The rain in the city of Jianghai finally subsided into a thin drizzle that carried the scent of wet earth and a lingering, piercing cold. On the roof of that building, the white-robed Executor had vanished into the darkness, leaving behind an awkward silence for Lin Xuan. The physical battle failed to occur not because of cowardice, but because Lin Xuan's frequency was so stable that it created a mental wall, making the assassin feel hesitant to strike.
Lin Xuan descended the building with steady steps. His mind was no longer focused on the blue sword or the threat of the Nine Heavens. There was another magnetic pull that felt more urgent in a corner of his heart.
When he reached the gate of his family home, he saw a black sedan parked under the dim street light. Inside, Han Seo-Ah appeared to be asleep, leaning against the misty car window. Her usually tense and alert face now looked fragile, as if all her exhaustion as a conglomerate's daughter had spilled into her restless sleep.
Lin Xuan stood beside the car for several minutes. He did not knock on the glass; Lin Xuan only observed Han Seo-Ah's rhythmic breathing, realizing a truth he had never admitted in his first life—this woman had always been the "resonance" trying to save him, even when he himself was shattered.
"Love is not about finding someone perfect, Seo-Ah," Lin Xuan thought, his fingers touching the cold car glass as if erasing the shadow of sadness on the woman's face. "But about recognizing a soul whose frequency remains consistent even when your world falls to pieces."
Lin Xuan's memory drifted back to ten years in the future that he had erased—during the winter of his first life. At that time, his family was already destroyed. Lin Xuan lived as a vagrant on the outskirts of the city, cold and hungry under a bridge as the snow began to fall. He remembered a woman getting out of a luxury car, her face covered by a scarf, yet her eyes emitted the same light as Han Seo-Ah's.
That woman did not give him money that would be gone in a day. She gave him a sturdy umbrella, an old but very warm coat, and an anonymous envelope. Years later, Lin Xuan finally realized that it was that woman who had secretly hired cleaning services for his parents' graves every year so they wouldn't be overgrown with weeds.
In that life, Lin Xuan was too low in self-esteem to look at her face. But in this life, he realized that Han Seo-Ah's actions back then were a manifestation of kindness that eventually pulled Lin Xuan's soul back to the past. Kindness is an energy that is never destroyed; it only waits for the time to bounce back to its sender.
A soft tap on the car window finally made Han Seo-Ah startle awake. She blinked her eyes, staring at Lin Xuan who stood there soaking wet, then hurriedly got out of the car.
"You're back... are you okay?" Seo-Ah's voice trembled; she held Lin Xuan's arm, checking for any hidden injuries.
"I'm fine, Seo-Ah. Go inside first, the air outside is not good for your health," Lin Xuan said gently.
Inside the house, Lin Xuan made two cups of cinnamon tea. His father, Lin Haifeng, was already fast asleep after the exhaustion of facing the drama at the warehouse that afternoon. The house felt very silent, with only the sound of raindrops hitting the roof and warm steam rising from the teacups.
Seo-Ah sat on the sofa with Lin Xuan's coat still draped over her shoulders. She stared at her cup, then looked at Lin Xuan with great curiosity. "Why aren't you afraid, Xuan? My father, Song Jin-Ho, the Nine Heavens... they are giants. But you look at them as if they are just ants blocking your path."
Lin Xuan sipped his tea, his eyes fixed on the small fire in the fireplace. "I am not betting on luck, Han Seo-Ah. I simply refuse to live in a script written by others. This world is a mirror. If you vibrate with fear, the world will give you more reasons to fear. But if you stand as the master of your own mind, even giants will look small."
Seo-Ah looked down. "I want to have that courage. But my family... they are a golden prison for me."
Lin Xuan put down his cup, then reached for Seo-Ah's hand. His palm felt warm and solid. "Close your eyes, Seo-Ah."
"What?"
"Just do it. Trust me."
Seo-Ah hesitated for a moment, then closed her eyes. Lin Xuan focused his mind, channeling a resonance of peace through the touch of his hand. He didn't just want Han Seo-Ah to feel calm; he wanted Han Seo-Ah to see what he saw.
"Imagine a place where there is no Han family name, no Song Jin-Ho, no demands," Lin Xuan whispered. "Imagine you are standing on a mountain peak, watching the sunrise. Feel the air, feel the light on your skin. There, you belong to no one but yourself."
Han Seo-Ah took a deep breath. For the first time in years, she felt the heavy burden on her chest lift. She seemed to be seeing a bright future, a manifestation of a life where she was free. Small tears flowed down her cheeks, not out of sadness, but because of an extraordinary relief.
"Two minds in harmony have a manifestation power ten times greater than a single mind struggling alone," Lin Xuan murmured.
When Han Seo-Ah opened her eyes, their gaze locked. The distance between them thinned. There was an emotional pull that transcended words, an understanding that they were not just friends or potential lovers, but soul allies who had been reunited by the universe.
"Thank you, Xuan," Seo-Ah whispered, her face slightly flushing.
However, reality soon called back. The clock on the wall showed two in the morning. Han Seo-Ah knew she had to return home immediately before her father noticed her departure and raised a suspicion that would endanger Lin Xuan.
Standing in front of the car door, Seo-Ah reached into her pocket and pulled out a small pin shaped like a silver phoenix—an ancient emblem of the Han family usually given only to core members.
"Use this," Han Seo-Ah placed the pin in Lin Xuan's palm. "Next week there is a grand banquet at the Han residence to celebrate the alliance with the Song family. Without this, you won't be able to pass through the energy gates. I know you plan to do something crazy, Xuan. I just want you to be safe while doing it."
Lin Xuan gripped the pin. He watched Han Seo-Ah's car start to drive away, its taillights disappearing at the corner of the quiet street.
He stood there alone, realizing one thing—that to save Han Seo-Ah, he couldn't just be a successful businessman or a good energy practitioner. He had to destroy the foundations of the Han family system that had shackled Seo-Ah all this time.
"Sometimes, the best way to love someone is not by pulling them into your stormy world," Lin Xuan whispered to the darkness of the night, "but by being a harbor strong enough to stop the storm so they can anchor in peace."
He went back inside the house, looking at the phoenix pin in his hand. He knew that next week's banquet was not just a social event. It was a battlefield where he would officially declare himself the new ruler of Jianghai.
Never underestimate the power of one kind act, for it is a seed that can rip through time to save you in the future. True love does not bind; it gives wings to fly, while being the land to return to.