By now, Wen Yan actually knows that he's probably already deviated from the direction he took last time.
He guesses that, last time, he probably didn't leave any water ghosts alive, but this time, he made a different choice and let some go.
Just one different decision, and the path could already veer off from last time's direction.
But Wen Yan still thinks, the way he's choosing now is the best—he can't do things with the mindset that if he chooses wrong, he can just start over again.
That's the difference between him and that guy who can rewind— the other guy doesn't have to worry about messing up, doesn't have to care if it goes badly one time.
If it doesn't work once, just try again, then ten times— as long as mistakes can be made and learned from, there'll eventually be a successful attempt.
Just like what Wen Yan's doing now— using the original foundation of the Scorching Sun Fist, and then starting to carve out something new, something that never existed before.
