Chapter 60: Sword Spirit

June 3rd, 2023

Because this illusion was created from Fang Li’s memories, Xie Huai had no way to possess his own body here and had no choice but to attach himself to the youth’s lifebound sword. He tried to call Fang Li awake, but Fang Li couldn’t hear his voice at all.

Fang Li scurried over to Shixiong, his heart and eyes brimming with joy. He smiled and said, “Shixiong, are we going home now?”

Shixiong patted his head and said helplessly, “A’Yan, you can’t bear to go home?”

Fang Li laughed impishly.

In the quiet mountain forest.

The white-robed man walked in front, carrying a bamboo basket. The young man followed behind, matching him step for step.

Fang Li’s steps were quick and light, and his spirits were high. It was at this time that he felt the sword on his back vibrate faintly, as if making a fuss in his mind. He sensed the sword’s agitation and unease and inexplicably felt a little strange, but he didn’t give it too much thought. He hastened his footsteps, following Shixiong back up to the mountain.

The Windbearer Sect was located in a valley surrounded by peaks. The mountains were lush and the waters were clear, like an otherworldly paradise.

When the other sect sisters and brothers saw Fang Li return, they all greeted him amiably. Although the little sect wasn’t very big, it was peaceful and harmonious, and all of the fellow sect members were close as family.

A’Yan had no mother or father. His master had fished him out of God’s Rest River and brought him back, and his master was like a father to him. Shixiong was like his older brother, and the others were his brothers and sisters.

He had been brought up by Shixiong and the other sect members, and although his master was a little strict with a cold face, he had a warm heart. Shixiong was especially gentle, teaching him to read and write, and he was the person A’Yan revered and liked the most.

Fang Li watched Shixiong’s back, full of admiration and fondness. He thought, he wanted to be together with Shixiong for the rest of his life.

At this thought, he became a little startled and felt like he seemed to have forgotten something, but…… it probably wasn’t anything important.

He accompanied Shixiong to wash the herbs that had been collected and put them out to dry in the courtyard. As he washed, he discovered that there was some fieldgrass mixed in. The fieldgrass was very delicious, and when chewed, sweet juice would burst out. He tossed it happily into his mouth and started chewing. When he turned his head, he saw Shixiong looking at him with a helpless and indulging expression.

Shixiong’s eyes were tender as he said, “I know that you like these, so when I saw them, I picked some along the way.”

Fang Li threw his arms around Shixiong’s waist. “I knew Shixiong was the best!”

The spiritual sword that had finally quieted down suddenly started to clamor restlessly again.

There weren’t any bad people here. It didn’t need to be this nervous, did it?

He was only a Foundation Building cultivator right now and couldn’t retrieve the spiritual sword into his body. Speaking of which, Shixiong had been to one to forge this darksteel sword for him. He had only established the connection between it and his consciousness not too long ago, and he could only vaguely sense the spiritual sword’s emotions. It had clearly been just fine before, but it was being quite strange today.

Fang Li didn’t think about it too much. He simply took off the sword and placed it randomly to one side, finally getting some peace and quiet.

At this sight, Shixiong said helplessly, “How many times have I told you, your lifebound sword is very important. You must bring it with you properly to become closer to it.”

Fang Li pretended not to hear.

What did he have to be close to a sword for? He only wanted to be closer to his Shixiong.

At a glance, Shixiong could tell that he wasn’t listening and sighed again. “You only want to play. When are you going to reach Golden Core?”

Fang Li thought heedlessly, what was so important about cultivating? He thought that things were very good as they were. There was no point in having such high cultivation. It wasn’t like he enjoyed fighting and killing.

He just wanted to remain in the sect and be together with Shixiong and the others.

Fang Li busied himself for the day and finished washing all the herbs before finally reluctantly leaving Shixiong. He returned to his own room with his spiritual sword in his arms, and, recalling Shixiong’s words, simply held the sword as he went to sleep…… This was close enough, right?

That night, Fang Li slept very deeply.

As soon as he woke up, the spiritual sword started to clamor again, as if yelling in his mind. Please…… It’s not like I understand what you’re saying, what are you yelling all the time for?

Fang Li ignored the spirit sword’s clamoring.

But as soon as he went out the door, he ran into his master. His master asked him, “Which level of the Cottonwind Sword technique have you practiced up to?”

Fang Li stammered, “The second, probably……”

How could his master not know that he’d been slacking off again? His master was so infuriated that he huffed into his beard and widened his eyes into a glare. Just as he was about to scold Fang Li, Shixiong came by. With a smile, he said, “Don’t blame him, master. A’Yan is still a child, being a little playful is normal.”

Their master couldn’t give much of a scolding to his sensible and reliable eldest disciple, so he could only glare at Fang Li in a foul mood and say, “Don’t keep spoiling him. Look at him, sixteen years old and still only at Foundation Building……”

Shixiong said, “I’ll accompany him to practice the sword today. I’ll be sure to supervise him well.”

At that, their master finally nodded and left.

As soon as their master left, Fang Li laughed happily and said, “Shixiong, are we going down the mountain today?”

Shixiong fixed his eyes on him and said, “I just promised Master to supervise you today as you practice your sword. Let’s go, we’ll go to the rear mountains for sword practice.”

Fang Li: “……”

Although he was full of unwillingness, Shixiong had spoken, so he could only go.

Shixiong was only a few years older than him, but he was already a Nascent Soul-level expert of extraordinary talent, and in the Windbearer Sect, his cultivation was only second to their master’s. Everyone in the sect held Shixiong in very high regard.

In the bamboo forest.

Shixiong stood alone, clothed in white robes, a green bamboo sword in his hand as he smiled at Fang Li. “Keep practicing your Cottonwind Sword technique today.”

Fang Li tried to wriggle out of it. “How about I practice it tomorrow instead? Shixiong, you’re so powerful, you can just protect me. I don’t need to practice, do I……”

Shixiong looked at him with tenderness and indulgence, sighing, “What if one day, Shixiong isn’t here anymore?”

Fang Li laughed. “Impossible, I’ll never leave Shixiong.”

But today, Shixiong refused to spoil him and remained unmoved in the face of his sweet talk.

Seeing that he could only properly practice his sword, Fang Li grumpily picked up his darksteel sword and kept trying to recall the Cottonwind Sword technique. What was the first move again? Last time, when he’d been taught it, his mind had been wandering……

Oh, he finally remembered.

Fang Li gripped the sword in both hands and charged forward.

Shixiong’s cultivation was higher than his. He held the sword in one hand and didn’t actually use any spiritual power, only focusing on returning Fang Li’s blows. He parried every one of Fang Li’s strikes with his sword and said in a serious voice, “That strike, too slow.”

Fang Li grit his teeth and continued to charge.

Shixiong said, “That strike, off-target.”

They practiced dozens of strikes like this, but Fang Li wasn’t even able to touch a corner of Shixiong’s clothes. He made a fuss about how he wasn’t going to practice anymore and swung his darksteel sword randomly in front of him. He couldn’t beat Shixiong at all, okay!

Who could’ve known that in the moment that his attention wandered, bitingly cold sword energy erupted from the darksteel sword, unstoppable as it shot out! Shixiong hadn’t expected the darksteel sword to suddenly explode with such power and actually suffered a cut on the back of his hand.

Fang Li’s face paled in shock, and he stared blankly at his own sword. What was going on? When had he gotten so powerful that he was able to shoot sword energy from his sword?

But that wasn’t important. What was important was…… He’d actually injured Shixiong on accident!

Fang Li’s grip loosened, and he immediately dropped his sword, rushing over to cup Shixiong’s hand. When he saw the fresh blood flowing out of the wound, he was so anxious his eyes reddened, and he stammered, “I’m sorry, I, I didn’t do it on purpose……”

Shixiong saw his guilty expression and consoled gently, “It’s normal for accidents to happen while practicing the sword. This little injury is no big deal. On the other hand, you’ve improved a lot. That last strike was pretty good, your Shixiong is very happy.”

But Fang Li still felt unwell inside.

He cupped Shixiong’s hand carefully and pulled him back to the sect’s infirmary, gently applying medicine to Shixiong’s wound, then carefully wrapping it up. He blew on it and said quietly with reddened eyes, “Does it still hurt?”

Shixiong’s eyes were tender as he gazed at him. “The pain’s been blown away. It doesn’t hurt.”

Only then did Fang Li smile.

Shixiong said, “Today’s practice was good. Go back and reflect on it properly. Don’t forget, understand?”

Fang Li nodded obediently, carrying his sword in his arms and returning.

After closing the door.

He immediately started to scold his sword.

Fang Li glared at the black darksteel sword. “What was wrong with you today? Shixiong is the absolute most important person to me. No matter who you hurt, you can’t hurt him. Don’t mess around next time, understand? Or else I won’t want you anymore!”

Although he knew that his spiritual sword couldn’t make sense of human emotions and wouldn’t understand him, Fang Li still ran his mouth for a while before his heart settled down.

That night.

The spiritual sword was unusually silent without a single reaction. Fang Li thought, the spiritual sword should have learned its lesson. As his spiritual sword, how could it harm Shixiong?

Fang Li went to sleep reassured.

…………………………

Over a month passed.

Every day, other than cultivating and slacking off, it was slacking off and cultivating…… The days flew by, simple and joyful.

As for his spiritual sword…… Maybe it was because it’d learned its lesson after last time’s scolding, but it hadn’t made a fuss even once after that. It remained completely silent, not making a single sound. If he didn’t know otherwise, he’d have thought the sword was gone……

This had Fang Li a little worried.

Was it throwing a tantrum at him? Hadn’t he just scolded it with a few sentences? This spiritual sword sure had a temper. Wasn’t it a little too petty……

Or was it because he’d accidentally let his spiritual sword die?

Shixiong saw through his worries and asked him what was going on.

Fang Li said dejectedly, “My sword doesn’t seem to be responding anymore. I didn’t mess up raising it, did I?”

Shixiong pondered for a moment. “Don’t be anxious. You’ve only recently gotten your lifebound sword. It’s normal not to be able to sense it occasionally. Communicate more with your sword, talk with it a bit and let it become familiar with you, understand?”

Fang Li gave an “oh.” Actually, he’d spoken with it plenty, but the sword didn’t seem to like to listen too much.

Shixiong paused. He could tell that the youth was in low spirits, and he smiled and said, “I’ll take you out to play today.”

Hearing that, Fang Li’s devastation was swept away, and he also stopped caring about the matter of his sword. He said happily, “Okay!”

Fang Li joyfully followed Shixiong down the mountain.

When passing by the village at the bottom, Madam Zhang saw Fang Li and gave him a pack of sugared hawthorns. Fang Li thanked her repeatedly.

Madam Zhang smiled and said, “What are you being so polite for? Come play again when you have time, A’Yan.”

Fang Li ate the sugared hawthorns as he leisurely followed Shixiong.

Today, Shixiong had to go to Mount Xingyang to pick herbs. There was a bustling town at the foot of Mount Xingyang, and Fang Li’s eyes darted around as he said, “Shixiong, how about you go do your work, and I’ll go up the mountain and find you in a bit.”

How could Shixiong not know what he wanted to do? But he didn’t stop him, only saying indulgently, “Remember not to come back too late.”

Fang Li nodded his head repeatedly.

Having said that, he strolled over to the town at the foot of the mountain.

The town had delicious food to eat and fun things to do. Fang Li liked coming here the most.

Fang Li ate as he strolled, and he spotted a wine vendor to one side. In this town, the Liu family’s wine wasn’t bad, and Fang Li bought two jars, then went over to buy two roast chickens. He said delightedly to his sword, “Tonight, let’s drink and eat chicken with Shixiong, what do you think?”

The sword naturally wouldn’t pay attention to him. It remained silent.

Fang Li remembered that Shixiong had said that when he had nothing to do, he should communicate with his sword and nourish the feelings between them some more, so he didn’t get discouraged and kept chattering nonstop the whole way.

“When I was little, I sure was stupid. It was Shixiong who taught me how to read and write. At the time, I didn’t even know how to write my own name, and Shixiong taught me dozens of times, hand in hand.”

“Master is too busy, so normally, Shixiong was always the one who took care of me. I like Shixiong the most. When I was younger, I even fought with my other sect sisters and brothers over Shixiong, and he gave me a fierce scolding……

“Once, I was slacking off and slipped out to play, and Shixiong discovered me. Master was very angry and said that if I didn’t practice my sword technique ten times, I wouldn’t be allowed to go back and eat dinner. It was Shixiong who saw that I was terribly hungry and snuck me some food, but Master found out and punished Shixiong, too.”

“Even though I’ve never had a mom or dad, I don’t feel bad at all, and I don’t want to know why they threw me away, either, because having Shixiong is enough for me. Shixiong definitely wouldn’t throw me away.”

As he spoke and spoke, he smiled.

It turned out that in this life of his, everything was related to Shixiong.

By the time Fang Li arrived at the foot of Mount Xingyang, the sky had already gotten a bit dark, and sunset was approaching. He thought about it and decided to go up the mountain to look for Shixiong.

When he’d walked halfway, he saw a gray wolf, and Fang Li’s eyes brightened.

If he caught this wolf and took it home to cure it, how delicious would it be? Thus, he started to give chase without any hesitation.

The gray wolf ran very quickly, weaving about the mountain with familiarity. Fang Li picked up a handful of rocks and threw them as he ran. The wolf finally let out a pained cry, and its foot seemed to have been hit as it limped and staggered. A fierce expression appeared in its eyes, and it continued to run into the depths of the mountain forests!

Fang Li raised his eyebrows. That wolf would definitely be his today. Seeing that the wolf was already having difficulty running, Fang Li hurried his steps. Just then—the ground beneath his feet suddenly became empty, and his whole body tumbled into a mountain cavern.

Shoot, to think that the wolf had known of a place like this. It had intentionally lured him into this trap!

Fang Li thought to himself, once he got out, he would be sure to catch that wolf, but what he hadn’t expected was that this cave was much deeper than he’d imagined. He slid for a long time and still didn’t reach the bottom. Fang Li finally felt a bit of panic.

He promptly pulled out his sword and stuck it into the cavern wall, trying to slow down his descent, but he hadn’t imagined that the walls of this cave would be so hard that not even his darksteel sword could pierce them!

He slid down the cavern for about a quarter of an hour, finally crashing heavily to the ground.

Fang Li grimaced in pain, and his face was pale. He crawled up and looked around him, discovering that this was a massive underground cavern.

The scene before his eyes was unimaginable, making one gasp with wonder. The entire cavern was constructed from white jade with no visible seams from being joined together. How was that possible?

Although the Windbearer Sect was only an inconspicuous little sect, he’d read quite a few records and novels, and he’d heard his fair share of gossip from the cultivation world, but he’d never heard of a place like this. Not even the secret domains created from the deaths of Void Refining cultivators were as spectacular as this!

Being in the place made one unable to help but feel awe in their heart, immediately sensing one’s own insignificance, like dust.

Just what kind of place was this?

Fang Li looked around curiously. Everywhere was an expanse of white. He followed the edges of the cavern in a circle, but there wasn’t a single crack in the walls. He took out his darksteel sword to poke at it, but it didn’t so much as leave behind a mark. He immediately lowered his head dejectedly, regretting that he hadn’t properly practiced his cultivation.

Fang Li could only continue forward.

He finally saw a small entrance at the end of the cavern. The entrance was only as tall as a single person, and on both sides were white stone walls. He walked through the entrance and looked around. The walls of the stone passageway were finally no longer plain and bare, but were carved with images. The images depicted the Great Sage instructing the people of the world, the Great Sage bringing rain to dry lands, the Great Sage erecting a sect surrounded by tens of thousands of kneeling worshippers……

Fang Li’s heart suddenly thumped fiercely. Was this place the remnants of the Great Sage?

It had already been four thousand years since the Great Sage had passed, and no one had ever known just where his remnants were. It was one of the unsolved mysteries of the world.

His luck couldn’t be so good that he’d even chance upon the Great Sage’s remnants, could it?

Fang Li took a deep breath and continued forward.

At the end of the long, long stone passageway, there was a room. The room had nothing at all except for a white jade casket.

Inside the casket were two jade talismans, one black and one white.

Aside from that, there was nothing else.

Fang Li looked at them with both curiosity and nervousness. He couldn’t find the way out, and he’d been wandering around in here for over a day already…… So he started fumbling around the room. Perhaps there was a mechanism in here for leaving?

Alas, the room was just as clean and bare as the jade walls outside. Forget a mechanism, there wasn’t even a seam. Finally, Fang Li’s gaze fell onto the two jade talismans.

Was this some kind of treasure?

Maybe he could use it to escape from here?

If he still couldn’t find the way out, he’d be trapped here until he died……

Fang Li grit his teeth and finally walked forward, picking up the black and white jade talismans. The moment he picked them up, the entire room started to shake, and countless cracks appeared on the walls.

Sure enough, it was some kind of mechanism!

Fang Li held the jade talismans and ran outside. He ran at lightning speed, finally escaping before the stone passageway collapsed. The white jade cavern outside had also started to break down, and blocks of jade came tumbling down from above. Fang Li didn’t dare look back. He had to escape, or else he’d die here.

He leapt across nimbly, too panicked to tell where he was going right now. He would run wherever there were no chunks of jade raining down, and because the ground and walls had all split apart, a crack finally appeared on the cavern wall. Fang Li quickly squeezed into the crack.

There seemed to be many tunnels underground. He didn’t know if they’d originally been there, or if they’d just been split open.

Fang Li ran for a long, long time. Finally, it became quiet outside, and the shaking seemed to have stopped. But he looked around and discovered that it was pitch-black all around him, and he didn’t know where he was at all.

He could only brace himself and continue walking.

He didn’t know how long he’d walked or how many turns he’d made. He’d eaten all of his rations, but he couldn’t even see a shred of hope of getting out……

There wasn’t the tiniest trace of light, and the underground chill seeped into his clothes, making him shiver.

Finally, he had no energy left to walk and sat down against the stone walls, hugging his sword.

There was nothing left to eat or drink.

His stomach was rumbling from hunger.

He’d only just reached Foundation Building not too long ago and couldn’t practice inedia. Although his body was stronger than the average mortal, he wouldn’t be able to last very long without food or water.

Was he going to die here?

He suddenly felt regret in his heart. It was all because he only thought of playing. If only he hadn’t chased that wolf, then he’d already have returned home with his Shixiong right now, and he’d be sitting in the mountain forest drinking wine and eating chicken.

His lips were frozen purple, and his body was trembling. The tips of his fingers felt a bit numb.

There was only endless darkness and solitude here.

Just when he’d nearly lost consciousness, the darksteel sword in his arms started to emit heat, and threads of warmth started to seep through his skin, allowing Fang Li’s head to clear a little. He tightened his arms, tightly crading the darksteel sword in his arms, absorbing this last trace of warmth.

Although this sword didn’t seem to have a very good temper and was a little irritable, in the end, it was linked to his heart and mind, and it finally reacted at this critical moment, using its feeble power to warm his body.

Fang Li suddenly felt a bit emotional, and a little miserable.

Emotional because his sword spirit was still here and wasn’t ignoring him, and had even remembered to protect him……

Miserable because the sword spirit wanted to protect him even if it meant burning out itself like this, yet he couldn’t bring it out of this place……

They were about to die here.

Fang Li hugged his sword, his head drooping, and he rested his chin on the handle of his sword, laughing softly. “Thank goodness you’re here.”

Although it was only a sword and couldn’t accompany him to talk, at this moment, in his most desperate time…… Even if it was only a sword accompanying him, it was also good……

It was linked to his heart and mind. They were as intimate as could be.

Fang Li thought and thought and let out a gloomy sigh, lowering his eyes as he said, “Shixiong must be worried to death since he can’t find me……”

The sword spirit was emitting a faint warmth, but warmth came and went, as if even it was having a difficult time holding on and was finding it hard to maintain, but from start to finish, it never disappeared.

Silently accompanying him the whole time.

Fang Li felt his eyes becoming heavier and heavier. He couldn’t speak anymore, and his tongue had also become stiff. His hands around his sword slowly started to loosen……

Just then,

A white silhouette suddenly appeared before his eyes.

Was it Shixiong?

He wanted to reach out, but he couldn’t move. The man lifted him up, and a gentle voice fell in his ears. “I’ve found you. You’re alright now, you’re alright.”

It was Shixiong……

He used the last of his strength to say in a faint voice, “My sword, don’t leave it……”

Then he closed his eyes.

…………………

When Fang Li woke up again, before his eyes was a familiar ceiling. He’d returned home.

In the end, it had been Shixiong who had saved him.

If not for Shixiong, he would have died in the depths of that empty cave with no one around.

Fang Li struggled to move. Although his body was still weak, he had no major ailments anymore. He turned his head and saw a white-robed man sitting beside him. He didn’t know how long the man had been waiting beside his bed, and the man’s elegant face seemed a bit haggard. The man suddenly reached out and pulled him entirely into his arms, his usually calm voice containing a rare trace of unease, quivering faintly. “You’re awake.”

Fang Li immediately felt apologetic.

His heart was full of guilt.

It was all because he’d only thought about playing. He must have made Shixiong worry. If Shixiong hadn’t found him, how much would he have blamed himself?

Within a few moments, the white-robed man had already recovered his calm. He let go and rubbed Fang Li’s head, finally admonishing, “Don’t wander around next time, understand?”

Fang Li nodded.

This time, he’d also scared himself to death.

Shixiong took his pulse and confirmed that he was fine before saying, “Rest properly these days.”

Fang Li saw that Shixiong was about to leave and suddenly remembered something. He said hurriedly, “Shixiong, wait.”

Shixiong turned back to look at him, his eyes tender as he said, “What else do you need?”

Fang Li took out the black and white jade talismans from his robes. In the chaos, he’d accidentally brought them out. He said, “The place I fell into seems to be the remnants of the Great Sage. There were two jade talismans inside. It was because I touched these two jade talismans that the remnants collapsed. I don’t know what the talismans are for either. Shixiong, why don’t you give them to Master to look at?”

Shixiong looked at him helplessly, as if saying, how could there be such a thing as the remnants of the Great Sage…… Although he didn’t really believe Fang Li’s words, he still reached out and took the jade talismans……

In the moment that he took the jade talismans, his face suddenly paled, and his body swayed, a trace of bewilderment on his face.

Fang Li was immediately shocked and asked with concern, “Shixiong, are you alright?”

The strangeness only lasted a second.

Shixiong had already come back to his senses. He shook his head and smiled, saying, “I’m alright, I was just dizzy for a moment. I’ll give them to Master, don’t worry.”

Only at this did Fang Li relax. After finishing his meal, he went to sleep.

But when night came, one of his sect sisters came to tell him that there was trouble, Shixiong had fainted!

Fang Li couldn’t be more anxious and hurried over.

Outside was a mess.

Fang Li heard that after Shixiong had left from here, he’d gone to see their master, but he’d fainted as soon as he’d come out.

Their master himself was adept at medicine and had examined Shixiong, but not even their master had been able to find any abnormalities, as if Shixiong was only sleeping.

But he just wouldn’t wake up.

Fang Li was incredibly anxious. Why had Shixiong suddenly fainted without being able to wake up? Just what was wrong with Shixiong? He had no mind to worry about himself any longer. Although his body hadn’t recovered yet, he remained by Shixiong’s side without sleep the whole night.

His fellow sect members urged Fang Li to leave, saying that staying here was of no use, and that when Shixiong woke up, they would be sure to tell him right away.

But Fang Li refused to leave.

Because he kept feeling that this was his fault. Something must have happened to Shixiong for the sake of rescuing him. Had Shixiong gotten injured inside the remnants?

If not for his wandering about……

Would they all be perfectly fine right now? Would nothing have happened at all?

Fang Li laid against the side of Shixiong’s bed and grabbed his hand, murmuring, “Shixiong, how come you still won’t wake up……”

But Shixiong didn’t react at all.

As if he’d sunken into a dream that he wouldn’t wake up from.

Even their master only shook his head after seeing him.

He said that he’d never seen this kind of circumstance before. There was obviously no wound at all, nor had he suffered any poison or illusion, so why wouldn’t he wake up?

Fang Li took care of him without even time to sleep or change.

Time passed day by day……

He thought, if Shixiong never woke up, then he would take care of Shixiong for a lifetime, just as Shixiong had taken care of him.

He definitely wouldn’t leave Shixiong behind.

He smiled at Shixiong. “Shixiong, you have to wake up quickly. I’m still waiting for you to teach me the sword.”

He kept the darksteel sword placed beside him.

Ever since coming out of the remnants, the spiritual sword seemed to have quieted down again. No matter what he said, it wouldn’t respond to him at all. Fang Li was also completely helpless…… He thought that he couldn’t understand the sword spirit’s temper at all.

It had obviously been so good inside the mountain cave, sparing nothing to keep him warm. If not for the spiritual sword, he probably wouldn’t have been able to make it until Shixiong came to rescue him, so how come it had become so icy-cold again now?

The sword spirit remained quiet without a sound, and Shixiong remained asleep without waking.

Fang Li let out a sigh.

Time passed day by day……

Fang Li remained beside Shixiong’s bed. Just when he’d already lost hope, he saw Shixiong’s finger twitch. Fang Li’s eyes immediately opened wide, watching Shixiong nervously.

Was Shixiong finally going to wake up……

He held his breath with excitement, fixing his eyes on Shixiong. Finally, the white-robed man on the bed slowly opened his eyes.

Only, for a split second, those gloomy, deep, pitch-black eyes seemed completely unfamiliar.