The first thing Li Dixian did upon waking was to pull out the clear spring wine pot from his waist and take a big gulp.
The mellow wine rolled into his stomach, and a burning current spread, slowly mending his injuries under the influence of the alcohol.
Li Dixian poked his head out from the edge of the bird's nest, cautiously looking around.
After confirming it was safe, he stretched out his legs, casually resting his calves on the edge of the nest, and swung them leisurely a few times.
He silently drank wine to heal his injuries.
His thoughts, however, had long since flown back to that night's life-and-death struggle with Zhao Wuji.
"It truly was a close call…"
Li Dixian murmured to himself, fear lingering like a shadow.
"This time, luck was on my side."
"If not for the torrential downpour, the Sword of Frost wouldn't have been able to freeze Zhao Wuji for so long."
"The blood trail from my escape wouldn't have been washed away by the rain, and he surely would have tracked me down."
"Even…"
"If there was a ferocious bird occupying this huge bird's nest…"
"When I was severely injured and unconscious, I probably would have been pecked to death, leaving no bones behind."
Li Dixian raised his hand to wipe away the wine stain from the corner of his mouth, his pale face full of seriousness.
"I hate this feeling of being out of control, of my life hanging on luck."
"My strength is still not enough; I need to become stronger, and the sword in my hand must become sharper."
After a few sips of wine, his injuries improved slightly.
Only the fractured bones in his chest and wrist still throbbed faintly.
Fortunately, his Refined Frost Spirit Body had penetrated into his bones, so his recovery was much faster than an ordinary person's.
Li Dixian took a deep breath and leaped down from the bird's nest.
Upon landing,
He stumbled.
Besides the faint pain in his body, a hollow feeling came from his stomach.
The wine was delicious.
But unfortunately, it wasn't filling.
"How long have I been unconscious…?"
Li Dixian rubbed his rumbling stomach, his gaze sweeping beyond the giant tree of the bird's nest.
He saw that all the surrounding trees were broken in half, and the ground was covered with huge craters and overturned soil.
And such terrifying destruction had stopped just tens of meters away from the giant tree where he was hiding.
A chilling coldness gripped his heart, and Li Dixian slowly clenched his hands.
"I, Li Dixian, have taken this lesson to heart."
"Next time…"
"Zhao Wuji, I will personally slay you!"
He wondered about the current situation at home.
Out of caution, Li Dixian chose to bypass the forest.
He knew that with his disappearance and the destruction of his residence, those who knew him well would likely be worried sick at this moment.
From the forest, he detoured to the edge of the street.
He planned to go to the Dugu Family first to report his safety.
He couldn't enter the Imperial Palace without authorization, so he could only ask the Imperial Enshriner, Dugu Bo, to inform Xue Qinghe that he was unharmed.
On the street, Li Dixian's hair was matted, his face was smeared with blood and mud, and his tattered white shirt had lost its original color, stained with dirt and dried blood.
In such a disheveled state,
Where was even a trace of his former handsome and elegant appearance?
Passersby all cast disgusted glances, and no one came within two meters of him.
However, Li Dixian didn't care at all, and even a smile played on his lips.
Having survived a catastrophe, he could once again walk on the bustling streets and see the vibrant human activity.
The feeling that welled up in his heart was one called "life is worth living."
Before he even reached the Dugu Family mansion,
Li Dixian passed a steamed bun shop.
From the two steaming baskets placed outside the shop, the hot white mist, mixed with the aroma of wheat and meat, hit his nose like a punch.
The power of this punch,
Was even harder to resist than Zhao Wuji's fist.
"Shopkeeper, five meat buns to go."
Li Dixian patted the treasure pouch at his waist, and two copper coins fell into his palm.
He flicked his thumb, and the coins spun, landing precisely on the chopping board.
He took the buns wrapped in oiled paper and ate them as he walked, a sip of wine, a bite of meat bun, his mouth dripping with oil.
After a few bites of hot food, a touch of color returned to his pale cheeks.
Rustle—!
Rustle—!
And just then,
At the end of the street, a sudden sound of neat and heavy footsteps came.
A Team of Royal Guards surged forward like a tide.
Pedestrians hastily retreated to the sides of the road.
Li Dixian also retreated to the roadside with the crowd, still munching on his bun.
After the Royal Guards passed, he heard two aunties with vegetable baskets beside him discussing in hushed voices:
"There's been so much happening in Heaven Dou City these past two days, even the Royal Guards are patrolling the city all night!"
"Alas, it's all because a formidable person died! I heard he was His Royal Highness the Crown Prince's closest friend, and a distinguished guest of the Dugu Family and the Ye Family!"
"Everyone says that person's body was never found! The salvage boats in the moat are packed, and this team of Royal Guards seems to be turning over the mountains in the eastern suburbs!"
"The Crown Prince, the Dugu Family, and the Ye Family all went there!"
Li Dixian's chewing motion suddenly froze: "…"
He abruptly turned around.
And hurried towards the eastern suburbs… Centered around the courtyard that had turned into ruins.
Five hundred Royal Guards, plus two hundred Spirit Masters, were conducting the most thorough carpet search in the eastern suburbs.
Digging three feet deep, inspecting every inch, leaving no blind spots.
Among the search party,
Xue Qinghe, Dugu Yan, and Ye Lingling were clearly visible.
Even the Royal Fight Team, except for Yu Tianheng who had returned to his family for training, Yu Feng, Ao Si Luo, and the Shi Brothers were also among them.
Everyone spread out.
To increase search efficiency.
In a dense patch of grassy woodland.
Xue Qinghe mechanically wielded the sickle in her hand, fiercely clearing the bushes in front of her.
Her face was pale, her lips cracked, and only her eyes held a nearly pathological obsession.
"Young Master…"
Snake Lance Douluo sighed, advising:
"You haven't had a drop of water for two days."
"Rest for a while, we'll look for him in your stead."
Xue Qinghe seemed not to hear, still swinging her sickle.
"Young Master!"
Porcupinefish Douluo frowned.
"What that scoundrel Zhao Wuji said might not be true."
"Li Dixian's body wasn't found in the moat."
"It's only been two days after all, Li Dixian might not truly be dead…"
Serpent Spear's face darkened as he tugged at Porcupinefish.
Damn it.
Is that how you comfort someone?
If you can't comfort, why bother?
As expected,
When Xue Qinghe heard the three words "Li Dixian,"
She immediately couldn't hold back anymore.
Her vision suddenly blurred, and tears once again surged, filling her eyes.
"Screw you…"
Serpent Spear mouthed a curse at Porcupinefish.
Porcupinefish stiffened his neck, looking somewhat unconvinced.
And just as the two were at loggerheads,
A tattered, subtly-auraed figure silently walked past them.
He walked directly behind Xue Qinghe.
A voice, tinged with a smile and a hint of mischief, suddenly sounded behind her:
"Who made my good buddy cry?"
"I'll beat him up, just you watch!"
Seeing who it was,
Porcupinefish and Serpent Spear both trembled, their tense bodies immediately relaxing.
And Xue Qinghe's trembling shoulders suddenly stilled.
She abruptly turned around.
When her anxious, tear-filled gaze penetrated the mud- and blood-stained face and met those familiar, dark eyes filled with a gentle smile—
Xue Qinghe covered her mouth with a delicate hand, unable to hold back any longer, and burst into uncontrollable sobs.