To be engulfed by perpetual darkness and untamed thoughts, as though trapped in a constricting yet expansive space with no entrance or exit, feeling utterly immobile and despondent despite all previous strength and power. This was the nightmare that tormented Mei Qing before he awoke in his chamber. Yet, that dreadful feeling invaded his mind and vision once more, as he was greeted by sheer nothingness.
Mei Qing attempted to reach forward, yet it seemed as though his nerve fibers had ceased functioning. He was unable to move even slightly, which suffocated him immensely. With his face securely covered, he found himself unable to breathe or speak, and his consciousness became so hazy that clear thought or speech was beyond his capability.
Yet, it was the odd elegance and grace, mingled with sheer simplicity, that captivated his senses, releasing a cool fragrance that overwhelmed his sense of smell. This aroma soothed his mind, erased his concerns, and lured him further into a profound sleep, the duration of which was indeterminable. Consequently, his awareness started to waver, diminishing to a delicate thread, seemingly on the verge of severing its ties to the external world, with the slightest inclination to flee and vanish.
"Mei Qing, stay composed, for there is still so much more to experience in this lifetime, wouldn't you agree?"
The voice, or rather was it a message from his lost memories, rang calmly and weakly across his ears, as if a crucial factor aroused his hippocampus and miraculously pulled his alertness back to existence.
Gradually, his senses returned to him as a flow of events expeditiously struck him, recalling the last thing that occurred the clearly explained this blackout.
'Am I alive? Is this the netherworld?' Mei Qing reflected bluntly, sensing that something must have happened to him when the tree suddenly fell. It was impossible for anyone to have stopped it, and it was unlikely he had been saved from being crushed, given the considerable distance between him and the other disciples.
It was pathetic and sad to die so soon just after waking up with amnesia, seeming just like experiencing birth and death consecutively, which raised soreness and agony in Mei Qing's tight heart.
However, he wasn't determined about his death since he could still feel his warm consciousness clinging firmly to life. But no matter how he struggled, he couldn't force his eyes open the slightest. He wished someone would wake him up soon, just like how it was the first time he woke up.
"—Mei Qing, that's enough sleep for you."
Before he knew it, Mei Qing suddenly gasped greatly as his eyes shot wide open, startled. Somehow, he found himself lying on the ground around someone's arms, staring dazed at the yet smoky sky covered by rustling trees everywhere.
A sweat broke down his temple, as he felt himself drenched from head to toe with dampness like a cold bucket of water was thrown directly from a river at him.
"Huh?!" Mei Qing, confused, exclaimed and immediately lifted his upper body to check his surroundings and ensure his safety. However, an unexpected, excruciating pain surged through his left arm, causing him to groan in fright and quickly glance at the apparent injury. To his utter astonishment, he found a familiar figure crouched silently beside him, appearing to intend to pull him back down to his prior position to prevent further pain.
At this point, Mei Qing was at utter loose. His state was in no condition to be surprised that this disciple was none other than Shi Hong Yao in the flesh, staring at him just like the previous time with blank and dead eyes.
When did this catastrophe come? How come he's here when he belongs to another unit?
"Took you so long to wake up, did you think you died?"
