Wait, You Had A Consciousness?

A shadow loomed outside his door. A faint whisper of movement alerted him to the presence of an unexpected visitor, their footsteps measured and deliberate.With a flicker of caution, Xin Ming tensed, his senses on high alert as he prepared to confront the intruder.

Xin Ming could sense the stranger's presence looming just beyond the door. A soft knock echoed through the room, sending a jolt of anticipation coursing through Xin Ming's veins.

Who could it be? This late at night, I don't even know that many people here.

With cautious steps, Xin Ming approached the door, his hand poised to open it. As the wooden barrier swung inward, his eyes widened in surprise at the sight before him. Standing there, her presence ethereal and captivating, was none other than the Saintess Lysandra herself.

Xin Ming regarded Lysandra with a mixture of curiosity and suspicion as he addressed her. "What are you doing here?" he inquired, his voice laced with a hint of caution. He couldn't help but wonder what had brought her to his doorstep in the middle of the night, especially considering their brief and somewhat awkward encounter earlier.

Worry etched across Lysandra's features as she met Xin Ming's gaze. Her eyes gave off a sense of urgency, and her voice trembled slightly as she spoke. "I... I needed to see you," she admitted, her tone fraught with uncertainty. "I needed to tell you something, and I fear for your safety." The sincerity in her words was palpable, and Xin Ming couldn't help but feel a twinge of concern at her evident distress.

"What is it that you need to tell me?" he inquired, his tone firm yet tinged with concern. He couldn't shake the feeling that whatever news she bore carried weighty implications for them both.

Lysandra's voice wavered slightly as she spoke, her eyes darting nervously around the room before settling on Xin Ming's face. "Please, I haven't got much time" she implored, her tone urgent, "you mustn't trust the Grand Magus." Her words hung in the air, heavy with unspoken meaning, as if she carried a burden too great to bear alone.

Xin Ming's gaze was fixed intently on Lysandra's troubled expression. "Why?" he questioned, his voice laced with curiosity instead of the skepticism Lysandra was expecting. "What reason could you possibly have to distrust him?"Lysandra hesitated, her fingers twisting anxiously in the folds of her robe. "I can't say much," she admitted, her voice barely above a whisper, "but there are thare things that the Grand Magus keeps hidden, he has definitely changed. I'm not one hundred percent sure, but I implore you not to trust him."

Xin Ming's eyes narrowed slightly as he considered her words. He had always been wary of authority figures, especially those who wielded power with such ease and was easy with other people.

But to question the Grand Magus, a man revered by many as a beacon of wisdom and guidance, took some real guts from the saintess to say that in front of Xin Ming, who may or may not have a close connection to the grand magus.

Well there was definitely something fishy with that old guy.

There was definitely more to the situation than met the eye."I'll keep your warning in mind" Xin Ming replied nonchalantly.

As Xin Ming replied to Lysandra's warning, he noticed a subtle shift in her demeanor a flicker of relief that danced across her features like a fleeting shadow. It was as if a weight had been lifted from her shoulders, knowing that he was willing to take her words seriously.

Her eyes met his, shimmering with gratitude and something else, something deeper and more profound. It was a silent plea, a desperate hope that he would heed her warning and not dismiss it as mere paranoia.

Lysandra's relief was palpable, a soft sigh escaping her lips as the tension that had gripped her seemed to melt away. "Thank you," she whispered, her voice barely above a breath. "I knew I could count on you."With a final nod of acknowledgment, Xin Ming watched as Lysandra made her way down the corridor, her steps lighter and more assured than before. And as he closed the door behind her, he pondered about what had just been said.

He sighed.

Why do all the strange things happen to me in my last life…

As Xin Ming settled into his meditation again, he closed his eyes and focused on his breath, allowing the rhythmic inhales and exhales to anchor his mind in the present moment. With each breath, he felt the tension in his body begin to melt away, his muscles relaxing and his thoughts becoming clearer.

[Congratulations Host, You Have Now Broken Into The Realm Of Gold Core I]

As Xin Ming broke through into a new realm, the effects were immediately visible. Waves of energy pulsed through his body, radiating outwards in all directions like ripples on a pond. His senses heightened, sharpening to a keen edge as he became acutely aware of the world around him.

Physically, he felt stronger and more resilient, as if every muscle and sinew in his body had been infused with newfound vitality. His movements became smoother and more fluid, each action executed with effortless grace and precision.

He could now sense the subtle energies that permeated the air again, the ebb and flow of qi as it coursed through the earth beneath his feet. In this heightened state of awareness, he felt a deep sense of peace and harmony, as if he were in perfect alignment with the universe itself.

[Oh nice, you're making incredible progress]

???

Xin Ming's eyes widened in shock as he realized that the voice belonged to the system, the very same system that had guided him on his journey thus far. But never before had the system spoken with such clarity, such purpose. It was as if it had gained a consciousness of its own, separate from the myriad calculations and algorithms that governed its functions.

"Wait, System you had a consciousness?"