The man in black heard this, and a glimmer of hope flashed through his eyes.
He stared fixedly at that door, as though it were his only way out.
Yet his body remained utterly motionless, as if invisible chains had firmly bound him in place. The expression on his face shifted again and again, exposing the turmoil within.
Old Gu slowly sipped his tea, its fragrance lingering between his lips and teeth, as if nothing in this world was worth making him set down his cup.
Xiao Ruoyu stood with his hands at his sides, gazing at the man in black with a complicated look, as though he were looking into a mirror...
Reflected in that mirror was himself from many years ago, still struggling to survive in the Wind and Rain Tower.
The girl tilted her head as she studied the man in black, her eyes full of curiosity and teasing, like she was watching prey caught in a trap and considering how best to toy with it for fun.
Xue Bing stood to one side, a strange, ambiguous smile on her lips.
Her fingers lightly tapped the hilt of the sword at her waist, producing a faint, rhythmic sound, as if keeping time for a grand spectacle about to unfold.
Sunlight filtered down through the branches, casting mottled shadows across the bluestone floor of the small courtyard, where they swayed in the wind.
Several sparrows chirped beneath the eaves, utterly unaware of the deadly contest unfolding within this tiny space.
The courtyard gate stood half-open, and from the street beyond the wall came the faint sounds of pedestrians' footsteps and vendors calling out their wares.
"Buns... hot meat buns..."
"Candied hawthorn for sale... fresh and delicious! If they're not good, you don't pay!"
The bustle of the marketplace