The Forbidden Path to Immortality - Chapter 21

Chapter 2 A Chance Encounter

“Where are you going?”

Half an incense stick of time had passed before this greeting had greeted Li Xun, surprising him. But then, a chill shot up his spine, his entire body tensing. He slipped, and headfirst into the mountainside—a constant snapping of branches and leaves, countless scratches across his body. Li Xun slammed headfirst into a tree root, his eyes swirling with stars as the air around him scorched.

“Don’t kill me!” he screamed, a sticky liquid trickling down his forehead, likely from the impact. He ignored the pain, struggling to his feet and sprinting through the dense forest.

The mottled shadows of the trees formed into thin, wispy threads, whipping him like a cloak of despair.

The air around him kept rising in temperature, a constant reminder to Li Xun that the deadly threat still existed.

At this moment, no matter how magical the “Jade Evil-Repelling” was, it couldn’t calm his maddened mind.

“Bang!”

In his panic, Li Xun lost track of his surroundings, unable to distinguish between shadow and reality. He stumbled into a tree trunk, his vision blackened by the combined pain of old and new wounds, and his body instantly went limp.

The collision also shattered his last remaining courage to struggle.

Blood dripped from the corners of his eyes onto the ground. He opened his eyes a crack, and a dress the same color as the blood appeared hazily in the hazy light, its fine gauze hem fluttering gently in the mountain breeze.

“Have mercy!”

he groaned, struggling to turn halfway over, trying to reach for the hem, a desperate plea for his life, about to be snatched away.

The hem fluttered back, avoiding his reach. But Li Xun could sense that the “master” who held his life and death in his hands was observing him with a look of intense interest.

Perhaps she was considering whether to do a favor; or perhaps she was considering where to strike!

Terror surged from the depths of his heart, instantly spreading throughout his entire body. He could even feel a strange, tingling sensation flowing from deep within, slowly permeating his body.

What was it? It made his entire body ache and limp?

He swayed on his side twice before finally rolling over, facedown, and prostrating himself on the ground. “Lord Yuan, have mercy! Have mercy!”

He should have been screaming! But the sound seemed to come from far below, like the low buzzing of a fly.

He finally knelt and begged for mercy, doing what he had always wanted to do but hadn’t the nerve to do.

His only solace was that if he didn’t kneel, under the weight of fear, he wouldn’t be able to maintain his composure. But after kneeling, with his limbs and head pressed to the ground, he could still feel a sliver of security.

The moment his wound touched the filthy earth, another searing pain flared up, but it paled in comparison to the humiliation he felt. And what was humiliation compared to his precious life?

Now, with no one around, there was no need to worry about prestige. With all the restraints on his will to survive severed, he no longer had any reason to maintain his composure.

“Shut up!”

the demon phoenix cursed softly, and his near-wail was cut short by a single blow. He pressed his forehead against the ground, his entire body rigid, daring not to move. After a few breaths, this tension gave way to a trembling tremor.

The more he strained to control himself, the more pronounced the trembling grew, until he could no longer suppress it, his entire body rustling the surrounding branches and leaves. Though the sound was low, the thought of the demon phoenix’s previous “shut up” was more terrifying than thunder!

He strained his eyes, hoping to observe Yao Feng’s expression from the corner of his eye, but despite his best efforts, all he could see was a blood-red skirt, a glimpse of delicate shoes.

This blood-red hue was a faint, demonic fire, devouring his hope bit by bit, then secreting an ugly, turbid fluid that poured into his nearly shrunken heart. “

Live?”

Yao Feng’s voice lacked any discernible tendency, yet it held an incomparable thrill.

Li Xun shuddered violently, his limp body squirming twice on the ground. After struggling to close the distance between them, he struggled to raise his face. Dirt, tears, and snot smeared his face, obscuring the last vestiges of his handsomeness, leaving only embarrassment and humiliation.

He cried out repeatedly, “I want to live, I want to live! Please, Yuanjun, have mercy, please have mercy!” “

The demon phoenix was quite interested in his face and even lowered her head to observe the situation carefully. If that madman saw this, she would definitely be very upset.”

Li Xun had a vague feeling that the so-called “madman” should be referring to Yu Sanren – if Yu Sanren really saw someone with a face similar to his who was so mean and disgusting, he would probably kill him immediately with a palm, so as not to let him stay in the world and embarrass him.

Only to hear the demon phoenix say again: “It’s a pity that Lin Lang is not you after all, otherwise, the situation would have changed again…”

Li Xun also understood the deep meaning of this sentence. This means that if Lin Ge could really throw away all his dignity like he is now, the demon phoenix might not be able to tell the difference.

It’s a pity that Lin Ge still has a bit of pride in his heart.

Hearing this, Li Xun felt even more depressed, but he couldn’t speak, so he could only continue to kowtow and beg for mercy.

Yao Feng didn’t want to tangle with him any further, so she moved a little further away, avoiding his dirty hands. She said calmly, “Go pick up the sword!”

Li Xun felt limp at the words, knowing he’d saved his life.

Qingyu landed just a few dozen steps away. He scrambled over, snatching up the sword. No longer willing to think, he quickly walked back, then knelt on the ground again.

Yao Feng reached out and snatched Qingyu away, examining her briefly before shaking her head. “What a waste of such a fine sword!”

But her words didn’t mean to insult Li Xun. In fact, Li Xun wasn’t worthy of her attention. However, this honest comment was the most hurtful.

Li Xun, numb to her heart, ignored her words and carefully studied her expression, more obedient than a puppy kept by a noblewoman in the capital.

“Go see your master one last time!” A subtle hint of pity lingered in Yao Feng’s tone.

Of course, this feeling of pity wasn’t just for Li Xun.

After some time, Li Xun returned to the mountain path he’d just come from.

The landscape had completely changed. The narrow path had been cut in half by a tremendous force, and the surrounding mountain walls were riddled with holes. Dangerous rocks constantly tumbled from the broken mountainside. At first glance, Tiandu Peak looked as if it were about to collapse.

Lin Ge lay on a pile of rocks, his limbs twisted into misshapen shapes by the force of the force, and countless bones broken throughout his body. He lay there, motionless.

Li Xun’s eyes twitched violently, but he dared not move a muscle. He looked at Yao Feng, hoping to get some information from her.

The demon phoenix made no response. Li Xun froze there, feeling as if every part of his body were being pricked by needles, feeling extremely uncomfortable.

The silence lasted for a long time before he mustered the courage to walk towards the Lin Pavilion. The gravel under his feet made a “crackling” sound, a wail of impending collapse.

When he was still a few steps away from the Lin Pavilion, Li Xun realized that the Lin Pavilion had sensed his presence. He seemed to want to turn his head, but he no longer had the ability to do so.

Seeing him like this, Li Xun’s heart ached, and he almost rushed forward. However, in this situation, his attachment to his own life was clearly even greater.

The wind roared from behind, and the demon phoenix also came to Li Xun’s side, leaning down slightly, and whispered in his ear: It’s right there. If you want to live, your life depends on him! “

Her voice was a little hoarse, and there was a kind of bewitching magic that penetrated directly into Li Xun’s mind.

She gave a few instructions, looked at the confused and surprised expression on Li Xun’s face, smiled lightly, and stepped back.

Li Xun stayed there, his hand felt cold, but the jade was back in his hand.

Yaofeng pushed him lightly from behind. It was a silent urging, and also the bell of death.

Li Xun trembled and took a step forward, getting closer and closer to Lin Ge. He could even see Lin Ge’s muscles twitching slightly.

Then, the master and disciple looked at each other. Originally, Lin Ge’s eyes were full of bloodshot and his eyes were scattered, but the moment he saw Li Xun, his eyes suddenly lit up, but then dimmed again.

I don’t know if it was an illusion, but Li Xun actually saw a hint of begging in Lin Ge’s eyes – “I only want to die! “

As long as Li Xun stabs the vital point with his sword, he can fulfill his wish. But what about Li Xun’s own life?

Li Xun’s lips twitched twice. From the moment he knelt down and begged for mercy to the demon phoenix, he would never be moved by Lin Ge’s begging. Otherwise, what can he gain in exchange for his completely lost personality and dignity?

He called out softly: “Master, I’m sorry!” After

that, he shook his wrist, and the sword light flashed. Several pieces of cloth scattered in all directions. The clothes on Lin Ge’s lower limbs were swept away by the sword energy, revealing his n*ked lower body.

Lin Ge let out a low howl. Seventy to eighty percent of his bones were broken, and even his neck was severely injured. It was really difficult for him to breathe. At this time, he could actually make such a clear cry, which obviously meant that he was extremely excited.

Li Xun closed his eyes and stepped back, but he had only taken half a step back when he was suddenly blocked by the demon phoenix.

“Open your eyes! “Yao Feng’s voice was so overbearing that Li Xun could not resist it, so he had to open his eyes. At this time, Lin Ge screamed again, but this time, it was much lower and hoarse.

Li Xun knew the crux of the matter with just a glance. His face was red and white. After a while, he remembered to look away.

Lin Ge was even more unbearable. He struggled twice and fainted.

“Lin Lang, wake up.” Yao Feng’s voice was as gentle as water. She brushed Lin Ge’s face with her sleeves and woke him up.

Lin Ge yelled “uh uh” twice. Li Xun listened beside him. It seemed to be the words “kill me”. This proud man finally couldn’t stand the humiliation and begged for mercy from the enemy around him.

He just wanted to die!

But Yao Feng deprived him of the right to die.

Yao Feng sat down gently, as if sitting on a soft embroidered couch. She stretched out her hand, embraced Lin Ge’s upper body, and let him lie in her arms. This series of actions , just like a loving young woman is serving her lover.

Li Xun looked at all this and felt his heart freeze.

He looked at the slender fingers of the demon phoenix, sliding down from Lin Ge’s face, gently stroking his chest and lower abdomen, and finally stopping at his lower body.

This scene was extremely e*otic, but in Li Xun’s eyes, it was so pent up that he couldn’t breathe.

Because, Lin Ge’s lower body, the p*nis that symbolizes male identity and dignity, is now almost gone! Like a malnourished broad bean, it is shrunken and even trembling—— There is no doubt that this phenomenon is not a natural change!

The sharp scream, like a sharp needle, was thrown into the air, thin and thin like a gossamer. Li Xun heard it, but felt that his whole body was pierced by it.

Yao Feng laughed softly, and her fingers seemed to fiddle with it a few times. This action was like playing with her favorite toy. Lin Ge’s scream was intermittent and finally broke into a hoarse voice.

Li Xun tried his best to divert his eyes. His body was completely drenched in cold sweat, and his ears were buzzing. In a trance, he only heard Yao Feng say, “As he is…”

Her voice was soft and gentle, yet tinged with icy coldness. “If he were to suffer a setback, he would only intensively cultivate and study, striving to surpass his enemy and regain his lost face tenfold.” “But you are different. You are so impatient. For a grudge, you wouldn’t even wait a hundred years! You have dissipated your primordial yang, seeking only to transform your true qi, catapulting your cultivation to a drastic level, yet turning yourself into neither male nor female… Lin Lang, are you still worthy of being a man?”

“Poisonous woman!”

This was likely the last clear sound Lin Ge uttered. It was a scream wrung from flesh and blood, laced with pain and resentment. Even Li Xun felt his muscles twitch and a chill run through his body.

However, Yao Feng merely smiled.

With this, this couple, who had existed for a century, had shed the last veil of tenderness, exposing the darkest sides of each heart to the other.

Suddenly, Li Xun couldn’t breathe.

Lin Ge was finally left on the rubble. Perhaps Yao Feng no longer had the heart to show him affection. She stood up, wiped her hands with a clean, scented towel, and then reduced them to ash with the flames.

The last bit of movement in Lin Ge’s chest faded, but the monk’s overly resilient vitality lingered within him, slowly transmitting this last bit of humiliation to every corner of his body.

“Come here!” Yao Feng said to Li Xun. Her smile was like a cold, early winter wind, blowing straight into Li Xun’s heart.

Li Xun hesitated, but finally stepped forward, stopping a step away from Yao Feng. Yao Feng was taller than him, and his shrinking height made the difference even more obvious. Yao Feng

lowered her head slightly, looking him straight in the eye. Li Xun couldn’t resist, and quickly lowered his head in a gesture of humility. But the next moment, Yao Feng’s slender, jade-like palm pressed lightly against his chest. Li Xun could clearly feel the heat within, a force that could crush him to ash.

He looked up in horror, screaming, “Don’t kill me!”

Yao Feng smiled back, “Who wants to kill you?”

As soon as she finished speaking, an overwhelming force surged from her hand, striking Li Xun in the chest.

He felt a tightness in his chest, and his body was involuntarily sent flying backward, as if he were riding a cloud.

And the moment he soared, he was met with a hard slap across the face.

“If you dare come within ten miles of me again, I’ll make you wish you were dead!”

Li Xun spat out a mouthful of blood, clutching his face as he tumbled down Tiandu Peak. The slap had broken the skin on his face, causing his entire head to swell!

He vaguely remembered that the slap had occurred precisely where the demon phoenix’s side had touched.

Then, he truly passed out.

Even if his body was crushed to dust, he wouldn’t have cared!

The autumn rain fell steadily, gradually forming a curtain, a deepening chill seeping through the rain.

The road leading to Tiandu Peak had become increasingly deserted in recent days. However, on this stretch of road, a procession of carriages and horses was making its way through the drizzle.

Nearly a hundred people, dozens of horses, and two or three carriages were present. Despite the rain, they moved in an orderly manner. The middle carriage was an extremely ornate, oil-green carriage, with four horses running side by side, a truly distinguished presence.

From the car in the middle, weak coughs could be heard from time to time. The voice was hoarse and weak, which was obviously a symptom of middle-aged and elderly people with qi deficiency.

The person who started to speak was an old woman: “I came here on a rainy day, but I didn’t expect the road to be so difficult to walk on…”

A young woman’s voice continued: “This is a dirt road. It will be paved with bluestone soon, which will be much smoother. Please be patient for a while…”

After a pause, the voice continued: “The autumn rain has been annoying these past few days, and the weather is chaotic. Your Majesty is not in good health. Why bother to come here in person to pray to the gods? If you get sick, it will be very difficult to cure…”

The old woman smiled coldly. “I thought you weren’t sincere. My child was given up on demand, but now I want to bring him back, how many are willing?” As soon as

she said this, the carriage fell silent. The old woman’s anger flared up, and without a moment’s pause, she snorted again, “Even if I die, I’ll go to the underworld to see that foolish old man and ask the King of Hell to allow my poor grandson to be recorded in the immortal register forever, so that he won’t have to suffer in this world anymore…”

As she spoke, she couldn’t help but choke up. Everyone in the carriage tried to comfort her, but she scolded them back, and no one dared to say a word.

There was the clatter of horses’ hooves behind them. A man on horseback caught up from behind. As he passed the carriage, he gave the guards a look that frightened them into silence, no longer daring to show any disrespect. Without pausing, the man drove straight to the front of the group and called out to the one in front of him, “Master Gong!”

The man turned around, revealing a rather rough face, but his eyes flashed with a shrewd look, revealing a bit of shrewdness. He saw that the person coming was his deputy Zhang Ji, and he smiled. “Brother, what do you want to call me for?”

Zhang Ji’s face was sallow and looked a bit sick, but when he opened and closed his eyes, a flash of lightning flashed, making it difficult to look directly at him. His cultivation was even stronger than Master Gong’s.

He slowed his horse, bowed first, and then said, “Master, judging by the rain, it seems that it will not stop tonight. The roads are very slippery on rainy nights. We will definitely not be able to return to the city today. So, perhaps we should make some preparations…”

Master Gong stroked his beard and nodded. “Brother, you are right. Let’s ask the Taoist priest in the temple to prepare vegetarian food for us. And there must be no mistakes in the night guard. Why don’t you go ahead and make the arrangements? “

Zhang Ji responded, and was thinking about grabbing the horse, but suddenly something caught his eye, and he couldn’t help but exclaimed.

A little slower than him, Lord Gong also noticed something strange, and also exclaimed lightly. Then, he winked, and Zhang Ji understood. The horse under him increased its speed rapidly and galloped forward.

After running a few feet, Zhang Ji raised his whip and made a loud whip flower in the air. There was a sound, as loud as thunder, and then the waist knife was half out of the sheath, and the horse increased again.

Lord Gong stared at his actions closely. He had taken off the big bow on his back, put the arrow on the string and strung it. The guards around him all drew their swords and strung arrows, and they could use their strength if there was any unusual movement.

Zhang Ji reined in his horse and turned around to greet him: “Lord Gong, it’s a Taoist priest who fell on the side of the road. I don’t know if he is dead or alive!”

Lord Gong shouted unlucky and waved his hand and said: “Throw him away, don’t alarm the concubine! “

At this time, a maidservant stuck her head out of the oil-green carriage in the middle and called out from afar: “Sir Gong, the imperial concubine wants to know if there is any trouble ahead?”

Sir Gong glanced back and said nonchalantly: “Please don’t worry, it’s just a Taoist priest who fainted blocking the road!”

The maidservant retracted her head, but immediately stuck her head out again and shouted loudly: “Sir Gong, the imperial concubine is calling you and has something to tell you!”

Sir Gong was slightly stunned, but did not say much. He immediately dismounted, walked to the front of the carriage, and responded: “What does the imperial concubine want to call you for?”

The old woman in the carriage coughed and spoke: “We climbed the mountain today to worship the gods and pray. We should do more good deeds. “The Taoist took him in and sent him to Lingtai Temple, where the abbot of Songfeng Temple would make all the arrangements…”

Lord Gong hesitated for a moment, then replied yes, and then asked the guards to lift the Taoist onto the horse and let him accompany Zhang Ji to Lingtai Temple.

After this episode, the group continued to move forward.

After an unknown amount of time, Li Xun woke up from his coma. He blinked his eyes, but his mind was not fully awake yet. He just felt that there was a layer of bedding covering his body, but his underwear was still wet. When it was warmed by his body temperature, he felt extremely uncomfortable.

What was even more terrible was that this feeling was so familiar!

The collapsed mountain road, the burning maple forest, the teachers and friends who turned to ashes, and the unprecedented shame, all of this was like violently erupting volcanic lava, instantly… It filled his head.

A burning sensation ran through his body, and he screamed and jumped up.

The feeling of humiliation was still running through his body, so much so that for a while, his eyes were all blood red.

In a trance, someone was shouting and scolding, and then two fists hit him in the face, but the force was pitifully weak.

Even though he was still very weak, the self-rebound of his true energy still made this rash guy suffer enough.

There was a sound, as if someone had broken through the door panel. This sound also brought Li Xun back from his excitement.

His vision gradually returned to normal.

What he saw was the pretty and slightly frightened face of a maid. Beside her, outside the open door, someone was trying to struggle to get up.

“Where is this?” Li Xun stared at the little maid in front of him, but his mind was quickly organizing his thoughts, wondering where this place was.

The maid was scared to tears, shrank back, and leaned against the wall, but could not speak.

Li Xun was impatient and shouted again: “Speak! “

Taiguan!” The maid used up all her strength to barely speak.

Li Xun frowned when he heard it. This should be a Taoist temple somewhere in the human world, otherwise how could there be such a cowardly person?

He thought for a while and said, “Why am I here?”

The maid replied hesitantly, “You fainted on the road… We are kind enough to put you here…”

Some of the names in her words seemed to be intentionally vague. Li Xun understood in his heart that they must be the family members of an official of high status, so it was not convenient to say it directly.

He didn’t care and lowered his head to check the important accessories on his body. The Phoenix Feather Needle and the Jade Evil-Repelling Needle were both there, but the Green Jade Sword was not with him, nor was it seen in the room.

Li Xun wanted to ask the maid, but thought better of it and went out the door. Seeing that the man outside was still struggling to get up, he tapped him with his toes and sent a breath of true energy.

“Where’s my sword?”

The man was dressed in tight clothes and should be a first-class guard. He didn’t answer when he heard this, but just looked at Li Xun fiercely.

Li Xun was too lazy to argue with him, nor was he worried about the whereabouts of the Green Jade. The sword was connected to his mind, and no one in the mortal world could steal it.

Seeing the guard’s expression, Li Xun smiled coldly: “If you don’t say anything, I’ll get it myself!”

After that, he moved his mind and his true energy came out of his body. He felt the sound of sword chanting dozens of feet away. It was the sword’s spirit that guided the direction.

Without even taking a step, he simply waved his sword. A flash of light flashed, and a shimmering azure sword energy soared into the air, landing in his hand in the blink of an eye.

The guard’s eyes nearly popped out of his head.

Seeing his absurd expression, Li Xun curled his lips into a smile, his gloomy mood surprisingly improving.

Then he felt his behavior had been a bit rude. After all, he had been picked up from the road, and treating him like that was indeed taking his anger out on others. Composing

himself, he said, “I have important matters to attend to and cannot remain for long. I will repay your kindness in the future! Farewell!”

He nodded again, intending to soar on his sword, but thinking he shouldn’t shock the world, he simply exerted force on his feet, leaped onto the wall, and prepared to leave on foot.

Just then, a sharp sound rang in his ears: the sound of a bowstring, but no arrow piercing the air.

Li Xun frowned and looked in the direction of the sound. He saw a middle-aged man with a sallow complexion, holding a bow and glaring coldly at him.

It was he who had just plucked the empty string, sounding a warning.

That would have been fine; if he were alone, Li Xun would have probably taken flight, not even bothering to return Li Xun’s glance.

However, after the sound of the bowstring, dozens of burly men armed with powerful bows and arrows suddenly appeared from all around the house, their swords unsheathed and arrows on their strings, as if facing a formidable enemy.

Li Xun believed that if the yellow-faced man gave the order, these dozens of sharp arrows would all be aimed at him simultaneously!

To be honest, although Li Xun was considered a successful cultivator at this point, he had never faced dozens of powerful bows at once, and he didn’t know if he could withstand them, and he couldn’t help but feel a little nervous.

He was also puzzled. In the human world, bows and crossbows were strictly prohibited by the government. Except for officials and soldiers, it was a serious crime for civilians to possess bows and crossbows. He also considered that since his rescuer was from an official family, it was normal for them to be protected by officials and soldiers, but such strict security seemed a bit excessive!

Being nervous is one thing, being confused is another, but how to respond is the most important thing.

Li Xun calmed his breath and stared coldly at the man a few dozen steps away, his hand on the hilt of his sword. If this man dared to give the order, he would chop his head off immediately!

A distance of a few dozen steps was just a breath away for him!

Under his cold gaze, the man’s eyebrows moved, obviously sensing something. Then, he lowered his bow and shouted towards them, “You Taoist priest, how rude! My master saved you from danger, yet you hurt one of my servants and left without saying goodbye. What’s the reason?”

Taoist priest?

Li Xun twitched his lips, then remembered the cloud robe he was wearing, a Taoist attire. As a cultivator, it was normal for him to be misunderstood.

In fact, he didn’t want to take any risks. Seeing that the other party didn’t seem to be planning to attack directly, he felt relieved.

Without thinking too much, he followed the man’s tone and replied, “I have important matters to attend to and cannot delay. I have already told your guards about my impoliteness. I don’t think I have done anything wrong, but you are threatening me with sharp arrows. How can this be justified?”

The man smiled and his expression eased greatly, but he did not let his men put away their bows. He was about to say something else when he saw someone coming. He turned around and called out, “Master Gong.”

Li Xun also turned his head and saw a bearded man on the roof. He frowned. Why does this man look so kind?

While he was thinking, the two men had already made eye contact. The bearded man had a sharp look in his eyes and looked very ferocious at first glance. This look made Li Xun feel more familiar. While he was wondering, he suddenly saw a thin scar at the corner of the man’s eye, which rubbed his temples and extended to behind his ear.

The scar was like a ray of intense light, instantly illuminating his heart. He felt a tightness in his chest, and nearly fell.

He called out softly, “Gong Wei!”

The bearded man was startled, a glint in his eyes. “Do you recognize me?” A

suppressed whistle answered him. Li Xun’s doubts vanished. He spun around, leaping over ten feet into the air. The jade sword was unsheathed, and with a flash of azure light, he was already riding the sword away, leaving the guards speechless, as if in a dream.

He flew for who knows how far, but a flood of emotions surged through Li Xun’s mind, a flood that even two jade wards couldn’t stop. Countless scenes from his childhood flashed through his mind, returning to that single, shallow scar.

Gong Wei, how could he have forgotten this man? The scar at the corner of his eyebrow was especially clear to Li Xun.

He still remembered that afternoon when his father brought this man in, declaring him to be brave enough to withstand a thousand men, his arms as strong as a thousand pounds. Curious, Li Xun asked the bearded man to unleash a powerful bow hanging on the wall.

The bow, taller than he was, was effortlessly stretched to a full moon by the bearded man, and with one more effort, it snapped easily. The snapped bowstring lashed his face, leaving the scar.

For a time, the man’s impassive ferocity, despite the blood on his face, had become a secret object of his admiration in his childhood, and the scar, inflicted by him, was even more deeply engraved in his memory.

As he grew older and gained more experience, the emotions he had felt as a child were no longer there. But this scar, this man, and especially the fading stream of figures that followed him, suddenly and unexpectedly, left him reeling.

“Gong Wei is the commander of the palace’s guards. His presence must mean someone important to the palace is here. Who is it?”

Unable to fly any further, he suppressed his sword’s light and stopped in a field, panting heavily. He sorted through the information he had received since regaining consciousness, finally coming to a conclusion: “It must be a female relative, coming up the mountain to pray for blessings… but I don’t know which one of them is from the palace?”

The figures of his relatives, whom he hadn’t seen in nearly nine years, appeared one after another, each so blurry that it made his heart tremble! He only clearly remembered his grandfather’s frantic

, distraught appearance and his father’s stern, cold face. The rest of them—his mother, grandmother, several concubines, younger brothers, and younger sisters—were mere phantoms, like mist, dissipated by the wind.

“Go back!”

was his first thought upon regaining consciousness. The thought that dozens of miles away lay his closest bloodline, his entire body heated up, and the urge to reunite with his family instantly ignited a prairie fire.

“Is it mother, or the old concubine?” He kept walking back, thinking in his heart, waves of warm blood surging in his chest.

He began to think about what to say after the meeting. Yes, what should he say?

After nine years of separation, what reason should he use to make his relatives believe that he is still alive? What words should he use to express his feelings at the moment? What should he say

when he sees his mother? What should he say when he sees the old concubine? What should he say if it is the other concubines?

He thought again, what will his mother say when she sees him? What will the old concubine say? What will the other concubines say?

And what will his father say about him? What kind of face will his grandfather have?

How will the various guards and servants in the palace face this young master who has been missing for nine years?

Even though his intelligence far surpassed his peers, he still felt a surge of nervousness at the prospect of encountering such a situation. His palms began to sweat unnoticed, becoming clammy and uncomfortable.

He instinctively wiped them against his clothes.

The rough touch of gravel and sand stung his palms.

He stopped in his tracks, startled. He looked down at his attire. His Taoist robe, woven from cold jade silk, wasn’t shabby, but after the recent incident, to say it was riddled with holes was an understatement. There were also stains from mud and water, lingering traces of blood. Especially from the waist down, a faint, pungent aura emanated…

Could he really go in this state?

Hesitant, his eyes grew hazy.

Suddenly, a fiery red flashed before his eyes, and a thunderous explosion exploded in his ears.

He screamed, turned, and sprinted backwards. He had only taken two steps when he stumbled and fell, rolling twice on the ground, the accumulated rainwater ruthlessly splattering all over him.

Before his eyes, a fiery red maple leaf fluttered down to the ground. It twitched twice in the breeze, and the petiole made a small circle, pointing directly at his pale face.

Li Xun stared blankly at the leaf for a long time before he buried his face heavily, rubbing it against the ground, and exhaled with difficulty.

Tears flowed unrestrainedly, and after several sobs, he finally couldn’t help but howl at the top of his lungs.

“How do I go back? How do I go back—”

Who was he?

The young master of Prince Fu’s mansion?

A little Taoist priest in rags, how could he look like a prince?

A direct disciple of the Mingxin Sword Sect?

He had just been with the enemy who killed his master, leaving his mentor with unresolved memories!

Who was he?

In the eyes of others, he was a penniless beggar, a traitor who sold his master to survive, a madman with wild dreams of becoming a prince!

How could he go back?

He staggered to his feet, stumbled a few steps, and finally stood still. The autumn rain, which had paused for a moment, began to fall again. He looked up to the sky, exhaled, smiled, and slowly walked into the rain.

He never looked back.