Gan Baobao dismounted as well and led the horses to the river to drink.
The clear river flowed gently, its surface shimmering in the sunlight.
She crouched and scooped up a handful of cool water, washing her flushed cheeks in an attempt to calm her troubled thoughts.
When she turned to look back at Lin Xuan, she found him leaning against the trunk of a large willow tree, hands behind his head, eyes closed, looking perfectly relaxed as he rested.
At that moment, an indescribable sense of resentment welled up uncontrollably from the depths of Gan Baobao's heart.
He was just going to escort her home...
He hadn't asked her a single thing along the way, nor said a word more than necessary.
Now that they had stopped to rest, he was still ignoring her.
Did he really feel not even the slightest... the tiniest bit reluctant to part with her?
Could it be that all those days and nights spent together, all that intimate contact and closeness, had been nothing more than a game to him—a bit of playacting for the occasion?
Now that the game was over, he could simply walk away so easily?
The more she thought about it, the worse she felt. Even the bright sunlight seemed harsh to her.
After a brief rest, they continued on their way.
The rest of the journey was just as silent.
Surprisingly, the trip went smoothly, without a single hitch.
By dusk, they finally reached Myriad Tribulation Valley, hidden among the mountains.
Looking at the familiar massive stone stele, engraved with the words "Any of the Duan surname who enter this valley shall be killed without mercy," Gan Baobao felt overwhelmed by conflicting emotions.
She was back.
The servants guarding the valley were both surprised and delighted to see