Ning Que stood at a certain point in this space, looking at the magnificent scene of destruction in front of him, puzzled but extremely calm. He wanted to know what this place was, but he knew it wasn't a dream. It was a clear and determined state of perception, since he was convinced that it was night, although the brightness that dominated most of the sky could be clearly seen.

The bright night obscured most of the sky and the blazing black sun, gradually slowing down the melting of the snow-capped mountains. However, the cold that emanates from the bright night sky begins to condense the floods that have been destroyed in the black wilderness, turning them into dancing black ice and unwilling black snow.

The whole world is being reshaped. The Black Snow Mountain was able to stand up straight again.

Heaven and earth have settled down. The night returned to its proper color. The glaciers and snow-capped rivers in the wilderness disappeared at some point, as if nothing had changed, but everything had changed.

The sun is shining in the sky. The snow cap on the other side of the snowy mountain melted. The gurgling water seeps into the depths of the ice and snow, into the deep blue ice cave underground, and then finally disappears.

I don't know how many years have passed. Somewhere in the wilderness, far from the snowy mountains, a piece of gravel began to shake gently, was pushed aside, and then a trickle gushed out, gradually spreading out and flowing towards the horizon.

There was a weak but strong grass growing by the river.

With Ning Que awakening, the world has disappeared.

Looking at the corpses of the ants in front of him and the green leaves and ice gravel scattered together, he was absent-minded for a moment and then struggled to his feet. He wanted to know how long he had been unconscious. It could be long or short, but he knew it was very dangerous to lie in the middle of the street. Hearing the sound of bamboo flutes and horses' hooves in the distance, he bit his lower lip to tighten his nerves, and then dragged his tired and injured body into an alley.

The remaining blood had disappeared without a trace, as if the bluestone had been washed several times in the rain and dried up in the warm spring. He didn't notice that the blood on his body was gone. He was clean, as if he had taken a bucket bath for half a night in the Red Sleeves House.

What happened when he was unconscious? He doesn't remember the magical battle between the Suzaku portrait and the big black umbrella. On the contrary, at that moment, only a vague impression remained in his mind.

Upon entering the alley, he quickly took off his robe, which was covered in sword marks, and found that he did not see any blood. He was slightly stunned, struggling to look down at his body, to make sure that there was indeed no blood left. Then a strong suspicion struck him. But now he did not have time to think about it, because he was in an emergency situation where feudal officials were disturbed. He tore off a piece of cloth and hung it on a branch, and threw his robe into the house behind the wall.

He still felt an excruciating pain in his chest, as the invisible spear that had fallen from the sky seemed to still be stuck in his chest. Every step he took made him pale. Even the slightest tremor would make him feel like the torn wound in his heart had grown.

He stretched out his trembling hand to grasp the low fence and leaped over it with the strength of his waist and abdomen. He quietly passed by a sleeping resident, took a blue robe from some bamboo, and quickly put it on.

He carried some good medicine for the treatment of incision-open wounds. However, as he put on his clothes, he took a quick look at his body and found that the bloody wounds cut by the flying sword had healed. This treatment is not a true cure, but more like something that has been forcibly scorched with fire. Although the bleeding from the wound had stopped, Ning Que was still injured.

Ning Que silently walked through the streets and alleys of Chang'an East City in the last darkness. He hid in the trees, and from time to time climbed to the top of the eaves, dodging the sound of horses' hooves and the shrill sound of bamboo flutes.

When he finally managed to approach Lin 47th Street, he found that he could not return to the old brush shop to heal. Local government runners in Chang'an have begun to knock on the doors of shops, holding iron rulers and ropes in their hands and asking questions.

Ning Que frowned and looked at the doors that had been slammed open, raised his hand to cover his mouth, and suppressed a strong urge to cough. He returned to the shadows of the alley, leaned against the wall, and took two quick breaths.

An ordinary carriage with the logo of the academy on its axles appears at the entrance to the alley.

Hiding in the dark, Ning Que stared at the carriage that took him to the academy every day, listened carefully to the sound of the door opening from time to time, and silently calculated the time in his heart.

He unleashed the last of his weakened body's strength, and his tired right foot slammed into the wall. He swept swiftly into the alley, opened the door of the carriage with lightning speed with his right hand, and slipped inside.

The local government runner, who was asking the owner of the old antique shop, vaguely saw something. Startled, he turned around, only to see that the alley was empty, except for a carriage parked quietly.

"It's so early, why is the carriage parked here?" The runner muttered to himself, ready to go there and see.

The owner of the antique shop in the cordless skirt yawned, glanced at the carriage, and casually explained, "The carriage is here to take Boss Xiaoning to the academy." It is always waiting here at this time of day.

Hearing the word "academy", the runner stopped with a sarcastic smile, turned around, and said to the master with emotion: "It is really rare for people on this street to be admitted to the academy.

Sitting in the carriage, Ning Que observed the conversation between the runner and the shopkeeper on the stone steps and confirmed that nothing was wrong. Then he pulled down the curtains, knocked lightly on the window pane, and said in a tired voice, "Old Duan, you can go now."

Old Carter was startled and glanced back at Ning Que behind the curtain. "Boss Ning? When did you get on the carriage? How did I not know? You're really early today," he said in surprise.

Ning Que explained softly: "I didn't review the etiquette lesson plan yesterday, so hurry up and go to the academy to review it." His facial expression changed slightly, and he bent over his sleeve and coughed heavily.

Hearing a suppressed but shrill cough in the carriage, the driver asked with concern. "Are you alright?"

Ning Que replied, "Last night I poured two bowls of ice and took a big bath with a few buckets of well water, because the weather was too hot. I may have a cold.

The driver held the reins in one hand and waved the whip in the other, turned and turned back. He laughed and said, "Wind heat is the most troublesome. But you're young and energetic, and you'll be fine when you go back to the store and drink some herbal tea.

Hearing those words full of energy, Ning Que wondered why a palpitation rose in his heart. After a moment's pause, he looked down at his sleeve, which saw two drops of coughed blood. Then he clutched his sleeves tightly in his hands.

...

...

The southern city of Chang'an is a noble place, in which a truly noble lakeside villa was built. Those who have the right to live there are either rich or honorable. Although the tea master Yan Suqing was not compatible with the court, he still enjoyed a certain reputation among the celebrities of high society. The desperate battle at the lakeside villa had already alarmed the other residents of the lakeside. The local government of Chang'an, and even the Yulin Imperial Guard, immediately launched an investigation and seized Yan Suqing after learning that his head had been cut off.

The gates have just opened, so it's the perfect time to keep out the murderers in the city. Runners from the local government of Chang'an asked around, while the Yulin Imperial Guard organized defenses in the streets. And the inspection at the door is particularly strict.

However, no matter how strict the checks are, there are some discrepancies after all – at least for the carriages with the college logo that are responsible for transporting students to the college. The serious soldiers at the door just casually asked a few questions, opened the curtain of the carriage and looked at it, then waved it away.

Ning Que lifted the curtain and looked at the city gate, thinking to himself that if it weren't for the blood on his body that somehow disappeared, he wouldn't have passed through the city gate easily today. At this moment, he didn't know that the blood on the Vermilion Bird Avenue had completely evaporated without a trace. Otherwise, the cavalry of the Yulin Imperial Guard would have caught up with him long ago, and he was seriously injured from exhaustion.

With the clatter of the horseshoe and the rumble of the wheels, the first rays of dawn fell on Chang'an City and the young man's innocent cheeks, making his pale face even paler. He couldn't help but squint his eyes, remembering the black sunlight of that world, and the many confusing things that had happened to him last night. Then he subconsciously shook his head and hid the knife under the planks of the carriage.

After the carriage arrived, Ning Que walked slowly and calmly towards the academy. The tranquil stone pavement, which is usually full of flowers and green grass, seems to be long today. In order to keep his injuries and abnormalities from being discovered, he needs to endure the pain caused by the measures taken. Even raising eyebrows is not allowed, no matter how severe the pain in the chest is.

Ning Que knew very well that he would definitely not be able to attend classes now. If he insisted, he might vomit a mouthful of blood and die in front of his teachers and classmates. In this way, in the early morning sun, he walked directly through the quiet alleys of the academy, slowly through the wetlands, and came to the old library.

The old library is open to students day and night. The instructor and the four deacons are now absent because it's still early. Ning Que pushed open the door, leaned his right hand against the wall, and limped upstairs.