As he spoke, fresh blood gushed from his mouth, sliding down his face. Luo Yingbai reached out to wipe it, but couldn’t clean it completely.
Peng Xuan murmured: “So you were trying to save me…”
Reborn, many things had changed. Peng Xuan almost fell into the fire, was pulled up by Luo Yingbai, but died from a ghost’s hidden resentful energy.
At that time, he was completely unprepared, nearly falling into the fire and already half-unconscious from the smoke. In his daze, he didn’t know what happened afterward, only seeing Luo Yingbai pull him up and then push him away, before being pierced through the heart by the fierce ghost’s resentful energy blade.
Now he realized that in the previous life, Luo Yingbai had also pushed him away. Though not struck by the ghost, the falling ceiling would have certainly crushed him, leaving him dead or paralyzed.
He had been trying to sacrifice himself to save Peng Xuan.
Peng Xuan desperately wanted to know the truth, but when the truth was before him, the reality cut like a knife, making him tremble uncontrollably.
Thinking about the pain he had caused Luo Yingbai, he felt bone-chillingly cold.
Luo Yingbai thought Peng Xuan was shivering from blood loss and held him tighter, voice trembling: “Don’t speak anymore, rest a bit, I will…”
Peng Xuan waved his hand, a slight smile on his lips: “Senior brother, you’re still so soft-hearted. I harmed you, yet you still speak to me in this tone.”
He gripped Luo Yingbai’s arm, his smile fading, looking somewhat dazed: “I once thought that only by being ruthless could one protect oneself from harm. That kindness equals weakness, that one shouldn’t care about anyone, and should calculate everything by gained benefits… I thought what you and the master told me was wrong, but reality proved I was the foolish one.”
Tears slid from Peng Xuan’s eyes, and he said painfully: “I’m sorry, senior brother… I’m sorry.”
Peng Xuan’s blood flowed faster. Luo Yingbai held him tightly with one arm, the other covering his eyes.
At this moment, Peng Xuan called: “Senior Xia.”
Xia Xianning walked over, crouching beside him, placing his hand on Peng Xuan’s knee. Peng Xuan said softly: “In the previous life, there will be an attack on the Changliu Sect… cough cough…”
Xia Xianning condensed qi at his fingertips, tapping several acupoints, helping Peng Xuan catch his breath.
He continued softly: “If no unexpected changes occur in this life, half a month from now, the Changliu Sect’s mountain gate will be invaded by outsiders. I remember it was just when Senior Brother Lu was about to take over as sect leader and went to attend a conference, not on the mountain.”
This was indeed surprising news, but given Peng Xuan’s current state, neither Xia Xianning nor Luo Yingbai had the mood to carefully consider his words. Peng Xuan added: “Senior brother, can you help me up?”
Luo Yingbai’s face was deathly pale, seemingly lacking strength to support him. Xia Xianning helped Peng Xuan up.
Gou Songze, who had been helping with firefighting, saw this scene from afar, handed his work to another police officer, and ran over, shouting: “Peng Xuan, what are you doing!”
Peng Xuan looked at him, a warm light passing through his eyes: “I’m leaving.”
Gou Songze said: “Where do you think you’re going?!
Peng Xuan looked at the fire scene before him and whispered, “I wish this absurd rebirth had never happened. I should have died there, so now I must return there. Senior brother, what I owe you can never be repaid. Whatever I can give you, I will.”
He moved step by step towards the fire scene. Luo Mingbai wanted to pull Peng Xuan back, but Xia Xianning grabbed his hand.
Luo Mingbai struggled forcefully, but Xia Xianning did not let go, shaking his head at him.
Luo Mingbai took a deep breath and closed his eyes.
Fragments of the past flashed by, blurring the lines between past and present. The life Peng Xuan had experienced was completely different from what he remembered. What was Xia Xianning doing at that time?
Countless images swirled, and as Xia Xianning tried to recall, another scene gradually unfolded in the distant memory – at that time, he was not Xia Xianning, but Prince Zhu Yan.
The Great Devil of Gui descended to the underworld for several years, causing a rebellion in the netherworld. Because his original body belonged to the spirit of Ming Lang Yuan Jun, the Heavenly Emperor dispatched Ming Lang Yuan Jun personally to capture the Great Devil of Gui. Prince Zhu Yan split his forces, heading directly to the Yellow Springs to eliminate the evil ghosts.
The passionate drumbeat made every drop of blood in his body seem to pulse, an extraordinary power rising from his meridians, like a long-suppressed force gradually awakening.
In the void, countless soldiers appeared, looking up and waiting for his command.
The sun hung high, bright light illuminating the city, shining on the armor and making his entire body slightly warm.
And that drumbeat…
A voice softly laughed in his ear: “Today we go to war together. May we both return victorious. Your Highness, you’ll go ahead first. Your senior brother will beat the drums to send you off. If you return first, you must welcome me here.”
Xia Xianning clutched his chest, each drumbeat seeming to strike directly into his heart.
What happened next? Splattered blood? Separation of life and death? A promised meeting that ultimately never occurred…
His vision darkened, images and sounds gradually receding, as if something extremely important remained hidden in the depths of memory, impossible to capture.
A pain in his arm brought Xia Xianning back to consciousness, covered in cold sweat.
He turned his head to see Luo Mingbai gripping his arm, and Peng Xuan’s figure had long since disappeared into the great fire.
Luo Mingbai, seemingly untroubled by any memories, said calmly: “Let’s go back.”
With some internal injuries and immense mental pressure, Luo Mingbai covered himself with a coat after leaving the fire scene, resting silently in the car.
Gou Songze sat in the driver’s seat, equally distressed and complex.
Glancing at Luo Mingbai, he understood his feelings and gestured to Xia Xianning, inquiring about driving.
Xia Xianning said softly: “Take me home.”
Gou Songze nodded, glimpsing Xia Xianning carefully adjusting Luo Mingbai’s position to rest against him, which Luo Mingbai accepted without protest.
Knowing Luo Zhi and Jiang Yujia were likely home, Xia Xianning brought Luo Mingbai to his own house to avoid further questioning.
Until Luo Mingbai changed into his pajamas and fell asleep, Xia Xianning remained seated beside the bed.
Though he harbored resentment towards Peng Xuan, he was not entirely unmoved by his junior brother’s death. However, his primary concern remained Luo Mingbai’s situation.
Based on his fragmented memories and intuition, Luo Mingbai’s rebirth definitely concealed some hidden truth, and this was not his first rebirth – he seemed to have experienced several failed attempts before.
Xia Xianning’s hand clenched into a fist beside the bed, scenes from his dreams flashing before his eyes.
Whatever cosmic arrangements existed, he would change them. He could not bear the cost of failure and would not allow such possibilities to occur.
At this moment, a gentle knock came at the door. Xia Xianning glanced at the sleeping Luo Mingbai, tucked in the blanket, and went to answer.
A household servant stood outside. Xia Xianning raised an eyebrow, and the servant spoke softly: “The old master requests your presence.”
Around four in the morning, Xia Xianning was surprised but went downstairs to his grandfather’s study, where the elder was waiting.
“Grandfather, you’re up so early?” Xia Xianning asked.
