Legend of the Embroiderer

In the distant borderland of the Tang Dynasty, the mountains are like winding dragons, and the misty clouds are like dancing gauze.

The mysterious old man's former subordinates led the four people behind them, arduously traversing the rugged mountain roads. Their destination was a refuge hidden deep in the mountains and forests.

It is said that this shelter was carefully built by the mysterious old man and his former loyal followers. The purpose of its existence is to provide everyone with a shelter from wind and rain when danger comes.

At this moment, the warrior walked at the front of the team with firm steps. His sharp eyes like an eagle scanned the surroundings vigilantly, and he turned back from time to time to confirm with concern whether the old man was safe.

Although deep in my heart I am shrouded in worries about the unknown future, beneath that haze there is still a glimmer of earnest anticipation for the peaceful life that is about to come.

"It's not far ahead," the warrior said softly, his voice lowered, his words carrying a soothing power that brought peace of mind. "It will be our safe haven."

Su Mengyao, who followed closely behind him, also had a fervent desire for a peaceful life in her beautiful eyes. She knew that only by gaining a moment of peace and tranquility could they gradually recover from their physical and mental exhaustion and continue to shoulder the heavy mission.

"I hope we can escape from the dangers we are facing there for a while." She murmured to herself, and there was a slight tremor in her soft voice.

Wu Chen stood still, his eyes vigilantly scanning his surroundings. His hand, gripping the weapon tightly, had turned slightly pale from excessive force, as if he would attack without hesitation at the slightest sign of trouble, to deal with any sudden threat.

Although he was extremely nervous, he forced himself to calm down when he thought of his companions fighting side by side with him and the important mission he was shouldering, and a firm determination appeared in his eyes.

The mysterious old man also had a solemn expression at this moment, and a complex and incomprehensible emotion quickly flashed across his deep eyes.

He knew very well that this seemingly ordinary shelter before him was built with too much blood and tears, and was bought with the precious lives and unwavering loyalty of countless followers.

The old man's voice was low and powerful, and he slowly said: "This place is not just a place for people to hide from disasters! It is also a spiritual symbol of our tenacious resistance to the Netherworld Cult." After that, he took the lead and walked towards the depths of the forest.

As we continued to move forward, the surrounding environment became increasingly quiet. In the midst of complete silence, only the occasional clear chirping of birds and the gentle sound of the wind could be heard, quietly breaking the suffocating silence.

They walked cautiously, and the fallen leaves under their feet made a slight rustling sound. They took every step extremely carefully, for fear of alerting the dangerous existence hidden in the dark.

After an unknown amount of time, when everyone passed through a lush and dense bamboo forest, a quaint stone house suddenly came into view.

This stone house is like a work of nature, cleverly embedded in the mountain and perfectly integrated with the surrounding natural environment. If you don’t look closely, it is difficult to detect its whereabouts.

"This is our refuge." The warrior's voice, slightly tired but mixed with a hint of relief, slowly sounded in the air.

He stretched out his slightly trembling hand and gently pushed open the heavy stone door before him. Instantly, a warm and reassuring breath washed over him like a tide.

The four of them filed in, stepping into this small world. As their feet touched the ground, the tense nerves in their hearts seemed to relax instantly, and the tension and fear that had been lingering in their hearts gradually dissipated like morning mist meeting sunlight.

There is no doubt that this is the safe haven they can rely on at the moment, and it is also the starting point for them to plan their subsequent actions.

Upon entering the house, the first thing that caught my eye was the flickering torches on the stone walls. The orange flames danced joyfully, as if welcoming everyone and imbuing this makeshift shelter with a rare sense of tranquility.

At this moment, Crown Prince Li Zhao, Wu Chen, Su Mengyao and the mysterious old man all had a brief moment of peace and quiet to rest and treat their wounds.

Li Zhao's originally bright and beautiful battle robe was now stained with blood, which were the marks left by the fierce battle just now.

What was particularly striking was that his right arm was unfortunately slightly injured in a thrilling block, with a long and narrow cut oozing blood.

Seeing this, Wu Chen, who was standing by, took out a bottle of golden medicine from his bag without hesitation.

He quickly walked to the prince's side, carefully opened the bottle cap, and then gently poured the medicine on the wound.

Then, he skillfully picked up a piece of clean cloth and carefully bandaged the prince. Throughout the whole process, Wu Chen remained fully focused, not daring to slack off even for a moment.

"Your Highness, although your injuries are not serious, you should not take them lightly."

Wu Chen was busy with his work while whispering instructions. His words were filled with deep concern for his lord.

Su Mengyao stood quietly by, concentrating on sorting the precious herbs she had gathered from the mountains. Her slender hands skillfully manipulated the various herbs, sorting them into groups.

She was preparing to brew a magical soup that could heal injuries. The sunlight shone on her through the gaps in the leaves, illuminating her focused and beautiful face.

At this moment, her eyes, bright as stars, shone with an unwavering light. Although she had accidentally suffered some minor injuries during her previous adventure, she was more concerned about the physical condition of her entire team.

Because she knows very well that only if everyone maintains good health can they better cope with the difficulties and obstacles that may be encountered in the future.

"These herbs have magical properties and can speed up the healing of wounds. So no matter what, each of us must always keep ourselves in the best condition!"

Su Mengyao spoke these words softly. Although her tone was calm as water, it contained a firm strength that could not be questioned or resisted.

The mysterious old man was sitting beside a rough stone table not far away. Although he was old, he was still energetic and radiant.

He gazed quietly at the group of energetic young people in front of him with his eyes full of wisdom and gentleness, with the corners of his mouth slightly raised, revealing a faint smile.

"Each of you is a worthy warrior! It is a blessing for the Tang Dynasty to have such brave and courageous children like you!"

The old man spoke slowly, his voice was low and magnetic, mixed with a hint of indescribable relief.

As he spoke, his eyes inadvertently revealed a complex emotion, as if he was recalling the turbulent years of the past.

Li Zhao, who had just finished bandaging the wound, walked lightly to Su Mengyao's side. He looked tenderly at the strong and heart-warming woman before him.

He asked softly, "Mengyao, I heard that you were injured too? Let me help check you out." His words were not only filled with deep concern, but also with an unconcealable feeling of heartache.

Su Mengyao raised the corners of her mouth slightly, revealing a gentle smile, and nodded gently, expressing her approval of the current situation.

She knew very well that at this moment, the unity of the entire team was far more important than anything else.

She said softly, "It's just a little scratch on my finger. It's no big deal because we always have each other!"

That gentle voice is like a warm spring breeze. Although it sounds very soft, the sweetness contained in it is so rich.

At this moment, the faint firelight shone on the wrinkled face of the mysterious old man, making his already extremely deep eyes look even more mysterious, as if he could see through all the secrets hidden in time and space.

At this moment, the old man made a major decision - he wanted to completely reveal the mystery behind the artifact "Time and Space Xuan Ji" to Prince Li Zhao, Wu Chen and Su Mengyao.

The old man coughed softly to clear his throat before he slowly began to speak. His voice echoed throughout the stone house, carrying a unique, ancient and mysterious rhythm.

He said solemnly, "This 'Space-Time Xuan Ji' is a peerless artifact left over from ancient times! It contains immense power capable of manipulating time and space, and plays a vital role in maintaining the balance between heaven and earth."

Hearing this, a hint of surprise suddenly flashed in Su Mengyao's beautiful eyes. She subconsciously clenched the herbs in her hand tightly and listened attentively to every word the old man said next.

Then, she couldn't help but blurt out, "Since this power is so powerful, why did it fall into the hands of the Netherworld Cult?"

From her anxious tone, it can be heard that she is really eager to know the answer to this question.

The white-haired, weathered old man sighed heavily, and a trace of sadness that was hard to conceal suddenly flashed in his turbid eyes.

He spoke slowly, "The Netherworld Cult has always coveted the powerful force contained in the 'Space-Time Xuan Ji', attempting to use this mysterious and terrifying power to tamper with the course of history and thus control the entire future world. To achieve their goal, they will stop at nothing, even betraying their allies and framing others, as unacceptable as this, they will do it without hesitation, just to seize the 'Space-Time Xuan Ji' for themselves."

Hearing this, Li Zhao, the crown prince, couldn't help but frown. His handsome face seemed a little distorted because of the surging anger in his heart. His chest heaved violently, as if it was about to explode in the next moment.

He was extremely angry about the Netherworld Cult's insane behavior; at the same time, when he thought that the legendary artifact, "Time and Space Xuan Ji", might fall into the hands of these devilish guys and cause a huge disaster, his heart was like being grabbed by an invisible big hand, and was filled with deep worry.

"No matter what, we must try our best to stop them! We must not let the rare treasure 'Time and Space Xuan Ji' fall into the clutches of those evil people in the Netherworld Cult!" Li Zhao gritted his teeth and squeezed out these words from between his teeth. His tone was firm and there was no room for negotiation.

At this moment, Wu Chen, who had been silent all the time, stood quietly by the side, motionless like a sculpture.

However, his eyes, as deep as pools of water, sparkled with an unwavering light, like the brightest stars in the night sky.

He gripped the long sword tightly in his hand. The gem inlaid on the hilt emitted a faint light, and the sword body trembled slightly, as if responding to the unyielding determination in the owner's heart.

"That's right, we will fight to the death with the Netherworld Cult. Even if it costs our lives, we will swear to protect the safety of the 'Xuan Ji of Time and Space'!" Li Zhao shouted passionately and generously, his voice echoing in the air for a long time.

The old man looked at the two young men in front of him, a barely perceptible sense of relief in his eyes, and nodded slightly in agreement.