The sound of a car door opening and closing stirred Li Huo from his light sleep. He rubbed his eyes and peered out the window, his gaze landing on someone across the road. His eyes widened in disbelief. He blinked, then rubbed his eyes again to make sure he wasn't imagining things.
Why is she here?
Standing on the other side of the road was a girl with dark brown hair and dark brown eyes. Li Huo recognized her immediately—how could he not? She was one of those people who had despised him for reasons he could never understand.
His brows furrowed as he studied her. Was she here in this place in my previous life? He racked his brain, but the details of his past life remained elusive. In that life, he had failed the test conducted by the academy and had been 'politely' kicked out, forced to wander the streets aimlessly until the system had intervened and helped him.
Throwing these thoughts out of his mind Li Huo with a laid-back tone, addressed the system in his mind.
"Since I'm no longer walking your so-called predestined path, will you still help me this time? You know, like giving me rewards, saving my life, and all that?"
[No.]
Li Huo smirked. "So, you're useless to me now, huh?"
[That's… a harsh way to put it.]
"Then tell me—what good are you?"
[I can provide full information about people, their talents, stats, and unknown things.]
Li Huo chuckled. "I can do that myself once I start cultivating. My Eye of Omniscience will be usable then, and it only needs spiritual energy."
The system fell silent for a moment.
[… Fine. You win. I can ensure you stay out of the mess between the villain and the protagonist. Even if you kill them, you won't inherit their fates.]
Li Huo's smirk deepened. "Now you're talking."
His gaze returned to the girl across the road. He delved into his fragmented memories, trying to piece together everything he knew about her. But as he pushed deeper, a sharp pain stabbed through his head.
"Ugh…" Li Huo groaned, clutching his temples.
The noise drew Sha Li's attention from the driver's seat. His worried gaze flicked to Li Huo.
"Are you okay? Wait, let me find some headache medicine—it should be in the glove compartment." He fumbled to open the compartment, rummaging through its contents.
Li Huo shook his head. "It's fine. Just the sudden light—it hurt my eyes a little."
Sha Li relaxed. "Good to hear. Instructor's inside for a meeting. She said we should stay in the car."
"Got it."
The two fell into a companionable silence. Sha Li leaned back, closing his eyes to rest.
Li Huo, however, couldn't shake his curiosity. His memories felt like a book he'd skimmed once but couldn't revisit. The broad strokes were there, but the crucial details eluded him.
"System," he called out in his mind. "Is this because of my rebirth? Or are my memories just too much for my body to handle?"
[It's the latter. I'd advise against diving too deeply into your memories without any cultivation, it could potentially harm you.]
"Noted." Li Huo said to the system in his mind
His gaze drifted back to the girl across the street. "What was her name again?" he muttered to himself. After a moment, it clicked. Fei Ran.
Should he follow her? The thought lingered in his mind, but just as he was about to decide, Fei Ran turned her head toward him. His instincts kicked in, and he ducked down into his seat.
The abrupt movement jolted the car, and Sha Li's eyes snapped open. "What are you doing?"
"Ah… hahaha… I was, uh, practicing! Yes, practicing. Need to advance my martial arts realm and crush those otherworldly humans!" Li Huo stammered, attempting to cover his embarrassment.
Sha Li raised an eyebrow. "You're practicing martial arts… sitting down?"
"Why not? Everyone practices standing up, but I'm innovating. I'm two steps ahead!" Li Huo declared smugly.
Sha Li shrugged. "Sure. Teach me your method when you've perfected it."
"Absolutely."
As Sha Li leaned back again, Li Huo cautiously peeked over the window. Fei Ran was gone. He sighed while leaning back on his seat
Fei Ran's POV
Where is that idiot, Yan Ran?
Fei Ran checked her phone for the umpteenth time, trying to call Yan Ran, but the call wouldn't connect. Frustrated, she gritted her teeth, her grip tightening around the device.
She had been reborn—or rather, regressed—a few weeks ago. Upon her rebirth, she wasted no time and immediately tested the waters with Yan Ran to determine if she, too, had been reincarnated. Her suspicions were confirmed; Yan Ran had been reincarnated as well.
Overwhelmed with emotion, they consoled each other, sharing the weight of their newfound reality. After some discussion, they decided on a day to meet in person, and that day was today.
After a while , a woman with striking red hair and sharp red eyes appeared in the distance. Fei Ran's expression softened, and she waved. The red-haired woman—Yan Ran—approached her with calm, measured steps.
"What took you so long?" Fei Ran asked curiously.
"I was searching for my brother," Yan Ran replied, her tone cold and distant.
Fei Ran's smile faltered but quickly recovered. "Oh? Did you find him?
Yan Ran's crimson eyes darkened. "I did manage to find my brother and he's dead." Her voice trembled slightly, betraying the pain she tried to suppress.
Fei Ran hesitated, then offered a reassuring smile. "Maybe one day, you'll be able to bring him back. There's always a way."
Yan Ran closed her eyes, her lips tightening. "I'll find a way. Once I ascend the cultivation world, I'll dive into the Nether Sea and search for him."
"That's the spirit," Fei Ran replied with a cheerfulness she didn't feel. Deep down, bitterness gnawed at her. Even Yan Ran had a purpose after rebirth but What about her she was still clueless about what she should do in this life.
Pushing her thoughts aside, she focused on the present. "By the way, did you find Li Huo or Shang Fei?"
"I didn't bother with Li Huo. I barely interacted with him in my previous life,we don't have that much of a beef between us aside from me hating him because he was Shang Fei's enemy," Yan Ran said dismissively.
"And what about Shang Fei?"
A dark smile crossed Yan Ran's lips. "Come with me. I'll show you."
Fei Ran followed her, curiosity piqued. They descended into a dimly lit basement, the air heavy with dampness.
Tied to a chair at the center of the room was a man with black hair and an average face. A blindfold covered his eyes, but there was no mistaking him.
It was Shang Fei.