Build Connections, Seven Orifices Exquisite Heart!

Rhine was still dazed when the system's mechanical voice continued its announcement.

You transmigrated into the Primordial world. Alone and without support among mortals, you struggled to survive in Chaoge City by relying on your talent for storytelling.

Fortunately, you consumed a strange fruit that cleansed away your impurities. At last, you encountered an immortal opportunity and entered the Chan Sect.

Now that the Investiture of the Gods Tribulation is imminent, no one in the Three Realms and Six Paths, nor the Chan and Jie Sects, can escape it.

As a newly initiated disciple of the Chan Sect, your talent is mediocre. Your sole goal is to survive the Tribulation.

This system is the Primordial Connections System. By building connections, you may obtain rewards. This will be your greatest support.

Main Quest: Build extensive connections, participate in the Battle of the Investiture of the Gods, and survive.

Silence.

Rhine was silence itself at that moment.

After a long while, he rubbed his forehead and sighed.

"This system is probably broken."

"I've already said it—this is the fucking wizarding world. This is Harry Potter. Where the hell did this Primordial world, Investiture of the Gods Tribulation, and Chan and Jie Sects come from?"

"When the fuck did I eat some strange fruit? That was a magical outburst, okay?"

"And this is London, not Chaoge!"

"System, wake up!"

Yet no matter what Rhine said, the system remained rigid and unresponsive, without the slightest reaction.

The prompt to participate in the Battle of the Investiture of the Gods and survive remained visible whenever Rhine paid attention to it.

Aside from that, a hazy light screen floated before Rhine's eyes.

Current connections: None

Current connection level: 0

Rewards obtained: None

A line of red text stood at the very center of the screen.

The Primordial world is fraught with danger. The Tribulation is about to rise, and endless slaughter awaits. Please build connections with powerful Primordial figures as soon as possible, obtain rewards, and strengthen yourself!

Rhine's face was full of helplessness.

This was the wizarding world. Where was he supposed to find powerful figures from the Primordial world to befriend?

"Forget it. I'll just pretend the system never showed up."

Just as Rhine was sinking into disappointment, several knocks sounded from outside the study.

Butler Fland's voice was tinged with concern.

"Mr. Rhine, you've seemed rather off since earlier. You've been sighing more than usual."

"Have you encountered some problem?"

Warmth rose in Rhine's heart at the concern in his voice.

His butler might have been somewhat stubborn, but he had always fulfilled his duties wholeheartedly. In a sense, he was like family to Rhine.

"It's nothing. I've just run into a bit of a creative bottleneck."

"Fland, come in."

Only then did Butler Fland push open the door, wheeling in an exquisite serving cart laden with milk, sausages, and some bread.

"Mr. Rhine, you barely ate anything today. Have something before you sleep."

Rhine was about to thank Fland for his thoughtfulness when his movements suddenly froze.

A prompt appeared on the light screen before him.

In Zhaoge, the royal capital of the Shang Dynasty, you encountered Uncle Bigan.

Bigan is upright and unyielding, yet for some reason he favors you greatly and treats you as a younger member of the family, hosting a banquet in your honor.

Please seize this opportunity to build a connection with Bigan.

Rhine stared at Fland, his face filled with question marks.

What?

Bigan?

And besides being older, stubborn, and upright, what exactly did his butler Fland have in common with Bigan?

Couldn't the system recognize people properly?

But the information that appeared on the light screen the next moment abruptly cut off Rhine's complaints.

Establish an acquaintance-level relationship with Bigan to obtain: one-tenth of the Seven Orifices Exquisite Heart talent.

Become close friends with Bigan to obtain: one-half of the Seven Orifices Exquisite Heart talent.

Form a Life-and-Death Friendship with Bigan to obtain: the complete Seven Orifices Exquisite Heart talent.

Seven Orifices Exquisite Heart: exceptional intelligence, comprehensive understanding of all things, and insight into their true essence!

Rhine's eyes widened.

Holy shit?

System, I was too loud earlier. You're actually serious?

The Seven Orifices Exquisite Heart—being described as "exquisite" alone showed just how intelligent this talent could make someone.

More importantly, it allowed one to understand all things and discern their true essence.

Rhine vaguely remembered that in Fengshen, Uncle Bigan had relied on the Seven Orifices Exquisite Heart to see through the Nine-tailed Fox's disguise.

For an ordinary man to accomplish such a thing showed just how powerful the Seven Orifices Exquisite Heart was.

Rhine might not have much magical talent, but if he could obtain the Seven Orifices Exquisite Heart, perhaps he could distinguish himself in fields such as Potions, Herbology, and Alchemy.

Understanding all things and discerning their essence—wouldn't that be utterly heaven-defying in subjects like those?!

With that thought, Rhine hurriedly looked at Fland.

"Butler Fland, you've worked for me for three years now, haven't you?"

"Ever since I first began to make a name for myself as a writer, you've diligently taken care of my daily life. For that, I sincerely thank you."

Butler Fland paused, not knowing why Rhine was saying this.

Rhine continued.

"I have special arrangements ahead and will be attending a special school. It's a boarding school, and I can't bring a butler with me, so I'm afraid I'll have to say goodbye to you for a while."

Sadness appeared on Butler Fland's face.

"Mr. Rhine, are you going to dismiss me?"

Rhine shook his head repeatedly.

"What?"

"No, how could I possibly dismiss you?"

"Although there's a large gap between our ages, in my heart, I've long regarded you as one of my closest friends."

"You could even say that since I have no family, you are my family. I will never dismiss you."

He handed Fland the keys to the study and the safe containing several of his literary drafts.

"Keep these keys. While I'm away, I'll leave the tidiness of the study to you."

"There are several drafts in the safe. Didn't you say you liked my books? You can read them to pass the time when you're bored."

"While I'm gone, this home will be in your care."

Butler Fland looked at the keys Rhine held out to him, and his eyes immediately reddened.

He understood better than anyone what those keys represented.

The newspapers were willing to pay a fortune for news of Rhine's new books, let alone drafts containing plot outlines and character settings.

If he harbored ill intentions, he could use them to rake in millions of Pounds Sterling!

Yet Rhine had still handed him the keys. It was clear just how deeply Rhine trusted him.

Butler Fland accepted the keys with trembling hands.

"Mr. Rhine, rest assured. While you are away, I will never allow anyone to enter your study, and I will protect your drafts."

"I swear it on my honor and my life!"

Rhine was equally excited at that moment.

Because information immediately appeared on the light screen before him.

At the banquet, you and Uncle Bigan sharply criticized the ills of the court and spoke with great delight. Uncle Bigan wept behind his sleeve, declaring that a scholar would die for one who understood him, and that he would surely protect you in these times when treacherous officials held sway.

Your relationship with Uncle Bigan has reached Life-and-Death Friendship.

You have obtained the complete Seven Orifices Exquisite Heart talent!