Just as something strange happened to the Third Prince Jinghong, with black energy hissing out of his body and it looking like a horrifying scene of human fireworks was about to unfold.
The Prince of Zhenbei and his wife didn't even look in that direction.
The two rushed to Shu Bai's side in a great hurry.
The princess even reached out to grab Li Yuheng's sleeve, but ended up grasping at nothing.
Her hand froze in mid-air, adding to her confusion: "This... how come I can't see it again?"
The Prince of Zhenbei was also stunned, staring at the spot where Li Yuheng had just been standing: "Huh? Where is he?"
Shu Bai: "...Father, Mother, it seems the effects of the Manifestation Bell have worn off."
Qin Lu was dragged away, and the manifestation effect he had activated by expending his lifespan naturally couldn't last long.
In the eyes of the King of Zhenbei and his wife, and the vast majority of people in the hall, this ghostly daughter-in-law who had just displayed great power had now vanished into nothingness and could no longer be seen.
The princess opened her mouth, but ultimately let out a complex sigh, tinged with pity: "I see..."
The Prince of Zhenbei, however, was quite easygoing. He stroked his beard and comforted the boy, saying, "It's alright, it's alright. If you can't see it, you can't see it. As long as the ghost is alright!"
…
The chaos inside the hall seemed to be kept out by an invisible barrier.
After the Prince of Zhenbei and his wife confirmed that their daughter-in-law was safe, the Emperor anxiously summoned them to his side.
"Prince Zhenbei, my beloved minister, come quickly! And please, Your Highness, Your Highness's consort, come forward as well!"
"Chen'er, come to my side too."
On the surface, the emperor was worried about his beloved son and summoned his senior officials and the crown prince to show that the royal family was united and would weather the storm together.
In reality, he was still shaken from the sudden attack by the vengeful ghost and desperately needed the powerful Prince Zhenbei and his wife to stand in front of him for peace of mind.
Those who know, know.
Almost simultaneously, as if just remembering something, the emperor's voice suddenly rose, tinged with a disgruntled anger: "Imperial physicians! Where are the imperial physicians?! Are they all dead?!"
"Get over here right now and check on Hong'er! Zhao Wuwang! What are you standing there for! What are you doing in the Zhenling Division! What on earth is going on?!"
Zhao Wuwang, whose name was called out, was startled. The secret joy he had felt when he had just defeated Qin Lu was instantly replaced by cold sweat.
He immediately bowed and practically crawled to the emperor's side, wiping his sweat as he frantically tried to steer the unexpected situation in a way that would benefit him.
Several gray-bearded imperial physicians also came running over nervously, carrying their medicine chests, but they were helpless and dared not approach.
All around were anxious voices, hurried footsteps, and increasingly ominous roars and surging black energy coming from Jinghong's direction.
Within this small space, Li Yuheng seemed detached from everything.
He simply tilted his head, gazing intently at Shu Bai with an extremely focused, even profound, look.
Shu Bai, who had been observing the unusual situation on the Third Prince's side with a cold eye, turned around when she felt the unusually quiet gaze beside her.
What they bumped into was Li Yuheng's eyes, which held back all their playfulness and appeared exceptionally deep and focused.
The flickering candlelight cast a hazy glow on his translucent silhouette, and his gaze made Shu Bai inexplicably uncomfortable.
"...What are you looking at?"
Li Yuheng did not answer immediately.
He slowly stretched out his hand, his fingertips tracing the outline of his pale profile in the air.
From a full forehead to a straight nose, and then to tightly pursed lips.
Shu Bai felt a chill run down her spine from his sticky gaze and movements.
"Li Yuheng, are you acting crazy again?"
Li Yuheng finally spoke.
His voice was deep and steady, completely devoid of its usual liveliness, instead carrying a solemnity born of deep thought:
“Sparse and white”.
"Um."
"I'm thinking about a very serious question."
“…Speak.” Shu Bai patiently waited, wanting to see what good nonsense he could come up with.
Li Yuheng's fingertips hovered in mid-air, corresponding to the position of Shu Bai's brow bone.
"Tell me, wasn't the moment I saved the emperor just now incredibly heroic?"
Shu Bai: "..."
He thought Li Yuheng would say something profound and serious, but after a long time, he still just wanted to brag.
This made Shu Bai laugh.
His shoulders trembled slightly, he turned his head, and a few sneers escaped from his throat.
Li Yuheng immediately objected, grabbing Shu Bai's arm and shaking it impatiently: "Hey! What are you laughing at? Be serious! I'm being serious, say something, Shu Bai!"
Shu Bai raised a hand to wipe her face, a faint smile playing on her lips: "What do you want me to say? Could it be—"
The words came to an abrupt halt.
His face remained calm and composed, not even his eyelashes trembled, but a voice transmission suddenly entered Li Yuheng's mind:
"Li Yuheng, you were so handsome just now."
Li Yuheng: "!!!"
Li Yuheng's hand froze in mid-air.
He stared at Shu Bai's calm and expressionless profile for a few seconds, then looked around at the flickering candlelight and the pervasive gloom.
"……broken."
He muttered to himself, his brows furrowed, and reached out to touch his pale forehead, "This place is too yin, it has disturbed my wife's soul."
Shu Bai turned her head away, asking, "What's wrong with you?"
No fever.
That means you're possessed by an evil spirit.
Without saying a word, Li Yuheng picked the person up and carried him horizontally, then sat down on the seat next to him, pressing Shu Bai firmly onto his lap.
“Don’t move,” he said in an unusually serious tone, his palm pressed against Shu Bai’s back. “You’ve lost your soul, and I have to call it back to you.”
Shu Bai was held tightly in his arms. She tried to break free but failed, and laughed angrily, "I think you've lost your mind!"
Li Yuheng ignored him, patting Shu Bai's back lightly with his right hand while muttering something:
"Pat your heart, pat your back, my Shubai, come back—"
Shu Bai: "..."
Shu Bai felt uncomfortable with Li Yuheng's actions and nudged him with her elbow: "Li Yuheng, what are you doing? You know in your heart whether you're really calling back the soul or not."
His words abruptly stopped.
Shu Bai paused, then abruptly turned to look at the fluffy head beside her shoulder: "You..."
Li Yuheng did not reply.
Instead, she tightened her arms around Shu Bai's waist, rested her head on Shu Bai's shoulder, and lazily cast her gaze toward the chaos in the center of the hall.
The two remained in that position, neither of them moving.
The chaos inside the hall seemed to be isolated in another world.
The Third Prince Jinghong's roar, the Emperor's angry rebuke, Zhao Wuwang's terrified response, the chaotic footsteps of the imperial physicians...
All of this became a blurry background noise.
Shu Bai: "...How much longer?"
"It's hard to say, it depends on how swiftly Xifeng and his men act."
"Don't play dumb. You know that's not what I'm asking."
"It's hard to say. This is governed by the autonomic nervous system. Right now, the parasympathetic nervous system is in control, and it is mainly responsible for the responses in a relaxed state, such as 'rest and digestion,' such as slowing down the heart rate and dilating blood vessels in certain areas."
“…”
Shu Bai suddenly relaxed her body and leaned back into Li Yuheng's arms.
"I have a way to make your sympathetic nervous system take over immediately."
Li Yuheng raised an eyebrow: "Oh? I'd like to hear the details."
“Tell me,” Shu Bai’s voice carried a hint of casual curiosity, “where did you poop when you were a dog?”
Li Yuheng: "…………"
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