Chapter 578: Time is merciless

A voice came from behind:

"Li Er, long time no see."

Li Er turned around.

Yu Lin stood not far away, wearing that smile he knew so well.

Still the same simple clothes, still the same casual bearing, as if their separation of over a decade were merely a brief nap.

Li Er's face showed no surprise.

He merely gave a faint smile, stepped forward, and bowed.

"How did you come?"

Yu Lin waved his hand, his face full of indifference.

"What's with all the formalities, huh?" He stepped forward, patted Li Er on the shoulder, "Just like before, call me Yu Lin, use 'you', got it?"

Li Er straightened up, looked at him, and nodded.

"Good."

Yu Lin glanced at him, then at the green ox behind him, and finally his gaze fell on the village in the distance that had just finished a funeral.

"Staying at a friend's place got boring," he said, "I thought it's been so long since I saw you, so I came to check on you."

He paused, the corners of his mouth turning up slightly.

"Have you been kicked out? In such a sorry state?"

Li Er shook his head.

"I just didn't want to argue with them; coincidentally I wanted to see the world, so I came out."

Yu Lin nodded, not asking further.

His gaze swept past Li Er and landed on the young man who had been standing quietly behind him.

Kong Qiu stood there, respectful yet unable to resist sneaking glances at the stranger who had suddenly appeared.

Yu Lin looked at him and grinned.

"Kong Qiu?"

Kong Qiu startled, then hurried forward and bowed.

"I am the junior; may I ask, sir, who are you?"

Yu Lin waved his hand, cutting him off.

"Scrawny and weak," he said, sizing up Kong Qiu with a hint of mischief, "No good—how will you wander the world? Want me to teach you a Body Refining Technique?"

"When reason fails, I'll open it with my fists."

Kong Qiu froze.

"Ah?"

"Body Refining Technique?"

"Using fists to settle unreasonable arguments?"

"The stranger who just appeared, opening his mouth to teach him Body Refining Technique?"

He instinctively looked toward Li Er, eyes questioning.

Li Er glanced at him and said lightly:

"You may do as you please."

Kong Qiu fell silent for a moment.

This sir is not simple.

But he still shook his head.

He bowed again to Yu Lin and said earnestly:

"Thank you for your kindness, sir, but as a junior I cannot accept rewards without merit; I have done nothing for you, so I dare not accept such a generous gift."

Yu Lin looked at him, a flash of appreciation in his eyes.

"Fine," he nodded, not pressing further, "you have backbone."

Kong Qiu straightened up, secretly letting out a breath of relief.

But the doubt in his heart grew deeper.

Just then, Li Er spoke.

"Was the commotion in the sky just now because you arrived?"

Yu Lin shook his head.

"Not me."

He raised his head, glanced at the sky, his face showing a hint of helplessness.

"It's my two friends—one running, one chasing, just playing around."

He sighed.

"Ah, they're utterly lacking in steadiness. Even if they had just three-tenths of my composure would be nice!"

Kong Qiu stood to the side, hearing this, and was completely stunned.

He abruptly lifted his head and looked toward the sky.

The solar eclipse just now—that darkness that covered the heavens, that heart‑stopping sight.

Was it caused by this sir's friends?

Just playing around?

He opened his mouth wide and couldn't speak for a long time.

"What do you mean by 'playing around'?"

That was an anomaly that devoured the sun in an instant! It was a heavenly change that could make all under heaven tremble with fear!

In the eyes of those scholars, this was a warning from Heaven, a sign of the ruler's loss of virtue!

Result…

The result is that two people are playing around?

Kong Qiu's mind buzzed.

He looked at Yu Lin again, his gaze full of disbelief.

Is this still a human?

No.

This is definitely not a human!

This is a deity! Only a deity could do such a thing!

He suddenly recalled that just now Yu Lin had asked him whether he wanted the Body Refining Technique.

He refused.

He said he would not accept a reward without merit, that he had never done anything for the master, and dared not take such a generous gift.

But now…

Now he suddenly feels that he may have missed something important.

He looked at Li Er, then at Yu Lin, his lips moving as if to speak, yet he didn't know what to say.

Yu Lin seemed to sense his gaze, turned his head, and grinned at him.

The smile was full of slyness.

Kong Qiu's face flushed instantly, thinking silently: Is it still possible to regret now?

Yu Lin didn't continue to tease this Future Sage, but stepped forward and said:

"When will you go back to the village to take a look?"

Li Er said:

"I originally intended to visit an old friend and then return, but now that friend has passed away............."

"Then go back tomorrow."

Yu Lin nodded, "Alright."

"Just maybe."

"After you return, you'll have to hold funerals for countless villagers, for over a decade, over a decade..........."

Upon hearing that, Li Er fell silent for a long while, then uttered:

"Time is merciless."