Seeing his weak state, Yi Yan instantly deduced that Yi Yu's condition was getting worse and worse!
"Are you alright?" Yi Yan asked, concern written in her eyes.
However, Yi Yu didn't make a sound. Instead, he coughed even more violently. Covering his mouth with one hand and supporting himself on the small round table with the other, he stood up, but after taking only a few steps, he staggered and collapsed to the floor.
Yi Yan hurried over with a teleport, caught him, and helped him to the side of the bed.
"Are you okay?" Yi Yan asked again.
Yi Yu coughed and coughed continuously, still not making a sound to answer Yi Yan.
He merely gave the young girl before him a deep look, a mocking smile tugging at the corners of his lips. Gathering his remaining strength, he pushed Yi Yan's supporting hands away and passed out.
"Hey~ wake up!" Yi Yan gently shook the unconscious Yi Yu on the bed as she spoke.
[Host, it looks like he really passed out. How about we take this chance and get out of here quickly?] Ni Tian System said eagerly.
You've grown bold, Ni Tian System, daring to egg your host on. Leaving right now certainly is the best opportunity, but once I walk to the palace gates, do you think I'll be instantly dragged right back here?
[But... if we miss this chance, Host, how many other opportunities will you ever have to leave?]
He might indeed be passed out, but his magic might still be set at the palace exit, there's no telling.
[I understand the Host's point. The Host is truly cautious.] Ni Tian System replied.
Gazing at the young man's unconscious sleeping face, Yi Yan took the initiative to hold Yi Yu's hand, closed her eyes, and used her own dark magic to sense something.
[Huh? Host, what are you doing? Are you planning to save him?]
Several beads of sweat the size of peas slipped down Yi Yan's forehead, falling onto the black stone slab with crisp, ticking sounds.
At that moment, Yi Yan's complexion grew paler and paler... while Yi Yu's complexion regained quite a bit of rosy color.
[Host, stop right now! If you keep going like this, your body won't take it.]
Yet Yi Yan ignored Ni Tian System's advice and stubbornly persisted. At the critical moment, the Purple Jade Pendant on Yi Yan's chest emitted a soft glow...
After the glow faded, Yi Yan was left in shock.
Ni Tian System, this jade pendant—before Yi Yan could finish her mental communication with Ni Tian System, she burst into a fit of coughing.
[Wow, Host, how could you do such a thing? You actually transferred the curse from Yi Yu onto yourself!] Ni Tian System cried in dismay.
Because I suddenly thought of a good idea on the spot. Given my current physical condition, if they ended up performing the sacrificial ritual on me in the end, their fate wouldn't just be a simple backlash; they would undoubtedly suffer a fate worse than death.
Wouldn't all the suffering and hatred the Original Host endured in her past life be resolved as well? Isn't such a counterattack wonderful?
Actually, I particularly love giving people a taste of their own medicine.
[But wah, Host, you shouldn't throw away your own life like this either.]
Ni Tian System, according to the plot's development, the Original Host's life would meet the same repetitive doomed fate in less than half a month.
Am I right?
If I avoid this and break the cycle, how much longer can I survive in this world?
[Host, in every world, at best you can live 30 more years, and at worst less than 10.] Ni Tian System explained.
"With such a short time, doing a good deed means I'm not running at a loss, right!" I just hope this difficult fellow remembers my kindness and willingly lets me go free.
[So, this was the Host's true purpose all along. No wonder you risked your life to save him!]
Seeing Yi Yu's fingers twitch slightly, Yi Yan knew he would be waking up soon.
Yet outside the palace, a stream of incessant voices seemed to be either calling out to or cursing Yi Yu.
[Host, it's Yi Yu's subordinates causing trouble. Everyone in the Dark Magic Array camp is making a racket.]
"Then I'll go tidy them up for him!" Yi Yan said softly, turning as if to leave.
Unexpectedly, her wrist was grabbed!
[Host, he—he's awake!]
Yi Yan looked back with a smile and said, "You woke up fast enough!"
"Did you save me? Why? What are your conditions?" Yi Yu asked seriously.
"I hope that by saving you, you'll let me go," Yi Yan stated bluntly.
"Since you've already saved me, do you think I'll easily let you leave? Heh heh heh!" Yi Yu laughed in a low voice.
"Cough, cough, cough! To save you, my own days are now numbered! If I can't go back and find a way to lift the curse, then just let me stay in your palace to die!" Yi Yan said, coughing slowly with a smile.
"What? You—you transferred the curse from me onto yourself!" Yi Yu gripped Yi Yan's wrist in disbelief.
"That's right! So, as a reward, can you let me go?" Yi Yan asked.
"Then change it back! I won't let you go." As Yi Yu spoke, he channeled his magic with one hand, attempting to retransfer the curse from Yi Yan back onto himself.
Regrettably, no matter what Yi Yu tried, increasing the magic's intensity, he still couldn't move the curse away from Yi Yan by even a fraction...
"How can this be..."
"Don't try anymore! Don't waste your effort! This curse cannot be transferred a second time; it has already eroded every inch of my skin!" Yi Yan said, prying Yi Yu's hand open.
"You! What a scheme!"
"Thank you for the praise. So what is your decision?"
"As you wish. Please, follow me."
[Good thing the Host didn't risk her life for nothing. The Host really plays a brilliant hand! Do people really doubt the Host used to be a college student? This scheming...]
I didn't spend two years soaking in the university library for nothing!
[Uh! Then I'll tentatively believe you!]
Ni Tian System, why did you suddenly start referring to yourself in the third person as "this humble one"? I'm really not quite used to it...
[Alright then! Host, Ni Tian won't call itself that anymore.]
Yi Yan: "..."
Yi Yu held Yi Yan's hand, glancing from time to time at the emotional changes on Yi Yan's face along the way...
"A-Yan, do you think that everyone in this world who dwells in darkness must inherently belong to wickedness and be the source of evil?"
Hearing this, Yi Yan paused slightly before saying, "Every choice in this world depends entirely on what you choose to do—it has nothing to do with the empty definitions bestowed by the world! Therefore, you, trapped in darkness, are not evil; the ultimate source of everything is simply that people's hearts are fickle and unfathomable!"
[Host, what you said is so profound! Ni Tian doesn't understand! Huh? This road doesn't seem right...]
Mm! Perhaps this fellow needs to deal with some family business first before sending me off.
Before long, instead of leading Yi Yan to the palace exit, Yi Yu brought her to the main hall.
"A-Yan, please wait patiently for another moment."
Having said that, Yi Yu projected his voice to the people still babbling outside the palace.
"All of you who wish for my abdication today, get in here!"
[Host, abdication? This is getting serious!]