A slight tremor at his fingertips was like a pebble thrown into a calm lake, stirring up ripples before vanishing altogether. Shen Yao held her breath, terrified of disturbing this fleeting moment of peace. Yet Zhong Yun remained fast asleep, as if that sudden movement had merely been an illusion.
Moonlight filtered through the lattice window, casting a glow across Zhong Yun's pale face and illuminating his furrowed brow. In his dream, he was back in the familiar modern metropolis. Towering buildings, an endless stream of traffic, and that familiar cell phone ringtone—everything felt so real, yet so distant. Dressed in a crisp suit, he walked down a bustling commercial street, surrounded by the envious glances of colleagues and hearing the praise of his boss. Everything had been going smoothly, full of youthful ambition, forming a stark contrast to his current imprisonment.
The scene shifted, and he was back in this perilous Xuanhuan Continent once more. He saw the bewilderment when he first arrived, the grueling hardship of cultivation, and the despair of being framed. Familiar faces flashed before his eyes one by one—Fatty Wang's loyalty, Qian Duoduo's vicious cunning. Only Shen Yao's face grew blurred, save for those cold eyes that pierced his heart like sharp thorns.
Chapter 102