Luo Ji felt ashamed of his past. Each time he remembered it, a deep sense of self-loathing washed over him, making him want to sever his own neck. How could he have been so cruel and vicious? Yet, it was his past. He could not simply discard it. To become a better person, he knew he needed to accept his past, but the enormity of it felt insurmountable. His past had inflicted so many scars on others, with Liu Xing as one of his victims.

As the turmoil within him began to destabilize his composure, his instincts screamed a warning. Beneath his mask, Luo Ji blinked rapidly. As a proficient combatant, he trusted his gut instinct.

He paused, allowing himself a few moments to process the unsettling feeling. When realization dawned, his eyes widened. "Where is he?"

Liu Xing had vanished. Luo Ji could no longer sense his qi, hear the rustle of his clothing or his breathing, smell him, or, obviously, see him. It was as if Liu Xing had teleported into thin air.

"That's impossible," Luo Ji whispered. There was no way Liu Xing possessed a teleportation technique. Such techniques were incredibly rare and demanding, far beyond the capabilities of a mere Core Splitting cultivator. Which meant Liu Xing must have concealed himself.

"Where?" Luo Ji muttered, just before a blade materialized abruptly in front of his neck, its sharp edge pointed directly at him.

"Behind you." a voice sounded from behind.

Luo Ji's eyes widened further, and his heart pounded so fiercely it felt as if it could burst. The blade, mere centimeters from his neck, appeared to be crafted from stone, yet its surface gleamed with light, as if it were the most polished blade in existence. As his heart hammered against his ribs, his mind raced and tried to make sense of what had just occurred. There was no way he, a Wolf, could be ambushed so easily. He had been distracted by his past, yes, but he had also maintained awareness of his surroundings.

"Who are you, and why are you following me?" Liu Xing asked, his voice calm yet laced with steel.

Luo Ji swallowed hard and raised both hands slowly. "It's a misunderstanding. I am not your enemy. I am also a disciple from the Purple Moon Sect. An inner disciple." He paused. "I'm a messenger from Elder Zhang Zhenking."

To support his claim, he carefully retrieved his token and presented it to the man behind him. "I'm telling you the truth."

Luo Ji decided to turn his body slowly, so he could face Liu Xing directly. A moment later, he stood face-to-face with Liu Xing. When he met the calm, cold gaze emanating from Liu Xing's eyes, a wave of remorse washed over him. This was the person he had bullied in the past.

He didn't know how Liu Xing had become as strong as an inner disciple, but it was clear that freedom from his tormentors had allowed him to soar. Inside his heart, this composed and frigid face superimposed itself over the memory of a face stained with urine, and his heart urged him to apologize. But even as his heart yearned to express remorse, a part of him resisted. If he apologized, Liu Xing would inevitably ask for the reason, forcing him to reveal his identity as Luo Ji, his former bully. He felt deeply ashamed of this truth and desperately wanted to keep it hidden. Yet, this decision left his heart heavy with disappointment. It was a stark reminder that he was still not the good person he aspired to be.

"Explain," Liu Xing said curtly.

Luo Ji had never spoken to Liu Xing before. He didn't truly know him, but he sensed that the coldness Liu Xing displayed was not his usual demeanor. Still, he couldn't be certain. "As I said, I'm a disciple on a mission to deliver a message to you from Elder Zhang Zhenking."

Liu Xing raised his eyebrows slightly. Luo Ji continued, "Disciple Liu Xing, Elder Zhang Zhenking has assigned you a mission to travel to the Wild Tide Region and retrieve a treasure."

Liu Xing scrutinized him, his gaze intense, as if trying to penetrate the mask concealing Luo Ji's face.

"How can I know that you are telling the truth? How can I verify that you are truly an inner disciple and genuinely have a mission to deliver to me?"

Luo Ji nodded. "Check your token. There should be a message from the sect."

When Luo Ji had first learned that the tokens could be used for messages, he had been genuinely surprised. He had assumed their function was limited to verifying disciple status within the Purple Moon Sect and checking sect points, but he had been mistaken. The tokens had many capabilities, most of which even he was unaware of. As far as he knew, only a select few missions utilized the token's messaging function. But given Liu Xing's purple code, he should have access to it.

Liu Xing drew his stone blade and made it float beside him. Upon seeing this, Luo Ji sighed in relief. He genuinely did not want to fight Liu Xing. He had already inflicted enough pain on him in the past. He just wanted this mission to conclude swiftly. The longer he interacted with Liu Xing, the greater the risk of his former victim recognizing him as Luo Ji, and he desperately wanted to avoid that shame.

This desire caused a pang of hurt in his heart, as if that ethereal girl was observing him and shaking her head in disappointment. Still, he had decided to address his feelings gradually. He wasn't attempting to evade responsibility; he simply needed time. His past victim retrieved his token from his spatial bag, and when Luo Ji sensed a pulse of qi emanating from it, he knew his mission was complete.

Liu Xing placed his token back into his spatial bag, clasped his hands together, and bowed slightly. "Thank you for delivering the message."

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"You're welcome," Luo Ji replied. "It's rare for me to deliver this type of message directly from an elder to an outer disciple. I believe you have a bright future, Liu Xing. Keep improving."

"Thank you, senior," Liu Xing said.

Luo Ji nodded. His heart still felt burdened by the shame of his past, and his irrational mind continued to amplify his self-disgust, making him wish to die. However, it seemed this mission would conclude without incident. He just needed to turn around, depart quickly, and immerse himself in another mission to drown out these feelings.

"I think it's time for me to leave. Good luck."

Before he could turn, Liu Xing's stone blade pointed directly at his heart.

"What is the meaning of this, junior?" Luo Ji's heart began to race again, and his stomach clenched. A strange sensation washed over him, a mixture of shame intertwined with his instinct recognizing imminent danger.

"Why so hasty? After all, it has been a long time since we last met."

His heart sank. "You know who I am."

"Senior, have you ever felt profound fear? I have, and I tasted it every time I saw you. You inflicted so many wounds on me that your mere presence made my skin crawl. I learned to sense your presence, recognize your footsteps, and even identify your unique scent. I honed all these senses because I feared you, senior Luo Ji."

A profound wave of shame washed over him again. His bullying had been so severe that Liu Xing had developed an instinctual fear response to him. This realization starkly highlighted how far he was from the good person he aspired to be. As a protector, his presence should inspire warmth and reassurance, not terror.

"Sometimes, I wondered where you were. I am striving to become an inner disciple myself, and deep within my heart, I always knew that we would meet again. I never expected our meeting to be so civil, it feels like a dream. If it were you from the past, I imagine you would have already punched me and urinated on me."

"Liu Xing, I—"

Before he could finish speaking, Liu Xing lunged towards him, the blade aimed to pierce his heart. Luo Ji moved swiftly to the side, the stone blade passing just beside him. Yet, even though he had successfully dodged the attack, he felt no relief. Instead, observing the calm, cold eyes of Liu Xing, he grimaced inwardly.

"Fight me," Liu Xing said coldly.

"I don't want to fight."

His response made Liu Xing frown. And Luo Ji understood what he felt. Humiliation. Luo Ji knew now that Liu Xing had grown strong. He had likely cultivated diligently and, perhaps through fortunate encounters, successfully broken through to the Core Splitting realm. Liu Xing must have believed he possessed sufficient power to fight him as an equal, but Luo Ji's refusal felt like a dismissal, as if he considered Liu Xing no match for him. And indeed, by refusing to fight Liu Xing, Luo Ji knew he was being disrespectful. Still, he did not want to fight Liu Xing. He was, after all, an inner disciple, and fighting him would feel like a continuation of his past bullying.

"Why?"

"I didn't come here seeking trouble. I delivered the message to you, and you now have the details of your mission. There is no reason for us to fight."

"If it's about reasons, I have plenty. I am stronger than before, and since you are already here, I want to settle matters with you."

"I have more missions," Luo Ji fabricated an excuse.

Liu Xing frowned. "If that's how it is, then there's nothing I can do about it."

Beneath his mask, Luo Ji's face morphed into surprise. He had expected Liu Xing to insist on a fight, yet he seemed to be backing down easily. Had he misjudged Liu Xing? But as his former victim continued to stare at him coldly and he sensed his opponent beginning to cycle his qi, he knew it wasn't that simple.

"You can go, Senior," Liu Xing said. Yet, he continued to cycle qi within his body, as if preparing to strike the moment Luo Ji turned his back.

Luo Ji realized that Liu Xing's words and intentions were inconsistent, and he actually felt a flicker of admiration. He knew Liu Xing harbored a deep grudge against him, yet this was the first time he had truly interacted with one of his former victims in such a way. Usually, they either fled or attempted to kill him outright. Liu Xing was different. He was attempting to maintain politeness as expected of a junior towards a senior, but he was also making it clear that politeness did not equate to a lack of hostility. It was a complex dance of social conduct and raw emotion.

At this point, Luo Ji knew a fight was inevitable. He suspected that the moment he moved, Liu Xing would attack. What should he do?

Wind swirled around them, causing the trees and bushes to sway gently. The air carried a slight chill that could make one shiver, yet the air surrounding Liu Xing felt significantly colder.

As Luo Ji and Liu Xing locked eyes, Luo Ji considered apologizing to Liu Xing. He knew forgiveness was unlikely, but it might at least alleviate some of the shame gnawing at his heart. Taking a deep breath, he decided to do just that.

"Liu Xing, I want to apologize," he began slowly, gauging Liu Xing's eyes, which narrowed further. "I realize what I did to you was wrong. I am trying to become a better person. Would you… would you forgive me?"

His heart pounded wildly in his chest. This was the first real opportunity he had ever had to apologize. His logical mind told him there was no chance Liu Xing would forgive him, but a part of his heart desperately wanted to believe forgiveness was possible. Luo Ji braced himself for the answer, but instead of a verbal response, Liu Xing reacted by gripping the handle of his stone blade, leaping forward, and slashing at Luo Ji's neck, attempting to decapitate him.

As Luo Ji ducked low, allowing the blade to pass harmlessly overhead, he couldn't help but grimace beneath his mask. It was exactly as he had anticipated, yet a pang of disappointment still resonated within him.

"Is this some kind of new trick?" Liu Xing said, retracting his sword and then thrusting it forward in a swift motion.

"No," Luo Ji said, jumping back, "I am truly sorry for what I did in the past."

"It's not funny," Liu Xing said coldly. "There's no way you would say something like that."

"I've had a change of heart."

Liu Xing's face twisted slightly, and Luo Ji felt a wave of sadness wash over him. He had been so cruel and vicious that even when he spoke honestly, Liu Xing couldn't believe it. Why was it so difficult for people to accept that someone could change? In this world, nothing was truly set in stone.

"Open your mask," Liu Xing demanded. "I want to see your real face. I am starting to suspect that you are not Luo Ji, but merely an imposter. That bully would never say something so soft like that. There's no way this is reality."

Luo Ji licked his lips. There was a strict rule prohibiting a Wolf from removing his mask while on duty. It was a punishable offense. Still, he owed Liu Xing something, and he decided that a minor punishment was a worthwhile price. Luo Ji reached for his mask, cycled qi in a specific pattern, and a soft click echoed in the quiet air. The mask had unlatched and he slowly pulled it off, revealing his face to his victim.

When Liu Xing finally saw his face, his eyes widened in understandable shock. After all, his features were considerably different from his past appearance. He had lost his handsomeness, replaced by a network of scars. Yet, these scars felt more authentic, more comfortable than his old face ever had. They were a constant reminder of the girl who would forever remain etched in his memory.

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