After returning to the city with Gao Xi without saying a word, Gao Ran still walked vigorously without saying a word, but it was not the direction of returning home.

Gao Xi saw that she clearly didn't plan to go home, but before he saw the true intention of the route she took, he could only follow closely. - This is already the second time. The second time after the last time she had searched so strangely and finally reached the tavern where the person she was looking for was at the time.

It was precisely because that experience had just happened two days ago, so at this time, Gao Xi was really unsure for a while that Gao Ran was just walking in silence, whether he was looking for someone or where to go?—— until he stepped on the avenue leading to the Tiange Teahouse, he realized the destination of her trip.

The two of them still went all the way to Qiu Yueze's private room on the top floor unimpeded as they had visited last time. But this time, "Xiao Er" consciously used the tea set that Qiu Yueze was used to to make tea for her to her taste, and brought it to her after she entered the door. - Obviously, this tea was already prepared when she was seen from afar.

"Miss, please wait, my subordinates will go and ask the pavilion master. - Without Gao Ran opening his mouth, "Xiao Er" had already taken the initiative to tell her.

"Thank you. Gao Ran politely agreed, and watched "Xiao Er" leave the room and close the door casually.

However, Gao Ran didn't have the slightest smile on her face at this time, but she couldn't see the slightest other emotion. This made Gao Xi, who still chose to stand beside her after entering the house as she did last time, and for a while she really couldn't figure out her intention to come here directly after she broke off her marriage with Yun Jie?

I saw that she hadn't moved since the tea was served......

"Ran'er, is the tea not to taste? Or do you not like this tea set?"

"Neither. I don't mind any of that. The reason why I was picky last time was only because Qiu Yueze provoked me first. And this time, although he still uses this tea set, it is just to show that he cares about me very much, and hopes that I can care about him as well. And, just by smelling the aroma, I can be sure that the tea brewed this time is indeed to my taste. And I don't have to deliberately pretend in front of people like I did last time, so I don't have to deliberately try it anymore. - I just don't want to drink it. I just don't want to. ”

Gao Xi didn't say anything more, he faintly felt that Gao Ran didn't seem to want to talk more, just wanted to wait quietly for Qiu Yueze's arrival.

didn't wait long, Qiu Yueze came alone.

When he entered the room, he saw the tea set on the coffee table at a glance, as he had done last time: it was the one he was used to, and it was the only one, but he had never touched it.

"What's on your mind?"

From what he knew about Gao Ran, if she disliked the tea set, she would have ordered another one—but she didn't, and if she disliked the tea that didn't suit her taste, she would have to taste it first—but she hadn't touched it. Therefore, in Qiu Yueze's opinion, the only possibility is that Gao Ran clearly has something on her mind at this time, and she has no intention of drinking tea at all-regardless of whether the tea is to her taste or not.

After Qiu Yueze sat down opposite Gao Ran again as he did last time, Gao Ran replied: "I have already negotiated with Yun Jie, and we have dissolved the marriage contract, so the 'prenuptial agreement' that was deposited with you can be destroyed." It must also be destroyed. And, I want to do it myself. ”

Qiu Yueze saw that Gao Ran was sad and joyless at this time, but inexplicably made him feel that she exuded a dull aura around her, so he also agreed "Okay" without hearing emotion, and got up and made a gesture to lead her to get the agreement.

When Gao Ran saw it, he immediately stood up and followed Qiu Yueze, who had already turned away.

Although Gao Xi didn't understand what a "prenuptial agreement" was, he could probably guess the general meaning of what Gao Ran said just now: it was probably the three chapters of the covenant with him when Gao Ran and Yun Jie had a private marriage contract.

After such a thought flashed in an instant, Gao Xi followed them quickly, and followed them straight to Qiu Yueze's private mansion not far from the teahouse.

On the way to Qiu Yueze's study, I passed by the garden, the swing that Gao Ran once played, and it is still there. When Gao Ran passed by, he unconsciously glanced at it more, and felt inexplicably in his heart: the passage of time is really quiet and silent...... If you don't pay attention, it's already so "distant" in the past...... But in my heart, I clearly felt that the sense of familiarity was as if it had just happened yesterday...... It feels so close, but why is it so long?

Unconsciously immersed in his own thoughts and emotions, it was not until he entered Qiu Yueze's study that Gao Ran finally sobered up in time.

I saw Qiu Yueze open a secret compartment hidden in the bookshelf in front of her and Gao Xi, and took out a roll of cloth from it - that was the "prenuptial agreement" written by Gao Ran himself.

After Gao Ran took it, she unfolded it and took a look, and after confirming that it was correct, she placed it in the brazier that Qiu Yueze had just helped her light on the side, and quietly watched it finally turn into ashes in the fire.

"Prepare, we'll leave tomorrow. I want to go to the Medical Valley. I want to take one last look at my child before I die. I thought about it. As he said this, Gao Ran's eyes were still fixed on the flames in the brazier that had begun to gradually extinguish because there was no more combustible material for him to burn.

"Why?" asked Qiu Yueze puzzled.

"It's Ran'er's horse. 'Mi'er' is the name that Ran'er gave it. From the moment she left the academy, Ran Er had taken it with her. But since she brought it into the Medicine Valley, Ran'er has left it there. Gao Xi took the initiative to explain briefly to Qiu Yueze.

After Gao Xi finished explaining, Gao Ran added:

"However, the rules of the medical valley do not allow outsiders to enter the valley. Besides, even if you are allowed, you will not be able to enter. Even if you can break through the strange array outside the valley, you will not be able to withstand the poisonous gas released by the poisonous barrier that surrounds the valley. - Without the unique internal force of the Medical Valley to protect the body, and if you don't have the ability to cultivate to the seventh layer or above, then those inside the valley can't get out, and those outside the valley can't enter. Otherwise, as soon as you enter that poisonous barrier, you will definitely die.

"The reason why Mi'er was able to go in with me back then was because before he went to the Medical Valley, he had already eaten the antidote to the poisonous gas that my little uncle fed him and was specifically for that poisonous barrier. In addition, we still went through the secret passage that only the disciples of the sect who were allowed to enter and leave the Medicine Valley would know, so we entered it. But if you follow the ordinary path, if you don't have a protective body with a unique internal force that has been trained to more than seven layers, then even if you don't get lost in that infinitely changing strange array, you will die sooner or later in the poisonous gas released by that poisonous barrier. - Even if you take the antidote, you can't last more than two hours in the poison gas. - If you don't go through the secret passage, you won't be able to pass the poison barrier in two hours. ”

"So, even this secret passage will change at any time?"-Otherwise, Gao Ran didn't have to bother to explain so much to them from the beginning, wouldn't it be okay to just take them through the secret passage? Therefore, even if Gao Ran hadn't explicitly mentioned it, Qiu Yueze had already confirmed his judgment.

"That's right. Gao Ran affirmed, and explained in detail along Qiu Yueze's understanding, "Only by using internal force to get in touch with the 'holy relics' in the Medicine Valley, and getting its permission, can you immediately obtain a secret path line indicated by it. Moreover, before entering the valley, you have to use your internal strength and 'holy relics' again to reconfirm your exact location at this time, so that the entrance to the secret passage will appear in front of your eyes, and the road map you have written down can really come in handy.

"In addition, if a person with a skill level below the eighth level wants to enter or leave the valley, he can only directly contact the 'holy object', but such a direct connection will make his connection felt by all the other disciples of the Medicine Valley at the same time; Therefore, if you want to enter and exit the Medicine Valley safely without being noticed by other fellow disciples, the only way is to train your internal strength to the eighth level or higher, and to successfully tame your 'messenger' for your own use. ”

Hearing Gao Ran say this, Qiu Yueze and Gao Xi were silent. They knew that they couldn't stop Gao Ran from going to the Medical Valley, and they also knew that they couldn't follow her into the Medical Valley at all.

In a dilemma, Gao Xi asked, "Then how long do you plan to stay in the valley?"

Gao Ran raised his eyes and glanced at Gao Xi and Qiu Yueze respectively, and then looked away at the window. There was silence for a moment before replying:

"As long as it doesn't die suddenly, I will definitely come out to see you one last time before I die. However, before I entered the valley, the road from here to the valley of medicine, as long as it was not day and night, how could I have to walk for more than a year and a half. In other words, at least three-quarters of the rest of my life will be spent with you. So, is it okay to leave less than a quarter of the time left for me to be alone in the end?

"If you don't agree, then we won't leave. I'll die right in front of you. Or would you prefer to see me die slowly in front of you on a hunger strike?"

"Ran'er!" Gao Xi and Qiu Yueze shouted in unison.

They know that Gao Ran has always been like this, never changed, and will never change for anyone. They also knew that what she held in her hands—what she could control only by providence—her life and death was the only fatal weakness that threatened them without being influenced by them. They also knew that the alone time she had just insisted on keeping was her last bottom line, and it was the insistence that was more important than her life in her eyes.

Because they knew, they had to make concessions.

"Okay, we'll say yes. Whether or not we can see you for the last time, we will consider it a providential ......"

At this time, although he couldn't see his paleness on Qiu Yueze's face because of his dark complexion, his expression was not difficult to make people feel the helpless and unspeakable pain in his heart at this time.

Gao Xi just stood silently, but his pale face also made it easy for Gao Ran to see his approval of Qiu Yueze's promise. ——The "we" in Qiu Yueze's mouth are indeed them, not just the "them" he thinks.

"Thank you. Also, I'm sorry...... I'm really sorry...... What I owe you nothing but I will remember in my heart. But other than that, I can't repay ......."

After speaking, Gao Ran closed his eyes and took a deep breath, bearing the heaviness in his heart that could neither be removed nor eliminated, and took a step first. Prepare for tomorrow's departure and the beginning of a new journey.

Perhaps, then she will meet the people she will meet on the road, or maybe not. But whether or not they can see each other again, Gao Ran plans to deal with it. - Anyway, no one can accompany anyone to the end. In the end, everyone will be the same as when they first came into this world, and they will go on the road alone again and return to the same way they were when they came. - Perhaps...... So be it......