"You can't even remember the sword forms properly. How is this supposed to work?"
"This so-called formless sword style is indeed about pursuing intangibility, focusing on the intent behind every strike rather than fixed moves."
"But you don't even know the original forms. You have zero understanding. How are you supposed to pursue formlessness?"
Leon told her to save her breath, "Isn't that just ridiculous?"
"Then why is it so easy for you?!"
Hearing these words, March 7th subconsciously— "Because if it's me, I can do it."
To be honest, Leon didn't really understand March 7th's current situation either.
Putting everything else aside, she was a child of 'Remembrance'.
"I just demonstrated it for you," he said, "and taught you the essentials."
Given the weight of the word 'Remembrance,' shouldn't practicing swordsmanship be a piece of cake?
"Isn't it because you didn't remember that we're starting over from scratch now?"
If you're called 'Remembrance,' shouldn't remembering things be as simple as eating and drinking?
But judging from March 7th's performance, he was clearly overthinking it.
If he was the type who could do the impossible, then she was the type who couldn't do the impossible.
She showed no talent related to it whatsoever.
Could it be that she really wasn't a martial arts prodigy?
"But if you want, you can rest for today."
Leon suggested, "Make a wish in your heart, clear your mind, and maybe when you wake up, you'll have learned it on your own."
"For real?" March 7th asked suspiciously.
Just because she didn't show the corresponding talent didn't mean Evernight didn't have it.
Let me show you what a real power-up looks like!
"If you don't believe me, you can go back, lie down, and go to sleep. I'm sure you'll have an epiphany in no time."
March 7th nodded, half-understanding.
Then she glanced at his leg before walking back into the house.
It seemed she intended to personally verify the truth of his words.
One minute, two minutes, three minutes.
Just after the three-minute mark, the tightly shut door of the house opened once again.
A March 7th who looked no different from before walked out.
The only difference was that her tri-colored pupils had been completely replaced by a shade of scarlet.
Although Leon had expected it, he didn't think it would be this effective.
Does this mean any wish March 7th makes is guaranteed to come true?
As the old saying goes, what you love is what you live for!
Evernight had no life of her own.
So the March 7th she loved naturally became her life.
"Isn't this exactly what you wanted?"
Evernight's lifeless, lightless eyes stared coldly at him. "Is it what I wanted?"
Leon wasn't taking the blame for this. "Isn't this what March wanted?"
In a sense, Evernight could be considered March 7th's own talent, as they shared one body.
So what's the point of having a talent if you don't use it? Why choose the hard way?
Evernight snorted lightly and didn't respond.
Or rather, she tacitly admitted that she had indeed emerged because March 7th needed her.
"You're not worried she'll actually win if you let me take over?"
Letting Evernight participate was pure overkill. With her abilities, it would be strange if she didn't win the Martial Decree Ceremony.
"Whoa, so you really have been—spying on us this whole time!"
But Leon's focus was on something different from her concern.
She knew that March 7th was going to participate in the Martial Decree Ceremony.
Which meant she had been secretly observing their conversations from start to finish.
Leon could feel that she really wanted to say her three favorite words right now.
It was just that she hadn't yet reached his level of enlightened detachment.
So the words "So what?" remained stuck in her throat.
"Relax, I'm not asking you to fight for March, just to practice the sword."
Seeing she had no intention of answering, Leon brought the conversation back to the previous topic.
"The one who has comprehended leads the one who has not."
There was no way Leon would let Evernight participate in the Martial Decree Ceremony.
Besides, given her personality, she wouldn't do something so ostentatious herself.
"You commit the essentials of the sword style to memory for her, and then just let her figure it out on her own."
Each to their own task, for greater efficiency.
"This will save a lot of effort."
When a person hammers something into muscle memory, they can do it even if they don't consciously know how.
"You don't want to see March get discouraged because she can't master the sword, do you?"
Once it becomes muscle memory, a person will subconsciously start to understand the meaning behind the action.
It's just that most people can only understand first, and only after understanding can they gradually develop muscle memory.
But March 7th was different. She had a substitute!
Just like the Xianzhou Arbiter-Generals' 'Divine Provisions'.
Once inherited, the experiences of their predecessors naturally become their own.
Evernight gave him a deep look and said nothing more.
She weighed the dual swords in her hands, and after adapting to them, she challenged him for a lesson.
"I had a new outfit prepared for you. Let's have a bit of ceremony."
Leon looked at her and said, "March 7th is March 7th, and Evernight is Evernight."
"She is her, you are you. Even if you share a body, you shouldn't be treated as one and the same."
In Leon's eyes, they were two different individuals.
"I didn't realize you were so thoughtful."
Evernight wasn't surprised by this.
His every move was seen by March 7th, and thus, by her as well.
When he had previously acquired an extra set of clothes,
Evernight had faintly guessed it was for her.
"That just means there's still a gap in our strength."
Now we know who's the strongest, eh?
"You can't comprehend my simple way of thinking."
What he likes, he likes. Leon was never wishy-washy.
He truly favored Evernight, because not only was she strong, she was a massive power-up.
And anyone who possessed both qualities always received preferential treatment from him.
Evernight looked at him, stared for a long while, and finally said: "Thank you."
Her voice was very soft, yet every word landed perfectly in his ears.
This world is vast, vast enough to contain the clashes of Aeons.
But no matter how vast, this world did not belong to her.
March 7th was her entire world.
She was a 'person' who existed only by relying on March 7th, she was her shadow.
No one cares what a shadow's name is, and no one cares about a shadow's life.
Let alone preparing something specifically for a shadow.
But Evernight didn't care. As long as March 7th was well, that was all that mattered.
She never thought about separating from her; that was nonsense.
She was indeed a shadow, so as long as the original was safe and sound, it was fine.
Evernight met his gaze, thinking this.
If nothing unexpected happened...
He would probably be the first person to forcibly break in and expand the shadow's world, and also the last person who could remain in the shadow's heart.
Just as he had done for March 7th, he was also unconsciously enriching Evernight's world.
Evernight accepted his kindness, and at the same time, politely declined it.
"Changing clothes is too much trouble."
Evernight told him to just teach her his swordsmanship and not to worry about much else.
Leon didn't insist. He took down his bow, using it as a substitute for a sword.
"I have condensed these twenty-one sword forms into thirteen."
He once asked the Buddha, was he fated to be with Lan?
"First Sword: Endless Longing of Heart and Mind, Boundless Thoughts Unceasing, Longing!"
The Buddha said he had no fate with Lan.
The Buddha said, then you must wait a thousand years. For these 1000 years, you will know of Lan, but Lan will not know of you. Are you willing to wait?
He answered, Emanator of The Hunt, national server, requesting to engage!
"Tenth Sword: For the World's Cruel Hatreds, for the Night's Fleeting Cries, for Souls Unblaming of Fate's Decree, the Long Sword Weeps for Kings, Vengeance!"
Leon's sword moves flowed like water. Nine forms passed in a flash.
"Thirteenth Sword: After Long Nights of Bitter Contemplation, for the Sole Purpose of Saving All Creation, The Hunt!"
As the last two words left his lips, a murderous aura filled the Yaoqing!
If Leon hadn't withdrawn his sword in time, Yueyu would probably have come looking for him the very next second.
The corner of Evernight's mouth twitched.
Although he was demonstrating seriously, for some reason it was hard to keep a straight face.
"How about we switch back to the original twenty-one forms."
But he never liked flashy techniques, preferring raw power over flair.
Which resulted in the sword he demonstrated being...
Well, to put it nicely, it was the final stage of not pursuing fixed forms. To put it bluntly, it was random-ass slashing.
If she practiced seriously, Evernight could certainly reach his level.
But that would be meaningless for March 7th.
She erases her memories every time she finishes possessing her.
Things related to comprehension, even if she learned them, March 7th wouldn't.
It was better to stick to fixed sword forms.
The swordplay Qin Suyi demonstrated was elegant and beautiful, clearly more suitable for a pretty girl like her March.
It maxed out both practicality and aesthetics.
Unlike Leon, who specialized. His swordplay was all about the numbers.
That face you make when you hate weird outfits, then learn they give you a tenfold attack boost.jpg
Just as Herta had commented: a crude martial artist.
Leon just assumed his philosophy of 'the great path is simple' was too profound for her to understand.
"Then this is the first sword, Waning Moon."
Leon couldn't be bothered to grab his bow again, so he began a pantomime performance for her.
He spun, the imaginary blade rising to strike at the throat!
Evernight copied his movements, perfectly replicating them one-to-one right after him!
With a swish as the blade cut through the air!
Under the sharp sword move, the peach blossoms in the courtyard fell like rain.
They fluttered down, covering March 7th's clothes.
A click and a flash of light. Leon held the camera, a product of their joint effort, and recorded the moment a neighborhood girl came of age.
"Oh, how did I actually learn it after waking up?"
March 7th scratched her head, completely baffled.
Leon didn't say anything, just looked through the photos.
The first was of March 7th swinging a sword, and the second was also of March 7th swinging a sword.
Apart from the difference in eye color,
they looked identical, but their auras were completely different.
"The camera cannot capture my trace."
His words when he tried to photograph Evernight were still vivid in his mind.
So why couldn't it? Because the powers of 'Remembrance' and 'Enigmata' were at work.
What to do when they're at work?
Simple, counterattack with an even stronger power!
Heh heh heh, there's nothing in this world he can't do.
Evernight knew there was nothing she could do when he used the causality of his divine power from 'The Hunt' for this.
'Enigmata' could certainly conceal causality.
But she couldn't really fight Leon to the bitter end, could she?
Liking someone is meeting your match; loving someone is gracefully admitting defeat.
"Did Leon do this?" March 7th asked curiously.
Leon shook his head and handed the camera back to her.
March 7th pointed at herself, a little incredulous.
Eh, so I really am a martial arts genius?
"Let's go, since your swordsmanship is complete."
"Let's go find Feixiao and register. See if you can win me back an Arbiter-General."
Leon stepped forward as he spoke.
"Does Leon really want the position of Arbiter-General that much?"
March 7th sheathed her twin swords at her waist and hurried to catch up.
These Divine Provisions and what not, strictly speaking,
Leon actually had them all. He could use them whenever he wanted.
Because these mighty spirits are all manifestations of the Path of 'The Hunt'.
No one understands 'The Hunt' better (drawn out) than him!
His practice on the Path of The Hunt is second to none. As the most serious practitioner of The Hunt, his target has always been the Aeons!
Emanators are no longer enough for him. He's here to suppress all enemies in the world!
"It's just that since we've already decided to compete, what's the point if you're not aiming for first place?"
March 7th nodded with an "Oh, oh," expression, as if she could understand.
Then she obediently followed behind him, flipping through the camera along the way.
Upon seeing the photo of "herself," March 7th felt it was strange.
The person in the photo was her, that's right.
But that indifferent expression, those scarlet eyes, it didn't look like her at all.
March 7th scratched her head, feeling a bit puzzled.
She had a feeling she'd seen this other self not long ago, but she couldn't say for sure if she had or hadn't.
March 7th thought about it but couldn't figure it out.
In the end, she followed her base logic of 'when in doubt, ask Leon' and went up to him with the camera.
Leon glanced at it and casually replied, "Is that photo not you?"
Hearing his answer, March 7th's next question was tinged with uncertainty.
Leon didn't want to tease her anymore, or else he'd have to buy her melon seeds later.
March 7th subconsciously looked at the photo and asked, puzzled, "Why does she look exactly like me?"
"Have you ever heard of the Sea-snail Maiden?"
March 7th shook her head like a rattle-drum.
"You know about the Heliobus, right?"
She couldn't possibly not know about the thing that was always following him around.
"Once upon a time, a fisherman found a sea snail. Inside it was something like a Heliobus. To repay his kindness, it would secretly cook meals for him every day while he was away."
Leon thought he was a genius for finding such a useful story in his little essays.
My god, this is basically Evernight and March 7th!
Hearing his words, March 7th looked down at the camera in her hands and spoke uncertainly.
Leon confirmed it was exactly what she was thinking.
"The camera in your hands is one of them. The moment you bought it, it bonded with you as its host."
He wore an expression that said, 'Hold it, can't laugh yet. I'll declare victory in forty seconds.'
"Whenever you encounter a problem you can't solve, she will emerge at the right time, borrowing your body to help you solve it."
"You can call her, Zhao Xiangji."
March 7th replied with partial understanding, taking it as the truth.
But Leon wasn't really lying to her. I mean, did it fit or did it not?!
"Then thank you, Miss Zhao Xiangji."
March 7th said seriously to the camera.
She felt what Leon said made sense. How else could she explain the rapid progress of her sword practice?
She was clearly clueless about it before.
Damn, I woke up and became a martial arts master!
And Leon, using his bow as a sword, thought: Who says a long-range fighter can't be a martial arts master?
Time flew by, and the Martial Decree Ceremony arrived as scheduled.
The new generation showed their skills, all for a chance to realize their grand ambitions.
But the only one who could truly realize those ambitions was the victor who earned the title of Martial Champion!
Feixiao, as expected, won her way to the finals, and March 7th also lived up to expectations, fighting her way through the fierce competition.
Today was the final battle, deciding who would become the next successor of the Yaoqing.
Yueyu thought about it and changed the format for this round.
Instead of having March 7th and Feixiao fight to a conclusion, she had them team up to face Qin Suyi.
In the end, she would judge who contributed the most and declare them the winner.
Simply put, it was a damage check.
Within the time limit, whoever had the higher total damage and DPS would be the final victor.
Conversely, the one with lower numbers would be a carried dog. If they were tied, there would be an extra match.
As a firm believer in raw DPS, Leon was disappointed.
It was a shame he couldn't personally participate in a competition that required checking the meters to determine a winner.
"Win or lose, just don't get hurt."
Leon sighed inwardly and said to March 7th.
But when she saw he had nothing more to say and noticed he wasn't planning to go with her to the arena as usual, she became a little confused.
"Isn't Leon coming to watch today? Are you busy with something?"
"Something like that. I'll definitely go."
Leon nodded, saying he'd be there in a bit.
"I already promised someone. How could I not go?"
Feixiao had specifically asked him to watch the finals.
He wasn't one to break promises. Since he agreed, how could he not go?
"But before that, there's something I have to do."
It was time to reel in the net he had cast.
Those idiot Borisin, his gut told him,
they would probably choose today to make their move, to rescue their Warlord.
Perfect. If Leon remembered correctly,
Jing Yuan seemed to have mentioned that a potential cure for the Foxian curse 'Lunar Madness' might be found on this very Warlord imprisoned in the gaol.
He'd bring it to Feixiao along the way, as a small gift to celebrate her ascension.
Leon felt there was no mystery that couldn't be solved by dismemberment.
If there was, it meant you hadn't chopped finely enough.
He didn't care what you were hiding; peel back the skin and flesh, and everything would be revealed without asking.
He would never show any mercy to the Denizens of Abundance.
Do the Denizens of Abundance deserve to die? Leon can tell you unequivocally.
They absolutely deserve it. For them not to die would be an offense against heaven's law.
Ever since he first arrived in this world, when this group of Abundance followers eagerly tried to take his life,
the feud between them was truly sealed.
"Remember to tell Feixiao too that I'll be there soon. Don't let it end too early."
A bunch of Borisin mutts, they could only act arrogant for a little while when he wasn't around.
He'll kick every last one of them to death!
"Okay." March 7th accepted the mission.
After saying their goodbyes, the two parted ways.
She walked towards the Yaoqing's Martial Decree Ceremony arena, while he headed towards the Luofu's Shackling Prison.
Today, the guards here were unusually sparse.
Because Leon had given the order to let the Borisin cause a ruckus.
When they thought victory was in their grasp, he would swoop in and wipe them all out in one go.
"General Leon, it's been a while. Has your stay on the Yaoqing been comfortable?"
The moment he set foot on the Luofu, Jing Yuan's communication came through as if it had been planned all along.
"It's been fine. Have you found out what those Dragon Masters were planning?"
Leon still didn't know what those Vidyadhara from the Scalegorge Waterscape were up to, teaming up with the Borisin.
"I have. It all boils down to power and profit. The Vidyadhara wanted to use Feixiao's special ability to implement their 'Foxian Vidyadharization' plan."
"Those who aided the plan are to be executed without mercy."
"Those suspected of involvement are to be exiled to the Shackling Prison for eight hundred years of bitter reflection. They will not be permitted to undergo moulting and rebirth unless their natural lifespan is at its end."
Jing Yuan answered cautiously, afraid he might be dissatisfied with something.
Given how precious and semi-extinct the Vidyadhara were, for the Alliance to personally execute so many at once...
they had given him more than enough face.
Or rather, no comment was an answer in itself.
"You need something from me this time, don't you?"
After the pleasantries, Leon got straight to the point.
He would handle the Borisin issue this time; he had told the Xianzhou Alliance that long ago.
He didn't think Jing Yuan would be idle enough to call him just to provide some intel or ask if he needed help.
"Truly, nothing can be hidden from General Leon."
Seeing that he didn't comment on the fate of the Dragon Masters, Jing Yuan breathed a sigh of relief.
It seemed he was satisfied with the severity of the punishment.
"To be perfectly honest, Jing Yuan has a proposal regarding this Vidyadhara incident that I would like to boldly ask you to hear."
"Go ahead and say it." Leon indicated he was listening.
"The reason the Vidyadhara were willing to start this rebellion ultimately comes down to one thing."
"That is the absence of the 'High Elder's inheritance,' which has caused their sense of insecurity to grow ever heavier."
The Master Diviner General, who always presented a lazy demeanor, had never shown such seriousness.
"After this incident, the morale of the Vidyadhara will surely sink even lower."
"Extremes lead to reversals. They might do something even more out of line. It would be better to offer a sweet treat after hitting them with a stick."
Jing Yuan said with considerable gravity.
"As General Leon has said, the Dragon-Maiden-Who-Bears-The-Mora is indeed a bit young. Her life should be free and unrestrained, she shouldn't have to bear such a heavy burden so early."
"But the Vidyadhara need a leader. Even with the Ambrosial Arbor now completely subdued, they urgently need a leader who can command respect to stand up and lead them."
"Otherwise, the situation will only get worse."
"Given our relationship, you can just be direct."
Leon implied they were buddies.
"The previous Vidyadhara High Elder, 'Dan Feng,' is imprisoned in the Shackling Prison. This is a chance for him to atone for his crimes. I ask that General Leon visit my old friend on my behalf."
Jing Yuan laid his cards on the table.
Since becoming the General of the Luofu, this request was the first time he had ever allowed himself such an indulgence.
He knew everything, yet he did it all.
He was the General first, and Jing Yuan second.
Precisely because he was the General of the Luofu, he knew full well the price of doing so.
He had no choice... he had no choice.
He didn't have the power to get his former friend out.
All these years, he had only been able to lobby for a chance of exile for him.
Unfortunately, those Dragon Masters frequently submitted petitions in protest, and the matter had seen no substantial progress to this day.
"What was his crime?" Leon asked.
"He committed the Ten Unpardonable Sins. In the past, he presumptuously used the 'Draconic Transformation,' creating an abomination dragon that brought great casualties and losses to the Luofu."
"By the judgment of the Ten-Lords Commission, in consideration of his past merits, he was sentenced to moulting and rebirth, and to be eternally suppressed in the Shackling Prison, never to see the light of day."
The Cloud-Quintet, five renowned legends of the Xianzhou.
Sadly, they were now shattered.
The swordmaster, struck by Mara, became a fugitive of unknown whereabouts; the artisan became an abomination, his location unknown; the pilot sacrificed herself heroically in the great battle against the Borisin; the High Elder was reborn, with no memory of his past.
Only he remained, stuck in the past.
"If he has the awareness to bear the sins of his past life, then fine."
"If not, then forget it. I have no intention of arbitrarily changing the Alliance's decisions."
He had his own bottom line. If Dan Feng was aware of his sins, he could help get him out. But if not, then he'd be lucky if Leon didn't go in and kick him a few times.
The thing he hated most about the Vidyadhara was this:
"Moulting and rebirth, the sins of a past life are wiped clean."
What a joke. Of course you can turn over a new leaf and start a new life.
But you skip the process of reform, just change your appearance and expect to get away with it?
'The Hunt' is all about vengeance.
If you arbitrarily let go of the hatred brought about by the karma of your past self, then what kind of 'Hunt' follower are you?
Jing Yuan understood his meaning and didn't say more.
This was the absolute limit of his indulgence.
He did not have the authority to get someone out of the Shackling Prison, but Leon, as the direct disciple of the Reignbow Arbiter, did.
Leon was the only person who could do this right now; no one would dare to object to his decisions.
You couldn't even find a second person in the entire Xianzhou Alliance.
The Marshal, like himself, had responsibilities. Leon did not.
The prerequisite for his actions was always his willingness, which meant many things that couldn't be done...
became possible through Leon, the sole breakthrough.
Jing Yuan knew full well that getting a chance was already a blessing, so he naturally didn't have the face to ask for more.
He had done all he could, even swallowed his pride.
Whether he could reunite with his old friend, and even work alongside him again...
depended entirely on whether his old friend could seize this opportunity.
The Martial Decree Ceremony arena.
The spectator stands were packed, a testament to the immense popularity of the Arbiter-General succession.
Feixiao scanned the entire area, as if searching for someone in the crowd.
After a fruitless search, she looked up.
She looked towards the VIP seats where Yueyu was, but the person she wanted to see still wasn't there.
Light yet steady footsteps came from behind.
Today's other contestant, a budding genius swordswoman, gradually walked into the arena.
Feixiao's fox ears drooped slightly. She hoped to get an acceptable answer from her.
"He'll be here in a bit. He told us not to finish too early."
March 7th remembered something and added with a serious face: "Leon doesn't break his promises!"
Feixiao's drooping fox ears perked up again.
That's right, he wasn't the type to break a promise.
Don't overthink it. At times like this, just believe in him, as he said!
After convincing herself, Feixiao took a deep breath.
She turned her gaze to today's opponent, the number one swordmaster of the Yaoqing under Yueyu.
"Yueyu's disciple is truly outstanding."
Before the fight began, Qin Suyi praised the two who had overcome all obstacles to get here.
"You have not failed your master's expectations. You have truly made it this far. That is very good."
After evaluating Feixiao, Qin Suyi shifted her gaze to the person beside her: "March 7th, I believe that's your name, right?"
"How should I put this... should I say it's expected of someone from the same line as General Leon?"
"I could still somewhat accept General Leon."
If you include Feixiao, a once-in-a-century genius, this era had produced a full three of them.
"But you, I never would have expected."
Although not like Leon, who reached the pinnacle in an instant.
"Honestly, your progress in swordsmanship has far exceeded my imagination."
But in less than a week, she had mastered the entry-level 'Taixu' to the third stage of Form and Intent.
She could only be described as a heaven-sent talent.
"The heroes of this world are truly like carps crossing a river."
After a moment of感慨, Qin Suyi smiled and took the Xuanyuan Sword from her back.
An imposing aura radiated from Qin Suyi.
"Let's see if you two have what it takes to take the burden of the Yaoqing from my hands."
A clear sword hum resonated from the Xuanyuan.
"Who do you think will win between us?"
Feixiao didn't back down an inch, asking March 7th.
March 7th stated with certainty, "Leon said I'm a super-sized cup, and you're just a large cup."
Because Leon once said, a super-sized cup is above a large cup!
Cup sizes. Feixiao knew this was his favorite thing.
She came here to raise her cup size!
"I will definitely catch up to him."
Feixiao said confidently, her tone unwavering.
"I am the final super-sized cup, none of you are!"
The position of Arbiter-General was the first step she had to take. If she fell at the very beginning...
then she wouldn't be qualified to stand by his side!
Feixiao stared intently at Qin Suyi.
She must first overcome the great mountain before her!
Leon saw quite a few Cloud Knights patrolling with precision.
They seemed to know the layout perfectly, and knew exactly where to find what they were looking for.
The Alliance had already issued an order to clear the area, so it was obvious who these people were.
Leon ignored them and began to search for the High Elder Jing Yuan had entrusted him with.
He wanted to, before the very eyes of these Borisin,
stomp their hope, that Warlord of theirs, to death.
It hasn't been forty seconds yet. Must not laugh.
"Those Cloud Knights are not right."
A weak male voice sounded out of thin air by his ear.
Leon gave no response, simply following his intuition to the source of the voice.
He arrived before a tightly sealed stone door.
In the silence, he could even clearly hear the sound of rushing water, as if a god who controlled water was suppressed here.
If he wasn't mistaken, the person he was looking for was behind this door.
The Vidyadhara High Elder, Dan Feng.
"The Borisin in the prison have been more restless than usual lately. I fear great trouble is brewing. Please report this to the judges immediately, so they can take precautions."
"Are you Dan Feng?" Leon asked the stone door.
The other side of the stone door was silent.
After a moment, a reply came from behind the door.
The name 'Dan Heng' was spoken awkwardly, as if he rarely said his own name to others.
Leon already found 'Imbibitor Lunae' familiar, and with the prefix 'Dan Heng,' he recognized him immediately.
Triple-A technique and a top-tier Eidolon 2, one of the power-ups Leon had once relied on.
"What is Dan Feng to you?" Leon asked again.
If he said it had nothing to do with him, then on account of his power level,
he would give him another chance.
If the second time still didn't meet his bottom line, Leon would turn and leave.
Dan Heng paused, seemingly unsure how to answer this question.
Dan Feng's memories often submerged his own.
Dan Heng couldn't deny the fact that this man was inextricably linked to him.
Leon nodded. "Then, as 'Dan Feng,' you did many wrong things."
"Now, though you have changed your name and appearance, you still cannot escape Dan Feng's past."
"I will certainly allow you to be reborn as Dan Heng."
Leon's voice was calm. "But before that."
"I have only one question for you. Tell me—the hatred of your past life, are you willing to bear it?"
He could sever anything, except the hatred belonging to his past self.
That was his 'karma.' He had to bear it.
Behind the door, Dan Heng, bound by special iron chains, heard this and lowered his eyes, having no answer in his heart.
Leon would see if he knew the answer to this one.
The sound of chains clashing came from behind the door. Dan Heng lowered his head and questioned himself.
Did he want to get out? He probably did...
But where would he go after getting out?
A person with no home, no friends, no place to belong. Even if he left this prison, what would change?
If he didn't even know the answer to this, Leon could be more lenient with him.
"Then do you hold any hatred for the Alliance?"
"I'm not sure..." Dan Heng replied vaguely.
As someone who had been imprisoned without reason since birth, or since he gained consciousness,
should he hold a grudge against the Xianzhou Alliance?
Dan Heng didn't seem to have ever developed such an emotion.
It was more of a groundless sense of indebtedness, probably due to those memories of Dan Feng.
"Because of the sins your past self committed."
Leon no longer gave him the power to give vague answers.
"Many innocent people were forced to take on responsibilities that shouldn't have been theirs just to clean up your mess."
Instead, he forced him to choose an option.
"If I said that as long as you are willing to bear the responsibilities of the past as Dan Heng, they can be set free, how would you choose?"
"Don't you think it's cunning to just cast aside all hatred after being reborn?"
"You can say you're not him, that you're an independent person."
"But I hope you don't forget one thing. You exist because of Dan Feng's shell. Is it really right to disregard the original owner's lingering attachments?"
Leon looked at the stone door as if seeing the person inside.
"The prerequisite for you to find peace is that you have resolved everything."
Dan Heng opened his mouth, his face showing hesitation.
He could run for a while, but could he run forever?
Thinking of this, he gritted his teeth: "...I am willing."
He could run for a time, but not for a lifetime. Those things would eventually find him.
In that case, it was better to face them head-on and resolve all the messes Dan Feng left behind as Dan Heng.
Once everything was done, the two would naturally be separated.
He would no longer be anyone's shadow!
Getting his answer, Leon didn't hesitate.
He swung his hand sharply to the right at the stone door!
The next moment, the stone door suddenly cracked, silently sliced apart by a diagonal slash!
The scene outside was revealed to Dan Heng, along with the young man's face.
Since his birth, his eyes had only seen a lightless dungeon.
Unrelated sins bound him here, unrelated memories submerged him.
He struggled, breathing with all his might,
trying to grasp a trace of light in a boundless ocean.
Until an Arbiter-General entered this sunless prison.
What he saw, brighter than the sun, was the young man's gaze.
Leon stepped forward, into the cell.
Then, in a few swift moves, he freed the High Elder from the dragon-binding chains,
Dan Heng staggered to his feet and asked, looking at him.
This was the first name Dan Heng had committed to memory since his birth.
Leon waved his hand. "If you want to thank someone, thank the old friend who's been running around for you."
"The one who has still been thinking of you for hundreds of years."
Leon felt Jing Yuan had been more than loyal, cleaning up his former comrade's messes so many times.
"Even though you might not even recognize him anymore."
This was another point Leon disliked about the Vidyadhara.
Whether it was love or hate, whatever it was, other people's feelings for you were real.
Someone goes through all that trouble just to help an old friend from the past.
And in return, you just say 'I'm not him' and try to get away with it scott-free.
What is that if not taking advantage and then playing the victim?
"...I will go thank him personally."
Dan Heng didn't dare to disagree. "As Dan Heng."
"As long as you don't run from your sins, that's fine."
Leon glanced at him. "I don't care if you're Dan Heng or Dan Feng."
You know the rules of The Hunt.
"If a person casts aside their hatred, they are nothing but an empty shell."
One must bear the consequences of their own sins. That is the law of heaven and earth.
Dan Heng remained silent and began to change the subject.
"What should be done about these matters?"
____
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