Ch 16: Fifteen Years Gone in the Blink of an Eye -1

"FIFTEEN YEARS!?" Feng Chen's scream echoed endlessly across the infinite white realm. His hands gripped his face in disbelief, his mind struggling to grasp the enormity of it all. Fifteen years?

He had anticipated that perhaps days, weeks, or maybe even a few months had passed, but fifteen years? Tears streamed down his cheeks, his entire being overwhelmed with a mixture of shock, grief, and disbelief.

He collapsed onto his knees, feeling the weight of time pressing down on him.

"Am I… a 30-year-old man now?" he whispered, his voice trembling. His fingers moved to his face, frantically searching for wrinkles or signs of aging, but they found none. His youthful skin remained smooth, but his heart felt heavy as the reality settled in.

"So even in this life," he muttered bitterly,

"I didn't have any girls to make love with?" His voice broke as he uttered the words. He lowered his head, tears dripping from his chin onto the ground below.

"No harem… no beautiful girls… just me… wasting away in some endless realm…"

Feng Chen's body trembled as he knelt in the void, his hands clutching his face.

"Not even a single one… I've spent 15 years here… training… powering up… and for what? I'm still alone…" His thoughts spiraled into self-pity and regret.

"What have I been doing with my life? Even in this reincarnated life, I missed out on everything important…"

For a long moment, Feng Chen remained like this... his body shaking, sobbing over the lost time, his missed youth, and the opportunities he had failed to grasp. He could barely fathom how so much time had slipped through his fingers.

The swirling energies of Yin and Yang, which had been so patient with him throughout his training, now circled him once again. Their voices rang out softly, calming but strong, cutting through his lament.

"Mortal, this is your reality now." the Yin Qi whispered, its cold yet wise tone carrying the weight of ancient wisdom.

"The time you've spent here is real. The power you have gained is real. The sacrifices you made... those, too, are real. The question you should be asking is not what you've lost, but what you've gained."

Feng Chen raised his head slowly, the tears still streaking his face. His eyes were hollow with grief, but he tried to listen to the words.

"You have unlocked something that mortals rarely even dream of attaining." the Yang Qi said gently, its voice radiating warmth and light.

"Fifteen years… it is a long time, yes. But you have ascended. You've harnessed forces that transcend even the comprehension of most immortals. You've taken the path few would ever dare to walk."

Feng Chen wiped his face with the back of his hand, trying to understand the deeper meaning behind their words.

"But… but what about the time I've lost? My life… those years… I've lost them all."

"Time moves forward for all," Yin Qi said, a slight edge of darkness in its tone.

"Some squander it, others embrace it. You, Feng Chen, have used your time to evolve. While others may have grown in years, grown weak and complacent, you have become something far beyond them. Something greater."

Feng Chen's eyes flickered with faint hope.

"But… but what if I don't want to be greater? What if I just want to live? What if I want the things that other people have... the love, the companionship…? I've sacrificed so much…"

The Yin and Yang Qi pulsed around him, their energies swirling tighter.

"That, Feng Chen, is a choice only you can make." Yang Qi said, softly but firmly.

"But remember, the power you've gained is not just for yourself. It can bring protection, freedom, and more importantly, it can bring control over your own fate."

Feng Chen slowly began to stand up, feeling the strength returning to his limbs.

"Control over my own fate…" he repeated, his voice quiet but firming.

"You're right… This power… it wasn't for nothing." His hands clenched into fists, the tears drying on his face.

"I've gained something far more valuable than just time."

"Indeed," Yin Qi agreed, the dark energy resonating with his determination.

"You have gained control over the forces that shape existence. This power will allow you to carve your own path in a world that would otherwise seek to control you."

The white realm around Feng Chen began to shimmer, flickering as if signaling the end of his training within this space. He could feel it... the energy of this place slowly dissolving, drawing him back to the world from which he came.

"Your journey here is complete," Yang Qi said, its voice taking on a reverent tone.

"It is time to return to the mortal realm. But remember, the path you walk now is one of immense power. Use it wisely, Feng Chen."

"Go forth," Yin Qi echoed, its voice now more distant as the white realm around Feng Chen faded.

"And let the world witness the strength of Yin and Yang."

Feng Chen closed his eyes, feeling the last traces of the white realm dissolving around him. When he opened them again, he was back in the cave where it had all started.

*****

Fifteen years ago, in the mortal world...

The System had been on high alert the moment Feng Chen entered the white realm. Its metaphorical circuits buzzed with nervous energy as it constantly checked on Feng Chen's progress. The System knew from the very beginning that the white realm had the potential to bring back a much stronger host... and that meant rewards.

And rewards meant trouble.

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System Notification:-

WARNING! Host has entered the White Realm. Potential for extreme power gains detected!

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"Come on! just get stuck! Spend centuries in there! " the System hoped desperately. But Feng Chen's power kept growing. His mastery of Yin and Yang had reached levels beyond the System's projections.

As the years passed, the System grew more and more agitated, its anxiety rising with every passing moment. Finally, after fifteen long years, the moment it dreaded most arrived. Feng Chen's body in the real world began to glow with a blinding light.