Past Life

Within minutes, Li Tian had finished every box of food, consuming the last morsel with practiced efficiency. He leaned back against the tree trunk, heaving a satisfied sigh as he wiped his mouth with a silk cloth.

Reaching for a delicate porcelain cup, he took a slow sip of the fragrant spicy tea, brewed with ginger and other warming herbs. The subtle heat was balanced perfectly, spreading a pleasant warmth through his chest as its soothing taste lingered on his tongue.

As the warmth spread through him, his gaze shifted to Mira, who sat quietly across from him. Her arms were crossed, her expression serious and unyielding, the flickering light in her eyes betraying a mixture of curiosity and skepticism.

"Now, then let's see."

"We first met on my 10th birthday. You were a slave, gifted to me as a servant. I was a quiet child, uninterested in socializing, yet when I saw you—lonely, ignored—I felt compelled to reach out. I pitied you, perhaps, but as time passed, that feeling grew into something deeper. I played with you, talked with you, and for the first time, felt companionship.

When we both awakened our mana, our paths diverged yet stayed entwined. You chose the path of a magician, delving into arcane mysteries, while I pursued the blade, becoming a magic swordsman. As a servant, no one cared for you—no one but me. I was your only shelter, and yet, despite your low birth, you surpassed me. Your talent was undeniable, and you grew stronger, reaching heights even I couldn't match.

Through those years, our bond changed. We grew closer, not just as master and servant but as something far deeper. We shared moments—secrets, vulnerabilities. We fell in love. And then... tragedy struck.

When I was on the verge of achieving the 7-star realm, I was ambushed. You weren't there that day. You didn't know. My life was cut short, ending at 150 years. Yet, death was not the end for me. When I awoke once more, I heard a voice. It spoke of you, my lover, saying you had been reborn in this world. I begged for answers, asked where you were, but the voice gave me only a fragment of truth: 'Central Continent.'

I searched endlessly, following every clue. Then I saw you—recognized you as the Fairy of this generation. Through Information Path in the Immortal Crane Sect, I saw your killer moves. The destruction path killer moves you wielded left me no doubt. I knew it was you. Because you once told me, in the quietest moments of our past life, that you would create such a path one day.

"To think I would meet you again... I am happy, yet I cannot help but feel sadness that you no longer remember." His voice trembled slightly, the weight of his words pressing heavily on his chest.

As he recounted the story of their shared past, his breath hitched, his composure faltering. His black-rimmed eyes glistened, the tears barely restrained but undeniable. He wiped them away with the back of his hand, yet his gaze remained unwavering, fixed on Yue Shiyin, who sat in silence, as a small tear fell down from her eyes.

'Why... Why am I crying?' Yue Shiyin questioned herself as an unfamiliar warmth spread through her chest. Tears welled in her eyes, unbidden, slipping down her cheeks despite her confusion. 'I don't even know this man. His story feels so vivid, so painfully accurate... yet I have no memories of him. Why does it feel like something important—something buried—is being stirred within me?'Just as she was about to speak, a memory surged unbidden into Yue Shiyin's mind, vivid and undeniable. The scene unfolded with haunting clarity.

A man, appearing in his early twenties yet carrying an air of wisdom far beyond his years, lay with his head resting gently on a woman's lap. His black hair, tinged slightly with strands of silver, framed his calm, gentle face, while his storm-grey eyes reflected a rare tenderness. The woman who held him had long, flowing white hair, her deep black eyes gazing down at him with quiet affection.

She delicately fed him a grape, pressing it gently between his lips, a soft smile on her face despite the storm clouds gathering in her heart.

"Dear," her voice trembled, breaking the stillness, "do you think I'll see you again after they take me away? They want me to train—to reach the 6-star realm. I'm scared... I have this terrible feeling that if I leave, you... you'll die."

The man gently closed his hand around hers, voice soothing yet firm. "It's just for a year. Don't be afraid. I'll be waiting for you. No harm will come to me—trust me."

The memory shifted violently, colors darkening as the tender moment fractured. Now the woman was restrained, her body trembling under the influence of a powerful force. Her eyes, once so calm and clear, were clouded with confusion. A figure loomed before her—another woman, clad in the ominous robes of the Demoness Sect, her crimson hair cascading like flames around her pale face, eyes the color of blood, shimmering with a strange power.

The intruder's presence twisted reality itself, a distortion of violet energy radiating from her palm as she pressed her fingers against the white-haired woman's forehead. A surge of invasive power rippled through her mind, scattering thoughts like a shattered mirror. The memories of the man—his face, his voice, his very existence—were blurred, fading into nothingness as the forced manipulation severed her connection to him.

Yue Shiyin's breath hitched, returning to the present, her hands trembling as the fragmented memory faded. "What... was that?"