After Skyfall

This is probably the most impulsive thing I’ve ever done in my life.

At this moment, Li Yi was gasping for air, his heart still pounding wildly. His body was overwhelmed with an indescribable sense of exhaustion, and every muscle ached intensely.

It was the fastest he had ever run.

In just half an hour, Li Yi had left the abandoned district and returned home to the old district, where he was temporarily safe.

Reflecting on the events that had just transpired, he found it hard to believe.

He had only intended to make some money to take care of his parents, who were Mute. But in the critical moment, he had risked his life like a gambler chasing an Artifact.

Luckily, he made it back alive.

If he had failed, he would have regretted it bitterly in his dying moments.

The late Zhang Kaiwen once said something true: one lifetime is all we have, and to change anything, we must take a risk. Otherwise, I’ll be just like everyone else in this decrepit, rundown city, surviving like a rat, only to decay and be forgotten one day without leaving a trace.

When I made that decision in the underground parking lot, I could feel my ambition swelling. I realised that I’m not meant to live quietly. I yearn to cultivate, to stir up the winds and clouds, and to become someone significant.

Li Yi closed his eyes, taking deep breaths.

Reflecting on his life over the past years, he felt nothing but oppression and suffocation.

Endless work. Endless purchases of nutritional supplements. Despite his efforts, his family’s situation had gone from having some savings to being destitute and deeply in debt. Now, he could not even afford to repair the medical pods, and his parents’ lives were hanging by a thread.

He was only twenty; his life had just begun, so why did it feel like it was already over?

It should not be this way.

Li Yi opened his eyes again. This time, there was no trace of fatigue or confusion in his gaze, only determination.

But whether I can change everything depends on my luck this time—whether I’ve managed to find something valuable.

He then looked at the bundle of dirty, tattered clothes he had been holding.

These clothes were worn by the owner of the ancient tomb in their lifetime. The style and material were vastly different from anything in contemporary society. They had an ancient flair, yet they were not quite like traditional ancient garments. Despite their current state, the details revealed that these clothes were once very luxurious.

Li Yi carefully unwrapped the clothes piece by piece, searching for anything special.

He had chosen to take this pile of worn clothes from the coffin because he believed that if there were any precious Artifacts in the tomb, they would be kept close to the body.

However, the ancient tomb had been looted before, so it was uncertain whether anything valuable was left behind.

This piece of clothing has nothing. Neither does this one.

One by one, Li Yi meticulously searched through each garment, hoping to find something of value.

Finally, as he shook out the last piece of clothing, a crisp clink echoed through the room.

A broken object fell onto the tiled floor of the living room.

Li Yi quickly picked it up and examined it carefully. After a moment of hesitation, he wondered aloud: Could this be a rare Artifact? It doesn’t look like one. There’s nothing extraordinary about it.

The item in his hand resembled a small bronze knife, but now only half of it remained, inscribed with a twisted script.

He then tested its edge and found that the bronze knife was not sharp at all.

After researching some information on his phone, Li Yi could barely conclude that this was not a small knife; it was a form of currency from the Warring States period, known as a knife coin*.

Aside from this half-knife coin, he rummaged through the pile of tattered clothes several more times but found nothing else.

This half-knife coin was the only thing Li Yi had risked his life to bring back.

I’m not a cultivator. I have no idea if this half-knife coin has any value. I need to find someone knowledgeable about rare Artifacts, but it has to be someone I can trust completely, without any risk of exposure.

As he pondered this, one person came to mind immediately.

Uncle Biao.

Uncle Biao was a friend of Li Yi’s father. Six years ago, he and Li Yi’s father practised cultivation together. However, while Li Yi’s father progressed rapidly due to his better talents, Uncle Biao struggled with his limited aptitude. Eventually, Li Yi’s father had an accident and became a Mute, his fate uncertain. Uncle Biao gave up cultivation and opened a meditation centre in Tianchang City, where he now teaches newcomers.

Thinking of this, Li Yi quickly gathered the tattered clothes and secured the half-knife coin close to him.

However, he did not leave immediately, as there was something else he needed to do.

Picking up his phone, Li Yi called the after-sales service for the medical pods.

Soon, within half an hour, the after-sales engineer arrived.

“Mr. Li, as I mentioned last time, one of the chips in your other medical pod was burned out due to prolonged use. The pod’s six-year warranty has expired. Although the company can provide free repairs, you need to purchase the damaged part yourself. The cost is 49,999 yuan,” said the engineer, Hu Bing.

Li Yi said, “I’ve managed to gather the money over the past few days. I’ll pay you now so your trip here won’t be wasted.”

“That’s good to hear,” nodded Engineer Hu Bing.

Li Yi opened the bedroom door.

The room was brightly lit, but the air was thick with the smell of alcohol and disinfectant.

There was no bed in the room, only two high-tech medical pods flashing with various indicator lights. These advanced devices looked out of place compared to the cramped, oppressive housing in the old district.

Inside each pod lay a person.

The man had a resolute and handsome face, while the woman was beautiful. However, due to their prolonged comatose state, both of them had poor complexions and looked rather pale.

Li Yi’s parents were once a perfect couple, a match made in heaven. Now, however, they lay there like vegetative patients.

This situation had persisted for six long years.

“Dad, Mom.”

Even though he knew there would be no response, Li Yi still habitually called out to them.

At this moment, the engineer, Hu Bing, skillfully opened the panel of one of the medical pods and began the repairs.

With the damaged components replaced, the pod containing Li Yi’s mother soon resumed normal operation.

Seeing the situation improve, Li Yi finally relaxed.

“Mr. Li,” Hu Bing said, “the nutritional fluid in both pods will run out in a day. Make sure to replenish it in time. I suggest stocking up if you can. Recently, more people have started practising cultivation, which has increased the demand for nutritional fluid. Prices have gone up, and I expect they will continue to rise.”

“The prices have increased?” Li Yi was taken aback. “How much is it per unit now?”

“The most basic nutritional fluid has risen to a thousand yuan each,” Engineer Hu Bing replied.

“That’s quite a hike. I understand. Thank you,” Li Yi said, falling silent.

“You’re welcome,” Hu Bing said, completing the after-sales service and then leaving.

The five thousand yuan I risked my life to earn is gone in an instant. It looks like I can’t stop now. This situation has made me realise that diligently working to earn money can’t change anything. The only solution is to find a different way of living.

Li Yi thought silently, touching the half-knife coin in his pocket.

These two medical pods were purchased with most of his parents’ savings before they fell into a coma. While they did not require much maintenance, they needed regular additions of nutritional fluid to keep the comatose bodies alive.

Each medical pod consumes at least three units of nutritional fluid per month.

Since Li Yi’s household has two medical pods, they require six units monthly.

This means Li Yi needs to earn at least 4,800 yuan a month to ensure his parents’ survival.

Now that the price of nutritional fluid has increased, he must make at least 6,000 yuan a month.

Initially, the family had some savings, but after six years, the savings were depleted. They sold the car and the house. Fortunately, after his grandparents passed away, their old house in the old city was left to them. Otherwise, they would have to rent a place.

“Dad, Mom, I have some matters to attend to today, so I can’t stay with you. But don’t worry; I won’t give up on you. I’ll take good care of you and ensure nothing happens to you. Wait for me to return.”

Li Yi knew he could not waste any more time.

The people from Crow’s side might come looking for him at any moment.

Before that could happen, he needed to quickly determine the value of what he held in his hands.

Right now.

Li Yi grabbed a backpack, stuffed the pile of tattered clothes from the ancient tomb into it, slung it over his shoulder, and headed out with the half-knife coin.

Seeing the dwindling balance on his phone, he decided to splurge and take a taxi to Uncle Biao’s meditation room to save time.

(End of Chapter)

——

TL’s note:

A knife coin (or knife money) is the name of large, cast, bronze, knife-shaped commodity money produced by various governments and kingdoms in what is now China, approximately 2500 years ago.

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