Chapter 60 The Road Ahead

The snow was falling heavily, and everything was covered in a blanket of white.

On the quiet official road, two carriages moved slowly, their wheels crunching over the snow.

The carriage was pulled by a sturdy black horse, whose hooves left deep tracks in the snow.

In the cold wind, the black canopy of the carriage gleamed faintly in the sunlight, and the tracks left deep marks on the snow.

Inside the carriage, the stove was blazing, making the interior warm and cozy.

The frost flowers on the train windows cast dappled shadows in the sunlight, and although the outside world was a cold winter day, the inside of the train was as warm as spring.

Inside the carriage sat an elderly man dressed in a cotton robe and wearing a felt hat, quietly gazing at the scenery outside the window.

His face was flushed red by the firelight, and his eyes shone with a determined light.

The carriage traveled across the vast snowfield, the winter sun shining through the clouds and casting its light on the snow, reflecting a dazzling brilliance.

The distant mountains, appearing and disappearing in the snow and mist, made the winter scenery even more magnificent and serene.

The carriage continued its journey on the winter road, breaking the winter's tranquility with an unwavering strength.

As night fell, the carriage stopped in front of an inn in a small town. An old man stepped out of the carriage, snowflakes falling on his shoulders. He took a deep breath of the cold air and gestured for the people in the carriage next to him to get off.

A woman carried a boy on her back, who was wrapped up tightly, and the group entered the inn.

That night, the old man sat quietly by the fire in the brightly lit inn, while the carriage stood silently outside the window, guarding the tranquility of the winter night.

After a moment of silence, the old man spoke, turning to his attendant beside him, "Did you send him the message?"

"Reporting to the Sect Master, I have already arranged for someone to ride ahead at full speed," the man in black replied respectfully.

The warmth of the inn and the old man's tranquility formed a stark contrast. The snow outside the window, like a silent guardian, quietly watched everything unfold.

However, on this peaceful night, a sudden crisis is quietly approaching.

A group of ruthless assassins were lurking in the shadows, their eyes fixed on the old man in the inn.

In the dead of night, the assassins trudged through the snow, silently approaching the inn. They gripped gleaming daggers, their eyes filled with undisguised murderous intent.

However, just as he was about to make his move, a cold glint flashed before his eyes. It was the brass bell under the door, its clear sound echoing in the moonlight. The sound reverberated in the silent night.

The assassins stared wide-eyed in the darkness, gripping their daggers tightly, but their gazes held a hint of doubt.

What they thought would be an easy task has now become exceptionally difficult.

This old man was like a bottomless pit; no matter how they attacked, they could not reach his core. His power was like a giant wave in the deep sea.

On the surface, it appeared calm, but in reality, it contained boundless power. They were not facing an old man, but a powerful being.

This old man was like a mirror, reflecting their weaknesses and making them aware of their shortcomings. His presence was like an insurmountable chasm, filling them with deep fear.

The three attendants and the coachman also drove away some of the men in black, and the rest ran away.

"Is Xiaoxi alright?" The old man brushed off the barely visible dust.

"Sect Master, rest assured, with Hall Master Chu guarding him, no one can get close to Young Master Li."

"Okay, everyone go and rest."

The old man waved for them to leave, then examined the old letter in his hand.

That letter was received when he was young; the paper was slightly yellowed, showing the marks of time.

The old man slowly opened the envelope, and familiar handwriting came into view. At that moment, an unusual light shone in his eyes.

The contents of the letter were already deeply imprinted in his mind, but he still read it word by word, as if he were searching for something.

His gaze wandered between each sentence, recalling past memories, bygone times, and the past he and she. His hand glided lightly across the letter, as if touching that distant past.

Then, he gently closed the letter, his eyes filled with emotion. He thought of his younger self, full of dreams and hopes, striving for love and ideals.

Back then, he was full of hope for the future and passion for life. However, time, like flowing water, took away his youth and changed everything about him.

In another room, Li Xi had another nightmare.

Her body trembled, her hands gripping the sheets tightly, her eyes filled with fear and confusion.

"No," she murmured, tears streaming down her face and into her hair.

Li Xi's nightmares were a constant companion, frequently invading her sleep.

She was used to facing her fears alone in the dark, but this time, things seemed a little different.

As the nightmare deepened, a deep and familiar voice suddenly reached her ears.

"Li Xi, wake up."

The voice, like an ancient incantation, stirred ripples within Li Xi's heart. She wanted to break free from the shackles of the dream, but the dark force kept pulling at her, making it impossible for her to extricate herself.

However, as time went on, Li Xi gradually discovered that the voice did not seem to come from her nightmares, but from the endless void.

"Who?" she asked nervously.

"It's me, Song Yi." The figure slowly approached, revealing the face of a young man. "You've been calling my name. What's wrong?"

“Song Yi?” Li Xi was stunned. She looked Song Yi up and down, and a strange sense of security welled up in her heart.

Although she didn't remember knowing the man, she knew that he could take her away from this terrifying nightmare.

"Me? I don't know." She shook her head, trying hard to recall what had happened.

Song Yi sat on the edge of the bed, looking at Li Xi gently. "Don't be afraid, I'm here. You seem to have forgotten something important, but I can help you find it."

"How do we find it?" Li Xi looked at Song Yi, only to find that he had left sometime earlier.

Caught off guard, Li Xi felt as if she had fallen into an endless abyss, and the feeling of weightlessness made her struggle constantly.

It's that painful nightmare again. What is really real?

Hearing Li Xi's painful murmurs while lying on another bed, Meng Ran quickly lit some calming incense.

Before long, the noise subsided, and the person on the bed gradually quieted down.

I need to talk to the sect leader tomorrow and tell him to speed up our journey; Li Xi's condition is not optimistic. The longer it drags on, the worse it will be for her.

In the stillness of the night, Qin Xiaolin sat alone in the courtyard of the Duke's mansion, gazing at the starry sky and pondering Li Xi's departure. Li Xi had been gone for some time now.

A gentle night breeze blew by, bringing a touch of coolness. Qin Xiaolin stroked the sword beside him, a feeling he couldn't quite describe welling up inside him.