HLnovel Chapter 125 A Bloodstained Past
Chapter 125 A Bloodstained Past
"No—no—Yan Shu...Yan Shu...why?"
Zhong Li's lips trembled, his voice choked and broken as he called out the name that had lingered in his heart countless times.
That name was like a sharp sword, piercing his heart every time he uttered it.
It made him suffer unbearable pain.
Yet, as if under a spell, it lingered in his heart at all times...
Si Hanye looked at the heartbroken man before him.
He could clearly feel the intense grief emanating from Zhong Li.
That profound despair and helplessness seemed to materialize, suffocating one.
Si Hanye's usually aloof and indifferent eyes were slightly moved at this moment, tinged with a faint sadness.
He didn't say anything, but just silently watched the man who was overwhelmed with grief and weeping uncontrollably.
Perhaps a good cry would make him feel better.
Zhong Li was still immersed in endless grief, and he did not understand why this was happening.
Those who were his blood relatives and closest to him turned out to be the ones who hurt him the most.
The woman he swore to protect for life could only watch helplessly as she resolutely committed suicide, her life ending tragically.
Why was God so cruel to him?
His closest person drove his loved one to death.
Zhong Li roared in agony...
Once upon a time, in his youthful vigor, he harbored lofty ambitions. Filled with passion and boundless longing, he yearned to lead the Li tribe to a new and more glorious height.
But everything changed the moment they drove Yan Shu to her death.
They killed Yan Shu, and in doing so, they buried the once ambitious and energetic Zhong Li in the dust of the past.
Gradually... the heart-wrenching sorrow on Zhong Li's face transformed into boundless hatred.
It was them, those people from the Li tribe, who killed Yan Shu, the love of his life. And yet they had the audacity to say it was all for his own good.
Zhong Li will never forget the Li Clan's Grand Elder, who pointed at Yan Shu with a righteous and awe-inspiring expression, denouncing her as a demonic being and the source of all evil that had bewitched him.
At that time, Zhong Li was radiant and full of vigor.
He shocked the entire Li tribe with his extraordinary talent and was hailed as the most dazzling genius in the Li tribe in nearly a thousand years. Everyone firmly believed that he would be the most promising person to lead the Li tribe to a higher level.
Having so many accolades is like a heavy burden for Zhong Li, but he has never hesitated to back down. He knows the weight of his responsibilities and will do his best to live up to everyone's expectations.
For this reason, the Li tribe at that time devoted all its resources to nurturing him, determined to create a great ruler who would shake the world.
Any factor that might interfere with his growth or shake his mind would be ruthlessly suppressed by his family.
Even if that so-called "threat" is just a sincere love.
At that time, Zhong Li did not think that his family's actions were abnormal or harsh. On the contrary, he felt that it was a recognition of his strength and ability, and he enjoyed the arduous process of gradually becoming a strong person.
Each breakthrough in his training, each self-transcendence during mental trials, made him firmly believe that he was getting closer and closer to his goal.
He will surely live up to his family's expectations and lead the Li Clan back to its peak.
However, fate always likes to play tricks on people. The more you worry about or fear something, the more likely it is to happen to you. Just as Zhongli was single-mindedly moving towards his goal.
The woman who would influence his entire life—Yan Shu!—quietly entered his life.
Before this, Zhong Li's daily life was filled with cultivation and mental training, repeating the same cycle day after day.
But everything changed after Yan Shu came out.
Her every move was deeply imprinted in Zhong Li's heart, tightly gripping his heart that had once only beat for his family.
Zhong Li never imagined that there would be a woman in the world who so firmly occupied all his thoughts, constantly affecting his joys and sorrows.
Even so, he never forgot the mission he carried. He needed to defend the honor of his family, and he could not fail the family's high expectations!
Despite repeatedly telling everyone that he would only work harder after being with Yan Shu, because he not only wanted to fight for his family, but also to create a better and more stable future for the woman he loved.
However, no matter how earnestly he promised, his family members never gave him the chance.
Their reasoning was so cold and heartless: because of this woman's existence, your heart, which once led the Li tribe to glory, is no longer as pure and steadfast as it once was.
You need to devote most of your attention to this woman; your life will no longer revolve solely around the Li tribe.
Zhong Li's eyes widened; at that moment, he finally understood.
It turns out that the family's tireless efforts in nurturing him were merely to use him as a tool, a tool to lead the Li Clan back to its peak.
A tool is not worthy of any other emotions, nor should it harbor any other thoughts. It should obediently follow the path set by the family and proceed step by step.
Zhong Li sneered, disobeying his family's orders for the first time in his life.
He resolutely embraced her, proving to everyone through his actions that he would not let down his family's expectations, nor would he fail the one he loved.
This action, however, was met with hysterical and extreme condemnation from the entire family.
"You have let down the family's painstaking efforts in nurturing you, and you have betrayed your own original aspirations. You have disappointed us greatly!"
“You have abandoned the honor and disgrace of your clan for the sake of a mere woman. You have squandered all the efforts your family has made for you over the years. Do you really want to be a sinner of the Li clan?”
“Zhongli, as a member of the Li clan, you should shoulder your mission and responsibilities. You should prioritize the clan above all else; petty romantic relationships between men and women should not be the focus of your life. Those things will only hinder you from reaching higher levels…”
Everyone was condemning and cursing him as if he had really done something heinous.
Zhong Li pursed her lips tightly, silently enduring the verbal attacks from the crowd.
For him, this relationship was the driving force that propelled him forward, the shining light in his life. Even after suffering countless misunderstandings and criticisms, he never regretted meeting Yan Shu.
"Zhong Li, are you really going to abandon your entire family for this woman? Abandon the family that has supported you for so many years? Are you even going to abandon the lofty ambitions you once made for her?"
"Now is the time for you to make a choice: choose her or choose your family?"
Zhong Li was in great pain, not understanding why he had to be forced to make such a difficult choice.
why?
He had once made lofty promises to his family, filled with passion and ambition. He could not and dared not betray them.
But he also made a vow to stay with the woman he loved for life, never to leave her.
He couldn't bear to part with either side! Losing either one would cause him unbearable pain.
Yan Shu looked at her beloved man with a sorrowful expression. If it weren't for her, he would never have been in such a dilemma.
She didn't want him to become the target of public criticism, nor did she want him to suffer such pain.
In my memory, he was so radiant; I shouldn't have dragged him down.
She was content to have known and accompanied him for a time.
Even if it comes at a terrible price, she never regrets doing it!
That somewhat hazy evening took away a beautiful and gentle woman, and also killed a man full of ambition, who spoke of living up to his family's honor and his beloved...