Chapter 613: Exiting the Grotto Heaven (I)
Chapter 613: Exiting the Grotto Heaven (I)
Li Yuexiang kneeled at the front, overcome with sobs. Li Xijun stood silently in the courtyard, the Hanlin Sword at his waist emitting a faint glow. His eyes were rimmed with red, and his gaze lingered on the fragments of shattered jade scattered across the ground.
A flood of thoughts coursed through Li Xijun's mind, one after another, each slipping away before he could grasp them. Amidst the turmoil, the image of Li Xuanxuan's aged face surfaced vividly before his eyes.
The lamps within the ancestral hall flickered dimly. Li Yuexiang's quiet sobs echoed faintly in the still air as a gentle breeze drifted through the hall. Li Xijun's expression grew increasingly complex. He took a step back, then turned and exited the ancestral hall. Outside, the rain continued to fall, its steady rhythm pooling into streams at his feet.
Li Xijun rose into the air, carried by the wind, and landed before the Alchemy Pavilion. With his hands tucked into his sleeves, he stepped onto the stone stairs.
The courtyard was deserted and shrouded in shadows. The only light came from the furnace fire inside the grand hall, casting flickering shadows that danced across the floor. Inside, Li Ximing sat upright before the alchemy furnace, his hands forming seals as he focused intently. He lifted his gaze as Li Xijun entered.
Li Xijun waved a hand, saying nothing. He waited in silence until Li Ximing completed his pill refinement, extinguished the furnace, and tidied up his tools. Only then did he take a step forward.
"The life jade of Second Uncle has shattered," Li Xijun said softly.
Li Ximing, still immersed in his study of the alchemy formula, froze in an instant. He raised his head with disbelief etched across his face, his voice trembling as he cried out, "This… how… what happened?!"