The Demon World had never felt so quiet.
The massive gates of the Demon Palace opened slowly as Mo Zhu, Li Feng, and Xu Tianming entered.
Xu Tianming still carried Mo Yanluo in his arms.
His body was cold.
Too cold.
His aura was faint, like a dying flame.
Servants froze when they saw him.
Shock spread instantly.
"The young master—!"
"Call the healers!"
Within moments, the palace fell into controlled chaos.
Elite demon physicians rushed forward, their robes flowing behind them. They carefully took Mo Yanluo from Xu Tianming and carried him into the inner healing chamber.
Xu Tianming stood frozen outside.
His hands were trembling slightly.
He didn't even realize it.
Li Feng stepped beside him.
"He will live."
Xu Tianming nodded slowly.
But he didn't answer.
Because living wasn't enough.
He needed him to wake up.
He needed him to remember.
Inside the healing chamber, powerful formations activated.
Ancient symbols glowed beneath Mo Yanluo's body.
Energy flowed carefully into him.
Repairing.
Restoring.
Rebuilding what had been stolen.
The parasitic creatures had drained more than just energy.
They had damaged his core.
His foundation.
His very essence.
But they were too late.
He had been saved.
Mo Zhu stood silently at the foot of the bed.
His expression was unreadable.
But his aura was unstable.
Dangerous.
Healers worked carefully.
No one dared make a mistake.
Hours passed.
Then a full day.
Xu Tianming never left.
He remained outside the chamber.
Waiting.
Watching.
Not sleeping.
Not moving.
Li Feng watched him quietly.
He saw everything.
The fear.
The guilt.
The anger.
And the bond.
Stronger than blood.
Finally—
On the second day—
The lead healer stepped out.
"He is stable."
Xu Tianming stood instantly.
"Can I see him?"
The healer nodded.
Xu Tianming entered slowly.
Mo Yanluo lay on the bed.
Peaceful.
Still.
But alive.
Xu Tianming sat beside him.
"…You idiot," he whispered softly.
"You scared us."
No response.
But Xu Tianming stayed.
Waiting.
Hoping.
Then—
A finger moved.
Xu Tianming froze.
Another movement.
Slow.
Weak.
Mo Yanluo's eyelids trembled.
And slowly—
He opened his eyes.
Light reflected in them.
But they were confused.
Lost.
Xu Tianming leaned forward.
"…Yanluo?"
Mo Yanluo looked at him.
Studied his face.
His brows furrowed slightly.
His lips parted.
"…Who… are you?"
Xu Tianming's heart stopped.
The words hit harder than any blade.
Behind him, Li Feng's expression darkened.
Mo Zhu remained still.
Mo Yanluo looked around the room.
At the unfamiliar ceiling.
At the unfamiliar faces.
"…Where… am I?"
His voice was weak.
Lost.
Xu Tianming forced himself to speak.
"It's okay… you're safe."
Mo Yanluo looked at him again.
Longer this time.
"…You…"
He hesitated.
"…I don't know you."
But then—
His expression shifted slightly.
"…But…"
His hand moved weakly toward Xu Tianming.
"…You feel familiar."
Xu Tianming grabbed his hand immediately.
"I'm here."
Mo Yanluo looked past him.
At Li Feng.
At Mo Zhu.
His eyes lingered on them.
"…I don't know you either…"
His voice was quiet.
"…But…"
His chest tightened slightly.
"…Why does it hurt?"
Mo Zhu stepped forward slowly.
He understood.
The memory wasn't destroyed.
Only buried.
Suppressed by trauma.
He raised his hand.
Dark energy gathered around his fingers.
Xu Tianming looked up.
"…Can you fix it?"
Mo Zhu didn't answer.
He placed his hand gently on Mo Yanluo's forehead.
The room darkened.
Energy flowed.
Not violently.
But deeply.
Carefully.
He entered his mind.
Mo Yanluo's body trembled.
Fragments appeared.
Images.
Memories.
A boy training.
A boy laughing.
Xu Tianming smiling beside him.
Li Feng watching silently.
Mo Zhu standing above him.
Protecting him.
Guiding him.
Raising him.
More memories surged forward.
Pain.
Battle.
Chains.
Darkness.
Xu Tianming's voice calling him.
"I'm your little brother… Xu Tianming."
Mo Yanluo's body shook harder.
His breathing quickened.
Then—
His eyes widened suddenly.
Light returned to them.
Recognition.
Clarity.
"…Tianming."
Xu Tianming froze.
"…Yanluo?"
Mo Yanluo stared at him.
And this time—
He knew him.
"I remember."
Xu Tianming's vision blurred slightly.
Mo Yanluo looked past him.
"…Father."
Mo Zhu lowered his hand slowly.
"…You're back."
Mo Yanluo nodded weakly.
Then looked at Li Feng.
"…Uncle."
Li Feng smiled faintly.
"Welcome back."
Relief filled the room.
The tension that had lingered finally broke.
Mo Yanluo was truly back.
Not broken.
Not lost.
But returned.
Days passed.
Mo Yanluo recovered quickly.
His body regained strength.
His aura stabilized.
Xu Tianming rarely left his side.
They trained together again.
Walked together.
Ate together.
Just like before.
Their bond felt even stronger now.
Forged in loss.
Tested in pain.
Proven in survival.
One evening, they stood on the palace balcony.
Watching the endless dark horizon.
Mo Yanluo spoke quietly.
"…You saved me."
Xu Tianming shook his head.
"We saved each other."
Mo Yanluo smiled slightly.
"…We're brothers."
Xu Tianming smiled back.
"Always."
Behind them, Mo Zhu and Li Feng watched silently.
They didn't interrupt.
They didn't speak.
Because they knew.
This bond—
Was now unbreakable.
Stronger than fate.
Stronger than blood.
Stronger than the world itself.
And far away—
In the darkness beyond their sight—
Something else had begun to move.
Watching.
Waiting.
The Demon World had grown stronger.
And the balance of power…
Had begun to shift.