Rebirth of the Scumbag and the Retribution of the White Lotus

At the center of the beam, the blurry figure gradually became clearer, revealing a familiar face. Zhao Shufang and Lu Lingyuan both felt a surge of unease. That face, sneered, was familiar—a presence they had thought long gone.

"You..." Zhao Shufang's eyes flashed with surprise. She was stunned for a moment, then calmed down. "Why is it you?"

The man's smile deepened, carrying a barely concealed malice. "Do you still remember me? This is so funny. I thought you had forgotten me long ago."

A cold light flashed in Lu Lingyuan's eyes. He clenched the sword in his hand, his expression serious: "Who are you? What do you want to do?"

The figure glanced at them with disdain before stepping out of the beam of light, seemingly unconcerned with their vigilance. "You've come a long way, but this was merely a guide. I came here simply to tell you that the truth is far more complex than that."

Zhao Shufang's heartbeat quickened as she suddenly realized that the man before her was no ordinary enemy, but the core of a mystery they hadn't completely solved. Her voice was calm, yet it carried a threat that couldn't be ignored: "Who are you? What's your purpose?"

The figure smiled, a faint laugh. "Haven't you figured it out yet? I am part of the 'truth' you seek. Everything you've done, every battle you've fought, is a pursuit of the clues I left behind. And now, here I am."

"You..." Zhao Shufang widened her eyes, her mind began to work rapidly, she seemed to gradually understand something, but she couldn't figure it out completely.

Lu Lingyuan frowned and looked at the figure, his eyes full of vigilance. "What do you want to do?"

"What do you want to do?" The figure seemed to find the question amusing. "I'm not here to do anything, but to give you an 'opportunity'. You have reached a crossroads, and the path you choose will determine your future destiny."

Zhao Shufang felt a heavy aura envelop her, as if the entire space was shrouded in a shadow. She took a deep breath and managed to remain calm. "What do you mean by 'opportunity'?"

"Your world is undergoing an inevitable change." The figure's voice grew deeper. "No matter how hard you struggle, that change will eventually come. All you can do is accept it, or…" He paused, revealing a hint of a cold smile. "You can choose to resist, but the cost will be very high."

Zhao Shufang's brow furrowed tightly. Her intuition told her that the changes this person mentioned might be directly related to the power behind the seal. She looked at Lu Lingyuan, and they both made their decision almost at the same time.

"We won't give up easily." Lu Lingyuan's voice was firm and calm. "No matter who you are or what changes you are talking about, we will resist with all our might."

"Haha, resistance?" The figure laughed, his eyes full of mockery. "What do you think you can change? With just you, with your strength, what can you resist? You are just pawns in this game, you have no real control over the situation."

A feeling of resentment and anger rose in Zhao Shufang's heart. She took a deep breath and spoke in a low but fearless voice: "Even if we are just pawns, we will do our best to fight for our own destiny."

The figure's smile faded slightly, and his gaze grew sharp. "Then I will show you the true situation."

As soon as he finished speaking, the light in the space suddenly changed, and the entire world seemed to be torn apart. Strong energy fluctuations began to rage, and the oppressive feeling in the air became increasingly intense, as if it was about to swallow everyone.

"Be alert!" Lu Lingyuan hurriedly grabbed Zhao Shufang's hand and stepped back.

However, no matter how they retreated, the strong attraction still held them firmly in place. Zhao Shufang felt an irresistible force gradually pulling them towards that figure, and the source of that force was the person who called himself "the truth."

"Do you think your persistence can change anything?" The figure looked at the two coldly, a trace of deep contempt flashing in his eyes. "You are nothing but puppets being controlled."

Zhao Shufang tightly grasped the talisman in her hand, silently chanting a protective spell in her heart, trying to resist the oppressive feeling brought by the power. However, the talisman's light seemed to become weak in the face of this power, and it was completely unable to play any substantial role.

"We will not surrender." Zhao Shufang's voice was filled with determination. "Even if you are the 'truth,' we will not be easily defeated by you."

"Oh?" The figure seemed interested in her words and smiled slightly. "Then let me see how determined you are."

As soon as the words fell, the beam of light suddenly became even more dazzling, almost swallowing up the entire world. Zhao Shufang and Lu Lingyuan felt an irresistible force pressing down on their bodies, threatening to tear them apart.

However, at this moment, a strong force suddenly came from afar and broke through the restraints. That force came from their trusted partner and the unbreakable bond between them.

"Come on, let's do it together!"

A hint of determination flashed in the eyes of Zhao Shufang and Lu Lingyuan at the same time, as if at this moment, they finally understood the most important point - no matter what difficulties they faced, they would not be alone.

"We are never alone." Zhao Shufang whispered, a glint in her eyes. "No matter who you are, we will fight against fate to the end."

Lu Lingyuan also looked at her deeply, his eyes also flashing with determination: "That's right, we will never give in."

The power of the two people gathered into a strong light, breaking through the constraints of space and pointing directly at the mysterious figure.

"You guys are quite interesting indeed." The figure stared at them, a hint of deep interest flashing in his eyes. "It seems that this game has just begun."