Li Xi's breathing became rapid, and sweat slid down her cheeks, mingling with tears and blurring her vision.
Her heart felt as if it were being torn apart by two forces: on one side was the pain and self-blame of the past, and on the other side was the confusion and fear of the future.
"No... I can't let this happen again..." Li Xi said with difficulty.
The woman gave a cold laugh, her tone icy: "It's ridiculous. At this point, what are you still insisting on? What do you think you can change?"
Li Xi slowly closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and tried to calm her turbulent heart.
However, at that moment, the scene suddenly changed, as if time had reversed, taking her back to her past life.
In the thirty years that followed, frame after frame of the scene flashed through her mind like a movie.
From the moment she was born until the instant she passed away, everything was clearly displayed before her eyes.
Her mother, that gentle and kind woman, whispered before taking her last breath, "Xiaoxi, Mom is going first. You must take good care of yourself."
These words were like a sharp dagger, piercing deeply into her heart.
In her previous life, her mother passed away from cancer, and the subsequent chemotherapy caused her immense suffering, leaving her emaciated and haggard.
She still remembers the way her mother looked when she was tormented by illness, her deep pain and despair tearing her heart apart.
In her final moments, her mother lay in her arms and passed away peacefully.
A final tear rolled down her cheek and landed on the back of her hand; it was the last time she felt her mother's warmth.
"Mom...Mom...Don't leave me, Mom!" Her reason was finally overwhelmed by these painful memories.
Tears streamed down her face like a burst dam; she could not suppress the pain in her heart.
As the seals around her gradually dissipated, a smug smile appeared on the woman's lips: "Go to sleep peacefully, I'll take care of what you haven't finished!"
The woman finally broke through the seal and instantly took over Li Xi's body.
At this moment, the dream world she had built collapsed, and everything returned to chaos.
Li Xi's consciousness seemed to be drawn into an endless vortex, surrounded by an interweaving of darkness and light, and a disorientation of time and space.
······
Just then, the array set up inside the room was suddenly broken by a powerful force.
Huang Banxian immediately spat out a mouthful of blood and then collapsed to the ground.
Seeing this, Tian Tian quickly helped Huang Banxian up and carefully helped him to a recliner.
Meng Zhelan also rushed over and immediately applied acupuncture to stabilize Huang Banxian's injuries.
About fifteen minutes later, Huang Banxian's pulse gradually stabilized, and the two of them finally breathed a sigh of relief.
However, at that moment, the person on the bed suddenly murmured, "Water...water..." The voice was faint, but clearly audible.
Upon hearing this, Meng Zhelan immediately turned around and returned to the bedside, where she saw the person on the bed slowly opening their eyes.
Meng Zhelan was overjoyed, her eyes instantly welling up with tears. She exclaimed excitedly, "Xiao Xi, you're finally awake! That's wonderful!"
As she spoke, she excitedly hugged Li Xi tightly, tears streaming down her face.
He kept muttering, "Thank goodness, he's awake...it's good that he's awake..."
"I...I'm fine, I'm sorry to have worried you." Li Xi's voice was somewhat low and indifferent.
Meng Zhelan assumed that she had just woken up and was still a little weak.
So he gently comforted her, saying, "As long as you're alright, I'm relieved."
Meanwhile, Qin Xiaolin, who was lying to the side, slowly woke up due to the collapse of the dream world.
He spotted Li Xi immediately and struggled to get out of bed, saying anxiously, "Xi Xi, thank goodness you're alright. I was so afraid something had happened to you..."
His eyes revealed a hint of lingering fear, as if he was still immersed in the terror he had just experienced.
Li Xi: "Brother Qin, I'm fine. I just suddenly heard someone calling me, which is why I suddenly disappeared..."
Upon hearing this, Qin Xiaolin's expression changed slightly, as if he had remembered something terrible.
But he quickly regained his composure and interrupted Li Xi, saying, "It's good that you're alright, it's good that you're awake, don't think too much about it."
After saying that, he gently patted Li Xi's head to comfort her.
Li Yang also returned. Seeing Li Xi sitting there having her meal, he was overjoyed: "Little sister, that's great! You scared your third brother to death!"
Li Xi looked up at Li Yang, a hint of apology flashing in her eyes, "Third Brother, I'm sorry for making you worry."
Li Yang waved his hand and said repeatedly, "It's okay, it's okay, as long as you're alright."
Two days later, Hongying returned from the ancient clan, and the group went to the Xuanming Gate's basement to check on the situation.
Huang Banxian carefully examined the array on the wall, frowning thoughtfully. "This seems to be an ancient sealing array, but I only know a little about it. Let's draw this pattern first, and when we return to the capital, I'll look for any related ancient records."
After observing the area, they found no other valuable clues and decided to return to the capital.
The palace banquet is the day after tomorrow. If I don't go back soon, it might arouse suspicion among the people in the palace.
That evening, they rode the golden eagle towards Kyoto.
On the eve of the Lunar New Year, a grand palace banquet was held in the palace. The palace was brightly lit and filled with melodious music, and a festive and peaceful atmosphere permeated the palace walls and surrounding areas.
Nobles and high-ranking officials from all walks of life, dressed in their finest attire, moved about the banquet, chatting and laughing, exchanging pleasantries with one another.
"Hey, has anyone seen General Li? I was just thinking of asking him for a couple of drinks." General Du's voice rang out from the crowd, carrying a hint of boldness and unruliness.
His question also piqued the curiosity of others.
"That's true, I haven't seen her attend court these days."
"It is said that he went out on official business, but His Majesty attaches great importance to today's palace banquet, so he should be present." Lin Xiang stroked his beard and gently waved his fan as he slowly said, "General Li has always prioritized national affairs, so he must have been delayed on the way."
Just as everyone was discussing this, Emperor Wenyuan led his concubines into the banquet hall.
His appearance instantly silenced the noisy hall, and everyone bowed in respect.
The emperor's gaze swept across the entire hall, finally settling on an empty seat—a seat specially reserved for Li Xi and Meng Zhong's family. A hint of doubt arose in his heart, but he maintained a warm smile on his face.
"Rise, my lords. Tonight is the eve of the Lunar New Year. I will celebrate with you all. There is no need for formalities." Emperor Wenyuan's voice was loud and clear, carrying an unquestionable imperial aura. He then signaled the musicians to play music, and the atmosphere of peace and prosperity once again filled the air.
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