I was a mineral prospector in Chengdu, who transmigrated into the body of a mortal sword immortal.

Xiao Lian followed Li Bai's gaze upwards, where a sliver of light seemed so distant in the darkness. She swallowed hard, her voice dry, "From...from up there? But this tree is so tall, I..." Li Bai took a small porcelain bottle from his robes, poured out a brown pill, and handed it to her, "Put it under your tongue; it will restore some strength. Hold on tight to my waist, and don't let go no matter what." Xiao Lian took the pill and put it in her mouth without hesitation. A spicy yet sweet taste melted in her mouth, and a warmth seemed to surge through her weary body. She nodded vigorously, reached out and hugged Li Bai's waist tightly, burying her face in his chest. Li Bai took a deep breath, placed his right hand on the treetop above, and the Azure Lotus Sword Intent began to slowly condense.

The tree trunk was rough, carrying the smell of damp wood shavings. Li Bai's palm rested on the wood, allowing him to feel the direction of the fibers inside and the weak points. He closed his eyes, focusing his consciousness into his dantian. The illusory image of the blue lotus slowly rotated within his dantian, radiating a warm glow. True essence flowed along his meridians to his palm, transforming into countless fine, hair-like sword energies that silently seeped into the tree trunk.

There was no sound, no vibration.

The sword energy coursed within the wood, like the finest carving knife, cutting along the grain and cracks. Li Bai could "see" the path the sword energy carved into the tree wall—not a brutal cleaving, but rather following the natural direction of the wood fibers, separating and pushing them apart one by one, forming a circular channel about two feet in diameter. Wood chips floated within the channel, carrying the fresh scent of pine, mingled with the musty smell of decay deep within the heartwood.

This process lasted for about half a cup of tea's time.

Xiao Lian listened intently to the sounds outside. The footsteps of the men in black came and went, their shouts echoing in the night wind: "Nothing to the east!" "We've searched the west too!" "Keep searching! They must still be nearby!" Her heart pounded, and her arms, which were wrapped around Li Bai's waist, trembled slightly. She could feel the warmth emanating from Li Bai's body, and that strange, subtle vibration, like water flowing through his veins.

Finally, Li Bai opened his eyes.

The sliver of light overhead grew larger—becoming a circular opening. Moonlight streamed through, illuminating the dust motes floating in the narrow space. Fresh air rushed in, carrying the coolness of night dew and the dampness of the distant water.

"Alright," Li Bai said softly, his voice tinged with weariness. The meticulous operation he had just performed had consumed nearly 20% of his true energy, but the effect was remarkable—the edges of the hole were smooth and neat, without a single speck of wood falling outside. From the outside, it looked like there was just an inconspicuous little hole at the top of the willow tree.

He poked his head out first.

The moonlight, like water, spilled over the apricot grove of Qujiang Pool. The willow canopies swayed gently in the night breeze, rustling softly. In the distance, the figure of a man in black moved about fifty paces from the edge of the apricot grove. Further away, the surface of Qujiang Pool shimmered, and the reeds stretched out like a black ocean in the night.

The timing is perfect.

Li Bai pulled back and said to Xiao Lian, "Hold on tight." Xiao Lian nodded vigorously, wrapping her arms even tighter. Li Bai took a deep breath, channeling his inner energy into his legs, and shot upwards like an arrow released from a bow!

The wind whistled in my ears.

Xiaolian felt a sudden lightness in her body, and the scenery before her eyes plummeted—no, it was as if they were rising. Willow branches brushed past her, the rough bark rubbing against her clothes with a soft rustling sound. The moonlight grew brighter, and the night breeze grew cooler. She closed her eyes tightly, burying her face in Li Bai's chest, able to smell the faint scent of his sweat and an indescribable, fresh aroma, like that of fresh grass.

Three breaths later, they landed on the highest branch of the willow tree.

The branches were thick and sturdy, barely able to support the weight of two people, swaying slightly in the night breeze. Li Bai stood on one leg, the other foot lightly touching the ground for balance. Xiao Lian opened her eyes and found herself at least five zhang (approximately 10 meters) off the ground, with a dark apricot grove beneath her feet and the shimmering Qujiang Pool in the distance. A cool night breeze, carrying moisture, made her shiver.

"Don't look down," Li Bai said in a low voice, glancing around.

The men in black were still searching the outskirts of the apricot grove, unaware of the movement in the treetops. But Li Bai knew this calm wouldn't last long. He had to leave as soon as possible and reach the reed marshes to meet Duan Qiniang.

He took the letter out of his pocket and quickly scanned it by the moonlight.

The envelope, wrapped in oiled paper, was slightly damp, but the writing remained clear. There was no signature on the envelope, only a line of delicate handwriting: "To Young Master Li." Li Bai's fingers trembled slightly as he tore open the envelope and pulled out the letter inside.

The letter was written on fine Xuan paper, with a faint sandalwood scent. The handwriting was neat and elegant, but the strokes revealed a sense of haste and trembling.

"To Young Master Li: Yu Huan bows with tears streaming down her face. More than three months have passed since our parting at Qujiang. I have long admired your poetic talent and refined manners, but fate has played a cruel trick on me, and I have no choice in my actions. I am now being forced by Prime Minister Li and Yang Guozhong to enter the palace to serve His Majesty in a few days. I am unwilling, but my father and brothers have been coerced, and the safety of my family rests on my shoulders. I have no choice but to comply."

"Last night in my dream, I saw you, young master, approaching with a sword. I was overjoyed. Upon waking, my pillow was soaked with tears, and I realized it was a dream. Yet the dream felt so real, and I firmly believe you are no ordinary man. I risked my life to send Xiaolian with this message, not to ask for help—your entry into the palace is a done deal, and there is no turning back. I have only one request: after I enter the palace, Prime Minister Li and Yang Guozhong may harm you. You must leave Chang'an immediately and not linger!"

"Furthermore, Yu Huan overheard Prime Minister Li talking privately with his confidant, mentioning 'Shushan,' 'secret realm,' and 'immortality,' as if they were searching for something. She also heard Yang Guozhong mention your name with a strange expression. You must be careful, young master."

"Words cannot express my feelings. If fate allows, I hope you will cherish this moment, my lord. Your last words, Yu Huan."

The letter ends here.

The last few words were illegible, clearly written in a state of extreme haste and emotional distress. There were also several water stains on the letter—the marks of tears.

Li Bai's knuckles turned white as he held the letter.

He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. The night breeze, carrying moisture and the lingering fragrance of apricot blossoms from afar, entered his nostrils, but it couldn't suppress the anger and pain surging in his heart. Yang Yuhuan's situation was worse than he had imagined. Not only was she forced into the palace, but her entire family had been taken hostage. And Li Linfu and Yang Guozhong were still eyeing the Shu Mountain Secret Realm, and might even have already noticed him.

"Young Master..." Xiao Lian called softly, her voice filled with worry.

Li Bai opened his eyes, carefully folded the letter, tucked it back into his robes, and kept it close to his body. His gaze had regained its composure, but a cold flame burned deep within.

"Let's go," he said.

Before the words were finished, a cry of alarm suddenly came from below: "There's someone in the treetop!"

Oops.

Li Bai looked down and saw a man in black pointing at the top of a willow tree, shouting loudly. Immediately afterward, more men in black surged in from all directions, numbering twenty or thirty, all dressed in black, their movements swift, like a pack of black cheetahs in the moonlight.

"Quick, Young Master Li! They've found me!" Xiao Lian cried out in panic, her voice trembling with fear.

Without hesitation, Li Bai pressed the letter firmly into his bosom, grabbed Xiao Lian's wrist, and shouted, "Hold on tight!" Before he finished speaking, he had already leaped down from the top of the tree!

It shouldn't land directly—that would be too slow and would make us an easy target.

Li Bai twisted his body in mid-air, tapped his right foot on the trunk of a willow tree, used the momentum to change direction, and sped towards the surface of Qujiang Pool! He channeled the Azure Lotus Sword Intent into his legs, and his speed suddenly increased. His clothes fluttered in the night wind, and he and Xiao Lian were like a blue shadow, slicing through the sky above the apricot grove.

"Chase!"

"Don't let them get away!"

The men in black shouted and advanced in a fan shape, flanking the enemy. Their movements were perfectly synchronized, clearly indicating they were well-trained. Two of them were the fastest, moving like ghosts through the shadows of the trees, one on the left and one on the right, their powerful auras no less formidable than that of the black-clad swordsman from the previous night.

Li Bai's heart sank.

Li Linfu spared no expense this time, sending out only the elite of the elite.

He dared not linger in the fight, and even more so, he needed to protect Xiaolian. Although Xiaolian had taken the pills and regained some strength, she was, after all, a weak woman who knew no martial arts. She had been terrified when she jumped down from the treetop, and now she was clinging tightly to his waist, her body still trembling.

"Close your eyes, don't be afraid," Li Bai whispered, while waving his right hand, three pebbles shot out from his sleeve!

The pebbles, only the size of a thumb, were smooth cobblestones he had picked up during the day by Qujiang Pool. But when Li Bai infused them with his true energy, they transformed into three gray streaks, shooting towards the three closest men in black with sharp, piercing sounds.

"Watch out for hidden weapons!"

A man in black cried out and swung his knife to block. With a clang, the pebble struck the blade, sending sparks flying! The man's arm jerked, his momentum faltered, and his speed immediately decreased. The other two men in black were not so lucky—a pebble struck one man's shoulder, the dull thud of bone shattering clearly audible; another pebble grazed another's cheek, spraying blood.

"what!"

Screams echoed through the night sky.

The black-clad men's formation faltered slightly. But only for a moment—the two leaders had already caught up, only ten zhang away from Li Bai!

"Li Bai! Leave a letter, or I'll spare your life!" the man on the left shouted sharply, his voice hoarse like a broken gong.

Li Bai didn't answer at all, and increased his speed even more. He could already see the reeds ahead—the dense reeds undulated in the moonlight, like a black barrier. If he could rush in and use the terrain to his advantage, he would have a chance to escape.

Five zhang, three zhang, one zhang...

Just as they were about to rush into the reeds, a sharp blade of light suddenly slashed down from the side!

The blade came without warning, its light flashing like a bolt of lightning, tearing through the night with a piercing shriek. Even before the blade arrived, the biting wind from it stung Li Bai's face, and Xiao Lian's hair was whipped back into the air.

He is one of the two leading experts!

He had been lying in ambush at the edge of the reeds, waiting for Li Bai to walk right into his trap!

Li Bai's pupils suddenly contracted.

The blow was powerful and heavy, delivered at a tricky angle, blocking all his escape routes. In the heat of the moment, he had no choice but to take it head-on.

"Clang!"

The Azure Sword was drawn from its sheath.

Li Bai gripped his sword in his right hand, his true energy surging, and the Azure Lotus Sword Intent poured into the blade. The broken sword emitted a clear, resonant sound, gleaming faintly with a bluish light under the moonlight. He twisted his waist and turned, the broken sword drawing an arc to meet the flashing blade!

"clang--!!!"

The deafening clang of metal clashing exploded in the night sky, making people's eardrums ache.

The moment the swords clashed, Li Bai felt a violent force surge from the blade, like a flood bursting its banks, crashing into his meridians. His blood churned, and a sweet taste rose in his throat. He forcibly swallowed the blood that welled up in his mouth, but his body was already flying backward uncontrollably.

Xiaolian gasped and hugged him even tighter.

Li Bai staggered back three zhang (approximately 10 meters) in mid-air before barely regaining his balance. He landed with a limp, leaving deep footprints in the mud beneath his feet. He looked down at the broken sword in his hand, his heart sinking—

A tiny chip, the size of a grain of rice, had been chipped into the blade!

Though small, it was clearly visible in the moonlight. The Azure Nether Sword had been with him for many years; though made of ordinary iron, it had been nurtured by his true essence, making it incredibly tough. Last night, it had fought dozens of rounds with the black-clad swordsman without a scratch. But now, with just one collision, a nick had appeared in its blade.

Was his opponent actually stronger than him?

Li Bai looked up at the person who had drawn the knife.

He was a burly middle-aged man with a face full of scars, a knife scar across his left eye that ran from his brow bone to the corner of his mouth, looking ferocious and terrifying in the moonlight. He held a thick-backed, ghost-headed saber in his hand, its broad blade gleaming coldly in the moonlight. At that moment, he grinned, revealing a mouthful of yellow teeth, his smile cruel: "Li Bai? Nothing special."

Before he could finish speaking, another leading expert approached from the side.

He was a tall, thin man with a face as pale as paper. He held a pair of judge's pens in his hands, the tips of which gleamed with a ghostly blue light—clearly coated with deadly poison. He remained silent, but his eyes were as cold and venomous as a viper's, fixed on Xiao Lian in Li Bai's arms.

A pincer attack from both sides.

Further away, the remaining men in black had also surrounded them, numbering more than twenty, encircling Li Bai and Xiao Lian on the clearing at the edge of the reeds. The sounds of swords being drawn echoed, particularly jarring in the silent night air.

Xiao Lian trembled with fear, her teeth chattering: "Young Master Li... I'm so sorry... I've dragged you into this..."

Li Bai remained silent.

He simply straightened up slowly, shielding Xiaolian behind him. The night wind blew, lifting his disheveled long hair and revealing his eyes, which shone exceptionally brightly in the moonlight. His left hand was behind his back, secretly forming a sword incantation; his right hand gripped the Azure Nether Broken Sword tightly, the azure light on the blade growing ever stronger, like a burning azure flame.

"Want a letter?" Li Bai asked, his voice eerily calm. "Come and get it yourself."

The scarred man grinned maliciously: "You're asking for it!"

The ghost-headed saber was raised again, its light like a waterfall, slashing down towards Li Bai's head! At the same time, the tall, thin man also moved—his figure was like a ghost, he circled around to Li Bai's side, and his Judge's Blade was thrust straight into Xiao Lian's back!

A crisis is imminent.