Transmigration:The Villain Wants A Happy End Without His BeastHusbands-Chapter 95: Inner Peace

Ningyan woke to the pleasant scent of food.

His violet eyes slowly opened to an unfamiliar chamber washed in white and warm blue hues. Laughter echoed faintly nearby, accompanied by the soft splash of water.

He didn’t move at first. He just lay there, letting the warmth, the sounds, and the scent sink into him.

Then everything rushed back.

His breath hitched. Memories slammed into his mind all at once, sharp and merciless. Ningyan gasped and bolted upright, fingers threading violently through his hair as his pupils dilated.

"No... no... no..."

He swung his legs over the bed and jumped down and froze as a woman stepped into the room.

She had light-blue finned ears, damp hair clinging to jade-toned skin, and clothes bright and revealing like summer itself. Surprise flashed across her face when she saw him standing.

"You’re awake," she said, hurrying toward him.

Ningyan didn’t retreat.

Instead, his eyes flared, blooming into a vivid white-gold glow. The woman stopped mid-step, instinctively halting under the weight of his menacing gaze.

"Stay away."

She blinked, startled, then slowly raised her hands and offered him a gentle smile. "I mean you no harm. I promise."

Promises like that had betrayed him before.

Her words only sharpened his hostility.

The woman let out a quiet sigh. "You were brought here two days ago. A regular customer asked me to make sure you were kept safe."

Ningyan’s eyes widened. "Two days?" His voice cracked. "I’ve been here for two days?"

She nodded. "I’m Zhao Zihan. This is my inn, in Water City. I don’t know what happened to you, but I swear you’re safe here. Han Yunyi is only a customer. I’m not close to her. If you want me to keep your presence a secret from her as well, I will."

A short, bitter snort escaped him. "You get a lot of runaways, don’t you?"

Zhao Zihan smiled faintly. "Unfortunately. But it’s good for business."

Ningyan returned the smile weakly, then his expression shifted. He looked down at himself, fingers flying to his chest. "My flute."

"Oh."

Zhao Zihan immediately crossed the room, opened a drawer, and pulled out his flute. The moment Ningyan saw it, a heavy sigh left his chest.

She caught the reaction and gave him an amused look, her gaze lingering on his face before she produced a white mask as well.

Ningyan frowned slightly. "That’s not—"

"It’s an illusion mask," she said calmly. "It came with you, so I’m fairly certain it’s yours."

She smiled as Ningyan blinked in silence, then placed both the flute and the mask back into the drawer.

"Would you like some food?" she asked. "It’s noon. The variety is much better than in the morning."

Ningyan almost told her he had no spirit crystals. But he’d been unconscious here for two days, and she hadn’t mentioned payment once. So he simply nodded.

She gave him an appreciative smile and left the room.

The moment the door closed, Ningyan dragged himself out of bed and stood upright. He wore loose robes, but his pants were still the ones he’d put on himself. No one had stripped him bare.

That realization didn’t comfort him.

His fingers trembled. His eyes burned, stinging with unshed tears. His chest felt unbearably heavy.

He had destroyed two things at once. All because he had chosen to accept Yunyi so openly into his life.

She was family. He kept telling himself that. But it didn’t change the outcome. Wuhen was probably dead now because of him.

And Lan Meishan.

Ningyan shut that thought down before it could fully form.

He paced the room restlessly before stopping in front of the mirror. He felt... light. Too light. The spirit-mate chain was gone. Completely gone.

He had always felt Wuhen everywhere, all the time, like a presence woven into his breath.

Now there was nothing.

The emptiness was undeniable.

When the dishes were brought in, Ningyan thought he might be too hollow to eat. Instead, he devoured everything, drank heavily, and later sank into the bath that had been prepared for him.

He stayed in the chamber afterward, cultivating in silence, forcing his thoughts away from the crushing weight of Wuhen’s death.

Qinghe was probably planning to kill him by now.

And Lan Meishan... might have already fallen into something far darker.

Ningyan took a deep breath and muttered to himself, "Inner peace."

Unfortunately, it didn’t stop the worst-case thoughts. If anything, they only grew louder.

He remained in bed, staring blankly at the ceiling until exhaustion dragged him back into sleep. When he woke again, night had already fallen.

Stepping out of his chamber, he was greeted by music, laughter, and distant cheers. Ningyan followed the sounds until he reached a balcony and the sight before him stole what little breath he had left.

Thousands upon thousands of lanterns floated into the night sky, glowing like scattered stars. Below, the city stretched endlessly across the water. Buildings standing upon its surface, streets formed by arched bridges, flower-covered platforms drifting gently with the current. Lantern lights bobbed on the water itself, casting reflections that shimmered like living constellations.

The Water City was breathtaking. A vast, luminous city built upon water, home to water-based beasts who lived, traded, and celebrated here.

Mermaids. Mermen.

That was what Ningyan chose to call them.

Just when he thought the world had exhausted its ability to surprise him, it unveiled yet another wonder. And for the first time since waking, the beauty managed to distract him from everything he’d endured.

He rubbed the side of his neck where Yunyi had touched him. Whatever she had done still left the area sore.

Leaning against the balcony railing, Ningyan watched the lanterns rise until he finally forced himself to move, blending into the crowd below. He didn’t join the celebrations. He only lingered at the edges, listening.

"They say the battle was so intense that Lan Tianheng actually praised Jun Haoxuan," one voice bragged.

"Regardless of praise, this just proves the three realms are doomed," another replied grimly. "Nothing demonic ever brings good news."

"I heard the academies are being shut down after the Celestial Beast Academy was destroyed," someone else added. "Everyone’s hiding their heirs now. Others are forcing them to grow stronger. The world’s about to flip."

A drunken laugh followed. "Shall we place bets on which beast kind will be the next phoenix?"

Laughter erupted.

That was Ningyan’s cue to leave.

He returned quietly to his chamber, heart sinking. He had gained some information but nothing about Yan Wuhen. Nothing about Lan Meishan. Nothing about Rong Yue.

But the destruction of the academy... That struck the deepest.

His fingers curled slowly at his side.

What in the hell had happened?