115: Chapter 115 A Message, A Farewell

When Lin Feng returned home, it was already late at night.

He pushed open the old security door and walked into the house. The living room light was still on, having been forgotten before he left. The dim yellow light spilled over the old furniture, the pile of unorganized Materials in the corner, and the nearly withered pothos on the windowsill.

Everything remained as it was.

Lin Feng closed the door and tossed his keys onto the coffee table. The keys clinked against the glass, making a crisp sound that echoed through the empty room.

He walked to the window and pushed it open. The night breeze blew in, carrying a hint of coolness and the occasional sound of cars from the distant street.

The city's night is never truly quiet.

He leaned against the windowsill and looked up at the sky. There weren't many stars tonight, only a few scattered here and there like diamonds carelessly tossed about. The moon, however, was quite bright—a thin crescent hanging over the roof of the old building opposite his.

"One year..." he murmured.

His Master's words still echoed in his ears. One year, only one year. In one year, the Panzi Race would arrive. What kind of opponents would they be? Level 60? Level 70? Or even higher?

He didn't know. He only knew that he had to become stronger. Strong enough to win.

Lin Feng withdrew his gaze, walked to the center of the living room, and sat down cross-legged. He began to circulate the Solar Saint Body Tempering Method. This was the Cultivation Technique his Master had taught him to temper his Physique and consolidate his Foundation.

The mana within his body began to flow slowly. Golden light elements gathered from all directions, merging into his body. He felt every cell breathing, absorbing that warm energy.

[Solar Saint Body Tempering Method · In Operation]

[Physique +0.1...+0.1...+0.1...]

The improvement was slow, but it was indeed happening. Many a little makes a mickle; grains of sand build a tower. There had never been a shortcut to becoming stronger. He closed his eyes, immersing himself in his Cultivate.

Time passed minute by minute. The moon outside moved from the east to the west. The sound of cars on the street grew sparse. The distant neon lights went out one by one.

After an unknown amount of time, Lin Feng opened his eyes. The sky outside was already turning white. He stood up and stretched his limbs. Crackle—his joints made a crisp sound.

[Physique +2]

[Current Physique: 192]

He glanced at his attribute panel and nodded with satisfaction. Although it was only an increase of 2 Physique points, it was a solid improvement. Over time, these small gains would lead to a qualitative change.

Lin Feng walked to the bed and collapsed onto it. After a night of cultivation, he was mentally exhausted. He closed his eyes and soon fell into a deep sleep.

...

The next morning, sunlight streamed through the gaps in the curtains, falling on Lin Feng's face. It was warm and a bit piercing. He rolled over and buried his face in the pillow.

Suddenly, his phone rang. Ding-dong—the sound of a message notification.

Lin Feng squinted and fumbled for his phone. The brightness of the screen made him wince. He rubbed his eyes and saw the name on the screen—Chen Lin.

His finger paused for a moment.

How long had it been since he last received a message from her? A week? Two weeks? Or even longer? He couldn't remember. He only knew that she replied to his messages less and less frequently. From one day, to two days, to a week... eventually, they vanished into the void.

Lin Feng took a deep breath and opened the message.

It was a very long block of text. He glanced over it; there were probably over a thousand words.

"Lin Feng, I'm sorry."

The first sentence made his heart sink. He continued reading.

"I didn't know how to tell you this. I thought about it for a long time, hesitated for a long time, and finally decided to tell you."

"I... am with someone else now."

"His name is Li Mingze, a third-year senior at the academy. He has an S-Rank Talent and a Prodigy-level Physique. He's a very good person, very gentle, and treats me very well."

"I know I promised you that I'd come back to find you once you got stronger and I graduated. I remember everything I said. Every single word."

"But I... I've changed."

"When I first came to the academy, I missed you every day. I wondered what you were doing, if you were eating well, and if you were hurt. I was so happy every time I got a message from you. But gradually, I realized the distance between us was growing further and further apart."

"You are in Donghai, and I am in the The Capital. You are desperately trying to get stronger, and I am desperately studying. The paths we are walking are no longer the same."

"When Li Mingze appeared, I didn't think too much of it. He was just a senior, just helping me with my studies, just taking me to clear Dungeons. But I don't know when it started—I realized I had grown used to him being by my side. Used to having someone eat with me every day, used to someone handing me water after training, used to someone bandaging my wounds when I got hurt."

"I know these are all excuses. It's I who changed, it's I who failed to keep my promise. I don't ask for your forgiveness; I only hope that you will be well."

"You are the most incredible person I've ever met. Truly. Ever since the day of the Awakening Ceremony..."

"I've heard everything. Even though I'm not in Donghai, I know about everything you've done. Every time I hear news about you, I feel so proud. Because... I once liked you."

"I'm sorry, Lin Feng. I wish you happiness."

"Chen Lin."

Lin Feng finished reading.

He placed the phone by his pillow and stared up at the ceiling. The sunlight on his face was a bit blinding. He didn't cry, nor did he feel sad. He just felt... empty. Like something had been taken away. It wasn't exactly painful, just empty.

He remembered the day of the Awakening Ceremony. Everyone mocked him for having an F-Rank Talent, but only Chen Lin stood up to speak for him. She stood before him, blocking those mocking gazes, and said loudly, "What's wrong with an F-Rank Talent? Can't someone with an F-Rank Talent become strong?"

He remembered the things she had said. "Lin Feng, wait for me to graduate, and I'll come back for you." "At that time, no matter how strong you've become or if you're still like this, you're not allowed to look down on me!"

He remembered before they parted, she had stood on her tiptoes and given him a kiss on the cheek. It was light and quick, like the brush of a feather. Then she turned and ran, her ponytail swinging in a beautiful arc under the sunlight.

Those images flashed through his mind like a movie.

Then, they froze on the final scene—her back as she ran away. The sunlight spilled over her, golden and warm. But it couldn't be caught.

Lin Feng closed his eyes and remained silent for a long time. Then, he picked up his phone and opened the chat box. His finger hovered over the screen for a few seconds.

He typed.

"Okay, I wish you happiness too."

Six words. Very simple.

He looked at it for a few seconds and pressed send.

The moment the message was sent, he felt that empty place in his chest being filled by something. It wasn't relief, and it wasn't letting go; it was an... indescribable feeling. Like closing a door. Behind the door were those past days, those memories, and those words. The door was closed, but it was still there. It just wouldn't be opened again.

The phone screen went dark. Silence returned to the room.

Lin Feng sat up and placed the phone on the nightstand. He walked to the window and pulled back the curtains. Sunlight flooded in, illuminating the entire room. Outside was morning in Donghai City. The streets were busy with traffic and hurried pedestrians. Breakfast stalls were steaming, and several elderly women were haggling at the entrance of the vegetable market. Everything was as usual. The sun rose as always, and life continued as always.

Lin Feng looked out the window and took a deep breath. Then, he smiled. It wasn't a bitter smile, nor a forced one. It was a... smile of relief.

"It's for the best," he said to himself. "This way, I can focus on becoming stronger."

He turned and walked into the bathroom. He turned on the faucet and splashed cold water on his face; it felt chilly. He looked up and saw that young face in the mirror. Sixteen. He was only sixteen. He still had a long way to go.

...

After washing up, Lin Feng changed into clean clothes. A white T-shirt and black casual pants—simple and clean. He took out the dragon slaying sword from the wanxiang ring and hung it at his waist. Then he took out that s-rank explorer badge and pinned it to his chest.

He glanced at the phone on the nightstand. The screen was black with no new messages. He withdrew his gaze and pushed the door open to leave.

Walking on the street, the sunlight was wonderful. He walked aimlessly, crossing street after street and passing intersection after intersection. The shops along the street were opening one by one, the steamers at the breakfast shops were venting steam, and the vegetable vendors had already begun their calls. Several students in school uniforms rode past him on bicycles, their laughter trailing behind them.

Lin Feng looked at them, and an indescribable feeling welled up in his heart.

He could never go back to his student days. The day of the Awakening Ceremony was the moment he bid farewell to that era. From that day on, he had stepped onto a different path. A path full of danger, full of challenges, and also full of opportunities.

He walked for a long time and unknowingly arrived at the city center. Ahead, a tall building appeared. It had a grey-white marble exterior, Roman columns, arched windows, and a red carpet laid out on the steps at the entrance. Above the lintel hung a massive plaque—Donghai Municipal Library.

Lin Feng stopped and looked up at those five large words. It had been a long time since he had been to the library. The last time was back in middle school. At that time, he hadn't awakened yet and was still an ordinary student. He often came here to borrow books, often staying for an entire day.

He stood at the entrance, hesitating for a moment. Then, he stepped up the stairs.

Pushing open the heavy glass doors, a familiar scent of books wafted toward him. It was a mixture of paper, ink, and time, which felt strangely reassuring.

The library was very quiet. Sunlight streamed through the tall windows, spilling over rows of bookshelves and onto the people buried in their books. A few elderly people were reading newspapers in the periodical section, some young people were doing homework in the self-study area, and a few children were flipping through picture books in the children's area.

Everything was so quiet and peaceful.

Lin Feng took a deep breath and walked inside. His goal wasn't the fiction section, the history section, or the technology section. It was the Reference Area.

That place housed various Materials regarding the Void Realm, the myriad races, and the universe will. Some were public, while others required authorization. With his current status as an S-Rank Explorer, he was qualified to access most of the Materials.

Walking past rows of bookshelves, Lin Feng arrived at the Reference Area. The books here were noticeably older than the ones outside. Some had yellowed covers, and some pages were brittle. But every single one emitted a faint energy fluctuation. That was the power of knowledge.

Lin Feng stood before the bookshelves and looked up at the densely packed spines. His gaze swept across the titles one by one.

"Introduction to Void Biology"

"History of Myriad Races' Civilizations"

"Detailed Explanation of Universal Conventions"

"Compilation of Arena Battle Cases"

"Research on the Gazi Race"

"Research on the Panzi Race"

...

He reached out and pulled a book from the shelf. It was a thick hardcover with a deep blue cover, and the gilded letters sparkled under the light—"History of Myriad Races' Civilizations."

He flipped to the first page. A line of text caught his eye—

"The Universe is vast, and races are myriad. Earth civilization is but an insignificant one among them."

Lin Feng looked at that line and remained silent for a few seconds. Then, he closed the book and tucked it under his arm. He pulled a few more from the shelf—"Detailed Explanation of Universal Conventions," "Compilation of Arena Battle Cases," and "Research on the Panzi Race."

Carrying these books, he walked to a reading area in the corner. There was a table, two chairs, and a desk lamp. Sunlight streamed through the window, falling perfectly onto the tabletop.

Lin Feng sat down and placed the books on the table. He opened the "History of Myriad Races' Civilizations" and began reading page by page from the very beginning.

Outside the window, the sunlight was just right. Inside the library, it was as quiet as ever. And he was about to open a new door.