Despite having been a half-demon for many years and possessing the power of the inner elixir, she had never felt dizzy or sick from mere exertion before. Right now, Meng Ruji felt as if she were a beleaguered dog, with an invisible rope around her neck pulling her along until she was utterly exhausted and retching.
Gasping for breath, Meng Ruji almost collapsed to her knees. It took her a while to recover. During this time, she recalled the warm moments of her past, reminding herself that it was okay, that it was not shameful to be led around by a little thief. Even if he continued to lead her like this in the future, it didn’t matter. She had to be strong! She had to stand up and keep going!
After catching her breath, Meng Ruji swallowed the sour liquid in her throat, stood up shakily, and looked ahead. Three meters away in the forest, the elixir thief had also stopped by a tree. He clung to the tree but did not seem to be breathing heavily like Meng Ruji.
He seemed lost in thought, standing silently with his arms crossed behind his back.
Meng Ruji no longer felt the urge to scold him. She didn’t even dare to approach the young man, fearing that he might be startled and run away again. She was in no position to chase him any further.
"Little thief," she called cautiously from a distance, her voice tinged with a hint of caution. "Let’s talk."
The young man’s muscles tensed momentarily, but he didn’t run away. This was a small relief for Meng Ruji. She used the tree for support as she spoke softly, "You must be tired after running for so long. Why don’t you sit down for a moment?"
The young man remained motionless.
Meng Ruji approached him slowly, careful not to startle him. She spoke gently, appealing to both his emotions and reason: "I’ve heard that this place is where half of the dead reside. It sounds dangerous. We really shouldn’t linger here. Although we’ve had our disagreements, we need to leave this place. We share the same goal now. We should be allies, facing challenges together. Don’t you think that makes sense?"
As she spoke, she inched closer to the young man.
The young man remained still, his back slightly hunched. Suddenly, he fell to one knee, causing Meng Ruji to rush forward in alarm.
"What's wrong?" she asked, stepping in front of him.
The green moonlight cast an eerie glow on his pale face, highlighting his distress.
"I..." The young man moaned, clutching his stomach and leaning against the tree. His breathing was shallow.
Meng Ruji feared the worst—that he might die, and if he did, her inner elixir would be lost. "Hungry..." he murmured.
Meng Ruji was taken aback. "What did you say?"
"So hungry..." he repeated, his stomach making an audible rumble in the quiet night.
Meng Ruji watched, bemused, as the young man, who seemed on the brink of death, complained about hunger. She found it a bit amusing despite the gravity of the situation.
"You were so energetic while running. How can you be starving now?"
Her amusement quickly faded when the young man’s abdomen emitted a warm orange light—the same light she was familiar with from her own inner elixir. He was drawing on her inner elixir's power.
The young man’s expression seemed to ease slightly, but he remained curled up under the tree. The orange light appeared intermittently, providing some relief but not enough to alleviate his hunger entirely.
Meng Ruji knew her inner elixir was powerful, and she worried that if the young man continued to consume its power, it might eventually become integrated with his body. This would make it difficult to retrieve the elixir if she returned to the human world.
Determined, Meng Ruji said firmly, "If you’re hungry, I’ll find food for you."
The young man glanced up, noting her serious expression under the moonlight. His eyes betrayed a mix of wariness and need.
"Stay here and don’t move," Meng Ruji instructed before turning to search for food.
The young man’s eyes followed her as she disappeared into the woods. Despite an inner voice warning him not to trust her, the overwhelming hunger was more pressing than his suspicions.
Soon, Meng Ruji returned, her head adorned with fallen leaves. She had gathered a bunch of green and yellow fruits in her skirt and carefully presented them to the young man.
"I found some food..." she began hesitantly. Before she could finish, the young man’s hand reached out eagerly.
Driven by hunger, the young man grabbed a fruit from Meng Ruji’s pocket. Just as he was about to pull it away, Meng Ruji grabbed his wrist.
"Wait!" she said.
The young man looked at her with desperate eyes, but Meng Ruji’s serious demeanor made it clear she wasn’t joking. "I don’t know which of these fruits are safe to eat. This place is strange. I can only offer what seems edible. If I eat one and survive, then you can eat them too. If it turns out to be poisonous, I’ll deal with it, and maybe you’ll use your inner elixir to help me."
The young man stared at Meng Ruji, bewildered. She ate a fruit to demonstrate that it was safe. The fruit was tart but juicy. After a while, seeing no ill effects, she poured the remaining fruits out for the young man and stepped back to give him space.
The young man grabbed a fruit immediately, devouring it with a ferocity that left Meng Ruji astonished at his appetite. She wondered if she hadn’t gathered enough.
Despite the young man’s continued hunger, the fruit eased his suffering somewhat. He stared at Meng Ruji silently.
"Okay, let’s find our way back together," Meng Ruji said as she stood up, hoping to lead him to the ferry. But as soon as she rose, the young man retreated behind the tree trunk, becoming wary again.
Meng Ruji sighed, puzzled by his persistent distrust. "I’m not going to hurt you. Don’t you want to go back to the human world?"
She began walking back, glancing over her shoulder. The young man remained hidden, but his shadow revealed his presence. Meng Ruji felt relieved to know he was following her. With his speed, he could easily keep up in the dark, allowing her to focus on finding their way.
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