Rain poured down in torrents. Lightning snakes writhed across the sky. It lasted the entire night.
Fang Yuan lay on his bed, constantly hearing the shouts of Gu Masters outside and the splashing footsteps of people running through the rain.
He narrowed his eyes, and once again, memories of his previous life involuntarily surfaced in his mind.
In his past life, when the Wolf Tide arrived, he was only a Rank 1 Gu Master. Therefore, he served as logistical support, hiding inside the village, and thus managed to survive the catastrophe.
In this life, however, he had already reached the middle stage of Rank 2 and possessed the Four-Taste Wine Worm. He was currently making great strides toward the advanced stage. As a result, just like other Rank 2 Gu Masters, he had to go and face the Wolf Tide on such a deep night.
"It's raining this heavily, and I have to fight the Lightning Wolves who can see perfectly in the dark. What a pain," Fang Yuan scoffed to himself.
He was not sleeping in a rented house at this time. Instead, he was staying in an inn.
If he were in a rented house, he would certainly have been press-ganged into conscription duty.
"The clan's higher-ups have undoubtedly underestimated the combat strength of the wolf pack this time. The most correct course of action would have been to hole up inside the village and defend from the walls. Unfortunately, their past experiences have blinded them..." Fang Yuan thought to himself as he rolled over comfortably in bed.
Outside the window, the rain beat down in sheets, absolutely drenching the heavens and the earth.
The rumbling thunderclaps continued without cease.
On the streets, the sounds of Gu Masters being urgently dispatched, the footsteps and angry roars, never stopped.
At one point, the howling of wolves came very close to the village.
This night was destined to be sleepless.
Whether it was the Gu Masters risking their lives to fight outside the village, or the ordinary people trembling in their homes, even Fang Yuan had woken up naturally in the middle of the night.
He didn't sit up. He lay in bed in the dark, eyes wide open.
The sounds from outside entered his ears. Others were locked in a life-or-death struggle. One could imagine the pouring rain and thunder outside the village. The Gu Masters and the wolf pack formed a lively stage. Every actor was doing their utmost to showcase the true essence of life.
Life is a play, and a good one at that. But Fang Yuan did not feel the slightest impulse to act his part.
Instead, he felt an indescribable loneliness.
A boundless loneliness.
This was not because he was a transmigrator or a reincarnator, burdened with an unspeakable secret.
It was because every person, him or her, was born alone!
Humans were like lonely icebergs drifting in the ocean of fate.
The meeting of humans was like the collision of these icebergs. As long as there was a collision, there would be influence.
Sometimes, the icebergs would stick together, under the names of "interest", "family", "friendship", "love", and "hatred".
But in the end, they would all separate. They would drift towards their destruction in isolation.
This was the truth of life.
Unfortunately, people were always afraid of loneliness. They craved the bustle of the crowd. They feared being idle.
Because when they faced loneliness, they often faced pain.
But once they could squarely face this pain, people would often possess talent and courage. Thus, there was a saying—the outstanding must be lonely.
"This is the taste of loneliness. Every time I savor it, it solidifies my determination to pursue the Demon Path!" Fang Yuan's eyes flickered. He couldn't help but recall the story of Ren Zu.
It was said that Ren Zu had obtained Attitude Gu. Attitude Gu was like a mask. Ren Zu had no heart, so he couldn't wear it.
Before this, Ren Zu had given his heart to Hope Gu, and from then on, he no longer feared difficult situations.
But to use Attitude Gu, Ren Zu needed a heart.
Ren Zu felt this was a dilemma, so he consulted Attitude Gu. He said, "Gu, attitude can sometimes explain everything. You know the problem I'm facing, so I ask you for advice."
Attitude Gu said, "This is actually not difficult. Ren Zu, you currently lack a heart. You just need to find a new one."
Ren Zu was puzzled and asked again, "Then how do I find a new heart?"
Attitude Gu sighed, "The heart is nowhere, yet everywhere. Seeking a heart is both difficult and easy. Given your circumstances, you can obtain a heart right now."
Ren Zu was overjoyed. "Tell me quickly. How do I obtain it?"
Attitude Gu warned him, "This heart is called Loneliness. Human, are you sure you want it? Once you obtain it, you will feel boundless pain, loneliness, and even fear!"
Ren Zu did not take Attitude Gu's warning to heart and continued to press for an answer.
Attitude Gu could not defy Ren Zu's command, so it replied, "You only need to look up at the sky on a starry night, and not say a single word. When dawn comes, you will obtain the Heart of Loneliness."
That very night was a good time, filled with stars.
Ren Zu followed Attitude Gu's words. He sat alone on a mountain peak and gazed at the night sky.
Before this, his life had been difficult and hard. He had constantly struggled to survive, having no time to gaze at this beautiful and mysterious starry sky.
Now, looking at the starry sky, his thoughts drifted. He couldn't help but think of himself. He thought about how humble he was, how weak, living a life of uncertainty and muddling through.
"Alas, even though I have Hope Gu, Strength Gu, Rules Gu, and Attitude Gu, it is still incomparably difficult to survive in nature. It wouldn't be surprising if I died tomorrow. If I die, will this world remember me? Will someone rejoice at my existence and mourn my passing?"
Thinking of this, Ren Zu shook his head.
In this world, there was only him, a single human. How could there be other people?
Even with the company of Gu, he still felt a deeply ingrained— Loneliness.