Li Zhexian Appears: Who Made My Best Buddy Cry?

The first thing Li Zhexian did upon waking was pull out the Clear Spring Wine Gourd at his waist and take a hard swig.

The rich liquor rolled into his stomach, and a burning current spread through his body as his injuries slowly healed under the wine's effects.

Li Zhexian poked his head over the edge of the bird nest and cautiously looked around.

Only after confirming that all was safe did he stretch out his legs, casually rest the backs of his knees against the nest's edge, and swing them a few times in contentment.

He silently drank to heal his wounds.

Yet his thoughts had long since returned to that life-and-death battle with Zhao Wuji.

It truly was a narrow escape...

Li Zhexian muttered inwardly, lingering fear clinging to him like a shadow.

Luck favored me this time.

If not for that torrential downpour, the Frost Sword could never have frozen Zhao Wuji for so long.

The blood trail from my escape would not have been washed away cleanly by the rain, and he would certainly have followed it here.

Even...

There was a vicious bird dwelling in this enormous nest...

While I was gravely injured and unconscious, I would likely have been pecked clean, leaving not even bones behind.

Li Zhexian raised a hand to wipe the wine from his lips, his pale face filled with seriousness.

I hate this feeling of having no control over myself, of leaving life and death to luck.

I'm still not strong enough. I need to become stronger, and the sword in my hand must become sharper.

After several swallows of wine, his injuries improved somewhat.

Only the fractures in his chest and wrist still ached faintly.

Fortunately, his Refining Frost Spirit Body had been cultivated into his bones, allowing him to recover far faster than ordinary people.

Li Zhexian took a deep breath and leaped down from the bird nest.

When he landed,

his feet staggered.

Besides the faint pain throughout his body, a hollow feeling rose from his stomach.

Wine tasted good,

but it did nothing to fill him up.

How long was I unconscious...?

Li Zhexian rubbed his growling stomach and swept his gaze beyond the giant tree holding the bird nest.

The surrounding trees had all been snapped at their middles, while the ground was littered with enormous craters and overturned earth.

Yet such terrifying destruction had stopped just over ten meters from the giant tree where he had hidden.

A chilling cold gripped his heart, and Li Zhexian slowly clenched his fists.

I, Li Zhexian, will remember this lesson.

Next time...

Zhao Wuji, I will personally kill you!

He wondered how things were at home now.

Out of caution, Li Zhexian chose to avoid the woods.

He knew that with his disappearance and his residence destroyed, those who knew him would surely be worried sick.

After circling through the forest to the edge of the street,

he planned to first visit the Dugu Family and let them know he was safe.

He could not freely enter the Imperial Palace, so he could only have the imperial Elder Dugu Bo inform Xue Qinghe that he was unharmed.

On the street, Li Zhexian's long hair was clumped together, his face smeared with blood and mud, and his tattered white robes were so covered in grime and dried bloodstains that their original color could no longer be seen.

In such a bedraggled state,

where was even a trace of his former handsome, carefree appearance?

Passersby all cast him disgusted looks, and no one came within two meters of him.

Yet Li Zhexian did not care in the slightest. There was even a smile at the corner of his lips.

Having survived a disaster, he could once again walk these bustling streets and see the living warmth of Worldly Life.

What welled up in his heart was the feeling that life was worth living.

Before he reached Dugu Manor,

Li Zhexian passed a Steamed Bun Shop.

From the two bamboo steamers set outside the shop, scorching white steam mixed with the fragrance of wheat and meat, delivering a vicious punch straight to his nose.

The power of that punch

was practically harder to withstand than Zhao Wuji's fists.

"Shopkeeper, five meat buns to go."

Li Zhexian patted the Hundred Treasures Pouch at his waist, and two Copper Coins fell into his palm.

With a flick of his thumb, the coins spun through the air and landed precisely on the chopping board.

Taking the buns wrapped in oiled paper, he ate as he walked, taking a gulp of wine and then a bite of bun, his mouth glistening with grease.

After several bites of hot food, even a hint of color returned to his pale cheeks.

Rustle—!

Rustle—!

Just then,

neat, heavy footsteps suddenly echoed from the end of the street.

A team of the Royal Imperial Army surged forward like a tide.

Pedestrians hurriedly retreated to both sides of the road.

Li Zhexian likewise moved to the roadside with the crowd, still chewing on his bun.

Once that unit of imperial guards had passed, he heard two aunties carrying vegetable baskets whispering beside him:

"Heaven Dou City has had so much going on these past two days. The imperial guards are even patrolling the whole city at night!"

"Ah, isn't it because someone important died? I heard he was His Highness the Crown Prince's close friend, and an honored guest of the Dugu Family and Ye Family!"

"They're saying not even his bones were left! The salvage boats in the moat are packed together, and this unit of imperial guards seems ready to turn over every mountain in the eastern outskirts!"

"The Crown Prince, the Dugu Family, and the Ye Family have all gone there!"

Li Zhexian's chewing abruptly stopped. "..."

He spun around sharply.

Then he hurried toward the eastern outskirts of the city.

Centered on the courtyard that had been reduced to ruins,

five hundred imperial guards, along with two hundred Spirit Masters, were carrying out the most thorough carpet search of the eastern outskirts.

They dug three feet into the ground, inspecting every inch and leaving no corner untouched.

Among the search party,

Xue Qinghe, Dugu Yan, and Ye Lingling were plainly visible.

Even the Imperial Dou Team was present—aside from Yu Tianheng, who had returned to his family for training. Yufeng, Osler, and the Shi Brothers were all there as well.

Everyone spread out.

This increased the efficiency of the search.

Within a patch of dense woodland,

Xue Qinghe mechanically swung the sickle blade in his hand, viciously clearing away the brush before him.

His face was pale and his lips cracked. Only his eyes remained, carrying an almost morbid obsession.

"Young Master..."

Snake Lance Douluo sighed and urged him:

"You haven't had a drop of water in two days."

"Rest for a while. Let us search in your place."

Xue Qinghe seemed not to hear him and continued swinging the sickle blade.

"Young Master!"

Porcupinefish Douluo frowned.

"What that bastard Zhao Wuji said may not be true."

"Li Zhexian's body hasn't been found in the moat."

"It's only been two days, after all. Li Zhexian might not really be dead..."

Snake Lance's face darkened as he tugged at Porcupinefish.

Damn you.

Is that any way to comfort someone? If you can't do it, then shut the hell up.

Sure enough,

the moment Xue Qinghe heard the three words "Li Zhexian,"

he immediately lost control again.

His vision suddenly blurred, and tears once more surged into his eyes.

Fuck you...

Snake Lance silently cursed Porcupinefish with his lips.

Porcupinefish stiffened his neck, clearly unconvinced.

Just as the two were squaring off,

a ragged figure with his aura concealed passed silently by their side.

He walked straight behind Xue Qinghe.

A voice carrying a touch of amusement and teasing suddenly rang out behind him:

"Who made my best buddy cry?"

"Just watch me beat him up!"

The moment they saw who it was,

Porcupinefish and Snake Lance shuddered, and their taut bodies immediately relaxed.

Xue Qinghe's trembling shoulders suddenly stilled.

He whirled around.

When his anxious, tear-blurred gaze pierced through that face smeared with mud and blood, meeting those familiar dark eyes that held a warm smile—

Xue Qinghe covered his mouth with a slender hand, unable to hold back any longer as he burst into tears.