Night fell like a thick drop of ink splashing onto rice paper, rapidly spreading to shroud the entire valley in profound darkness. Only the Hunyuan Cauldron resting on Hu Yuan's knees atop the bluestone beside the pond emitted a faint, ethereal glow, resembling the brightest star in the night sky or a glimmer of hope amidst the shadows. On the sword's spine, the mysterious Primordial patterns flickered with an arcane light, reflecting and blending with the moonlight mirrored in the water, as if whispering ancient secrets. They traced the outlines of a Yinyang fish, mirroring the eternally revolving ball of black and white Qi in Hu Yuan's lower dantian—one Yin, one Yang, interdependent and mutually restraining yet harmoniously coexisting, forming a marvelous and mysterious sight.
The evening breeze brushed gently across the pond like a light veil, bringing a trace of chill while stirring up layer upon layer of ripples. The ripples spread outward in concentric circles, as though playful fish were frolicking at the bottom of the pond. Hu Yuan stood quietly by the edge, letting the night breeze whimsically tousle his hair. His hair was already somewhat disheveled, and under the sweep of the wind, it fluttered wildly like tangled grass.
Yet, while the night breeze could easily mess his hair, it could do nothing to scatter the heavy thoughts swirling in his eyes. Hu Yuan's gaze was deep and hazy, resembling two bottomless ancient wells that made it impossible to discern his true …
Chapter 343