The entire sect is obsessed with love, but I'm the only one who's truly insane.

The cave was covered in frost, turning the already simple and empty cave into a land of ice and snow.

The array pattern was always one step away from being fully formed.

[You need to understand that the reason why the "life retracing" technique is only used in competitions among the younger generation is because the younger the person, the less experience they have, and the less time they need to rewind. If you encounter deep-seated emotional knots, even if you rewind extremely quickly, you will be trapped and unable to escape for several years, or even decades.]

The individual competition of the Central Plains Grand Tournament is in two years.

So, Lin Du, is the truth really that important? This truth has nothing to do with who you are now, nor with any choices you make in the future. Do you really want to be influenced by your past self?

Lin Du sat listlessly within the array patterns, his smile weary and languid. "From the moment you chose to approach me as an outsider and arranged all this, isn't that influencing me?"

"If it weren't for the fact that I've spent so many years with my fellow disciples in the Supreme Sect, you probably wouldn't have dared to reveal that you are me, and I am you."

The negative emotions she had suppressed for several days finally erupted. The array patterns shattered, and frost crept outwards from her body inch by inch along with the pouring spiritual power, freezing everything in its path, chilling to the bone.

"I can certainly tolerate designing myself and scheming against myself, but I cannot allow myself to be just a pawn without understanding the overall strategy."

Lin Du, I am no longer Lin Du, but you are still Lin Du.

In this world, there has only ever been one Lin Du, and it was your decision that made this possible.

I am merely... a part of your past that you have solidified.

Even if you don't use the unexpected system on Cui Yujun to force me to reveal that there was never a system, according to Lin Du's original plan, we would begin to merge at the fifth stage, and by the sixth stage, when we had refined our spirit and combined our colors, we would have completely merged, and there would be no more system.

"So, do you expect to be able to end everything once I reach the Qian Yuan Realm?"

"I'm actually quite confident in myself."

The fifth stage, the Qian Yuan Realm, is the realm that my two senior brothers are currently in seclusion trying to break through. Both of them are over nine hundred years old. However, the events involving Lin Tuan and Hou Cang happened only three to five hundred years after the demonic energy turmoil and the instability of the Heavenly Dao.

It has to be Lin Du, she hasn't changed in either of her two lifetimes.

[…Seriously, I know you're in a hurry, but don't rush. It's better for you to gradually integrate your real memories than to rush through a rough outline of your entire life.]

Lin Du lowered his eyes, and after a long while, with a hoarse voice, for the first time, he didn't answer in his mind, but spoke out.

"Alright."

These words didn't seem to be spoken to her spirit, but rather to herself.

The words, once spoken, seemed to freeze in mid-air, like frost.

Even without being told, Lin Du could guess that perhaps even her modern identity was something she arranged herself.

Because his parents were unkind and he had no one to rely on, he didn't want to return to the modern world.

Surrounded by fellow disciples, each with whom she shared intimate companionship, her body was decaying and she was nearing the end of her life, which is why she wanted to save her.

It was all her own scheme.

Actually, it started even earlier, after she resigned, or maybe sometime later, that she felt she shouldn't waste her time in this world. She felt she should have some goals, but in modern times, she just didn't have any direction or ideas to strive for.

Looking back now, it was an obsession rooted in her soul.

Then, thinking back to the Eight Views Mirror that Yan Ye saw in the Tomb of the Gods, he had seen his own death, and perhaps the death of others as well.

She came back to save herself, and also to save others.

Her name is Lin Du, which means "to ferry others and oneself."

But how did Lin Du in her previous life set up such a grand scheme and arrange those life-saving pills? In all the stories, there is little trace of her own, making her seem like an ordinary spectator.

Lin Du simply wanted to examine his own state of mind.

"So what is our relationship now? Cui Yujun's 'system' is the parasitic possession of other people's souls, but you are just a part of me."

[...It doesn't matter. It's strange that you can even talk to yourself, and get angry with yourself.]

Lin Du packed his things, turned around, and left.

[Wait a minute, are you having trouble with the pill? Now is the perfect time for you to break through to a higher realm!]

"I know you're in a hurry, but don't rush."

My soul choked. What kind of good person would choke on their own words?

Lin Du left the cave, walked out of Luoze, went to the inner treasury, borrowed a pot of Drunken Jade Mountain wine, and then turned back to the depths of the forbidden area.

Actually, there's another way to recover some memories.

Heart demon.

Those who cultivate immortality rarely fall asleep, and even when they do, they rarely dream. If they do dream, it is because the unfinished cultivation of the day has entered their dreams.

Another possibility is that it's an inner demon.

However, Lin Du's inner demon only appeared once. His divine consciousness was exhausted, his spiritual power was depleted, and he fell into a deep sleep.

Therefore, after breaking the formation, she did not replenish her spiritual power and divine sense, but went straight out the door.

This time, as soon as Taolin let out a slight breath at Lindu, Taolin automatically made way for a small path.

When Lin Tuan looked up, he saw his poor little junior apprentice walking over, looking like a little kitten.

The child was clearly well-dressed, her blue robe spotless, her face pale but not weak, with her usual smile on her lips. Everything about her was clean and tidy, but Lin Tuan felt as if she were a cat that had run away from the mountain gate and wandered all the way, making her fur wet and dirty.

His original high spirits turned into a pitiful state after witnessing the wickedness of the world. He returned home dejectedly, only to find that home was so wonderful.

Lin Tuan noticed a pot of wine in her hand. She recognized the wine; it was the unique Drunken Jade Mountain from the Supreme Sect. It tasted like ordinary fruit wine, but had a strong aftereffect, making people drunk without them even realizing it.

It's the type of alcohol she drinks most often.

The child seemed to be in charge of the inner treasury. She had seen the sect's inner treasury ledgers, and many of the confirmed signatures were Lin Du's name.

So she asked with a smile, "Wouldn't this count as embezzlement?"

Lin Du laughed, "No, my master only comes to get a pot of wine every ten days. I calculate the time, and when it's time, I bring it to my master and ask for a sip at the same time."

If Lin Du wanted to drink, he could have simply told Feng Yifeng, and he could have chosen any of the good wines in the storeroom.

But she came under the pretense of delivering alcohol.

Lin Du never forgot her mission, and even in this situation, she did not want to simply indulge herself.

Perhaps she was born this way; even a single thought can branch out into countless possibilities, maximizing her own interests at every step.

A natural strategist.

"First time drinking?" Lin Tuan couldn't help but laugh as he looked at the child holding the wine glass as if facing a formidable enemy.

It wasn't the first time, but it was the first time here.

Lin Du dislikes the taste of alcohol.

But she drank it anyway; it tasted just like sweet water.

It tastes better than her medicine, at least.

Lin Du recounted the events of the past few days, such as the apparent increase in the demonic energy of the Demon Realm and the weakening of the power of the Heavenly Dao rules.

Lin Tuan listened for a while with his head tilted, his expression changing from casual to serious, and then he sighed softly.

It is said that because high-level cultivators have long lifespans, the Heavenly Dao imposes a life-threatening tribulation every thousand years to limit them.

But who can say that the laws of Heaven are without calamities?

She turned to look at Lin Du, "The rampant spread of evil is definitely not a good thing. I know this, and if it comes to that, I won't stand idly by."

"From now on, you will bring me wine once every ten days, and I will teach you some hand seals to restrain evil spirits and techniques to maintain balance in the demon realm. Some of these techniques are not available in the library."

After drinking three cups, Lin Du felt excited but a little dizzy. She propped her head up and hummed in response, but her mind was preoccupied with why Hou Cang hadn't arrived yet.

"Thank you so much, Senior Uncle. You're so kind."

As soon as she finished speaking, she felt an energy colder than herself approaching.

Lin Du rolled onto Lin Tuan's lap and fell asleep with his eyes closed.

When Hou Cang arrived, he could only see a table set up under the only tree in the middle of the peach grove that never blossomed. Lin Tuan sat on a bamboo mat, his deep purple robe with wide sleeves covered by a piece of green cloth. She didn't pull it off as she used to do to herself. Instead, she simply patted the head of the person on her lap, and with her other hand, she easily blocked the sharp energy he had released while practicing.

Lin Du's breathing was long and steady, so he must have really fallen asleep.

There was a faint, sweet aroma of wine in the air.

Hou Cang stared coldly at the abrupt blue color, a rare crack appearing on his usually stoic face.

Where did this wild tea essence come from?