Qi Guze pulled Xu Yuehuai into his arms, his palm pressed against her back, helping her absorb the power from the cold pool.

In no time, Xu Yuehuai's complexion returned to a rosy hue, and her skin regained its normal temperature. Her breathing became deep and no longer weak, and the power within her body naturally circulated, continuously repairing her damaged areas.

"You're almost fully recovered, that's great." Qi Guze released Xu Yuehuai, leaned against the edge of the cold pool, covered in sweat and breathing rapidly, clearly having expended a lot of energy helping Xu Yuehuai.

"Master, why are you doing this? Why don't you acknowledge the Princess?" Yan Qing's voice suddenly rang out from the shadows, filled with confusion and worry.

He felt deeply sorry for the complicated relationship between Qi Guze and Xu Yuehuai, and did not want them to become strangers in the future. He only wanted them to be as loving and devoted to each other as before.

Qi Guze gazed intently at Xu Yuehuai, "Now is not the time. I cannot let her know of my existence yet."

He sighed helplessly and continued, "She has to walk her own path."

"And I will simply protect her from behind."

After saying this, Qi Guze adjusted his breathing, then gently picked up Xu Yuehuai and led her out of the cold pool.

After returning to the small courtyard where Xu Yuehuai lived, Qi Guze carefully put her on the bed.

Seeing that her furrowed brows had relaxed, Qi Guze felt a little relieved.

"Ah Yue, take care of yourself."

As Qi Guze turned to leave, Xu Yuehuai grabbed his clothes tightly.

The force was so strong that she instinctively didn't want him to leave.

Qi Guze's heart skipped a beat. He reached out to pull Xu Yuehuai's hand away, but she gripped it tighter and tighter, refusing to let go. He realized that it was impossible to pull her away without disturbing her.

He looked down at the unconscious Xu Yuehuai, his eyes filled with tenderness and complexity.

Finally, he sighed helplessly, took out a sharp dagger from his pocket, and slashed it fiercely at the corner of his clothes!

That piece of fabric, still carrying his scent, remained in her hands.

"Ah Yue, I'm leaving now." Qi Guze held her hand and lowered his head to kiss the back of her hand.

Then he turned and left, disappearing into the night.

His cool aura, and that lingering tenderness, seemed to remain in the room...

The next morning, sunlight streamed into a corner of the courtyard.

When Xu Yuehuai woke up, she opened her eyes and found herself back in her room, feeling somewhat confused.

She rubbed her temples, constantly recalling what had happened at the cold pond the previous night.

But the memory of last night's coldness and despair, the emotions swirling in her heart, left her feeling somewhat lost.

Suddenly, she noticed that she was holding a piece of clothing in her hand, and a strange sense of familiarity and confusion washed over her.

"Who brought me back last night? Whose clothes are these?" she murmured to herself.

But when she tried to recall what happened last night, her memory seemed to be frozen by frost, her mind was a blur, and she couldn't remember any details at all.

However, she found that her physical condition was much better than before. Now, when she got out of bed and walked, she didn't feel heavy at all. Instead, she felt light and ethereal. It seemed that her body had indeed recovered a lot in the cold pool, and Dong Sang Kingdom had not lied to her.

However, for the rest of the day, Xu Yuehuai was confined to the area around the house, just like before. Without orders from outsiders, she had no way to leave and had no chance to ask the Dongsang National Preceptor about the Cold Pool.

Helpless, Xu Yuehuai could only sit by the window, gazing at the small patch of sky opposite, lost in thought.

"Has the Imperial Advisor summoned me?" Xu Yuehuai asked hastily when a servant came to deliver the meal.

The servant said coldly, "Who do you think you are? Do you think I see you every day? Our Imperial Advisor naturally has his own things to do every day. I think you're just idle and have nothing better to do, so I'll find you something to do!"

After saying this, he put down the food and hurriedly went out of the house. A little while later, he returned with a group of men.

Those people were carrying two large baskets of wood on their shoulders, which looked very heavy, bending the carrying poles to their limit.

"If you have nothing else to do, just stay here and chop wood," a servant said to Xu Yuehuai, who was eating inside.

Xu Yuehuai did not respond to the other party, after all, this was just a petty person who didn't like him, and his orders meant nothing.

Seeing that Xu Yuehuai did not respond, the servant cursed under his breath and led the group away.

After finishing her meal, Xu Yuehuai did not chop down the wood. Instead, she sat at the stone table in the courtyard, looking at the stars in the sky and reminiscing about the years she had spent with Qi Guze.

They've spent exactly twenty years together, and those moments flash through my mind like a movie.

Whenever she was alone, Xu Yuehuai's longing for him was as deep as the sea.

"Aze, are you right beside me?"

"Lately, I keep feeling like you're around here, but why haven't you shown up?"

She murmured to herself, tears streaming down her cheeks.

She still received no response, and eventually could only leave silently, return to her room, lie down on her bed, and fall asleep.

Only in her dreams could she overcome the distance and meet Qi Guze in her dreams.

Qi Guze was standing outside the high walls of Xu Yuehuai's house, gazing at her window from afar...

After waiting for three or four days, one evening the Grand Preceptor of Dongsang summoned Xu Yuehuai again.

Xu Yuehuai hurriedly went to the Imperial Preceptor's bedroom and bowed respectfully upon seeing him.

"You look great today. It seems the Cold Pool really works for you." The Imperial Advisor looked at her with a smile in his eyes.

"Yes. But although I have recovered somewhat, I really cannot withstand the kind of exhaustion you caused me before. I hope you can be magnanimous and spare my life. Please don't cut off all my life force." Xu Yuehuai stared at him steadily.

The Grand Preceptor's eyes flashed with murderous intent. "You are treated much better in my hands than you were in Beiwei. I hope you have some self-awareness, otherwise, I will send you to her."

"Alright. It seems you never truly intended to cooperate with me." Xu Yuehuai became even more wary. This was the first time the other party had revealed murderous intent; it seemed something had happened between him and Bei Wei these past few days. Otherwise, why would he want to kill her so soon?

What has Bei Wei been up to lately? Why is she willing to let herself stay with the Imperial Advisor?

Xu Yuehuai could not voice any of her questions. She couldn't even mention what had happened at the Cold Pool. Otherwise, incurring the displeasure of the Imperial Preceptor would put her life in danger!

Xu Yuehuai pretended to be obedient and talked to the Grand Preceptor about some ordinary things. Afterwards, the Grand Preceptor absorbed some of her essence blood before she was released.