Does the System Have a Purpose?

Early morning

Brilliant dawn clouds appeared in the east, wisps of cooking smoke drifted above the rooftops of Wutan City, and a gauzy mist filled the air.

The morning sunlight was tranquil and elegant, lacking any noisy bustle. It calmed the heart and refreshed the mind.

Lin Yu, who normally did not wake until late in the morning, woke exceptionally early today. He had opened his eyes the moment the first ray of morning sunlight touched the earth.

Xiao Xun'er, on the other hand, who usually rose early, was still fast asleep.

Looking at the sleeping Xiao Xun'er, Lin Yu smiled and gently kissed her before getting up to prepare breakfast.

After breakfast, Lin Yu headed to his shop with Nalan Yanran in tow. After all, he was her guardian now. As for Xiao Xun'er, she had gone off somewhere to play.

When Nalan Yanran arrived at Lin Yu's shop, her expression was exactly like Xiao Xun'er's and Xiao Yan's had been—a curious baby's face.

While Nalan Yanran looked around, Lin Yu somehow found a reclining chair and lay down on it.

He then took out the Asura Demon Sword and carefully wiped it down. I've been here for eight years already, yet my sword has never tasted blood!

The Asura Demon Sword had always been kept in the system space. The system space was like a storage pouch, specifically for items produced by the system. Bloodlines, physiques, and luck could all be placed into the system space in tangible form.

Since he had always stayed in Wutan City, even when he encountered enemies, Lin Yu only needed a thought to deal with them. Besides, with his strength as a five-star Dou Zong, who in this tiny Wutan City was worthy of making him draw his sword?

The moment Lin Yu took out the Asura Demon Sword, all of Wutan City fell into an oppressive, furious, bloodthirsty state. Yet Lin Yu, lost in thought, did not notice at all.

Until Nalan Yanran, her eyes bloodshot, pounced toward him.

Nalan Yanran raised her longsword and slashed at Lin Yu.

"Fuck!" Lin Yu, deep in thought, was startled by Nalan Yanran's sudden action and could not help swearing.

Lin Yu lightly leaped back, opening some distance from Nalan Yanran.

When her first strike missed, Nalan Yanran pounced again.

"Nalan Yanran, have you gone crazy?!" Lin Yu was angered by the attack and was about to suppress Nalan Yanran with absolute strength when he noticed the scarlet hue in her eyes.

Lin Yu realized something and hurriedly put away the Asura Demon Sword. In an instant, the oppressive feeling vanished completely.

"Damn, I didn't expect the Asura Demon Sword to be this powerful. It really is worthy of being a super divine artifact!"

The scarlet in Nalan Yanran's eyes faded, and she limply collapsed toward the ground. Lin Yu hurriedly caught her in his arms to keep her from falling.

"What happened to me?" Nalan Yanran asked in confusion, rubbing her forehead.

Then she noticed that she was lying in Lin Yu's arms.

"You shameless bastard!" Nalan Yanran cried as she struggled free from Lin Yu's embrace.

"Uh... I only held you because I was afraid you'd fall to the ground. Do you believe me?" Lin Yu spread his hands helplessly.

"You'd be that kind-hearted? You were clearly taking advantage of me while I was vulnerable!" Nalan Yanran shouted unreasonably.

Seeing her like this, Lin Yu could not help snorting. "Hmph! I can't be bothered talking to a stupid woman like you!"

With that, he flashed away and vanished from Nalan Yanran's sight.

Nalan Yanran stood there in a daze. Thinking of the indifferent expression on Lin Yu's face just now, her heart suddenly ached.

"Did I really wrong him?"

After Lin Yu left, He sensed Xiao Xun'er's location and arrived there in an instant.

Xiao Xun'er was currently sitting cross-legged, demonic aura swirling around her body. Her aura was extremely unstable, her face was filled with pain, and blood stained the corner of her lips. These were signs that she was about to suffer a cultivation deviation!

Lin Yu's heart tightened. It seemed Xiao Xun'er had been cultivating just now and had been affected by the Asura Demon Sword's aura.

"Little friend, this girl is about to suffer a cultivation deviation!" Yao Chen's ethereal voice sounded.

"I know!" As he spoke, Lin Yu placed a finger against Xiao Xun'er's forehead.

"Calm!"

With a soft shout, the demonic aura around Xiao Xun'er dissipated like smoke, and the aura within her body gradually stabilized as well.

Before long, Xiao Xun'er opened her eyes. When she saw that it was Lin Yu before her, she immediately threw herself into his arms.

"Brother Lin Yu... sob..." Xiao Xun'er cried out through tears.

Lin Yu gently patted Xiao Xun'er's back in comfort. "It's all right, it's all right!"

Crying in Lin Yu's arms, Xiao Xun'er said, "Brother Lin Yu, Xun'er saw you being killed. Xun'er was so afraid that Brother Lin Yu would leave me. Xun'er never wants to leave Brother Lin Yu... sob..."

Hearing Xiao Xun'er's words warmed Lin Yu's heart, and he said, "All right, all right. Isn't Brother Lin Yu perfectly fine right here? I promise I will never leave Xun'er in the future!"

Due to the Asura Demon Sword's earlier influence, Xiao Xun'er had exhausted a great deal of mental energy. Before long, she fell asleep in Lin Yu's arms.

Lin Yu carried Xiao Xun'er into her room and laid her on the bed. However, Xiao Xun'er kept tightly gripping his arm. Lin Yu could not bear to pull it away, so he simply sat beside the bed.

"Little friend, this little girl's identity is far from simple!" Yao Chen's voice drifted softly into Lin Yu's ears.

"Ah, I know. Xun'er is the young lady of the Ancient Clan! She has the Golden Emperor Blazing Sky Flame inside her. You should be able to sense it, right?" Lin Yu said calmly.

"No wonder. Aside from you, little friend, this girl is the most monstrously gifted talent I've ever seen. Other than the Ancient Eight Clans, I truly can't think of any place capable of producing such a genius!" Yao Chen sighed.

"Don't use the word 'genius' to erase her efforts! Talent doesn't have as much of an impact as you imagine! I think you should understand that!"

"Yes, effort is what matters most. No matter how great one's talent is, without hard work, they are nothing!" Yao Chen fell into deep thought once more.

Back then, wasn't Yao Chen cast out of his clan because his Dou Emperor Bloodline was too thin? To prove himself, he had achieved so much through his own efforts. Hadn't he earned it all through hard work?

As Yao Chen reminisced, Lin Yu's voice rang out.

"By the way, Yao Chen! I'll help you restore your physical body as soon as possible, but I need you to do something for me! I'll be leaving in a year. When that time comes, can you protect Xun'er for me?" Lin Yu's calm voice carried an unquestionable authority.

"Uh..." Yao Chen thought, Did you even give me a choice?

"Fine! I promise you!"

Just then, a childish female voice sounded:

"Ding, is the host an idiot? With this old man, you could revive him with a wave of your hand! Does the host not understand the meaning of the word 'Absolute'? I already told you, within the shop's range, the host possesses Absolute Control over this area! Absolute! I've reminded you many times!"

Lin Yu suddenly understood. Oh, so it was that simple.

Eh?

"Are you the system?"

"Ding, what's wrong? You don't recognize your adorable System-sama anymore?"

Then a tiny figure appeared before Lin Yu—a little girl!

Of course, only Lin Yu could see her!

"Y-you-you... Why did you turn into a child?" Lin Yu stared at the little girl before him with delighted surprise!

"Ding, well, every time the host sells something, I gain energy. Last time, the host sold an Advanced Lottery. Once I had enough energy, I naturally leveled up!"

This time, Lin Yu was the one left dumbfounded. "Then why can I freely use the money and things they give me? Where does your energy come from?"

"Ding, since the host has asked so sincerely, this system shall mercifully tell you!"

Lin Yu's mouth twitched. Why did that line sound so familiar? It seemed like something from some cartoon!

"The system cannot absorb energy independently! By selling items, it exchanges them for this world's World Power! World Power is intangible and elusive, much like a person's fortune! World Power is the energy this system requires! Whether it is this world's Gold Coins or special items, they all contain World Power. I merely absorb the World Power within them, so the host can still use those items freely!"

Lin Yu was still confused. "Then why do you have cultivation techniques and items from this world?"

"The host really is an idiot! Items can be copied! But the copies don't contain World Power!"

Lin Yu's mouth twitched. Damn it, you're the one who never explained everything clearly in the first place!

Lin Yu could not help but ponder: So I'm basically working for the system, and what the system gives me is like my salary! Just like a boss and an employee—although the employee gets paid, the boss always gains the most! Then what is the system's purpose?

At that thought, Lin Yu's face darkened. "System, what I want to ask is, why did you choose me?"

"Ding, mutual benefit and a win-win outcome!"

"Why did you choose me?"

"Ding, the host's authority level is insufficient. Unable to disclose!"

"If it's mutual benefit and a win-win outcome, how can I feel at ease when I don't even know why you chose me?"

The system fell silent for a moment. "You want to know?"

"Are you willing to tell me?" Seeing that the system seemed to be yielding, Lin Yu asked while pretending to remain calm.

"The host meets the conditions to participate in that war!"

"A war? Your purpose is to send me to the battlefield?" Lin Yu was puzzled. Was it trying to make him fight for it? Could this world be hiding some unspeakable secret?

The system spread her hands and replied blandly, "You can understand it that way!"

"What kind of war?" Lin Yu intended to get to the bottom of it!

"Host's authority level is insufficient. No right to know!"

Of course, it was this again!

"Then whoever wants to go can go! I'm not going!"

The system's face darkened as she said in a low voice, "Since you are unwilling to go, I can take back everything you have now and send you back to that world! But are you sure you can bear to return just like that?"

Hearing this, Lin Yu's heart tightened, and he could not help looking toward the still-sleeping Xun'er.

Then he said to the system in a deep voice, "Are you threatening me?"

The system's calm voice rang out. "The host can understand it that way!"

"You really dare to say that! Fine, I'll compromise!" Lin Yu was somewhat helpless, but he truly could not bear to leave Xun'er. If he left just like this, he would surely regret it.

"Then, happy cooperation!"