After transmigrating into the body of the protagonist's childhood friend, he was targeted by a

Lin Zhixu's fingers clenched tightly inside his sleeve.

"But I just don't believe it." Luo Yiyan took a step forward, the two of them now separated only by a candlelight. "Lin Zhixu, you're not that kind of person. Tell me, is there some reason you're having this trouble?"

Lin Zhixu raised his head, the candlelight flickering in his eyes, the dim light shattering his expression.

他 说:

"...No, there's no reason why. I'm just this kind of person. It's been your wishful thinking and delusions from beginning to end."

These words were like a knife, precisely piercing Luo Yiyan's heart.

Indeed, only those who know you best know what words are most hurtful.

Luo Yiyan, who had been holding back her tears, could no longer hold them in.

"You..." The voice struggled to escape his throat, trembling and choked with sobs, "You're lying... I don't believe you..."

Tears streamed down his face, and he tried to wipe them away, but they only flowed more.

He didn't believe it.

He refused to believe it, even in death.

If he truly had no ulterior motives, if he was just deluding himself, then what did all these years amount to?

Hearing the crying, two men who had been eavesdropping burst through the door.

Yan Lingcang strode in, pulled Luo Yiyan into his arms, and held her protectively, while looking at Lin Zhixu with hostility.

"You spoke too harshly! Apologize to him!"

Yu Linzhou followed closely behind, stepping in and blocking Lin Yixu's path without a word, glaring back defiantly.

"Yan Lingcang, why are you yelling at my disciple?"

"Then ask your apprentice what he said first."

"What my apprentice says is none of your business!"

"He messed with my apprentice, so do you think it's my place to interfere?"

Luo Yiyan was held in Yan Lingcang's arms, still shedding tears, but her mind was already a little dazed.

Lin Zhixu stood behind Yu Linzhou, looking at the chaotic scene, and raised his hand to his forehead.

How did things turn out this way?

He finally steeled himself and finished saying those words; only the final step remained.

I wonder how long those two people had been listening outside?

If you're going to listen, why can't you listen to the whole thing before you come in?

"...Could you guys please stop causing trouble?"

Luo Yiyan broke free from Yan Lingcang's embrace, wiped away her tears, and glared at him with red eyes: "What are you doing in here? This is between him and me, it has nothing to do with you."

Yan Lingcang frowned, his face darkening. "It has nothing to do with me? He bullied you like this. He even caused you to be swallowed by a demonic beast. If I hadn't arrived in time, you would have been reduced to a pool of blood. And you call that nothing to do with me?"

Luo Yiyan's imposing manner immediately diminished: "...I'm handling it right now!"

"Your way of handling this is to ask him why, and then cry after being bullied?"

Luo Yiyan: "..."

Lin Zhixu stood behind Yu Linzhou, his temples throbbing.

Unable to bear it any longer, he said, "If you want to argue, can't you go outside?"

Yu Linzhou immediately straightened his back and confidently echoed, "Exactly!"

Lin Zhixu turned to look at him expressionlessly: "You go out too."

Yu Linzhou immediately deflated.

A moment of silence fell over the room. The atmosphere among the four was tense; none of them wanted to be the first to leave, as if whoever made the first move would lose.

Lin Zhixu took a deep breath, as if giving up, and raised his hand to rub his temples.

"Never mind." He put his hand down, walked past Yu Linzhou, and headed straight for the door. "You can stay if you want, I'm going out."

Ignoring them, Lin Zhixu pushed open the door and left this place of trouble.

After leaving the house, I wandered aimlessly along the streets and alleys for a while.

The night breeze carried the smells of cooking from street stalls and the occasional sounds of laughter.

He suddenly felt it was a bit noisy, looked up and saw a teahouse on the street corner with its lanterns still lit, so he went inside.

He requested a private room on the second floor. The window faced a small stage set up in the teahouse lobby, where a table, a gavel, and a folding fan were placed, and a storyteller was talking eloquently.

Lin Zhixu leaned against the window, holding a teacup, his gaze unfocused as he stared at the storyteller downstairs, who was talking animatedly.

Coincidentally, they were talking about the upcoming sect conference.

The news spread really fast.

"...The moment the disciple of the Immortal Venerable Wucang made his move, it was a dazzling display of golden light, unstoppable!" The storyteller slammed his gavel on the table, his voice booming.

"It is said that this Immortal Master Luo Yiyan is exceptionally talented, possessing a top-grade golden spiritual root that is rare even in a thousand years! He has only been a disciple of Immortal Venerable Wucang for two short years, and now he is only one step away from the Golden Core stage! This talent surpasses even that of the two Immortal Venerables!"

The tea drinkers were in an uproar, marveling at the sight.

Someone shouted, "Didn't they say that Immortal Venerable Fengheng also took on a disciple? How come we've never heard any news about it outside?"

The storyteller smiled and said, "That's a good question, sir! Let me tell you the story!"

"It is said that Immortal Venerable Feng Heng also wanted to take Luo Yiyan as his disciple back then, but unfortunately, Immortal Master Luo had someone else in mind and rejected the invitations of several powerful figures in succession."

"What kind of person is Immortal Venerable Fengheng? He tried every method of coercion and enticement, but he couldn't move Immortal Master Luo in the slightest! Later, Immortal Venerable Wucang personally stepped in, which led to this wonderful story of master and disciple."

"It is said that the disciples of Immortal Venerable Wu Cang and Immortal Venerable Feng Heng grew up together and have a close relationship, but their talents are worlds apart."

"One has a top-grade gold spiritual root, while the other only has an ordinary spiritual root. It would be difficult for them to even become an outer disciple in a sect."

"Master Luo is a man of great loyalty and affection. He couldn't bear to part with his brother who had grown up with him since childhood, so he went to ask Immortal Venerable Wucang for help. Immortal Venerable Wucang, out of love for the man, was about to agree when Immortal Venerable Fengheng intercepted the request."

The storyteller unfolded his folding fan and said jokingly, "As you all know, Feng Heng Immortal Venerable and Wu Cang Immortal Venerable have never gotten along. Since Wu Cang Immortal Venerable has already taken on a disciple, how could Feng Heng Immortal Venerable be willing to be at a disadvantage? I don't know if it was just a moment of spite, but he took the person in as well. That's how he got this disciple now."

A collective sigh rippled through the audience, who felt that Feng Heng Immortal Venerable's disciple had struck it lucky.

Someone else raised their voice and asked, "But didn't the two twin stars of the Tianheng Sect win this sect competition together? Why do you only praise Immortal Master Luo, while treating Immortal Venerable Feng Heng's disciple as nothing?"

The storyteller looked alarmed and quickly waved his hand, "Sir, you can't say such things! Although Feng Heng Immortal Venerable's disciple has mediocre talent, he is diligent. It is said that he reached the Foundation Establishment stage in just two years. Among ordinary disciples, he is a rare talent."

"However, with other disciples of the Immortal Venerable standing before her, this one naturally... pales in comparison."

The tea drinkers started discussing it again.

Lin Zhixu remained calm as he listened to outsiders comparing him to Luo Yiyan, without much of a ripple in his expression.

The system comforted him: "After all, he's the protagonist."

Lin Zhixu remained noncommittal, silently replying in his mind: "Yes, I know."

The system was silent for a moment, as if it wanted to say something, when it suddenly detected the abnormal fluctuations in the spiritual energy around him.

A faint wisp of black energy had somehow appeared on Lin Zhixu's wrist, which was hanging in his sleeve, and it was slowly spreading upwards along his wrist bone.