Chapter 28

Li Feifei carried the prepared dishes and walked in, "Come eat, celebrate your victorious return." She smiled brightly at Li Qingxuan; that smile, in the somewhat dim light, was like the first ray of sunshine tearing through gloomy clouds.

Li Qingxuan leaned against the icy wooden window frame and slowly turned around.

Every slight movement tugged at his sore muscles and faintly aching viscera, but he still forced a weak smile onto his face.

"It smells good; let's eat in the study." Li Qingxuan's voice remained hoarse, but much smoother than before.

He shuffled step by step toward the wooden chair by the desk, his steps steady.

Li Feifei hurried forward, but instead of directly supporting him, she merely hovered her hand at his side, her gaze tightly following his slightly stooped figure until he sat firmly in the chair, whereupon she imperceptibly let out a breath.

She also pulled out another chair and sat down, picked up the small knife on the wooden tray, skillfully cut a piece of nicely browned meat into small bits, and pushed them toward Li Qingxuan.

"Eat slowly, watch out for the heat." She whispered the reminder, her eyes on his face; beneath her bright smile lay deep concern.

Li Qingxuan nodded and picked up a piece of the cut meat.

The warmth touching his fingertips, like a thread of warm sunlight, quietly dispelled the chill in his heart, letting him truly feel that he was still alive.

He carefully brought it to his mouth and chewed slowly.

The roasted meat's charred aroma and subtle sweetness spread slowly across his tongue; the slightly chewy texture seemed to engage his teeth in a silent contest, forcing him to exert a bit more effort than usual to tear, chew, and swallow.

His stomach quickly filled with the warm food, and that sense of satisfaction stemming from life's instinct dispelled his bodily fatigue.

"It's delicious." He swallowed the food, looked at Li Feifei with sincere eyes, "Much better than what I could make." His gaze swept over the heavy bluish-black shadows under her eyes and the bloodshot eyes from lack of rest, and a complex emotion welled up in his chest.

Li Feifei said nothing, merely lowered her head and cut a few more pieces of meat, pushing the red berries toward him as well. "Try this, it's a bit sour but appetizing." She herself also picked up a piece of meat and ate it in small bites, her movements betraying an unavoidable weariness.

The two ate in silence; the room held only the faint sounds of chewing, the occasional light clink of bowls and dishes, and the steady, long breaths of the Black Goat outside the window.

Outside the window, the thick night lay like a huge bolt of black silk, wrapping the world tightly. Inside the fortress, a few candles and the flickering flames in the hearth were like specks of starlight, casting wavering giant shadows on the walls, as if performing a mysterious dance.

Li Qingxuan struggled to finish the food on the plate bit by bit; the heat of the food and the lingering warm current of the Spirit Recovery Elixir merged within his body, and though it could not immediately fill the great deficit, it nourished his dried-up spirit like a trickling stream moistening a parched riverbed.

He could feel a faint warmth rising in his numb extremities, and his heavy eyelids seemed to lighten a little.

He set down his fork, leaned back against the chair, and even this simple motion made him draw a slight breath.

He lifted his gaze, once again turning his eyes toward the impenetrable darkness outside the window, and to the silent, mountain-like silhouette lurking within it.

"I want to go see the Yinhuai Tree." Li Qingxuan said softly.

Li Feifei heard his words and replied gently, "I'll help you go; just wait a moment."

Upon hearing Li Qingxuan's agreement, she rose, began clearing the wooden tray and utensils from the table, swiftly stacking the empty tray and utensils neatly, picked them up, turned, and walked toward the downstairs bathroom.

Li Qingxuan's gaze followed her retreating back, watching her disappear at the stairwell before he slowly withdrew his eyes.

From the kitchen came the sound of running water and the light clatter of dishes; Li Feifei's movements were swift.

Not long after, she returned with her hands wiped, now also carrying a thick fur coat.

"The night wind outside is cold; you've just recovered, don't let yourself get chilled." She said, draping the coat over Li Qingxuan's shoulders and carefully fastening the front for him.

The rough texture of the fur carried the warmth from her palms, shielding him from the chill silently seeping through the air.

"Let's go." Li Qingxuan said softly; his voice remained hoarse but now carried a steadiness.

Li Feifei immediately stepped forward, lightly supporting his arm, using her own body as his firm reliance.

The two stepped out, their pace slow yet steady.

Approaching the fortress gate, the night wind seeping through the cracks carried the distinct scent of soil and decaying vegetation, mixed with a faint hint of cold.

Li Qingxuan halted, his gaze turning to the newly reinforced metal bars and thick bolt on the heavy door, then he peered outward through the narrow observation slit deliberately left beside the door.

The moonlight was blocked by heavy clouds, leaving only scattered specks of light to fall.

Beyond the fortress lay an impenetrable darkness, like thick ink.

At the edge of that darkness, right against the fortress's outer wall, a massive, silent silhouette nearly merged with the night—it was the loyal Black Goat on watch.

It seemed to sense the gaze from within the door; its huge head turned slightly, the pair of eyes glowing with an eerie green light in the darkness glanced at the observation hole, then returned to its original state, like an ageless black boulder, vigilantly guarding the fortress behind it.

Li Qingxuan's gaze swept past the Black Goat toward the nearby area shrouded in darkness.

There, the once-massive outline of the Yinhuai Tree had now shrunk considerably, even appearing somewhat broken.

In the faint light, it was barely discernible that its originally dense, claw-like twisted branches were mostly broken off, the bare limbs limp and drooping, and the weird creatures that once filled its canopy had vanished.

The dark blood spattered on its trunk had long dried and crusted; the entire giant tree exuded an air of decay, like a wounded giant silently sobbing in the night wind.

Obviously, in last night's fierce battle with the Black Goat, the Yinhuai Tree, serving as one of the main battlefields, endured an unimaginable impact, and the puppets accumulated over the years were all slaughtered.

Through the fortress's heavy door, Li Qingxuan could clearly sense the spiritual undulations emanating from the Yinhuai Tree's direction, as if it were telling him that it still held its post.

Li Qingxuan's brows knit tightly, his fingertips unconsciously gripping the cold door panel.

The Yinhuai Tree is a vital part of his defenses; its severe damage means a huge breach has appeared in the fortress's defensive system.

He stared at the shattered tree silhouette in the darkness, feeling the painful aura of its decline, silent, while deep in his eyes a complex emotion surged: sorrow for the battle loss, worry over the present frailty, and a hint of urgency to regain strength quickly and stand on his own.

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