However, the young man smiled again and spoke in a hoarse voice that didn’t reveal his age, “Me? I also don’t know what my name is. I haven’t been able to remember anything about myself for a long, long time. All I know is that in my entire lifetime, I want to find a person — that person is named Chang Sheng. That person is my Shixiong and the one I care about the most. I recognize the aura on you. It smells so good…”

　　He closed his eyes and took a deep breath like he was intoxicated. With a deep smile on his face, he slowly exhaled. “It’s you, right? I’ve already… waited for you for a long, long, long time.”

　　Lin Xuanzhi felt like this was inconceivable.

　　The feeling this person gave him was similar to Lingyu, but also dissimilar.

　　“Where did you come from?” Lin Xuanzhi heard himself ask.

　　“I probably climbed up from hell — that kind of dark, ice-cold, and never-ending place.” The young man suddenly stood up from the hot spring and faced Lin Xuanzhi.

　　Lin Xuanzhi instantly saw the reddish-brown scar on his chest, right above his heart — that was caused by a piercing weapon. He still remembered that the light Zhige gave off when it pierced Lingyu’s chest was harsh, blinding, and yet so sacred. It was as if his own heart had also broken into the petals destroyed by the north wind, withered and crushed into mud and dust. It was that kind of pain.

　　Couldn’t withstand a single blow.

　　“Am I called Lingyu?” The young man tilted his head and casually covered his body with a black robe left on the stone, covering up the scar on his body. He pulled his long hair behind him and smiled as he blinked at Lin Xuanzhi. “Then my name is Lingyu. You probably recognize me.”

　　Lin Xuanzhi’s brain was in chaos. He didn’t understand all this, but he also felt that something was wrong.

　　Lin Xuanzhi calmed down and met that person’s gaze. “Lord Yuxu. I’d better call you Lord Yuxu.”

　　Lord Yuxu tilted his head with some confusion. “This was just a name I casually made up. Isn’t Lingyu my name? If not, then why did you call me that?”

　　Lin Xuanzhi replied blandly, “Perhaps I recognized the wrong person.”

　　Lord Yuxu thought for a moment. “What kind of relationship did we have?”

　　Lin Xuanzhi thought expressionlessly, I’m afraid that even if I ask about this person’s background now, I still won’t get an answer.

　　Therefore, Lin Xuanzhi asked, “Why do you want to help Longyao Lingheng and participate in the Longyao clan’s fight for the Crown Prince?”

　　Lord Yuxu was barefoot as he walked towards Lin Xuanzhi step by step. There was still warm steam on his body. His long black hair was wet, just like black seaweed, which slid down his white neck.

　　“I had a premonition that I can find my past if I come here. Something in the Dragon Tomb is calling me.” Lord Yuxu tilted his head and looked at Lin Xuanzhi. “Also, I know that I can meet the person I’ve always been looking for here. I was watching from afar that day when you came to the Longyao family. They called you Huarong Sword Venerable, but I know you’re Chang Sheng.”

　　Too strange.

　　Everything about this is too strange.

　　“I asked many people who Chang Sheng was, but they didn’t know. Later, I met Yuquan……” Lord Yuxu blinked and smiled, looking both innocent and beautiful. “He actually knows who Chang Sheng is. The oldest disciple of Hidden Spirit Holy Sect — Chang Sheng Sword Venerable. I never would have imagined that I was actually looking for a man who no longer existed. Say, just what kind of relationship did you and I have?”

　　“I don’t know.” Lin Xuanzhi took a deep breath and pretended to be calm. “I don’t know whether you imitated this appearance on someone’s orders or whether you had other reasons, but before I find the answer, I will never believe your words. Moreover, don’t show this appearance to avoid bringing trouble to yourself.”

　　Lord Yuxu showed a look of astonishment, followed closely by a somewhat wronged expression. He took out the black veil that he hid somewhere and covered his face. “Although I think I should cover my face, that’s just because I look so good. I’m afraid that others will become envious and jealous when they see my face. They might feel sorry for themselves and believe that they shouldn’t live in this world, going so far as to mutilate themselves. If that happens, wouldn’t I have sinned? However, since Shixiong doesn’t want others to see my face, I’ll cover it.”

　　Lin Xuanzhi, “…”

　　There was no change in Lin Xuanzhi’s expression, but in reality, there was already an uproar in his heart. These words sounded so familiar. If he thought about it carefully, he once heard Youshan Lingyu say such a thing. Not only that, but even Ah Hen said similar words.

　　It’s just that the former said these words out of narcissism, while the latter was trying to find joy in sorrows.

　　If this person isn’t Lingyu, then how did he imitate Lingyu so well to the point that not even I can tell the truth anymore? If he really is Lingyu, then who would…… Yan Tianhen be?

　　It was impossible to unravel, and truth and lies were indistinguishable.

　　Lin Xuanzhi said, “I have some other matters to attend to. I’ll take my leave first.”

　　Lord Yuxu asked, “I feel so intimate when I see you. Will you come see me in the future?”

　　Lin Xuanzhi looked at him faintly. “Perhaps I will. But don’t call me Shixiong. I have no sect. Naturally, I won’t have martial brothers.”

　　Lord Yuxu said sadly, “You’re truly a heartless man. As soon as I woke up in this world, I could only see the mountains, rivers, moon, and stars, but I didn’t have a single friend or a single relative. The only person whose name I remember now sees me as a snake and scorpion. Is it really true that I… shouldn’t exist in this world?”

　　Lin Xuanzhi saw how pitiful he was and was suddenly a little moved when he saw this face. He resisted the strong urge to comfort this person and spoke, “I’ll take my leave. Goodbye.”

　　After saying that, he didn’t stay any longer and turned to leave. His white clothes fluttered; his character was lofty and unyielding.

　　The instant he turned around, the North Land’s first major snow of the year suddenly started falling from the gray sky. The snowflakes mixed with cold fragrance fell on Lin Xuanzhi’s eyelashes. His footsteps paused slightly. When the snowflakes melted on his eyelashes, no trace of Huarong Sword Venerable could be seen anymore.

　　In the midst of the snowflakes swirling in the air, that man in a black robe and black veil raised his jade-white hands and took off the veil. His face was still Youshan Lingyu’s face, but there was no more innocence and bewilderment in his eyes. What replaced it was dark coldness and hatred.

　　He curled his lips and gently stroked his face. He said with a low, hoarse smile, “Oh Lingyu, Lingyu. Back then, you couldn’t bear to fully eliminate me. You cut the grass but didn’t destroy the roots. Now, it’s my turn to kill you.”

　　The first snow of this winter fell heavily. In less than an hour, the entire city had been covered with white snow. Looking at it, a vast expanse of white could be seen.

　　Lin Xuanzhi stood in the pavilion with two teenagers, one black and one white. The one in white held a black umbrella, while the one in black held a white umbrella. The two had a somewhat similar appearance, but they could be distinguished from temperament alone.

　　“I’ve already investigated a little just now.” Yang Umbrella gently turned the black umbrella in his hands and spoke softly, “The person you spoke of seems to have never experienced reincarnation, and I also can’t see his actual cultivation. It’s just that his Dao attainments must not be low. Who knows if this heavy snow has anything to do with him?”

　　Lin Xuanzhi instructed, “You and Yin Umbrella will continue to keep an eye on him these days. Report to me as soon as there are any abnormalities.”

　　The Yin Umbrella and Yang Umbrella exchanged gazes for a moment, then simultaneously disappeared in front of Lin Xuanzhi’s eyes.

　　Lin Xuanzhi’s mood right now was heavy, complex, and indescribable. His experience today could be said to have already toppled his understanding of the world and even surpassed his wildest imagination. It was hard to accept.

　　He didn’t expect that when seeing Youshan Lingyu appear so solidly in front of him again after ten thousand years, his heart would actually have the urge to escape from this person. This shouldn’t have been the case.

　　He was able to face Yan Tianhen calmly. He thought that he was already able to accept the fact that Yan Tianhen was Youshan Lingyu. He thought he didn’t care about this at all.

　　But why?

　　After Lingyu cultivated evil Qi and became the Demon Emperor, he always had the upper hand against Chang Sheng in terms of cultivation. But even so, Chang Sheng had never felt any fear in his heart, so how could he be afraid?

　　Lin Xuanzhi couldn’t find the reason for this. He seemed to have entered a separate dimension. Everywhere he looked, there seemed to be knots that he couldn’t untangle.

　　Yan Tianhen slipped back in the middle of the night.

　　He first knocked on the window twice and signalled Lin Xuanzhi to verify his identity. Then he carefully deactivated the barrier Lin Xuanzhi placed outside and finally pushed open the window. He flipped over and quietly jumped in. As soon as he jumped in, he was hugged by Lin Xuanzhi.

　　Yan Tianhen wriggled. “Beauty is so enthusiastic, throwing yourself at me in the middle of the night. Why don’t we spend this beautiful night together?”

　　Seeing him blinking and pretending to be seductive, Lin Xuanzhi couldn’t help smiling as he lightly flicked Yan Tianhen’s forehead. “Did your dad make things hard for you?”

　　Yan Tianhen shrugged and sighed. He went to the bedside and layed down on his back. “He didn’t blatantly embarrass me in front of so many people, but my dad seems to be extremely dissatisfied with some matters.”

　　Lin Xuanzhi asked, “What matters? Let’s hear it and see if it can be resolved.”

　　Yan Tianhen sat up and looked at Lin Xuanzhi with burning eyes. He spoke with You Ming’s voice, “Yan Tianhen ah, Yan Tianhen, what do you want me to say? It’s fine that you found a man to be your wife, and finding the Light of Daoism is just your excellent ability. It’s not like we’re not fit for him. But you, little rabbit, was called ‘wife’ instead of ‘husband’, yet you still follow him around with your head raised and with a foolish smile on your face. Tell me, did water enter your brain?”

　　Yan Tianhen spoke so vividly and realistically, and even his expression was the same as You Ming’s. He reconstructed the event perfectly.

　　Seeing this, Lin Xuanzhi raised his slender eyebrows and asked with some surprise, “So, the reason your dad slaughtered his way from the Royal Heavenly Palace to here is because I called you ‘wife’?”

　　“No, not just that.” Yan Tianhen said bitterly, “It’s also because I didn’t refute that address in time.”

　　Lin Xuanzhi, “…”

　　“That bastard King Zhang is to blame for everything.” Yan Tianhen ground his teeth together. “He was actually so bored that he went to our door and asked my dad when he would marry his son off to the orthodox Dao. My dad was deeply humiliated and expressed that he would never marry his son off like a wife in the future.”