"Hey, hey, hey! You're not about to explode, are you?"
"I don't care if you explode, but could you unbind yourself first? Don't drag me down with you!"
Chen Mu's wonderful life had only just begun. If the system ruined it, he would truly become a laughingstock.
How could he have known beforehand that this system was so psychologically fragile?
He had merely spoken a couple of truths, and it wanted to turn evil? To self-destruct?
Threatening to end its own life—what kind of behavior was that?!
[The system has encountered a data error. Attempting an automatic upgrade...]
"Automatic... upgrade?" Chen Mu frowned, confusion written all over his face.
[System upgrade attempt 12: failed!] [System upgrade attempt 45: failed!] [System upgrade attempt 88: failed!]
Watching the system notifications pop up endlessly before him, Chen Mu let out a long breath, lay back in his chair, and quietly watched its performance.
This system was rather interesting. He had told it to unbind itself, but instead of doing so, it sought to surpass its own limits and upgrade.
It reminded Chen Mu of a certain sort of person: the less faith you had in them, the more you told them not to do something, the more determined they became to do it, just to prove themselves.
Fine, then. As long as it did not self-destruct and harm him.
[System upgrade attempt 543: data acquired successfully! Upgrading...] [Upgrade successful! Sign-in module bound! New feature unlocked: God-Tier Sign-In!] System: [Host, this system has upgraded and added the God-Tier Sign-In feature. No missions are required. You may sign in once daily for a God Rank reward!]
"Oh, really? Congratulations." Chen Mu rolled over, deciding to sun his back as well.
He lay face down on the reclining chair, which still carried a faint, fresh bamboo fragrance, his expression contented.
System: [...] [Would the host like to sign in?]
"Zzz... haa..." The sunshine was simply too comfortable, and Chen Mu had already drifted off to sleep.
His ability to fall asleep instantly and sleep soundly was exactly the same as in his previous life.
System: [...] [Signing in...] [Sign-in successful! Congratulations, host! You have obtained the saint-grade divine weapon, the Godslayer Sword!]
Knock, knock, knock!
An unknown amount of time passed before a knock sounded at the door.
Chen Mu opened his eyes groggily. "Who is it?"
"Your father!"
"Hey!" Chen Mu's fiery temper flared at once. Did just anyone dare claim to be his father?
Outrageous!
He was about to erupt when the door opened. As it turned out, the visitor really was his father, Chen Tianlin.
His father's expression was utterly serious.
"Gulp!" Chen Mu could not help swallowing. Could he have come to call me to account because he despises the trash talent I awakened?
Was he going to expel me from the Tianyuan Holy Land and sever our father-son relationship?
"Father, what brings you here?" He stood up to face Chen Tianlin.
Was this what one should expect from a Quasi-Emperor Realm expert? The pressure he exuded was truly extraordinary!
Noticing the beads of sweat on Chen Tianlin's face, Chen Mu felt puzzled.
Was it really that hot today?
Then he suddenly recalled that Chen Tianlin should have been countless miles away in the Great Wilderness, slaying demons.
Why had he suddenly come back?
"You've always been proud and ambitious, boy. I was worried you might take your own life over your talent, so I rushed back specifically to check on you."
"Listen! You absolutely must not seek death, understand?! I'll find a way to resolve the problem with your spiritual root."
"Your old man was once known as a born cripple, the kind seen only once in a hundred years. Haven't I become a Quasi-Emperor all the same?" Chen Tianlin patted his chest and assured him confidently.
"Actually, Father, you don't need to be so anxious. I think having a trash spiritual root is pretty good. I'm not interested in cultivating or fighting and killing anyway. Now I can take it easy and enjoy life." Chen Mu spoke from the heart.
"..." Chen Tianlin froze.
Chen Mu stiffened as well. Is my Quasi-Emperor father going to fly into a thunderous rage because I'm giving up too readily?
However, Chen Tianlin's next words immediately put Chen Mu at ease. "My little ancestor, it's wonderful that you can think that way!"
"I was genuinely afraid you would take your own life over this. If your sister found out, she'd strip my skin and pull out my tendons!"
"Good! Enjoy life! Enjoy it to the fullest! Whatever you want, just ask the family. If anyone dares refuse or deny you, come to me! I'll personally get it for you!"
Chen Tianlin patted Chen Mu's upper arms with both hands, his smile looking somewhat forced.
Chen Mu saw through it but said nothing.
"Oh, right!" Chen Tianlin changed the subject. "I found you a bodyguard. That way, if you want to go out, you won't have to worry about anyone making a deadly move against you."
Before Chen Mu could speak, Chen Tianlin clapped his hands.
The next second, a young woman dressed in silk gauze that shaded through pale purple entered Qingyun Prefecture with a sword in hand.
She was in the bloom of youth, no more than fifteen or sixteen, with skin fairer than snow. She was exquisitely lovely, her beauty so dazzling that one could scarcely look straight at her.
Had someone told Chen Mu she was some sect's holy maiden, he would have believed it without question.
"Father, you want her to be my bodyguard?" Chen Mu asked again to make certain.
"What? You don't think she's good enough? She may be young, but she's already the holy maiden of the Sky Sword Sect, with strength in the Martial Master Realm." Chen Tianlin had clearly misunderstood Chen Mu's meaning.
"By the way, her name is Ye Qingcheng."
"..." Chen Mu was speechless.
She really is a holy maiden...
If Chen Mu remembered correctly, the Sky Sword Sect was one of the powerful sects affiliated with the Tianyuan Holy Land, specializing in the sword path.
"Father, although the Sky Sword Sect is affiliated with us, isn't it a little inappropriate to bring their holy maiden here to serve as my bodyguard? What will everyone in the Sky Sword Sect think?"
Chen Mu had no wish to see the Sky Sword Sect and the Tianyuan Holy Land turn against each other over him, indirectly disrupting his peaceful life.
"You needn't worry about that. She was already... Ahem, ahem!" Something suddenly occurred to Chen Tianlin, and he changed his tune. "Son, let's do as you said. Stay home and enjoy life."
"There are still some matters in the Great Wilderness that I need to handle. I'll be leaving now."
"Hey!" Once again giving Chen Mu no chance to speak, Chen Tianlin vanished in the blink of an eye, and the door closed.
Ye Qingcheng disappeared along with him.
Outside the courtyard.
Chen Tianlin covered his mouth with one hand, tears faintly glimmering in his eyes.
Ye Qingcheng's delicate brows drew together slightly. She had never imagined that such a peerless expert could shed tears.
Why?
Then she heard him say, his voice trembling slightly, "My son is so thoughtful! To comfort me, he actually went so far as to pretend he didn't care, even saying that he wanted to enjoy life."
"Qingcheng."
"I'm here." Ye Qingcheng stepped forward.
"You must protect him well. You absolutely cannot let him take his own life, understand?! Otherwise...!"
In that instant, Ye Qingcheng felt as though she had plunged into an ice cavern.
Her slender body trembled slightly.
She had never seen such a terrifying gaze!
In her eyes, Chen Tianlin seemed like a Killing God standing atop mountains of corpses and seas of blood! A demon sovereign!
"Rest assured, Holy Lord. I will do everything in my power to protect the young lord! I pledge my life!" Ye Qingcheng dropped to one knee, placed her hand before her, and bowed her head.
When she looked up again, Chen Tianlin had already disappeared.
Yet the terrifying atmosphere he left behind continued to haunt Ye Qingcheng's body and mind, refusing to dissipate.
"Holy shit!"
Huh?!
Was the young lord under attack?
Bang!
Hearing the startled cry from within the courtyard walls, Ye Qingcheng panicked and hurriedly burst through the door, drawing her sword!
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