"This Mall Space wasn't urgent for now."
The Mall Space would definitely have to wait until after his return to be opened. After all, the Main World was the foundation upon which Li Yu stood. But... returning?
"System, when can I return?"
Li Yu found this system, which never gave proactive reminders, genuinely troublesome.
"Once the user completes the Initial Quest, the user may return at any time."
"I can go back anytime?"
Li Yu nodded, indicating that he understood. Then, remembering the system's habit of not offering proactive reminders, he hurriedly asked, "System, if I return now, what effects will it have?"
"The host of the 'Supreme Heavenly Book,' Zhou Yi, has activated the first-stage mission of the Main Quest, 'Path of the Great Emperor.' The user has promised to observe and bear witness. If the user returns, host Zhou Yi will be unable to submit the mission, and the host's mission cannot be completed."
"Damn it! I knew there'd be a problem."
Li Yu secretly rejoiced. Fortunately, he had not returned just now. Otherwise, if that kid Zhou Yi's mission got stuck and could not be completed, wouldn't all his efforts have been wasted?
"It's far too troublesome that the system doesn't give proactive reminders."
Li Yu frowned. How could something as high-end as the system have such a terrible setting?
"Huh? A setting? Could it be because I never set it up?"
Thinking of this, Li Yu promptly issued the system an order. "System, activate the auxiliary function. With ensuring my safety and protecting my interests as its principles, provide timely reminders."
"Command accepted. System auxiliary function activated."
"Whew! So that really was the reason?"
Li Yu let out a long breath. In the end, he realized that the cause of everything lay with himself. Really... Li Yu did not even know what to say.
"With protecting the user's interests as its principle, the system recommends that the user activate the long-term mission: Mall Construction Task."
"Mall Construction Task? The space hasn't even been opened up yet. Can this mission already be activated?"
Hearing the system's prompt, Li Yu froze for a moment.
"By activating the Mall Construction Task, the user may collect the resources required for mall construction in advance."
"Is that so?"
Hearing the explanation, Li Yu nodded. "Then activate it."
"Advanced Quest activated."
"Advanced Quest: Mall Construction. Mission duration: Long-term."
"Mission description: As a System Supplier, how can one lack one's own shop?"
"Construction resource collection mission activated: Collect all types of resources required for mall construction."
As soon as Li Yu finished speaking, the system sounded a string of prompts.
"Collect construction resources? What exactly am I supposed to collect? Am I supposed to chop down trees and haul stones?"
Li Yu had no idea what construction resources he needed to gather.
"Mall construction resources include main building resources, environmental beautification resources, and interior furnishing resources."
"Among the resources possessed by the user, resources required for mall construction have been discovered."
"The Five-Colored Divine Jade palace may serve as a main building resource. The Bodhi Tree seed may serve as a landscaping resource. The Celestial Sword Pool may serve as a lotus pool. The Azure Lotus Emperor Weapon may serve as a lotus seed."
"Damn..."
Hearing the system's string of statements, Li Yu was stunned speechless.
Just listen to that tone! The Azure Lotus Emperor Weapon—placed in any world, it would be an existence capable of destroying the world! Yet in the system's eyes, it was merely a lotus flower that could be planted in a pond.
Fine, its true nature was indeed a lotus flower. But what kind of origin did it have? The Chaos Azure Lotus, the true body of a Great Emperor! Wasn't it afraid of being beaten to death for doing this?
And the Celestial Sword Pool was Chisong Zi's place of sword enlightenment. Every drop of water contained boundless sword qi. Yet in the system's eyes, it was just a pond, perfect for growing lotus flowers.
The Bodhi Tree seed had it even worse; it was treated entirely like roadside greenery. Compared to that, the Five-Colored Divine Jade palace in the Azure Emperor's Tomb being dismantled and rebuilt by the system was not so surprising after all.
"If I collect resources by this standard, am I building a shop or constructing a heavenly palace? Besides, when would I ever finish collecting resources of this level?"
Li Yu realized that the system seemed to have screwed him over badly once again.
"System prompt: The higher the grade of resources collected by the user, the more perfect the Mall Space created will be. The Mall Space is the foundation upon which the user stands. Please treat it with caution."
"The foundation upon which I stand?"
Hearing this, Li Yu's expression turned serious. If even the system called the Mall Space the foundation upon which he stood, then it truly could not be taken lightly.
"High-grade construction resources? This world doesn't lack such things!"
Li Yu rose and walked to the window, lifting his eyes toward the distance. "The Bronze Immortal Hall and Profound Yellow Energy are both good things! It's just... they're a little dangerous."
"Host Zhou Yi is submitting resources."
The system's sudden prompt made Li Yu's eyes light up. "Isn't Zhou Yi the perfect candidate? Wasn't giving him a system exactly what I did it for? Kid Zhou Yi, it seems you'll still have to scout out the Bronze Immortal Hall for me!"
Within the System Resource Library, a new ape-like demonic beast appeared. It stood over three zhang tall and was covered from head to toe in earthy yellow scales.
"This is a Scale Ape? This thing is already at the Other Shore realm, isn't it? Zhou Yi actually managed to kill it? Looks like his monster-hunting and leveling speed isn't slow. It shouldn't take long to complete the mission."
"Huh? Wait!"
At that thought, Li Yu suddenly remembered a problem, and his heart jolted in alarm.
"System, what are the completion conditions for Zhou Yi's mission to sweep through the Six Great Sects of Yan? You aren't going to make him kill the Sect Leaders of all six sects, are you?"
The Sect Leaders of the six great sects possessed at least Dragon Transformation Realm strength. If Zhou Yi was to defeat Dragon Transformation Realm cultivators within a year, then unless Li Yu cheated for him and directly gave him a full set of Saint Tier equipment, there was truly no possibility.
"The mission completion condition is to defeat all disciples of the same generation in the Six Great Sects of Yan."
"That's more like it."
Li Yu smiled and nodded, glancing toward the mountain forest where Zhou Yi was hunting. "There isn't much time left, kid Zhou Yi. You need to grow stronger quickly! Your patriarch can't wait any longer!"
Stepping out of the palace, Li Yu raised his head and looked into the distance.
"Besides the Bronze Immortal Hall, there is another place with resources I can collect: the Fire Domain. To others, the blazing flames filling the Fire Domain are a death trap. But I can directly use the system to recycle those flames. There's not much danger."
As Li Yu pondered, he asked the system again, "System, you have already stored information on the Fire Domain. Aside from the flames' own uses, do the various flames of the Fire Domain offer any benefits for mall construction?"
"Mall construction does not require the flames of the Fire Domain. However, when the user creates systems in the future, these flames may be used to activate related functions such as pill refining and artifact refining."
"Huh? Right! I nearly forgot. I'll definitely need to create systems for pill refining, artifact refining, and the like in the future, and I'll also need to activate pill refining and artifact refining functions for certain systems. In that case, I have to make a trip to the Fire Domain."
Li Yu looked toward the Fire Domain, feeling somewhat tempted.
Since he was idle anyway, he might as well make the trip. It would be safer to get the goods into his pocket sooner.
A streak of escaping light shot into the sky.
Li Yu rode the escaping light all the way toward the Fire Domain.
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