"Ziyi, you'll be called Ziyi from now on." After thinking for a moment, the young man spoke to the Smart Guide.
"Alright. Ziyi will serve Master from now on." Ziyi smiled faintly and spoke softly.
In another space, a middle-aged man had already begun asking about everything in this world.
"Master, you entered this world through the Network Card in reality. That card has now recognized you as its master, so no one else can use it."
"Moreover, this world is currently still in its infancy, but it can satisfy most of your needs, such as money, ores, and so on. However, you must handle loan services in this world to obtain those things."
"In other words, you borrow money from this world. At present, the rate is 0.1 percent of the loan amount. Since you are among the first batch of Network Card users, this rate will not increase unless the world undergoes another update." With the same appearance and voice as the intellectual older sister from before, she carefully explained everything to her master.
"What is a world update?" the middle-aged man asked curiously.
"A world update is optimization. The world will not stop being open. Updates are merely intended to develop more functions, such as future cultivation systems," the intellectual older sister said.
Overnight, the Spirit Network Space became wildly popular throughout Spirit City. At first, some people had doubted how dangerous this world might be, but once someone received money from it, they believed it was real.
Others set their sights on the place where the Network Cards had first appeared. They wanted to seize the cards and resell them, but Nan Xuan had already anticipated such thoughts. He directly posted an announcement in the Spirit Network Space: "Momo Treasure Appraisal House is this world's real-world service terminal in Spirit City. Anyone who targets people of this world will be permanently banned from entering this world."
Once that announcement was issued, no one dared to make a move. At the same time, they became even more envious of Momo Treasure Appraisal House.
Nan Xuan had ignored outside matters these past few days and devoted himself wholeheartedly to running the Network World.
That was right. To make it easier for everyone to remember this world, Nan Xuan had renamed the space the Network World himself. A spiderweb pattern had also appeared on the Network Cards.
A black card with a white spiderweb pattern—that was the highly sought-after Network Card in Spirit City.
Chen Gao and the other two had also been busy dealing with Network Card sales these past few days, returning very late every time.
"Brother Xuan, nearly everyone in Spirit City has bought a Network Card by now," Chen Gao said to Nan Xuan as soon as he got home.
"The pace isn't bad. Since that's the case, you should rest properly for a while. Then work hard at cultivating. Put everything else aside for now and raise your strength first," Nan Xuan said with a smile before assigning them their next task.
"We really do need some rest. These past few days have exhausted me." Yang Tian lay directly on the floor, speaking weakly.
"Don't be in such a hurry. There'll be plenty more to keep us busy after a while, hahaha." Nan Xuan had been in quite a good mood lately. His career was on track, and he could meet Bibi Dong in the Network World every day. Everything was still under control.
When people were comfortable, they always felt there was never enough time. In the blink of an eye, three years passed.
During those two years, Nan Xuan had broken through to level 50, but he had yet to obtain a soul ring. He was waiting for an opportunity—an opportunity for Bibi Dong to see Qian Xunji clearly.
Inside the Network World, in Nan Xuan's personal room.
"Dong'er, I want to obtain my fifth soul ring tomorrow." Nan Xuan stroked Bibi Dong's beautiful hair as he spoke calmly.
"You should have gone long ago. You've delayed for more than half a month already." Bibi Dong looked at Nan Xuan with some displeasure, as though she had long expected this.
"I wanted to wait for you." Nan Xuan spoke indulgently.
"But I'm only level 49 right now. Your Soul Power Level used to be below mine. If I hadn't watched you grow up, I would have thought you'd slacked off." Bibi Dong felt rather dejected. She had clearly been stronger than him before, yet now it was the other way around. It was truly infuriating.
"I'm obtaining my fifth soul ring precisely so you can cultivate better." Nan Xuan told Bibi Dong about the effect he expected his fifth soul ring to have.
"Really? There's actually a soul skill like that?" Bibi Dong raised her head and looked at Nan Xuan in disbelief.
"Of course. Would I lie to you?" To punish Bibi Dong for doubting him, Nan Xuan directly pressed her head against his lap, then slowly bent down and kissed her.
Over those two years, Nan Xuan had opened the Network World to cities near Spirit City. As for the Heaven Dou Empire and Star Luo Empire, he planned to expand there only after Bibi Dong's life-changing turning point had passed.
During that time, Nan Xuan had also updated the Network World many times. The requirement for each update was that users had to load it with a bit of Soul Power. Of course, Nan Xuan merely wanted to store more Soul Power and had not used it for his own cultivation.
Going from level 42 to level 50 in two years without the support of a powerful faction—if someone claimed there was no secret behind that, who would believe it? Nan Xuan certainly would not.
The first update allowed everyone to chat with others through messages, letting them contact one another without leaving home.
The second update allowed everyone to meet within the Network World, eliminating the time spent traveling by carriage. It took only two seconds to see the person they wanted to see.
During the third major update, Nan Xuan brought the physical forms of martial souls into use.
This allowed users from all walks of life to have experiences in the Network World just as they did in reality. Of course, improper behavior toward Smart Guides was prohibited.
All criminal acts were prohibited in the Network World. That was Nan Xuan's bottom line as someone born under the red flag. He could not control other places, but in his world, his word was final.
Those were the major updates. As for smaller ones, such as online loans, goods appraisal, and a whole range of Digitization services, Nan Xuan had already introduced them and made them much more convenient.
Early the next morning, Nan Xuan waited at the city gate. He was waiting for her.
When Nan Xuan had told Bibi Dong yesterday that he wanted to obtain a soul ring, he had already planned everything out. He had not wanted his beloved to become part of the scheme, but as long as this turning point remained unresolved, he would never feel at ease.
And in this plan, Bibi Dong was the key figure. She had been able to leave her small courtyard a year ago, but Nan Xuan had delayed the opportunity until now under the excuse of keeping their relationship low-profile.
Before long, Bibi Dong emerged wearing a mask. She was dressed very discreetly in a black athletic outfit that accentuated her perfect figure.
"How about it? Low-profile, right?" Bibi Dong asked Nan Xuan with a smile.
"Uh... you should say you're only slightly less conspicuous than an assassin." Nan Xuan looked at Bibi Dong's outfit. With a figure like hers, there was no way she could keep a low profile.
Seventeen, one hundred and seventy-eight centimeters tall, an oval face, dark pink hair, curves in all the right places... Sigh, my wife simply can't be low-profile.
A few days ago, most of the people in their group who had awakened their martial souls had celebrated their seventeenth birthdays. Naturally, Nan Xuan and the others were no exception. He had wanted to celebrate with Bibi Dong, but for the sake of a better life, he gave up on it.
"Hmph, you're such a chatterbox. Hurry up, I don't want Teacher to find out." Bibi Dong stepped on Nan Xuan's toes, gave a soft snort, and walked ahead.
Nan Xuan chuckled and followed after her.
Nan Xuan stood one hundred and eighty-seven centimeters tall, with tousled black hair and a slender, well-proportioned build. Dressed in a white casual outfit, he matched Bibi Dong's black clothing quite well.
Not long after Nan Xuan and Bibi Dong left the city, Qian Xunji received word.
"Your Holiness, the Saintess and that boy have left the city." The person reporting beneath the Pope Palace platform spoke with a trembling voice.
Qian Xunji waved his hand, ordering everyone present to leave.
After everyone had left, he could no longer suppress the fury in his heart. His eyes reddened as he said, "Bibi Dong, you can only be mine. My good disciple, you can only belong to Spirit Hall."
At the Star Dou Great Forest, Nan Xuan used Momo Treasure Appraisal House's reputation to recruit a Soul Emperor-level expert whose martial soul was the Ice Soul Blade.
Before they had traveled far, the three of them discovered a twelve-thousand-year-old Sucking Demon Vine in the core region of the central area.
Nan Xuan was delighted when he saw it and immediately decided to choose it.
After a fierce battle, Nan Xuan gave it one final slash, and a black soul ring floated up.
Nan Xuan sat cross-legged and began absorbing the first black soul ring of his life.
Bibi Dong was somewhat nervous beside him. According to Spirit Hall's records, the soul rings left behind by this kind of demon vine were extremely difficult to absorb. It had been an evil soul beast in life, capable of sucking blood, Soul Power, and spiritual power.
After Bibi Dong waited anxiously for an entire day, Nan Xuan finally completed the absorption.
Nan Xuan let out a breath, immediately stood up, and kissed Bibi Dong.
"Hey, what are you doing?" Bibi Dong blushed at the sudden kiss. There was still someone else beside them.
The recruited Soul Emperor said, "I didn't see anything."
Seeing that the situation was turning awkward, Nan Xuan stopped, coughed lightly, then said excitedly to Bibi Dong, "Your future cultivation is settled."
Bibi Dong knew what he meant, but she did not say it aloud. After all, there was still an outsider here.
The three packed up and returned to a hotel near the Star Dou Great Forest. After Nan Xuan paid the recruitment fee, the man left.
"Come on, hurry and tell me. How does it assist cultivation?" Bibi Dong asked immediately after returning to the hotel room.
Nan Xuan smiled without speaking. Instead, he activated his fifth soul skill, Data Transmission.
A steady stream of Soul Power flowed from Nan Xuan's martial soul toward Bibi Dong.
Bibi Dong hurriedly absorbed it and began cultivating.
Before long, she broke through to level 50.
Bibi Dong looked at Nan Xuan with an expression she did not know how to describe. This was simply too rare.
Directly infusing Soul Power into another person to help them cultivate—only gods could do something like that, right?
"Little Xuan, how did you do it? This is far too amazing." Bibi Dong looked at Nan Xuan in astonishment.
"I did it like this. How else did you think I was going to do it?" Nan Xuan glanced at Bibi Dong's proudly raised figure and spoke with a grin.
"You deserve a beating. I'm talking about serious matters." Bibi Dong had already grown used to Nan Xuan's mouth. In any case, she did not want to give herself to him yet, and Nan Xuan did not want to do it now either. Still, whenever she saw him suffering from holding it in, she would use other methods to help him resolve it.
"It's simply the effect of the soul skill. I can transmit Soul Power and spiritual power to anyone." Nan Xuan smiled as he explained to Bibi Dong.
"Then the Soul Power you transmitted to me was your own?" Bibi Dong asked anxiously, afraid that Nan Xuan had used his own Soul Power to help her break through to level 50.
"Of course not, my silly wife. This is another characteristic of my martial soul—it can store other people's Soul Power. I opened the Network World to earn some cultivation expenses, then use them to support you." Nan Xuan stroked Bibi Dong's head, reassuring her that he was not that foolish.
Bibi Dong found Nan Xuan's martial soul increasingly impossible to understand. Its characteristics were stranger than the last, yet each was more practical than the last.
"This soul skill must have major restrictions, right?" Bibi Dong asked worriedly. She was still afraid that the soul skill might harm Nan Xuan.
"For me, practically none. Alright, stop worrying about me. When have I ever lied to you? We've been tired all day. It's time to rest." Nan Xuan grinned as he pressed Bibi Dong beneath him.
"You said yourself that you wouldn't do that until you were eighteen. What, are you trying to rub your saliva all over me?" Thinking of some happy memories from the past, Bibi Dong gazed into Nan Xuan's eyes and smiled.
Nan Xuan: "..."
Nan Xuan: "How about I act like a beast just once?"
"Alright, I'm done teasing you. We still have to hunt a soul ring for me tomorrow."
Before you continue