"ah!"
Leo suddenly opened his eyes, breathing heavily, as if he had just woken from a nightmare. His face was pale, and his eyes were filled with shock and fury. His heart was pounding violently, as though he could still feel the betrayal that had caused him endless pain, anger swirling inside him. He gritted his teeth, his fingers clenched into fists, and his knuckles cracked audibly.
"Leo, what's... what's wrong?" A soft voice, belonging to a girl, interrupted his thoughts. Leo lifted his head and saw the familiar yet unfamiliar face before him. Her eyes were filled with confusion and concern.
Leo froze for a moment, and suddenly, all his memories came flooding back. He focused on the girl before him—she was Lily, his university classmate. She still looked as beautiful and gentle as before, as if she had never experienced any turmoil. But this familiar face made Leo's heart ache. He suddenly recalled everything from his past life—he had truly returned to Earth!
He quickly looked around and realized he was sitting in a luxurious Western restaurant. The table was covered with a white tablecloth, and there were French dishes laid out in front of him, the aroma filling the air. What surprised him even more was that he could no longer feel the surge of cultivation power—his body felt empty, as if he had become an ordinary person. Had he been reborn?
"Leo, why aren't you saying anything?" Lily spoke again, her tone laced with some anxiety. "Are you not feeling well?"
At that moment, Leo remembered his previous identity—he had been one of the five great Immortal Emperors in the Immortal Realm, the Central Immortal Emperor Leo. Once, he had wielded supreme power, commanding respect throughout the Immortal Realm. But unfortunately, during the trial of the Nine Heavenly Tribulations, he had been betrayed by his most trusted disciple and four other Immortal Emperors, which led to his death. However, he had never expected to be reborn into this ordinary world, back to Earth, to the place where all his pain and regrets had begun.
A thought suddenly flashed in his mind: He hadn't died. He had been gravely injured by those who betrayed him, and fate had led him to this world. Although his cultivation had been sealed, the Cosmic Treasure still lay in his possession. As long as he could cultivate again, he would recover his former powers and return to the Immortal Realm!
"Lily, I'm still alive…" Leo murmured softly, a complex look flashing in his eyes.
"What?" Lily's voice was uncertain, as if she hadn't heard him clearly.
Leo turned his head and stared deeply at her. Lily, the woman he had once deeply loved, had mocked him alongside others. Back then, she had only been interested in gaining attention and had chosen to be with the rich young master Henry, abandoning him, the man who had always been loyal to her. In his past life, Leo had been heartbroken by this, but this time, Leo was determined to change everything.
"It's nothing," Leo replied calmly, his voice steady. "I've just come to understand some things."
Lily seemed to sense the change in Leo's mood, but she didn't press him further. She smiled and said, "You've really changed, Leo. You used to be such a shy guy, and now you're so calm."
Leo's lips curled into a faint smile. In his heart, he thought: This time, I won't be as weak as in my previous life, letting you all hurt me.
He raised his hand and took out a bank card, handing it to the waiter. "Check, please."
"Leo, you didn't even finish your food. Are you really going to leave like this?" Lily sounded a bit displeased. "You invited me out for dinner, and I haven't even eaten enough yet."
"You eat," Leo said coldly. "I have things to take care of."
He stood up, turned without hesitation, and walked toward the exit. Lily stood frozen, staring at Leo's retreating figure. A trace of confusion flashed in her eyes. She suddenly had a strange feeling—Leo seemed to have changed into a completely different person.
As he stepped outside the restaurant, Leo took a deep breath. The humiliation, betrayal, and pain from his past life surged in his heart like a tidal wave. Although he could not restore all of his cultivation, he was confident that with his wisdom and the Cosmic Treasure, he would be able to recover his powers in the shortest time possible and regain control of everything.
"Henry, William, you'd better watch out," Leo's eyes gleamed with a cold light. "This time, I'll make you pay the price, blood for blood."
In his previous life, after being betrayed in the Immortal Realm, Leo had nearly lost his life. The masterminds behind this betrayal were his so-called friends, Henry and William. Especially William, a former classmate who, when Leo faced a major setback, had joined others in watching coldly from the sidelines and even actively pushed him into the abyss.
As for Lily, she had been the woman Leo had deeply loved in his past life, but due to Henry's interference, she had ultimately chosen him over Leo. This pain had become a permanent scar in Leo's heart. But now, having been reborn back to Earth, Leo vowed to change everything and make those who had hurt him pay for it.
"This time, I won't let you get away so easily," Leo whispered, his gaze sharp as a knife.
At that moment, his phone rang. Leo looked at the screen—it was his father calling. He answered the call, his voice calm: "Dad, what's up?"
"Leo, I heard you went to a Western restaurant, and Lily was there too, right? You need to be careful. I heard that Henry is back around your school again." His father's voice held a hint of concern. "He's not someone you should underestimate."
Leo smiled slightly, a determined gleam in his eyes. "Don't worry, Dad. I'll be fine."
After hanging up, Leo took a deep breath and looked into the distance with unwavering resolve. The road ahead was bound to be difficult, but he was ready to face any challenges that came his way.
This time, he would no longer be the weak Leo, but the reborn strong man, determined to make everyone who had once betrayed him pay the price!