Floating life reflects two lotuses

Deep in the woods, the moonlight was blocked by layers of branches and leaves, leaving only a faint ray of light shining on the ground.

Xiao Jinlian walked hurriedly, her hands tightly clutching the rune fragments, her brows furrowed, and a hint of anxiety showing in her expression.

She heard a rustling sound in her ear; a hidden danger seemed to be approaching.

"Silan," Xiao Jinlian lowered her voice, her eyes scanning the surroundings warily, "did you hear anything?"

Silan nodded, her expression turning serious: "Princess, I'm afraid someone is following us, and the direction should be... to the east."

Xiao Jinlian frowned, her hand tightening slightly: "I'm afraid it's Consort Yan's people."

No sooner had he finished speaking than a series of hurried footsteps came from afar.

Immediately afterwards, several dark figures broke through the branches and leaves of the forest and quickly approached.

Those people were masked, and their hands gleamed with a cold light; they were clearly up to no good.

"Grab her!" the lead assassin shouted.

Xiao Jinlian made a quick decision, turning to Silan and shouting, "Hurry up, let's go find Li Heng!"

"Princess, then you—"

"Stop talking nonsense and go now!" Xiao Jinlian's tone was cold and stern, clearly leaving no room for negotiation.

Silan gritted her teeth, nodded, and quickly turned to leave.

Xiao Jinlian gripped the shard in her hand tightly, her gaze resolute as she looked at the assassins.

She knew that this time, she would probably have to face the crisis alone.

The assassins pounced without hesitation.

Xiao Jinlian quickly dodged and used the terrain as cover to maneuver around them.

She knew in her heart that she was no match for these people, and the only thing she could do was to stall for time and wait for reinforcements.

In the clearing of the woods, the assassins gradually surrounded her, their blades reflecting a cold light in the moonlight.

The lead assassin sneered, "Your Highness, you'd better hand over the rune fragments obediently, and perhaps we can spare your life."

"What arrogance!" Xiao Jinlian said coldly, her eyes revealing an unwavering determination.

The assassin's smile vanished instantly, and he swung his knife down suddenly.

Xiao Jinlian dodged the attack with a quick movement, but her sleeve was still grazed by the blade, and blood flowed down her arm.

She gritted her teeth and did not back down. Instead, she took the opportunity to hide the shards in her sleeve and stared intently at the assassin in front of her.

Just as the assassin closed in again, a cold, sharp voice came from the woods: "Let her go!"

Xiao Jinlian's heart skipped a beat. She looked up and saw Li Heng.

He leaped from the depths of the forest, his longsword gleaming coldly.

His figure moved with the speed of a falcon, instantly blocking Xiao Jinlian's path and confronting the assassin.

"Li Heng!" Xiao Jinlian blurted out, her voice filled with undisguised surprise and relief.

"I'm late." Li Heng glanced at her wounds, a hint of heartache flashing in his eyes, before coldly saying, "Leave the rest to me."

The assassins were clearly caught off guard by his sudden appearance and were momentarily flustered.

But the leader of the assassins quickly calmed down and waved for his men to surround the two men.

"General Li Heng, it seems you are indeed loyal," the assassin sneered. "But you should also know that no matter what, you will not be able to leave this forest today."

Li Heng did not answer. He simply pointed his sword at the assassin and said coldly, "Come on if you want to try."

The assassins sprang into action instantly, their blades tracing chilling arcs through the air.

Li Heng accepted the challenge without hesitation. His swordsmanship was clean and swift, and every move accurately repelled the enemy.

Although the number of assassins was large, they were unable to gain the upper hand for a time in the face of his powerful aura.

Xiao Jinlian stood to the side, holding the hidden rune fragments in her hand, her eyes closely following Li Heng's movements.

She was filled with conflicting emotions: on one hand, she felt dependent on and grateful to Li Heng, but on the other hand, she was unwilling to put him in danger because of her.

The battle lasted for a moment, and the assassins clearly realized that a direct confrontation was futile. The leader whispered, "Grab the fragment, the rest show no mercy!"

As soon as she finished speaking, several assassins rushed towards Xiao Jinlian.

Upon seeing this, Li Heng's face darkened, and he shifted his stance to block her way, wielding his sword to force the enemy back.

“Your opponent is me.” His voice was deep and cold, carrying an undeniable authority.

The assassins were forced to retreat repeatedly, but they did not give up.

They continued their siege, taking advantage of their numerical superiority, in an attempt to find an opening.

Li Heng's swordplay gradually showed signs of fatigue, and a bead of cold sweat appeared on his forehead, but he never retreated a single step.

“Li Heng, you don’t have to do this…” Xiao Jinlian said softly, her tone revealing a complex emotion.

Li Heng didn't turn around, but said coldly, "I said that no matter what happens, I will protect you."

These words sent a jolt through Xiao Jinlian's heart. Her gaze fell on his retreating figure, and images from the past few days flashed through her mind. She finally realized that no matter how much she pretended or resisted, this man's presence had long become an undeniable part of her life.

Ultimately, the assassins, suffering heavy casualties, chose to retreat, and a brief period of tranquility returned to the forest.

Li Heng sheathed his sword and turned to Xiao Jinlian, his voice filled with undisguised concern: "Are you alright?"

Xiao Jinlian shook her head and said in a low voice, "It's just a minor injury, nothing serious."

Li Heng's gaze swept over her wound, clearly dissatisfied. He stepped forward, took out the medicinal powder he carried with him, and gently applied it to her wound.

“You’ve put so much effort into the runes along the way,” his voice was low and deep, “but have you ever thought about the fact that you need protection yourself?”

Xiao Jinlian looked at him, a complex look in her eyes: "I never expected anyone to protect me, but..." She paused, then said softly, "Thank you, Li Heng."

Upon hearing this, Li Heng smiled faintly.

He reached out and gently patted her shoulder, his voice filled with a rare tenderness: "No matter how dangerous the power of the runes is, no matter how many unknown risks lie ahead, I will be with you."

The two stared at each other for a moment, as if everything around them had frozen in time.

The thin barrier in Xiao Jinlian's heart finally began to loosen, and Li Heng's firm gaze seemed to be conveying a silent promise to her.

Under the cover of night, the two stood side by side, with the fading moonlight and scattered fallen leaves behind them.

They knew the road ahead was still full of thorns, but at this moment, their hearts were closer than ever before.