77: The curtain falls

Inside Star Brilliance Hall, the air, woven with silence and absurdity, was almost frozen solid.

Chen Jun's innocent, aggrieved, yet deeply mocking retort was like cold water splashed into a boiling wok.

"So... you all were just waiting for me to die?!"

These words were like an invisible slap across the face of every Stellar Level bigwig, stinging with heat!

Shame! Embarrassment! Disbelief! ...Even a murderous rage!

Several emotions exploded in their hearts, leaving these old monsters who had lived for tens of thousands of years momentarily at a loss for how to respond.

They recalled Chen Jun's words, which were like a needle, precisely puncturing the balloon of their anger.

"When did I ever say I was going to die today?"

"It was you all... who insisted on thinking I was running out of time..."

That's right!

He had never said when he would die!

All speculations about his death date came from Mo Heng's scientific monitoring, from their own deductions about the consumption patterns of that special Physique, and... from their own Mental Energy probes!

He was just a Mortal, not even Warrior Rank...

How could he possibly know how long he could live?

Thinking of this, everyone instantly sobered up...

Chu Yueyao, whose anger had been burning, suddenly froze, and the energy fluctuations about to erupt were abruptly halted...

That's right!

He was just a Mortal Body that could not Cultivate!

The Origin of life was incredibly profound, something even the leader could not see through, so how could he himself accurately know his own death date?

I... was actually bickering with a Mortal who couldn't even control his own lifespan?

And at the other person's "funeral," no less?

This... this was a complete loss of face for the Stellar Level!

Mo Heng also calmed down, the instinct of a scientist overcoming his sense of humiliation.

He stared fixedly at Chen Jun, his Mental Energy like the most precise scanner, sweeping over him once more.

Not just him, but Shi Yue, Li Qingshan, Leng Qingqiu...

All the Divine Thoughts of the Stellar-level Experts were, without exception, cautiously probing toward Chen Jun, attempting to re-evaluate this existence that had overturned their cognition.

This time, they probed more carefully and deeply than ever before!

However, the result made them even more horrified, their worldviews trembling!

In their perception, Chen Jun's life magnetic field was weak to the extreme!

Like a candle in the wind, that last wisp of flame flickered unsteadily, as if it would completely extinguish in the next instant!

This state was clearly the typical characteristic of someone at the end of their rope, on their deathbed!

According to any life science text, it was absolutely impossible for him to last more than a second!

But!

Yet there he stood!

His complexion was rosy!

His eyes were clear!

His voice was full of breath!

He had even laughed out loud just a moment ago!

...

This extremely contradictory reality violently impacted their cognition!

"This... how is this possible?!" Mo Heng muttered, his eyes behind his glasses filled with confusion...

"With a life magnetic field this weak, logically, his consciousness should be blurred... Why... why does he look so... healthy?! This is unscientific! No! This violates the fundamental Laws of life in the Universe!"

Shi Yue shook his head vigorously, his tiger-like eyes full of shock:

"I've lived for sixty thousand years, and I've never seen anything so bizarre! Is he fucking dead or alive?!"

Li Qingshan's Sword Qi was in chaos, hissing as it cut through the air: "Neither dead nor alive, neither living nor non-living... Such a state, unheard of! Could it be... that this is the final form of his special Physique? A kind of... unknown dying state?"

More cracks appeared on Leng Qingqiu's frozen face; she had perceived the most carefully, and was the most confused.

That wisp of vitality was so weak it made her feel palpitations, yet it stubbornly persisted, as if locked by some incomprehensible power, preventing the last bit of Origin from dissipating completely.

"The shackles of a Mortal Body... can actually produce such a mutation? Could it be that my previous deduction... was only half right?"

The bigwigs looked at each other, seeing the same shock and confusion in each other's eyes.

This had already exceeded their scope of knowledge and touched upon the deepest mysteries of the Universe!

Just then, Yun Xi, who had been silent, moved.

She appeared in front of Chen Jun silently, her pure white figure seemingly crossing through space.

There was no oppressive Aura, only a tranquility that encompassed the sea of stars.

Everyone held their breath.

Yun Xi slowly raised a hand, starlight flowing from her fingertips, and gently tapped Chen Jun's forehead.

She did not use any forced power, only probing a trace of pure perception, like the gentlest feather, into the deepest part of Chen Jun's Origin of life.

Chen Jun's heart tightened slightly, but he immediately relaxed.

With the System's 【No Trace】 and 【Longevity Multiplier】 rules in place, what could you find?

He calmly accepted the probe, even cooperatively revealing a sense of "weakness."

Yun Xi's brows furrowed imperceptibly.

Her perception, which could pierce through the essence of stars, fed back information that was no different from what others had found!

That Origin of life was indeed like a drying spring, with only the last thread-like stream of water maintaining the final "existence."

By all logic, this wisp of vitality should have long since broken.

But it just existed, "adhering" in an extremely bizarre, incomprehensible way, as if the Laws of the Universe themselves had applied a "patch" to it.

After a long while, Yun Xi slowly withdrew her hand, emitting a long sigh that seemed to contain the endless birth and destruction of stars...

"The wonders of the Universe are indeed endless, beyond what we can fully perceive."

Her voice was ethereal, carrying a rare touch of emotion and... relief?

"Chen Jun's state can no longer be defined by ordinary life categories. Neither dead nor alive, living towards death. This thread of vitality... as weak as this, yet as tenacious as a star orbit, as if... maintained by some higher-level rule."

Her gaze swept across the dumbfounded Stellar-level Experts, her tone returning to calm, but carrying the power to settle the situation: "Perhaps, it is precisely because of the immense care you have all poured in over these three years, using the 'quantity' of countless treasures of the Universe, that you have triggered some unknown 'qualitative change' in his Physique, allowing this last incredible wisp of vitality to be sustained."

"Qualitative change"!

This word was like lightning, splitting the fog in the bigwigs' hearts!

That's right!

Quantitative change leads to qualitative change!

Although they didn't understand what the principle of this qualitative change was, it was the only reason that made sense!

The treasures they had sent over the past three years were worth enough to Cultivate several Stellar-level Experts with Innate Star Bodies!

With such massive energy piled onto a Mortal Body, any incomprehensible change seemed... plausible?

Although the direction of this qualitative change was a bit bizarre—not becoming stronger, but becoming... particularly good at "clinging to life"?

But it was better than having no explanation!

Once this thought emerged, it spread like wildfire!

Shame and embarrassment were quickly replaced by a new emotion—lingering fear and relief!

Chu Yueyao was the first to react, her face instantly putting on a smile that was uglier than crying, mixed with "apology" and "relief," her tone carrying exaggerated relief:

"So that's it! So that's it! The leader is wise! It must be that we were dull and failed to timely perceive the mystery of Mr. Chen's Physique! We almost... almost caused a great disaster! It is truly fortunate! It is fortunate that Mr. Chen is blessed, and has survived this crisis! This proves that our efforts were not in vain!"

She made no mention of the previous loss of composure and questioning, as if it had never happened.

Mo Heng also immediately found a way out, pushed up his glasses, and resumed his scientific "rigor": "The leader is absolutely right! It must be that the continuous external intervention activated some potential 'life-lock' mechanism in Mr. Chen's Origin of life! This is an extremely precious... specimen! Oh! ...No! It is... a case study! It has significant meaning for life science research!"

Shi Yue slapped his bald head and laughed loudly, the sound shaking the hall, trying to cover up his embarrassment with heartiness: "Hahaha! I said it! After eating so many good things, even a rock should have become sentient! Little Friend Chen... oh no, Mr. Chen is truly not an ordinary person! It's good that he survived! It's good that he survived!"

Li Qingshan retracted his Sword Qi and nodded slightly, speaking concisely: "As long as he is alive, that is good." Just deep in his eyes, a trace of lingering terror remained.

Leng Qingqiu snorted coldly, but the cold air around her converged a lot, and her ice-blue eyes looked at Chen Jun with complexity, but she ultimately said nothing more.

I, Leng Qingqiu, have never lost to anyone in my life...

But this time, did I even lose to the Laws of the Universe?

It seems... that's not so hard to accept?

...

Qin Pojun breathed a long sigh of relief, his old face smiling like a chrysanthemum: "It's good that he's fine! It's good that he's fine! Mr. Chen... ah no! ...My good son-in-Law is blessed by the heavens! It seems those supplements must continue to be sent! Send double! We must stabilize this hard-won result of qualitative change!"

The bigwigs chattered away, quickly defining this farce as "a successful life miracle," and they themselves were the "heroes" who created this miracle!

Their attitudes instantly did a 180-degree turn, from the previous shame and rage, back to that complex concern laced with a hint of fawning, a hint of relief, and a deeper "you must hold on and not actually die" sentiment!

Chen Jun watched this dramatic scene, his heart blooming with joy, his acting skills instinctively kicking in, yet his face maintained that "weak," "innocent," and "just survived" look of relief...

"So... is that how it is?" He appropriately showed a look of sudden realization and gratitude.

"Thank you, Leader, for your insight! Thank you, Seniors... for your... care over these years! If not for you all... I would probably... sigh..."

His acting was on point, his tone carrying the exhaustion of surviving a disaster.

Lin Wei and the three Chen Xi sisters finally recovered from the huge shock and reversal.

Seeing that their husband (father) really "didn't die," and seeing the bigwigs' attitudes soften, although their minds were still blank, huge joy had washed away everything!

"Brother Jun!" Lin Wei burst into tears, throwing herself into Chen Jun's arms; this time, they were tears of joy!

"Dad!" The three Chen Xi sisters also gathered around, hugging their parents tightly, crying and laughing.

Yun Xi watched this scene of "family reunion," her gaze sweeping over the "funeral hall" that had been set up, and she waved her hand gently.

Silently, the white energy ribbons dissipated, the funeral music stopped, the pure white star flowers turned into points of light and disappeared, and the radiance of the dome returned to its usual warmth.

Star Brilliance Hall instantly changed from a funeral hall back to a solemn ceremonial hall.

"This matter ends here." Yun Xi said lightly, drawing a full stop to this farce, "What you have seen and heard today is classified as top secret and must not be leaked!"

"Yes!" All the bigwigs responded in unison, all feeling relieved in their hearts.

Who would want to spread such a shameful thing?

Yun Xi looked at Chen Jun again, her eyes softening a little: "Chen Jun, rest well. Your state... is extremely profound. This thread of vitality might dissipate tomorrow, or... it might continue for a long time... cherish your time."

These words were meant for Chen Jun, but also for the other bigwigs.

Upon hearing this, the bigwigs instantly wore expressions of "I understand."

The person is not out of danger yet!

The play that needs to be acted... must continue!

For the sake of those four Innate Sun Bodies about to be born!

"Leader (Teacher), don't worry! We understand!"

"Mr. Chen's safety and health remain the Federation's top priority!"

"I will go back and mobilize another batch of treasures to nourish his Origin!"

A funeral that should have been the end thus became the beginning of a new, more subtle hospice care.

Chen Jun, surrounded by Lin Wei and his daughters, "weakly" left Star Brilliance Hall; after all, his two youngest daughters were still at home.

Behind him were the group of Stellar Level bigwigs with complex feelings, who nevertheless had to keep wearing their "caring" masks.

Back at the manor.

After sending away another wave of people who had heard the news and arrived with heavy gifts and "sincere congratulations and condolences," Chen Jun was finally able to slump on the sofa and let out a long sigh...

"Oh my god... today's play was truly exhausting..." He rubbed his cheeks, which were a bit sore from smiling.

Lin Wei snuggled up to him, still with tear stains on her face, but full of happy relief: "Brother Jun... I was scared to death just now... I thought... But the leader is right, your state is too strange, you must not be careless in the future!"

Chen Jun looked at his wife's worried eyes, feeling warm in his heart, hugged her tighter, and smiled: "Don't worry, wifey, I have a hard life! The King of Hell thinks I'm too much trouble and refuses to take me! I told you long ago, you just didn't believe me..."

Deep in his consciousness, that string of numbers was still cheerful:

【Remaining Lifespan】: 64 years ...+ 10 seconds ...+ 10 seconds ...

He hooked the corner of his mouth into an arc that no one could understand.

A new round of hospice care?

Interesting...

Then let's see, will I, the immortal one, run out of patience first, or will you "actors" fail to keep up the act first!

This path of immortality is truly getting more and more interesting!