27 Self-reflection and Newfound Resolve
In the stillness of his room, bathed in the soft moonlight, Zhou Yuan's heavy sigh carried with it the weight of years of memories that continued to haunt him. The bitterness etched onto his face was a testament to the pain he held within.
"Haaaa...," he sighed once more, his voice heavy with melancholy. "It seems that even after 13 years, I still struggle to let go." A deep bitterness settled upon Zhou Yuan's gentle features.
While Qing Yue's words had indeed affected him, the impact was not as profound as Yang Jin might have thought. Instead, her words had acted as a catalyst, dredging up Zhou Yuan's most painful memories—memories he wished he could erase from his mind forever.
He couldn't help but reminisce about his high school days on Earth, a time when he had experienced his first love. Back then, as a young man, he had held the naive belief that their love would endure through anything. But the harsh reality of life would prove otherwise.
On one fateful day, he had decided to surprise his beloved by paying her a visit. He had been toiling tirelessly for months, working relentlessly to cover his mother's mounting hospital bills and ensure his sister's education. However, his surprise visit would bring him not joy but devastation.
Through a window, he witnessed the heart-wrenching sight of his lover in an intimate embrace with another man. The way she acted, the way she led the stranger into her bedroom—Zhou Yuan couldn't even bear to describe it. In that moment, the world he had known crumbled around him, and his heart was shattered beyond repair. All the dreams and hopes he had nurtured for their shared future were mercilessly torn apart.
From that day onwards, he chose to lock away his heart, drop out of school and dedicated himself wholeheartedly to supporting his family. Yet, the relentless weight of his responsibilities eventually took its toll on his health, leading to his untimely passing due to sheer exhaustion just a couple of years later.
As Zhou Yuan sat in his room, the weight of his past mistakes and the realization of the impracticality of his plans weighed heavily on him.
He understood that nurturing a Heavenly Flame was a monumental task that required vast resources and time, far beyond what the Zhou Clan could provide. Even if they were wealthy and influential, the process of nurturing a Heavenly Flame was astronomical in scale.
The more Zhou Yuan contemplated this, the more he realized that his original idea was simply unrealistic. He had been blinded by his desire to detoxify himself and regain his strength, but he had failed to consider the practicality and feasibility of his plan. This situation was similar to his past life, he was so lost in his grief that he died of exhaustion.
It became clear to him now that relying solely on his Seamless Flame Heavenly Body to nurture a Heavenly Flame was not a viable solution. This was because he was too weak.
With a heavy heart, Zhou Yuan acknowledged that he needed to reassess his approach. He couldn't let his past mistakes dictate his future. Instead, he needed to find a more realistic and attainable path to achieve his goals. Suddenly, he sensed something. He realized that his soul power had become more powerful. At first this confused him and realization struck him like lightning.
"It turns out understanding oneself on a deeper level and overcoming mental barriers can help one strengthen the soul." This discovery left him pleasantly surprised.
As his thoughts gradually clarified, Zhou Yuan began to realize that the answer he had been seeking may have been within himself all along. It was like a nagging feeling that just couldn't be stopped. With a determined resolve to trust his instinct.
"There's no harm in trying anyways." He delved deep into the boundless expanse of his soul sea, determined to uncover his hidden potential.
Zhou Yuan understood that there was no guarantee of success, but he was willing to try. He knew that even if he failed, he would gain valuable experience and grow stronger in the process.
"Depending on foreign objects like a Heavenly Flame was not the right path, everything can depend on myself!"
Meanwhile, beyond the walls of Zhou Yuan's room, the shockwaves from Qing Yue's public humiliation of him continued to spread, affecting various factions and individuals in unforeseen ways.
