Chapter 80: Pouring Out His Heart  

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The moment Li Luochen stepped into Tian Dou City, Qian Renxue already knew of his return. She was filled with self-doubt. 

"Only fifteen and a half years old, and he passed the trials of the City of Slaughter in just a year and a half? Tang Hao, the strongest genius of the Hao Tian Sect, took five years to pass through the City of Slaughter. 

That woman took four years to pass through the City of Slaughter, but Li Luochen only needed a year and a half? Moreover, his soul power must have been lower than Tang Hao's and that woman's at the time. 

It's terrifying—how can someone be so strong? I, Qian Renxue, possess the strongest talent and the most powerful spirit. Am I really inferior to him?" 

Qian Renxue's mind was in turmoil. She had always been supremely confident in her own talent. Aside from her mother, who possessed extraordinary talent but refused to acknowledge her, how could another person like this appear? 

Moreover, he was four years younger than her. Li Luochen was now level fifty-nine, while she, after over a year of relentless cultivation, had only reached level sixty-five. She had dedicated a significant amount of time to training and hadn't slacked off during this period. 

And yet, she was about to be overtaken. How could she bear it? 

"No, no, no! I am his superior—how can I be weaker than him? I need to summon him soon. If I wait until he surpasses me next time, how will he respect me as his young master? 

I need to assert my position as the young master and superior first, or he'll look down on me. Yes, I must do this! Otherwise, he'll surely look down on me as a superior with lower cultivation than him." 

Qian Renxue's mind raced with thoughts. Truly, the tendencies of a love-struck mind were hereditary—though she herself didn't realize it. Ever since recruiting Li Luochen under her command, she had kept tabs on his every move, knowing his general trajectory. 

When a woman becomes interested in a man, she is already close to falling for him. But all of this was merely Qian Renxue's overthinking—self-delusion was the most dangerous trap. 

"Cough, cough… Uncle She, summon Li Luochen under my command. I wish to see him." 

Qian Renxue's cold voice echoed. From the shadows, Snake Spear Douluo She Long responded, "Yes, Miss. Cixue will ensure your safety." With that, Snake Spear Douluo departed. 

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Meanwhile, 

Li Luochen and Dugu Yan were enjoying their private reunion. After being apart for a year and a half, they had only spent three years together in total—half of which had been spent separated. 

"Yanzi, I've missed you so much. The City of Slaughter isn't a place fit for humans. Let me tell you…" 

The usually silent and reserved Li Luochen in the City of Slaughter now opened up. The oppressive environment of the City of Slaughter had left him without anyone to confide in, making his heart increasingly cold. The countless lives he had taken had caused his mental state to deteriorate.

Indeed, Li Luochen had acted inhumanely in the City of Slaughter. After all, he was just an ordinary person with exceptional cultivation talent. He had already carried the weight of countless lives, and his psyche had begun to fracture.

Carrying too many lives could numb one's emotions, but Li Luochen suddenly felt a wave of self-doubt and fear. His detached, numb personality clashed with his once-positive and upright self, leaving him feeling vulnerable. 

Dugu Yan listened quietly to Li Luochen's stories. She realized that he had become fragile after emerging from such a place—it would take time for him to adjust. 

Holding Li Luochen's head in her arms, she gently patted his back and softly reassured him, "It's alright, it's alright. Those were all fallen soul masters who deserved to die. If you hadn't killed them, they would have killed you. It's fine, it's fine." 

At this moment, Li Luochen felt drowsy and fell asleep in Dugu Yan's embrace. In the City of Slaughter, he had always remained vigilant, never allowing himself to relax. Now, finding peace in her presence, he drifted into a deep sleep. 

"Sigh… I always thought you were mature beyond your years, but I never expected you to have such fragile and emotional moments. It seems that terrible place has deeply affected you. Sleep well—it'll get better with time."

Dugu Yan gently stroked Li Luochen's cheek. She couldn't imagine how anyone could endure such a place. But now, none of that mattered—his return was the best outcome. 

In his dreams, Li Luochen revisited happy memories from before entering the City of Slaughter. His dreams were light and joyful, and he slept soundly. 

He didn't wake until the afternoon of the following day. By then, the fragility and confusion in his eyes from the previous day had vanished. A good night's rest had restored his optimal emotional state, and his killing intent had receded, ready to be unleashed at any moment. (The author believes that no matter how bad one's mood or emotions are, a good night's sleep fixes everything.) 

Li Luochen stood up and walked outside. This rest had cleared his mind, and his killing intent was now fully contained within him. With three months of calm and steady recuperation, he would be fine—much better than the original six-month plan. 

When Li Luochen entered the living room, Dugu Bo had already returned. Dugu Yan sat nearby, while Dai Tianxing and Lin Chengkun stood waiting. 

As Li Luochen entered, everyone's gaze turned toward him. 

"You're fine, and you're back—that's what matters," Dugu Bo said. He had intended to tease him but ended up saying only that. Indeed, a thousand words couldn't compare to the simple relief of hearing "you're back."

"Mm, I'm back, Grandpa. Do you recognize these two? They're subordinates I brought back from the City of Slaughter. Their cultivation is quite good, and they're still young." Li Luochen briefly introduced Dai Tianxing and Lin Chengkun. 

"Mm, I know them—I've already reviewed their profiles. Both are in their forties, with soul power above Soul Sage level. One has even reached the bottleneck of level eighty. Your judgment is good—their cultivation is impressive." 

Dugu Bo had already thoroughly examined the two. As for rebellion? Hmph, they wouldn't dare try anything under his watch. Moreover, they had ingested potent poison—if they didn't regularly take the antidote, they would die. 

Next, Li Luochen chatted casually with Dugu Bo about life, sharing stories from the City of Slaughter and discussing future plans. 

Li Luochen planned to completely internalize his killing intent here. In the Hao Tian Sect's terms, this process was called "washing away the dust." However, Li Luochen wasn't as meticulous as they were—he didn't need to learn etiquette or musical instruments. 

He didn't need to attend places like Yue Xuan. Instead, he could stay at home, spending time with Dugu Yan by talking, painting, practicing calligraphy, or practicing Tai Chi—all of which could help him regulate himself. 

He didn't need to learn noble etiquette—he wasn't nobility, so why bother with their rigid rules? He preferred freedom and ease. 

As for musical instruments, Li Luochen could play the piano—a skill he learned in his past life during an interest class. He even had a certificate for it. 

In short, Li Luochen didn't need to leave the house to self-regulate and suppress his killing intent. 

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A/N:

Here's a clarification: Killing so many people naturally damaged his psyche, leading to indifference toward life and a cold detachment. 

But why did he become fragile? It was similar to something like post-traumatic stress disorder—fear and self-doubt had emerged. 

To put it simply, his dao-heart had been damaged. Over-rigidity leads to breakage; he needed an emotional outlet. After all, Li Luochen was just an ordinary person. In a year and a half, he had killed more people than he had met in two lifetimes combined. Suddenly feeling fear was perfectly normal.

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