"Is Zhao Yan dead?" That's what Lin Yu is concerned about now.
Although the two were not on friendly terms when he first arrived.
From their initial confrontation to their mutual support during their escape.
This eccentric yet principled, ruthless yet loyal man is no longer an insignificant passerby.
He would never be at peace if he were to perish in this battle.
After all, no one knows what lies on the other side of the Two Realms Barrier; perhaps some primordial beast is guarding it.
[Hehe, don't worry, the host of this system isn't that easy to die.]
The system's voice carried a hint of smugness.
"Then you can tell me why you're so insistent on bringing people from the Chat Group here."
Lin Yu stared into the void, as if the system's true form resided there.
[As you can see, my host is a bit erratic, which is why I thought you guys could come and neutralize it.]
"This is what you call neutralization?"
Faced with such a system, not to mention Zhao Yan, even Lin Yu felt an urge to hit someone.
"You embezzled the host's rewards, increased the host's survival difficulty, and then didn't even clean up the mess. Are you sure Zhao Yan is your host?"
Lin Yu listed all the evidence of the system's crimes and found that it was truly a scoundrel.
The system, unusually, froze for a moment before weakly speaking, "[I was just trying to unleash his potential, you know, strict teachers produce outstanding students.]"
"That's too cruel of you."
[It seems so.]
"No wonder Zhao Yan went mad; it's all because of your unreliable system."
Lin Yu rolled his eyes at the void.
After learning about the system's true nature, Lin Yu genuinely felt sorry for Zhao Yan.
[Isn't this supposed to be your role in mediating?]
Lin Yu laughed angrily, raising his hand to rub his throbbing temples. "You call this neutralization? We almost got dragged down with you, almost wiped out the whole team."
[Oh dear, what a surprise! Trials are part of growth, after all~] The system chuckled, its tone devoid of any remorse.
Hearing this utterly shameless tone, Lin Yu couldn't help but facepalm, secretly glad that he hadn't been bound to such a terrible system.
He took a deep breath, his tone suddenly hardening. "You sent me here to mediate, and I almost died in this cave. How are you going to settle this score?"
[Want compensation? No!] The system answered crisply.
Lin Yu had anticipated his attempt to renege, a faint smile playing on his lips as he calmly said, "Fine, then I'll tell him everything about how you embezzled Zhao Yan's reward and secretly sent his treasure to members of the All-Heavens Chat Group."
Upon hearing these words, my mind went completely silent.
Lin Yu wasn't in a hurry. He sat cross-legged on the ground covered with Spirit Jade, picked up a crystal and played with it, patiently waiting.
It took a full half-incense stick's time for the system's voice to ring out again, tinged with a hint of gritted teeth.
[You're ruthless. I can grant you one small request, just don't go too far.]
"I want the Five Elements Treasures," Lin Yu blurted out without the slightest hesitation.
[No, I don't have any either] The system immediately refused.
Lin Yu had anticipated this, and casually added, "Then tell me the exact location, and I'll go get it myself."
It would be even better if he could get something for nothing, but ultimately this is Zhao Yan's system, and he naturally won't give it away for free. As long as he can get the location, he will have a chance to find it.
This time, the system didn't immediately refuse; instead, it posed a question that surprised Lin Yu.
Do you know how big this world is?
Lin Yu was slightly taken aback, looked up at the void, and a hint of surprise flashed in his eyes. "How big is it?"
This vast world is divided into three realms.
The system's voice was unusually serious, lacking its usual playful tone.
[The first level is the area you are currently in, a vast expanse of countless small worlds, interwoven with billions of star-like microcosms. Spiritual energy is scarce, and powerful beings are few and far between; it is the lowest level of survival.]
[The second level is what you call the Upper Realm, comprising three thousand worlds, rich in spiritual energy, dotted with numerous sects, and teeming with powerful individuals. It is also the place where Bai Xuan and Tie Kuang originated.]
[The final, third level is the Supreme Realm that gathers all the geniuses and giants from the first two levels. A place where myriad paths converge, and powerful beings abound; it is the true core.]
At this point, the system paused before slowly revealing the answer.
[The Five Elements Treasures you desire are beyond the reach of countless small worlds, or even the three thousand Upper Realm; they are hidden within the third realm.]
Lin Yu remained silent for a moment, then looked up at the void, his gaze resolute. "Regardless of which level it's in, tell me its exact location, and the paths to the second and third levels."
Seeing his unwavering resolve, the system, unusually, didn't try to back down, but simply sighed softly.
[I can mark the path for you, but kid, I must warn you, traveling from the Boundless Lesser World to the Three Thousand Upper Realm is already a perilous journey.]
[To step into the Supreme Realm is as difficult as ascending to heaven; even Zhao Yan, with my assistance, might not be able to reach it.]
[Unless you, the deity, are present in person]
Lin Yu looked down at the broken blade in his hand. The bloodstains on the blade, belonging to Zhao Yan, had long since congealed, yet it seemed to still retain that fearless madness.
He slowly tightened his grip on the cold blade, a fierce light blazing in his eyes, his voice calm yet carrying an unwavering resolve:
If he can do it, so can I.
"Besides, I also want to avenge him."
[The Third Realm, vast and boundless, is a super plane formed by the fusion and collision of countless world fragments, secret realms, and ancient worlds, where danger and opportunity coexist.]
[The Five Elements Treasures are the essence of the laws of heaven and earth, extremely rare and often found in extreme environments or ancient ruins.]
When persuasion failed, the system began to speak slowly.
I can only tell you a few rumors about the approximate locations they are in.
Whether you can find it depends on your own abilities and luck.
"That's enough." Lin Yu nodded. Having a direction is better than searching blindly.
[Listen carefully] The system's voice became more serious.
[The Third Realm is divided into five major celestial domains: East, Dong Nan Xi Bei, and Central, as well as some special chaotic frontier regions.]
[Deep within the Southern Li Heaven Domain lies the Heaven-Burning Ancient Land, rumored to be the place where the ancient Fire God perished; perhaps it holds ultimate fire-elemental treasures.]
[On the edge of the Western Geng Heaven Domain lies the Weapon-Burying Abyss, formed from fragments of an ancient battlefield between gods and demons, where the remains of countless divine weapons have settled, and possibly contain top-grade metal-elemental spiritual objects.]
[ In the Northern Ocean Heaven Domain, in the deepest, coldest abyss, there is a legend of the Xuanming True Water, a supreme treasure of water-based realms.]
[Deep within the Ancient Forest of Life in the Eastern Yi Heaven Domain, traces of the remnants of the Jianmu remain, containing boundless vitality of the wood element.]
[As for the Earth element, perhaps there is hope in the deepest part of the Earth's Core Furnace in the Central Jun Heaven Domain.]
Lin Yu memorized these names and locations. By listening to these approximate directions, a magnificent world map automatically appeared in his mind.
"This world is truly vast and magnificent."
"Thank you." Lin Yu cupped his hands and bowed to the void.
No matter how unreliable this system may be, this intelligence is indeed valuable.
You're welcome; it's part of the deal.
The system's voice returned to its usual cheeky tone.
A while ago, the author went to visit a friend, but damn it, the friend tricked the author into going on a drug trafficking ring... and the author was brainwashed there for a week before finally managing to escape.
That was incredibly difficult.
Waaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh