After everyone was reborn, I was strictly disciplined.

An invisible pressure, like an abyss, pinned Jiang Huaijin to the spot. The pressure was so heavy that his bones made a faint, almost unbearable cracking sound.

Jiang Huaijin's skin was taut, the veins on his forehead were visible, and a fine layer of cold sweat slid down his temples, condensed into water droplets on his chin, and splashed onto the bluestone slab under his feet, spreading out a small wet patch.

The oppressive aura was not violent or tyrannical; rather, it was like the icy chill of a thousand-year-old frozen river, silently sealing off the flow of spiritual energy around him, making it difficult for him to resist.

With just a fleeting glance, Jiang Huaijin was deeply shaken. He immediately realized that the strength of the person before him had far exceeded the limits of his comprehension.

Having experienced the ups and downs of two lifetimes, he was reborn with the cultivation insights and life experiences of his previous life. Among his peers in the Cangxuan Continent, he was considered exceptionally talented, and his cultivation speed was so fast that he quickly rose to the ranks of top geniuses.

He was very confident in himself, believing that even many cultivators who had lived for hundreds of years might not have achieved such attainments at his age.

Moreover, he also has many hidden trump cards, which are the foundation of his confidence to dominate his peers and not fear powerful enemies.

Even if he encounters an enemy with a higher cultivation level than him, he has the ability to fight back and the confidence to escape unscathed.

But at this moment, facing the figure in white robes before him, all his strength vanished instantly, like snow meeting the bright sun.

The sense of insignificance and powerlessness that came from the depths of his soul made him clearly realize that he had no chance of winning whatsoever, and that if the other party wanted to take his life, it would be as simple as lifting a hand.

"Who are you?"

Jiang Huaijin's gaze was fixed on that person, his whole body trembling. Memories flashed through his mind, but he could not find a matching figure.

This person never appeared by Xie Xingran's side in her previous life.

The person before me had exquisite features and a cool, aloof demeanor like a solitary moon. A faint soul fluctuation lingered around him, indicating that he existed in the form of a soul.

Jiang Huaijin did know that in her previous life, there was indeed someone who followed Xie Xingran in spirit form.

That person was named Wen Shu, the first Valley Master of Yunyin Valley.

Back then, Wen Shu's cultivation was unfathomable. He was a medical master unmatched in the Cangxuan Continent, with the medical skills to revive the dead and heal flesh and bone. He saved countless top experts in those days.

However, he was later betrayed by his most trusted disciple, his cultivation was destroyed, and he eventually died without a trace.

But who would have thought that he would remain in the world as a soul, and somehow appeared beside Xie Xingran, taking him as a disciple and imparting all his medical knowledge to him.

In the end, to save Xie Xingran from her calamity, she burned her remaining soul and completely vanished into the world.

But the person in front of me is definitely not Wen Shu.

Wen Shu's soul fluctuations carried the warmth and compassion accumulated over the years, while this person's fluctuations were cold and aloof, carrying a sense of detachment that kept strangers at bay. Even when his aura was restrained, it was hard to conceal the indifference and strength etched deep in his soul.

Jiang Huaijin frowned, a hint of doubt rising in his mind.

Could this also be a change brought about by my rebirth?

It not only changed the situation on the battlefield, but also his own and Xie Xingran's fate, and even brought to light such a mysterious and powerful figure.

As his thoughts wandered, his gaze involuntarily fell on the child in the man's arms.

Xie Xingran's small body curled up in the white-clad man's arms, like a young animal that had found its home, her slender arms tightly wrapped around his neck.

Her warm cheeks were buried deep in the other's neck, her breaths long and dependent. One small hand was still clutching the other's dark hair tightly, as if afraid that if she let go, the other would disappear.

A wave of sorrow washed over Jiang Huaijin.

The Xie Xingran he knew had always been vicious, domineering, eccentric, violent, and two-faced.

He was adept at disguising himself, often using his exquisite and handsome face to deceive everyone, but his eyes concealed an unyielding gloom and scheming, and he was always three parts wary and seven parts malicious towards everyone.

Even when facing elders in name, there has never been a shred of goodwill, let alone such unreserved reliance and trust.

Even in his past life, when he was entangled with Xie Xingran for his entire life, he had never seen him so gentle.

It was as if all the spikes and armor had been removed, revealing its most vulnerable side to this person without any defense.

What made his heart ache even more was that the faint whisper from before now echoed clearly in his ears—Xie Xingran called the person in front of him, "Brother."

Jiang Huaijin had also heard this title before.

Xie Xingran had called him for a very long time in both his past and present lives, but the malice and scheming hidden in that voice were like a poisoned needle, and even after two lifetimes, he still remembered it vividly.

But this voice was incredibly soft, filled with pure dependence and intimacy, without a trace of impurity. It was a tenderness and honesty he had never heard from Xie Xingran in their two lifetimes together.

Jiang Huaijin felt as if something was blocking his chest, a mixture of sourness and dull pain slowly spreading to his limbs and bones.

Jiang Huaijin wasn't unaware that Xie Xingran had always disliked him.

He knew that he had never been a relative to Xie Xingran; on the contrary, he was like a plunderer—plundering the family attention that should have belonged to Xie Xingran, plundering his cultivation resources, and even indirectly plundering the complete and perfect parental love that he should have had.

Therefore, he let go of Xie Xingran's malice, hatred, and even later betrayal, considering it as something he owed Xie Xingran.

Today, he came to this back mountain to keep his appointment, firstly to give Xie Xingran a birthday gift, a treasure he had spent a lot of effort making.

The original plan was to give the gift, say a proper goodbye to Xie Xingran, and then leave the Fire Marrow Pill Holy Land.

He no longer expected Xie Xingran's kindness; he only hoped that when Xie Xingran went on his travels in the future, he could catch a glimpse of him from afar and make sure he was safe and well. That would be enough for him.

He had always thought he had completely let go, but when he saw Xie Xingran nestled in someone else's arms, looking so soft and dependent, and heard the "brother" he had never heard before, the emotions he had been deliberately suppressing broke through his defenses, and his heart ached.

Jiang Huaijin gritted his teeth, forcing himself to maintain his imposing aura, and looked up at the man in white. His voice trembled slightly due to the stagnation of his spiritual energy, but he still asked clearly, "Who are you?"

Xie Ciwen lowered her eyes, her fingertips gently brushing the top of her younger brother's head in her arms. Her movements were incredibly gentle, and the coldness in her eyes dissipated, replaced by a hint of warmth that was barely perceptible.

Upon hearing Jiang Huaijin's question, he slowly raised his eyes, a faint coolness flashing across his narrow pupils. When his gaze fell upon Jiang Huaijin, it carried a hint of aloofness and indifference. His voice was clear and firm, like the clash of jade stones:

"My name is Xie Ciwen, and I am Ranran's older brother."