Floating life reflects two lotuses

"Princess, look at those people ahead!" Silan whispered a reminder, her voice tinged with nervousness. She tightened the reins, afraid of making even the slightest sound to attract attention.

Xiao Jinlian followed her gaze and saw several figures moving about in the bamboo forest not far ahead. The figures were cloaked, obscuring most of their faces, appearing mysterious and wary. They were huddled around a yellowed map, whispering amongst themselves.

“‘Mingyuan’… must be in this direction,” one of them said, pointing to the depths of Qinglong Mountain.

"It seems their goal is the same as ours." Xiao Jinlian lowered her voice, her eyes calm yet sharp.

Silan's breathing quickened, and she asked worriedly, "Princess, could they be coming for us? Should we...should we retreat first?"

Xiao Jinlian shook her head, her gaze fixed on the movements of the cloaked figures, and quickly assessed the situation: "These people are obviously also looking for the fragments, but they may not know of our existence."

"Then what should we do?" Silan asked anxiously.

Xiao Jinlian pondered for a moment, a cold glint flashing in her eyes, "Take a detour, try to avoid them. We can't let them discover our whereabouts."

The two quickly turned their horses around and headed down another secluded path. Their hooves trod lightly on the earth, making almost no sound. Xiao Jinlian, however, became alert—the map in the cloaked man's hand was clearly the result of detailed deduction, and their explicit mention of "Mingyuan" was no coincidence.

"Princess, who are those people?" Silan couldn't help but ask.

Xiao Jinlian gripped the reins tightly, her tone calm yet firm: "No matter who they are, their target is the fragments. We must get there before them."

After bypassing the bamboo forest, they quickened their pace and continued towards Mingyuan. Her gaze frequently swept around, and she had already memorized the name of this group of mysterious people—their appearance was not only an accident, but more likely the first crisis brought about by the power of the runes.

"It seems we're not the only ones looking for this fragment," Xiao Jinlian murmured to herself. She knew that this trip could not afford to go wrong in the slightest.

When they arrived at Mingyuan Pool, the sky was already tinged with deep blue, and the moonlight, like silver ribbons, spilled across the water, creating shimmering waves that exuded a mysterious coolness. The gentle, lingering sound of the flowing water was interspersed with occasional low, resonant echoes, like the sigh of an ancient dragon.

“This place… is truly incredible.” Silan stood by the pool, her eyes filled with amazement, and her voice was lowered as if she were afraid of disturbing this strange tranquility.

Xiao Jinlian did not respond. She slowly approached the edge of the pool, the moonlight shining on her shoulders and casting a cold glow on her silhouette. She took out two rune fragments from her bosom and carefully held them up in the moonlight. With a flickering light, the runes on the surface of the fragments seemed to come alive, creating a wondrous resonance with the ripples reflected in the water.

Suddenly, a soft light emanated from the fragments and reflected on the water's surface. The once calm water began to ripple gently, and a faint pattern emerged from the ripples, as if it were the projection of some kind of symbol.

"I hope we've come to the wrong place. God help me," Xiao Jinlian murmured softly.

She crouched down, staring intently at the emerging pattern. The runes were arranged in a ring, as if speaking some ancient language. And at the end of the runes was a line pointing straight to the bottom of the pool. A glint flashed in her eyes, as if she had glimpsed the truth.

“There’s something underwater.” She turned to look at Silan, her voice low but firm. “I’m going down to check it out.”

"Princess, this is too dangerous!" Silan's face turned pale instantly, and she hurriedly reached out to grab her sleeve. "What if there's a trap underwater, or... some kind of monster..."

Xiao Jinlian shook her head, her expression unwavering. "If we stop here, the trail will go cold. This might be our only chance to find the next piece of the fragment."

“But—” Silan wanted to persuade her again, but Xiao Jinlian raised her hand slightly to stop her. Thinking about her past cowardice, Xiao Jinlian did not want to be that person again. This was the only way to save herself.

"Silan, time waits for no one," she said softly, her tone gentle yet firm. "Don't worry, I'll be careful."

Before Silan could say anything more, Xiao Jinlian had already taken off her cloak and slowly stepped into the icy water. Her movements were light and swift, as if she were one with the pool. Moonlight shone on the water, reflecting her gradually disappearing figure, leaving only ripples spreading outwards.

“Princess…” Silan stood on the shore, clutching her cloak tightly, her eyes filled with worry, yet she dared not utter a sound, afraid of disturbing the eerie silence. An indescribable tension seemed to simmer in the air. The sound of the water gradually subsided, and perhaps at the bottom of the pool, some unknown secret lay hidden, waiting to be revealed.

Just as Xiao Jinlian took off her cloak and prepared to step into the icy pool, a deep and familiar voice came from behind her: "What are you planning to do?"

Her heart skipped a beat, and she slowly turned around, only to see Li Heng striding towards her. His brows were furrowed, and his eyes revealed an undisguised anger. The night wind billowed his cloak, making his figure appear even more imposing and majestic.

"Li Heng?" Xiao Jinlian was taken aback, a hint of surprise flashing in her eyes, but she quickly regained her composure. "What are you doing here?"

Li Heng didn't answer directly, but took two steps closer, his voice low and suppressed: "How did I get here? That's what I should be asking you. Why didn't you tell me before running off to this dangerous place?"

Xiao Jinlian pursed her lips slightly, offering no response. She simply looked down at the ripples at her feet and said softly, "This is my business; you have no need to interfere."

Upon hearing this, Li Heng's gaze became even more complex. He looked deeply at her, seemingly trying to find the answer in her expression, but he only saw calm and resolute determination. His voice lowered further: "Lian'er, no matter what happened to you, no matter what you encountered, I will not let you go on an adventure alone!"

“I know.” Xiao Jinlian’s tone was calm, but with a hint of detachment. “But I have to go down there. No matter what’s there, I can’t stop.”

A moment of silence followed between them, the roar of the dragon in the pool sounding particularly deep in the stillness. Li Heng finally sighed, his tone tinged with helplessness: "Since you insist on going, I'll go with you."

Xiao Jinlian looked up at him, a flicker of emotion crossing her eyes, but she remained silent. She knew that Li Heng's persistence was as unwavering as her own determination.

“You don’t need to do this…” she began softly, but he interrupted her: “Don’t say anything more. No matter what happens today, I’ll be with you.”

His tone held an undeniable firmness, as well as an emotion she couldn't discern. Xiao Jinlian ultimately didn't argue further, simply nodding gently, "Okay."

Li Heng took off his cloak and plunged his longsword into the ground.

The two walked side by side towards the pool, the moonlight casting shadows on their backs, as if adding a deeper layer of mystery to this enigmatic body of water. Their figures gradually disappeared into the ripples, the unknown depths of the water silently awaiting their unveiling.