Madame Wang, dressed in plain, simple clothes, was weeping bitterly, her face streaked with tears.
Seeing his mother’s grief, Murong Fu felt his heart break. She was the woman who had provided him with the warmest, most comfortable home for the ten months of his life before birth. Although Murong Fu was only twelve years old, he already stood at one meter sixty-five. One should never doubt the excellent genes of the Chinese people; as long as the nutrition is sufficient, height is never a problem. His mother, Madame Wang, possessed the typical stature of a Jiangnan woman, standing only one meter fifty-eight.
For a moment, Madame Wang seemed faint with grief, her body swaying as if she were about to collapse. Murong Fu quickly gathered her into his arms. Though ancient customs strictly forbade such intimacy between men and women, at this moment, who could care about such things?
Just as he held his mother, a mechanical, electronic voice echoed in his mind: "Ding! Congratulations to the host for activating the Defying Destiny Recording System. The host has obtained thirty years of Murong Bo's Internal Energy at the age of twelve, initiating a change in his life trajectory and entering the ranks of first-class martial artists. Luck value increased."
"Well, well. Just as I expected, I have the quintessential cheat code for a transmigrator. Hahaha, I truly am the chosen one."
Before he could indulge in his joy, Madame Wang lost consciousness in his arms. Murong Fu hurriedly carried her to the side hall and called for the maids and servants to attend to her. Beyond that, he arranged for the servants to notify their subordinates, friends, and fellow martial artists.
Murong Fu was still deeply anxious about whether his father had truly passed away. He crept over several times to check Murong Bo’s breath, but each time, the result was the same: silence. Murong Fu was puzzled; it seemed his father was indeed gone.
When the various subordinates arrived at Canhe Manor, the entire Gusu Murong estate was plunged into mourning. In the memorial hall, Madame Wang, dressed in white mourning clothes, had eyes red and vacant, sobbing uncontrollably. Seeing her would break anyone’s heart; Murong Fu had arranged for her to sit in a chair, as she could no longer remain kneeling.
Murong Fu, also in white with a white headpiece, knelt ramrod straight. His eyebrows were like stars and his eyes like swords, his face set with determination. Behind him knelt four men. On the left were Deng Baichuan and Bao Butong—First Brother Deng and Third Brother Bao. On the right were Gongye Qian and Feng Bo'e—the four great retainers of the Murong Clan.
The foundation Murong Bo had left for Murong Fu was quite substantial.
First Brother Deng, Deng Baichuan, was the master of Qingyun Manor and held the position of leader among the Murong subordinates. His martial arts were profound, and his Internal Energy was vast. Though he lacked a roaring reputation in the martial arts world, those who knew him held him in high esteem. He was steady in his actions and capable of handling great responsibilities.
Gongye Qian, Second Brother Gongsun, was the master of Chixia Manor. He was a master of palm techniques, experienced and seasoned, and possessed a heroic spirit that earned him a significant reputation in the world.
Third Brother Bao, Bao Butong, master of Jinfeng Manor, was a man who loved to argue. His martial arts were not insignificant, and he carried himself with an air of carefree ease. His catchphrase was, "No, no, that’s not it." He was the most eccentric of the four retainers—*cough, cough*—which was something of a headache.
Fourth Brother Feng, Feng Bo'e, master of Xuanshuang Manor, was known as the "Gale of Jiangnan." He was a fanatical enthusiast for fighting; as long as there was a fight, he would gladly skip his meals. He was a man of clear principles—*cough, cough*—though his stubbornness was on par with Third Brother Bao.
These four manors had many retainers and immense wealth. Although Canhe Manor itself did not house many servants, the retainers of these four manors were as obedient to the Murong family as their own limbs.
Murong Fu calculated his assets in his mind. Suddenly, he remembered the voice that had echoed when his mother fainted. He quickly closed his eyes and summoned the system.
A transmigrator’s cheat—the system. This was his greatest asset! Martial arts masterpieces, legendary encounters—wasn't this just the rhythm of them jumping straight into his bowl? Heh-heh-heh!
"System, System! Come out!"
"Greetings, host. The Defying Destiny Recording System is at your service." The system’s voice was clearly more fluid than when it first activated.
Murong Fu, however, caught the point: "Recording System? What does that mean?"
"The Defying Destiny Recording System, as the name implies, records the host's acts of defying destiny and provides prompts to the host."
After a long pause, he asked, "Are you stuck? Is there nothing else?"
"The Defying Destiny Recording System, as the name implies, records the host's acts of defying destiny and provides prompts to the host."
...
"Say, are there no martial arts manuals provided? No legendary encounters? No beauties throwing themselves into my arms? ..."
"That is correct. None of those exist, host. I am a recording system, or you may refer to me as an Observer of the River of Time!"
"Observe your sister!"
"Thank you for your concern, host. My sister is also an Observer of the River of Time and does not require further observation."
"I... your... mother!"
"Please do not get agitated, host. Please do not invent new types of animals, as this system does not understand them."
This trash system could provide no help and only knew how to anger him—it was better off without it!