Lantu's sorrowful words fell on Hantian's ears.
His cold face instantly stiffened.
It felt like a sharp blade had sliced through his heart, a tearing pain.
'So that was it.'
'Lantu's tenderness towards me, her gentle, motherly demeanor...'
'It was all because she saw me as a substitute for that 'Hongmao'.'
Hantian laughed at himself mockingly, clenching his fists. A resolute glint flashed in his eyes.
'No matter who 'Hongmao' was, the one by Lantu's side right now was me, Hantian.'
"Lantu, if you really can't remember, then don't force it. Maybe... maybe that person doesn't even exist," Hantian said, his mood subtly shifted, feigning nonchalance.
"Mm," Lantu nodded, but her gaze still drifted into the distance.
In the main world, Hei Xiaohu watched this scene unfold. All he could do was remain silent.
All the confusion buried deep in his heart was resolved after seeing these images.
"No wonder the Group Owner thought Hongmao could turn dark."
"No wonder the Group Owner insisted he take the gift pack, even if he refused."
"So... such a ridiculously clichéd story was going to happen!"
At this moment, Hei Xiaohu felt like he could grind his teeth to dust. The feeling in his heart was unbearably frustrating, like he'd swallowed something vile.
Even if Hongmao had a heart as vast as the world, an incurable do-gooder...
Even if he could suppress the urge to kill Little Black, who repeatedly tried to harm him, and hold fast to his beliefs...
This... this was something no man could tolerate!
His beloved, being involved with another man.
Losing her memory, mistaking another for him, having his partner stolen away...
Faced with this series of blows, no man could endure it.
Even Hei Xiaohu, a former rival in love, now a friend from a spectator's perspective, felt his teeth itch with the urge to draw his sword and kill that Hantian himself.
"Back then, no matter how much I did for Lantu, she remained unmoved. That shows her loyalty in love, her deep affection for Hongmao."
"And now? A guy whose strength wouldn't even rank as a low-level grunt in my Demonic Sect, someone not even fit to compare to a single hair on Hongmao's head, dares to take advantage of the situation and steal his partner?"
"Let alone Hongmao, even I, Hei Xiaohu, can't stand it!"
Hei Xiaohu slammed the table in fury, his profound internal energy shattering the solid steel tabletop into pieces.
Losing to Hongmao in love was something he could accept.
After all, good and evil were irreconcilable.
Plus, Hongmao himself had an extraordinary aura, and his talent was no less than his own.
He and Lantu were indeed a perfect, golden couple, like immortals.
But what was this Hantian?
A freak with a mother complex? A lowly weakling? A hypocrite who acted aloof on the surface but stole people's partners behind their backs?
Just what the hell was this?!
[Young Master of the Demonic Sect: Group Owner, can I send this content to Hongmao?]
[Dark Group Owner: Of course. I was planning to show him in a couple of days anyway. Besides, you're from a similar world, your relationship is closer. Your words will have a better effect.]
In the parallel world, Hattori also nodded, feeling a headache coming on. He was almost unable to watch any further.
No normal person wanted to see this kind of clichéd, toxic storyline.
Only the creators of 'Brave Return', forcibly rehashing old ideas and twisting the world's will, would shove such a pile of garbage down the fans' throats.
'With Hei Xiaohu stepping in to persuade, even if Hongmao from the 'Brave Return' World has the heart of a saint, he should turn dark this time.' Hattori took a deep breath, comforting himself.
If Hongmao could turn dark, then the script he had prepared could begin.
'Brave Return' World.
Hongmao's vision was blurry as he groggily opened his eyes.
'Where was I?'
'Right. I had been knocked out by that self-proclaimed 'Phoenix Heroine' and captured.'
Thinking of this, Hongmao looked at his bound hands and feet.
A bitter smile involuntarily touched his lips.
Sure enough, he was tightly tied up, unable to move.
A tiger fallen on the plains is bullied by dogs.
If he still had his former power...
No, even one-tenth, one-hundredth of his power...
A flick of his finger would easily deal with that girl.
However, under the effects of the Fountain of Youth, all his internal energy had been completely dissolved.
He couldn't even perform the most basic starting stance of the Changhong Sword Technique.
'But... since she didn't kill me, she must be a righteous heroine at heart. As long as I explain things clearly, the misunderstanding can be resolved.' Hongmao, with his sunny and optimistic nature, comforted himself.
Even now, his thoughts towards Little Black were only 'I need to properly punish it', not considering killing it.
After all, the Master of the Changhong Sword had his own chivalrous code.
'Killing recklessly... Lantu would dislike that, right?'
Thinking of that beloved figure, the gloom on Hongmao's face lightened slightly.
'Once I found Lantu, with her intelligence and chivalrous tenderness, everything would surely get better.'
[Young Master of the Demonic Sect: @Master of the Changhong Sword!]
[Young Master of the Demonic Sect: @Master of the Changhong Sword, Hongmao, get out here! If you dawdle any longer, your wife will be stolen away!]
Hongmao: "!!!"
The group chat message suddenly appeared in his mind, shaking violently.
That Hei Xiaohu from ten years ago, whose disposition had changed so much, had sent an alarming message.
[Master of the Changhong Sword: Hei Xiaohu! What do you mean? What do you mean 'wife will be stolen away'? What happened to Lantu?!]
Hongmao's shoulders trembled uncontrollably, his heart pounding wildly.
His greatest fear…
The thing he didn't dare think about…
Was that something might have happened to Lantu!
If she, with her lost memory, was kidnapped by bandits, killed by the Demonic Sect, swept away by storms and waves... what would he do?
Hongmao didn't dare think about it.
He could only comfort himself that he and Lantu had been through so much together, and this time, they would surely overcome danger and be safe and sound.
But Hei Xiaohu's message completely shattered Hongmao's fantasy.
'That man, that man proud to his bones, would absolutely not joke about something like this.'
'The only possibility was that something had really happened to Lantu.'
[Young Master of the Demonic Sect: It's hard to explain in a few words. See for yourself.]
[Young Master of the Demonic Sect has forwarded a memory fragment.]
Looking at the memory fragment before him, Hongmao's fingertip trembled as he shakily pressed it.
From the very first scene, his pupils contracted sharply, his heart clenching tight.
He watched. He watched silently.
He watched as Lantu was caught in the storm, her life hanging by a thread, and he could only watch!
He watched as Hantian picked her up, gazing tenderly at his Lantu, and he could only watch!
He watched her wake up in the gladiator pit, mistaking Hantian for him in her daze.
Gently bandaging his wounds, worriedly tending to him, concernedly adding clothing for him.
And he could only watch!
Even with his fists clenched, nails digging into his flesh, teeth grinding audibly... he could only watch.
He could do nothing. He was powerless to do anything!
Self-blame, pain, anger, bitterness...
Endless negative emotions surged into Hongmao's heart like a tide.
"What had I been holding onto?"
"Holding onto chivalry?"
"Heh... Ha... Ha ha ha."
The result of holding onto chivalry was watching the Seven Swords turn into infants, watching himself suffer all kinds of humiliation, watching Lantu fall into another man's hands.
While he was powerless, unable to do anything, but even if he regained his strength…
Could he kill Little Black?
The chivalrous Hongmao could not kill!
Could he kill Hantian?
The chivalrous Hongmao could not kill!
All the grievances, all the frustration, all the indignation could only be suppressed in his heart, torturing him bit by bit.
Why?!
He had left the mountains at sixteen, upholding the chivalrous code his whole life. He fought the Demonic Sect, fought Ma Sanniang, fought the Rat Tribe, fought the Black Dragon.
Everything he did lived up to the words 'open and aboveboard, upright and honorable'.
And the final outcome he received...
Was this?
"Not worth it."
Hongmao gritted his teeth so hard one shattered.
Through a mouthful of blood and broken tooth, he uttered those three words with a voice like a devil's.
Not worth it.
This floating, dusty world was not worth his chivalry.
These malicious human hearts were not worth his fairness.
When 'goodness' became the norm, everyone would take it for granted.
They would trample you, insult you, defile you, repeatedly challenge your bottom line.
Because...
No matter what…
That 'Hero Hongmao' wouldn't kill people for no reason, right?
What did it matter if they provoked him?
He wasn't from the Demonic Sect, so he would know when to stop.
His chivalry, his steadfastness...
Had instead become the reliance for others to scheme against him!
"From now on..."
The dark light in Hongmao's eyes grew deeper and more sinister.
Around him, hellish black energy seemed to gather, forming a vortex of internal force.
"Those who displease me... Kill!"
"Those who upset me... Kill!"
"All who stand in my way, who harm me and Lantu..."
"Kill! Kill! Kill!"
"Kill them all! Spare no one!"
Hongmao's voice, like a vengeful ghost, a demon, like the once world-shaking Heixin Hu, echoed in the sealed room.
In his mind, a system prompt sounded.
[Ding! You have opened the Newcomer Gift Pack. Obtained the internal energy of the seventh level of the Heavenly Demon's Wild Dance Divine Art.]
At this moment, in the parallel world...
[Ding! Hongmao's darkening progress 10%. Reward for Group Owner: Whirlwind Sword.]
Sitting on the sofa, Hattori suddenly heard a system prompt in his ear.