"So that was it?" Xiao Yan's voice turned wistful. Memories of the past churned through his mind. They seemed as clear as yesterday, yet also as distant as though ten thousand miles lay between him and them.
Seeing Xiao Yan's expression, Di Nian continued, "You couldn't remember your previous life because this world constrained you, forcibly suppressing those memories."
"This is the heart of the Ten Thousand Beasts Space, created entirely by my true body. That's why you can recall your previous life here."
Di Nian's explanation cleared up the doubt that had long lingered in Xiao Yan's heart. He truly was from another world. Had my family and friends there grieved when I died? The thought came to him without warning.
Suddenly, he felt utterly alone. He no longer belonged to this world; he stood solitary within it.
Even ordinary people could hardly keep from missing home after leaving it behind. For Xiao Yan, that longing was stronger still. But unlike them, he did not even know where his hometown was now. What was he, really? Even if he returned to Earth, would he still be the person he had once been?
Though Xiao Yan was a Dou Huang expert, the shock of having lived two lives was too great to bear at once. He could not come to terms with it, and his resolve began to waver.
Strong as Xiao Yan was, even his soul began to grow unstable.
Suddenly, Xiao Yan caught an unfamiliar fragrance. His nostrils twitched, and the scent seemed to possess a mind of its own as it slipped into his body.
The loneliness filling his mind fell away. Xiao Yan felt his memories grow clear.
He saw himself as a newborn in his mother's arms, playing with Xun Er as a child, and