Chapter 293: The Tormented Li Haoran

Translator: yikaii Editor: yikaii

At the cafeteria of the Artifact Refining Peak, Lu Yang and Meng Jingzhou found Senior Sister Zhou Lulu, who was reading a book while making sugar figurines.

“Senior Sister Zhou, is Junior Brother Li on the mountain?” Lu Yang asked politely.

“Oh, it’s Junior Brothers Lu and Meng. You’ve formed your golden cores? So fast.” Zhou Lulu looked up, seeing the cultivation levels of Lu Yang and Meng Jingzhou, with a flash of surprise in her eyes.

When she was their age, she was only at the late Foundation Building stage.

“Are you looking for Junior Brother Li? He’s in his cave.”

Lu Yang and Meng Jingzhou both smiled. They were as close as brothers with Li Haoran, and naturally wanted to show off their golden cores to him.

Otherwise, what’s the point of all the hard work in cultivation?

“Junior Brother Li is probably sleeping.”

“Sleeping? I remember Junior Brother Li wasn’t one to sleep much.”

“He wasn’t before. Ever since he came back from visiting his family, he’s been sleeping more, and every time he wakes up, he’s gloomy, as if he had a nightmare. I asked him if he dreamed of something bad, but he wouldn’t say.”

“I asked my father, and he said not to worry about it.”

Lu Yang and Meng Jingzhou exchanged a glance, roughly guessing the situation. It must be that Li Haoran was dreaming of memories from his past life.

Qin Haoran was a bona fide leader of a demonic sect, doing all sorts of heinous things. Considering the Sect Leader said many were coveting Qin Haoran’s position, these memories would certainly make Li Haoran uncomfortable.

The two put aside their desire to show off and decided to visit Li Haoran.

However, it wouldn’t be good to go empty-handed. Lu Yang noticed Senior Sister Zhou’s sugar figurines were interesting and thought about buying one for Li Haoran.

Before he could speak, Zhou Lulu gently blew on the figurines. The two sugar figures seemed to come alive, holding sugar weapons and clashing with each other.

Lu Yang’s eye twitched. If he wasn’t mistaken, the combat power of these two sugar figures was equivalent to the Golden Core Stage.

If he bought these for Li Haoran, they might end up beating him up.

Better to choose another gift.

Lu Yang and Meng Jingzhou walked around the cafeteria, finding churros that could change size and be used as beams to hold up hoses, buns that could be used as hidden weapons, biscuits that served as heart-protecting mirrors, and fried sesame seeds for practicing iron palm techniques… None of these could be used as gifts.

“Your cafeteria has a high level of culinary skill!” The only immortal chef in existence gave a high evaluation to the Artifact Refining Peak’s cafeteria.

“I’d rather they be less skilled.”

“You lack ambition!”

Lu Yang turned a deaf ear.

…

In the pitch-black cave, a figure twisted in pain, his face contorted, as if tormented in his sleep, unable to wake and silently enduring the agony.

He suddenly opened his eyes, his clothes and bedding soaked in sweat.

Candlelight ignited, illuminating the entire cave and Li Haoran’s face.

Li Haoran stared blankly at the cave, realizing that he was awake.

He recalled the experiences in his dream: the dark side of Nine Nether Sect, the unknown pressures on Qin Haoran, and couldn’t help but shiver, cursing softly, “Damn past life memories…”

For the recurring memories of his past life, his master, the Fifth Elder in charge of the Artifact Refining Peak, had no good solution.

Li Haoran chanted a mantra, first casting a spell to clean his clothes, then another to cleanse his body, feeling more comfortable afterward.

“Hmm? Senior Brothers Lu and Meng are at the door?” The formation in the cave alerted him, making Li Haoran perk up.

He opened the cave door to see Lu Yang and Meng Jingzhou standing there with cheerful smiles.

“Junior Brother Li, are you awake?” Lu Yang smiled, secretly observing Li Haoran’s condition.

Li Haoran had dark circles under his eyes, drooping eyelids, and a sluggish expression. Excluding the possibility of depleting his yang energy, the reason could only be Qin Haoran’s memories.

“Please come in,” Li Haoran greeted warmly.

The two walked into Li Haoran’s cave, seeing many refined artifacts displayed, including armor, shields, and bronze tripods. If any Golden Core Stage artifact master saw this, they would be impressed.

With a slight move of his finger, the teapot on the table started to move on its own. It sprouted two arms and legs and began to run on the tea table. It filled itself with water, added tea leaves, covered itself, and sat on the stove to boil.

In a short while, the water was boiling. The teapot tilted, pouring tea into cups and pushing them towards Lu Yang and Meng Jingzhou.

Lu Yang and Meng Jingzhou instinctively said, “Thank you,” before realizing that the teapot was just a lifeless artifact, and there was no need to thank it.

“I heard Junior Brother Li hasn’t been resting well lately?”

Upon hearing this, Li Haoran looked despondent, showing a bitter smile. “Senior Brother Lu guessed right. I can’t tell anyone else that I’m the reincarnation of Qin Haoran, so I can only confide in you two.”

Lu Yang patted Li Haoran’s shoulder with an understanding expression. “You must have seen many secrets of Nine Nether Sect in your dreams, and these secrets are causing you great pain.”

Li Haoran nodded, finally feeling understood, and spoke excitedly, “Yes, every time I close my eyes, all I see are the deficits of Nine Nether Sect!”

“The wages of the followers, the costs of funerals, travel expenses, the costs of building strongholds… everywhere is a money sink. Nine Nether Sect has no proper way of making money, just robbing and killing, which only earns a little, like a drop in the bucket. Every day is a loss, loss, loss!”

“Such a huge Nine Nether Sect, all the living expenses, but spirit stones don’t just fall from the sky, where do they come from?”

“And those below are clueless, fancifully talking about building an underground Nine Nether City. Never mind whether it will be discovered by the court, does Nine Nether Sect even have the spirit stones to build a city?”

“Can you imagine, Qin Haoran just sitting in the Sect Leader’s position every day, dealing with various matters, and then trying to figure out ways to make money.”

“In my dreams, I am seeing things from Qin Haoran’s perspective, sitting there blankly with him, trying to figure out how to make money.”

“If not that, then I am facing deficit figures with him, trying to find a way out. Now, I get a headache just looking at numbers!”

“Luckily, Qin Haoran later met Yiren, giving him a haven. Otherwise, I can’t even imagine how difficult Qin Haoran’s situation would have been.”

Li Haoran rubbed his temples painfully, complaining to the two.

Lu Yang: “…”

Meng Jingzhou: “…”

This isn’t what we imagined at all.

Lu Yang recalled the situation when Qin Haoran met Su Yiren. Someone was chasing Qin Haoran, causing him serious injuries. He broke through a barrier and fell unconscious in front of Su Yiren, leading to their fateful encounter.

Previously, Lu Yang deduced that Nine Nether Sect was chaotic internally, with someone plotting to seize power and attacking Qin Haoran.

Now, hearing this, it seemed that wasn’t the case at all.

“Then the person who was chasing Qin Haoran before was…”

Li Haoran replied expressionlessly:

“His creditor.”

(End of the chapter)