With a single glance, Shen Luo spotted a woman in a white gauze dress among the crowd. Though a light veil covered her face, those gentle eyes were unmistakably familiar. It was none other than Nie Caizhu.
As he saw Nie Caizhu, she also caught sight of him. A flash of joy clearly crossed her eyes, but they soon turned cold again, holding a trace of bewilderment and a helpless sigh.
After his gaze lingered briefly on her, Shen Luo quickly scanned the others. Among them was a short boy with a somewhat youthful face who had been staring at him ever since arriving.
Though male, he wore his hair in two buns pointing skyward. He was dressed in a lotus-patterned skirt of scale armor, with a red sash around his waist and a golden ring slung diagonally across his chest. His appearance was decidedly strange.
"You're Shen Luo?" When they drew near, Nie Caizhu said nothing. Instead, the boy spoke first.
His voice was clear and bright, and indeed carried a hint of childishness.
"That's me." Shen Luo nodded.
"You have the Exquisite Pagoda with you, don't you? I can sense its aura," the boy said.
Unsure what he meant, Shen Luo nodded again.
"My father has always been cautious. If he entrusted the Exquisite Pagoda to you, I'm willing to believe you aren't a traitor. Oh, right-my name is Li Nezha. Pagoda-Bearing Heavenly King Li Jing is my father," the boy said with a nod.
Slightly moved by these words, Shen Luo cupped his fists in salute.
"Why did you still come looking for us? Didn't I leave you a message telling you not to search for us and to escape on your own?" At that moment, Nie Caizhu's voice sounded in his consciousness sea.
*"If it wasn't