NOVEL NEXT Chapter 71: Con-Artists - I
As the sky turned to a soft shade of yellow, Lucian slowly walked down the street bustling with crowds.
Even though his eyes switched back and forth from the dazzling lights all around the shops, his mind seemed focused on something completely else.
'Five days have passed since the breakthrough, yet my mind just can't stop being worried.' His gaze drifted low, hands curling tight into a fist.
For the past 5 days, Lucian had been lying on his bed all the time. Even though he wanted to move, he couldn't.
Mira had especially warned him not to move a single inch, or she wouldn't hesitate to strap him tightly to the mattress.
It sounded like an empty threat, but Lucian knew that in his current state, he wouldn't even be able to tear through the small threads of a fabric.
While the system did warn him of the penalty inflicted upon him for failing the breakthrough, it didn't consider the delayed repercussions his body was yet to bear.
'I had broken through a major realm, and my body had undoubtedly grown stronger than before. But what I did was reckless. And reckless moves always fall short a step.'
Nearing the end of the northern street of Xiangzhan, Lucian decided to sit down by the side of a small noodle shop.
'My exhaustion helped me drive the toxins out of my body, but it put a huge strain on my body. With little to no time to let my cultivation consolidate, I kept stacking unstable circuits one upon another. Surprisingly, I made it to the stage of the Qi Condensation Realm. While I failed at creating a stable foundation in my Upper Dantian, I was able to make a little progress.'
"Tian," a young voice called out, startling Lucian awake from his thoughts. His eyes darted towards a young man dressed in loose-worn clothes.
Smiling delightfully, he extended his hands forward and offered Lucian a bowl. He immediately recognized the man, though his confusion hadn't faded.
"Brother Fi!" He called out, expression straight as a board.
Fi Yang laughed awkwardly. "Take this first."
He handed the bowl to Lucian, a sweet, tangy aroma filling his lungs.
Lucian looked down. It was a bowl full of noodles, vegetables, and meat.
"When Father and I heard about your situation, we honestly wanted to rush and check on you. But then we decided to let you rest." The young man slowly placed his hand over Lucian's head.
"We're glad and happy to see you okay. Ah, and Father sent you a bowl full of healthy stuff. Exactly "Fi style." He playfully pointed towards the noodle shop.
Lucian slowly turned his head around and saw Fi Yang's father smiling brightly from behind the counter.
For the past 5 years, both Mira and Lucian had been helping around the shops of Xiangzhan. Unknowingly, they had formed bonds strong enough to call each other family.
While it sounded warming, Lucian still remained pretty much a stranger to this feeling. Still, he understood their sentiments.
Grabbing the chopsticks from the side, he quickly took a bite. Both generations of the Fi family looked at him with anticipation.
"It's tasty," he muttered in a low but audible voice.
"Hehe," Fi Yang proudly rubbed his nose, grinning as though his little words of appreciation meant the world.
"Alright, finish this quick. Then I'll bring the second batch. I'll go help out Father till then." With that said, Fi Yang went inside the shop.
Lucian, on the other hand, continued to munch on the noodles. With each bite, his hand moved slower and slower. Almost as if his mind was slowly being sucked into a different world.
'Ever since that day, System has been stuck on a single window.'
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[#~System Notification~#]
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[According to the will of Infinity and Transcendence, you are being presented with a choice.]
└ [You can gain all the powers/abilities/cheats of your true self. But in return, your current self would become the true self.]
└ [Or, you may gain a chance to visit the armillary of the gods and choose a weapon that suits your taste without any repercussions or price.]
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'It seems like it deliberately wants me to play by its rules. Since no matter how much I try, it refuses to display any information otherwise. But I cannot choose with such a light head.'
"Still..." Subconsciously, words slipped out of his throat in a low voice. "What could it mean?"
In that short instant, Lucian began to recall everything that had happened to him since the very beginning.
The way he started off with cheats. The way he was treated by the system. The way he met mysterious people who constantly warned him of his seals. Not to forget, this forbidden realm that resonated with him. Or maybe, to the one sealed within him.
He wasn't completely sure, but the mere possibility... It made sense.
But the puzzle still seemed to be missing a few pieces, since no matter how much he pried, no answer came to his mind.
In the end, he let out a long, dreadful sigh and raised his eyes. Almost instantly, he felt as though his heart had skipped a couple beats.
Right before his eyes, a very elderly man—someone who seemed to have been defeating death every day for ages—stood right in front of him.
His face was merely an inch away from Lucian, looking closely as though curious. Seeing the sudden glimpse of the old man, Lucian couldn't help but be shocked to the very core of his soul.
If Lucian could move as he pleased, he would have definitely jumped back till his head hit the wall with a loud thud.
"Uhm," with widened eyes, he questioned the old man. "Wh-Who are you?"
But the old man didn't reply.
For several minutes, he kept staring at Lucian silently.
"Hmmm..." At last, he let out a faint hum and blinked with his barely visible eyes.
Wriggling his fingers through his long silver beard, he marvelled.
"You..." He pointed his trembling hand towards Lucian and continued, "You are about to die soon."