"Are you talking to me?"
Li Xi tilted her head slightly, a hint of surprise and curiosity in her eyes, her gaze fixed on the silver dragon.
The silver dragon circled once in the air, a hint of surprise flashing in its eyes. It asked in confusion, "Don't you remember me?"
She gently shook her head.
A hint of confusion crossed his brow, as if he were trying to recall something, but he just couldn't remember.
She said softly, "Should I...remember you?" Her voice was full of uncertainty and confusion.
The silver dragon slowly descended, its enormous body transforming in the air until it finally materialized into a handsome young man dressed in a silver-white robe.
He landed in front of Li Xi, his gaze gentle yet profound, as if he could see into the deepest secrets of the human heart. "Perhaps this is your karma."
Upon hearing this, Li Xi was even more confused.
cause and effect?
She looked up at the young man, her eyes filled with confusion: "What cause and effect? And who are you?"
"Is this dream so fantastical?" She naturally didn't believe the man's words, but she also felt that what he said seemed to make some sense. A strange unease welled up inside her.
The young man sighed softly, "Wake up soon, time is running out. Don't become a monster completely, or there will be no turning back." He reached out and gently stroked Li Xi's hair, his gesture full of pity.
Upon hearing this, Li Xi felt a chill run down her spine.
She looked around and found herself in a desolate place, surrounded by twisted trees, with an air thick with decay and despair.
The young man before them, his silver-white attire shone brightly in the dim light.
"Where...where am I?" Li Xi's voice trembled slightly. She realized that she might be in a dream or some kind of illusion, but the sense of reality was so strong that it was hard to tell.
The young man stepped forward and gently placed his palm on Li Xi's forehead.
A warm and pure power flowed into his palm, instantly dispelling the chill and unease around him. "This is your inner demon realm, formed from the fears, doubts, and unresolved knots deep within your heart."
Li Xi stared at him blankly, her heart filled with complex emotions.
She never imagined that her inner world could be so dark and complicated.
The scene here is from a dream she had before.
In that dream, she was controlled by the leader of the Red Lotus Cult and became his killing tool.
Her hands were stained with blood, and countless souls fell beneath her blade, their screams and pleas for mercy echoing in her ears.
Every time she swung her knife, she felt a deep sense of guilt, but she was powerless to resist the cult leader's control.
She looked at her hands, and countless images of dead souls flashed through her mind.
Their eyes were filled with resentment and despair, as if condemning her actions.
These wandering souls will haunt her forever, preventing her from escaping her inner pain and self-blame.
If the cult leader's plan succeeds, she will become a cruel and ruthless killer, burdened with heavy sins.
However, she successfully thwarted the cult leader's plan, not only crippling his martial arts skills but also taking control of his subordinates.
Now, such a tragedy will never happen again, but why can't she control her inner demons?
Is this her fate?
Or is it that deep down she still harbors an inescapable fear and guilt?
"What should I do?" Li Xi's voice trembled slightly as she looked at the man.
Just as she was lost in thought, a sudden burst of light abruptly pulled her out of the vortex of memories.
She instinctively opened her eyes, only to find herself in a completely unfamiliar environment.
She blinked, trying to make sense of the chaotic situation.
As her vision gradually cleared, she saw Qin Xiaolin holding her hand tightly, asleep by the bedside.
His face showed fatigue, but his eyes revealed deep concern and worry.
As if sensing her gaze, Qin Xiaolin slowly woke up, a hint of surprise flashing in his eyes: "Xixi, you're finally awake!"
Hearing the commotion, Meng Zhelan jogged in, carrying a bowl of steaming hot medicine. "Xi'er, you're finally awake! How are you feeling? This medicine was just brewed; drink it while it's hot for your health."
Li Xi looked around and found herself lying in a room decorated in a simple yet cozy style.
The air was filled with a faint medicinal fragrance and a subtle, almost imperceptible calming scent, which gradually relaxed her tense nerves.
She gently pulled her hand away from Qin Xiaolin's grasp. The warmth from his fingertips stirred a warm current in her heart, but it was quickly replaced by complex emotions.
"Where...where am I? How did I get here?" Li Xi's voice was soft, but it couldn't hide the doubt and unease in her heart.
"This is the Imperial Medical Bureau. After you fell into a coma the other day, the Emperor ordered us to bring you here for treatment," Meng Zhelan explained.
Upon hearing this, Li Xi gently rubbed her temples, her brows furrowing slightly as she slowly recalled what had happened the day before.
"What about the cult leader?" she asked anxiously.
"He was rescued, but your punch crippled him, severing all his meridians. Even if he's brought back, he'll be a useless cripple without any martial arts skills." Qin Xiaolin's voice was low and calm.
Upon hearing this, Li Xi was filled with remorse; she had almost killed him. "I can't believe he escaped! What about Qi Xuan?"
Meng Zhelan took the empty medicine bowl and explained in a low voice, "He's dead. Even if you didn't beat him to death, His Majesty would have stabbed him to death. Consort Shu, the Imperial Physician, and the spies in the palace have all been exposed. His Majesty is furious, and their fate is predictable."
She remembered what the silver dragon in her dream said. Could she really become a bloodthirsty demon?
Looking back now, she only had one thought in her mind at the time—to kill them!
This time they relieved the court's predicament, and the emperor naturally rewarded those who had made contributions handsomely, bestowing titles and lands upon them, and bestowing honors upon them.
Most notably, Li Xi was appointed as a second-rank Assistant General, and was granted a general's mansion, thousands of acres of fertile land, and tens of thousands of taels of gold.
Feng Monian refused the emperor's offer of recruitment, citing the rule that martial arts practitioners should not enter the imperial court. Although he lacked nothing, the emperor still bestowed upon him many fine gifts.
Meng Zhelan was exceptionally granted the title of Princess Changning, with a fief of a thousand households, and was given the Changning Mansion in a prime location in the capital.
In addition, the Emperor personally bestowed a marriage upon Princess Changning, betrothing her to Prince An, and carefully selected an auspicious day for the couple to tie the knot.
Prince An also made great contributions in this campaign to quell the rebellion. He not only received a reward, but also got the imperial decree to marry him as he wished. He was riding high on success.
The Empress also showed him great care and planned to personally arrange his marriage.
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