Transmigrating into the world of Jade Dynasty, I was targeted by the female lead in a reverse romanc

Meanwhile, on the other side, inside the cave where Xiaozhufeng lived.

Lu Xueqi had just returned from her patrol. The hem of her moon-white Taoist robe was stained with mud, and her face showed signs of fatigue. She habitually walked to the corner, wanting to pick up the dark red spear that had always been with her. Only by holding it could she feel at ease.

He reached out, but grasped at nothing.

She paused, looked down, and saw that the corner was empty, with only the cold, damp ground.

Where's the gun?

Her face turned pale instantly, and she frantically scanned the cave, but there was nothing there, nowhere at all.

She hadn't let go of that spear since returning from the Abyss of the Dead; she even slept with it in her arms. It was right here before she left!

Her heart felt as if it had been suddenly gripped by an icy hand, and a suffocating panic instantly overwhelmed her. She turned abruptly and rushed outside.

Just then, two female disciples from Xiaozhu Peak rushed into the cave, their faces flushed with excitement, and almost bumped into her.

"Senior Sister Lu! Senior Sister Lu! Good news!"

Lu Xueqi stopped in her tracks, looking at them with empty eyes and her heart still pounding. She didn't hear what they were saying at all.

"Junior Brother Jiang! Junior Brother Jiang Xiaochuan from Dazhu Peak! He's back! We all saw him just now on the other side of the mountain! He's safe and sound, back!"

The two female disciples chattered excitedly.

Lu Xueqi seemed not to understand, staring blankly at them, her lips moving slightly: "...What?"

"Junior Brother Jiang Xiaochuan is back! He's in the cave over at Dazhu Peak right now!"

Jiang Xiaochuan...is back?

These words, like a belated thunderclap, struck Lu Xueqi's chaotic mind. The overwhelming panic brought about by the disappearance of the gun was violently countered by an even greater, almost unreal, surprise.

He... came back?

Not a dream? Not a hallucination?

Ecstasy exploded like flames, instantly burning away all thoughts.

She even forgot to ask about the gun; her body reacted before her mind could. Her pale figure, like a gust of wind, suddenly darted out of the cave and ran with all her might towards the direction of the Dazhu Peak cave in her memory.

The cave passage was dark and slippery, but she ran incredibly fast, nearly slipping several times before regaining her balance. Her heart was pounding so hard she didn't know if it was from running or from the news.

We arrived. The cave of Dazhu Peak was right in front of us. Light shone from the cave entrance, and there were figures moving around.

She stopped abruptly at the cave entrance, panting, her gaze quickly sweeping inside.

A fire was burning in the cave, its warm yellow light illuminating several familiar faces. Uncle Tian, ​​Uncle Su, Junior Sister Tian, ​​Senior Brother Song, Junior Brother Zeng, Junior Brother Zhang… and, there was that figure in black, sitting by the fire with his back to the cave entrance, drinking soup with his head down.

She had seen that figure a thousand times and dreamed of it a thousand times.

Jiang Xiaochuan.

He was really there, alive and well, sitting there.

Lu Xueqi felt all her strength drain away in an instant, her legs went weak, and she could barely stand.

After the immense joy came an even stronger surge of bitterness and lingering fear that almost overwhelmed her. She bit her lower lip hard, using all her willpower to suppress the sob in her throat and force back the burning sensation that instantly welled up in her eyes.

I mustn't lose my composure, I mustn't.

She stood motionless at the point where light and shadow met at the cave entrance, simply looking at him, her gaze seemingly rooted to his back.

The people inside the cave noticed the commotion and all looked over.

Tian Ling'er was whispering something in Jiang Xiaochuan's ear when she heard the voice and turned around. When she saw Lu Xueqi, the smile on her face faded a little.

She instinctively gripped Jiang Xiaochuan's arm tighter, tilted her head back towards the cave entrance, and said in a soft but clear voice, "Senior Sister Lu, Xiaochuan just got back and he's exhausted. What's the matter... let's talk about it tomorrow."

Lu Xueqi seemed not to hear, her gaze still fixed on Jiang Xiaochuan's back.

Zhang Xiaofan looked up at Lu Xueqi, then quickly looked down again, staring at the leaping flames in the stove.

With his back to the cave entrance, Jiang Xiaochuan felt a surge of pounding in his left chest the moment Tian Ling'er grabbed his arm and Lu Xueqi appeared at the entrance. The sound made his eardrums buzz, and all the blood in his body seemed to rush to that cold yet hot place. He knew she had come.

He put down the bowl, gently patted Tian Ling'er's hand that was tightly gripping his arm, and whispered, "I'll be right back."

Then he turned around.

The flickering firelight illuminated his face, which appeared somewhat pale and weary. One cheek was still swollen and red, but his eyes met Lu Xueqi's gaze.

Their gazes met in the air.

Lu Xueqi's pupils contracted slightly. She tried her best to maintain her composure, but her fingers dug deeply into her palms as she held her hands at her sides.

Jiang Xiaochuan stood up, walked around the fire, and headed towards the cave entrance. As he passed Tian Buyi, Tian Buyi glanced at him, nodded almost imperceptibly, and waved.

Jiang Xiaochuan walked up to Lu Xueqi and stopped a few steps away.

Up close, you can see the mud spots on her moon-white Taoist robe, her slightly disheveled sideburns, her pale face devoid of any color, and her clear eyes that seem to suppress a raging storm.

"Senior Sister Lu," he said, his voice a little dry, "shall we talk over there... in the bamboo grove?"

Lu Xueqi didn't answer, but simply reached out and grabbed his hand.

Her hands were cold, yet she gripped them tightly, her fingertips trembling slightly from the force.

She took his hand and turned to walk quickly and hurriedly towards the bamboo forest that was faintly visible in the mist not far from the cave.

Jiang Xiaochuan let her lead him and followed beside her.

Her hand was icy cold in his palm, yet trembling slightly. The pounding in her left chest intensified the moment she took his hand, making his heart tingle.

The two quickly disappeared into the bamboo forest. The bamboo was not tall and was sparse. The leaves rustled in the sea breeze, and the ground was covered with a thick layer of soft, damp fallen leaves.

I walked deeper into the bamboo forest, where there was no one around, only the sound of bamboo leaves rustling and the howling of the sea breeze.

Lu Xueqi suddenly stopped and turned around.

Almost simultaneously, she released his hand, but the next second, she opened her arms and threw herself into his embrace.

She wrapped her arms around his waist and back, hugged him tightly, buried her face in the crook of his neck, and moved so quickly without hesitation that it was as if she wanted to meld him into her own body.

Jiang Xiaochuan staggered back half a step after being tackled by her before regaining his balance.

He bumped into her warm, soft body, carrying her cool, faint fragrance and a hint of weariness from her journey.

His body stiffened at first, then the frantic pounding of his left chest and the real, warm touch in his arms strangely intertwined, making him somewhat dazed, unable to distinguish whether the pounding was his own or her heartbeat transmitted through the fabric.

He paused for a moment, then slowly raised his arm and, somewhat hesitantly, gently embraced her back.

My hand landed on her thin back, and I could feel the bones protruding slightly beneath her clothes, and the uncontrollable, subtle trembling.