Li Chen felt his consciousness confined within an exceedingly narrow space. His Divine Sense and perception struggled to extend outward, leaving him with an indescribable sense of restriction.
But this did not stop him from examining himself and discovering that he had become a piece of skullcap.
He lay quietly on the muddy ground in the wilderness, as though he had weathered wind and rain for hundreds of millions of years.
This realm knew neither winter's cold nor summer's heat, neither the withering nor the flourishing of the years. There were no animals or stars by which to distinguish the passage of time, yet nothing restricted mental activity. Li Chen's consciousness could still move freely, sensing the changing years in an incomparably wondrous way.
Time wore away many things. The Spirit-Particle-Converted Brain he had once taken such pride in had long since decayed, and his Memory Meme had turned back into Magic Power, merging into the essence of his True Spirit. Gradually, Li Chen once again forgot his past life and his present one, forgot many things. Only his self remained undying.
"Is this how a skull perceives things? The greatest joy beneath heaven-now I know it!"
"Sadly, I still cannot escape the turmoil of the Mortal World. Since my birth, so many matters have remained unresolved, waiting for me to deal with them."
A thought that arose from nowhere told Li Chen that he might as well continue like this. After all, he had already attained immortality, even discovering a path to Longevity through an immortal Divine Soul. He needed only to abandon all his worldly accomplishments and achievements to endure alongside Heaven and Earth.
But soon, another thought arose, telling him that the mortal world still needed him. He had to continue existing as Li Chen, the Puppet