Times Change, Things Remain, but People Are No Longer the Same

Ding Erliang was utterly dejected at this moment.

This is completely inconsistent with his public image.

He usually presents a sleazy and vulgar image, never engaging in direct combat with others, always resorting to sneak attacks and backstabbing.

But today.

Yet it carries a sense of pure innocence.

"And then what happened?"

Chen Ning asked casually.

Ding Erliang took a big gulp of wine from the jar and said, "Later, she returned to the sect that nurtured her, but there was no news of her. In desperation, I broke into the underground palace of the Desire Sin Valley. The underground palace is intricate and full of secret passages. It took me a long time to find the cell where she was imprisoned."

Why is she locked up?

"Because that force wants to offer her up to the Living King of Hell. The guy she assassinated that day was one of the Living King of Hell's subordinates. And that force had been planning this all along, secretly cultivating her. On the surface, she has no connection with that force, so offering her up now will earn them the Living King of Hell's favor and solidify their position in the Desire Sin Valley. And she was used as a sacrifice from the very beginning."

You want to save her?

"Yes, I wanted to save her, but we couldn't get out of the underground palace. The underground palace's structure was extremely complex, and it was constantly rotating. It was impossible to return the way we came. Soon, we alerted that force, and we were no match for them. I was captured and imprisoned with her, to be offered to the Living King of Hell the next day. After all, I was the one who killed the target that night."

As Ding Erliang finished recounting this, a faint smile appeared on his face, "That night we were locked up together, perhaps because we were facing certain death, we both let go of all our worries. She was no longer cold and opened her heart to me. That night was worth more than countless nights in my entire life."

"The next day, we were taken to the territory of the Living King of Hell. The Living King of Hell saw her imposing presence and took a liking to her, willing to forgive and forget. However, she was determined to die with me. The Living King of Hell saw her resolve and claimed that if she agreed, he would spare my life."

"In the end, to save me, she gave herself to a thief, giving me a chance to live. I had said I would go back to rescue her, but after I left the territory of the Living King of Hell, I heard that he didn't intend to spare me and had sent people to kill me. If it had been a certain death situation before, I might have faced it calmly, but having escaped, I became afraid of death. I was terrified, fled the Sin Domain, and never went back."

"Since then, I've lived a life of ignominy, hiding my true self, living in a daze..."

Ding Erliang drank it all in one gulp, the smell of alcohol filling the air.

After he finished speaking...

Chen Ning then understood.

"You're a real jerk."

Chen Ning couldn't help but sigh, "Even ants try to survive. It's understandable that you feared the Living King of Hell and fled the Sin Domain. Otherwise, with your strength, it would have been like throwing an egg against a rock. But if you had endured the humiliation and waited until you were strong enough to come back and save her, perhaps the outcome would have been different."

"I can't... I can't face her again."

Ding Erliang clutched his hair in anguish, "She will never forgive me..."

Why should anyone forgive you? Who do you think you are?

Chen Ning's voice suddenly turned cold. "You saved her life, but she also saved you from the clutches of the Living King of Hell. She doesn't owe you anything. On the contrary, she earned her current status through her own hard work. I asked Shui Ziliu, and Hua Sanniang is a ruthless character. After submitting herself to the Living King of Hell, she constantly cultivated diligently, and her cultivation advanced by leaps and bounds. Ten years ago, she stepped into the Saint Emperor Realm."

"Then she returned to the Desire Sin Valley alone and slaughtered the force that had once nurtured her as a sacrifice. Because they offered her up, that force gained the support of the Living King of Hell and thus dominated the Desire Sin Valley. After its destruction, Hua Sanniang took over the Desire Sin Valley and became a queen-like figure. And what did you do?"

"Yes... she doesn't owe me anything... I'm the one who let her down! I have no face to see her again..."

Ding Erliang sobbed in anguish.

Seeing his expression, Chen Ning said indifferently, "Whether you feel remorse or are ashamed to face her, you still need to apologize to her. This isn't to seek her forgiveness, but something you must do. You should know that if she were truly heartbroken, why would she be willing to take in Lü Xiaochuan? In fact, just because of that one item related to you, she's willing to risk going against the Living King of Hell to save her."

Upon hearing this...

Ding Erliang suddenly raised his head, a bright light flashing in his eyes.

"Yes, yes... I should go and apologize to her, Chief, thank you."

Ding Erliang, reeking of alcohol, swayed and kowtowed three times to Chen Ning.

The leader's words enlightened him.

Then.

He slipped and fell, stumbling as he ran toward Hua Sanniang's residence.

As Chen Ning watched his retreating figure, he suddenly realized that these subordinates, whom he had initially regarded as villains, also seemed to have unknown pasts.

And Chen Ning's mindset.

Actually, changes are happening quietly.

What started as a relationship of mutual exploitation gradually developed into a sense of belonging among them.