Jiang Ying was lost in thought when, suddenly, a voice echoed in her ear.
"Congratulations to the Host for successfully unlocking the Main Quest! Now, the System will introduce you to how to use the 'System'."
"Main Quest? System?"
What on earth were these?
She scanned her surroundings. The area was deserted. Involuntarily, she pulled her hands into her sleeves, gripped a "Repel Talisman," and asked vigilantly, "Who's there?"
"It's me, Host!" Seeing Jiang Ying was silent and clearly not grasping what it was saying, the voice calling itself the "System" added, "Do you remember the person you were discussing the Heavenly Dao with right before you died in your 'past life'?"
Jiang Ying realized it. No wonder she had felt the voice sounded familiar just now.
"So, you are the voice I heard before I died in my past life?"
"Mm-hmm, that's right!"
"Since you are here, why not show yourself?"
"Xirui does not have a physical form; I can only exist by relying on the Host!" the voice calling itself Xirui chirped happily.
Jiang Ying pondered for a moment. While she still didn't understand what exactly this "System" was, she had read many books in her past life and knew that much in this world could not be viewed through common logic. Moreover, since even rebirth could happen to her, a bodiless System wasn't such a strange thing after all.
Besides, she didn't sense any malice from the System, so she decided to trust it for now.
"Then... Xirui? Why not call yourself System?"
"Because Xirui is dedicated to bringing luck and auspiciousness to the Host, hence the name 'Xirui'! When you need to wake Xirui up, you can simply think, 'Hey, Xirui!' and Xirui will appear by your side, dedicated to serving you!"
Jiang Ying frowned. "Aren't you a bit too cheerful?"
"Would the Host prefer a tearful version? Xirui can cry, too!"
"I beg you, Host, boo-hoo-hoo! Call for me, ying-ying-ying!"
Xirui let out a few sobs and then continued.
"Or perhaps the Host prefers this? — 'Big Sister Host, why haven't you called for me yet? I’ve been waiting for your call and am just about to die of loneliness!'"
It paused and changed its voice again.
"Or maybe the Host likes the Senior Sister version? — 'Junior Sister, let's go flip the whole world upside down together!' Or, Xirui has a built-in 'Overbearing Cold Senior Brother' version: 'Woman, are you trying to attract my attention by not calling for me?'"
Jiang Ying felt a headache coming on from the noise and quickly interrupted.
"You'd better just use the original voice."
Xirui reverted to its initial state.
"Alright, Host. But, Host, do you really not intend to wake Xirui up?"
"Aren't you already awake?"
"But 'Hey, Xirui' is a matter of ritual!"
Fine, then. This inexplicable Xirui and its inexplicable sense of ritual.
Jiang Ying paused and thought to herself, "Hey, Xirui."
"I'm here," Xirui responded happily.
"Continue explaining how to use you."
"Right, right. Xirui will issue Main Quests at irregular intervals and provide the details. Once the Host completes a quest, Xirui will issue a reward. The Main Quest is: The Host must accumulate 'Impact Factors' by publishing research papers. Impact Factors are the number of times your papers are cited by others. The more citations, the higher your Impact Factor, and the better the rewards. To assist the Host in writing, Xirui will grant you permission to view the entire library of papers in the current cultivation world, ensuring the Host stays on the cutting edge of academic trends."
Every sect had its own "paper repository," and only disciples were qualified to access the databases. Academy students and rogue cultivators generally lacked this privilege.
That was full access! Every cultivation technique and experimental data point would be open for her to see!
As expected of a "Xirui" dedicated to bringing "luck" and "auspiciousness." Her favor for this slightly neurotic System increased a little.
"What kind of quest rewards are there?"
"Starting at spirit stones, with no upper limit!"
Starting at spirit stones? Jiang Ying’s eyes brightened. In her past life, this was what she lacked the most; without money, you couldn't move an inch!
Puppets, talisman paper, medicinal herbs, array disks... which of these didn't cost money?
Without money, she couldn't buy anything. Without materials, she couldn't cultivate. Without cultivation, how could she grow stronger?
The Academy treated her well, so she wasn't currently short on talisman paper, but she had to plan for the future.
In this life, she had to do whatever it took to make money!
"Since the Host understands Xirui and the Main Quest, Xirui will now issue the first Main Quest!"
"Wait! When it comes to papers, I have plenty. But as the saying goes, holding a secret treasure makes one a target. I am currently just an Academy student; I have no credentials, no connections, and no ability to protect myself. If I publish a paper and get targeted by some dark-hearted, unlucky old hag, I might end up dead before I even start my revenge... That would be a huge loss!"
Xirui thought for a moment.
"The Host is right. You haven't left the starter village yet. In that case, Xirui will issue a Novice Quest for you!"
Jiang Ying didn't understand what Xirui meant by "starter village"; perhaps it had its own linguistic system. For the sake of those "limitless spirit stones," she listened intently.
"Novice Quest (1): Answer cultivation-related questions from classmates on the Yunzhou Academy 'Huiyun Duoyun Forum' (0/3). Once completed, Xirui will issue a reward."
The Yunzhou Academy's "Huiyun Duoyun Forum" was a place for disciples to discuss studies and gossip.
Jiang Ying used to browse the forum and answer some questions. However, back then she spent most of her time cultivating, and lacking sufficient knowledge and experience, she hadn't answered many.
Jiang Ying took out her Yulingtong to check. The Yulingtong was a product that had emerged in the last decade, developed by the "Xianhong Chamber of Commerce." They had set up a spirit network across the Nine Provinces compatible with the Yulingtong, making communication in the cultivation world much more developed. In the academic circle especially, thanks to the Yulingtong, they could now view research papers.
The questions posted by students were bizarre and varied, ranging from array formations to alchemy formulas.
Someone even asked: "I don't know what's going on lately, but every time I sit down in my dormitory to cultivate, I feel prickly all over. I suspect it's a feng shui issue in the room. Help, experts!"
With her current theoretical level, she could see the solutions to some at a glance, but others were truly unsolvable for the moment.
It seemed that Xirui asking her to do this "Novice Quest" wasn't as easy as she had imagined.
However, being able to help others cultivate while collecting problems for future research was a way to kill two birds with one stone.
Jiang Ying selected a few questions on alchemy and formations and began answering them as she walked.
"Novice Quest (1): Progress (1/3)."
"Novice Quest (1): Progress (2/3)."
"Novice Quest (1): Progress (3/3)."
Quest completed!
"Hey, Xirui, time to pay up the spirit stones!"
"Congratulations to the Host for completing Novice Quest (1)! The reward is now being issued: one hundred spirit stones! Please be patient, Host; Xirui is currently importing the spirit stone coordinates into your map. When the Host wishes to claim the stones, you can command Xirui to enter 'Navigation Mode,' and Xirui will plan the route and serve you faithfully until you dig them up!"
"Updating Novice Quest — Novice Quest (2): Answer cultivation-related questions from classmates on the Yunzhou Academy 'Huiyun Duoyun Forum' (0/5). Once completed, Xirui will issue a reward."
Jiang Ying almost wanted to jump up and slap Xirui.
She thought those spirit stones would just automatically and beautifully enter her Storage Bag! She didn't expect to have to go dig them up herself!
Oh well, something is better than nothing. One hundred spirit stones wasn't much, but for a poor person like her, every bit counted!
Dig it is! Go dig now!
"Navigation, let's go!"
"Understood, Host. Ding! Xirui Map will now navigate for you! Planning the route to the 'Novice Quest (1) settlement site.' Your route will pass through the Academy Square; now, please turn left."
Jiang Ying followed the route Xirui pointed out.
Xirui added, "Since the Host completed the Novice Quest with impressive speed, Xirui would like to offer a friendly tip: you can also go to the 'Seven Kills Roll' to pick suitable missions. Completing them will also grant corresponding rewards!"
"The 'Seven Kills Roll,' where is that?"
"In the Ghost Market! There is a Ghost Market near Yunzhou Academy."
The Ghost Market—she had heard of it. In her past life, most of the rare, low-priced medicinal pills Mu Yin helped her get came from there. She hadn't known there was one near Yunzhou Academy; she had been too busy studying to care about such things.
"Can I use navigation to get to the Ghost Market?"
"Navigation isn't omnipotent, you know. Because there is a Maze Array set up outside the Ghost Market, you'll get lost if you aren't careful. Xirui suggests that the Host find someone to take you there."
Jiang Ying covered her face, speechless.
"If I go out on the street now and ask a random person, 'Do you know where the Ghost Market is?', they'll definitely think they've seen a ghost."