Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
âIn that case, we get to know each other.â
âHe was warm-hearted. Iâve always called him Big Brother, and he also acknowledged me as his little brother. When others bullied me, he would teach them a lesson. He had incredible talent, far surpassing mine, much like yours.â General Bai looked at Li Qingshan and said softly.
Li Qingshanâs heart skipped a beat. He could tell that this was probably the reason why General Bai was so nice to him.
General Bai saw the shadow of an old friend in him.
General Bai went on, âWhen we were in the Celestial Court, he took me with him wherever he went. Later on, he chose to join the military to temper himself on the battlefield. I was actually very afraid, but I still followed him to the battlefield.â
Li Qingshan looked at the general in front of him, known to everyone as the Butcher, the Lunatic. Who would have thought that he was afraid of war at the beginning?
âAfter entering the army, Big Brother climbed up the ranks. The more he fought, the braver he became. His talent and power were fully displayed. Every time he fought, he was unstoppable with an indomitable spirit. He accumulated great military achievements and was promoted very quickly, commanding tens of thousands of soldiers.â
âI followed behind Big Brother and also gained some military merits, but I didnât want to leave him, so he kept me by his side as a personal guard.â
General Bai looked at Li Qingshan and said, âThe life youâre living now is the life I lived back then. Unfettered and carefree.â
Only then did Li Qingshan understand that his present was General Baiâs past.
He listened attentively and rarely expressed his opinion.
âAfter Big Brother became a general, he focused on training his soldiers. He searched with me for various tactics and finally found an ancient battle formation technique in a secret realm,â General Bai said.
Li Qingshan immediately thought of the 10,000 -man battle formation he had seen on the battlefield.
It turned out that General Bai had inherited it from here.
âIn the next thousand years, the Immortal Plane was peaceful for some time.
During this period, I got married and had children! I have my own family.â
âSometimes, I also advise Big Brother to leave an heir for himself and find someone to take care of him. At least, thereâs someone who cares for him.â âBut Big Brother shook his head slightly and said that his ambitions lay elsewhere.â
âI knew Big Brother wanted to become the new Emperor of the Celestial Court.
His goal has always been so grand.â
General Bai closed his eyes and recalled the past. His expression was gloomy.
When Li Qingshan heard about General Baiâs marriage and children, he immediately remembered that General Bai had said that his family had all passed away. His heart skipped a beat.
âWith Big Brotherâs talent, if he had survived until now, there should be hope,â General Bai said.
âWhat happened?â Li Qingshan asked softly.
âAfter I got married and had children, I received a mission to explore the current situation in Hell. I went and asked Big Brother to take care of my family.â
âThat was also the time when the allied forces of the three clans attacked, much like they did this time. But the difference was, back then, we were caught off guard. They broke through 80 Emperorâs Passes. Only the 81st Emperorâs
Pass was left.â
âBig Brother is the one guarding the Emperorâs Pass.â
âThe allied forces of the three clans attacked while Big Brother defended. But how could he be a match for the army alone? He was surrounded and witnessed the massacre of the city by the three clans!â
General Baiâs face was as cold as ice, like eternal ice that would never melt.
Li Qingshan sighed. This was a tragedy.
âMy wife and my children were all killed. This completely infuriated Big Brother. He had always been cultivating the Six Paths of Samsara of Hell, hoping to use it to break through. At that moment, he really did break through. He fought alone against the allied forces of the three clans, killing countless and corpses littered the ground. Big Brother didnât want to escape at all. He just wanted to avenge my wife and children.â
âIn the end, Big Brother succeeded.â
âThat time, when the million-strong army attacked, Big Brother slew all the higher-ups of the million-strong army and shocked the world.â
âBut he also exhausted himself and perished. I didnât even get to see Big Brother one last time.â
âOnly at the end, when the Celestial Lord expert reversed time, that I learned about everything.â
General Bai gritted his teeth and was filled with regret. Even after 10,000 years, talking about this matter still weighed heavily on him.
Some things didnât gradually fade with time but instead became deeper and deeper, unable to be touched.
After that incident, General Bai lost his wife and child, as well as his best Big Brother. The world was vast, and he no longer had any relatives. In the years that followed, he guarded the Emperorâs Pass, becoming known as the Butcher, the Lunatic.
Until he met Li Qingshan.
General Bai looked at Li Qingshan after experiencing such heartache. âThe first time I saw you, I felt that you were very similar to Big Brother. Thatâs why I kept you in my mansion.â
âLater, when I saw your unparalleled cultivation talent, you became even more like Big Brother. I know you two arenât the same person, but sometimes I
wonder if Big Brother has reincarnated. Otherwise, how could things be so coincidental? You appeared in the Emperorâs Pass defensive battle and the
allied army of the three clans again.â
âYou donât understand why Iâm good to you, but Iâm just returning the kindness that Big Brother had shown me back then.â
âIâve heard of a Buddhist saying that after thousands of lifetimes, there will be two similar flowers in the world. One will wither and the other will bloom.â
Li Qingshan looked at General Baiâs sorrowful expression and finally understood what was going on.
He had become another personâs shadow. General Bai was so nice to him because he believed that Li Qingshan was the reincarnation of his Big Brother.
Being mistaken for someone else, Li Qingshan felt no resentment.
He said softly, âThere are two similar flowers in the world. Are you sure we are those two flowers?â
âSure or not, what does it matter?â General Bai took a deep breath and suppressed his emotions. He looked at Li Qingshan with a relaxed smile.
âIâve been good to you. It doesnât matter if youâre that flower or not. In my heart, I think you are, and you are. I donât seek any repayment. I just want to make myself feel at ease. You donât have to feel burdened. In the future, I wonât come looking for you. However, I hope youâll live well. If you ever need anything, you can come to me. Iâll be at the Emperorâs Pass.â
âAs for the spot for the Celestial Court Academy, I will get it for you. Once the situation stabilizes, I will send you out. The world is vast, and you have great potential. Donât be entangled with someone like me, a person who lives in the past.â
General Bai regained his composure and said to Li Qingshan with a smile. Then, he stood up and left. His steps were firm and his back was tall.
The child who had to be taken care of by his Big Brother all those years ago had already grown up..