Floating life reflects two lotuses

Xiao Jinlian stood there, her hands clenched tightly, her heart filled with complex emotions. Although Silan had shown some unusual behavior, her loyalty and countless silent acts of help over the past few days made it difficult for Xiao Jinlian to suspect her.

“Silan was in danger because of me, I can’t let her face it alone!” Xiao Jinlian’s tone was firm.

Li Heng frowned, his grip on his sword tightening slightly. "You know those men in black are not simple, and going back is too risky. If you insist on going, I won't leave you alone, but you have to follow my instructions."

“I’ll do anything as long as you let me go with you,” Xiao Jinlian said, looking at him firmly with an irresistible determination in her eyes.

Li Heng finally sighed, "Alright..."

The two quickly decided on their course and quietly retraced their steps. They tried to avoid making any noise, moving stealthily through the mountains and forests.

Moonlight streamed through the woods, and a light mist hung in the air. Xiao Jinlian and Li Heng finally approached the vicinity of the pool. In the distance, they saw several dark figures moving deep within the bamboo forest, and that familiar figure—it was Si Lan.

Xiao Jinlian lowered her body and hid in the bushes with Li Heng. She wanted to call out to Si Lan immediately, but Li Heng stopped her with a gesture. The two held their breath and carefully observed everything in front of them.

"I've already told you, don't chase after her anymore, and you absolutely mustn't hurt the princess." Silan's voice was cold, but she couldn't hide a trace of anxiety.

The leader in black snorted coldly, his tone full of disdain: "Silan, our mission is to obtain the fragments; nothing else matters. Even if it's the princess, if she hinders us from completing our mission, we will not show any mercy."

“I know, but if something happens to her, how will we explain it to Madam?” Silan’s voice rose a few decibels, revealing suppressed anger.

"Madam?" Upon hearing this word, Xiao Jinlian's heart skipped a beat, and she couldn't help but ask Li Heng in a low voice, "Who is she talking about?"

A cold glint flashed in Li Heng's eyes, and he said in a low voice, "Don't rush, listen to me."

The leader in black paused for a moment, but his tone remained firm: "Silan, don't forget, we are loyal to Luo Yuan's last will. No matter how noble the lady is, she cannot defy the rules left by Luo Yuan."

Silan sneered: "You keep claiming to be loyal to Luo Yuan, have you forgotten that Madam is also one of Luo Yuan's successors? If anything happens to the princess, not only you, but even I will not escape punishment!"

"The heir... Luo Yuan..." These keywords churned in Xiao Jinlian's mind. She had heard legends about Luo Yuan, the story of that mysterious wizard who made a pact with the royal family. However, what was the relationship between Si Lan and "Madam" and Luo Yuan?

Xiao Jinlian slowly emerged from the bushes, her gaze fixed on Silan kneeling on the ground, her voice filled with suppressed anger: "Silan, who exactly are you? What did you mean by what you just said?"

Silan was visibly startled, but quickly regained her composure. She lowered her head and said, "Princess... I don't want to hide anything from you, but there are some things you should know as little as possible right now. I can only tell you that my mission is to protect you."

"Protect me?" Xiao Jinlian sneered, her eyes filled with obvious disbelief. "So the way to protect me is to team up with those men in black?"

Silan raised her head, her eyes filled with sorrow and apology: "Princess, it's not what you think. I just told them they can't hurt you. Otherwise, their actions will only become more unscrupulous."

“You just mentioned Madam, and even Luo Yuan,” Xiao Jinlian approached step by step, her voice becoming even sharper, “You had better tell me, what exactly is going on!”

Silan took a deep breath, slowly stood up, and said in a low voice, "Princess, there are some things that you would rather know now than be a burden. You only need to know that your mother was also... she was like my mother, so I must protect you."

Xiao Jinlian's heart tightened suddenly. "Mother...is she involved in all of this?"

Silan did not answer directly, but said in a low voice, "You will understand everything in the future, but now is not the time."

"Why isn't it the right time?" Xiao Jinlian's eyes revealed doubt and dissatisfaction. "I have the right to know my mother's connection to this struggle!"

Silan's voice remained calm, yet carried an undeniable firmness: "Princess, when you gather all the fragments, everything will be revealed. Every word you know now will put you in greater danger. Please believe me, I am only doing this to protect you."

Xiao Jinlian pressed her lips together, her heart churning with complex emotions. Her mother's name had become a distant memory, but now it was intertwined with these strange runes, the man in black, and the legendary Luo Yuan, making her feel both unfamiliar and oppressed.

"If you don't want to explain yourself, how long do you intend to follow us?" Li Heng's voice suddenly broke the silence between the two. He stepped out of the bushes, his gaze coldly fixed on Si Lan, the sword in his hand hanging slightly, yet he remained vigilant.

Silan looked at Li Heng with a complex expression, but her tone remained firm: "As long as the princess is still in danger, I will protect her. No matter who tries to stop me, I will not back down."

"Protect?" Li Heng scoffed, his tone dripping with undisguised sarcasm. "But judging from what just happened, you and those men in black are probably not clean either. Protecting the princess? More like surveillance, isn't it?"

"Li Heng!" Xiao Jinlian interrupted, her eyes filled with anger. "Si Lan has never harmed me. I believe her."

Upon hearing this, Li Heng frowned slightly but did not continue speaking. He simply stared coldly at Si Lan, his gaze still full of vigilance.

“Princess,” Silan looked at Xiao Jinlian, her tone sincere, “I know you still have doubts about me, but please believe me, my stance has always been on your side. If one day you need to face the truth, I hope you will be strong enough to bear it by then.”

Xiao Jinlian did not answer, her gaze fixed intently on Silan, her heart filled with mixed emotions. She could not fully trust Silan, yet she could not ignore the other's unwavering protection.

"Too much has happened today, let's go back first and then discuss this further..." Xiao Jinlian finally turned around and said to Li Heng, her tone revealing a hint of weariness.

Li Heng glanced at Si Lan and said coldly, "You'd better not have any other ideas, otherwise, no matter who you are, I will deal with you personally."

Silan did not refute, but lowered her head and said in a low voice, "In any case, my life is only for the princess."