Chapter 181 - 4.46 Ambush
Heimo landed outside the area of the dormant volcano and found the atmosphere thick with tension. Even the demonic energy was stagnant, as if bracing for the oncoming storm. Along the way, he was moving like a corpse, his mind either blank with white noises or filled with questions. Why? Why did Lu Yizhou leave? Why did he have to take the dragon egg away? For what? Heimo’s mind instantly supplied him with the worst case scenario. Lu Yizhou had gone back to Lingyan. He had, after everything they went through, taken Heimo’s things and presented them to that bastard who didn’t even care whether he was alive or not.
Lu Yizhou had betrayed him.
No, he wouldn’t, another voice argued.
He wasn’t that kind of man, you know it. His sincere eyes, his kindness, his selflessness, all of them weren’t fake. "Let me help you," he had said. But what could Lu Yizhou help him with? Help him to open the gate to the demonic realm? He, the most righteous cultivator of all, was willing to go through such lengths for Heimo alone? No, it wasn’t possible. Whatever they had between them — Heimo couldn’t bring himself to name it — wasn’t enough for Lu Yizhou to throw away everything; his reputation, his honor, his life, just for Heimo’s sake. It was unthinkable, Heimo almost laughed at himself for entertaining such an idea. He resolutely threw the image of Lu Yizhou jumping after him down the cliff to the back of his mind, that was definitely just a one time thing. He was monitoring Heimo, making sure that he didn’t cause any trouble.
No matter how hard Heimo thought about it, he couldn’t understand what Lu Yizhou was thinking. Heimo gritted his teeth, furious and aggrieved at the same time. He wanted to shake Lu Yizhou hard, to demand answers as to what he was planning to do. But the bitter fact remained apparent in front of him, Lu Yizhou had disappeared, leaving behind one glaring problem; Heimo could no longer open the gate to the demonic realm. He could no longer save Ningning.
"Lan!" Luqiu Hong bolted toward him as soon as Heimo came to sight. "Where have you been—" She startled when she took in Heimo’s pale and despondent state. Her tone softened and the edge of her eyes were tinged with concern. "What happened to you?"
Heimo swallowed thickly and shook his head. He couldn’t say it; that he had lost one important chance to save Ningning because he went against Shijie’s advice and involved himself with Jingxue-Jun again and again. Ignoring the sharp pain in his chest, he asked, "You lit up the flare. Did something happen to Ningning?"
The corner of Luqiu Hong’s lips turned downward. "Ningning is... the usual. She has been well these days.." Looking around, she pulled him into the house and straight to Heimo’s room and closed the door behind them. Then she started to pace back and forth, the signs that anxiety was starting to get to her. "I called you back because of the rumors. Have you heard of it? Words have been spread about Jingxue-Jun straying down the path of demonic cultivation." She stopped and scrutinized him closely. "Lan... by chance, does it have anything to do with you?"
Heimo sucked in a breath and put on the most nonchalant expression he could muster. He discreetly tugged his collar higher to hide the hickeys and shrugged. "Well, I am not clear about that either. You know I have been busy gathering the materials for—" Heimo bit his lips. Bad change of topic. Alas, everything was too late because Luqiu Hong had latched on it.