Black Magic Rose Chapter 16

Chapter 16: In the Heat of the Moment

The Elder Council’s probing retreated like a tide, leaving only the rhythmic beeping of medical equipment in the bedroom. Shu Yijin slumped in the armchair, feeling as if all his strength had been drained.

The heart-stopping confrontation he had just endured, though ending in his painful victory, had exacted a price far exceeding his expectations. Forcibly suppressing the Holy Energy erupting within Wen Jingheng was like using flesh and blood to block a mountain torrent. The backlash rampaged through his meridians, and the Evil God Essence violently clashed with the Seal chains. Every tremor brought excruciating pain.

Worse still, in the final moments, he clearly saw it—Wen Jingheng’s eyelids were trembling violently. Those eyes, which had once sealed him, were moments away from opening.

Although the attempt ultimately failed, the sheer danger of that instant left Shu Yijin shaken. He suppressed the metallic taste rising in his throat and tried to stand up to return to the guest room to regulate his energy. His divine power was currently chaotic and needed immediate guidance.

Just as he pushed himself up—

“Pfft!”

A mouthful of fresh blood erupted without warning, splashing onto the dark carpet like red plum blossoms blooming in the snow. A violent fit of coughing followed, each spasm tearing at his internal organs.

This is bad. Shu Yijin’s heart sank as he looked at the bloodstain on the floor. The injury was far more severe than he had imagined. If anyone were to walk in now…

The blood spread across the carpet, resembling blooming poppies. Shu Yijin forced himself to stand, leaning on the armchair, every step feeling like he was treading on knife points. He had to deal with these traces immediately, or the consequences of discovery would be unimaginable.

Just as he struggled to crouch down, attempting to use his meager divine power to erase the bloodstain, an icy hand suddenly gripped his wrist!

Shu Yijin turned his head in shock, meeting Wen Jingheng’s tightly closed eyes. The man who should have been in a deep coma was now gripping his wrist fiercely with his right hand, the strength astonishing.

How was this possible? He had clearly confirmed that Wen Jingheng had relapsed into a coma…

Unless—the earlier sign of waking was not accidental, but Wen Jingheng’s consciousness had indeed been strongly stimulated. Even if his body couldn’t wake up, some deep-seated instinct had been activated.

Shu Yijin tried to pull free but found the grip incredibly tight. Just then, a gentle warmth slowly flowed through their touching skin. This faint wisp of Holy Energy was actually spontaneously soothing the rampaging Evil God power within him.

Absurd. He was relying on the unconscious aid of his nemesis to stabilize his injuries?

But what alarmed Shu Yijin even more was that the flow of this energy was too precise to be a mere instinct—it bypassed all vital points and targeted only his most severe injuries. It was as if Wen Jingheng, even unconsciously, could accurately perceive his pain.

“Let go,” Shu Yijin whispered through gritted teeth, trying to break free.

However, the hand tightened further. The comatose Wen Jingheng’s brows were furrowed, as if fighting some invisible restraint. It was then that Shu Yijin realized the other man’s hand was abnormally cold, his fingertips trembling slightly.

This wasn’t aid; it was Shared Sensation. Wen Jingheng was unconsciously sharing his pain.

This realization caused Shu Yijin a moment of distraction. He had never imagined that the person who had sealed him at all costs would react this way in an unconscious state.

As his injuries worsened, Wen Jingheng’s face visibly paled. The medical monitor’s alarm suddenly sounded, indicating abnormal fluctuations in the patient’s vital signs.

He couldn’t let this continue. Shu Yijin summoned his last shred of divine power and gently shook Wen Jingheng’s hand off. The moment the fingers released, he saw his own blood staining the pale fingertips, a jarring red.

Shu Yijin stumbled to his feet and began dealing with the mess. He first used his divine power to meticulously wipe away the bloodstains on the carpet, ensuring no trace remained. Next, he needed to deal with the blood on himself and his injuries.

The most troublesome was Wen Jingheng. Shu Yijin walked to the bedside and found blood still clinging to the other man’s fingers. He carefully wiped them with a damp cloth, his movements surprisingly gentle.

“Truly… pathetic,” Shu Yijin muttered with a bitter smile, wiping the blood from the corner of his mouth. He never thought he would be reduced to needing rescue from his nemesis.

When the last trace was cleared, Shu Yijin was so exhausted he could barely stand. He took one last look at the deeply frowning Wen Jingheng on the bed, then staggered back to the guest room.

The guest room door closed behind him, and Shu Yijin finally collapsed, sliding down the door panel onto the floor. His internal injuries were worse than expected; the conflict between the Evil God power and the Holy Energy had left his meridians riddled with holes.

But what troubled him more than the physical pain was everything that had just happened. Wen Jingheng’s reaction was too abnormal. That precise Shared Sensation ability was not something a deeply comatose person should possess.

Unless… the loosening of the Seal had affected Wen Jingheng’s subconscious? Or had the Elder Council’s stimulating experiment accidentally activated some unknown change?

Shu Yijin painfully crawled to the bed and began circulating his energy to heal. Every cycle brought tearing pain, but he had to recover quickly. Since the Elder Council had begun probing, they would certainly not stop now.

Late in the night, a soft knock sounded on the door. Shu Yijin alertly opened his eyes and saw the old butler standing outside.

“Young Master Yijin, the Elder Council sent some tonics,” the butler’s voice was as calm as ever, but Shu Yijin detected the underlying probing.

He forced himself up to open the door, wearing a perfectly timed expression of confusion: “So late… is something wrong?”

The butler carefully observed his expression: “We monitored an abnormal energy fluctuation in the young master’s room earlier. The Elder Council was concerned for your safety.”

Shu Yijin sneered internally but showed a grateful expression: “Please thank the elders for their concern on my behalf. Perhaps… perhaps I missed Jingheng and had a nightmare.”

He displayed just the right amount of vulnerability, successfully dispelling the butler’s suspicion. But Shu Yijin knew this was only the calm before the storm.

After the butler left, Shu Yijin resumed his healing. It was then that he discovered a startling change—the wisp of Holy Energy Wen Jingheng had transferred earlier had formed a subtle balance within him.

Although this energy was antithetical to his Evil God Essence, under some strange effect, it had temporarily stabilized his injuries. Even more surprising, through this energy connection, he seemed to be able to vaguely sense Wen Jingheng’s condition.

This connection was more secretive than the Black Rose mark, and also more… intimate. Shu Yijin couldn’t tell if this was a good thing or a bad thing, but for now, this accidental connection had saved his life.

As dawn approached, Shu Yijin’s injuries were finally temporarily stabilized. He stood by the window, gazing at the hazy scenery of the courtyard, his heart filled with mixed emotions.

The events of the night were too bizarre. The Elder Council’s probing, Wen Jingheng’s reaction, the unexpectedly established connection… every event was beyond his prediction.

What puzzled him most was Wen Jingheng’s instinctive Shared Sensation ability. This was clearly not a trait a normal human should possess. Did Wen Jingheng’s bloodline hide other secrets?

Shu Yijin lightly touched the faint finger marks on his wrist, feeling genuine curiosity about his nemesis for the first time. Perhaps he needed to re-evaluate Wen Jingheng’s value.

When the first ray of sunlight streamed into the room, Shu Yijin had made his decision. He would continue his pretense while secretly investigating the secrets surrounding Wen Jingheng. This game, it seemed, was becoming increasingly interesting.