If this young man was the one who had imprisoned the eye, then there was no righteous cultivator coming to destroy the sect.
'I thought… I could rejoice if that damned sect were destroyed. It seems that was just an empty dream.'
Both the young man and Hei Qin fell into deep contemplation.
After a while, the young man said "Let's go… let's meet that thing. I haven't seen it in a long time."
The young man turned and began to walk in the direction of the eye's location.
"Yes."
Hei Qin picked up the Lantern of Parting and followed the young man deep into the forest.
"You didn't tell me your name. As for me, I am Ye An."
As they walked, the young man introduced himself with a warm smile.
"Hei Qin," He Qin replied back.
"Hmm. After we deal with that thing, I will tell you why I need you. I'll tell you many secrets, and who you really are."
Hei Qin's calm facade cracked for a moment.
'He is telling me who I really am? Don't tell me he knows about my past life and how I reincarnated into this world.'
It was a secret only he knew. He hadn't told anyone, not even his parents or friends.
'If he knows, does my master know too?' A chill ran through his bones, even though he had been absorbing Yin energy for his cultivation.
Hei Qin couldn't do anything in this situation. Even though a thousand questions raced through his mind, he couldn't bring himself to ask Ye An yet. At the very least, he would have to wait for the death of that eye—or whatever fate awaited it—before he could question Ye An.
Hei Qin hadn't always possessed his memories. At the age of five, he occasionally dreamed of a different world. Over the next ten years, he slowly regained most of the memories from his past life. Even so, he didn't consider himself an outsider. He had always viewed himself as someone from this world because he was content with the life he had. He had expected his life to continue as it was.
However, that peace didn't last. In a single night, his entire world was turned upside down.
His village was destroyed along with his loved ones, and he was imprisoned by the Blood Phantom Sect. As his mind began to rot, he tried to forget these painful memories. It was then that he regained his remaining memories from his past life. That was the turning point; he no longer cared about this world.
Now, he considered himself an outsider. He fully believed he was someone from a more advanced and cultured world—not this rotten, blood-soaked land. He set new goals for himself and began to live only to achieve them. He had already accomplished one, sucessfully escaping the Blood Phantom Sect.
***
The eye watched the entire scene using its power.
"Dammit, that brat! How dare he betray me? I never thought that bastard would know him. I knew the boy wasn't going to break the barrier, which is why I sent him there to cultivate… if everything had gone to plan, that brat would be dead by that bastard's hands by now."
The eye cursed Hei Qin, and not only him, but his parents and his ancestors for generations. Its curses didn't last long. Soon, it shut its mouth completely upon sensing a dreadful aura approaching.
Soon, two young men emerged from the depths of the forest. One walked leisurely with both hands behind his back, whistling carefreely. The other was a young man holding a lantern.
"How have you been, you useless trash?"
The young man's warm smile widened.
"You must be overjoyed. After all, you even planned to escape this barrier. But what would you have done even if you had escaped? Come to me for revenge? Do you truly have that kind of confidence?
"Huh. That's right, I heard your story. You told him we were friends, didn't you? Haha! I can't believe you would tell a story like that just to fool someone. But I have to admit, you really do have a talent for storytelling… haha!"
Ye An burst into laughter, unable to control himself any longer. After several seconds of laughing, he slowly calmed down.
The eye looked at Ye An venomously; the fury within it was evident. It couldn't hold back any longer.
"Shut up! I can't take it anymore! If you want to kill me, then just kill me! Don't humiliate me any further. I don't fear you anymore, you bastard!"
The eye spoke furiously, having accepted its fate. It figured that if it was going to die anyway, why should it fear someone—even someone far more powerful than itself?
The young man's deep gaze lingered on the eye, saying nothing for several moments.
"W-what? W-why are you looking at me like that?" The eye began to drench in sweat, seemingly trembling in fear. 'No, I don't fear him. Let's see what that bastard can actually do.'
"Hmm… did you get scared?" the young man asked in a low voice before bursting into laughter again. "...Haha… You said you didn't fear me, yet look at you…"
Hei Qin quietly watched the farce unfolding before his eyes. 'What is even happening here? I don't even know anymore.'
Hei Qin had thought Ye An would rip the eye into pieces after the way he had questioned him. He had even added a little extra information for "the greater good" to ensure the eye's demise. But now? He could do nothing but watch this farce with a dry, hollow laugh.
"Kill you? Don't worry, I am not going to kill you. I have more use for you alive than dead. So, forget about a peaceful death."
Upon hearing Ye An's words, the eye spat back, "What uses? Do you think I will work for you after you have humiliated me like this?"
"You will," Ye An said with an icy smile.