Chapter 892: Cherish What We Have
"Li Bing, do you mind if I interfere a little?" A voice cut through the tense atmosphere in the Glass Lizard Clan.
Since Li Bing, the Glass Lizard Ancestor, had agreed to form an alliance with Shenlian Yingyue, he permitted her to address him by name; it felt less awkward that way.
"Miss, what would you like to say?" Li Bing nodded. Despite the suffocating weight in his chest, his centuries of experience allowed him to steady himself. He understood her nature well. If she spoke up, it was never without reason.
Shenlian Yingyue’s voice drew everyone’s attention. They all turned to look at her, especially Li Bing’s two elder brothers.
"Have you ever heard the saying: Life is uncertain, and fate often plays with people?" Her question made everyone’s brows furrow in deep thought.
"Life is full of unexpected twists, both good and bad. Whatever is destined to happen, we have no control over it. Some things are inevitable, and no matter how much we try, we cannot change certain outcomes. Instead of blaming ourselves for tragic stories and immersing ourselves in despair and hatred, why don’t we cherish what we still have?" She didn’t wait for their response or pay attention to their reactions but continued to speak.
A flicker of understanding passed through their eyes. Rather than fixating on loss, the focus should shift to appreciating what remains, relationships, opportunities, and simple joys. It was a call to practice gratitude in the face of adversity.
"We cannot know what tomorrow holds for those around us. The future is unknowable, and those we love may vanish without warning. Since we cannot predict or control fate, the only sane response is to value the present, and the people still in it."
She encouraged the acceptance of life’s unpredictability and the focus on gratitude rather than regret. She was suggesting that since no one could change fate, the healthiest mindset was to cherish the present instead of drowning in sorrow over things they couldn’t prevent.
"Your parents are gone, but this was never Li Bing’s fault. If he had known that asking them to retrieve the Ice Lotus would lead to their deaths, do you truly believe he would have done it?" Each syllable struck like a blade, piercing Li Bing and his brothers’ deepest wounds.
"You are in pain, but have you ever considered what he has endured all these years? He bore your hatred, branded a murderer for a crime he didn’t commit. He witnessed his parents’ deaths with his own eyes and has blamed himself ever since. How old was he when this happened? Yet instead of protecting him as elder brothers should, you cast all the blame onto him."
"You abandoned the clan, faked your deaths, and returned only to destroy everything. You claim your suffering is unbearable, that your ’only light’ was extinguished. But tell me, why does it feel so hollow? Your pain is real, but Li Bing’s is a thousand times worse. This clan was protected by your parents’ sacrifice, built by your ancestors’ blood and sweat, and nurtured by your younger brother’s tireless efforts. If you truly loved your parents, why would you seek to obliterate everything they cherished?"