119 The Sudden Appearance of Violet Eyes

Fingers intertwined, fates entwined.

Litian gripped Nvluo’s hands tightly, channeling his power into her body in a continuous stream. In this moment, he forgot everything else, his heart consumed by a single thought: he had to save her.

Never in his life had Litian felt such profound unease. He dared not let go, terrified that once he did, he would never again touch the warmth he had once known. He did not want to let go; until the very last moment, he refused to give up.

Shaoguang stood silently to the side, unwilling to disturb the stillness of the moment with any movement. She had never imagined such a day would come, where they would cling to one another in such a way, as if each were the other's only existence.

Yes, the only one.

The scene before her was a testament to this truth, even without words, and even though Nvluo remained in a deep slumber. Though she had previously harbored doubts about the Underworld King’s intentions, Shaoguang now cast those thoughts aside; she chose to trust him. Eyes do not lie, and in the Underworld King’s gaze, there was worry, fear, and anxiety—but no trace of a scheme. He was truly worried for Her Highness.

Shaoguang prayed, "Your Highness, please wake up soon!" She looked out the window. The heavy rain continued to fall, drizzling across the earth, as bleak as her current state of mind. Was the world itself weeping for Her Highness?

Litian’s brow furrowed tightly. He sensed that the mysterious power within Nvluo was growing increasingly potent, gradually resisting the energy he was pouring into her. If this continued, no matter how hard he tried, the outcome would remain unchanged. Nvluo would not wake up.

What was he to do? What could he possibly do? He looked at the still-sleeping Nvluo. If only he could enter her soul; then he would know exactly what had happened.

Nvluo was fading. Her hair had grown brittle, her complexion deathly pale, and her fingers were turning cold. In the next moment, they lost their warmth entirely.

Litian released Nvluo’s hands, sighing in his heart. There was only one way left, but if he did that… He sighed again.

Watching Litian release her hands and seeing his furrowed brow, Shaoguang instinctively took a step back. "Your Majesty, what is the situation now?" she asked, her voice trembling.

"It is not optimistic," Litian did not hide the truth.

He suddenly thought of the spirit from before. Could the mysterious shopkeeper be connected to this? It was all conjecture, but there was indeed an evil power residing within the spirits. If that were not the case, Litian could not explain why the shopkeeper would want those spirits.

"Shaoguang, go find the Goddess of the Four Seasons. She may know some of the secrets behind this!"

"The Four Seasons? She would know?" Shaoguang was surprised, but if the Underworld King said so, it must be possible. Yet, how would she know where the Goddess was? How much time would it take to find her? She did not want to leave His Majesty Litian at such a time.

"I apologize, but I do not know the whereabouts of the Four Seasons either." Litian then named a location.

Shaoguang longed to ask how he knew this, but Litian cut her off. "Go quickly. The Four Seasons is crucial, and she is currently gravely injured. I hope you are not too late."

Gravely injured? How could that be? Who in the human realm could hurt her? A series of questions surfaced in Shaoguang’s mind. She wanted to go, yet she worried about Nvluo’s condition.

"Go at once!"

Shaoguang suddenly had an illusion that this tone was strikingly similar to Her Highness’s. On second thought, it made sense; the Underworld King was also the master of the Underworld. Once an order was given, it had to be executed. In this, he was no different from Her Highness. Shaoguang turned and left the Main Temple.

The moment she left, Litian’s hands began to tremble. He had already exhausted too much power, but he had not wanted to show his frailty in front of Shaoguang. Now that she was gone, he allowed his true state to show.

He had to make one final attempt, and he absolutely could not let Shaoguang see it. He cast a barrier within the Main Temple—a barrier no less formidable than the one surrounding the Underworld Palace—to shield himself from any factor that might interfere.

The massive barrier seemed to isolate them in another world, a world where no one could disturb them. Litian cut his own finger and then cut Nvluo’s, joining their fingers once more. As their blood began to merge, a strange phenomenon emerged.

The bright red blood did not drip down but floated into the air, spreading little by little, as if forming a mist of blood around them. The flowing droplets expanded the range of this crimson fog. Enveloped within it, Litian gradually closed his eyes. He forgot everything, focusing all his intent on Nvluo; in this moment, she was his entire world.

Their hands remained tightly connected, and Litian once again channeled his power into Nvluo’s body—only this time, it was his most precious source of life.

On the couch, Nvluo’s finger suddenly twitched—just a slight tremor.

Such a minuscule movement made Litian ecstatic. His efforts had finally yielded results, though he had paid a harrowing price. Yet, thinking that Nvluo would wake up, he felt it was all worth it.

He had chosen to use the most hidden power of his life—a power from the most terrifying and powerful world—to ignite the last spark of Nvluo’s life. Only such a power could rouse her from her deep slumber. This was a power Litian had spent countless eons obtaining, and it was the greatest secret of the Underworld.

Yet, he poured this power into Nvluo without a moment’s hesitation. Only her existence made everything else meaningful; otherwise, what use was such immense power?

Before meeting Nvluo, Litian would never have imagined that his fate would change so drastically. Sometimes, even he felt like a stranger when reflecting on his own transformation. Who would have thought that the ruler of the world of the dead would one day crave the heat of the sun, yearn for the warmth of the earth, and hunger for that dazzling figure who had accidentally stumbled into his world?

Everything changed because he met Nvluo. He was obsessed with her red robes; that striking red made everything in the Underworld seem dull and lusterless, while her golden hair made everything else appear lifeless.

At first, he did not understand his own change, nor did he grasp his own anomalies. It wasn't until he stepped into the human realm and fought alongside her time and again that he realized only she could bring about such profound change in him. Once Litian was certain of something, he no longer hesitated. That was why he had set no obstacles in the City of Reincarnation, executing everything according to Nvluo’s wishes. As long as the interests of the Underworld were not compromised, he was happy to see such results. Furthermore, Nvluo had never harmed the Underworld’s interests. Thus, Fengdu City had taken its current form.

He had longed to see her again, but never expected such a scene. Her injuries shocked him, and what angered him even more was the mysterious power lurking within her body.

Litian remained with his eyes closed. He had reached the most critical moment and could not afford the slightest slack. His blood gushed forth again, but this time, it did not spread into the air; it flowed directly into Nvluo’s body.

On the couch, Nvluo’s condition suddenly shifted; her eyes fluttered, and her fingertips trembled.

Litian released her hand with a sense of relief, opened his eyes, and wiped away all traces of blood. Nvluo had finally awakened. She attempted to open her eyes, but failed.

"Do not force yourself. You need to rest."

It was Litian’s voice. Why was he here? Nvluo did not understand what had happened, but she wanted to open her eyes to see for herself! Why did she feel so weak? She tried to recall the last thing she remembered, but it felt so distant, as if it had happened eons ago.

She finally opened her eyes and looked around. It was the scene she was familiar with; she was still in the Main Temple. She clearly remembered seeing Shaoguang last, but where was she now?

Litian—the Litian she saw now seemed to have changed slightly. What was it? It felt familiar, yet she couldn't pinpoint the difference. She wanted to sit up; she didn't want to lie there looking at him. This position made her feel uncomfortable.

Litian guessed her intention and, without the slightest hesitation, reached out to help her sit up, leaning her back against the pillows. Litian had come to understand Nvluo; she rarely changed her mind once a decision was made. Sitting up was fine; at least they could look at each other at eye level. In truth, Litian had wanted her to rest more.

Nvluo stared at Litian. She had too many questions, yet she didn't know where to begin. Moreover, Litian was so strange today. While lying down, she had only felt a vague sense of difference, but now, looking him in the eye, she felt the change more acutely.

"Ah, his eyes!" Nvluo finally discovered the change. His left eye had turned purple. This shade of purple made him appear even more mysterious, like the world's final secret, discovered by her by chance.

Across from her, Litian sat with one purple eye and one black, as if concentrating the most dazzling colors. Nvluo could not tear her gaze away. She was drawn by his eyes and shaken by his pupils. In this moment, she even forgot that she had just crawled back from the brink of death.

She gazed into his eyes, confirming that sudden sense of familiarity once more. She had seen this color before; she must have. She would not forget such a rare hue. She had encountered this color in the Underworld, and she had been shaken by this mysterious purple then, too. But why had his eyes suddenly turned this color?

Litian understood Nvluo’s confusion. He knew he must look strange, but there was one thing he needed to confirm first.