"Uhhhhh..."
Yi Ling took a deep breath, like a baby taking its first breath.
"Ling'er... Ling'er..." Her eyes were still closed, but she could hear someone calling her. Brother Jin?
"Ling'er, wake up... Please, Ling'er..." She felt spiritual energy flowing into her body. Her body was too weak, having been suspended in animation and unused for a year. It hadn't eaten or absorbed spiritual energy, so it was now too thin, bones evident. Now that someone was guiding their spiritual energy into her, she managed to utter some words.
"Brother Jin?" she said softly.
Mu Xin, who was inside the Ring, was shocked. No, it can't be. She's not supposed to remember him. Where did she go? Did she go to him? He was speechless and unable to move.
"Master? It's me, Linyu..." Linyu interjected. He didn't like what he had heard. He shook his head, trying not to remember. It would just infuriate him.
"Yu'er?"
"Yes, Master, it's me, Linyu..."
"Why is it so dark? I can't open my eyes." Yi Ling was confused. Was it all a dream again?
"Master, your body is too weak at the moment. Please come inside the Ring. You need to replenish your soul first." Linyu was outside, having brought Yi Ling back to her body by making her drink Mu Xin's pill.
"En." She focused her mind and entered the Ring.
Mu Xin woke up from his stupor. As soon as he saw Yi Ling, he ran towards her and hugged her.
"Ling'er... you're back!" He hugged her tightly, afraid he'd lose her again.
"Mu Xin?" Yi Ling was still in a daze. So it wasn't Brother Jin. She suddenly felt sad but didn't show it.
Mu Xin didn't reply. He didn't know what to say to her. He was only aware of his fear—fear that she remembered everything and fear that he'd lose her.
"Mu Xin?" she repeatedly called him. He was hugging her too tightly. "Mu Xin? I can't breathe."
"Oh... Sorry." He slowly loosened his hug but didn't let go.
"Mu Xin? What happened to me? What happened to you?" She noticed that his eyes and hair were lighter.
"The Second Seal was still too strong for you, and you fell into a coma. You went into a deep slumber. I had to use some of my spiritual energy to wake you up. Sorry, I wasn't able to do it right away because I had to make you some medicine. It took us a year to gather all the herbs." He spoke nonstop. He didn't want her to know that her soul had disappeared or to remember anything else. He didn't want her to worry too much. She was back, and that was what mattered. Linyu and Tefei stood silently by the side. They were happy to see their master again. Their efforts hadn't been in vain.
"Was I asleep the whole time?" She looked at everyone.
Linyu and Tefei were silent. Mu Xin clenched his fist underneath his sleeve. "Yes." He spoke straightly. Yi Ling smiled. She trusted Mu Xin and believed he wouldn't lie to her. He was her guardian angel, or so she thought.
Seeing that she accepted his explanation, Mu Xin felt relieved and guilty. Did she dream about King Jin? He couldn't help but be suspicious.
"Did you dream about anything? You called out a name earlier..." Mu Xin gulped. "You said Brother Jin." He looked at her, waiting for any kind of reaction. He wanted to confirm if she remembered anything.
"Did I? Huh... that's weird. I can't recall anything now." She smiled and scratched her head. She didn't want to hurt Mu Xin, so she lied to him.
~ I'm so sorry, Mu Xin. I can't love you. Even if it was all a dream, my heart feels like it was real. I need to find the Jin Kingdom. I need to see him again. ~ She thought.
She decided to get stronger so she could walk side by side with him. Mu Xin didn't see anything strange. He smiled and rubbed her head.
"I need you to stay in the Abyss until you get your strength back. I will be away for a while. I used too much of my spiritual energy, so I need to rest. I will let Linyu and Tefei take care of you. Promise me not to put yourself in any danger while I'm away?" He looked at her like she was a troublemaker.
"Yes, I will. I promise." She hugged Mu Xin. She could see the sacrifices Mu Xin had made just to bring her back. He looked weaker and older. She felt guilty for not telling the truth. She wasn't even sure if it was real. Until she met King Jin again, she would treat it like a wonderful memory.
"Good. It seems like breaking your Second Seal made you stronger. You're now in the Dawning Stage. Even though it was a painful process, it brought good results. But you can't do it again. For the time being, I need you to get stronger first before attempting to break your Third Seal. Promise me this as well." He didn't want her to go through that again. She needed to prepare herself. It looked like breaking the seal brought danger to her life. He sighed. He didn't know if he should let her continue breaking the seals. But if she did, he would be free. And so would she.
"I promise." She swore an oath.