After everyone was reborn, I was strictly disciplined.

"Ci Wen? The first Valley Master of Cloud Hidden Valley?"

Before He Anyao could react to Xie Ciwen's words, Liu Qingwan, who was standing next to her, couldn't help but exclaim in surprise. Her voice was filled with undisguised astonishment and disbelief, and her face was instantly filled with shock.

In his previous life, Xie Xingran was still young and stubborn, determined to travel alone to gain experience and cultivate himself.

In the days that followed, Liu Qingwan often heard rumors about her son from passing cultivators, one of which was about Ci Wen, the first Valley Master of Yunyin Valley.

According to rumors, this legendary figure has been resurrected and, by chance, took a liking to Xie Xingran and made him his only disciple.

At that time, Liu Qingwan was filled with curiosity and longing.

Ci Wen's name was renowned throughout the Cangxuan Continent back then, resounding throughout the heavens and earth.

He possessed profound cultivation and unparalleled elegance. He single-handedly founded Cloud Hidden Valley, dedicated himself to healing the sick and helping the world. He single-handedly propelled Cloud Hidden Valley to its peak, attracting the admiration and worship of tens of millions of cultivators. He was an unattainable faith in the hearts of countless people.

Liu Qingwan had imagined countless times what kind of demeanor this legendary figure possessed, and she harbored a secret hope that she could meet him in person and thank him for his guidance and care for Xie Xingran.

At that time, as a core member of the sect, she was constantly entangled in complicated sect affairs and trivial matters, and in the end, she was unable to find the time to fulfill her wish of seeing this legendary figure in person.

When she finally finished dealing with all her affairs and had some free time, she wanted to set off to find Xie Xingran and pay her respects to Ci Wen, but what she heard was heartbreaking news.

To save Xie Xingran from danger, Ci Wen sacrificed his remaining soul and cultivation, perishing once again and disappearing completely into the world.

She still remembers that after Xie Xingran learned the news, he rushed home overnight. He became taciturn, his eyes filled with unbearable sorrow and self-blame. He couldn't eat or drink for days. In the end, he even personally built a cenotaph for Ci Wen, placed a memorial tablet on it, and worshipped it every day. He was unable to get over this pain for a long time.

When Liu Qingwan saw her son's dejected appearance, she was filled with emotion and couldn't help but sigh at the cruel twist of fate. She also secretly wondered if such a legendary figure, such a loyal and righteous senior, would ever have another chance to be resurrected.

She never imagined that the person she longed to meet in her past life but was ultimately unable to would appear before her in this life in such an unexpected way.

Liu Qingwan's gaze slowly fell on Xie Ciwen. The man in front of her had completely withdrawn his spiritual energy, his expression was calm and undisturbed, and his posture was as upright as a pine tree. He stood there quietly, without the slightest arrogance, but with a kind of composure and serenity that had been accumulated over thousands of years.

His demeanor was gentle and refined, his face handsome and otherworldly, his brows and eyes held the vicissitudes of time, yet he did not appear old. Every move he made was extraordinary. He truly lived up to his reputation as a prominent figure in the Cangxuan Continent. Liu Qingwan secretly admired him in her heart, and the shock in her eyes was gradually replaced by respect.

"Ci Wen?"

He Anyao finally recovered from her shock. Even though she had heard of this name that resounded throughout the Cangxuan Continent and was somewhat shocked, the vigilance and wariness in her eyes did not relax at all, but instead became even more serious.

Her brows furrowed tightly, her aura tense once more, and her tone icy, carrying an undisguised accusation, "Why would a legendary figure like yourself stoop to dwell within this tiny ring?"

Faced with the offensive and hostile tone of He Anyao, Xie Ciwen was not annoyed at all, and his expression did not even waver.

He nodded slightly, his tone calm: "Back then, when I attempted to ascend to the realm of immortality, I suffered a karmic backlash and failed to ascend. My physical body was completely crushed under the crushing power of the Heavenly Dao. Only a wisp of my remnant soul managed to escape and unintentionally attached itself to this ring, thus preserving itself."

He paused, then continued, "Over the years, I have relied on the remaining spiritual energy in the ring, along with the meager spiritual energy I have absorbed from the surroundings, to nurture my remnant soul little by little. After a thousand years, I have finally been able to solidify my physical form and gain the opportunity to return to the human world."

"Nurture?" Upon hearing these two words, He Anyao's heart tightened suddenly. As if she had thought of something, she instantly realized what was happening, and the seriousness in her eyes was instantly replaced by anger. Her tone also became increasingly cold.

"So, all those unusual changes in Chenyu over the years, his twisted personality, his mental breakdown, were all because of you? You've been absorbing his spiritual energy, turning him into the person he is today?"

"Yes." Xie Ciwen admitted without hesitation, his tone carrying a hint of barely perceptible apology. "When I first attached myself to this ring, I sensed the spiritual energy on He Chenyu's body. At that time, my remnant soul was almost dissipated, and I had no other choice but to absorb his spiritual energy to nourish myself."

"However, He Chenyu's mental abnormality has nothing to do with me."

Xie Ciwen was not lying. In the original owner's memories, it was indeed him who absorbed the spiritual energy that originally belonged to He Chenyu, affecting his cultivation.

However, it did not affect his mental state. Could it be that the excessive blows he suffered caused He Chenyu to become mentally unstable?

Xie Ciwen thought to himself, "So this chosen one is nothing special."

"I see!"

He Anyao trembled slightly with anger, her gaze towards Xie Ciwen instantly filled with intense rage and hatred. "Do you know how much injustice Chen Yu has suffered over the years because of you? How many people have scorned and ostracized him?"

"He could have grown up carefree like a normal child, with a bright future, but because of you, he has suffered so much!"

"I know."

Xie Ciwen's tone became increasingly gentle, and his apology became more and more obvious. He looked at He Anyao with sincere eyes.

"Madam He, I know I have wronged He Chenyu, but rest assured, my remnant soul has now been fully nurtured and no longer needs to absorb anyone's spiritual energy. From now on, I will make amends to He Chenyu and do my best to return everything he has lost over the years."

As he said this, a resolute glint flashed in his eyes, "I will even make sure he gets something better than he deserves."

He Anyao's anger was slightly subdued by Xie Ciwen's sincere words, but the wariness in her eyes remained, her brows were still tightly furrowed, and her tone still carried a hint of doubt and questioning:

"Since you intend to make it up to him, why did you let Ranran kick him out? You know he's mentally unstable, and being alone outside will only put him in greater danger. This isn't making it up to him; it's clearly harming him!"

"I……"

Xie Ciwen opened his mouth, his gaze subconsciously shifting to the little dumpling standing beside him. He saw Xie Xingran with his head down, occasionally poking at the ants crawling on the ground with his toes, looking completely absent-minded.

Looking at his adorable appearance, Xie Ciwen's eyes flashed with a hint of doting and helplessness. She sighed silently in her heart, and a very faint, almost imperceptible smile appeared on her lips.

This little thing knows how to make excuses for itself and push all the problems onto itself.

He took a deep breath, withdrew his gaze, looked back at He Anyao, his expression regaining its usual composure, and said calmly:

"Madam He, you misunderstand. I asked Ranran to drive He Chenyu out not because I intended to harm him, but because I used my own cultivation to deduce that there was an opportunity for He Chenyu waiting for him somewhere."

"This opportunity cannot be given to him by others; he must find it, strive for it, and obtain it himself."

"Opportunity?" He Anyao sneered, her dissatisfaction and rebuke becoming increasingly evident in her tone.

"He's mentally unstable now, completely out of control, unable to even take care of himself. How could he possibly seek out any opportunity on his own? How could he possibly seize that opportunity? Your words are far-fetched!"

"Mrs. He, please calm down."

Xie Ciwen's face revealed a half-smile. "He Chenyu's current condition is indeed not as good as that of an ordinary person. His mental state is unstable, and his mind is severely damaged. But isn't this also a kind of test?"

"You are also a cultivator, so you naturally understand the principle that there is always a gain in every loss."