"Senior Li!" Bai Lingmiao's frantic cry made Li Huowang turn around. He was holding a lantern in the darkness while looking toward the others standing in the sunlight.
He waved them off again. "Go on. All of you can go back home now."
"Senior Li, come with us. It'll be safer if we stay together on the way back. Or did you forget something inside?" Zhao Wu said while lying on Simpleton's back. His expression was nervous, as if he could sense something was wrong.
"Keke... Go together? To where?" Li Huowang replied as he turned around and once again headed toward the darkness.
"Let's go back home together to celebrate the New Year. Senior Li, where is your home?"
Li Huowang chuckled silently in the darkness before carrying the lantern and walking back the way they came. "Home? I don't have one now. I haven't been able to return home in a long time!"
Then, Li Huowang silently walked back into the darkness. Zephyr Temple was eerily peaceful, and only the sound of his footsteps accompanied him.
Amidst the peace, Li Huowang suddenly began to hum a song, his footsteps growing lighter as he swung the lantern rhythmically.
As he continued humming, Li Huowang returned to his residence. He closed the door and placed the lantern on the table. Without even wiping off the blood splattered on his face, he slowly lay down on the stone bed and closed his eyes.
"It's the first day of the year. I haven't eaten that disgusting Black Taisui this month. I should be able to see Yang Na again soon, right?" Li Huowang's lips curled into a slight smile at the thought.
He silently waited for his childhood sweetheart to bring him back to the world where he belonged.
Having not slept all night, Li Huowang's consciousness began to fade. However, just before he could drift into a beautiful dream, the door suddenly opened.
Li Huowang rubbed his eyes and sat up to see Puppy, Zhao Wu, and the others standing at the door.
Bai Lingmiao stood there uneasily, her gaze darting around before finally settling.
"Senior Li, if you can't go back to your home, then come to mine. My house is spacious, and the room in the East wing is empty."
Li Huowang looked at the kind girl before shaking his head gently. "This place is comfortable too; I've grown quite used to it."
Only a madman would choose to stay in such a dark, ominous place. Bai Lingmiao's lips quivered slightly as she found Li Huowang's words hard to believe.
"I once had a home and a family, but..." Li Huowang looked up at the pitch-black roof. His expression was complex, as though recalling something.
Puppy thought for a while, then glanced at the others and whispered, "Since Senior Li wants to stay here, should we leave?"
"Shut up!"
Bai Lingmiao's sudden outburst startled Puppy. This was a far cry from the submissive young lady he knew.
Meanwhile, Bai Lingmiao stepped forward and stubbornly said, "Do you think your actions will make your family happy? If your family knew what you were like now, what would they think?"
Li Huowang smiled bitterly, his expression turning agonized as he said, "How would I know what they would think? I don't even know if they truly exist! I might just be a madman, all alone. Everything around me could be a dream."
Bai Lingmiao reached out with her almost-transparent hands and grasped his hand. "Senior Li, you are not alone—you still have us."
Li Huowang blankly stared at her, at the determined, delicate face before him. At that moment, he felt his understanding of her was very shallow.
Why is she so kind to me?
Suddenly, his surroundings began to change again. The cave system morphed into white hospital walls.
At the same time, Bai Lingmiao's features melted and reformed into Yang Na's face. Her tearful expression was filled with worry.
"Nana!" Li Huowang rushed across the room, hugging her tightly with a pained expression.
"Huowang, you cannot give up on yourself. You must live, no matter what you encounter. Alright? You must persevere, no matter the trials. Never give up." Yang Na's voice quivered.
Soon, that face morphed into his mother's. "Son, you cannot die. If you do, how will your father and I survive?"
After that, the face quickly morphed into various people Li Huowang recognized, all encouraging him.
Suddenly, everything froze. The bright hospital ward turned dim.
Li Huowang slowly released the person he was embracing, only to realize he had been holding Bai Lingmiao.
While the girl in his arms seemed slightly embarrassed, she didn't look away from his gaze. "Senior Li, let's go. I don't want to stay here much longer."
She then pulled out the paper notes from the pouch at her waist and said, "Senior Li, there's no point passing these to me. After all, we are all illiterate."
"Right, Senior Li, only you can handle this." The others standing at the door chimed in.
"I... I... I can re-" Simpleton stuttered, trying to speak.
But before he could finish, Zhao Wu covered his mouth. "Even if you can read, you better pretend you can't!"
Meanwhile, Li Huowang silently stared at the paper notes containing the last words of those people with an inscrutable expression.
Bai Lingmiao then used both hands to push the notes toward him. "Senior Li, you promised them. A true man doesn't go back on his word."
The reality and hallucination constantly alternated in his mind. Finally, Li Huowang reached out to take the notes. "Let's go."
Li Huowang had decided that no matter where he was, he would live well—not just for himself, but for those family members who may or may not even exist.
Upon hearing those words, everyone broke into relieved smiles.
Though they didn't know what Li Huowang was thinking, they were just glad he hadn't chosen to stay in this cursed place.
The group then gathered around Li Huowang and walked out of the dim room together. They were about to head toward the entrance when Li Huowang suddenly called for everyone to stop.
"Hold on. Since we've decided to leave, we should plunder this place a bit. Simpleton, carry Zhao Wu and lead the others to the kitchen. Take the food supplies we can carry. We won't last long without provisions."
Li Huowang then brought Bai Lingmiao to the Pill Refining Room to take some pills he recognized. Li Huowang had practiced the Dao of Pills for some time and could be considered half a doctor in this regard. He didn't know how long they would travel before reaching their homes, so it was better to be prepared.
However, he only took the pills he recognized. He didn't dare to touch those he didn't understand, especially those refined by Dan Yangzi. He didn't even want to take them with him.
When they regrouped with the others in Zheng Yi Hall, Li Huowang said, "Hold on, there's one more thing I need to take with me."
Li Huowang then carried the lamp in his hand and carefully made his way toward the cave that held the Black Taisui.