Ch 31: Death?

Feng Chen leaned back in his cave, stretching out lazily with a contented sigh. The nest containing the Mysterious Spirit Beast Egg rested comfortably beside him, the soft glow of the egg casting a faint light over the cave walls.

Feng Chen smiled gently as he passed his Qi into the egg, caressing it as if it were a delicate treasure... like a father cradling his newborn child. The warmth of the connection between him and the egg seemed to soothe not only the egg but also his own restless spirit.

The System watched this scene unfold and, for once, found itself astonished. It was so used to dealing with Feng Chen's stubborn, reckless behavior that this gentler, nurturing side was like witnessing a rare cosmic event.

There he was, the man who was often a pain in the system's proverbial rear, smiling tenderly at an egg like a proud parent. It was almost… peaceful. Almost.

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System Notification:-

Host, are you seriously trying to win "Dad of the Year" with a spirit beast egg?

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Feng Chen rolled his eyes but didn't respond. He simply continued to circulate his Qi, smiling warmly as he watched the egg respond with soft pulses of energy. Even if the system was trying to be sarcastic, Feng Chen didn't mind.

This felt right. This felt… important. The egg had become more than just a potential power source for him... it was something he was truly attached to.

As the night fell, he gazed into the blank space beyond the cave, lost in thought. The gentle smile faded as he started to think about everything that had happened in the past weeks.

From his exile by the Feng Clan to discovering his System, meeting the terrifying Lie Zhang, and experiencing that bizarre, soul-shaking vision… so much had changed in such a short span of time.

"Everything has shifted so fast… It feels like I'm being dragged into something bigger than myself... something I don't even fully understand yet. Who was that supreme cultivator? Why is this strange power within me tied to all these ancient forces? Was I truly meant for something great? Or… am I just stumbling through blind luck? " He thought.

He let out a soft sigh, closing his eyes as he mulled over the possibilities. For the first time in a long while, the fear crept back into his chest. What if he wasn't strong enough?

What if this path led him to something he couldn't face? There were forces in this world... no, in the universe... that could squash him like a bug, just as he had seen in that vision.

As the wind outside whispered against the trees, Feng Chen spoke quietly to himself.

"I need to prepare for the worst… I need to make sure I'm ready for whatever comes next."

With that sobering thought, he finally drifted off to sleep.

*****

The next morning, Feng Chen awoke feeling strangely refreshed, despite his restless thoughts the night before. He followed his usual routine... meditating to circulate his Qi and stabilize his cultivation before washing up and preparing for the day.

After freshening up, he stretched his limbs and summoned the system, calling out in his usual cheeky tone.

"Alright, System! Sign me up for today's rewards. Let's see what kind of nonsense you've cooked up this time."

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System Notification:-

Daily sign-in successful.

New feature unlocked: Choice System.

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A grand window appeared in front of Feng Chen's eyes, startling him as it filled his entire field of vision with glowing text. He blinked in surprise, reading through the message as it explained the new Choice System.

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System Explanation:-

The Choice System has been unlocked.

Occasionally, the system will present the host with a choice. The outcome of the choice will directly affect the host's progress and cultivation. Each choice will have a corresponding reward... or consequence.

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Feng Chen's eyebrows shot up as he processed the information.

"Wait… you mean I get to make choices that decide my fate? Like… like a Gacha Game?" he asked incredulously. He couldn't help but let out a small laugh at the absurdity of it all.

"This world really is just one big game, isn't it?"

The system, however, remained surprisingly quiet. And that… was strange.

Normally, by now, the system would be screaming in pain or spewing sarcastic remarks about his fate, but instead, it was eerily calm. That in itself was enough to put Feng Chen on edge. He narrowed his eyes suspiciously at the window floating in front of him.

"Wait a second… Why aren't you cursing me out right now?" he asked, frowning.

"System, are you broken?"

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System Notification:-

Broken? You wish. I'm just watching with amusement, waiting for you to dig your own grave.

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Feng Chen rubbed his chin thoughtfully.

"Hmm… so that means this new feature is legit. Interesting. I've seen these kinds of systems in the mangas I read in my previous life… but man, if I had known these things actually existed, I probably would've died even faster back then. And willingly."

He let out a dramatic sigh.

"Fate really loves screwing with me, doesn't it?"

Just as Feng Chen was about to stand up and go search for something to eat, another window suddenly popped up in front of him. The familiar bright glow of a Choice Window filled his vision, but this one seemed more urgent... ominously so.

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Choice Notification:-

Due to the host having absorbed a skeleton strengthened through countless tribulations, the residual energy from the Mahayana cultivator is attempting to merge with your own skeleton, which has been enhanced by Yin and Yang Qi. Choose your path carefully:

1. Let the new skeleton take over and destroy the old one.

- Reward: 7 Heavens Divine Body + Instant Death.

2. Let Yin and Yang strengthen your skeleton and devour the energy of the new skeleton.

- Reward: Yin and Yang's Divine Body + Purge of all items (you can only keep five).

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Feng Chen stared at the choices in absolute shock. His mouth dropped open, his eyes widened in disbelief, and his brain… well, his brain momentarily stopped working.

"Wh-what…?!" he stammered, struggling to comprehend what he was reading.

"I… I can either die instantly… or lose almost everything I've worked for…?" He blinked rapidly, as if expecting the window to disappear, but it remained firmly in place, glaring back at him with a sense of impending doom.

And then, to make matters worse, a new notification beeped, and a timer appeared in the corner of the window. He had only five minutes to decide.

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System Notification:-

Time remaining: 5:00… 4:59…

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Feng Chen felt a cold sweat break out on his forehead.

"Five minutes?!" He frantically looked at the window, as if hoping to find a loophole or some kind of escape route. But there was none.

To make things even worse, the system's voice echoed through his mind, filled with barely concealed glee.

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System Notification:-

Oh, this is going to be good. Look at you squirm! Don't you just love it when life throws you into a corner?

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Feng Chen groaned, burying his face in his hands.

"Why me?!" He then looked up, glaring at the system window.

"I swear, if I survive this, I'm coming for you. You hear me?!"

But the system only continued laughing, its smugness practically dripping from every word.

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System Notification:-

Come on now, no need to be scared. Just make a choice. Worst case scenario, you die! Or, you know, lose almost everything and start from scratch. No biggie, right?

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Feng Chen bit his lip, trying to keep his cool despite the panic bubbling in his chest. He pretended to be terrified, exaggerating his movements as he clutched his head in mock fear.

"Oh no, what do I do?! My poor skeleton!" He dramatically flailed his arms, putting on a performance that would have made any theater actor proud.

Inside, though, his mind was racing, analyzing the choices with the cold precision of a tactician.

"This is bad… really bad. If I let the new skeleton take over, I'll get that 7 Heavens Divine Body, but… I'll die immediately. And instant death doesn't exactly sound like a reward."

He narrowed his eyes, considering the second option.

"But if I let Yin and Yang strengthen my skeleton… I can devour the energy of the Mahayana skeleton. That could make me incredibly powerful, but I'll lose almost everything. Only five items will remain…"

His brain spun in overdrive, trying to weigh the risks and rewards. The seconds ticked down on the timer, and Feng Chen's expression grew more serious.

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System Notification:-

Time remaining: 3:30… 3:29…

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The system's cackling only grew louder as the clock ticked down, but Feng Chen wasn't about to let it rattle him. He cracked a small, confident smile, his eyes gleaming with mischief.

"Fine, system… you want to play games? Let's play games."