Chapter 43: We will live together forever.

Looking at the black blood, Moon hardened his heart and plucked two lily petals from the flower, putting them into Ugo’s mouth.

He then took out a pestle and started to grind the leaves to make juice.

Nox lay down on the grass. He was inhaling the air to get rid of the dark energy in his lungs.

Moon threw a petal to Nox, too. He had a whole lake of lilies, anyway.

Nox ate the petal directly, closing his eyes to digest it properly, then murmured, "This lily bloomed yesterday. They can only bloom on a full moon, and soon they will wither in three or four days. It’s a pity we don’t have any treasure vault or something to store them."

"Umm," Moon nodded.

"Do you think we are safe here? What if those hound scavengers come here?" Nox muttered leisurely.

"They will not. Try to relax for a while," Moon said.

The place fell into serenity. Only the sound of a water stream from a distance could be heard. Moon was deep in thought as he kept grinding the leaves.

’Goddess, this place is rich in spiritual energy, and the air is so fresh, so different from outside. Could it be that there is some hidden formation here? Something that is swallowing all the spiritual energy from outside and pouring it here? Is that why the outside is so bizarre?’

[Hmm. There might be one, but the outside is not corroded because of the formation. There was a massacre there long, long ago, and that place is the grave pit of those monsters and wolf spirits.]

’So, that’s why... Is that the monsters’ dark energy outside?’

[Yes, also the rot from decay.]

’And so here, the star lilies grew up from the wolf spirits? Those who fought to protect the land?’

The Goddess chuckled. [Being so observant, aren’t you? Yes, a kind of wolf spirit, but also there may be other reasons for you to find out.]

Moon exhaled sharply. ’Always keeping me in riddles.’

"Mooney," Nox spoke up.

Moon lifted his head to look. He raised his chin to signal him to continue.

"I think we can send messages from here to Axe." As he spoke, Nox took out his communication stone. After rubbing and swirling it in his hand for a while, he finally transmitted a voice.

"Can you hear me?"

"..." The other side was silent.

Nox sighed heavily. "Damn, it’s not working, Moon." He lay back to sleep. Turning over from Moon and Ugo.

Moon didn’t argue.

He took out his own stone and sent a strand of Qi. His energy was so barren that this small bit of Qi was making his meridians ache.

He thought in his mind a few times, "We are safe, we are safe. Take care and stay safe."

He hoped this would work. Even if it doesn’t work, he had nothing else to do.

Putting the stone back in his pocket, Moon stripped Ugo’s clothes completely.

The blood was coated in black patches.

Moon looked at Nox’s back, who had somehow fallen into a deep sleep, and didn’t wake him up. Instead, he himself pulled up Ugo’s body and almost dragged him into the pond. He let Ugo’s body lie half-submerged in the pond water. It was better to keep the water moving.

He cleaned up Ugo’s blood and mess.

The water was rich in spiritual energy; it would also be beneficial to soak here.

As he finished cleaning, he took the herb paste from the pestle and started to rub it slowly on the wound. The blood was still seeping, though it was almost nonexistent. Moon kept pressing his hand against the wound with the herb paste.

After three or four times, the blood finally stopped, and the black lines on Ugo’s body started to fade. After fixing Ugo’s position in the water one last time, he pulled himself out of the water. He was totally drenched, but he had no spare clothes, so he let it be as it was.

He stepped back onto the dry shore.

He didn’t go far, fearing Ugo might fall into the deep water of the pond.

He also took out an elixir. It was the last vial. He sighed, gulped it down himself, and lay on the grass.

’I am so tired. I really want to sleep,’ he muttered.

Then he heard footsteps.

Nox had woken up at some point.

He came closer, his tall shadow blocking the soft moonlight. Without a word, he dropped to his knees on the damp grass and sat down beside Moon.

He gently lifted Moon’s head, cradling it securely on his lap.

"Sleep then. I will keep watch," he whispered as he removed a strand of hair from Moon’s face.

"Aren’t you feeling uncomfortable, too? You were also in that dark, corroded air," Moon mumbled, though he didn’t move away.

He snuggled onto Nox’s thigh.

"It’s fine. I took a nap and feel refreshed now. You sleep." Nox placed his hand on Moon’s eyes. His warm palm was the last assurance Moon needed right now.

The night was almost at its end.

The moon had long tilted to another side to welcome the next day. The soft air flew by the pond, making rustling sounds. ℯℯ𝘭.𝘤ℴ𝘮

Moon soon fell asleep.

Nox slowly moved his palm, his amber eyes glowing in a soft light in the dark. He looked at the beauty on his lap and felt like trapping him for eternity.

He exhaled his suppressed breath and closed his eyes.

A soft growl left his throat with pain and bitterness: "We are not just going to live together for a while, not for a while only, Moon. We are not."

He leaned down and placed a kiss on Moon’s forehead.

"we will be together this life and even after."

Moon slapped his face in annoyance in his sleep.

A rumbling chuckle left Nox’s throat this time. "Silly mate," Nox muttered and looked in Ugo’s direction.

Worry and care both shifted in his gaze, making it complicated even for Nox to understand.

He hated how Moon was caring for Ugo, yet he also felt grateful because he was saving his brother.

If possible, he would want to elope with Moon far away and live a life of soaring wind.

They would chill around the Monalis Celestia, they would travel to many places, and maybe have a child.

He had already figured out a great secret that his brothers were still unaware of. Their mate, Moon, had a unique womb inside.

Although Nox had no experience in mating with a girl, he had plenty of girlfriends because of his playboy nature. He was also free-minded and so knew more or less.

Moon’s womb was not like any girl’s. It was different and unique.

But no matter what, the main point was that he could carry his baby.

So, maybe one day if he could manage to win Moon’s heart, they could have a pup. Maybe two... or maybe like them, five.

Then again, he didn’t want to get another Moon for five to fight.

Nox was thinking on his own. He looked at the fading moon, and his Adam’s apple bobbed up and down.

He choked out a bitter complaint, "Damn Goddess, you played with us."