The one most like him!
When Lily Zhao spoke these words, her tone was full of complexity.
Her gaze remained fixed on Evan Lynn, unwavering.
In her eyes, it was as if she still saw the boy she first met hundreds of years ago.
"So what?"
Evan Lynn stood where he was, listening to Lily Zhao's words.
All those memories from the past, her gaze carried a hint of apology.
Jill Jing blinked her big eyes, crawled up from the ground, and came to Evan Lynn's side.
She reached out and gently held Evan Lynn's wrist.
Even after Lily Zhao disappeared, Evan Lynn never truly tried to investigate that question.
Now, hearing Lily Zhao speak these words herself, Evan Lynn felt a surge of indescribable emotions in his heart.
Jill Jing's voice was soft and weak.
Lily Zhao spoke sincerely: "If I had left Glazed Glass Palace that day and you hadn't descended the mountain, you could have spent your life peacefully in the palace."
"In that case, there would never have been Evan Lynn, the Nine Mysteries Immortal Lord—just a quiet, peaceful Evan Lynn living out his days."
"That was the outcome I wanted. Back then, you resembled him in every way, but your talent was just too ordinary—you weren't him."
"After I left, I would still occasionally hear news about you."
From afar, that young man stood like a god overlooking the dust, unwavering and resolute.
"I kept hearing your name, watching you climb step by step to the peak of power, dominating an entire era."
"At that point, I started to wonder—maybe you really are him..."
As she spoke, Lily Zhao's words carried a faint sigh.
"Who is he, really? Have you found him now?"
A faint bitterness rose in Evan Lynn's heart.
It was a strange feeling.
It was like an emotion running through his whole body, suddenly surging to the surface.
Evan Lynn stood there, surrounded by unmoving wind and clouds.
"I guess... you could say I've found him."
Lily Zhao looked at Evan Lynn, her gaze tinged with apology: "To be honest, he was my master. He taught me dao arts and guided me onto the cultivation path."
"Through all those years, as time shifted, I kept saying I was waiting for him—just hoping he'd return and fulfill the promise from back then."
"And you..."
At this point, Lily Zhao's eyes grew more complicated.
She.
Lily Zhao of Glazed Glass Palace.
Back then, on the Immortal Martial Continent, she was a figure above all worldly concerns.
When Lily Zhao was at Glazed Glass Palace, it wasn't as if no one came to seek her.
Some of them were even Immortal Lords.
All were extraordinary figures who stood above the world.
Yet Lily Zhao never spared them a second glance. She preferred sitting with Evan Lynn atop the mountain, watching the sea of clouds roll by, observing the tranquil woods and grass, and the occasional white crane soaring overhead.
In the blink of an eye,
many, many years had passed.
"Since you've found him, then go seek him."
Evan Lynn nodded, then suddenly smiled at Lily Zhao.
A bright grin broke across Evan's face.
For a moment, his gaze was as clear and simple as when he first stepped into Immortal Martial.
That sight made Lily Zhao's heart tremble just a little.
She didn't say anything more.
Standing in front of the Great Bronze Sarcophagus, she gazed at Evan Lynn for a long time, then sighed deeply.
But you... you're the turning point for his return.
As she spoke, Lily Zhao couldn't hide the pain in her voice.
Evan Lynn reached out and ruffled Jill Jing's hair, then turned to Lily Zhao. "I know," he said.
"The 'him' you're talking about is the one sealed in that black Lyria Blossom you gave me—a piece of your soul."
"The real 'him' you're waiting for is inside the blossom."
"I'm your ninth Immortal Lord—Nine Mysteries. Nine is the ultimate number, and the true 'him' must be the zero after nine."
"So the reason I'm here is because you set all this up. You wanted him to use my body to come back to this world."
Evan Lynn's words were calm and steady.
Hearing these words, Lily Zhao's body trembled slightly.
Her stunningly beautiful face looked even more desolate.
"Back then, when I left you behind and wandered Immortal Martial, I was searching for another person he could reincarnate into."
"But sadly, I failed."
Lily Zhao shook her head. Tears welled up at the corners of her eyes and slowly rolled down.
"If I could, I'd trade my life for yours."
All these years, I've been shut away inside the Great Bronze Sarcophagus, cultivating in seclusion for that very reason.
I poured in countless effort, countless time, countless spiritual qi, trying every way to revive him inside the Lyria Blossom.
But it all failed.
Only you—only when you came did the blossom finally stir.
I even tried sacrificing myself.
But still, nothing happened.
By now, her voice was full of helplessness and sorrow.
Lily Zhao approached, tears streaming down her face.
Evan Lynn couldn't help but give a bitter laugh.
After all these years...
He'd never seen Lily Zhao cry before.
At most, she'd show a little softness now and then.
But now...
She was crying.
Her tears fell like rain.