Floating life reflects two lotuses

Night deepened, and the palace was utterly silent, save for the cold moonlight that bathed the golden roof tiles, casting a chill over the imposing structure. Consort Yan's chambers, however, were brightly lit, wisps of smoke curling from within. A complex array covered the floor, fragments of runes arranged around a central bronze vessel, their eerie glow flickering like the tongues of venomous snakes. Consort Yan stood beside the array, her eyes icy, clutching a fragment emitting a strange light in her hand.

"Princess... I didn't want to harm you." Consort Yan whispered, her voice like a frost-covered blade, slowly cutting through the quiet night.

Meanwhile, Xiao Jinlian sat alone in her bedchamber, the dim candlelight illuminating her slightly pale face. She turned to the tattered pages of the ancient book in her hands; the patterns on them were identical to the runes on her bracelet, deep and eerie. The annotations were blurred, as if deliberately concealing something. The more she looked, the more her chest tightened, as if an invisible force was pressing down on her from all directions.

“These runes… are not just curses.” Xiao Jinlian gritted her teeth and murmured, her fingers involuntarily clenching the book, her knuckles turning slightly white from the force.

Just then, a soft footstep came from outside the door. Xiao Jinlian looked up sharply and saw Li Heng push open the door and enter, shrouded in the night. His gaze was deep, and there was a hint of worry between his brows, as if he had a thousand words to say but could not find the words to speak.

"Lian'er?" He stood by the door, his voice low and tinged with unease.

Xiao Jinlian glanced at him with slight surprise, then nodded, her tone firm, "These runes are not only destroying my life, but also controlling some deeper power. If we don't find out, I might not even know how I died."

Li Heng frowned slightly, remained silent for a moment, and finally said in a low voice, "Then I'll go with you."

The secret place they had visited before was now sealed off again by numerous restrictions. The two sneaked in late at night. The corridor under the moonlight was deserted, with only the wind whistling through the roof tiles. After passing through several traps, they arrived at a long-sealed secret room, filled with dust and cobwebs, and the air was filled with the smell of decay.

However, in the center of the secret chamber stood a huge bronze mirror, its surface covered with dense runes, a ghostly light flowing within it, as if pairs of eyes were watching the intruder. The moment Xiao Jinlian took a step closer, the bronze mirror vibrated, emitting a deep hum that stung the eardrums.

Suddenly, a piercing sound wave erupted from the mirror, causing Xiao Jinlian to feel a sharp pain in her chest and almost lose her balance. Li Heng reacted quickly, pulling her behind him and sending a protective talisman flying from his sleeve. The talisman emitted a bright light to counteract the sound wave and barely suppress the forbidden power.

“These runes…” Cold sweat beaded on Li Heng’s forehead, his voice trembling, “They seem to be summoning something.”

Xiao Jinlian steadied herself, panting, her gaze fixed on the bronze mirror, and murmured, "Not just a curse... but also a key."

She raised her hand to touch a corner of the mirror, and suddenly a searing heat surged up her fingers like flames, burning into her blood. The bronze mirror suddenly emitted a blinding light, as if some endless secret was hidden within it—an untouchable taboo was slowly awakening.

“This is impossible…” Chu Wanlian murmured softly, cold sweat trickling down her forehead, dampening the stray hairs at her temples. The email on the screen was like a sharp dagger, piercing her nerves: “Authentication failed, please check the data source.” The attached lab access log was crystal clear—her name appeared prominently in the operation log of an unknown user.

Her fingers flew across the keyboard, trying to trace the email's source, her heart pounding like a drum. However, the data was encrypted layer upon layer, as if an invisible barrier blocked every attempt. Cold sweat seeped down her back, but she was oblivious, feeling like an arrow on a bowstring, ready to snap at any moment.

At that moment, a piercing alarm suddenly rang out, shattering the tranquility of the laboratory like a death knell. A red light burst forth from the equipment panel, and the "Energy Out of Control" warning flashed wildly, the blinding light making the paleness on her face even more striking.

The chaos seemed to stem from the moment she opened that email.

Time goes back a few minutes.

Li Chenyao walked in carrying two cups of coffee, his steps relaxed, as if every corner of the laboratory was under his control. He sat down opposite Chu Wanlian, his tone casual with a hint of teasing: "You don't look quite right, have a cup of coffee to perk you up."

Chu Wanlian glanced at him for a moment, forced a smile, and took the coffee. "Thank you."

Her fingers continued to tap on the keyboard, trying to hide the nervousness in her heart. But Li Chenyao's gaze remained fixed on her screen, a hint of inquiry hidden in his calm eyes, as if he wanted to see through her.

"What are you busy with?" he asked softly, his tone concerned, yet carrying an undeniable sense of pressure.

Chu Wanlian suppressed her inner turmoil and feigned a relaxed tone, saying, "It's just some ordinary experimental data."

Li Chenyao raised an eyebrow, moved closer, and said in a low voice, "Don't take some things too seriously, or you'll get yourself into trouble."

His tone was casual, yet every word pierced Chu Wanlian's heart like a needle. She paused slightly, her gaze involuntarily drawn to the screen. Just then, a piercing alarm suddenly blared, shattering the delicate atmosphere between them.

A red light burst forth from the central equipment platform, and the intense vibration caused the entire laboratory to tremble.

"Energy out of control!" came a mechanical voice over the loudspeaker. "Everyone evacuate immediately!"

Chu Wanlian abruptly stood up and rushed towards the equipment panel. The data on the screen showed that the point of loss of control closely matched the document she had just analyzed. Her heart sank, her whole body tensed, and she began operating the equipment without thinking.

"Are you crazy!" Li Chenyao caught up from behind, grabbed her wrist, and growled, "Run!"

"I can handle this!" Chu Wanlian struggled free and quickly entered a string of code. The device's vibrations gradually weakened, and the red light slowly dissipated. However, just as she breathed a sigh of relief, a blinding beam of light suddenly burst forth from the device. She felt a sharp pain in the back of her hand, as if a searing heat was burning her skin.

Her body instantly lost its support, and she fell backward. In her blurred consciousness, she only felt someone steadily supporting her.

"Listen to me now, come with me," Li Chenyao said in a low voice, his tone revealing an unusual anxiety and determination.

Chu Wanlian struggled to open her eyes, her gaze meeting Li Chenyao's. His expression was complex, as if he were searching for answers, or perhaps concealing some emotion. A tense atmosphere filled the air, and a terrifying thought crept into her mind—the crisis before her was merely the beginning of an abyss. And a deeper secret was quietly waiting to be revealed.