After Lingyao ordered the Grand Elder to intensify the search for the assassin, he impatiently waved him away, leaving him alone in the large study.

Perhaps because no one was watching, Lingyao was finally able to relax. He leaned back and slumped into the pearwood chair, staring blankly into space.

Yin Ming sat at the kang table not far away, resting his chin on his hand and gazing at him from afar, his eyes unblinking, as if he could never get enough of looking at him.

She thought to herself, "As expected of a goddess, she looks good even from such a terrible angle."

But what is Lingyao thinking at this moment? His face is clouded with worry. Is he thinking of Yin Ming, or is he recalling those nightmares?

Before long, Lingyao closed his eyes, looking quite agitated.

If it weren't for his occasional furrowed brows, Yin Ming would have thought he had fallen asleep.

After an unknown amount of time, Lingyao finally moved. He leaned forward towards the desk, weakly propping his head up with one hand, and said softly, "Someone come here."

The guard standing at the door of the study immediately stepped into the study, saying, "I will obey your orders, young master."

"Go and get me a few jars of wine." After a pause, Lingyao added, "And two cups."

After saying that, without waiting for the guard's reaction, he got up and sat down at the kang table opposite Yin Ming.

Although the guard did not know what he meant by this, he did not dare to ask any questions. He bowed and replied that he was right. After a short while, he brought in two jars of wine.

The guard placed the wine and wine cups on the kang table to Lingyao's side and then withdrew. Before leaving, he thoughtfully closed the door to the study.

Lingyao's attention remained focused on the two jars of wine. After the guards withdrew, he raised his hand and filled both wine cups completely, placing one in front of him and pushing the other to the other side.

Seeing Lingyao's actions, Yin Ming's heart skipped a beat—

The wine glass stopped perfectly in front of him; anyone who didn't know better would think that Lingyao knew he was there and was inviting him to raise a glass and drink together.

Yin Ming observed carefully for a while and even asked a few probing questions, but to his disappointment, Ling Yao was indeed unaware of his existence.

After a moment's thought, Yin Ming felt relieved. Perhaps his actions were just a subconscious habit.

After all, before Nirvana, they were inseparable no matter what they did.

Habits are formed gradually over time and cannot be changed in a short period of time.

Just like when he reconstructed his physical body, he was not used to life without Lingyao at first.

Actually... he didn't get used to it for a long time afterward, but Yin Ming deliberately ignored that feeling.

Having experienced it firsthand, he now understands Lingyao's feelings very well.

Even if he wanted to do something, he couldn't do anything as a spirit at this moment.

For a moment, Yin Ming could only watch Ling Yao's actions in silence.

Although Lingyao has returned to his true form, his alcohol tolerance doesn't seem to have improved much.

Yin Ming crossed his arms and leaned on the kang table, quietly watching him pour one glass of wine after another into his mouth.

In fact, you could tell from his furrowed brows that he didn't like this spicy liquid.

But he was bewitched, forcing himself to swallow it.

His body seemed to instinctively reject the liquid, and in the instant he forced it to swallow, it rolled down his cheeks in another form.

Yin Ming raised his hand to catch the glistening tear, but missed.

A sudden dull ache shot through my heart, yet I could only watch helplessly.

Yin Ming watched for as long as Ling Yao drank.

Only after both jars of wine were emptied did Lingyao finally put down his wine cup, his eyes glazed over, and slumped onto the kang table, mumbling something incoherently.

Yin Ming was very close to him, and after listening carefully for a while, he heard clearly what he said:

"Yin Ming said that alcohol can relieve sorrow... It seems to have some effect; I don't feel so bitter anymore."

"Yin Ming also mentioned that drinking alcohol helps you get a good night's sleep..."

"If only I could dream of Yin Ming again, like before..."

"Yin Ming, wait... wait until I kill that woman... then I'll come find you..."

Yin Ming chuckled to himself.

Why does he call out "Yin Ming" in every sentence? Just how much does he like this name? And just how much does he depend on this person?

...

After that day, Lingyao seemed to become addicted to the feeling of being drunk, drinking several jars every day until he was drunk and fell asleep in a daze before he would stop.

Later, his alcoholism became so severe that he would fall asleep when drunk and then continue drinking when he woke up.

Dissatisfied with the speed at which his disciples delivered the wine, he simply holed up in the Demon Sect's wine cellar, drinking himself into a stupor day and night.

"Yin Ming... why haven't you come to see me in my dreams since that day..."

"Didn't you say that drinking too much alcohol is bad for your health...?"

"I've already drunk so much... why aren't you coming out to stop me..."

...

Upon hearing his murmured words, Yin Ming, who had been trying to maintain his composure, collapsed like a camel broken by the last straw, his eyes suddenly reddening.

During this period, he stayed by Lingyao's side, watching him suffer from hangovers every day.

So, this is how Lingyao spent the six months he was in a coma in the Soul Ring?

He had simply fallen asleep without realizing it, but Lingyao was struggling and sinking amidst these pains.

A feeling of guilt instantly swelled within Yin Ming, making it hard for him to breathe.

"I'm sorry..." Yin Ming squatted down beside the drunk Ling Yao, his trembling fingertips tracing his outline.