Yang Mi woke up feeling disoriented, her surroundings unfamiliar. She struggled to remember where she was, her mind clouded by fatigue. Her body felt weak, drained of energy. She tried to sit up, but a wave of dizziness overcame her.
"Tan Qi..." she whispered, her voice barely audible.
Her loyal maid, Tan Qi, rushed into the chamber. Upon seeing Yang Mi's pale face, she gasped in shock. "My lady! What has happened to you?"
Yang Mi's eyes fluttered open, her voice weak. "I don't know... I feel so weak. It's as if my very soul has been drained from my body."
Tan Qi's heart pounded with worry. She had never seen her mistress in such a state. "You must rest, my lady. I'll get help immediately." She hurried to fetch a cloak and sent a message to Tan Yuan to meet them at the palace gate.
As Tan Qi helped Yang Mi into the cloak, she could feel how fragile her mistress had become. Supporting her carefully, they made their way out of the crown prince's palace, moving stealthily to avoid drawing attention. By the time they reached the outer gate, Tan Yuan was waiting for them, his face etched with concern.
"Yang Mi! What happened?" Tan Yuan exclaimed, rushing to her side. He had never seen her in such a weakened state, and his heart ached with fear.
"I don't know... but I need to go back to Kunlun Mountain. I need to see my uncle," Yang Mi whispered weakly.
Tan Yuan's face tightened with worry, but he nodded. "Let's get you there quickly." Without wasting a moment, he helped her into a carriage, and they set off towards Kunlun Mountain. The journey was a blur for Yang Mi, her consciousness fading in and out. Tan Yuan held her hand tightly, his mind racing with worry.
Upon their arrival at Kunlun Mountain, Tan Yuan and Tan Qi carried Yang Mi into her room, laying her gently on the bed. Lord Fang Zhu, engrossed in reviewing his work, was unaware of his niece's arrival until one of his subordinates came rushing in.
"Master, Lady Yang Mi is here, and she is in a dire state," the subordinate reported urgently.
Lord Fang Zhu's face paled as he quickly followed the subordinate to Yang Mi's room. His heart ached at the sight of her lying there, so weak and fragile. He quickly sat beside her, checking her pulse.
"Her pulse is irregular... something is terribly wrong," Lord Fang Zhu muttered to himself. He turned to his loyal assistant. "Bring me the golden pill from my table, quickly!"
The assistant hurried away, returning moments later with a small, glowing pill. Lord Fang Zhu carefully administered the pill to Yang Mi, who soon fell into a deep, restful sleep. He then placed his hands over her body, transferring some of his immortal energy to her, hoping to stabilize her condition.
In the Peach Blossom Hall, the Queen Mother received the news from Fang Zhu's subordinate. Dropping her work, she rushed to Kunlun Academy, her heart filled with dread for her beloved daughter's health.
Meanwhile, back in the crown prince's palace, Bai Jue was eagerly anticipating lunch with Yang Mi. He had missed her terribly and was looking forward to spending time with her. He called for Da Yi.
"Da Yi, bring Lady Yang Mi to join me for lunch," Bai Jue ordered with a smile.
Da Yi bowed and left to carry out the command. However, he returned shortly, his expression grim. "Your Highness, Lady Yang Mi is not in her chamber. It appears she left the palace."
Bai Jue's smile vanished. "What do you mean she left the palace? Where did she go?"
"One of the maids mentioned seeing Lady Yang Mi looking very pale and being assisted by her maid as they left," Da Yi reported.
Panic surged through Bai Jue. "And no one thought to inform me sooner? Find out where she went immediately!"
Da Yi nodded and hurried away. Bai Jue's mind raced with possibilities. He couldn't bear the thought of something happening to Yang Mi. The world seemed to tilt on its axis as he grappled with the news. The thought of losing her was unbearable.
At Kunlun Mountain, the Queen Mother arrived at Yang Mi's side, her face drawn with worry. "How is she?" she asked Lord Fang Zhu, her voice trembling.
Fang Zhu sighed, "She is stable for now. I have given her a golden pill and transferred some of my energy to her, but we must find out what caused this. It is not a natural ailment."
The Queen Mother nodded, her eyes filled with determination. "We must do whatever it takes to save her. She is the future Queen Mother of the West. We cannot afford to lose her."