The mood in the courtyard had been fairly pleasant—
Until the Falling Devil Douluo put down his wine cup and spoke in a serious tone:
"Li Zhexian, Xue'er's heart is completely tied to you."
"We old fellows have been watching you quietly for quite some time as well."
"In terms of talent, across the entire Douluo Continent, perhaps only you barely deserve her."
"How about joining my Worship Hall?"
His gaze was sharp and piercing, locking firmly on the young man in white before him.
"When Xue'er takes command of the Spirit Hall in the future, you would be her Chief Worship, second only to her—above ten thousand others."
"Wouldn't that be a fine story to tell?"
Glowing Feather Douluo, biting the end of his chopsticks, also gave a sideways glance.
Li Zhexian's hand, holding the cup, froze in midair.
After a moment of silence, he quietly set the cup back down on the table.
"I thank you, seniors, for your generous regard…"
"But Zhexian must refuse."
He did not explain further.
Heaven Dou was his root on this continent.
His friends, his teachers—all his joys and sorrows—were bound to it.
Now that Spirit Hall and Heaven Dou stood on the brink of war,
even if the Worship Hall claimed loyalty only to the Angel God,
in the end, the Worship Hall was still Spirit Hall's Worship Hall.
To betray his ground, to defect to the enemy—
that was something he would never do.
"Ah…"
Falling Devil Douluo sighed softly.
"I knew it. With your temperament, you would never agree."
"But if I didn't ask you myself, I'd have never been at peace."
He stood up.
"Fifth Brother, let's go."
"Mn."
Seeing Glowing Feather and Falling Devil rise to leave, Li Zhexian said helplessly,
"Two seniors, the wine…"
Glowing Feather Douluo replied without turning his head:
"The taste isn't right anymore."
Before he even finished speaking, both had turned their backs.
Under the hazy moonlight, their figures gradually faded, as if melting into the night itself.
Li Zhexian suddenly called after them:
"If war breaks out between Spirit Hall and Heaven Dou… will the Worship Hall take action?"
The two figures seemed to pause briefly—
Then vanished completely, leaving no trace behind, as though they had never been there at all.
The courtyard fell silent again.
Li Zhexian stood motionless for a long time, eyes fixed on the two half-filled cups left on the table.
His brows furrowed, shadows gathering between them.
It was as if—
The Falling Devil Douluo had known he would refuse, yet still made the offer.
And Li Zhexian—had he not also known that the Worship Hall would inevitably join the war?
That last question he had asked was nothing more than a faint, lingering hope.
He lifted his hand, picked up his own cup of unfinished wine, and downed it in one gulp.
The burning liquid slid down his throat—
—but he frowned slightly.
"The wine truly does taste wrong now."
——
Over the next two days, Huo Wu, Huo Wushuang, Feng Xiaotian, Shui Bing'er, and the others all took their leave one after another.
The continent's situation had become as taut as a drawn bowstring.
They needed to rush back to their respective academies,
to consult with their teachers and discuss alliances and strategies for the coming conflict.
Outside Heaven Dou City, on the main road,
Li Zhexian bid farewell to each of his dear friends in turn.
Though reluctance lingered in his heart,
the weight of the world allowed no hesitation.
This parting,
was merely to brew the fierce wine of reunion amidst future flames of war.
The last to depart was Feng Buyu.
"Brother Zhexian," Feng Buyu reined in his horse and said with a grin, "next time we meet, I fear it will be with the fires of war blazing all around!"
"What will you do next?"
Li Zhexian caught the wine pouch that Feng tossed over.
"I'll first make a trip to the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan, to pay respects to some old friends and elders."
"After that, perhaps I'll train for a while in the Star Dou Forest."
This trip to the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan was something he had arranged earlier with the four titled elders, including Chen Xin.
Feng Buyu nodded.
"Good plan."
"If you ever have the time, Brother Zhexian, you must come visit my Wind Sword Sect."
"My friends, the road of the world is long — until we meet again."
After sending Feng Buyu off,
Li Zhexian returned to Heaven Dou City together with Yu Tianheng and Dugu Yan.
"Zhexian, you're going to the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan?"
Dugu Yan shot a glance at Ning Rongrong, who was beaming and trying (unsuccessfully) to hide her joy, and couldn't help but pout.
Even though things had eased somewhat between them,
Dugu Yan still couldn't muster much warmth toward the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan's little princess—
the girl who had once abandoned Li Zhexian.
Li Zhexian smiled and said,
"I've already visited the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan, one of the Upper Three Sects. Naturally, I should visit the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan as well."
Dugu Yan was about to say 'Grandfather wants to see you too',
but swallowed the words back down.
These past few days,
even she herself hadn't been able to find any trace of her grandfather.
"Hmph, who knows what wild place Grandfather's wandered off to this time."
Beside her, Ye Lingling bit her red lip lightly and said softly,
"Brother Zhexian, if you ever have some free time, please come visit my home as well."
"My mother has always wanted to apologize to you again."
"Alright," Li Zhexian answered gently.
——
He didn't linger any longer.
After returning to the city and tidying up a few things,
he slipped out quietly, not alerting a single soul.
Yet as soon as he passed beyond the city gates—
he saw them.
By the roadside stood two figures,
Ning Rongrong and Oscar—
far apart, like water and fire, the line between them clear.
When she saw him emerge, Ning Rongrong's face turned slightly red.
She urged her horse forward, speaking in a voice as soft as a mosquito's hum:
"Brother Zhexian, I… I want to travel with you."
Then she hastily added:
"Oscar… I don't know why he's here either!"
Oscar rode closer as well.
His rough, wind-chapped face carried a faint shadow of melancholy.
"I… I was just worried about Rongrong leaving the city alone."
"Now that you're here, I can rest easy, Brother Ji."
Li Zhexian looked at the two of them, momentarily speechless.
Matters of the heart—
never did follow reason.
"Oscar, what are your plans now?"
Hearing the question,
Oscar's eyes—no longer filled with the easy charm of his youth, but tempered by wind and frost—
flickered with a hint of uncertainty.
The Shrek Seven Monsters had long since scattered to the winds.
He no longer wished to return to the academy.
Maybe…
"There are plenty of mercenary groups across the Heaven Dou Empire."
A small spark lit in his gaze.
"I want to form a group of my own."
"When war breaks out, maybe we can at least make some small difference!"
He scratched his head,
that boyish expression faintly recalling the green recruit he had been
when he first met the dark-cloaked young man.
"Brother Ji, what you taught me—I haven't forgotten."
"We'll meet again someday."
Li Zhexian patted his shoulder firmly.
"Until we meet again."
He watched as the two riders kicked up dust and vanished down the long road.
Then Oscar pressed his lips tight, turned his horse,
and galloped off in the opposite direction.
——
Heaven Dou City.
With the white-clad youth gone, and the lively crowd of proud young heroes along with him,
the city itself seemed to fall a few shades quieter.
Three days after Li Zhexian's departure—
In the city's most prosperous district stood
a refined, tranquil five-story building.
Upon its lintel hung an elegant plaque, inscribed with two graceful characters: "Moon Pavilion."
Though few came and went, every visitor was richly dressed and carried an air of nobility.
At the top floor, soft zither music drifted.
A handsome young man with black-blue hair plucked at the strings,
but his fingers soon stilled. He could hold back no longer and looked up again:
"Aunt, are you sure… that Li Zhexian has left Heaven Dou City?"
Across from him,
a woman in a simple silver palace gown furrowed her brows slightly.
"Xiao San, are you truly so wary of that Sword Wine?"
"He and his friends have come to Moon Pavilion twice already—why do you avoid them every time?"
At her words,
Tang San's fingers froze abruptly on the strings.
Twang!
A sharp, tearing note split the air—
the tense zither string snapped in two.
Its trembling echo lingered through the silent, elegant chamber.