Chapter 928: The Boy Of The Past

"You, what are you doing?"

The boy looked in surprise at the skeleton before him, a figure he had never paid much attention to.

"Ababa ababa."

The skeleton merely moved its jaws and handed over the potato it was holding.

The boy glanced at the potato, quickly took it with both hands, and began devouring it ravenously. With a soul that had lived for over thirty years inside him, tears gradually welled up in his eyes.

It was this crucial potato that had helped him survive the most difficult times.

As spring arrived, his illness gradually improved.

Although the system didn't make him a formidable figure, he managed to turn some small skills into a means of survival.

In the harsh winters that followed, while he still couldn't enjoy lavish meals, he could at least add a couple of sweet potatoes to his diet alongside the potatoes.

Seasons passed, year after year.

Master and servant lived together, relying on each other for survival.

The once-young boy had now grown into a young man. Many of the old residents in the city had moved away, and the new arrivals were less cold-hearted than the previous ones. They would occasionally visit the martial arts hall, bringing along some local produce.

One day.

Auntie Li from the east side of the city came to the door, wielding a rolling pin and shouting angrily.

"You inside, come out right now!"

"If you don't come out, I'll tear down this shabby martial arts hall!"

The shouting at the door filled the young man with rage.

"Old hag, what are you yelling about?"

The young man stepped out, hands on his hips.

"Do you know that your little beast hit my son?"

Auntie Li pointed at the small figure in black behind Yi Feng, her face twisted with malice. She raised the rolling pin, ready to strike. "I'll beat you to death, you little beast! How dare you hit my son? I'll kill you!"

"You old hag, did you ask for my permission before hitting my people?" Yi Feng snatched the rolling pin and pointed it at Auntie Li. "Calling him a little beast? At your age, do you have no manners? Seems like your whole family is a bunch of little beasts!"

"You... you... you..."

Auntie Li stared at the young man in disbelief, her voice trembling with anger. "You damned scoundrel! Are you bullying my Li family because we have no one to stand up for us? Your little beast hit my son, and now there's no justice?"

"So what if he bullied your son?"

The young man stood with his hands on his hips, shouting back. "I warn you, if you call him a little beast one more time, I'll break your son's legs next time!"

"You... you..."

Auntie Li pointed at the young man, speechless.

"What are you pointing at? Get out of here!"

Yi Feng brandished the rolling pin, driving Auntie Li away with a fierce expression.

"Ababa, aba..."

From behind, an excited voice came from within the black robe.

"Ababa my foot, you damn thing!"

Furious, the young man grabbed the figure in the black robe and locked him in a small room...

Another peaceful period passed...

Inside the martial arts hall.

The young man whipped the black robe with a bamboo stick, cursing loudly.

"You damn thing, you damn thing! I'll teach you to cause trouble, I'll teach you to be bad!"

The young man whipped until he was exhausted, then threw the bamboo stick aside, panting heavily. He locked the figure in the small room again.

"Stay in there quietly. Don't make a sound, and don't come out."

After finishing, the young man straightened his clothes and hurried to the entrance of the martial arts hall.

At the door, a dozen households were loudly protesting.

"Hand him over! Give us that person now!"

"He killed my dog and tore down my house. If I don't teach that little thing a lesson today, I won't be a Chen!"

"That's right! That thing is a menace in Pingjiang City. I suggest we catch him and throw him into the wilderness outside the city, let him fend for himself!"

"Open the door! Open the door!"

Facing the angry crowd, the young man opened the door and apologized humbly to each one, enduring their scolding. Even when they pointed fingers in his face, he kept his head down and smiled apologetically.

He compensated each of them according to their losses.

Finally, after calming everyone down, the young man let out a sigh of relief and smiled, even though he was left with only one gold coin...

Time flew by.

The residents of Pingjiang City changed, one batch after another.

Perhaps because life was gradually improving, the residents were no longer as cold-hearted or deceitful as before.

The entire city began to feel more harmonious.

The young man's life also improved. Even though he had to pay compensation every month, he could finally afford eggs in the winter, in addition to potatoes and sweet potatoes.

Later, the young man took on a disciple.

He started writing books.

The martial arts hall, which once had only a master and a servant, now had a master, a servant, and a disciple...

Gradually.

Lying on the beach, Yi Feng smiled.

"You damn thing, I almost forgot about your time. Good thing I didn't die this time. If I had died, I'd be immortal, but you'd be gone for sure."

Yi Feng shook his head, feeling both fearful and relieved.

He looked back at the small mound of earth with a sense of gratitude.

Then, he took out a wooden board from his storage ring, carved some words on it, and set up a new tombstone.

He turned his attention back to the system panel.

As for that damn thing, Yi Feng had never been able to figure out how it existed as a mere skeleton, neither eating nor drinking.

But that didn't matter.

What mattered was that when it first appeared, the system had clearly stated that the energy sustaining it would only last for ten years.

At first, Yi Feng wished those ten years could be reduced to a single day.

But now, nine years had already passed.

In the blink of an eye, nine years had gone by.

He had grown from a boyish figure to a "great power" who couldn't even die if he tried.

And the time left for that thing was only one year!

Thinking of this.

Yi Feng's face twisted in pain as he opened his storage ring.

Countless spirit crystals spilled out, instantly covering the small island.

"You damn thing, if I hadn't prepared for this, you'd be lying in the ground next year."

"Remember, your life is mine to give."

"Ugh, my spirit crystals! I've been saving them for years, ugh..."

"System, devour them."

"Ugh, I don't want to live anymore. Damn thing, if I see you again, I'll tear you apart if it's the last thing I do."

As Yi Feng's voice fell, the system activated, tearing an invisible rift above his head.

The mountain of spirit crystals disappeared in an instant, absorbed by the system.

Years ago, Yi Feng had learned that to replenish the energy for that thing, he needed items rich in spiritual energy.

And spirit crystals were undoubtedly the best choice.

"At least leave me a few, will you?"

Yi Feng felt utterly defeated, but he immediately opened the system panel to check the remaining time.

He saw that with the spirit crystals he had saved over the years, the remaining time for Lou Benwei had extended from one year to five.

"Phew."

"You're really a money-burning machine."

"But with five years, it should be enough. By then, I should be immortal too."

Yi Feng sighed in relief and lay back on the beach, a smile on his face.

Far in the sky.

Several figures in black robes flew through the air.

Suddenly, Lou Benwei, leading the group, paused.

"Big brother, what's wrong?"

Behind him, Dog and the others asked in confusion.

Lou Benwei's body beneath the black robe trembled slightly, and he instinctively extended his hand.

The pale bones faintly revealed a subtle, almost imperceptible glow.

He tilted his head slightly, gazing at the sky.

His thoughts seemed to drift far, far away.

By the time he came back to his senses, night had begun to fall.

Beneath the black robe, a faint, indiscernible smile appeared as he said, "It's nothing."

Dog and the others scratched their heads, puzzled by their leader's unusual behavior.

"Big brother, are you okay?" Centipede asked with concern.

Lou Benwei took a deep breath.

Dog and the others waited nervously for his next words.

Lou Benwei tilted his head, about to speak, when he suddenly noticed something and froze. His thoughts snapped back to the present as he pointed and shouted, "Look! There's a girl on the beach!!!"

"Wow."

"Such long legs."

Dog drooled.

"Let's go, brothers!"

Lou Benwei shouted, already darting forward like a streak of light.