Huanzhu Time Travel: Yan Luo's Unbreakable Love in the Yong Dynasty

Little Swallow stared at the pattern projected by the magic pearl, her brows furrowed, and said, "Your Highness, these patterns are crooked and meandering, like little insects crawling. How can we decipher them?"

Hongli stared at the pattern, pondered for a moment, and then said, "My dear consort, don't be impatient. Let me think about it carefully. This pattern may seem chaotic, but there must be a pattern to follow."

Hongzhou paced anxiously to the side, muttering, "What kind of time is this? Still looking for patterns? If that Minister of Rites makes a move before us, we'll be in big trouble!"

The primary consort of the Fucha clan gently comforted him, "Prince He, Your Highness is exceptionally intelligent and will surely be able to unravel the mystery of this spiritual pearl. Let's be patient."

Little Swallow had a sudden inspiration and her eyes lit up. She said, "Your Highness, could it be related to those strange paintings we saw in the countryside before? Those paintings also had some strange symbols in them."

Upon hearing this, Hongli's heart stirred, and he said, "My beloved consort's idea is not without merit. Although the symbols in those folk paintings are not exactly the same as those on this spiritual pearl, there may be some similarities."

Hongzhou stopped and asked, "But those folk paintings are scattered all over the place, how can we find the connection?"

Little Swallow said confidently, "Your Highness, I remember seeing some of these paintings in some old shops in the capital. We can go back to the city and inquire about them there."

Hongli nodded and said, "That's the only way. But the journey back to the city may not be peaceful."

Consort Fucha said worriedly, "Your Highness, then we must be even more careful."

The group continued along the path as darkness fell, and eerie winds blew through the surrounding woods.

Hongzhou shrank his neck and said, "This godforsaken place is even scarier after dark. I really hope we can leave soon."

Little Swallow rolled her eyes at him and said, "Prince He, don't be so timid. With the prince here, what do we have to be afraid of!"

Hongli smiled slightly and said, "My dear consort, rest assured, with me here, I will ensure that you are not harmed."

When they reached a fork in the road, they stopped, unsure of which way to go.

Looking at the two roads, Xiao Yanzi hesitated and said, "Your Highness, which road should we take?"

Hongli observed the surrounding environment and said, "The road on the left looks like someone has walked on it. Let's try going this way."

The group walked along the left-hand path, and soon they heard a melodious flute tune.

Consort Fucha asked curiously, "Why is there flute music in this desolate wilderness? Could there be any danger?"

Hongzhou gripped his sword tightly and said warily, "Who cares? If anyone dares to cause trouble, I won't be polite!"

Little Swallow excitedly said, "Maybe there's a master here. We can go ask for directions!"

Hongli stopped Xiaoyanzi and said, "My dear consort, you must not act rashly. Let's observe the situation first."

They followed the sound of the flute and saw an old man in white sitting on a huge rock, playing the flute. The old man had a peaceful face, but his eyes were deep and profound, as if he knew everything.

Hongli stepped forward, clasped his hands in greeting, and said, "I apologize for disturbing you, sir. May I ask where this road leads?"

The old man stopped playing, looked at Hongli and the others, and slowly said, "This road leads to the capital, but the journey is fraught with danger. Why are you so determined to go?"

Little Swallow chimed in, "Grandpa, we need to go back to the city to find something and uncover a big secret. It concerns the fate of many people!"

The old man smiled slightly and said, "The spirit pearls in your hands are spiritual treasures of heaven and earth, and the secrets they contain are extraordinary. You must handle them with care."

Hongli was startled and asked, "Old sir, you seem to know quite a bit about this spirit pearl. Please enlighten me."

The old man stood up, paced back and forth, and said, "This spirit pearl is related to a huge conflict between the imperial court and the martial arts world, and the forces behind it are intricate and complex. What you are facing is not just the Minister of Rites."

Hongzhou said impatiently, "Hey, stop being so mysterious, just tell us what to do!"

The old man looked at Hongzhou and said, "The pattern on this spirit pearl can only be deciphered by combining it with the principles of the Five Elements and the Eight Trigrams. The clue you are looking for is both far away and right before your eyes."

Little Swallow looked around in confusion and said, "Grandpa, it's right in front of me? What does that mean?"

The old man pointed to the jade pendant on the waist of Consort Fucha and said, "There are clues related to the pattern of the Spirit Pearl on that jade pendant."

Everyone was surprised. Consort Fucha quickly took off the jade pendant and handed it to Hongli.

Hongli examined the jade pendant carefully and found that the patterns on the pendant matched the patterns projected by the spirit pearl in several places.

"Old sir, what... what exactly is going on?" Hongli asked in surprise.

The old man smiled and said, "This jade pendant was made by a master craftsman and comes from the same source as the spirit pearl. You will have to discover its secrets yourselves."

Little Swallow said eagerly, "Grandpa, please give us another hint!"

The old man gently shook his head and said, "I have said what I needed to say. The rest of the journey is up to you. Remember, only by upholding justice can you find the truth in this chaotic world."

After saying that, the old man vanished into the woods in a flash.

Hongzhou's eyes widened, and he said, "This...this old man is too amazing! He just left like that!"

Little Swallow said, "In any case, we have a new clue, so we need to study this jade pendant and spirit pearl as soon as possible."

Hongli nodded and said, "My dear consort is right. Let's find a place to rest first and ponder the mystery behind this."

The group found an open space nearby, sat down, and carefully examined the jade pendant and the spirit pearl. As night deepened, would they be able to find the key to solving the mystery within these enigmatic clues, and successfully return to the city to prevent the conspiracy from unfolding? The political landscape of the court remained unpredictable, and their adventure continued.

This chapter concludes here. Stay tuned for the next chapter.