"Gone?" Li Xi repeated in surprise, her voice filled with doubt and confusion, as well as a hint of anger and resentment.
Deep lines appeared between her brows, and her eyes sharpened, as if trying to pierce through the surrounding darkness to find the missing answer.
"It must have been that cult leader who took it!" Li Xi said through gritted teeth, her tone full of certainty.
Recalling everything that had just happened, he became even more certain of his guess. "This door requires blood to open, and he just happened to run into you. It must be that only a member of the Li family can open it."
"And he didn't kill you, but deliberately connected it to the missing array diagram in this basement." Li Xi's thoughts gradually became clear, and she began to piece together the truth of the whole incident.
"He must know something, or rather, he wants something," Li Xi murmured to herself, her gaze fixed on the door in front of her, as if she could see through it to the secrets hidden behind it.
The thought of these things made her blood boil.
His eyes were wide open, and his face was flushed red, as if he could breathe fire.
Hongying, who was standing nearby, noticed her unusual behavior and immediately pressed her shoulder, saying anxiously, "Xiaoxi, calm down, don't let anger cloud your judgment!"
Qin Xiaolin also hurriedly walked to Li Xi's side at this moment. Looking at her appearance, he said anxiously, "Your internal energy is disordered and your emotions are fluctuating too much. If this continues, you will hurt yourself."
After saying that, he reached out his palm and gently placed it on Li Xi's back. He channeled a warm and powerful internal energy into her body, attempting to soothe the turmoil in her heart and the restlessness in her body.
As her inner energy flowed in, Li Xi's body gradually relaxed, and the blush on her face faded. However, the anger in her heart did not subside; it was merely suppressed deep within her for the time being.
"Quickly swallow this pill." Hongying took out the pills from her pouch at her waist.
Li Xi obediently accepted the pill, which melted instantly in her mouth.
A cool sensation rose from her dantian, complementing the internal energy Qin Xiaolin had channeled into her, gradually calming her disordered breathing.
Seeing his younger sister like this, Li Yang felt heartbroken. It was all his fault for being useless and being used by that damned person.
He suddenly remembered someone, "Let's go find the miracle doctor, he'll definitely have a way to save my little sister."
"The miracle doctor, you mean the one who gave her medicine that caused her to lose her memory?" Qin Xiaolin frowned, his tone tinged with doubt.
His gaze lingered for a moment on Li Xi's calm yet still slightly pale face before he continued, "Is he one of the cult leader's men?"
Upon hearing this, Li Yang's expression darkened, but he understood that Qin Xiaolin's concerns were not unfounded.
Qin Xiaolin: "How can we be sure he won't harm her again?"
Li Yang's clenched fists trembled slightly.
The guilt and anger in his heart intertwined into a complex web, almost suffocating him. "I was reckless, but as long as I can save my little sister, I'm willing to brave any danger, no matter how great the consequences."
Qin Xiaolin patted Li Yang on the shoulder, "We're the same."
In recent days, he has been searching in various places for someone who can help Xiaoxi overcome her inner demons, but without any success.
The group began to study the formation on the ground.
Li Xi discovered that those that could emit fluorescence were the fluorescent powders commonly used in later generations.
They shimmered with a faint fluorescent light in the dim light, exuding an air of mystery.
“This formation doesn’t seem to be used for attack or defense; it’s more like a guide or medium.” Qin Xiaolin squatted down, carefully observing the patterns on the ground, his brows furrowed. “I’ve never seen a formation like this before. Perhaps Huang Banxian can give us some clues.”
Mentioning Huang Banxian reminded them of the strange doctor who had previously cured Li Xi of the curse.
"I'm going back for a bit. You guys can rest at the Tongfu Inn in the nearby town," Qin Xiaolin said before leaving.
Inside the Tongfu Inn, the flickering candlelight illuminated solemn faces. Li Xi sat by the window, her fingers lightly tapping the table, her heart filled with mixed emotions.
She recalled that when the original owner was six years old, the cult leader originally wanted to kidnap her.
Later, her father appeared, and when she woke up, she was in a carriage. She didn't know how she escaped from him.
And why did her grandfather and father bury those two jade pendants with dragon and crane patterns in the back mountain?
Could the Li family have connections with the previous dynasty?
Thinking of this possibility, Li Xi broke out in a cold sweat.
Could the downfall of the previous dynasty be related to the Li family?
"Xiaoxi, what are you thinking about again?" Hongying came in from outside the door, interrupting her thoughts.
“It’s nothing…” Li Xi shook her head, deciding to keep these doubts to herself.
Seeing her like this, Hongying knew that she must be troubled by what happened today.
“It seems we need to investigate the fall of the previous dynasty. It appears the Li family has some connection to it,” Hongying said seriously as she sat down.
"But where should we begin?" Li Xi asked.
"Let's first see if any members of the former royal family are still alive." When Hongying was born, this place was already under the rule of Jingyuan.
More than fifty years have passed. If we want to find people and things related to the previous dynasty, we might have to ask the retired emperor.
Records of the Jiang royal family may no longer exist; with the change of dynasties, records of the previous dynasty may have already been burned.
This is also where Li Xi is in a dilemma.
If the Li family really had connections with the previous dynasty, wouldn't that arouse the emperor's suspicion?
But the Li family members were no longer there. After thinking for a moment, Li Xi suggested, "Why don't I go to the palace in a few days to meet the Emperor and explain the situation to him, and see if I can get some clues from him?"
Hongying said worriedly, "Isn't this too risky? What if it arouses the Emperor's suspicion..."
Li Xi comforted him, "We were simply reporting the truth and had no intention of deceiving the emperor. Besides, the Xuanming Sect is gone, so what is there to fear?"
Hongying nodded, thinking of her daughter who had died young. Her eyes reddened slightly, and endless longing and sorrow welled up in her heart.
Noticing her grandmother's unusual behavior, Li Xi stepped forward, put her arm around her shoulder, and patted her gently a few times.
She suddenly remembered that she could draw, so she asked the shop assistant to buy her some art supplies.
It took her two hours to draw what the original owner's parents looked like in her dream.
I haven't written in a long time, so I'm a bit rusty, but fortunately, my basic skills are still there.
"Grandmother, come and see."
"This, is this Jin'er and your father?" Hongying took the scroll with trembling hands.
Her eyes instantly reddened, and tears welled up in them, but she stubbornly held them back from falling.
In the painting, the original owner's parents are depicted with lifelike features. The father is gentle and refined, with a scholarly air about him and a gentle smile on his lips. The mother is gentle and virtuous, with eyes that seem to hold autumn water and overflowing with endless tenderness.
"It's my Jin'er," she said softly, her voice trembling with a barely perceptible sob.
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