159: Chapter 159: Night Ends, Dawn Breaks. People Return Home, Hearts at Peace.

She stood there in a daze at the doorway, staring at that tall, upright black figure in the courtyard, her delicate body trembling uncontrollably.

“Lu... Lu Jing...?” she murmured, uttering that name with uncertainty, her voice as light as a dreamlike whisper.

Hearing the movement, Lu Jing turned around and met Wang Donger's tear-filled eyes, which seemed to hold all her worries and longing.

The smile on his face faltered slightly before becoming even softer, carrying a heart-settling power. He nodded gently at her and said warmly, “Donger, I’m back.”

“It’s really you... you’re back... you’re really back...” Hearing that familiar voice and seeing that familiar smile, the last trace of uncertainty in Wang Donger's eyes was instantly replaced by wild joy. Tears fell like broken strings of pearls, rolling down in large droplets.

She didn't even have time to think. Ignoring her lack of shoes and her disheveled appearance, she ran toward Lu Jing with all her strength, her bare feet stepping on the cool bluestone ground!

Her thin nightgown fluttered in the morning breeze, revealing a pair of straight, slender, jade-like legs beneath.

She ran so urgently, so recklessly, as if she wanted to turn all her fear, helplessness, and longing into the strength to rush toward him at this moment.

Lu Jing stood where he was, opening his arms with a gentle and doting smile on his face, quietly waiting for his girl to throw herself into his embrace.

The next second, his arms were full of warm fragrance and soft jade.

Wang Donger slammed into Lu Jing's chest, her arms tightly encircling his waist as she buried her face deep into the crook of his neck.

She didn't cry out or question him like an ordinary woman, nor did she complain about her grievances. She just held him tightly, as if she wanted to merge herself into his very bones and blood.

Muffled, low sobs came from where she had buried her head. At first, they were suppressed whimpers, but gradually, they turned into uncontrollable sobbing.

Tears quickly soaked the clothes on Lu Jing's shoulder, their scalding temperature seemingly capable of burning his skin.

Her body trembled violently in his arms. With every tremor, she conveyed the immense fear, despair, and torment she had endured during that brief period of separation.

Lu Jing's heart tightened painfully at these silent sobs.

He said nothing, only using one hand to hold her slender, trembling body tightly in return. With his other hand, he repeatedly and extremely gently stroked the girl's smooth but somewhat messy pinkish-blue long hair, his movements as soft as if he were comforting a startled little beast.

“It’s okay now, Donger, it’s okay...”

He whispered in her ear, his voice filled with unprecedented tenderness and pity. “I’m back, I’m back safe and sound. I made you worry; it’s my fault.”

He knew that at this moment, any verbal comfort would be pale. Only this real embrace, this familiar body temperature, and this powerful heartbeat could slowly dispel the chill and fear in her heart.

Snow Empress stood quietly to the side, watching the two people embracing tightly. Deep within her ice-blue eyes, a trace of extremely complex and indescribable emotion flickered.

There was relief and a sense of liberation... and perhaps a very faint, inexplicable melancholy that even she hadn't noticed herself.

But ultimately, all emotions returned to a cold, clear calm.

She turned around gently and silently, not disturbing this warm moment of reunion after disaster. With light steps, she walked toward her own room, leaving that small space entirely to the pair of lovers who had endured so much suffering.

It wasn't just Snow Empress.

The window of the side room on the other side was also pushed open a crack.

Qian Renxue's stunningly beautiful face appeared behind the window. Her violet eyes were similarly filled with the joy of relief, as well as an imperceptible hint of envy.

She watched the two people in the courtyard embracing so tightly they seemed to want to rub each other into their own bodies. A sincere, relaxed smile finally appeared on her lips for the first time tonight.

She didn't make a sound, only watching quietly for a while. Then, she extremely gently closed the window again without making a single noise.

In the room next door, Xiao Wu was also peeking through the crack in the door, her pink eyes sparkling as she watched Lu Jing and Wang Donger in the courtyard. Her small hand covered her mouth, for fear that she would cry out in excitement and disturb them.

Seeing Lu Jing return safely, her hanging heart finally settled. A happy smile appeared on her face as she quietly pulled her head back and closed the door.

The entire inner courtyard returned to tranquility.

There was only the morning light growing brighter on the eastern horizon, and the young man and woman in the courtyard embracing tightly as if they would hold each other until the end of time.

Wang Donger's crying gradually subsided, turning into faint, intermittent sobs.

However, the arms she used to hold Lu Jing showed no intention of loosening. Instead, they tightened more and more, as if the person in front of her would disappear again if she let go.

Lu Jing let her hold him, his chin gently rubbing the top of her head as he felt the tear-stained warmth and the reassuring scent coming from her body.

He knew she needed time and this real physical contact to confirm his existence and dispel the nightmares in her heart.

The faint morning light spilled over the embracing couple, outlining a warm and quiet picture.

It was as if all the previous heart-stopping moments, life-and-death crises, and the fear of separation were gradually fading away in this silent embrace, turning into the heart-to-heart peace of the present moment.

The night ends, dawn breaks. The person returns, the heart is at peace.

...

At the Lake of Life, all was silent. Even the usual chirping of insects had vanished, as if the heart of this forest was also in a deep sleep.

Deep in the center of the lake, that independent life space hidden perfectly by the power of space from the rest of the World silently cracked open a gap.

A brilliant silver-white light, as if condensed from the purest moonlight, flowed out from that gap. It instantly illuminated a corner of the lake bottom before quickly retracting.

Within the light, a tall and graceful figure appeared silently on the cold shore of the Lake of Life.

The newcomer wore a white long dress of extremely simple design, yet it seemed to be woven from flowing moonlight. The hem reached the ground, outlining heart-stopping body curves.

She was barefoot, standing quietly on the moist mud of the lakeshore. Her delicate, fair, jade-like feet formed a sharp contrast with the dark soil.

She had silver hair that reached her ankles, like flowing mercury, draped softly over her back, emitting a hazy halo under the faint light of the sky.

Most striking was her face—an exquisite beauty that surpassed what mundane language could describe, bordering on perfection.

Every line of her features seemed to have been meticulously carved by the Creator. Combined, they formed an aura that was cold, noble, and mysterious, yet also carried an indescribable majesty originating from deep within her bloodline.

Especially those eyes, like two top-tier amethysts—deep and translucent, as if they contained endless wisdom and the vicissitudes of ages. At this moment, she was quietly looking toward the distant northern horizon.

That was the direction of Heaven Dou City.

It was indeed the Silver Dragon King, Gu Yuena.