Gu Yuan's body stiffened, his expression filled with disbelief. In a mere instant, he regained composure and quickly returned to his dormitory.
Upon reaching his room, Gu Yuan immediately shut the door. His chest heaved violently, the voice in his mind leaving him utterly astonished.
Gu Yuan took several deep breaths to calm his agitated emotions. He activated the dormitory's internal defensive array, went into the bedroom, and sat cross-legged on the bed, sinking his consciousness into his spiritual sea.
The mechanical, electronic female voice echoed in Gu Yuan's ear once more:
"Ding, your Myriad Worlds cheat system has arrived. Do you wish to activate it!"
Activate!
Gu Yuan's vision suddenly shifted, and a exquisite, pale blue virtual display box appeared.
Simultaneously, a voice resounded in his mind.
Gu Yuan's expression turned subtle.
This voice belonged to the Myriad Worlds Martial Ancestor, Gu Shaoshang:
"Gu Yuan, your development speed is too slow. Time is running out. I'm sending you a system meticulously crafted by the System Master. Develop well and achieve the Innate God-Demon realm as soon as possible!"
As his words fell, the mechanical electronic female voice immediately chimed in:
【Esteemed Host, greetings.】
【This system has been meticulously crafted by the System Master to assist you in becoming an Innate God-Demon as soon as possible.】
【Main quest now published!】
【Become an Innate God-Demon level expert! (Note: Innate God-Demon level experts are classified as Seven-Star experts in the system's planning. The current host's realm is detected as: Qi Aperture Realm; Myriad Worlds strength is pseudo Four-Star!】
【Ding! Innate Spiritual Treasure detected within the host's body! Level: Seven-Star Perfect!】
【Host's merit power detected. Convert to Origin Power?】
【Host's Origin Power will be automatically converted!】
【Host's strength will be converted into a data panel. Please check carefully!】
【Main Quest Chapter One has been released.】
【Quest Name: Mortal Power, National Martial Arts Unrivaled!】
Then, with a "bip," the previously empty pale blue panel instantly displayed a vast amount of information.
Gu Yuan's gaze swept across it.
【Host: Gu Yuan】
【Realm: Martial Dao (Qi Aperture Realm · Brow Ancestor Aperture!); Myriad Worlds (Pseudo Four-Star!)】
【Main Quest: Become an Innate God-Demon level expert!】
【Origin Power: Ten Thousand Points】
【Pending Quests: Mortal Power, National Martial Arts Unrivaled!】
【Spiritual Treasure: Dao Yun Heavenly Scroll??? (Seven-Star Perfect!)】
Gu Yuan looked at the sci-fi-esque virtual panel before him, a thoughtful glint in his eyes.
Only now did he truly understand the origin of the Dao Yun Heavenly Scroll.
A Six-Star Great Universe had undergone sublimation, attempting to transcend into an eternally imperishable Seven-Star Multiversal Great Universe. However, it was just short of success. The remaining fortune of the world, combined with the residual power from the universe's failed ascension, coalesced into the Dao Yun Heavenly Scroll. Its level far surpassed that of the original universe, achieving the status of an Innate Spiritual Treasure!
As an Innate Spiritual Treasure, it possessed sentience. It was a creation of heaven and earth, closely aligned with the Great Dao, its whereabouts unfathomable, found only by those fated to do so.
He also considered the merit power mentioned by the system. Gu Yuan recalled it was gained from defeating the Demonic God Cult. At the time, he didn't know its purpose, but the system said it could be converted into Origin Power.
With a thought, he asked,
"System, how much Origin Power can one point of merit convert into?"
"Ding! One point of acquired merit power can be exchanged for ten thousand points of Origin Power in the Chaos Era!"
What the hell, that much? Is my merit really that valuable?
Furthermore, what was acquired merit power, and what was the Chaos Era? Gu Yuan was perplexed, as Gu Shaoshang's gifts contained no such records.
"Ding! Acquired merit power is a type of power rewarded to acquired beings for performing actions beneficial to the Heavenly Dao. It has wide-ranging uses and is extremely rare. The merit power on your person was bestowed by the Heavenly Dao of this world out of respect for the Dao Yun Heavenly Scroll, not something you earned yourself."
"In the Myriad Worlds, the Chaos Era is used as a unit of time. One Chaos Year is equivalent to fifty-six billion years!"
Gu Yuan was stunned. He never imagined a Chaos Year to be so ancient. For a young man less than twenty years old like himself, fifty-six billion years was beyond comprehension!
Exiting the system space, he felt he had understood enough. In summary, this was another cheat bestowed upon him by the Myriad Worlds Martial Ancestor. This made him somewhat apprehensive, as it seemed the Myriad Worlds Martial Ancestor was being too kind to him. No one is kind to you for no reason; Gu Yuan felt he might still have some use to the Myriad Worlds Martial Ancestor.
Thinking about it was pointless. He couldn't resist it anyway, and it allowed him to gain greater strength. After all, the Martial Ancestor was far more powerful than figures like Emperor Ziwei. How could he resist? He might as well cultivate diligently.
Moreover, he was cultivating the Martial Dao. Even if the Martial Ancestor hadn't noticed him, what would achieving the Innate God-Demon realm later amount to? The peak of the Martial Dao was Gu Shaoshang; how could he escape?
Hoo!
Gu Yuan exhaled a deep breath, severing the chaotic thoughts in his mind. He pondered what to do next. Should he follow the system's main quest, or forge his own path? Based on Gu Yuan's estimation, his own path would at least require millennia to achieve any significant cultivation progress.
According to the system, Gu Yuan didn't know what situations he would face: death? Or enlightenment?
This choice would determine his future path to enlightenment. He could accept death, but he could not accept the loss of the opportunity to witness the Great Dao.
Let's do it!
A person dies, a bird faces the sky. Now, an opportunity for rapid enlightenment is presented, an allure that anyone with a heart for seeking the Dao cannot refuse.
"Heh heh, enlightenment... is this arranged for me to choose myself? It's truly impossible to refuse!" Gu Yuan chuckled softly, his mind already made up. Even if it was a trap, so what? To witness the realm of Innate God-Demons would make this second life worthwhile!
In this world, there was no one he cared about, no lingering concerns. Why shouldn't he see higher? Even if he cultivated peacefully for a lifetime, what would be the point?
In the way of the Martial Dao, there is only struggle!
With his mind made up, Gu Yuan took out his communicator and called Di Liu, saying he needed to return to Tianyuan.
Di Liu agreed. An hour later, he arrived below Gu Yuan's dormitory building. Gu Yuan had already packed his belongings and was waiting quietly for Di Liu.
Di Liu greeted Gu Yuan and then led him towards the teleportation array they had arrived with.
Three hours later, Gu Yuan stepped onto the land of Tianyuan City and quietly returned to his home. He skillfully retrieved a stack of yellow paper from the storage room.
Half an hour later, Gu Yuan appeared at the Martyrs' Cemetery in Tianyuan City.
The original body's parents had died in the jaws of a fierce beast, their remains scattered. Only a cenotaph remained, with the couple buried together.
Gu Yuan sat before the tombstone of the original body's parents. With a snap of his fingers, a wisp of flame appeared and ignited the yellow paper.
The smoke drifted with the breeze, accompanied by the blackening and dissipating pieces of burning yellow paper.
Gu Yuan's gaze drifted. He recalled his past life, where he didn't even know his parents' names, let alone a tombstone, and had tasted all the world's hardships.
He extended his fair hand, his fingers gently caressing the surface of the tombstone. As his fingers brushed over the names of Gu Yuan's parents,
For some reason, his eyes welled up, and his vision suddenly blurred.
*Plop!*
A tear fell onto the ground, making a crisp, faint sound.
Gu Yuan's face was now covered in tears, but within his Sea of Consciousness, Gu Yuan's soul remained expressionless, his demeanor imbued with a profound sense of detachment.
It wasn't him crying; it was Gu Yuan, the residual will of the original body in this world!