Chapter 42: Broken Mirror, Mended Hearts

Nangong Lin watched as Wang Jia lumbered toward her, his bulky frame moving fast with an aggressive glare in his eyes.

Her stomach churned, and for a moment she nearly vomited up everything she’d just eaten. In a flash, Nangong Lin sidestepped, deftly dodging Wang Jia’s charge.

She unleashed her full Sword Qi Realm power, and in the next second, swung her foot out hard at Wang Jia.

There was a resounding thud as Wang Jia’s heavy body hit the ground, making the earth visibly tremble under his weight.

“That disgusting fatso makes my skin crawl. Ugh!” Nangong Lin eyed Wang Jia’s face, feeling not even the slightest urge to hold back.

Wang Jia’s face twisted in pain, rage burning in his eyes, as he roared, “Someone! Get in here and catch that brat for me—now!”

With a loud bang, the doors at the entrance swung open.

“Master, we’re here!” In an instant, a dozen shirtless, burly men charged into the room.

Nangong Lin had never seen anything like this before. She muttered under her breath, “Don’t look, don’t look…”

Hurriedly, she kicked Wang Jia over one more time.

Then, right in front of everyone, she became a blur and darted past them, slipping out the door and vanishing from sight.

A furious roar echoed behind her almost immediately as Wang Jia shouted in rage.

“You idiots! What are you standing there for? Go after her! If you don’t bring that girl back, don’t even think about coming back yourselves!” Wang Jia’s fury boiled over as he berated the brawny men until they hung their heads.

No one dared talk back. They stammered, “Don’t worry, Master, we’ll catch that girl right away!” The group rushed out at once, determined to chase Nangong Lin down.

But Nangong Lin was already gone, her escape almost magical, leaving not a trace behind.

Somewhere deep in the mountains.

Nangong Lin had sprinted for miles and miles, exhausted and panting by the time she flopped down wherever she could find a spot.

“That was way too close. All I wanted was a meal—almost threw my life away for it. Good thing I’m quick on my feet! Honestly, that fat guy is gross. Hitting him feels like punching a pile of grease. So disgusting!” Nangong Lin felt a fresh wave of relief, but at the same time, the image of Wang Jia’s face flashed across her mind, making her gag as she clung to a nearby tree.

She quickly pulled a handkerchief from her pocket and scrubbed her hands, determined to get every finger spotless.

After resting a bit, she glanced back to make sure no one was following.

Seeing nothing, she set off at a leisurely pace, then suddenly remembered her horse was still back there.

“No way, I really left my horse behind? Poor thing… I’ll burn incense for you in the future!” She started to head back, but the thought of Wang Jia’s face made her shudder. She shook her head hard, and kept wandering up the mountain instead.

Elsewhere on the mountain, Gu Qingyi was chopping firewood alone.

He swung his axe swiftly, bringing down a towering tree with a single blow.

Gu Qingyi got to work, cutting up the massive trunk, dividing it neatly into manageable pieces for carrying home.

Before long, he’d stacked up enough wood to make a small hill.

“That should do it. Looks like it’s about time to head back,” Gu Qingyi mused, looking at the stack with satisfaction.

“Gu Qingyi should be somewhere nearby,” Nangong Lin thought, noticing her necklace glowing brighter by the second. She quickened her steps, heard noises up ahead, and curiosity got the better of her. Creeping closer, she silently parted the grass to take a look.

As she lifted the grass, her breath caught. There he was—the person she’d spent countless days searching for, the man who’d never left her thoughts!

In an instant, tears spilled from Nangong Lin’s eyes. The next moment, she threw herself into Gu Qingyi’s arms and held on tight.

Gu Qingyi suddenly felt someone crash into him from behind, the soft pressure taking him by surprise.

He turned in confusion to see Nangong Lin clinging to his back and asked coldly, “Miss, who are you? Why are you suddenly grabbing me without a word?”

Looking at the unfamiliar expression on Gu Qingyi’s face, Nangong Lin froze. Bewildered, she said, “Gu Qingyi, it’s me, Nangong Lin! Don’t you recognize me?”

“I’m sorry, I don’t know you. Would you please get off me?” Without a hint of emotion, Gu Qingyi shook his head.

Nangong Lin stared at him, blank and helpless.

She’d spent days searching for him, and now Gu Qingyi didn’t even remember her?

Face full of disbelief, Nangong Lin mumbled, “No way. This can’t be real… right?”

All the strength left her in an instant.

Slumping to the ground, Nangong Lin knelt, clutching her chest as the weight of everything she’d been holding in finally broke loose. Her empty eyes stared straight ahead, tears streaming down her beautiful face.

Unable to control herself, she cried out in a hoarse voice, every longing and grievance she’d bottled up pouring out in her sobs.

A tear slipped onto the necklace she wore, and it instantly fell from her neck.

At that moment, Gu Qingyi felt a sudden burning sensation at his own neck. He quickly pulled out a necklace.

His gaze landed on her necklace on the ground, and all at once, his mind was flooded with memories. Every moment he’d lived with Nangong Lin replayed in his mind like a movie. His head ached as he dropped to his knees, clutching it.

Then, like a dam breaking, Gu Qingyi slowly stood as all his lost memories rushed back. Immediately, he knelt beside Nangong Lin, gently helping her up.

“Lin’er, I remember now. My memories came back!” he exclaimed, steadying her.

In that moment, the two poured out their pain and longing, at last falling into a tight embrace, speaking quietly of all they’d missed and lost.

【Sword Qi Continent Realm Levels: Ordinary Person, Sword Practitioner Realm, Sword Qi Realm, Sword Sea Realm, Sword King Realm, Sword Emperor Realm, Sword Saint Realm, (Demi-God Realm), Sword God Realm】

【Demi-God Realm has never actually appeared in the world, which is why everyone forgot about it. It’s also called the False God Realm, and is recorded clearly in the Ancient Inheritance Scrolls.】