Seized by the System

As he finished acquiring the intel, Fang Ning immediately regarded the matter with high importance; although Sir System was great in alchemy, he was not at the level where he could create a pill that could increase the life expectancy of a mortal yet…

After all, even a clever woman could not make a meal without rice ¹ . Twenty years had passed since the Earth’s recovery, but its production of precious medicinal herbs was still insufficient; regardless of how superb one’s alchemy skills were, it was impossible for something to be created out of nothing.

As for him, he had to make sure that the bequeathal was his at all costs.

As he gathered his thoughts, he suddenly remembered something and calmly retreated into the System Preservation Area…

Sir System panicked immediately and yelled after him, “What’re you going to do? Those are my things in there, you can’t sneak in just like that, this is not something a hero would do!”

“I’m looking for a dish that will shine!” Fang Ning replied justly and pulled out a dish glowing the colors of the rainbow from inside the preservation area.

“Curse you, it’s been so long, I can’t believe you still remembered… Maybe it wasn’t such a great idea letting you cultivate so much.” Sir System said in dismal.

“I’m the one who’s stumped here, you were able to make this kind of food when you went out of your way to cook last time. Over the past few years, you’ve been pampered and spoiled and not having to cook, even I’ve forgotten that you were actually capable of preparing something like this,” Fang Ning lamented unhappily, “You, on the other hand, would never forget anything, and here you are playing dumb! Which is obviously a lie, how can you still claim yourself to be an honest, innocent system!”

“You’re making things up again, the glow that I’m talking and the one in your mind is not the same thing; my precious dish contains properties to increase health points, so I added a glowing component to it to make it distinguishable, it’s to be saved for in case of emergencies, so I can’t let you fritter it away now.” Sir System explained.

“Something that can increase health points, it must taste extraordinary, I’m requisitioning this dish for the sake of getting the Culinary God’s inheritance, I guarantee you it’ll definitely be worth it.” Fang Ning reasoned.

“Well then put it back immediately, it’ll lose its flavors and effects if left out for too long!” Exclaimed Sir System.

“Alright alright, I’ll put it back. It doesn’t matter anyway, I’ve discovered that I seem to be able to take whatever I want in the System Space…and you can’t stop me.” Fang Ning stated gleefully.

“Yes, you can do this, but don’t forget, I can create whatever I want in here as well!” Once Fang Ning placed the dish back inside, Sir System suddenly exclaimed.

Then, three locks appeared on the warehouse door of the System Preservation Area!

“Shameless, absolutely shameless, you’re a disgrace to the community of systems!” Fang Ning was stunned as he spurned weakly.

“Hehe, try taking another and see what happens, I’ve already been good enough, I should’ve put the locks up a long time ago, but I only left it open to make it convenient for you to take the pills you need when you were training.” Sir System gloated.

Fang Ning helplessly lowered his voice and pleaded, “Oh Lil’ System, I was a little too hasty earlier, won’t you remove the locks, after all, I’ve been very busy with work lately, it would take away precious time if I had to get you to unlock the doors for me.”

“What did you say? I couldn’t hear anything, my hearing isn’t too good lately.” Sir System pretended to not have heard.

“…”

Fang Ning resigned himself to the fact that he would no longer be able to return to the days where he gorged himself on the sweet, honeyed and savory pills…

Sigh, this was what they meant by when a child grows up, they will not listen to their parents anymore, the same could be said for his System.

…

Two days later, Fang Ning received a notification in his mind.

[Offer a dish of the most exquisite flavors, and one may be granted access to the Culinary God’s Grotto-Heaven.]

Finding the sudden message he had received to be oddly familiar, Fang Ning called upon the green-skinned frog.

“Precious Monument, did your Axiom Daddy made a broadcast again?”

“Yes, Master, have you received it?” Asked the green-skinned frog with its big, watery eyes.

“So that’s what it was, I was wondering how the almighty (heritage) of the Upper Realm fell upon Earth, and how was it able to establish contact with Axiom Daddy? What sort of good does Axiom Daddy get from helping him deliver the broadcast?” He asked curiously.

“Axiom Daddy says that he can answer this question for 3000 Merit Points.” The green-skinned frog replied hesitantly.

“Uh…” Fang Ning turned towards a particular direction.

“What are you looking at me for? Nope, nada, you’re not getting a single point from me, I don’t need to know the answer.” Sir System said defiantly.

“Hey now, for the greater good, won’t you give in…” Fang Ning coaxed.

“You don’t have to always bring up that excuse to rope me into doing your bidding. Besides, that’s way too expensive, I can maybe lend you 30 Merit Points, tops.” Sir System added.

Fang Ning turned towards the green-skinned frog.

The green-skinned frog shifted its two front legs in a powerless gesture.

“Axiom Daddy doesn’t do bargains.”

“Very well then, you let him know that I had wanted to bring him the Venus’ core, but it seems like there’s no need for that now, seeing as this buyer wants to burn bridges.” Sir System let out a long sigh.

Fang Ning was very impressed, Sir System’s tactics were becoming more and more sophisticated.

The core of Venus could take ages to be produced. The Lunar Devils had only just launched a colony of stone monsters over.

“Stop pulling my leg there, ages? Two years would be more than enough, was not the Mars created within two years?” Sir System said with confidence.

“Oh, well that’s true.” Fang Ning said in realization.

“300, Axiom Daddy says, not a point less.” The green-skinned frog painstakingly said.

It appeared that it was not an easy job, delivering messages while being caught in between, no wonder the macaw had such a difficult time last time.

However, the ability to communicate directly with the Heavenly Axiom on Earth, they must be the one and only.

All others would have to pay a huge price or go through elaborate measures if they wanted to establish contact with the Heavenly Axiom.

Compared to them, he only needed to summon his two precious Monuments, which was definitely much more convenient.

It was a shame that he had not thought of utilizing this in the past, and wasted quite a few opportunities.

“That’s because you’re too lazy, had those two been under my charge, I would’ve had them cleared out the fool ages ago.” Sir System said disappointedly.

Fang Ning said reluctantly, “Don’t get so greedy now, best to leave it off at some point, this question is really important to me.”

“Alright, I give, you better bring in ten times the benefits, or else.” Sir System muttered.

Thus, Fang Ning turned to the green-skinned frog and said, “Alright, we’ll pay up.”

System Notification: [The System consumed 300 Merit Points, “Divine Questioning” activated.]

After listening for a while, the green-skinned frog spoke up again, “Well, Axiom Daddy says that they paid and were obedient…so he allowed them to land on Earth and even made a broadcast on their behalf.”

“…” Fang Ning was dumbstruck, Sir System was seething.

“This, this is outright half-assed…! Shameless, absolutely shameless, this is the shamelessness of the Heavenly Axiom!” Sir System imitated Fang Ning’s words from earlier.

“Sure enough, the truth is cruel and blunt…” Fang Ning said deeply.

“I don’t care, I demand a refund!” Sir System said adamantly.

The green-skinned frog threw its hands out, “Goods sold are non-refundable.”

“I’ll beat your little frog ass up!”

Fang Ning hurriedly stopped them, because he knew that Sir System meant what he said, after all, the two Monuments were taken in after he had beaten them up…

“Forget it, it’s no big deal, this information is still useful to us, at least it proves that not all of the Gods in the Upper Realm were alike, even pushovers exist. Whether it’s for the bequeathal or for the sake of resurrection, they are willing to bow down to the Earth’s Heavenly Axiom, instead of hiding behind the Saints.” Fang Ning assured.

“Damnit, I’m definitely getting him back for this next time.” Grumbled Sir System.

Fang Ning resolved to ignore Sir System’s cursing and fell into deep thought.

Even though the answer conveyed by his precious frog was simple, it still revealed an important message.

That was – since long ago, the powerful beings from the Upper Realm and the Earth’s Heavenly Axiom had made some sort of agreements that had to be kept away from the public eye.

One spends to secure peace, another one takes advantage and plunders from the situation and sweeps up all of the Upper Realm’s heritage, it was as if a superpower had fallen, and all its resources, technology, equipment, and factories had all fallen into the hands of another.

When Fang Ning thought of this, a deep fear struck through his heart, those realms that seemingly belonged to him – even those that he had successfully converged, and was able to manipulate the climate and terrains inside the realms as he pleased – but was this really the case?

Thinking back to the agreement reached between Sir System and the Heavenly Axiom, the fact that the other party could increase the concentration of the vitality in the realm, a fact became clear.

The outside world’s vitality, rain, and sunlight that were all indispensable factors to the survival of the realm, remained firmly in the grasp of the Heavenly Axiom.

The so-called independence of the realm, was nothing more than a castle built on sand.