Chapter 8

The sword pellet entered his body, and his consciousness returned.

When Li Boyang opened his eyes again, the first thing he saw was a large face inches away.

"Ah?"

This exclamation of shock did not come from Li Boyang, but from the owner of that large face.

"?"

Stunned for a moment, Li Boyang found it rare to see someone get scared while trying to scare another.

Fortunately, he immediately realized that this little girl did not intend to frighten him.

From her youthful appearance, he could tell she must be the big girl his mother had hired to look after him.

"Ya?"

Because his vocal organs were not yet fully developed.

Li Boyang could only wave his little hands like this to greet the big girl opposite him.

From the slightly terrified expression on her face, Li Boyang knew she must have seen the image of the sword pellet entering his body.

The only thing he was unsure of now was exactly how much the big girl had seen.

"Little brother!"

However, contrary to Li Boyang's expectations, the big girl's emotions came and went quickly.

He saw her blink, and she quickly shifted from terror to curiosity, once again bringing her large face close to his.

"Little brother, your hair..."

Pointing a finger at Li Boyang's hair, the big girl opened her mouth, wanting to speak but hesitating.

Seeing this, Li Boyang instinctively reached out to touch his hair, only to suddenly feel a faint heat emanating from his hand.

"Fire! It's fire!"

"Careful, your head is on fire!"

Startled by Li Boyang's movement, the big girl immediately shouted repeatedly.

"Little brother, don't move, I'll go get a basin of water!"

Hearing this, Li Boyang waved his hands hurriedly, trying to stop the reckless big girl.

"Ya ya ya!"

Although he didn't know what his current situation was, Li Boyang did not want to be doused with a basin of cold water.

After all, it was winter, and the cold north wind was still blowing outside.

Once doused with a basin of cold water, even Li Boyang could not guarantee his constitution could withstand it.

"Little brother?"

She clearly understood Li Boyang's actions.

The big girl, who had been about to go to the next room to fetch water, stopped immediately.

This was not because the big girl had turned over a new leaf, but because she noticed Li Boyang's hand had not been burned by the flames on his head.

"Little brother, are you okay?"

Cautiously yet with immense curiosity, she reached out her hand, seemingly wanting to touch the flames on Li Boyang's head.

But she was slapped away by Li Boyang, who had regained his senses.

[Is this girl too bold for her own good?]

A thought flashed through his mind, and Li Boyang chose to completely ignore the big girl's aggrieved expression.

The next second, he closed his eyes and began to silently sense the vital energy flowing within his body.

It was not the primordial Qi from his embryonic stage.

It was the vital energy essential to every living organism.

It was only recently that Li Boyang had shed his reliance on the Heavenly Eye, becoming able to perceive the flow of vital energy with his own senses.

This vital energy originated from Li Boyang's blood and Qi, coming from every biological cell in his body.

The more he ate, and the better he ate, the more abundant his blood and Qi would be...

And the more abundant the blood and Qi, the more active the biological cells, and the more surging the vital energy...

Yet at this very moment, the vital energy within Li Boyang's body could no longer be described as merely surging.

Roaring!

It was like a pot of boiling water.

The surging, boiling energy followed the meridians around Li Boyang's body, rushing toward the top of his head.

The "flames" the big girl saw were a phenomenon caused by the energy erupting from his crown.

"Hoo!"

Upon sensing the boiling energy, Li Boyang immediately adjusted his breathing rhythm.

The habit Li Boyang had developed during his embryonic stage was now gradually evolving into a unique ability.

Just like the primordial Qi from his embryonic days.

The vital energy within Li Boyang's body gradually gathered according to different breathing rhythms, then began to circulate based on the central axis of his body.

Those were the Conception and Governor vessels in the traditional sense, the two widest and easiest-to-find main meridians in the body.

Roaring!

Under Li Boyang's deliberate guidance, the vital energy within his body, after completing one cycle, successfully flowed into the dantian where the sword pellet resided.

As expected, the energy that had been depleted from slaying the gnat-fly was replenished.

The golden sword pellet even emitted a faint, crisp, and joyful sword hum.

"Little brother, your hair isn't burning anymore?"

Just then, Li Boyang heard the big girl's voice by his ear again.

Along with this voice came the sensation of a slightly cool little hand stroking the top of his head.

"Ya!"

Opening his eyes instantly, Li Boyang helplessly slapped the big girl's hand away.

Then he saw her pout, looking at him with a face full of grievance.

"Little brother, I was just touching it..."

Rolling his eyes, Li Boyang naturally knew the big girl was merely curious.

But he did not want to become a toy for a curious, unruly child.

"Don't be angry!"

"If you don't want me to, I won't touch it!"

Muttering this, the big girl remembered she had been called to take care of Li Boyang.

"Little brother, are you hungry?"

"If you're hungry, I'll go heat up the rice porridge for you."

Looking at the faint trace of drool at the corner of the big girl's mouth, how could Li Boyang not know her little scheme?

He only glanced at her emaciated frame.

Even though Li Boyang was not hungry, he still nodded silently.

At this moment, he suddenly felt how wonderful it would be if he didn't have the memories of his past life!

Not enough food to eat, not enough clothes to cover one's body...

In Li Boyang's past life, these were terms only seen in history textbooks.

But now, these terms were presented so realistically before his eyes that they were unbearable to look at.

Li Boyang even doubted whether the big girl, with her thin and fragile frame, could truly live to adulthood.

Of course, in this era, the big girl didn't necessarily need to live to adulthood.

Generally speaking, girls like her could consider marriage at the age of twelve or thirteen.

During Chen Yun's pregnancy, Li Boyang had once heard her discuss this with Li Yu.

Twelve or thirteen-year-old girls were either married off to neighboring villages.

Or sent to larger nearby towns to be slaves; there were few exceptions.

Those with even more tragic fates might even become "human sacrifices," specifically offered to certain malevolent mountain or river gods.

It was actually the women like Chen Yun, who grew up to eighteen before marrying.

And who insisted on marrying the person they loved, who were the minority among minorities.

Even after giving birth to Li Boyang, Chen Yun was still not yet twenty.

To Li Boyang, who had lived two lives, Chen Yun at this age was herself still just a young girl.

"Little brother! The rice porridge is here!"

When Li Boyang returned to his senses from his deep thoughts.

The big girl had already walked over, carrying the bowl that was quite large for her.

Watching her stumble with every step, Li Boyang once again felt the backwardness and ignorance of this era.

"Ya!"

So, under the big girl's surprised gaze, Li Boyang reached out and pushed the spoon she was struggling to hold toward her mouth.

"Are you asking me to eat?"

"No, no, you're still growing, you should eat more."

"After you're full, I'll eat the rest; Yun Niang already told me beforehand."

She persistently brought the spoon to Li Boyang’s lips once again.

Although the eldest girl was very greedy, she still said with a stubborn look on her face.

Seeing this, Li Boyang had no choice but to swallow the rice porridge bit by bit with complicated feelings.

It was different from the refined rice porridge of his past life.

This so-called "rice porridge" could at best be considered boiled millet, with an occasional speck of oil visible.

In Li Boyang’s past life, this stuff was miscellaneous waste that would be considered too coarse even for feeding pigs.

Yet in this era, it was refined food that only infants were qualified to eat.

Coarse grains, wild vegetables, tree leaves, miscellaneous food...

These things, which were completely looked down upon in Li Boyang’s past life, were the daily diet of the common people at the bottom of this era.

[What kind of era is this, anyway?]

Monthly Ticket/Recommendation Ticket

Thanks to the big boss "Noodles of Twilight" for the 1000 reward!

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(End of this chapter)