Seeking Truth with a Sword-Chapter 666 - 600 Peach Blossom

"What are the common causes of ectopic acute appendicitis?"

In the classroom of the Imperial Medical Bureau, Li Ang stood at the podium, casually asking the question.

"Um..."

The student whose name had been called stood up nervously and hesitated, "Migration malformation, incomplete rotation, incomplete fixation of the ascending colon, and also, also... inverse positioning?"

"Mm."

Li Ang nodded and let the relieved student sit down.

DONG, DONG, DONG—the Haotian Bell rang, signaling the end of class.

Li Ang distributed the test papers and assigned the homework. Then, he walked out of the classroom amid the students’ "Goodbye, teacher."

The Qingming Festival had just passed. The sun shone brightly, and the grass and trees were sprouting. In the courtyard, peach blossoms were in full bloom, numerous pink and white petals clustered on the branches, swaying with the wind.

Li Leqing sat on the bench by the flowerbed, twirling a peach branch in her hand, teasing a fat orange cat raised by the Imperial Medical Bureau.

"Have you been waiting long?"

Li Ang approached with a smile. Li Leqing hastily stuck the peach branch back into the flowerbed, stood up, and waved her hand, "Not at all, I just arrived not long ago."

"Let’s go for a walk."

Li Ang gently picked a petal that had fallen into Li Leqing’s hair. It was an affectionate gesture that made her cheeks unconsciously blush. Despite having known each other for so long and being on the verge of marriage, she still felt as shy and reserved as when they first met. It was very cute, though.

The two left the Imperial Medical Bureau and strolled through Chang’an City.

This city bore too many of their memories. The Buddhist Tower in Anren Square had witnessed their meeting, the bridge in Xuanyi Square their acquaintance, and the temple in Yankang Square the moment they exchanged sachets.

They climbed up a tall building in Dunhua Square and looked toward Furong Garden to the south. They could vaguely see tents being set up and colorful lamps being erected, numerous artisans and soldiers preparing for tomorrow’s wedding.

It was also there, during the wedding of Prince Yue Li Tai and Yan Xuan, that the Dark Filth Worm inside Yan Xuan had erupted. It controlled the Faith Cultivation Cardinal, causing him to self-destruct and destroy the wedding scene.

Li Ang had reversed this "history" using the Sumeru Hourglass and the remaining Time Sand. Even so, the image of Li Leqing collapsing into his arms at the explosion site was something he struggled to forget for a long time.

It was indeed that scene which solidified his resolve to protect her no matter what...

Unknowingly, they made their way back to North Chang’an, outside the Phoenix Gate of the Great Ming Palace.

Li Ang stopped, looked sideways at the towering city gate, and exclaimed, "Tomorrow is the wedding, huh."

"Yes."

Li Leqing nodded lightly, then asked softly, "After this, we’ll be living together, won’t we?"

Living together... huh?

Li Ang paused. After his parents passed away, he had endured the darkest period of his life alone and had since grown accustomed to living by himself.

"Umm..."

Li Leqing noticed his pause, nervously clutching the corner of her garment, "What’s the matter?"

"No, it’s nothing."

Li Ang smiled, turned back, and said earnestly, "I want to thank you."

Li Leqing blinked in confusion, "Huh?"

"I’m not exactly an... emotionally rich person."

Li Ang weighed his words and said, "Back when I was in Yizhou, I had grown accustomed to solitude, living alone, going through life by myself. It was inevitable that I became somewhat disillusioned with the world."

He thought of that Fortune Doctor, Yu Miaoshui.

At that time, his parents had just died, and he had only recently awakened memories of the Otherworld. Faced with Yu Miaoshui’s threats, a strong resentment had accumulated in his heart.

After curing the military horses, earning a hundred strings of coins as a reward, and paying off the debt to Security Hall for the land deed, he still felt it wasn’t enough. So, he schemed against Yu Miaoshui. This led Yu Miaoshui to squander his fortune, lose his wife and children, and ultimately die a violent death on the streets. Only then was the hatred in Li Ang’s heart eased.

After coming to Chang’an, his vengeful nature persisted—never letting any offense go unavenged.

It was Li Leqing’s arrival that pulled him back from the brink of emotional collapse, preventing him from falling into the abyss.

"I’m not as good as you might think I am, but I’ll do my best."

Li Ang reached out and embraced Li Leqing, whispering gently in her ear, "See you tomorrow, Mrs. Li."

"Huh? What??"

Li Leqing was baffled by his sudden heartfelt confession, her cheeks burning red as she absentmindedly swayed her arms in Li Ang’s embrace.

Li Ang released her, and seeing Li Leqing’s flushed face, he couldn’t help but burst out laughing.

"No, I have to hug you back!"

Embarrassed and annoyed, Li Leqing tiptoed and hugged Li Ang tightly, blowing gently by his ear.

But just after she did this, she suddenly remembered something—her parents worried about her safety, and every time she went out, Imperial Palace Tributors secretly protected her.

That scene before the city gate, who knows how many cultivators witnessed it? Perhaps even the old Tributes of the Li Family would silently applaud it, marveling at the young people’s ways.

"AH!"

Li Leqing screamed, quickly released her embrace, and knocked on the city gate three times. As the gate opened, she dashed inside.

HAHAHAHA.

Li Ang, thoroughly amused by his prank, leaned against the wall, laughing. Just then, he saw Li Leqing’s head peeking out from the gate, whispering in a voice barely louder than a mosquito’s buzz, "See you tomorrow, Mr. Li."

With that, she swiftly ducked back inside, running toward the Great Ming Palace with a group of maids, who had no idea what had just happened.

"Heh."

Listening to the rapidly fading footsteps and the maids’ overlapping calls of "Princess, slow down," Li Ang shook his head with a smile and strolled away from the city gate.

"Marrying before you’re even of age, huh?"

Lu Yunan’s teasing voice echoed in his ears, "If this was before you crossed over, they could probably sentence you to three to five years."

"Times change."

Li Ang, communicating with Lu Yunan thousands of miles away through his Ink Silk Clone, curled his lips silently. Besides, I had no reason to refuse, did I? Jun Qianzi was suspected just because he remained unmarried for too long.

"Keep telling yourself that."

Lu Yunan snorted a few times, grumbling, "If I hadn’t been busy guarding against Zhao Ming all those years, there’s no way this little minx would have gotten to you first. Tsk, I’m practically half a childhood sweetheart, you know..."

Li Ang pretended not to hear Lu Yunan’s grumbling and passed through alleys until he reached the front of his mansion in Golden City Square.

He pushed the door open and entered the courtyard, subconsciously saying, "I’m back..."

Lu Yunan asked, puzzled, "Who are you talking to?"

"I don’t know."

Li Ang waved his hand dismissively, took a deep breath as if mustering a great deal of courage, and stepped into the desolate mansion.