Chapter 19.2: Reckoning of the Past

As soon as my eyes met theirs, a rush of memories surged through my mind. 

These three people standing before me were different now, reborn into new bodies, but I recognized them immediately. 

Their presence brought back memories of battles fought, alliances broken, and the weight of past enmities.

The first was Mei Lian, a fierce and determined general who had once commanded vast armies against me. 

She was dressed in crimson armor, and her spear, glowing faintly with an eerie light, rested in her firm grasp. 

Once, she had sworn to defeat me at any cost. 

Now, her sharp eyes watched me with suspicion, as if she were trying to gauge my true intentions.

Next was Xu Han, a brilliant strategist who had defeated me on more than one occasion. 

He held a fan covered in strange symbols, each rune pulsing with a mysterious energy. 

His keen gaze was unreadable, but I knew he was already analyzing everything about me—my stance, my words, my expressions—trying to predict what I would say before I even opened my mouth.

The third figure was Wei Shun, a warrior whose sheer size and raw power had made him a nightmare on the battlefield. 

His muscular arms bore the scars of countless battles, and he carried an enormous axe that seemed to hum with suppressed energy. 

Unlike the other two, he didn't look at me with distrust or calculation. 

Instead, he smirked, his expression filled with amusement, as if he was already anticipating a fight.

Mei Lian was the first to speak. 

Her voice was sharp and commanding, yet there was a measure of restraint in her tone.

"Li Wei," she said, her words cutting through the silence. 

"To what do we owe the pleasure of this reunion?"

I took a steady step forward, keeping my posture firm and my voice calm. 

"The Shadow Devourer's influence is growing stronger. You must have felt it."

Xu Han let out a quiet laugh, his smirk unwavering. 

"And why should we care?" he asked, tilting his head slightly. 

"In our past lives, you were no better than the darkness itself."

I took a slow breath, steadying myself. 

"Because this time, we're all on the same side," I said. 

"The Shadow Devourer threatens everything, including the second chance we've been given. 

We can't let our past grudges blind us to the greater threat."

Wei Shun chuckled, his deep voice echoing through the ruined temple. 

"Bold words," he said, his smirk widening.

"But words alone won't convince me. Prove your strength, Li Wei. 

Show me you're worthy of leading this alliance."

As if in response to his challenge, a glowing notification appeared before my eyes, visible only to me:

[Reward in the battle: 300 Faith point] 

I exhaled slowly and reached for my sword. 

As I drew it, the blade shimmered with spiritual energy, its glow illuminating the temple's dark interior.

"If that's what it takes, so be it."

The tension in the air thickened as Wei Shun stepped forward, his heavy boots pressing against the temple floor. 

He rolled his shoulders, gripping his axe with one hand, swinging it lightly as if testing its weight. 

"I hope you haven't gone soft," he said, his grin still in place. 

"It'd be a shame if this ended too quickly."

I steadied my grip on my sword, shifting my stance slightly. 

"I should be saying the same to you."

Mei Lian sighed, crossing her arms. 

"Must it always come to this?" she muttered, though she made no move to stop us.

Xu Han, on the other hand, merely chuckled. 

"It's only natural. Warriors speak best with their weapons."

Without another word, Wei Shun lunged forward, his axe cutting through the air with deadly speed. 

I barely had time to react, twisting my body to the side as the massive weapon crashed into the ground where I had stood moments ago. 

The impact sent cracks spiderwebbing across the stone floor.

Wasting no time, I countered with a swift slash of my sword, aiming for his exposed side. 

Wei Shun was fast—faster than I remembered. 

He brought up his axe just in time, deflecting my strike with a powerful clash that sent vibrations up my arm.

His strength was immense. Blocking that attack had felt like striking against an unmovable wall.

I stepped back, adjusting my approach. 

Wei Shun grinned. 

"Good," he said. 

"You're not all talk."

He came at me again, this time faster. 

His movements were fluid despite his large frame, his attacks relentless. 

Each swing of his axe sent gusts of wind rushing past me, each strike carrying enough force to break bones if it landed.

I dodged, parried, and countered where I could, but I knew I couldn't match him in raw strength. 

I needed a different approach.

Focusing my energy, I channeled my spiritual power into my sword, its glow intensifying. 

When Wei Shun swung his axe down again, I didn't dodge. Instead, I met his strike head-on.

Our weapons clashed, the force of impact shaking the entire temple. 

Sparks flew as our energies collided, sending shockwaves outward.

For a brief moment, neither of us moved. 

Then, slowly, Wei Shun's smirk faded, replaced by something else—acknowledgment.

He took a step back, lowering his axe slightly. 

"Not bad," he admitted. "You've gotten stronger."

I kept my stance, breathing heavily. "So, do I pass?"

Wei Shun let out a booming laugh, resting his axe on his shoulder. "For now."

Mei Lian shook her head. "You two are impossible."

Xu Han smirked. "But entertaining."

As I lowered my sword, another notification appeared before me:

[System Notification: Duel Completed

Result: Victory.

Reward: 300 Battle Points.]

I exhaled, knowing that this was just the beginning. 

The true battle was still ahead. But for now, I had taken the first step toward securing the alliance.

The past could not be erased, but perhaps, just perhaps, it could be rewritten.