His innermost thoughts were revealed, and he ventured into a fictional dynasty with the system.

However, this joy born of hope did not last long.

Like a fleeting shooting star in the night sky, what follows is a deep worry that weighs heavily on the heart like dark clouds.

Qin Qianlu rushed back at this moment. The situation was already precarious, and the border, which was as fragile as a candle in the wind, would face what kind of predicament?

The border conflict is at a stalemate, with the two sides' forces intertwined and the situation constantly changing, like a turbulent sea that could unleash a storm at any moment.

With her departure, the already strained and fragile border defenses, like a taut bowstring, will be left wondering if they can withstand wave after wave of frenzied attacks from the enemy.

Can we hold onto that land that is crucial to the survival of the nation and the lives of its people?

On that land, countless soldiers are fighting bravely amidst gunfire for their country and people.

Their lives and deaths, the safety of the nation, weighed heavily on Ning Chenyi's heart like a boulder.

This is a complex mix of emotions: joy at the possibility of being saved, and anxiety about the border situation.

Like countless tangled yet incredibly resilient threads, they tangled and intertwined in his heart, weaving a vast net that made him restless and uneasy.

However, at this moment he was like an insect trapped in amber, his mind clear but his thoughts as active as rapidly spinning gears.

But they could only watch helplessly as everything unfolded, unable to do anything about it.

His body remained frozen in a deep sleep, as if under a spell, unable to move, as if being crushed by an invisible and incredibly heavy mountain.

He felt as if he were trapped in an airtight, invisible cage, filled with anxiety and worry, yet utterly helpless.

I could only let the anxiety gnaw at my heart like a hungry venomous snake, every minute and every second felt like torture.

The spiritual spring water flowed slowly down his throat, its cool and gentle power seemingly carrying a magical force from a mysterious world, gradually spreading throughout his body.

Like the spring sunshine melting the winter snow.

Ning Chenyi felt as if a thousand-pound burden had been lifted from his body, and an indescribable sense of ease welled up in his limbs and bones.

The body, which was originally as heavy as lead and seemed to be dragged by death, now had a long-lost lightness, as if it had broken free from some invisible restraint and been reborn.

However, Xuan Ying, who was feeding him the spiritual spring water, may have sensed a dangerous aura or been discovered by some hidden, ghost-like threat lurking in the darkness.

Right after feeding him with the spiritual spring water, Xuan Ying, like a frightened bird, didn't have time to linger or even leave a single word before suddenly and hastily departing.

Ning Chenyi was left alone in the Yangxin Hall, which was eerily quiet and seemed to have frozen time, his heart filled with mixed feelings.

A mix of emotions surged like a tidal wave, as they continued to await their unknown fate, unsure of what changes might occur next, whether it would bring fortune or misfortune.

Everything seemed shrouded in a fog, causing him immense torment.

In the seemingly endless, chaotic darkness, Ning Chenyi felt as if he were in a void.

Consciousness is like a lone boat lost in a thick fog, drifting aimlessly without finding its way.

After an unknown amount of time, that dawn-like consciousness gradually pierced through the darkness and slowly returned, like wisps of light.

He felt as if he were struggling to wake up from a long and deep dream, his heavy eyelids feeling as if they were being weighed down by a thousand pounds, and it took a lot of effort to lift them even a little bit.

Finally, after struggling for a while, he slowly opened his eyes.

As the vision gradually cleared, the first thing that caught my eye was a pair of deep, dark eyes, as deep as a still pool.

Those eyes were like the most mysterious black holes in the night sky, unfathomable and exuding an elusive aura.

It was as if a single glance could draw one's soul deep into the endless darkness.

In those eyes, Ning Chenyi seemed to see countless secrets hidden in the darkness, as well as the complexity and danger of the current situation.

In an instant, driven by the instincts he had developed as an emperor, Ning Chenyi subconsciously wanted to call out.

The cry was just about to form in his throat, like a fledgling bird about to hatch, when it was suddenly choked by an invisible and cold hand.

In that critical, breathless moment, the owner of those dark eyes was like a black lightning bolt that pierced the dark night.

With an almost ghostly agility, he swiftly and lightly leaped down from above the dragon bed.

His figure was agile, and his movements were fluid and natural, as if he had become one with the darkness, without making a single unnecessary sound.

Almost in the blink of an eye, a strong and powerful hand firmly covered Ning Chenyi's mouth.

This hand, though strong, carried a perfectly gentle touch, as if afraid of accidentally hurting this incomparably noble emperor.

At the same time, a deliberately suppressed whisper, like the gentlest breeze in spring, carefully brushed past Ning Chenyi's ear.

The message reached his ears: "Your Majesty, please forgive me. I am Xuan Ying, the secret guard of Prince Jinrui Zhao."

His Majesty is currently in the Hall of Mental Cultivation, where the Fifth Prince's men are present. His Majesty must not make a sound.

Xuan Ying's voice was soft, yet it seemed to carry immense weight; each word struck Ning Chenyi's heart with the weight of Mount Tai.

It made him instantly realize the severity of the situation, like a heavy mountain pressing down on him, making it hard for him to breathe.

Ning Chenyi fought against his physical weakness with all his might, like a warrior battling in a storm, putting on his best effort.

He felt as if he were in a turbulent ocean of thoughts, struggling to grasp at Xuan Ying's words, which were as subtle as the fluttering of a mosquito's wings.

Each syllable was like a faint lighthouse in the darkness, guiding him to maintain clear thinking amidst the chaos.

He blinked slowly, his eyelids seeming to be weighed down by a thick layer of lead.

Each blink required tremendous effort, yet it still steadfastly conveyed to Xuan Ying the signal that it had already understood.

Xuan Ying keenly noticed this subtle movement, as if afraid of disturbing the hidden danger in this silent space, and carefully released her hand from Ning Chenyi's mouth.

The movement was so gentle, as if afraid of shattering the most fragile glass in the world, and then the figure moved like a ghost.

Like a nimble black panther in the dark night, it once again leaped onto the dragon bed and instantly disappeared into the thick, inky shadows.

It seemed to blend perfectly into the darkness, disappearing without a trace, as if it had never existed.

On the surface, Ning Chenyi's expression was calm as still water, like a deep, undisturbed pool.

But his gaze was like a sharp blade concealing its edge, subtly sweeping towards the outside of the hall as if by accident.

With just that one glance, his heart felt as if it had been struck by a heavy hammer, and a piercing pain instantly struck him.

He was acutely aware that the secret guards he had meticulously deployed and loyally protected inside and outside the palace had likely encountered an extremely dangerous situation and were probably in grave danger.

Those resolute figures who are always by his side, vigilant and protecting him.

At this moment, he may be silently falling under the enemy's carefully laid trap, never to rise again to fulfill his sacred duty of protecting him.

Even the loyal eunuch Li was probably already dead by now.

However, this is not the time to wallow in grief; the situation is as critical as a wildfire raging across the land.

It was spreading with lightning speed, leaving him no room for sentimentality or complacency; every second was a matter of life and death.

Soon, with his keen insight, he was like a hound with a sharp sense of smell, instantly detecting the extremely subtle fluctuation of energy above the beam.

Like a wisp of smoke in the darkness, it was clear that the enemy was hiding there.

From Xuan Ying's helpless choice to hide above the dragon bed, Ning Chenyi instantly sketched out the current critical situation in his mind.

It can be deduced that Xuan Ying must have encountered an insurmountable predicament.

Surrounded by these formidable dangers, like an iron barrel, it was impossible to escape the Hall of Mental Cultivation, which was like a huge and terrifying cage fraught with peril.

Ning Chenyi's mind was like a high-speed, precision machine, with various thoughts and countermeasures colliding and combining rapidly like spinning gears.

Without making a sound, he slowly slipped his hand inside the dragon bed, the movement as gentle as a spring breeze gently brushing against delicate flower petals.

They were afraid that even the slightest movement would alert the enemy lurking in the shadows.

At the same time, he gently raised his other hand, using an extremely subtle gesture that only the royal guards would understand, to signal Xuan Ying to come down.

Just then, accompanied by an extremely faint sound of a mechanism turning, it was as if a giant beast that had been sleeping for a long time in ancient times was quietly awakened, emitting a low and mysterious groan.

A hidden passage, just large enough for one person to pass through, slowly appeared inside the dragon bed.

The secret passage was filled with an old and mysterious atmosphere, an atmosphere that seemed to be the taste of time, mixed with long-sealed historical memories.

It's as if it's telling the world those unknown secrets from bygone years.

Upon seeing this, a flash of surprise and determination crossed Xuan Ying's eyes, like a spark suddenly igniting in the darkness.

Without the slightest hesitation, he quickly got off the dragon bed, his movements as nimble as a cheetah darting through the jungle, and without hesitation disappeared into the secret passage.

This secret passage, in fact, came about because of Qin Qianluo.

Back then, when the Empress Dowager lived in the Summer Palace, Qin Qianluo was like a curious elf who had stumbled into a mysterious garden.

By chance, I stumbled upon a path hidden among lush flowers and rugged rocks.

Further exploration along this winding path led to an unexpected secret passage leading to the Empress Dowager's sleeping quarters.