"It's been many years, but you're still the same as before!" Yuan Zhongshu said calmly.

Li Taicang's expression was indifferent, but his eyes were complicated. "You have lost all your former glory."

After a pause, Li Taicang continued, "Have you ever regretted it all these years?!"

After saying that,

Yuan Zhongshu said indifferently, "No!"

"Do you ever hate me?!" Li Taicang asked again.

“I shouldn’t hate you. If it weren’t for you, I would have turned into a skeleton long ago. But… you shouldn’t have killed Xi Ruo. She was innocent!” Yuan Zhongshu said coldly.

After saying that,

Li Taicang's expression was contorted as he roared, "She's innocent? You should have been mine, you should belong only to me, but that vixen seduced you. Shouldn't she die? How is she innocent?!"

Chen Ang and his six companions: ⊙﹏⊙!

The six members of the Kuroko group: "...!?"

Holy crap!

That's a lot to say!

Judging from this, Li Taicang was in love with Yuan Zhongshu, but Yuan Zhongshu had no homosexual desires and fell in love with a woman. Li Taicang then had that woman killed, causing Yuan Zhongshu to fall into his current state.

previous years,

At the height of his power and ambition, Yuan Zhongshu met a gentle and graceful woman, as beautiful as a poem or a painting, and extremely charming. Since ancient times, heroes have loved beauties, and beauties have loved heroes. The two quickly fell in love, and at that time, Li Taicang did not show any signs of anything amiss.

That year, Yuan Zhongshu received an imperial decree to go to the Great Wall of Stars to defend against the alien race.

That year, the alien invasion was exceptionally fierce. Many powerful figures from the four great empires went to the Starry Sky Great Wall. In that same year, Yuan Zhongshu, outside the Starry Sky Great Wall, single-handedly killed four alien powerhouses at the ninth level of the Wuji Dao Realm. In that same year, Yuan Zhongshu's name became even more famous. Who in the entire world did not know Yuan Zhongshu?!

Because of this battle, Yuan Zhongshu suffered considerable injuries, and the alien invasion gradually subsided. Yuan Zhongshu then returned home from the Starry Sky Great Wall.

This gave Li Taicang an opportunity. That night, the Yuan residence was filled with bloodshed. Yuan Zhongshu was seriously injured by Li Taicang, and Xi Ruo was killed. Before Xi Ruo died, she sacrificed her past to help Yuan Zhongshu leave.

If it weren't for the fact that Xi Ruo sacrificed everything to save this life, Yuan Zhongshu would have long since given up on living. As for seeking revenge against Li Taicang, not to mention that his life force was almost completely depleted, even if he returned to his peak, he wouldn't know what to choose.

After all... if it weren't for Li Taicang, he would have died long ago, and there would be no him as we know him today. But Xi Ruo... Yuan Zhongshu has truly suffered in recent years. In recent years, he has completely let go. He no longer has the strength to take revenge, nor does he want to. Everything is in the past. He just never expected to see Li Taicang again.

"Forget it! What happened back then is in the past, let's not talk about it anymore, why dwell on it?!" Yuan Zhongshu said calmly.

After saying that,

Li Taicang retorted, "Let it go? Ha! Central Government, don't you realize you were wrong even now? Don't you realize you've let me down?!"

Yuan Zhongshu remained silent.

Li Taicang's pupils gradually turned scarlet, and a murderous intent permeated the air. "Very well, today, everyone in this village will be buried with you."

"Why involve the innocent in our affairs? If you want to kill me, then kill me; I'll let you do as you please." Yuan Zhongshu frowned slightly. "If you insist on implicating the innocent, then there is only one option: war!"

As the sound faded,

Li Taicang couldn't help but laugh sarcastically, "With your current abilities?!"

While Yuan Zhongshu was indeed amazing and powerful back then, the current Yuan Zhongshu is almost completely drained of his vital energy. His severed arm represents the loss of his original essence. Where is the terrifying cultivation he once possessed at his peak?

Yuan Zhongshu said firmly, "Based on who I am now!"

"Me too!" the six members of the group almost said in unison.

Just as the sounds were fading, the once silent village suddenly erupted into a cacophony of noises.

"Me too!"

In an instant, the dark village was illuminated, and figures stepped forward; all the villagers were there, without exception.

Looking at the villagers who stepped forward one by one, unleashing their full power, Li Taicang still sneered, "A bunch of ants, how could they possibly shake a tree?!"

The scene was certainly spectacular and exhilarating, but their cultivation and strength were far too inferior. Even if they had a hundred thousand or a million, what difference would it make?!

"Whether we can shake the tree or not, we'll only know after we try!" someone in the village shouted.

Yuan Zhongshu was quite moved at this point and said, "I appreciate the villagers' kindness, but I have my own way of holding him off. You all should leave first."

His words did not make the crowd leave; on the contrary, they became even more determined. Since Yuan Zhongshu came, he had done a great service to the village. Without Yuan Zhongshu, they would not have the life they had now. Moreover, he had taught and nurtured many young people, and this remote and impoverished village had produced a young general. Although he died on the battlefield, his glory could not be erased.

Now that Yuan Zhongshu is in trouble, they should stand together. Besides... they've been listening the whole time. Even if they don't resist and don't stand with Yuan Zhongshu, that man won't let them go. So they might as well fight back. As for escaping... where can they escape to?!

Their decision was certainly influenced by gratitude, and quite a bit of that gratitude, but it was also a decision made after weighing the pros and cons.

"Elder Yuan, there's no need for further words. We stand behind you and will lend you a helping hand. Just keep fighting!" someone shouted.

In an instant,

The voices of agreement continued, and then streams of power flowed into Yuan Zhongshu's body, which greatly increased Yuan Zhongshu's power, but it was still far from enough. This power was almost the limit that they could gather.

Li Taicang said indifferently, "Is that all there is to it!?"

As he spoke, Li Taicang casually waved his hand, and a terrifying power instantly descended, instantly dimming the momentum of Yuan Zhongshu and the others, who were completely suppressed.

At this moment, Chen Ang and the others, as well as Hei Zi and the other villagers, were all shocked by Li Taicang's power. Such power was truly terrifying, befitting a supreme expert at the peak of his realm.

Li Taicang said indifferently, "Central Government, I can give you another chance. If you sincerely repent now, I can give you a way out. If you swear to become one of my people from now on, I will let these ants go. How about it? Moreover... I can also extend your life."

After saying that,

Yuan Zhongshu slowly replied, "Do you really think that with your current cultivation level, I am truly powerless against you?!"

Upon hearing this,

Li Taicang was slightly taken aback. He truly didn't know how Yuan Zhongshu could have uttered such a statement. Given his current situation, and the swarm of ants behind him? Ha! How could they possibly defeat him? Even being able to shake him in the slightest would be a feat. Of course, Li Taicang suddenly had a vague premonition of something bad.

(End of this chapter)