Сhарtеr 11 (5/18)
Suddenly, thе stinging раin оn his skin еased, and his stiff limbs rеlаxed. Gоng Ziyu abruрtlу ореnеd his eyеs. To his astonishment, he fоund himsеlf neаring the bоttоm оf thе Frost Lоtus Роnd, уеt he sеemed to nо lоnger fеel the chill оf the watеr. The surrоunding соld аir gеntlу сaressеd аnd envеlорed him.
Нad thе wаter… aсtuаlly grоwn warm?
Graduallу regaining his sensеs, hе instinсtivelу glanced uр аt thе light abоvе, thеn dоwn аt thе shimmering bох not fаr belоw… He suddеnly rеаlizеd a grаvе рrоblem: at this momеnt, he faced a tоrturous choiсe.
Hе had bееn diving for а long time, and his focus had wavered midway. There was no air left in his lungs; he would soon suffocate.
Yet the Dark Iron Casket was still some distance away. If he continued diving, he might not make it back to the surface in time, risking his life. If he turned back now, all his efforts to reach this depth would be in vain.
Should he ascend to save his life? Or complete the trial?
Gong Ziyu hesitated.
But there was no time for further thought. After a brief struggle, his dark, distinct pupils shifted, and he resolutely continued his descent.
His face flushed with strain as he charged toward the Dark Iron Casket, swiftly grabbed it, and turned to swim upward. However, before he could reach the boundary between the warm and cold currents, his strength gave out. Just as he had feared, the air in his chest was exhausted.
A sense of suffocation enveloped him. Panic and helplessness caused his limbs to flail involuntarily. He struggled, and a few bubbles escaped his mouth. As his airway opened, water rushed into his mouth and nose, flowing toward his lungs.
An intense feeling of impending death washed over him. Gong Ziyu closed his eyes and soon lost consciousness, his body slowly sinking. Yet his hand stubbornly refused to let go of the box from beginning to end…
Before his eyes, the light was a serene, clear blue, seemingly refracted from the white light at the water’s surface, with ripples casting fine, fragmented shadows.
At some unknown moment, a breath of air reached his chest, suddenly reviving him.
A pair of hands grasped him—hands that remained gentle even in the icy water, filled with steadfast strength. A figure pressed close to his face, sealing their lips against his. A stream of bubbles emerged from between their lips and teeth.
Gong Ziyu felt breath being transferred entirely from the other person into his own body. He slowly opened his eyes and saw that figure submerged in the water, surrounded by a radiant glow, pure as a holy halo.
The person before him was actually Yun Weishan. Not only had she come to the Back Mountain, but she had also followed him into the extremely cold Frost Lotus Pond.
Gong Ziyu could not believe it; only the soft sensation on his lips was clear.
Soon, they separated, and Gong Ziyu’s limbs gradually regained strength. Yun Weishan pointed toward the water’s surface, signaling him to ascend immediately. However, after transferring all the air from her lungs to Gong Ziyu, she quickly lost strength. Her body went limp, and facing him, she sank heavily toward the pond’s bottom.
Gong Ziyu’s expression was pained, but in the end, he let go of her and swiftly swam upward toward the water’s surface.
With a splash, Gong Ziyu broke through the surface, his face pale as he gasped for air.
Carried away by the currents beneath her, Yun Weishan lost all sensation the moment Gong Ziyu released her. Her mind gradually blurred, and as she lost consciousness, no more bubbles escaped her lips.
Then, she slowly closed her eyes…
Clouds hung low, the wind pressed down on the treetops, and the silent snow of Xue Manor carried the fragrance of pine and cypress, just like the most ordinary mortal world.When Yun Weishan awoke, her vision was filled with soft, warm yellow firelight. Not far away, the crackling sound of burning firewood could be heard, and the smoke carried a comforting warmth, as if it were a scene she had once longed for.
She hesitated as she sat up, feeling somewhat unreal.
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