Chapter 2: The One I'm Waiting For Isn't You
Tower! Tower! Tower!
The crisp sound of footsteps echoes in the streets.
Two figures supporting each other slowly move forward in the moonlight.
Due to his weak body, Liang Hui stops every ten meters to catch his breath before continuing.
"Big brother, so many people are watching us."
Liang Si feels a bit scared, sensing the gazes pouring from the houses along the street.
In those houses lit with candlelight, the gazes are incredulous, bewildered, and at a loss.
But these gazes directed at them cannot affect Liang Hui too much.
What really concerns him are the scrutinizing gazes from the shadows, some cold, some gentle,each with a significant sense of oppression.
Liang Hui knows that the owners of these gazes are extraordinary beings in this world (warriors, Taoists). It seems that his speculation about the transmission of those seemingly future memories was indeed correct and widespread.
"Xiao Si, no matter what happens, just keep moving forward," Liang Hui muttered as he staggered along.
Liang Si nodded and continued to support the young man as they moved forward.
Before long, Liang Hui and Liang Si arrived smoothly at the temple.
Yellowing weeds, peeling red paint, and a half-opened, dilapidated door formed the desolate temple.
Despite the scene, the young man hesitated for a moment, then, with Liang Si's support, pushed open the temple gate and entered the main hall.
Though called a main hall, it was just a room of about thirty square meters.
The hall was covered in thick dust, cobwebs, and traces left by various small animals. Even the Buddha statue lacked a head and half of itsbody, and the roof had several holes.
Liang Hui staggered to the front of the Buddha statue, ignoring the dust, and sat down directly.
Exhaling a sigh, Liang wiped the sweat from his cheek with his arm.
This body was still too weak, not to mention compared to the extraordinary beings of this world, even inferior to his past life's body.
It seems that after getting through this crisis, it's time to start the journey of cultivation.
"Take a seat," Liang Hui said, gesturing to the floor beside him, observing Liang Si's somewhat bewildered expression.
Upon hearing this, Liang Si obediently sat down on the floor.
As soon as they sat down, a large and disorderly footsteps approached from outside the temple.
Since the temple gate wasn't closed, Liang Hui could clearly see several men in sturdy clothes, led by a lean middle-aged man, approaching the gate.
The clothes of these men were embroidered with a wolf head, and the leader's clothes were embellished with a golden-threaded wolf head.
There was no doubt that these people were members of the Wild Wolf Gang, and only one person in the Wild Wolf Gang could have a golden wolf head embroidered on their clothes.
The leader of the Wild Wolf Gang, Ichita Hiroshi!
Through the moonlight, Ichita Hiroshi saw the frail young man sitting atop the Buddha's head, his eyes flashing with complexity.
The sudden influx of memories told him of the young man's future achievements, reaching terrifying heights.
Even if all memories were false, as long as the young man didn't die, his future wouldn't be ordinary. After all, there were too many recipients of memories, and the strong who hoped for transcendence would push the young man forward.
In any case, the young man would become someone this insignificant figure would look up to.
As for the Wild Wolf Gang in his memories being destroyed becauseof Hong Er, there was no unresolved conflict between them, as he had already seen Hong Er's death in the young man's home.
His thoughts turned complex, but his gaze turned resolute.
Glancing around, he nodded to the men beside him.
Then, he crossed the threshold and approached the young man.
Meanwhile, outside the temple, there were occasional sounds of metal clashing and fighting, along with furious curses.
"The Wild Wolf Gang, you've gone mad!"
"Damn it, thinking you can monopolize the benefits, can you stomach it?"
"Your Majesty, let me take care of those who spy on you in the shadows."
Stopping five steps away from the young man, Ichita Hiroshi paused, his body slightly bent, speaking with a respectful tone.
After a moment, he continued:
"And as for Hong Er, who offended you, all those closely related to him will be thoroughly dealt with." Liang Hui's gaze remained calm as he looked at the middle-aged man before him with respectful demeanor, speaking slowly:
"Master Ichita, I am not any emperor,just a common peasant."
"The sudden influx of memories was merely a jest by the gods. How could someone like me achieve such great deeds?"
With weak yet earnest words, Ichita Hiroshi's mouth twitched slightly.
"You don't think you could achieve such greatness, why bother coming here then, if not for your beloved." Of course, these words only flashed through Ichita Hiroshi's mind; he dared not speak them out loud.
Instead, he took out a rectangular object wrapped in brown paper from his pocket and placed it on the ground. Then, with a swift kick, he sent the object sliding toward the young man's feet.
Under Liang Hui's inquisitive gaze, he explained, "This item is the most precious belonging of the Wild Wolf Gang. Consider it a token of apology for our lax discipline."
Liang Hui bent down and gently peeled back a corner of the brownWolf', a ripple of emotion stirred deep within his eyes.
In this feudal world of the extraordinary, the most precious thing was never gold or silver, but knowledge, especially knowledge of the extraordinary.
Exhaling a sigh, Liang wiped the sweat from his cheek with his arm.
This body was still too weak, not to mention compared to the extraordinary beings of this world, even inferior to his past life's body.
It seems that after getting through this crisis, it's time to start the journey of cultivation.
"Take a seat," Liang Hui said, gesturing to the floor beside him, observing Liang Si's somewhat bewildered expression.
Upon hearing this, Liang Si obediently sat down on the floor.
As soon as they sat down, a large and disorderly footsteps approached from outside the temple.
Since the temple gate wasn't closed, Liang Hui could clearly see several men in sturdy clothes, led by a lean middle-aged man, approaching the gate.
The clothes of these men were embroidered with a wolf head, and the leader's clothes were embellished with a golden-threaded wolf head.
There was no doubt that these people were members of the Wild Wolf Gang, and only one person in the Wild Wolf Gang could have a golden wolf head embroidered on their clothes.
The leader of the Wild Wolf Gang, Ichita Hiroshi!
Through the moonlight, Ichita Hiroshi saw the frail young man sitting atop the Buddha's head, his eyes flashing with complexity.
The sudden influx of memories told him of the young man's future achievements, reaching terrifying heights.
Even if all memories were false, as long as the young man didn't die, his future wouldn't be ordinary. After all, there were too many recipients of memories, and the strong who hoped for transcendence would push the young man forward.
In any case, the young man would become someone this insignificant figure would look up to.
As for the Wild Wolf Gang in his memories being destroyed becauseof Hong Er, there was no unresolved conflict between them, as he had already seen Hong Er's death in the young man's home.
His thoughts turned complex, but his gaze turned resolute.
Glancing around, he nodded to the men beside him.
Then, he crossed the threshold and approached the young man.
Meanwhile, outside the temple, there were occasional sounds of metal clashing and fighting, along with furious curses.
"The Wild Wolf Gang, you've gone mad!"
"Damn it, thinking you can monopolize the benefits, can you stomach it?"
"Your Majesty, let me take care of those who spy on you in the shadows."
Stopping five steps away from the young man, Ichita Hiroshi paused, his body slightly bent, speaking with a respectful tone.
After a moment, he continued:
"And as for Hong Er, who offended you, all those closely related to him will be thoroughly dealt with." Liang Hui's gaze remained calm as he looked at the middle-aged man before him with respectful demeanor, speaking slowly:
"Master Ichita, I am not any emperor,
just a common peasant."
"The sudden influx of memories was merely a jest by the gods. How could someone like me achieve such great deeds?"
With weak yet earnest words, Ichita Hiroshi's mouth twitched slightly.
"You don't think you could achieve such greatness, why bother coming here then, if not for your beloved." Of course, these words only flashed through Ichita Hiroshi's mind; he dared not speak them out loud.
Instead, he took out a rectangular object wrapped in brown paper from his pocket and placed it on the ground. Then, with a swift kick, he sent the object sliding toward the young man's feet.
Under Liang Hui's inquisitive gaze, he explained, "This item is the most precious belonging of the Wild Wolf Gang. Consider it a token of apology for our lax discipline."
Liang Hui bent down and gently peeled back a corner of the brown paper. Upon seeing the words 'GreenWolf', a ripple of emotion stirred deep within his eyes.
In this feudal world of the extraordinary, the most precious thing was never gold or silver, but knowledge, especially knowledge of the extraordinary.
"I understand your intentions. Let the past be forgotten," Liang Hui said as he picked up the brown paper from the ground, making a promise.
"Yes, Your Majesty," Ichita Hiroshi replied, a hint of joy flashing in his eyes. He knew the favor had been acknowledged.
At that moment, the cries of battle outside the temple gradually subsided, and several bloodied figures stood quietly outside, waiting.
Ichita Hiroshi felt a pang in his heart at the sight. The followers he brought this time were his most loyal ones, and even losing one of them would normally cause him great pain.
"Your Majesty, I will lead my brothers back to tend to their wounds, he said. The main purpose of thisvisit was to resolve the conflict and extend goodwill, and that had been accomplished.
He had no intention of getting involved in what came next; it wasn't something a minor figure like him could participate in.
Liang Hui seemed to understand Ichita Hiroshi's thoughts and waved him off, indicating that he could leave. Ichita Hiroshi didn't hesitate and left promptly.
Turning around, Ichita Hiroshi walked towards the temple's exit and soon led his followers out of sight from the young man.
Cough. Cough.
"Big brother!"
Liang Si looked at his brother, who was now coughing violently, with concern.
Liang Hui waved to stop Liang Si from saying anything further and whispered, "I'm fine."
«The internal injuries are severe, the body is weak, and coupled with the recent journey, without any surprises, I won't survive tonight." Amidst laughter, a slender figure in a black dress walked slowly from outside the temple.
The girl was young, graceful, with flowing black hair, lively eyes, and a slightly pointed chin, resembling afairy under the moonlight, beautiful and ethereal.
"Sister-in-law, you finally came.
Please, help save my brother," Liang Si exclaimed excitedly upon seeing the girl's appearance.
Despite the girl's inner turmoil, her beautiful face momentarily stiffened at those words, but she quickly forced a smile.
"Hui, let me take care of you. I brought some healing medicine for this trip."
With those words, the girl hastened her steps, her black dress fluttering, her snow-white figure shining like a high mountain snow lotus.
"Suyao, take one more step forward, and you'll die!" Weak yet calm words echoed in the temple.
Though devoid of any strength, they made the girl stop in her tracks.
"Hui, what are you doing? You're the emperor, and I'm the empress." The girl named Suyao was on the verge of tears, her eyes filled with sadness, as if betrayed by the most important person.
Beside her, Liang Si also looked puzzled. Wasn't his sister-in-law the person his brother had been waiting for?
Seeing the girl's dramatic performance, Liang Hui felt somewhat helpless.
In the memories, the two faced various challenges together and eventually came together. But now?
They are merely meeting for the first time. The feelings from those memories never translated into reality. That segment of memory is like a movie from a past life, even less vivid than a movie, with many of the pivotal moments blurred.
In other words, the current Suyao and him are complete strangers.
When a saintess from a major demonic sect faces a stranger with significant value, everyone knows how they should act—by extracting every ounce of value through cruel means.
Moreover, in the seemingly future memories, there was never any mention of him having a so-called empress.
"Hui, it's truly heartbreaking. Upon seeing those memories, I rushed here immediately, only to be met with your indifference."
Suyao's delicate face was filled with sadness.
Liang Hui simply watched as the girl's steps halted once again, whispering softly, "Do you think I lack the means to bury you?" Instantly, the girl's steps came to a sudden halt. Before coming here, she had visited the young man's home, where she saw several cold corpses.
The sadness and disappointment on her face and in her eyes dissipated instantly, leaving behind a cunning glint. She murmured softly, "It seems you weren't here waiting for me after all. Then who could it be?" Unconsciously, an image of a figure in white appeared in her mind.
Step, step, step...
The orderly footsteps and the clash of weapons interrupted Suyao's thoughts and shattered the silence of the temple.
"Big brother, it's the imperial army!" Liang Si looked at the approaching figures and raised torches outside the temple, his voice filled with fear.
The strongest force in Huaiyuan Town was not gangs, noble families, or wandering cultivators-it was the Great Zhou government that ruled over the Nine Provinces.
Stop!
Under the commanding voice, all the soldiers halted their steps, and clusters of torchlight illuminated the surroundings of the temple.
"Mr. Liang, please come with us. Whatever martial arts, Dao techniques, or treasures you desire, His Majesty will grant them to you...
Amidst the words, a burly man clad in armor with a full beard, accompanied by a scholar-like man, walked up to the gate of the temple.
"Hui, if you wish, I can help you break free. After all, the future you personally shattered the Empress's delusion of immortality. And kings, from ancient times to the present, have never been magnanimous."
Suyao chuckled lightly. As the pride of her generation in the sacred sect, she was confident in breaking out.
Liang Hui shook his head, then looked at the burly man and the scholar before the gate, and spoke,
"Please leave, gentlemen. I have no intention of joining the Great Zhou."
"Young man, don't think you can defy His Majesty's personal decree just because of those memories, whether true or false," the armored man rebuked.
"Mr. Liang, please come with us.
Boundless wealth and prosperity await you. Don't make things difficult for us," the scholar gently persuaded.
Watching the two-one playing the good cop and the other the bad cop
-Liang Hui's lips curled into a hint of sarcasm.
"And if I say no?" he retorted.
"Liu, I said don't waste too many words. With the army ready to move in, what resistance can he offer?" the armored man growled, his fist clenched and raised, ready to let his soldiers take action.
At this moment, the scholar fell silent, his gentle demeanor turning cold, his eyes fixed firmly on the young man.
Inside the temple, Suyao smiled faintly as she slowly disappeared from view, equally curious about the young man's response.
Cough. Cough.
"I came here not just to wait for that person, but also because this place, besides being empty, is suitable for burying some fools," Liang Hui continued, his tone biting. "Isn't life worth living, gentlemen?"
In his weakened state, Liang Hui extended his palm, and a fist-sized bronze bell floated above it, adorned with scars and marks of wear. The bronze bell, despite its broken appearance, exuded a sense of sanctity, bearing fist imprints and blade scars. Faintly, one could hear the prayers and worship of countless beings emanating from it.
As the bronze bell emerged, the armored man and the scholar first appeared bewildered, then their expressions shifted to reveal underlying despair and fear.
"The Flowing Light Bell!!!"