Chapter One: Back to the Past

  Yan Lingfeng, a very inconspicuous small role, after reading four years of wild chicken university, returned to the small village where he grew up since childhood in a very tragic way. It's not because Yan Lingfeng has the style of a hermit, but his diploma can't even mix with the city's job market. In this era, even security guards need a college degree. A slightly decent job, an idle position is enough to attract hundreds or even thousands of undergraduate students, and even master's students...

  Yan Lingfeng wasn't one who hadn't tried, he had once held onto hope to hand over his resume to the arrogant recruiter, only to have the same phrase echo in his ears countless times: "We've already received your resume, please go back and wait for our message, we'll give you a call." Then, there was no news, that resume which took great effort to make either ended up in the office trash can, or at the recycling center, or waiting to be reborn...

  So, Yan Lingfeng returned to his hometown with a dejected look, and the result of ten years of hard study was this. Although Yan's parents did not say anything, the disappointment in their eyes could not be concealed. Under the scornful gaze of the villagers, he opened a small grocery store by the road, selling some miscellaneous goods, selling some cigarettes and wine, and lived a life without ambition.

  It was a certain day in 2014, Yan Lingfeng was guarding the computer playing a popular online game around the world - "Golden Sword and Iron Horse". The boss of the car repair shop across the street, Old Sun, who was also a repairman, shouted: "Lingfeng, bring me a pack of cigarettes."

  Yan Lingfeng said to his teammates who were still raiding, "Something's come up, I'll be right back," and grabbed a pack of cigarettes from the shelf. He hastily made his way across the street. In the game, Yan Lingfeng was in the middle of running a very difficult instance, and without him as their main tank, his teammates would definitely struggle to clear it.

  Just at this moment, a speeding truck came flying down from the top of the slope, and Yan Lingfeng could even see his own body flying out. He tried hard to control his balance, but found that his strength was so insufficient at this time...

  In a daze, Yan Lingfeng heard two sharp voices conversing:

  "It serves those two brothers right for being so unlucky, how many times have they caught the wrong person this month?"

  "Who knows? Last time we brought back an old thing that shouldn't have died, my brother was scolded by Yan Wang. This time if we bring him back again and let Yan Wang find out he hasn't forgotten things from his past life, what should we do?"

  "Why don't we send him back again?"

  "It's impossible, didn't you see his body being sent for cremation when we were about to leave?"

  "What's the point of that? I said you're also, I told you not to be so reckless, but you just wouldn't stop! Now look what's happened, we'll just have to go back and wait for a scolding!"

  "Right, we can send him back ten years ago!"

  "Great idea! Let's do it!"

  "I won't go back!" Yan Lingfeng said resolutely as he gradually came to his senses. When he was alive, he had suffered the cold shoulders of his neighbors and relatives. Even if he went back ten years ago, it would only mean re-walking this failed life again. What's there to be nostalgic about?

  "What did you say?" The little devil in white on the left side shouted: "Your life or death is decided by us! It's not up to you to say what you want!"

  Yan Lingfeng's whole body was weak, and he couldn't feel the existence of his physical body. He couldn't help but mock himself: "Now I'm a standard lonely ghost, right? Hurry up and move forward, isn't it said that one bowl of Meng Po soup makes you forget all worldly affairs? I drank the Meng Po soup, so Yan Wang won't be able to find out about your dereliction of duty."

  On the right, a small ghost in black attire sneered coldly: "I didn't think you knew so much! But what you don't know is that for someone whose fate has not been decided, Meng Po's soup is just a bowl of yellow mud soup, completely useless!"

  It seems that this is the legendary black and white impermanence after all, and it doesn't seem to be as terrifying as the legend has it. Yan Lingfeng shook his head and said: "I really don't want to go back, I've had enough of the mortal world, going back to ten years ago would be like staring at my own wound and stepping on it again..."

  Hei Wu Chang put away his cold smile and said, "Don't be so pessimistic, I can help you wash your bones and marrow, making your physique far stronger than ordinary people. With the insight you gained ten years ahead of others, don't you have confidence to change your fate in that time and space that started ten years ago?"

  Yan Lingfeng thought for a moment and hesitantly asked: "Are you telling the truth? Can I really change my own destiny?"

  Bai Wuchang nodded immediately: "Of course, although a person's life is predetermined and the length of their life is recorded in detail in our Yanluo Temple, but after you've come to this underworld and turned around in a circle, you've already broken free from the fate set by the Heavenly Palace for you. So, you have a complete opportunity to rewrite your life!"

  Can it be true? Yan Lingfeng's past life was indeed lonely and miserable, but in his heart, didn't he have the ambition to spread his wings with the wind and soar straight up into the clouds!

  Hei Wuchang's expression seemed a bit shaken, and he continued to persuade: "What's good about the underworld? Although the human world has its own suffering, think carefully, this underworld with ten temples and eighteen layers is not a wonderful place. Once you enter, you'll have your own suffering to endure!"

  "But what makes you think I should believe you?"

  Bai Wuchang coldly snorted: "Although my brother and I are not considered big shots among the Ten Halls of Ghost Kings, our reputation in the mortal world is still quite considerable! Is it necessary to deceive? You'd better think clearly, if you're unwilling, even if we two are punished by Yanluo Wang, you won't be any better off. Once you cross Naihe Bridge, you won't be able to leave even if you want to. In the next life, becoming a heavenly being, an earthly being, or a Asura might still be possible, but becoming a pig or dog is hard to say!"

  After hesitating for a moment, Yan Lingfeng finally gritted his teeth and said: "Alright, I'll believe you! Going back to ten years ago, in that world I had 10 more years of experience, I don't think I couldn't make something of myself!"

  "Hei Wu Chang smiled slyly and said: 'Then do you want me to re-temper your tendons and bones?'"

  Yan Lingfeng immediately nodded. In his previous life, his own body was not very bad, but it was absolutely not good either. At a young age, he had some mild rheumatism.

  A cold glint flashed in Hei Wu Chang's eyes as he stretched out his withered hand to touch the back of Yan Ling Feng's head...

  "Ah..."

  Outside the gates of hell, by the side of Naihe Bridge, a heart-wrenching and lung-splitting scream echoed.

  "Wind, get up..."

  Yan Lingfeng hugged the quilt and rolled over again, seemingly reluctant to leave the soft big bed. The familiar voice in his ear made him suddenly come to life, and he quickly got up.

  "Wind, today is a day for reporting, don't sleep anymore, hurry up and have some breakfast, you should go report too!"

  Yan Lingfeng stared at his mother with wide eyes, and Hei Wuchang was indeed not deceiving himself. At this time, there were no white hairs on his mother's head, and his mother said that according to a report from China...

  What a distant memory that is. Yan Lingfeng has always thought that the happiest days in his 26 years of life were the three years he spent at Number One Middle School.

  The corners of his eyes seemed to have tears seeping out, Yan Lingfeng pretended not to wake up and rubbed his eyes, saying: "Mom, I know, I'll get up now to wash and eat."

  It's really unpredictable, Yan Lingfeng couldn't help but sigh. Is this world really so wonderful? For some unknown reason, after a car accident, he returned to ten years ago, and what he saw was not his parents crying in despair, but rather his parents full of confidence in him and yearning for life.

  He stretched his arm, feeling stronger than before. He thought of the pain he had endured when Hei Wuchang had washed his tendons and hacked at his bones on the banks of the Naihe Bridge, and Yan Lingfeng couldn't help but shiver.

  Today, I can finally return to the Zhong Yi that I have been thinking about day and night. It's a place where I once entrusted my dreams, left behind my most beautiful love, and had a group of like-minded brothers...

  At this time, it's too late to carefully plan his life after rebirth, let's take a few steps and see what happens next, can't rush at this moment. Yan Lingfeng finished washing up and habitually sat on the sofa, turning on the TV with one hand, and in front of him, his mother had already placed breakfast on the coffee table: a small dish, a bowl of porridge, a steamed bun, an egg...

  Li Yang looked at the breakfast in front of him, sighing deeply. In the past, he almost always had an egg for breakfast every day, but since entering university, there were many times when he couldn't even eat breakfast, let alone eggs. The reason was actually very simple: sleeping until after 10 o'clock, or even 11 o'clock, and getting up just in time for lunch...

  The voice from the TV set: In the last match of Group A of the men's basketball tournament at the Athens Olympics this morning, China lost to European powerhouse Serbia and Montenegro, and was eliminated in the quarterfinals for the second consecutive Olympic Games!

  "Huh? What's going on?"

  Yan Lingfeng is a standard basketball fan, he remembers clearly that in the last life, the Chinese team miraculously defeated Serbia and Montenegro and finally advanced to the top eight. Yan Lingfeng looked at it with doubt, on TV, they were reviewing the last minute of the two teams' game. After Yao Ming made two free throws, the Chinese team was leading by two points. Turning back, Serbia and Montenegro suddenly made a three-pointer with great difficulty, instantly reversing the score. The Chinese team's final attack was passed to Du Feng's hands, but he had no chance to shoot and was sent to the free throw line. A surprising scene appeared that shocked Yan Lingfeng - Du Feng missed both free throws!

  How could this be!

  At this time, Yan Lingfeng's mind was a mess. He couldn't remember the specific details of that time, but he clearly remembered that the heroes of this game were Yao Ming and Du Feng.

  At this time, the TV screen had already cut to the post-match analysis of basketball expert Zhang Weiping. He said: "The Chinese team now has a center that can be called the best in the world, Yao Ming, and at the power forward position, young Yi Jianlian is growing rapidly. With time, he will become Yao Ming's left and right arm. At the small forward and shooting guard positions, China has always produced shooters, so these two positions don't need to worry too much. However, what the Chinese team urgently needs now is an excellent organizer who can control the overall situation and link up the whole team. If there are no new discoveries in this position, I personally think that even with the world's number one center, it will be difficult for China to make a breakthrough in the World Championships..."

  Listening to Zhang Weiping's words, Yan Lingfeng couldn't help but think of the 2008 Beijing Olympics, where China and world champion Spain fought until the last moment, and the fatal mistake made by China's No. 5 organizer in the back row, as well as the 2012 London Olympics, when after Yao Ming's era, they were eliminated in the group stage with a record of five losses...

  The tragedy of China men's basketball national team's backcourt!

  "Haha, what does this have to do with me? I'll just eat my food, attend school, and find opportunities to make money by being ahead of the crowd." Yan Lingfeng shook his head, feeling like he had hurt his leg when someone else fell.

  Quickly finishing breakfast, Mom had already packed Yan Lingfeng's luggage. The school was not close to home, so Yan Lingfeng spent his entire high school career boarding at the school.

  Saying goodbye to his mom, Yan Lingfeng walked out of the house with his luggage. His mom followed him and said from behind: "Feng'er, outside is not like home, take good care of your body, and when you encounter things, don't be overly competitive, studying well is the key..." In the past, whenever Yan Lingfeng heard these words, he would feel annoyed, but now they brought a warmth that couldn't be described.

  Yan Lingfeng solemnly turned around and replied: "I know, mom, don't worry, I definitely won't let you worry!"

  Yan Lingfeng couldn't help but sigh at this point, thinking about how much worry he had caused his parents back then. In the first year of high school, he got into a fight and ended up in the hospital; in the second year, he became addicted to online games and spent all his living expenses on internet cafes, then made excuses to ask his family for money; by the third year, he was even more out of control, drinking, smoking, skipping class, and playing basketball with a group of friends...

  Three years of high school, four years of college later, Yan Lingfeng returned home and only then noticed that his mother's temples had become white as snow, his father's once-straight back now struggled to stand upright... And they're not even 50 yet! For the sake of living, for their son, they've exhausted themselves, drained their blood...

  Yan Lingfeng, who was reborn, absolutely cannot and will not allow such a thing to happen again.

  I have been foolish for a lifetime, this lifetime, Dad and Mom, I won't let you wither away before your time again! Yan Lingfeng silently made a vow in his heart.

  It was late August, and the summer heat still lingered. Although it was only a little after 7 o'clock in the morning, Yan Lingfeng had been standing by the road for less than 10 minutes when he started to sweat profusely. Finally, a bus heading into town arrived, and Li Yang boarded with his luggage, finding a seat and gazing out at the receding landscape of his hometown. Yan Lingfeng clenched his fist secretly: This time I will definitely return home in glory! Definitely!

  This day, August 23rd, 2004, was the first day of the rebirth of Yan Lingfeng, a basketball superstar.