yun was already waiting for their arrival. Surprisingly, the one who welcomes them is Mu Jan Ge and Wang Ji, the two elders of Jiu Yun Sect. Both of them look almost the same except Wang Ji looks younger than Mu Jan Ge.

"Greetings, Lord Long Ming, Master Jin, Miss Luo," Mu Jan Ge cupped his fist courteously.

"Greetings." Zhao Li Xin nods his head.

"I really appreciate you helping us willingly." Mu Jan Ge's eyes was brimming with hope, besides Hei Shen, they don't know who else could help them now.

"Don't think about it. It's because my fiancée was fond of Miss Yang that she persuaded me to help you," Zhao Li Xin showed Lory's position in Hei Shen Sect to everyone. He didn't want anyone to slight her just because she's a waste.

The two elders were stunned but at the same time, they are glad Yang Xi Ying is Li Mo Zhen's fiancée, if not, even begging and crying wouldn't move this demon lord. Thankfully, Yang Xi Ying has a good relationship with Long Ming's fiancée, but since when did Long Ming have a fiancée? The elders didn't muddle with the last question, their focus is on Li Mo Zhen's well-being.

"It's fortunate for Li Mo Zhen to have a fiancée like Xi Ying," Mu Jan Ge smiled warmly.

For other people, this might sound normal but for Yang Xi Ying, it meant everything for her. She knows that the elders don't approve of Li Mo Zhen taking her as his fiancée because she's an outsider and had all that rumors about her, but now the two elders are looking at her with gentle eyes, how could she not be touched by it?

"Please follow me." Mu Jan Ge shifted his hand politely.

Zhao Li Xin and his group followed the elders, Lory lifts her hands to beckoned Girsha to follow her, the bird flew out of nowhere and landed on her shoulder smoothly.

[Having fun yet?] Lory teased him through telepathic conversation.

[You know how much I like mountains.] Girsha chirping happily.

[Yeah, I know.] Lory giggled.

Meanwhile, the elders led them past the main courtyard, then they walked behind it. They reached another massive courtyard and because it was past midnight, all the members of Jiu Yun Sect were already sleeping, only a few of them are awake. They all carry a lantern to help illuminate their path.

They then arrived in another building which is guarded by two powerful cultivators, both looked like they're on high alert when the elders arrived. They scrutinize Zhao Li Xin and his group before letting them enter.

Turns out they entered prison. Thankfully, the prison is almost empty, there are only two people inside it, and from how clean and neat their clothes are and how calm their expression is, they're probably members of Jiu Yun Sect who made trouble and was punished inside the prison for a few days. The prison also looks clean, the place didn't look like a prison at all.

The elders entered another room, after closing the door, Mu Jan Ge took out a key from his sleeve. Who knows there would be a secret keyhole behind the shelf? He puts the key on the hole, twisted it and they heard metals clicking and a secret door opened beside them.

Lory suddenly got excited; Zhao Li Xin held her hand to prevent her from running by herself. He never understood why his princess loves secret passages and dungeons so much.

They lit up the torch then climbed down the stairs, Lory suddenly heard wailings, the deeper they got, the clearer the sound becomes. Yang Xi Ying's face looked pale, her chin trembles and her eyes became damp from tears. Lory's heart suddenly thudded, she felt the darkness slowly getting closer in every step she takes. Lory's eyebrows furrow, it's been a long time since she felt this way, she only felt this when she was in her old world.

[Girsha, can you feel it?] Lory was bewildered by the dark aura around her.

[Yes, it's a curse…]