Republic of China era: A hundred-year-old still practicing martial arts? Is that right?

and many more!

The sound of pages turning?

Lin Ji was immediately taken aback.

A century has passed, and the world has changed dramatically.

The "Book of Reversing Fate," which had been pressing down on his mind like a stubborn rock, actually loosened on its own today?

Is it...really?

"Splash—!!"

With a thought, the crisp sound of pages turning exploded in Lin Ji's mind the next instant.

A tremendous wave of emotion surged within Lin Ji's heart.

His displeasure was quickly suppressed.

Bai Yu'er still leaned back gracefully, her smiling, alluring eyes seeming to ripple with spring water.

Lin Ji snapped out of his daze, still looking nonchalant, grinned, revealing a row of yellowed old teeth, and casually replied.

"Little girl, I'm an old man with bones, I haven't even saved up for my coffin, so I don't have money for your entertainment."

Bai Yu'er chuckled softly, her voice clear and melodious, her eyes and brows exuding charm.

"You scoundrel, who asked for your money? Today is your 100th birthday, am I not allowed to do a good deed?"

Ha ha.

Lin Ji remained calm and composed.

Offering unsolicited favors is either suspicious or presumptuous.

Bai Yu'er, this woman, had just moved to Dog Tail Alley three years ago. She was quite kind-hearted and occasionally brought him food and drinks.

But in this chaotic world, just surviving is exhausting enough; how can one have the leisure to think about such things?

This obsequious behavior must mean he wants something from you.

"Good news?" Lin Ji grinned. "The old man probably can't handle this."

Seemingly anticipating Lin Ji's response, Bai Yu'er dropped the pretense, abandoning her seductive demeanor, and sighed:

"Alright, to be honest, I'm here to ask you for a favor."

A hint of tenderness instantly appeared on Bai Yu'er's face, while an barely suppressed pride lingered in her eyes:

"I have a younger brother named Bai Xiaonian. He is fifteen years old and studies at the Martial Arts Academy in the South of the City."

"He studies very hard, and his teachers all say he has great talent and is about to reach the threshold of skin refining! Once he crosses that threshold, he will be a proper martial artist! His teacher says that as long as he puts in the hard work, it won't be long before he becomes a true martial arts master!"

My younger brother...

Lin Ji frowned and asked curiously, "So... how can an old man like me help you?"

Bai Yu'er took a deep breath, her eyes seemingly filled with unspeakable sorrow:

"The martial arts academy is holding a meeting in a few days. Old Lin, you know what I do for a living. If I show my face in public and his classmates and instructors see me, how will he ever be able to hold his head high in the academy again?"

She looked up, her peach-blossom eyes filled with embarrassment and pleading:

"Old Lin, I only thought of you because I had no other choice. Here's what you'll do: go to the meeting for me as Grandpa Xiao Nian, and leave as soon as you're done. There won't be any trouble at all."

"If you help me this time, I'll owe you a favor."

Lin Ji saw the sincerity in her eyes and understood the helplessness in her heart.

but.

"Why me of all the neighbors?"

Bai Yu'er's gaze suddenly dimmed, but after a moment, she still spoke frankly.

"I've lived in Dog Tail Alley for three years. In this alley... women avoid me, and men... are all just after my skin. Only you, although you're a bit sarcastic, look at me differently from them."

"They look at me like I'm a piece of meat. But you look at me like I'm a human being."

One sentence summed up all the bitterness of her life.

Lin Ji was silent for a moment, then slowly said, "Good people don't live long in this world. I'll help you, what's in it for me?"

Bai Yu'er's eyes lit up, and she quickly put the three catties of pork into Lin Ji's arms.

"Here you go! Fresh, top-quality pork belly, stewed until tender, it'll smell absolutely divine!"

Lin Ji glanced down at the pork, grinned, and revealed his sparse, yellow teeth.

"Girl, look at my teeth, do I look like I could chew meat?"

Seeing this, Bai Yu'er was instantly embarrassed, her eyes filled with anxiety. In her desperation, she whispered:

"Then...then I'll use my body as collateral, and I won't charge you..."

Upon hearing this, a burst of golden light suddenly erupted from the loosened "Book of Reversal of Fate" in Lin Ji's mind.

Crash—!

The antique cover was fully opened, revealing eight golden ancient seal characters floating in mid-air.

[After a century of dormancy, the martial spirit finally awakens]

Below the ancient seal script, the golden characters leap vividly onto the paper.

"As the heavens and earth revolve, for every month that one's lifespan increases, one can open and read one page of the 'Book of Reversing Fate'."

"With innate martial talent, he can see through the essence of all martial arts in the world at a glance and integrate them without hindrance."

"The interaction of Yin and Yang, and the perfect harmony, can further stimulate the turning of the pages."

"Each page turned can cleanse the marrow and reshape the foundation, or restore ten years of physical youth, or increase lifespan by ten years, and also contain infinite opportunities!"

Upon witnessing this scene, Lin Ji was deeply shaken.

Not daring to look at the contents of the book any longer, Lin Ji suppressed his elation, pulled his consciousness back to reality, and looked up at Bai Yu'er.

As soon as his gaze fell on Bai Yu'er, Lin Ji's eyes unconsciously swept over her alluring figure, and that line of words resurfaced in his mind.

"When Yin and Yang interact, and harmony is achieved, a new page can be turned in the book."

Lin Ji frowned. Was he kidding? With his physique, could he still lift a gun?

Concealing his expression, Lin Ji adopted a leisurely, aged demeanor, yet the depth in his eyes remained undisguised:

"You owe me a favor, and when I come to collect it later, you can't refuse."

Bai Yu'er was stunned for a moment, then beamed with joy and nodded repeatedly, as if she had been granted a pardon:

"Agreed! It's a deal! Old Lin, no, Master Lin, thank you!"

After saying that, she happily picked up the meat and left, but after taking a few steps she turned back and winked playfully at Lin Ji.

"Mr. Lin, I still stand by my word. If you ever want to come see me, it's free."

That little vixen is incredibly alluring.

Lin Ji remained noncommittal, but his heart was burning with excitement.

Lin Ji quickly grabbed his tools of survival and hurried towards the house.

Push open the door, enter the room, close the door, and sit down.

Sitting on the almost falling-off wooden bed, Lin Ji closed his eyes and focused all his attention on the ancient book in his mind.

Golden light flowed within the sea of ​​consciousness.

The handwriting looked as if it had been carved stroke by stroke with an invisible chisel, each stroke carrying an indescribable charm.

Lin Ji's eyes widened, and for the first time, a near-fanatical light flashed in his cloudy old eyes.

A century has passed, and my golden touch has finally arrived.

But... Lin Ji always felt it was a bit of a rip-off.

I'm already a hundred years old, how many more days do I have left to live?

Hehuan flipping through a book? Lin Ji knew his own body well enough. Let alone mounting a horse, he'd be lucky to even clean it. If he were a few years younger, he might have a chance.

As if in response to Lin Ji's unwillingness, a flash of golden light suddenly appeared on the title page.

"Ten years lifespan!"

"Fate-defying Martial Bones!"

In the next instant, two streams of pure energy leaped up from thin air and naturally merged into his limbs and bones.

Lin Ji was taken aback, and a feeling of being out of character surfaced in his mind.

Is this a new player reward?

He could clearly sense that this dying body was undergoing some strange change.

A withered tree comes back to life.

Lin Ji's skin, wrinkled like the bark of an old tree, began to slowly smooth out.

Those cloudy old eyes, at this moment, seemed to be washed by clear water, revealing a long-lost clarity.

His arm, which used to be so difficult to lift, now seemed to have some strength. He subconsciously clenched his fist, and his knuckles made a slight cracking sound.

Ninety years old.

His physique is back to what it was like when he was ninety!

but……

"Hey, what's the difference between ninety and a hundred?" Lin Ji chuckled self-deprecatingly. "I'm still just a decrepit old man."

"I finally got my cheat code activated, and they only let me have ten years to live on? What kind of defying fate is this?!"

We can't just give up like this!

Almost instantly.

Learn martial arts!

My thoughts are surging wildly!

Go against the fate of the martial arts bones, wash the tendons and cut the marrow.

With martial arts skills at your fingertips, even at a hundred years old, why can't you give it a try?

He has seen too much in the past century.

Many of those so-called martial arts practitioners were prone to violence and died violent deaths in the streets, but more importantly, martial artists did live a long life.

Once one cultivates to the level of Ming Jin (明劲), one can still walk steadily and speak with a booming voice even at the age of one hundred.

The legendary masters of internal energy can even lock in their vital energy and live to be 150 years old without illness or disaster!

One hundred and fifty years old!

That should be enough for him to finish reading the book, right?

Perhaps, thanks to the opportunities presented by the book, I can live even longer!

It will take long enough to find the granddaughter who was sold and give her a better life.

Find out the truth behind his wife Su Yujing's disappearance years ago and unravel the mystery of her lifelong regret.

Lin Ji's heart was burning with excitement.

"A hundred years old, and only now starting to practice martial arts?" he muttered to himself, a bright smile spreading across his lips. "That's quite right!"

"But I've never practiced martial arts either. I only learned a few intimidating moves from a martial artist in the countryside when I was a teenager. To truly master martial arts, you need a proper lineage."

I'm thinking about these things right now.

suddenly.

"Ah—no! No!"

A delicate yet poignant moan from a woman abruptly interrupted Lin Ji's thoughts, causing him to frown slightly and look outside.

What's up? Spring has arrived, everything is reviving, and it's mating season for animals, right?

Let me handle this! Oh, no...

Is this never going to end?

This old man wants to take a good look and see which cat is meowing in heat this time!