After Being Reborn, They Can Hear My Thoughts and Won’t Let Me Go - Chapter 9:

Chapter 9: It’s Not Just Time That Can’t Return

As dusk approached, Lin Luochen glanced at the blood-red setting sun outside the cave residence. Within his sea of consciousness, the countdown to the system’s activation steadily ticked down.

“A few more hours… it’s close…” At this moment, he no longer felt flattered by Leng Qingqiu’s kindness like before—instead, every second dragged unbearably.

Because in his memory, the kinder Leng Qingqiu and Yu Youwei were to him, the more disaster would follow.

“I’ve already broken the timeline of my past life.” Lin Luochen looked up at the setting sun and murmured, “According to the original timeline, I should’ve refused to confess and still be imprisoned at Punishment Cloud Cliff right now.”

He chuckled bitterly, reflecting on how laughable he had once been.

As he drifted into thought, his sharp gaze suddenly snapped to the cave’s entrance, the light of the sun reflecting in his eyes. “Who’s there!?”

When nothing around him moved, he exhaled slowly. “Come out already, you sneaky coward.”

After a pause, a sinister voice echoed from outside the cave.

“Hehe, Senior Brother Lin, you really are sharp. Even without your cultivation, you still sensed me. Unbelievable.”

Then, a face appeared—ordinary, unremarkable, but full of a sinister gloom.

Under Lin Luochen’s gaze, Ye Chen stepped past the Holy Lord-level formation and entered the cave.

“So it really is you.” Lin Luochen’s tone was neither pleased nor upset. “What do you want?”

His cultivation was sealed. There was no way he could stand against someone at the Dao Palace Realm like Ye Chen.

But someone who had already died once no longer feared danger.

“Senior Brother Lin, you’re surprisingly calm!” Ye Chen’s face twisted with jealousy. “Don’t you want to guess what’s about to happen to you?”

After learning that Lin Luochen had been staying inside Leng Qingqiu’s cave residence, Ye Chen had nearly gone mad with envy. That place was forbidden to everyone—yet Lin Luochen was allowed in?

Ye Chen hated it. He constantly wished to replace him!

You’re more talented than me, better-looking, stronger… so what! What else do you have!? Why do you deserve it!?

He had gone to great lengths convincing Li Lao to break the formation just to see Lin Luochen panic in fear—but there was none of that. Just calm, as if looking down on an ant.

Ye Chen’s fists clenched tightly, teeth grinding in rage.

“Do you really think Senior Sister Leng values you? She’s just locking you up here so I can deal with you!” Ye Chen roared, “To her, you’re nothing!”

Lin Luochen’s handsome face remained emotionless, but his eyes dimmed slightly with disappointment.

So that’s it… Of course she wouldn’t be so good to him. What was he expecting?

The emotion in his eyes didn’t escape Ye Chen, who felt immense satisfaction. “Why else do you think I found this place? Why was I able to break the formation?”

“It was all with Senior Sister Leng’s permission.” His voice brimmed with smugness and provocation, though jealousy burned behind his eyes.

Lin Luochen noticed the imbalance in Ye Chen’s gaze—his envy and hatred were practically leaking out. And truthfully, Ye Chen’s words did sound plausible. In his past life, Leng Qingqiu had done this kind of thing more than once.

“What exactly do you want?” Lin Luochen stared at him coldly.

Ye Chen drew his sword with hatred. “What do you think? You dared to take what’s mine—so die!”

With that, he released his killing intent and slashed at Lin Luochen using his mid-stage Dao Palace Realm strength.

Lin Luochen was a late-stage Dao Palace Realm cultivator, but with his cultivation sealed, he couldn’t block the strike at all.

As a so-called child of destiny, Ye Chen never thought things through. Anything he didn’t like, he simply crushed. And fate always seemed to let him off easy.

So he attacked, heedless of consequence!

“You dare!”

Just as the sword was about to land, a clear voice echoed, shattering the sword’s energy.

Ye Chen’s pupils shrank as he looked up and saw a fairy in green approaching. Her flawless face was full of fury.

It was Yu Youwei. She had been secretly watching outside the cave, but never imagined Ye Chen would show up too. Everything—the slander, the truth—was now in plain sight.

“Junior Brother Ye, why!?” Her voice was no longer gentle but laced with killing intent and ice. This wasn’t the Yu Youwei anyone was used to.

Ye Chen panicked. He didn’t expect Yu Youwei to be here, nor that she’d heard and seen everything.

“Senior Sister, it’s not what you think! I was just sparring with Senior Brother Lin, I swear I meant no harm!”

He frantically tried to explain.

Lin Luochen didn’t look at him, a faint smile of self-mockery on his lips. His handsome face was filled with disappointment.

[And now the good guy act begins. A second-heaven Immortal Platform formation broken just like that? As if Ye Chen could do it without your help.]

[Who are you putting on this show for?]

He looked up at the darkening sky. Each second passed slowly—painfully so.

Yu Youwei heard Lin Luochen’s thoughts. Her chest tightened.

So this… was what it felt like to be misunderstood by someone important.

It really… hurt.

A flicker of pain crossed her brows as she looked at Ye Chen with phoenix eyes full of disappointment. “Spar? Senior Brother Lin’s cultivation is sealed. How is he supposed to spar with you?”

“To think you act so obedient and kind on the surface, yet behind everyone’s backs, you do such despicable things.”

Her delicate jade finger pointed at Ye Chen, full of disgust.

Ye Chen’s expression darkened. Hatred swallowed his heart.

That damned woman dared to question him!? Who did she think she was!?

“I really was just sparring with him…”

“Enough!”

Before he could finish, Yu Youwei shouted, “I saw and heard everything you said in this cave!”

“That was because he snuck into Senior Sister Leng’s cave late at night! I was worried he had impure intentions, so I spoke rashly!”

Ye Chen hung his head, squeezing out a few tears and looking at the silent Lin Luochen with a pitiful face. “Right, Senior Brother?”

Lin Luochen glanced sideways at him, utterly indifferent, calm as still water.

[How disgusting. You always act in perfect sync. Pretending like this, it’s revolting.]

[Last life you all saw Ye Chen slander me, and even after learning the truth, you turned a blind eye. Who ever cared how I felt?]

[To you, he’ll always be the obedient junior brother. All the care and concern went to him. Even if he commits grave sins, you’ll cover for him.]

[So even if you didn’t participate, you’ll still help him avoid punishment. You’d never truly hold him accountable.]

Yu Youwei’s eyes brimmed with unnoticeable mist. Her fingers dug into her palms, knuckles white. Her heart felt like it was bleeding.

[Ye Chen humiliated me and falsely accused me, and you called it childish mischief. But when I was wronged, with no proof, it became an unforgivable crime.]

[The Supreme Bone has been dug out. My Life Sword given away. Now, I have nothing left. What more do you want? Do you really want my life?]

“Senior… Senior Brother Lin… if you tell me the truth, I will stand up for you.”

Yu Youwei’s voice was dry.

“No need. You’ve misunderstood Junior Brother Ye. He really did just want to spar. As for the cave, it was Second Senior Sister who brought me here.”

Lin Luochen’s tone was cold and indifferent, nothing like the gentle voice she once knew. “So please leave, Senior Sister.”

[If I say Ye Chen tried to kill me, you’ll say, ‘It was just a mistake. As the senior brother, can’t you be more forgiving?’]

[Then you’ll look at me with disgust, as if I’m the one at fault—as if I’m the criminal.]

He had lived through this too many times in his past life. Whether he denied it or not, the blame would always land on him.

Yu Youwei staggered backward, forcing a smile. “You’re lying, right? Tell me the truth… please…”

“That’s enough. I’m fine. Even if something happened, who would care?” Lin Luochen said blandly.

Ye Chen raised his head arrogantly. “Hear that, Senior Sister?”

A rush of satisfaction filled his heart.

He was the child of destiny. The world should revolve around him!

His gaze swept over Lin Luochen, flashing briefly with killing intent before returning to calm. “Senior Brother Lin, once Second Senior Sister returns, I’ll tell her the truth—that you snuck into her cave residence with impure intentions.”

“You’re a role model among us. You shouldn’t be led astray. Take your punishment like a man.” He wore a fake “I care for you” smile, but the malice in his eyes couldn’t be hidden.

He knew his plan had failed thanks to Yu Youwei’s appearance. So, he didn’t linger and turned to leave.

Yu Youwei bit her lip, watching Ye Chen leave safely. She was unwilling… but since Lin Luochen had spoken, how could she force him?

[So that’s the game you’re playing. I didn’t expect even in this new life, Leng Qingqiu and Yu Youwei would still side with Ye Chen to frame me.]

[Are you trying to make Yun Wangshu give up on me completely?]

[Very well… Master, Senior Sisters—from tonight onward, we are strangers.]

“Senior… Brother Lin…”

Yu Youwei looked like she had lost all strength. Her phoenix eyes lifted toward Lin Luochen, and her delicate body trembled.

“You’ve changed…”

Her tear-filled eyes and stunning face were filled with sorrow. “Where… is the Lin Luochen I once knew?”

“He died long ago at Punishment Cloud Cliff, under your repeated humiliation,” Lin Luochen replied coldly, not even looking her way.

Yu Youwei lowered her eyes, silent tears falling. Under the pale moonlight, they shimmered, evoking sympathy.

It felt like her chest was burning—torn open and bleeding, her heart scorched.

She had pushed away the gentle and understanding Lin Luochen with her own hands. She lowered her head even further.

Was this… karma?

“Second Senior Sister told me she permitted you to stay in her residence. So you don’t have to carry guilt over Junior Brother Ye’s words.”

Yu Youwei turned and walked away, leaving only a faint trace of sorrow and regret. “It’s getting late. Rest well…”

The warm, gentle Lin Luochen of the past… seemed to have been left behind forever at Punishment Cloud Cliff…

In his past life, Lin Luochen had held them in his hands, offering them endless love and protection.

In this life, his heart had died. He let go of them like brushing away invisible dust that once clung to every corner of his life.