Mortal Mirror

Amidst the misty spray, Murong Qianxue's figure descended slowly. Soon, the mist dissipated, revealing her presence.

Li Muzhen looked at Murong Qianxue and said with a face full of joy, "You're completely healed."

Murong Qianxue nodded and said, "Yes, completely healed. I must thank you for taking such good care of me every day."

Li Muzhen scratched his head, feeling delighted by the praise but unsure of what to say. He simply grinned foolishly.

Seeing his dazed expression, Murong Qianxue couldn't help but giggle and say, "Silly goose."

The two looked at each other and couldn't help but laugh.

Li Muzhen then said, "Princess, now that your injuries are fully healed, shouldn't we also set off to return? I wonder how worried they must be about your safety at the border."

A trace of sadness flashed in Murong Qianxue's eyes as she said, "Yes, it's time to go back."

Though she said so, she didn't know why, but there was a hint of reluctance in her heart. She didn't know if she was reluctant to leave the scenery of the mountain, or the person.

She took a deep look at Li Muzhen, bit her red lips gently, and suddenly said, "Li Muzhen, do you like me?"

Li Muzhen widened his eyes, opened his mouth, and looked utterly incredulous. He didn't know why the princess would say such a thing. He quickly shook his head and said, "I... I wouldn't dare."

Murong Qianxue pouted and said, "Coward."

Li Muzhen didn't know if Murong Qianxue was teasing him. Over this period, to be honest, they were alone together, a young man and woman at the age when they were most impulsive and yearned for love.

To say there wasn't a little bit of feeling would be a lie.

However, the figure of Si Ning always appeared in Li Muzhen's mind, that fairy-like woman in his heart. But he knew that everything was illusory. They had met by chance, and he didn't even know if they would ever meet again.

Even so, with his lowly status, although he had some affection for the princess in his heart, he knew that it was even more like a dream, something unattainable.

Thus, there was some sadness in his eyes.

Murong Qianxue was clever and perceptive, and naturally saw what Li Muzhen was thinking. She came in front of him, her face close to his. At this moment, the distance between them was only a foot or so.

Li Muzhen could even see how long Murong Qianxue's eyelashes were.

His heart couldn't help but thump wildly, and his expression was extremely nervous.

Murong Qianxue stared at him for a while before sighing and saying, "I know what you're worried about. But haven't the sages said, 'The road is obstructed and long, but arrival will come with travel; unceasing travel promises a bright future?'

Look at the words left by Senior Sword Maniac, 'No one helps me with my lofty ambitions, I will tread through the snow to the summit.' You can be considered half his disciple, and should inherit his aspirations.

I hope you are a person with great ambitions, a strong person with aspirations, and an immensely large heart. I believe in you, you are different, you definitely can do it."

This was the first time Li Muzhen had received such affirmation from someone, and waves couldn't help but rise in his heart.

He looked at Murong Qianxue, his eyes filled with sincerity, and said, "Really?"

Murong Qianxue nodded to him and said, "Really, I believe in you."

Li Muzhen mustered all his courage for the first time, reached out, and gently placed his hand on Murong Qianxue's face, his eyes filled with excitement, and said, "Then wait for me, until the day I reach the summit."

A month later, a hundred feet outside Tianjian Pass, Li Muzhen and Murong Qianxue stood there, both wearing clothes made of rabbit skin.

At this moment, after experiencing half a year, the two of them had finally returned. Everything felt like a lifetime ago.

Li Muzhen and Murong Qianxue were overjoyed and wept.

Without thinking too much, the two soared into the air and flew towards Tianjian Pass.

Seeing someone flying towards the city walls, everyone picked up their weapons, watching the newcomers with nervous expressions.

At this moment, someone suddenly shouted, "It's the princess, it's the Eighteenth Princess!"

Hearing this name, countless eyes focused on Murong Qianxue. A moment later, Murong Qianxue landed on the city wall, and many soldiers knelt down in joy, shouting, "We greet the princess!"

Murong Qianxue was also extremely happy. After going through hardships, she had finally returned. After all, she was a young girl, and she couldn't help but burst into tears. The feeling of coming home was truly indescribable.

The general guarding the city was the happiest, after all, he had suffered during this time. Now that the princess had returned, he could finally relax completely.

As for Li Muzhen, no one paid attention to him at first, but his tall figure still caught the general's attention.

Murong Qianxue told General Zhao about Li Muzhen in private, and said that Li Muzhen had saved her life, hoping that he would arrange things properly and give him an official position as a reward.

This matter only needed to be known by the two of them, she didn't want others to know too much.

General Zhao had been in this officialdom for many years, and naturally understood the princess's meaning. He couldn't help but guess a few things in his heart, but he didn't dare to think too much about it. Anyway, he understood one thing in his heart, this kid had gotten lucky, and with the princess's help in the future, his rise to prominence would be a matter of time.

The next day, Murong Qianxue still left. Li Muzhen saw her off. On the road ahead, Li Muzhen and Murong Qianxue led their horses, walking side by side.

Murong Qianxue looked into the distance and said, "I don't know when we will meet again after this farewell. I have already told General Zhao, I hope you can make a career here at the border. I believe you can do it."

Li Muzhen was silent for a moment, feeling a little bitter in his heart. Perhaps the previous sweetness had given him an illusion, she was, after all, a woman from an imperial family.

These words undoubtedly told him that the gap between their identities needed to be bridged by something.

After a while, not wanting to disappoint Murong Qianxue, he said, "I will always remember Senior Sword Maniac's words, wait, one day, I will leap through the dragon gate."

Murong Qianxue smiled, she whispered, "I know, I know you definitely can do it."

She suddenly stopped, her bright eyes looked at Li Muzhen for a moment, and finally couldn't help but throw herself into his arms.

She said in her mouth, "I know, you must have other ideas in your heart, but as a daughter of the imperial family, I can be willful, but I can't cross that line, so I hope you work hard and become a strong person.

I think, I will be waiting for you in the capital."

Li Muzhen was stunned in place. Murong Qianxue didn't have the wilfulness and capriciousness she had when she first arrived, but instead let him see her cleverness. She could also think of the things he thought of.

At this moment, Li Muzhen gently hugged Murong Qianxue and said, "Believe me, I definitely can do it."

Perhaps this was a vow that wasn't a vow, but unfortunately, they were too young, and they were full of endless confusion about the road ahead.

Li Muzhen didn't actually know where his path was, he only felt that the things in front of him were blurred. What was right and what was wrong, how deep his affection for the princess was, perhaps he didn't even know.

Murong Qianxue left, the day of meeting was unknown. Sometimes, Li Muzhen even suspected that all of this was a dream, a bizarre dream.

It wasn't until he returned to Tianjian Pass and the old beggar told him a few words that he had a different view of his future.