Aiden woke up to find himself in a soft bed, surrounded by white curtains. He was still weak, but the pain in his stomach had subsided a little. He turned his head and saw Ivy sitting on a chair next to him, her eyes fixed on him. When she saw that Aiden was awake, she jumped up and hugged him tightly.
"You're awake! I was so worried about you," Ivy said, tears welling up in her eyes.
Aiden was taken aback by her sudden display of affection. He had only met her a few days ago, but he could tell that Ivy was a kind and caring person. He patted her back, trying to console her.
"I'm okay, Ivy. Thanks to you and the others, I survived," Aiden said with a weak smile.
Ivy pulled back and wiped away her tears. "I'm just glad that you're okay. The healer said that you need to rest for two months before you can continue with your cultivation," she said.
Aiden's smile faded when he heard that. He sat up, wincing at the pain in his stomach. "Two months? That's too long. I can't just stop cultivating like this. I only have three months in this realm," he protested.
Ivy tried to reason with him. "But you need to rest, Aiden. Your body needs time to heal. And besides, I'll take care of you. You won't be alone," she said, holding his hand.
Aiden looked at her with a mix of gratitude and annoyance. He knew that Ivy was trying to help him, but he couldn't just stop cultivating. He had come to this realm for that very reason. He sighed and looked away.
"I can't just rest, Ivy. I have to keep cultivating. I'll find a way to heal faster," Aiden said stubbornly.
Ivy looked at him with concern. "Aiden, please don't push yourself too hard. Your body needs time to heal. And besides, you don't have to do this alone. You have me and the others. We'll help you," she said softly.
Aiden looked back at her, and for a moment, he felt a pang of guilt. He realized that he had been too focused on his own goals and had ignored the people around him. Ivy was right. He didn't have to do this alone. He nodded and squeezed her hand.
"You're right, Ivy. I'm sorry. I guess I was just too focused on my cultivation. Thank you for being here for me," he said sincerely.
Ivy smiled at him. "Of course, Aiden. That's what friends are for," she said, leaning closer to him.
Aiden's heart skipped a beat when he saw her face up close. He could feel her warm breath on his face, and for a moment, he forgot about his troubles. His face instantly displayed a bright and wide smile, making him look utterly cute for a moment.
For a moment, the world seemed to stand still. Aiden felt a surge of emotion, and he knew that he had made the right decision. Ivy was someone special, and he didn't want to lose her. He held her hand for a moment and looked at her, his eyes shining with gratefulness towards her.
"Ivy, I know that I need to rest. But I can't just stop cultivating. I'll find a way to heal faster, and I'll keep going. But I need you as a ally. Are you willing to become my ally?" Aiden asked, his voice filled with hope.
Ivy looked at him with a mixture of surprise and joy. She could see the determination in his eyes, and she knew that he wouldn't give up easily. She nodded and smiled at him.
"Of course!" She loudly exclaimed, causing her voice to echo.
Ivy really admired him after hearing his words. She couldn't believe he was willing to risk his life for the sake of cultivation. "But Aiden, if you don't rest, you might not survive the next cultivation level." she said, trying to reason with him.
"I know the risks, but I can't afford to take a break now. I came here for cultivation, and I can't just give up because of a little setback," Aiden replied, his voice filled with determination.
Ivy sighed, knowing that Aiden was stubborn and wouldn't change his mind easily. "Fine, but I will be with you and I will help you," she said, placing her hand on his shoulder.
Aiden looked at her, not surprised by her offer. "What do you even ask? I will agree as long as I get to cultivate."
"I mean, I can use my demonic energy to help heal your wounds faster. It won't be as effective as proper rest, but it might reduce the recovery time," Ivy explained.
Aiden nodded, grateful for her help. He knew that he couldn't afford to waste any time, and if Ivy could speed up his recovery, it would be a big help. "Thank you, Ivy. I appreciate your help," he said sincerely.
Ivy smiled at him, feeling happy that she could be of use to him. She gently placed her hand on his chest and closed her eyes, focusing her energy on his wounds.
Aiden felt a warm sensation spreading through his body as Ivy's energy flowed into him. He closed his eyes and relaxed, letting her work her magic. He could feel his wounds closing up, and the pain subsiding.
After a few minutes, Ivy opened her eyes and removed her hand from Aiden's chest. "There, that should help speed up your recovery. But you still need rest," she said, looking at him with concern.
Aiden nodded. "Thank you, Ivy. I'll rest as much as I can." he promised.
Ivy smiled at him, feeling happy that he was willing to take care of himself. "Good. I'll be here to take care of you," she said, sitting next to him.
Aiden looked at her. He couldn't believe that he had only met her a few days ago, and she was already willing to go out of her way to help him. "Thank you, Ivy. You're a good ally," he said, smiling at her.
Ivy blushed at his words, feeling happy that he considered her as a good friend. "You're welcome. I'll always be here for you." she said, placing hands on her lap, a slight blush appeared on her face.
Aiden felt a warm sensation spreading through his body. He couldn't help but feel a little bit of attraction towards her. He quickly shook his head, trying to clear his thoughts. He couldn't afford to get distracted by romantic feelings now, not when his life and cultivation was on the line.
"I appreciate it," he said, stretching his neck before sitting cross-legged on the bed.
Ivy smiled at him, feeling happy that she could be of help to him. She knew that Aiden was a determined cultivator, and he wouldn't rest until he achieved his goals. She just hoped that he wouldn't push himself too hard and end up hurting himself.
As they sat there in silence, Aiden closed his eyes and tried to rest. He knew that he had a long road ahead of him, and he needed all the strength he could get. But even as he closed his eyes, he couldn't shake off the feeling that he was running out of time. He couldn't afford to rest, not when his enemies were closing in on him. He couldn't afford to rest.
(Author - guys, sorry for the late chapter... I will let all of you know that i am currently designing my discord server for the book, I am also creating my own discord bot as i am interested in programming, I hope you guys will understand... I will be back with daily chapters soon. Also, ease try to vote with powerstones and leave a comment on how the pace of the book is going, you may report any mistakes, forced lines or something, i will try to fix them in the future, Thankyou)