Qing'an County.
A middle-aged man led a horse through the bustling crowd and entered the county town.
He appeared to be in his late thirties, perhaps not yet forty. Though his clothes were plain, his sword-like brows and bright eyes, resolute bearing, and unfathomable presence set him apart.
Yet the passersby coming and going around him seemed utterly unaware of his existence. They merely moved aside on instinct, and no one stood in his way.
When night fell, the middle-aged man checked into an inn.
Early the next morning, when the sky was just beginning to brighten, he left the inn, rode out of the city, and headed south.
But after the middle-aged man had ridden only three li, a graceful figure appeared on the road ahead.
She happened to block his path.
The middle-aged man's gaze sharpened, and an incomparably complex look surfaced in his eyes.
After hesitating for a moment, he dismounted and walked toward her.
"Miss Zhenzhen, it has been a long time."
The one blocking the road was Wang Zhenzhen.
She smiled. "Huo Wuji, why aren't you staying put in Changyi? What are you doing here?"
In truth, the two had met only once, and that had been decades ago.
Huo Wuji gazed at Wang Zhenzhen, a trace of nostalgia showing in his eyes. "I came to see Master Wang. I wanted to persuade him to leave Yunmeng Marsh."
Wang Zhenzhen said flatly, "I heard that you were ordered by Li Yuanhao to lead an army against Yunmeng Marsh. Now you've come here alone—aren't you afraid my father will slap you to death?"
Huo Wuji gave a bitter smile. "Master Wang bestowed upon me the grace of imparting the Way. If I had a choice, I would not wish to become Master Wang's enemy."
In fact,