Chapter 232: Chapter 231: If I Could Start Over, I Would Have No Regrets
"Senior Sister, please don’t be like this. You’re creeping us out," Qingyi said, the corner of his mouth twitching.
In truth, they had no idea what their Eldest Senior Brother was talking about, but they were sure of one thing.
Their Senior Sister had been dealt a blow.
And whenever their Senior Sister was dealt a blow, they were the ones who were likely to get hurt.
It had always been this way.
Lan Yue stared blankly at her junior brothers. Suddenly, she felt that her life wasn’t so empty after all.
Being bullied by her Eldest Senior Brother, bullying the junior brothers who came after her, cooking for them, and "educating" them on how to behave...
Even teaching her younger sister things felt so real.
So, besides all that nonsensical effort, her life was actually quite colorful.
A splendid and colorful life was hidden within what she thought was a pale and empty existence.
Then, Lan Yue looked toward Zi Feng. According to him, he had known from the very beginning that she was just a puppet. Yet, he had deliberately allowed her, a puppet, to experience a real life.
Lan Yue spoke up. "Eldest Senior Brother, was it intentional? Did you bully me on purpose when I was little?"
Zi Feng looked at Lan Yue in surprise and replied instinctively, "What gave you that idea?"
Then, Zi Feng added, "What answer do you want to hear? Give me some Spirit Stones, and I’ll say whatever you want. You can’t change my thoughts, but you can change my words."
Lan Yue: "..."
This was why she felt such utter despair when it came to her Eldest Senior Brother.
"You are courting death." A sinister voice suddenly echoed from the void.
An aura of the Abyss then emerged once more from the Glazed Bracelet, heading straight for the Chi Xue Child.
Zi Feng moved in a flash, his Tier Four Peak aura instantly clashing with that of the Abyss.
BOOM!
Zi Feng retreated, taking the Chi Xue Child with him.
He didn’t bother with the others; they had arms and legs and could run on their own.
Liu Yiyi knew it was her time to act, but just as she was about to step into the Array, she froze.
She couldn’t get in.
Blade Master Hai Bian said, "We can’t enter. It may have looked easy for them, but their mental fortitude is exceptionally high. This Array, as it happens, has requirements for one’s state of mind."
"But... if that’s the case, how am I supposed to help them?" Liu Yiyi said.
Blade Master Hai Bian took out his phone. "Why not just call and tell them to come out? I just checked. We have a signal here."
Liu Yiyi: "..."
******
Meanwhile, Jiang Zuo was walking down a pitch-black road. He took out his phone and dialed the number for the owner of the tofu shop.
He had copied the number from Su Qi; they often ordered takeout from there.
Jiang Zuo had originally saved the number to order takeout himself. Who would have thought it would have another use?
Jiang Zuo was planning to find that "Senior Martial Uncle," but since he didn’t know what the man looked like, it would be difficult to find him even with his coin divination.
To find out what he looked like, all he needed was a photo.
Su Qi and her friends didn’t have one, but the tofu shop owner knew the man, so there was a high chance he had a picture.
With a photo, the search would be much easier.
Come to think of it, it was no wonder he hadn’t been able to find Jiu Xi with his divination before. The Jiu Xi from his past life didn’t exist in this era yet, so it was impossible to find her.
Once the call connected, Jiang Zuo stated his request.
The person on the other end hesitated for a moment before finally saying, "Getting you the photo isn’t a problem, but please don’t share it. And definitely don’t say you got it from me."
Jiang Zuo had given him guidance before, after all, so it would be difficult to refuse. His only option was to protect himself.
Minimize the potential damage.
This was a simple request for Jiang Zuo, so he agreed without hesitation.
Soon, he received a photo. It showed a young man who was neither handsome nor remarkable, but rather plain.
He was clutching a sword, staring blankly ahead.
"Hmm?"
Looking at the photo, Jiang Zuo couldn’t help but frown.
It wasn’t that there was a problem with the photo. It was the person in it—Jiang Zuo might actually know him.
However, he’d have to see him in person to be sure.
Jiang Zuo then began using his divination coin to search for the man. Since they were all within the Abyss, it was particularly easy to locate him.
After a long search, Jiang Zuo arrived at the edge of another lake protected by an Array.
This lake was actually far from where the Chi Xue Child and the others were; they weren’t even in the same area anymore.
This area was already considered part of the inner ring.
In other words, he was now directly facing the Abyss.
The Abyss Core was visible just by looking up.
Aside from Jiang Zuo, very few people could have possibly made it this far.
At least, no one from Liyuan Island should have been able to.
In this lake, there was also a small island. On the island stood a stone statue, and sitting on its edge was a man.
The man sat there, gazing directly at the Abyss Core. There wasn’t a trace of fear in his eyes; instead, they held a heroic, dauntless spirit.
This spirit was tinged with a domineering quality—an aura of absolute fearlessness.
’His aura is completely different, but it’s definitely him. Jian Shisan,’ Jiang Zuo murmured as he watched him.
Jian Shisan was someone he had known in his past life. The man was incredibly powerful, one of the strongest people he had ever met.
Even the three who cultivated the Purple Qi from the East Technique could not hope to match him.
The Jiu Xi of that era was also not his match.
In that era, aside from Jiang Zuo himself, Jian Shisan was very likely the strongest person alive.
Jiang Zuo still remembered the day the man had sought him out for a challenge.
Bored and with nothing better to do, Jiang Zuo had naturally agreed.
The battle was not particularly earth-shattering.
From start to finish, Jiang Zuo had only used three moves.
Jian Shisan was defeated, but his Dao had moved Jiang Zuo.
It was a Dao of deep regret, of ultimate sorrow—a path that sought only death.
At the very last moment, he even broke through his shackles and stepped into a brand-new Realm, yet he gave it up.
He only wanted to die.
Jiang Zuo didn’t understand and had asked him why.
Jian Shisan had answered: "I regret it. I regret not returning when I promised. I regret not being there when it mattered most."
"She died. I couldn’t protect her. What’s the point of being strong now?"
"There’s no going back."
"If time could be reversed, if the heavens would grant me one more chance, I would never let myself have these regrets. I would protect her with everything I have."
"Even if I’m ground to dust, even if my body and soul perish, even if I vanish like smoke, I will stand before her and protect her."
"Unless I am dead, no one will ever harm her."
"But... there are no second chances."
"None."
At the time, Jiang Zuo had stared at him in silence for a long while before finally asking, "What is your name?"
After giving his name, Jian Shisan asked one last question: "Can someone as powerful as you reverse time and space?"
Jiang Zuo answered truthfully, "I cannot."
After that, he died.
For Jiang Zuo to remember him, and to have personally asked for his name...
He was the first.
That was why, after his death, Jiang Zuo had personally buried him.
Seeing him again now, Jiang Zuo was actually very happy.
’I’ve brought you your chance to start over.’
