Chapter 55. Yang energy

Ethan Caelan also understood that he had no way to escape Valerius Evander at this moment, nor could he accept the kind of love between men that Valerius spoke of.

"So… even if I were to die, I can never return to my world?" Ethan thought, despair casting a shadow over him like a suffocating fog.

Closing his eyes, he tried to piece together the fragmented memories from his dreams—his mother, lifetimes of suffering, the curse, Valerius Evander, Lucian Evander. They all felt like scattered shards of a puzzle, chilling him to his core.

" Lucian Evander … the Four Heavenly Dragons… those noblemen… What connection do they have to me? I need to start by understanding them."

Ethan struggled to rise from the bed. He had been lying still for far too long. The moment his trembling feet touched the ground and he attempted to stand, his body collapsed onto the cold floor.

"My legs… why can’t I feel my legs?" Ethan exclaimed, panic lacing his voice.

Hearing the commotion inside, Henry Thorne rushed in, alarmed by the sound. Seeing Ethan on the floor, he hurried to help him back to the bed.

“Your Highness!” Henry cried out, his voice filled with worry. He supported Ethan gently yet firmly, ensuring he was settled back into bed.

“Why can’t I feel anything in my legs?” Ethan asked, his voice quivering.

“Your Highness, it’s likely due to the severe blood loss and the prolonged coma. Your body is still extremely weak, and the muscles in your legs and arms have temporarily lost their sensation. There’s no need to worry. Resting, combined with proper medication, will help you recover in a few days,” Henry assured.

Ethan pressed on, his tone now firmer: “Where are Reed and Leo? I want to see them.”

“Since your illness, His Majesty has decreed that no one may visit Your Highness without his express permission,” Henry replied respectfully.

“Am I not even allowed to see my own people?” Ethan retorted bitterly.

“I will report your request and await His Majesty’s decision,” Henry answered carefully. “For now, let me check your pulse.”

As he examined Ethan’s pulse, Henry’s expression turned grave. After a long pause, he asked, “During your time in the coma, did Your Highness experience anything unusual?”

“Unusual? What do you mean?” Ethan asked, perplexed.

“Your pulse is unnaturally cold. You were teetering on the edge of life and death, and your body has accumulated an overwhelming amount of yin energy. It’s truly dangerous,” Henry explained solemnly.

Ethan fixed his gaze on Henry. “How dangerous?”

After a moment of hesitation, Henry responded cautiously, “If the yin energy continues to accumulate, it will disrupt the balance of yin and yang in your meridians, causing your life force to stagnate. Over time, your body will lose the sensation of being alive. Left unchecked, the yin energy will erode your vitality, and I fear…” He faltered, unable to finish.

Ethan let out a bitter laugh. “What a strange and absurd illness this is.”

Henry replied earnestly, “Your Highness, do not despair. This illness is not without a cure.”

“What kind of cure?” Ethan asked sharply.

“You will need to absorb a significant amount of yang energy to neutralize the yin within you. With exposure to the sun during the day and…” Henry hesitated before continuing, “at night, yang energy from a man will be necessary.”

“Yang energy… from a man?” Ethan’s face paled as he processed the words.

“It means that after nightfall, Your Highness will require the company of a strong man to… share intimacy and transfer yang energy,” Henry clarified, his tone both clinical and apologetic.

“Let me guess,” Ethan said, his voice laced with scorn, “the man you speak of will be none other than Valerius Evander, correct?”

Henry fell silent, his lack of response confirming Ethan’s suspicion.

“He forced himself on me, and now he’s concocted this absurd ‘treatment’ to legitimize continuing his abuse?” Ethan spat, his voice filled with bitterness.

Henry tried to explain, “Your Highness, it’s not like that. Your mind has been affected by the imbalance of yin and yang. His Majesty’s yang energy is truly the most compatible to restore your balance.”

“How ridiculous!” Ethan laughed bitterly. “He broke me, turned me into this… this wretched state. And now, under the guise of healing, he wants to keep breaking me. Does he truly wish for me to lose my sanity entirely?”

“Your Highness, His Majesty genuinely cares for you. If he desired, he could simply command you to serve him, and you would have no choice. Why would he go to such lengths if not out of concern?” Henry reasoned.

“His Majesty has shown you extraordinary regard. During your illness, he personally attended to you, day and night. I have never seen him care for anyone the way he does for you,” Henry added, his tone sincere.

“You are young, Your Highness. I urge you to think carefully. Defying His Majesty will bring you no benefit. Perhaps it would be wiser to acquiesce to his wishes rather than continue this resistance,” Henry advised cautiously.

“Did Valerius tell you to say these things to me? To persuade me to yield to him?” Ethan asked, his voice dripping with disdain.

Henry sighed deeply. “No, Your Highness. My words come from my genuine concern for you. I cannot bear to see you destroy yourself like this.”

Ethan inhaled sharply and declared with unwavering resolve, “I am a man. I would rather die than live in submission. Your efforts are wasted.”

“And one more thing,” Ethan continued coldly. “Tell Valerius Evander this: my mind is perfectly sound. I neither need his yang energy nor any man’s. If he dares lay a hand on me again, I will bash my own head in before his very eyes.”

Henry flinched at the word “suicide,” the weight of the threat shaking him to his core. The thought of Ethan slipping away after days of tireless effort to save him was unbearable.

“Your Highness,” Henry said, his voice trembling with urgency, “I have overstepped. Please, do not take my words to heart.”