Chapter 85: Three Choices

When he appeared again, the surrounding environment had transformed into a brightly lit bedroom.

This was the home of Governor Vol Stone of Ridge Peak City; Fu Fu Lamei, Guard Captain Dai Meng, and their families gathered beside the bed, looking at the old Vol with various expressions.

"Cough, cough!"

The old Vol coughed twice, turned his head, and comforted his worried wife and children by the bedside: "Enough, don't worry. My Lord Fu Fu Lamei is still here, not to mention the Lord... the Lord!"

Before he could finish, the old Vol saw Lin Yu's figure, immediately cried out in surprise, struggled to rise, and wanted to bow to Lin Yu.

But before the old Vol could prop himself up, a gentle force pressed him back down.

"Formalities are unnecessary."

Lin Yu waved his hand, took a step, and walked toward the bed.

Dai Meng and his mother nearby dared not be negligent and quickly moved aside.

Lin Yu arrived by the bed, looked at the overjoyed old Vol, swept with his spiritual power, and discovered that although his body was sturdy, his internal organs had abnormally aged and become diseased.

Sensing this, Lin Yu confirmed his guess once more.

However, for the sake of rigor, he turned his head to look at Fu Fu Lamei beside him.

"What is happening?"

"..."

Fu Fu Lamei sighed softly, then switched to Chinese, which the others could not understand: "It is not a curse, nor an illness. In the words of your world, old Vol's natural lifespan is nearly exhausted!"

It was indeed a matter of lifespan!

Lin Yu nodded inwardly, while outwardly feigning a frown.

Fu Fu Lamei said softly: "I know you have been conditioning old Vol's body, but it is useless. The reason human lifespans are short is not solely due to mana radiation..."

Hearing this, Lin Yu was somewhat surprised: "You have also studied mana radiation?"

Fu Fu Lamei nodded and said self-mockingly: "I am human too; as a human, one cannot escape the fear of death."

"During the ten years I traveled north, I witnessed many lives and deaths, including the premature deaths of young warriors and the natural passing of ordinary elders."

"The former were already prepared, so I have little to say, but the latter moved me deeply at that time."

"Fortunately, I am still a mage pursuing truth; compared to ordinary people who have no power to resist in the face of death, I can at least struggle a little."

"The relationship between lifespan and mana radiation was the subject I researched when I first felt fear of death..."

Lin Yu pressed: "Then what was the conclusion?"

Fu Fu Lamei shook her head and said: "Unfortunately, the two are only positively correlated, not directly proportional."

Lin Yu nodded, unsurprised.

Fu Fu Lamei continued in a soft tone: "The fact that lifespan and mana radiation are only positively correlated means that even if the problem of mana radiation is solved, it can only extend lifespan slightly, unable to achieve the immortality of elves and dwarves."

"Perhaps the lifespans of all races are simply part of the world's rules and cannot be changed at all..."

Lin Yu remained noncommittal, glanced at her, and said: "Is it possible that you missed something?"

Missed something?

Fu Fu Lamei was stunned by these words.

Lin Yu smiled: "In any case, if there is a way to achieve immortality, you would not refuse, right?"

Of course not!

Who would refuse the temptation of immortality?

Fu Fu Lamei intended to answer thus, but out of her understanding of Lin Yu, she still frowned and looked at him suspiciously: "I feel as though you are setting a trap for me."

Lin Yu said without concealment: "Even if it is a trap, the bait is immortality; just say whether you will bite or not!"

Fu Fu Lamei hesitated for a moment, then finally nodded: "If you truly find a method to extend human lifespan, I can be your test subject, but similarly, I also reserve the right to withdraw midway."

"Then it is settled!"

A smile appeared on Lin Yu's face; he then turned his head, looked at the bewildered old Vol, and said: "Come with me."

The old Vol came to his senses, struggled to climb down from the bed, and respectfully said: "Yes, My Lord!"

Lin Yu turned his head, looked at the worried Dai Meng, and said: "From now on, your father will disappear with me for a while; I will leave all affairs of Ridge Peak City to you. Is there a problem?"

"This... Your subordinate obeys!"

"Very good."

Lin Yu nodded, waved his right hand, and disappeared from the bedroom with the old Vol.

Rolling mountain ranges, with peaks layered and towering majestically.

Dense mana, filtered through the barrier, condensed into even purer energy clouds and mist, wrapping around the mountain waist like gauze, plunging everything into a white sea of clouds.

Above the peaks, visible green mountain winds blew from time to time.

Those mana clouds and mist were disturbed by the clear breeze and slowly drifted apart, revealing the towering giant trees and magnificent palaces below.

A clear waterfall flowed straight down like a jade belt, stirring up a mana vortex wreathed in rainbow light.

Surrounding this shimmering vortex was a pool of water flashing with seven colors.

The three-colored lotus brought back from the Tang Gui World was placed in the center of this seven-colored pool, absorbing energy from the pool water while slowly unfolding its petals, which had already turned four-colored.

Following the waterfall's gaze upward, one could see a brilliant ocean of light.

Countless pure mana was rising and swirling within it, gathering and dispersing, emitting dense white light that illuminated the entire world as if it were day.

Standing beside the seven-colored lotus pool, listening to the rushing torrent of the waterfall nearby, the old Vol could not help but widen his eyes, looking at everything around him with a shocked and stunned expression.

After a short while, he finally came to his senses and, suppressing his excitement and shock, said:

"My Lord, this... this place..."

"This is my world."

Lin Yu turned around by the pool and looked at Old Walter with a calm expression.

Hearing these words, Old Walter's eyes widened involuntarily, and his entire body trembled with excitement.

"You... you mean this is a world you created?"

Strictly speaking, that is not the case, but it is close enough!

Lin Yu did not correct Old Walter's mistake; he simply said indifferently, "So far, you are the first person to come here, and the only intelligent life here besides me."

"What?!"

He was actually the first person to come here?

What supreme glory this is!

Old Walter's voice trembled with excitement.

But strangely, although he felt the excitement and honor of being favored, as well as shock and awe at this world, he felt absolutely no shock at Lin Yu's change in identity.

This was because, in Old Walter's heart, he had long regarded Lin Yu as a god!

Saying "regarded" is not entirely accurate; rather, over the past ten years, Old Walter had gradually sensed the secrets of my lord through various clues.

The most obvious evidence was the extraordinary Holy Scripture in Lin Yu's hand.

As one of the earliest subjects to contact Lin Yu, Old Walter was the only one who had seen that Holy Scripture.

At that time, he actually had no great reaction.

It was only later, when he, as the Chancellor, received a bishop from the Church.

From the other's mouth, he finally understood the significance of the Goddess's Holy Scripture and finally realized how unimaginable a Holy Scripture differing from the Goddess's doctrine truly was...

Since then, Lin Yu could occasionally receive faith power transmitted from Old Walter.

This was enough to prove that Old Walter had long discovered his identity and also sufficient to demonstrate the other's faith and loyalty.

Therefore, Lin Yu did not mind exposing anything before him, even this world that no one had ever stepped into.

"Just now, with Dai Meng and Fu Fu Lamei present, I could not say much."

Lin Yu looked at Old Walter and said softly, "But now, I will not hide it from you. Your body has no major problems; it is just that the Innate Primordial Qi within you is about to be exhausted, and your lifespan is also reaching its end..."

Your lifespan is reaching its end?

Old Walter was like someone splashed with cold water; he finally calmed down from his excitement and stared blankly at Lin Yu.

"You mean... I am going to die?"

"That is correct."

"..."

Old Walter came to his senses and said excitedly, "Then after I die, can I stay in your Divine Kingdom?"

Lin Yu: "..."

You really have no fear!

"I see, I see!"

Old Walter continued to say excitedly, "No wonder you brought me here; originally..."

Lin Yu shook his head and said, "This is my world, not my Divine Kingdom."

Is there any difference?

Old Walter looked completely confused.

Lin Yu said indifferently, "Since you cannot grasp the main point, I will say it directly."

"First, let me explain the Innate Primordial Qi. It is an abstract energy accompanying human birth; you can roughly understand it as lifespan. Once the Innate Primordial Qi is exhausted, even if the body is healthy, death will come immediately."

"Ordinary people's Innate Qi is often obscured by Postnatal Qi. Since this world contains Magic Power, this is even more severe."

"Magic Power radiation makes you completely unable to perceive the Innate Primordial Qi, let alone utilize or replenish it..."

Speaking here, Lin Yu paused, looked him over, and said, "You were a warrior in your youth; you must have been injured quite a bit, right?"

"Physical injuries can heal, but the consumed Innate Primordial Qi cannot be replenished. This is also why many powerful warriors do not have particularly long lifespans."

For example, the Hero Himmel of later generations; as strong as he was, he lived for merely eighty-plus years.

Hearing this, Old Walter finally understood Lin Yu's meaning and immediately said, overwhelmed with honor:

"You wish to extend my subordinate's lifespan?"

"This... this... what merit or ability does your subordinate have to deserve this!"

Lin Yu shook his head and said, "Since I brought you here, it means you have the qualification."

"Let's make this brief. Based on my research results over these years, I will offer you three choices. If you do not wish to die, choose one of these three paths to immortality."

Saying this, Lin Yu raised three fingers and said, "First, implant a Spirit Root and walk the path of Magic Cultivation."

"Second, enter my Bai Ze Ten Thousand Spirits Map; from now on, your body will become demonic, your soul will be bound to the Holy Scripture, and you will never transcend for eternity."

"Third, become my retainer..."

(End of this chapter)