Unparalleled medical and martial arts skills, saving the CEO's fiancée at the start.

Wen Jiuhong died under the magnolia tree, like a string that had been stretched for too long finally snapping.

The rain fell harder and harder, gradually washing away the traces of the fight in the courtyard.

Han Song and Ayiguli dragged the several Blackwater Knife fighters who were still alive to the wall and tied them up with ropes.

Ye Chen had Wen Jiuhong carried into the main room and covered his face with an old cloth.

Jiang Ruoxi didn't go inside; she just stood under the magnolia tree, looking up at it.

Raindrops pierced her face through the gaps in the leaves, mingling with her tears and becoming indistinguishable.

Ye Chen walked over, took her hand off the stone box in her arms, and gently held it.

The hand was cold, but it stopped trembling.

"Aren't you going to open it and take a look?" Ye Chen asked.

Jiang Ruoxi shook her head: "Let's open it tomorrow. I'm afraid I won't be able to handle it if we open it now."

Ye Chen agreed to Jiang Ruoxi's suggestion.

He knew she wasn't afraid of what was inside, but rather that the thoughts related to her parents would be chilled by the rainy night.

Aygul brought out an old oilcloth from the house. Ye Chen took it, wrapped the stone box, and then took off his coat and covered Jiang Ruoxi's head: "Let's find a place to rest first. We can't stay in this alley tonight."

Han Song said, "There's a small inn in the north of the town. The owner is a relative of one of my old comrades-in-arms. He can take us in."

Ye Chen replied that he agreed.

The group braved the rain and walked through two alleys to reach the small inn.

The hostel was very old, with few rooms and dim lighting, but at least it was clean.

The owner was a woman in her sixties. She didn't ask any questions, but simply moved a few more quilts.

Jiang Ruoxi sat on the edge of the bed, still not speaking.

Ye Chen brought in hot water to wipe her face and hands, then took off her soaked shoes and socks and wrapped her feet in a blanket.

Jiang Ruoxi suddenly grabbed his hand and whispered, "I used to have this kind of dream when I was little. I dreamed that someone came to save me in the rain, but when I woke up, there was no one there."

Ye Chen reached out and held her fingers together, his voice very soft: "I won't let you wake up alone again."

Jiang Ruoxi looked at Ye Chen approvingly, and after a long while, she seemed to finally breathe a sigh of relief and fell into a deep sleep on his shoulder.

The rain stopped the next day.

The sky was overcast, and the whole town was filled with moisture.

Ye Chen and Jiang Ruoxi returned to Bailanhua Lane.

Early-rising elderly people were already peeking out of the alley, but were persuaded to go back by Han Song's men.

The courtyard gate was open, and the magnolia tree, washed by the rain overnight, had leaves that shone with a vibrant green.

Several broken flower branches lay on the ground, some of the buds already blooming, emitting a delicate fragrance, as if they were saying something unfinished on behalf of this courtyard.

Ye Chen found an old shovel and, together with Jiang Ruoxi, buried the broken branch in the soil.

Jiang Ruoxi said, "My mother used to say that even a broken branch of magnolia can survive. As long as it's in the soil, it will take root when the weather gets warmer."

Ye Chen smiled and said, "Then let's bring a few branches back to Jiangcheng to plant in the spring."

Jiang Ruoxi looked at him, her eyes curving slightly, a very faint smile, but it was the first genuine smile she had given him in days.

The stone box was placed on the table in the main room.

The two eventually opened up to each other.

There were no rubbings or knife tassels in the box, only a long, narrow package wrapped in red cloth and a thin letter.

Jiang Ruoxi opened the letter first.

The letter was written by Mei Ruxue, and the handwriting was even neater than the one in the cave last time, as if it was slowly written in a very peaceful night.

The letter said that what was buried under the tree was not some rubbing of a destiny chart, but the red rope that she and Jiang Yuanshan hung together at the door of their new house on the day of their wedding.

Two tiny copper locks were tied to the rope, one engraved with the character "plum" and the other with the character "river".

In her letter, she wrote: "In this life, one must always leave something to remember those who come after. Ruoxi, the fact that you are reading this letter means that you have met the person who can stand with you under the magnolia tree. Take the red thread with you. No matter how far you go, it will always tie you back to where you came from."

Ye Chen and Jiang Ruoxi took the red rope out of the red cloth. It was indeed very old, the color had faded to a dark red, but the two small copper locks were still shiny, as if someone had always kept them close to their chest and polished them to a very clean.

Jiang Ruoxi placed one into Ye Chen's palm and said softly, "My mother had long foreseen this day."

Ye Chen held the copper lock in his palm, then took her hand and slipped another lock onto her wrist.

When the red string was tied on, Jiang Ruoxi's tears fell again, but this time, she cried with a smile.

Han Song coughed softly at the door.

Ye Chen turned around and handed over his phone: "It's Uncle Gui."

Ye Chen answered the call.

The ghost servant said on the phone that Elder Jiu's men had not appeared in Meixi, but there were many unfamiliar faces outside Medicine King Valley.

Master Su Qinghan has already ordered the valley entrance to be sealed off, leaving only a small path on the north side.

The ghost servant also said that Elder Jiu had sent word that Ye Chen should take the Black Iron Token and the stone box to the Old Ferry Temple north of Wuyi Ferry to settle things.

The term is three days.

If they don't go, then burn down Medicine King Valley.

After listening, Ye Chen hung up the phone.

He turned and walked to the magnolia tree, looking up at the tree full of green leaves.

Jiang Ruoxi walked over and tied the other end of the red string around his wrist as well.

The two stood side by side, like two trees that had grown anew from the old soil.

"Let's go back," Jiang Ruoxi said.

"Okay." Ye Chen squeezed her hand.

The wind blows from the alley entrance, carrying the fragrance of magnolia blossoms far and wide.

The fragrance was faint yet lingering, as if it were blowing away all the bitterness and longing of the past thirty years into the clear sky after the rain.

Although there is still one last tough battle ahead, they have a red rope in their hands and a place to belong in their hearts.

That's enough.

When the two returned to Medicine King Valley, it was already evening.

The valley entrance was indeed more somber than usual. Ghost servants personally greeted them at the mountain gate, with several veteran soldiers lying in ambush behind them, crossbows in hand.

Su Qinghan was preparing medicine in the hall when she saw them return. She simply looked up and asked, "What's in the stone box?"

Jiang Ruoxi held the red string in her palm.

Su Qinghan glanced at it, said nothing, just nodded, and then lowered her head to continue preparing the medicine.

Some people and some things are better left unasked about.

At night, Ye Chen gathered everyone together and spread out the half of the destiny map and the terrain markings left by the five shadows in the main room.

The reason why the old man chose the old ferry temple was because the place was surrounded by water on all sides, with only a shallow shoal for passage.

Wen Jiuhong had once relayed a message to Elder Jiu there. Now that Wen Jiuhong is dead, Elder Jiu wants to come out in person.

He wanted the Life Map, and he also wanted Ye Chen's sword.

This battle marked the Blackwater's last foothold in the south.

Only when it's pulled out can the Jiang family, Yaowang Valley, Ye Changfeng, Jiang Yuanshan, Mei Ruxue, and Mei Changjin—those who have been bitten by it—truly breathe a sigh of relief.

"Three days. In these three days, we have two things to do."

Ye Chen glanced at everyone: "First, prepare the traps and escape routes in the valley. If Elder Jiu sends people to sneak up, we can't let them step into the valley. Second, I need to practice a move. In the Kuzhao Sword Manual left by my father, there is a move called 'Severing Water Flow.' My master said that with my current skill level, I can only use it once. If I don't use it well, the sword will backfire. But that sword is the only way to break Elder Jiu's protective water armor. So for the next three days, I will go to the Back Mountain Water-Sealing Pool. No one is allowed to follow me."

After listening, Jiang Ruoxi didn't say anything, she just looked at him.

Ye Chen turned back and smiled at her, then said to the ghost servant, "Uncle Ghost, I'm entrusting Ruoxi and Guli to you during my three days of seclusion in the pool. You must not let your guard down, inside or outside the valley."

The ghost servant nodded.

Aygul, holding the knife, responded softly.

Han Song and Song Tiezhu also took on their respective tasks.

After everyone left, only Ye Chen and Jiang Ruoxi remained in the main room.

She slipped a tiny sachet into Ye Chen's hand and said, "This is a calming incense that your master taught me to make. Take it with you; the air by the pool is damp, so smell it when you're tired."

Ye Chen held the sachet to his nose and smelled it; it was slightly bitter and spicy, just like the way she looked at him at that moment.

He suddenly reached out and pulled her into his arms, holding her very tightly.

Jiang Ruoxi buried her head in his chest and said in a muffled voice, "I'll wait for you to come out."

Ye Chen lowered his head and kissed the top of her head.

Outside the window, dusk had fallen.

The wind blowing down from the north through the valley stirred the medicinal herbs, making them surge like a river.