The Regent's Palace, as magnificent as twinkling stars, illuminated the entire capital, attracting countless eyes. Jiang Qianqian, however, remained like a quiet pearl, steadfastly guarding a corner of Tianxiang Tower, silently radiating her light.
"Qianqian, look at the people coming and going in this building, it's so crowded," a friend said softly.
Jiang Qianqian smiled slightly, her eyes shining with determination: "My heart belongs only to Tianxiang Tower."
She turned and looked at the bustling lobby, the business strategy she gripped tightly in her hand like a sharp sword pointing towards the future. Every banquet, every innovation, was the culmination of her hard work.
“Qianqian, why don’t you take this opportunity to take Tianxianglou to the next level?” another friend suggested.
Jiang Qianqian shook her head, a glint of wisdom flashing in her eyes: "Prosperity fades quickly, only by staying true to our original aspirations can we endure."
Under her leadership, Tianxianglou became a gathering place for literati and scholars. Every laugh and every poem recorded Jiang Qianqian's perseverance and dedication.
As dusk settled and the evening glow painted the sky crimson, a guard returned wearily from his journey to the Regent's Palace. His face showed signs of exhaustion, but his eyes shone with excitement and joy.
"Your Highness, we've found it!" The guard's voice trembled slightly, as if carrying too much expectation and hardship.
Upon hearing this, Xu Yuehuai looked up from his study, a flicker of surprise in his eyes that quickly turned into deep joy. He stood up, strode to the guard, and asked eagerly, "Are you telling the truth? The stall owner's whereabouts have been found?"
The guard nodded, took a deep breath to calm his excited emotions, and then reported their findings in detail.
Qi Guze listened from the side, his brows furrowed, seemingly deep in thought. After the guards finished their report, he spoke, "Now that we've found the stall owner's whereabouts, let's get moving."
Xu Yuehuai nodded in agreement. The three of them quickly changed into civilian clothes and left the Regent's Palace. In the darkness, their figures disappeared into the streets of the capital, leaving only moonlight and a gentle breeze.
Following the clues left by the stall owner, they traveled back and forth, finally arriving at a remote village. This village was nestled among mountains, surrounded by dense forests, and appeared exceptionally quiet.
They arrived at a small courtyard, which was brightly lit, suggesting that people were active inside. Xu Yuehuai and Qi Guze exchanged a glance, signaling each other to proceed with caution. They silently approached the courtyard and peered inside through the cracks in the windows.
In the courtyard sat a middle-aged man, the very stall owner they were looking for. He wore a long blue robe, held a cup of tea in his hand, and looked relaxed. Scattered around him were fragments of ancient books and maps.
Upon seeing this, Xu Yuehuai and Qi Guze were filled with excitement. They decided to act immediately and apprehend the stall owner.
However, just as they were about to rush into the courtyard, the stall owner seemed to sense something. He looked up and gazed towards the window. Xu Yuehuai and Qi Guze were startled and quickly stepped aside, holding their breath, afraid of being discovered by the stall owner.
The stall owner seemed oblivious to anything amiss, continuing to sip his tea as if everything that had just happened was merely his imagination. Xu Yuehuai and Qi Guze breathed a sigh of relief, exchanged a smile, and decided to change their plans, entering the courtyard through the main gate.
They gently pushed open the courtyard gate and went inside. The stall owner looked up and saw them, a flicker of surprise crossing his eyes, but he quickly regained his composure. He put down his teacup, stood up, and smiled at them.
"You've finally arrived." The stall owner's voice was calm and gentle, as if he had expected their arrival.
Xu Yuehuai and Qi Guze exchanged a glance and nodded, indicating that they had indeed arrived. They walked up to the stall owner and eyed him warily.
The stall owner didn't seem to care about their wariness. He pointed to the chairs next to him, gesturing for them to sit down. Xu Yuehuai and Qi Guze hesitated for a moment, but then sat down anyway.
The stall owner poured them tea, then sat down himself and began to tell his story.
"There was once a person who suddenly came to this world. He discovered that this world was a fake place. He found a way to leave this world, but he was hunted down by many people and eventually died without succeeding in leaving. However, he left behind some map fragments. These fragments can be put together to form a complete map, leading the person who has the map to find the way out of this world."
The stall owner's story shocked Xu Yuehuai and Qi Guze. They had never imagined that this world was just an illusion. They began to doubt their own existence and the reality of this world.
Xu Yuehuai took a deep breath and asked, "Do you know where the rest of the map is?"
The stall owner shook his head and said, "I don't know where the rest of the map is, but I do know that if you can defeat me, you can get a clue."
Xu Yuehuai and Qi Guze exchanged a glance, a resolute glint in their eyes. They knew this was their only chance to leave this world, and they couldn't give up.
The stall owner seemed to sense their determination; he stood up and drew a longsword. Xu Yuehuai and Qi Guze also quickly drew their swords to counterattack, and a fierce battle was about to begin.
The battle was exceptionally fierce. The stall owner's swordsmanship was sharp and swift, and Xu Yuehuai and Qi Guze could only barely defend themselves. Their figures darted back and forth in the courtyard, their swords flashing like two bolts of lightning intertwining in the night sky.
After a fierce battle, Xu Yuehuai finally found an opening and thrust his sword towards the stall owner's heart. The stall owner had no time to dodge and could only watch helplessly as the sword tip pierced his chest.
The stall owner slowly collapsed, his eyes filled with relief and liberation. Xu Yuehuai and Qi Guze stood to the side, panting heavily, looking at the seriously injured stall owner, their hearts filled with complex emotions.
"Why do you want to die?" Xu Yuehuai asked.
The stall owner closed his eyes, a bitter smile playing on his lips. He said slowly, "You can't succeed, and neither can I. I might as well die."
Xu Yuehuai and Qi Guze felt a pang of sadness upon hearing this. They knew the stall owner's words weren't without merit. Leaving this world wasn't easy; they still had a long road ahead of them.
However, they did not give up. They believed that as long as they persevered, they would surely find a way to leave this world.
Just then, the stall owner suddenly opened his eyes, took out a map from his pocket, and handed it to Xu Yuehuai. His voice was weak but firm: "This is the most important map fragment, take it."
Xu Yuehuai took the map, looking at the stall owner's face gradually losing its vitality, his heart filled with emotion. He knew that this map was the key to their departure from this world, and they had to cherish it.
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