Chapter 2: Starting Over, Holding On to All the Beauty

"Qingwu!" Chu Yang suddenly woke up, his eyes still closed, and he called out in pain. He felt his heart twitching and aching, but his voice was so weak it was almost inaudible, even to himself...

As soon as the words left his mouth, Chu Yang was stunned!

I... I clearly saw Qingwu come to greet me, that familiar gentle smile, that tenderness that had seeped into my bones...

But... what is this?

Before his eyes, there were endless mountains and rocks, the sky was tinged with the blood-red of the setting sun, and purple bamboo swayed gently in the breeze, like rolling purple clouds...

At his feet, there was a pool of blood.

A sharp pain shot through his head, and when he touched it, his hand came away red with blood.

This mountain, these rocks, this scene, this injury, are so familiar!

Where am I?

A voice beside him, almost on the verge of tears, said, "Hey... you... don't scare me, I... I'm such a handsome and suave person, I can't take being scared..."

Chu Yang felt a wave of confusion, thinking, Could I really not be dead yet? But who is this guy yelling in my ear? He's really something, almost dead from fright, yet he still can't forget to be self-absorbed...

Seemingly noticing his lack of response, the person called out again, "Really... no breath? Sob..." This cry was like a train whistle, and if someone heard it from far away, they would think a hungry wolf was howling.

The sound was long and loud, lingering in the air. There was even a faint echo, but the echo really turned into a "howl..."

What a talent. Chu Yang thought. He could tell that the voice was genuinely afraid and sad, but it was really hard to compliment.

It seemed that when the heavens created this person, they made a mistake, giving him a duck's voice, and it was a male duck...

After completing the creation, the heavens must have felt it was wrong, so they compensated by giving him half a wolf's voice...

This voice is somewhat familiar... Such a unique voice! Chu Yang's mind was jolted, and suddenly, memories from years ago flooded his mind...

"It's just practicing with a staff, you don't have to be knocked out by one hit, do you?" The voice trembled, clearly terrified: "... They hit you so many times and you were fine, why did one hit from me make you cling to me... This... This is so unfair! Could it be that you're jealous of my handsome and suave appearance and are deliberately framing me?"

Chu Yang was speechless.

What kind of person is this? He's still complaining, and not just complaining, but even managing to praise himself...

To be this self-absorbed is truly earth-shattering and ghost-tearing!

Chu Yang groaned and finally managed to open his eyes. He couldn't lie there anymore; even a generation of Poison Sword Martial Respects couldn't endure such a voice.

This mix of a hoarse drake's voice and a hungry wolf's vocal cords... Even a tiger... would go mad if it heard it for too long...

"You're awake, you're awake, hahaha, I knew it, you were stunned by my handsomeness, not fainted..." The voice continued to assault Chu Yang's ears: "I said, why did you suddenly stare at my face while we were fighting... Now I get it!"

Chu Yang frowned, his head still throbbing, and he softly commanded, "Shut up!" He couldn't take it anymore. If you say two more words, I'll stab myself in the heart again. I've already died once, and now I have to suffer from your terrifying voice. Is there any justice in the world? Not even in death can one find peace...

What kind of world is this...

His voice was low but full of authority. The imposing aura of a Poison Sword Martial Respect was无形中散发出去. The person who had been chattering nonstop was stunned by the sternness in these two short words and fell silent.

Chu Yang suddenly opened his eyes, but the sunlight was blinding, and for a moment, his vision was filled with stars. He had to close his eyes again and then slowly open them...

Before him was a human face. Yes, the same person who had been praising his own handsomeness. Indeed, there was no one else here besides him and Chu Yang.

But as soon as Chu Yang saw his face, a wave of familiarity and a mix of amusement and bewilderment washed over him. The term "handsome and suave" seemed like a waste of talent when applied to this person!

This face was definitely not ugly!

Big eyes, a straight nose, a small mouth, and two arched eyebrows. His face was fair, neither fat nor thin.

But the most peculiar thing was that his eyes, though large and bright, were spaced far apart, one almost by his left ear, the other... next to his right ear.

His eyebrows were naturally arched. However, they were like two swords, one piercing the sky, the other cutting through hell—pointing in completely opposite directions!

His nose was straight, but... it was too straight, like a mountain range, actually separating his eyes!

It was like a Milky Way, separating the Cowherd and the Weaver Girl, making it difficult to even be cross-eyed.

His mouth was small and red, a genuine cherry mouth on a man's face... especially such a man's face...

It was like a dish: a piece of snow-white tofu with a bright red cherry on top...

Such a face, to say it had character... was an understatement! It was truly unique, one of a kind in heaven and earth!

Who could find another person like this... Chu Yang felt he could worship the person who found one, it was that difficult.

"Tan Tan?" Chu Yang's body ached terribly, and his mind felt like it was being stabbed by several knives, his head about to explode, but he forced himself to control it and smiled gently: "Tan Tan, you're still as talkative and self-absorbed as ever! Super out of tune."

This person was none other than Chu Yang's childhood friend and junior, Tan Tan. The name "Tan" means "talk," and "Tan" means "ephemeral," a name that truly had a certain feel to it.

Tan Tan, Chu Yang's best friend, both orphans, or rather, abandoned children, raised by their master. When Chu Yang was nineteen, Tan Tan went out and suddenly news of his death came. Chu Yang never knew why Tan Tan died or who his enemy was. He investigated for a long time but found no clues.

Tan Tan's death had a profound impact on Chu Yang, making his already solitary personality even more isolated and silent...

Just by listening to the voice with his eyes closed, Chu Yang had already identified him. When he opened his eyes and glanced around, he instantly knew where he was.

This place was too familiar!

The Purple Bamboo Forest on the back mountain of the Sky Tower. This scene was from when he was sixteen, practicing staff techniques with Tan Tan. He had suddenly spaced out and was knocked unconscious by Tan Tan, who couldn't stop in time.

Could it be that he had returned to when he was sixteen? But how... how is that possible??

Chu Yang looked around again and finally confirmed it: he had indeed been reborn! Back to when he was sixteen. This completely impossible thing was now happening to him, and even with his strong nerves, he was suddenly stunned with joy!

If everything starts over, how much beauty will I not let go of in life?!

Now, is it really starting over?!

Chu Yang was dazed for a while before he recovered, took a deep breath, and suppressed the boiling emotions in his heart. His face flushed, and his heart pounded like a drum, almost leaping out of his mouth.

Turning around, he carefully examined this brother who had been lost and found again. Chu Yang's eyes shone with deep emotion, his voice slightly hoarse, but he teased, "Tan Tan, I finally know the truth about why you were abandoned back then..." Indeed, if someone like this was born... it would take a very strong nerve not to drop him in fright.

Tan Tan scratched his head, somewhat shyly, and said, "The reason must be that I was too handsome... and the reason you were abandoned, I guess, was that you were too ugly..."

Chu Yang rolled his eyes, suddenly feeling an urge to both hit and laugh...

In his memory, this injury had him bedridden for half a month.

It wasn't until later that he found out he hadn't been hit by accident, but had been poisoned! This caused him to be paralyzed for a period of time!

The person who poisoned him had more than one target. His original plan was to time it so that Tan Tan would hit him with a staff and kill him, which would also end Tan Tan...

In the sect, sparring was common, but killing someone was a big deal! Tan Tan would definitely be expelled from the sect!

But the person who poisoned him didn't expect that at this time, although Tan Tan appeared to be on par with him, his actual strength was greater. When they sparred, he always held back some power.

At the crucial moment, although he couldn't stop in time, he managed to reduce the force of the staff, resulting in only a minor injury for Chu Yang!

Among his master's disciples, including himself and Tan Tan, there were three in total! The person who poisoned him was the eldest disciple! Shi Qianshan!

A cold light flashed in Chu Yang's eyes, and he silently repeated these three names in his mind: Shi, Qian, Shan!

His face suddenly turned as cold as winter, growing colder and colder. A faint aura of killing intent surrounded him, and Tan Tan, standing beside him, felt a sudden chill in the scorching summer, shivering involuntarily.