Liu Changdie’s heart was drowning in bitterness. A sour, painful ache welled up within him as he thought to himself.
Perhaps Meng Zhuoyun died on the journey here… It’s over… All over.
He suddenly felt like he had fallen into a dream. A wave of heat washed over his limbs, and the calm he had maintained so far shattered. He stood there in midair, dazed and spiritless, as his gaze fell. Even when the person beside him called his name, heuld not hear it.
Though his body still moved through the motions of a respectful bow, his heart had already shattered into pieces. When he finally came back to his senses, he had landed in the town below. He took a few steps forward, and raised his head to squint at the plaque above the gate.
It read Hu Mansion.
Unknowingly, he had returned to his home from his previous life. Yet, it no longer bore the name Liu Mansion. Heuld only turn and walk away, his expression blank, as though his soul had been taken away. His spiritual sense trembled as it swept rapidly through the mansion.
Then, he faintly heard a gentle song. He froze, and flickered. An instant later, he landed within the Hu Mansion’surtyard, where a woman was dancing. Clearly, she was a cultivator, as evidenced by the terror that appeared on her face when she felt his spiritual sense appear in theurtyard.
Her features were delicate, with a sorrowful beauty to them. Her body seemed frail, which was a far cry from the proud elegance he remembered from his previous life. Unlike his previous life, in which she had reached the fifth stage of the Embryonic Breathing Realm, her cultivation barely reached the Profound Scenery Realm.
However, the aura of Liu Changdie’s Foundation Establishment Realm was undeniable. The entireurtyard immediately fell to their knees with a rustling sound.
Thencubine of Master Hu, who was addressed as Madam Hu, pressed her head tightly to the ground and respectfully asked, "Senior… may I ask…"
Liu Changdie felt his chest tighten as his breath stuttered. He opened his mouth, butuld only utter a hoarse sound of acknowledgment. His wife was kneeling before him. Behind her, the master of the mansion, Master Hu, belatedly rushed out. He, too, prostrated himself on the ground.
"Qing’er…" Liu Changdie called out her name in a choked voice.
He understood why he had notme looking for her until now. When he had been reborn, he had been overjoyed. So many regrets from his previous life laid bare before him, waiting to berrected. Yet, not once had his wife or daughter crossed his mind.
Now, he understood that from the very moment he was reborn, he had already dismissed Madam Liu as beneath him.
Even though they had shared decades as husband and wife, the moment he had been reborn, all those years had been cast aside like nothing. He had truly believed that he would no longer be that mediocre, opportunistic rogue cultivator of his past life. He would no longer be that useless Liu Changdie!
He would bme a Foundation Establishment Realm cultivator! He might even ascend to the Purple Mansion Realm! He would marry a Fairy of an immortal sect! He would embrace a beauty from a prestigious family!
In the depths of his heart, he had harbored despicable thoughts of discarding everything from his past life. The women he would meet in this life, both in temperament and appearance, would far surpass Madam Liu. They owed nothing to each other as husband and wife, so why should he marry a mere village woman?
So, he had erased those decades from his heart in one breath. He had not thought of her, not even once. Even when something reminded him of her, he would brush it off with a laugh and push it to the back of his mind.
But when he saw Madam Liu’s face pale with shock and fear, he felt like he had been struck over the head by a heavy hammer. Memories of their wedding night, her bashful smile, and the warmth of their family together all flooded back at once. His throat tightened as if something were lodged in it, forcing out an uglyugh.
Liu Changdie had always remembered Madam Liu as plump, and because of this, he had disliked her for a long time. It was only later that she captivated him with her gentle patience and devoted admiration. It was only now that he realized she also had a gaunt, frail, and delicate side to her.
She had only had that spark in her eyes in their past life because she loved him.
Meanwhile, Master Hu’s expression shifted drastically and he muttered in disbelief, "Qing… Qing’er…!?"
Shame flickered across his face for an instant, but it was quickly replaced by a calculating look. After all, Madam Liu was merely ancubine. If heuld gain the favor of a Foundation Establishment Realm cultivator, endless wealth and status would follow!
Master Hu grinned obsequiously and said, "My lord… my lord… this is Yuqing… She is most skilled in singing the gentlest songs…"
Master Hu muttered inwardly, Although she recently suffered a miscarriage and is still somewhat weak…
He did not dare speak his thoughts aloud. But Liu Changdie had scanned everything with his Foundation Establishment Realm spiritual sense. He knew it all, even down to theld-natured medicine that had harmed her.
He watched as Master Hu reached out to push Madam Liu forward. Madam Liu was trembling, her face filled withnfusion and fear, as she stumbled andllapsed before him.
Liu Changdie, a man who had experienced all the cruelties of life, saw everything with piercing clarity. His heart burned with pain.
His eyes stung as he shouted, "Deserved!"
He laughed and cried at the same time as he rose into the sky. A bitter, metallic taste surged in his throat, and he cursed aloud, "I deserve it!"
Liu Changdie fled skyward as though running for his life. He had surviveduntless brushes with death in the Eastern Sea over the years, but never had he flown as fast as he did now. The way Madam Liu looked at him and her wretched state felt like an immortal sword. He knew that if he hesitated for even a moment, that sword would pierce him,ndemning him to eternal torment.
How many years have I lived since my rebirth? All I ever cared about was lining my own pockets. My heart was filled with greed, and I only sought to snatch the fortunes of others. How many heroes and fateful bonds have I ruined along the way? Forget preventing the devil plague’s downpour. Have I ever saved a single person?
I should have had selfntrol, but I was nothing more than awardly, vulgar mortal. Still, even though I was given another chance at life, I squandereduntless spirit items… and destroyed even more future heroes’ opportunities. How many young talents whould have risen were lost during the devil plague? How manymmon people suffered as a result?
At this moment, Liu Changdie finally understood. His entire rebirth had been nothing but a pathetic farce. He was a mediocre man occupying a position meant for greatness, causing those truly worthy to lament their lost fates. He was no hero. He was short-sighted. Even if he lived through multiple lifetimes, he would always be the same.
He had harmed his wife, his daughter, his brothers, and his elders. He only needed to look at his wife’s fate in this life. Without his help, and amidst the decline of the Li Family, she had fallen to such a miserable state.
Married as ancubine… persecuted, lost her child… That charming woman from my previous life… was reduced to a withered husk.
Female cultivators of the Li Family would rarely bmencubines. Usually, the same would apply to the Liu Family, but it was clear they had suffered a major defeat in an internal struggle. That was the only way a mere branch member like Qing'er would have fallen into such a pitiful state.
Although Liu Changdie had not lived within the Li Family, he knew their internal affairs well. Bitterness flooded his heart as he recalled her slightly plump face and how she had smiled gently at him. The gentle happiness on her face was now shattered by the terrified expression he had just seen.
His throat tightened as he choked out, "What use is this cultivation?!"
Liu Changdieuld have chosen to look away. He owed her nothing. This Madam Liu was not the Madam Liu from his previous life. He had always prided himself on being selfish and self-serving, but… he still had a shred ofnscience.
Qing’er… Yuanjiao… Chenghui… Little Girl…
Under the deep night sky, that last shred ofnscience reduced this proud Foundation Establishment Realm cultivator to a man whose legs trembled.
He stood in the sky for a moment, and then plummeted into the lake below like a bird with broken wings.