Mu Ziyue mumbled, and seeing that Ren Yuanhao showed no reaction, she thought he had gone mad like in those TV dramas. She immediately rolled off the bed and shook his shoulders.
“What are you doing?”
Ren Yuanhao was pondering the meaning of the old man’s parting words and hadn’t noticed Mu Ziyue at all. He thought it was an earthquake.
“You startled me. I thought you had gone mad.” Mu Ziyue returned to the bed. “You mentioned Alayavijnana just now. There’s a classmate at our school who knows a lot about this. She’s also my friend, my junior. Do you want me to introduce you?”
Ren Yuanhao gave her a side-eye. “I don’t even know what the old guy’s point was in writing this. Forget it, let’s rest.”
Ren Yuanhao comfortably leaned back, and his mind was drawn into the illusionary space by the rapid system prompt.
“Did you meet anyone strange this afternoon?”
The system’s voice was extremely flustered.
“It was an old man. By the way, why are you so flustered, System?”
“Did he notice my existence?”
“He did say I have three latent abilities, and he knows the system is an S-class ability. However, he didn’t mention you.” Da Feng Novel Network
The system visibly relaxed a little.
“That’s good. That person is too terrifying. He could actually sense my existence. Don’t interact with him again next time. My records for that period are completely blank, as if someone stole those few hours. Can you imagine that? An intelligent AI, whose logs are completely recorded on the hard drive, suddenly has several hours of records missing without any power outage or interruption. This is too terrifying.”
Ren Yuanhao was shocked and said sternly, “So it wasn’t just my illusion. You also feel like time was stolen.”
“I’m very curious. What did he ask you at the time?”
Ren Yuanhao answered truthfully, without omission. After all, to him, the System was the most trustworthy.
To his surprise, when he mentioned ‘Alayavijnana’ and how the old man used sand to ask questions, the System’s tone clearly softened.
“Alayavijnana observes the essence of things from the perspective of divine consciousness. If what Foundation Building sees is the essence of a substance, then divine consciousness can discern the essence of the five elements that constitute the world. That level is simply unattainable.”
Ren Yuanhao felt a bit dejected. “My throat has been really blocked lately, especially when the weather gets unusually dry. That old man told me to live a leisurely life and enjoy my old age at my current age, or I would die suddenly at any time. System, this contradicts your seven-year lifespan agreement.”
“So, what is your decision?”
“Decision? I’ve never felt like I had any choice. Every step felt like being pushed by the hand of fate. Before, I was a man with nothing, owing tens of thousands in online loans, living a life of the same routine as ninety percent of people. I never thought I could make it in this life. But, since the System appeared, I feel like I might be able to change my fate~”
“But you’ve found that you can’t control anything along the way, right?”
Ren Yuanhao smiled bitterly. “Isn’t that the truth? I couldn’t stop either the Mandala Gene or the android project at Lionheart Building.”
Ren Yuanhao suddenly paused and smiled bitterly. “Sometimes I wonder, perhaps if I hadn’t gotten this ability, if I hadn’t offended Jiang Cheng and Zhang Liang, the Mandala Gene might not have been developed so quickly. Was my appearance a mistake?”
“The world’s calamity did not befall because of one person. Even without you, it would have arrived at some point. It’s just that the hand of fate pressed on your shoulder and pushed you, connecting you to these events. You are a martial artist now. What martial artists believe in is not fate, but the sword in their hand.”
“Are swords useful?”
The System paused for a few seconds.
“It’s not a question of whether they are useful, but whether you believe. The greatest limitation of humans is the inability to dare to think, and then, after thinking, the inability to persist with unwavering resolve. After sweating a little, getting a small wound, and bleeding a little, you think this path is wrong and resolutely give up, calling it fate.”
Ren Yuanhao said self-deprecatingly, “Are you going to tell me Hemingway’s quote next? A man can be destroyed, but not defeated?”
“If you think that’s motivational, then so be it. You should understand one thing: if you don’t put yourself in a desperate situation and always live within your comfort zone, you will never achieve telepathy or the realm of Alayavijnana. Your perception of the world will be limited to your five senses, and nothing more.”
Ren Yuanhao chuckled self-mockingly. “I’ve never been afraid of death. I never thought I could truly save the world. From beginning to end, everything I’ve done has only been to protect those I want to protect. I only know that if the Mandala Gene spreads, it will only affect the balance of the entire world, and naturally affect my parents and relatives.”
“If you want to protect others, you must have swords in your hands. Harden yourself to become stronger. Have you considered one thing? A greater catastrophe has not yet appeared. The greater catastrophe is two madmen united as one.”
Ren Yuanhao was startled. He had never considered this terrifying possibility. On one side, Jiang Cheng represented the Mandala Gene, and on the other, Zhang Liang represented the androids. One side lacked subjects for live experiments, and the other was plagued by the lack of ability awakeners. If they were to exchange resources and team up, it would be the most difficult game dungeon in the world, and the result of failure would be a living hell. It was unimaginable.
Seeing Ren Yuanhao completely stunned, the System’s tone softened slightly.
“Hey, we’ve at least clarified one thing now. This Mandala Gene was most likely transported from Xiling City to Guyao City. So, is this Gray Wolf organization connected to Jiang Cheng and the others? And the reason they don’t dare to sell the Mandala Gene in Xiling City is simply that they don’t dare to provoke the army. By diverting attention, they can conceal their existence and watch the fire from the other side.”
“You mean that doctor or Jiang Cheng might have returned to Xiling City?”
Ren Yuanhao’s expression changed.
“No, such monsters must be in Guyao. However, the base and factories must be in Xiling City. I think as long as we follow the thread of Gray Wolf, we can unravel the mystery. Also, I think cultivators have joined this battle, whether they are friends or foes is still unknown.”