Wise Old Man's Motivational Speech

Bullhorn Mountain Range, Spirit Flower Valley.

More than a hundred people trekked through the bottom of the valley, their gazes wandering across the mountain walls in wonder.

"The name of this valley really fits! These are no normal flowers!"

"I've worked in farmlands my entire life. What flowers have I not seen? But here, I can't even recognize one-tenth of these plants."

"I haven't seen this many colors in my entire life! And the scent... It's so addicting that I don't want this valley to end!"

"Hey, who said that? Get him! His life is in danger!"

A small commotion took place at the back of the crowd as one enamored man was caught by some soldiers. An old man walked over and handed the leading soldier a flask.

"This spirit wine is harmless. It will knock him out for a while and suppress the spiritual pollution caused by the flowers. Make him drink a small sip, or he'll end up becoming raw nutrients for this valley."

The family of the man expressed their gratitude profusely.

"Master Ming Zi, we will remember your kindness."

"Even if any of us are selected by the sect, we'll serve you as long as you command us."

"This journey would have been impossible without your help!"

The old man waved them off with a smile and returned to his bull-drawn carriage. Inside, a boy in a loose robe was going through a thick book at a rapid pace.

His face seemed a little constipated as he muttered certain words and phrases with great difficulty.

"Little Xuhan, we are about to step into the territory of the Crimson Snow Sect. We must part ways soon," Ming Zi said gently.

Han Xuhan looked up at him, arranging the appropriate words in his mind to say in response. For the last three weeks, his attempt at mastering the local language was bearing some fruit.

"Thank you, Master Zi. I will forever be indebted."

Ming Zi's eyes twitched. Coughing awkwardly, he said, "Since we are parting ways, you should return my book."

"...." A little embarrassed, Han Xuhan handed the dictionary back to its owner.

This old man was quite eccentric in some aspects, he had discovered in these three weeks. He switched moods at the drop of a hat, turning from willful to easygoing, crass to elegant, selfish to kind, and from knowledgeable to nearly as ignorant as him.

Not to mention, he was suffering from a strange sickness that made him cough blood and pus all the time. By eavesdropping on the discussions between him and the soldiers, Han Xuhan had learned that this sickness was the result of traveling through some place called 'Domain Node'.

Maybe it had something to do with his lack of comprehension of the local tongue; because Domain Node sounded quite outlandish for a location's name.

Nevertheless, he accepted it in the same manner he had accepted the fact that he was now stuck in a world of cultivation.

After this acceptance, he had decided to follow the directions of his 'cheat'. The Trial Quest was to get the help of Ming Zi. But what was considered 'help' by the system?

The difficulty level of the quest was graded as [ Very Easy ], and so far, things had indeed progressed smoothly without much effort from him.

Ming Zi, out of his good conscience, had clothed and fed Xuhan for the last three weeks. Not only that, he had assisted him in navigating through the local customs, as well as the situation they were in right now.

The Crimson Snow Sect, the most influential Sect across thousands of miles around them, was recruiting disciples. Ming Zi was apparently headed to this sect to deliver an important message.

On a whim, he had decided to sponsor Han Xuhan's recruitment into the sect. A token of opportunity had been handed to him, with Ming Zi adding, "The powerful cultivators there can help you, lad. This is all I can do for you."

Needless to say, Han Xuhan was very grateful. He was ready to return filial piety to the old man in any case. But the system panel that made itself known twice a day disagreed.

It refused to admit that Ming Zi had helped Han Xuhan. Why? Heaven knows!

Now, learning that they were close to the Crimson Snow Sect's gates made Xuhan's anxiety rise. It was now or never!

After three weeks of experiencing this strange new world, he no longer held any hope of this being a long dream. He understood that he needed to fight tooth and nail to survive.

The system's emphasis on the brutality of this world hadn't gone past his radar. As a fan of such novels, he already knew what to expect.

Without Ming Zi's shelter, every day from here on would be a desperate struggle!

So he decisively grasped the edge of Ming Zi's robe and said tearfully, "Master, do you have any final advice for me? I fear what lies ahead!"

Ming Zi was startled, nearly swatting him away with the fat book. But a strange emotion seemed to flicker in his gaze, keeping him still and thinking. In the end, he said something very confusing.

"You and I have some fate between us, young man. This may not be our last meeting, but until we meet again, you can follow a principle I comprehended too late in my life.

"Cultivation... should not be your first priority in life. It's just a tool to fulfill your base desires. So don't bind yourself to the traditional ways. Experiment, have fun, take risks, and make friends. Leave no regrets for your old self, and certainly don't give yourself a lonely future."

"....?"

Han Xuhan wanted to roar in frustration. What was this? Motivational ASMR episode?

Old man, did you just tell me to pursue the power of friendship? Do you think I'm a shonen protagonist?

This is the world of cultivation, a dog-eat-dog world where one's strength trumped every other priority! A weak cultivator is a dead cultivator, living at the mercy of reality. That mercy was limited, subject to the will of the strong.

However, before he could voice his dissatisfaction with that advice, the mysterious panel reappeared in his vision.

[ Congratulations to the host on meeting the base requirements of the Trial Quest. Distributing Rewards...]

[ 1. Memory Awakening: 0% ]

[ 2. Full Version of The Survival System: Initiating... ]