IWYTBW - Chapter 6
Chapter 6
Choosing Your Own Path in Life is Crucial
He had already made his way to his own room, and without much care for anything else, he flopped onto the bed first.
[Player. Please look.]
Before Yi Zhen’s eyes, a semi-transparent scroll slowly unfurled.
To call it a scroll would be inaccurate. Yi Zhen observed several lifelike miniature figures gesturing back and forth on the painting, which seemed more like a medium for a holographic display.
[After selecting an exclusive cultivation system, in addition to the main storyline quests, the player will unlock unique side quests. Side quests are unrelated to the main storyline and serve solely to enhance the player’s abilities.]
[The current cultivation system in the world is primarily based on improving spiritual power, with a secondary focus on enhancing physical strength. The best profession is the Mecha Pilot, followed by auxiliary professions such as engineers, pharmacists, and healers. As a player, you can choose a path that suits you outside of this cultivation system.]
Tai’a said in a calm and unhurried manner: [First, the magical cultivation system.]
One of the figures in the painting leapt up and waved its magic wand, launching a great fireball. The second figure held a sword in its left hand and an axe in its right, with a bow slung over its back, and danced erratically in place. The third figure brandished a dagger and instantly transformed into a cloud of black smoke, disappearing into thin air.
[By practicing this system, players can choose to become warriors, mages, or assassins, which align with the characteristics of the three major paths,” Tai’a said. [At the pinnacle of each path, there’s a corresponding profession: Warlord, Hand of God, and Shadow Master.]
Yi Zhen: “Whoa …”
[Second, the Martial arts cultivation system.]
This time, many more figures came to life. All kinds of martial arts skills were displayed simultaneously. Yi Zhen was dazzled by the sight. It was a lively scene before his eyes.
[Cultivate your inner qi, and train your body and skin. If you pick this system to cultivate, your path will be much more complicated.] Tai’a said straightforwardly. [You’ll be able to choose the most suitable martial art skills and equipment, polish your body and inner energy, use pressure point attacks, make poisons, concealed weapons, lightness skill, and even… Engage in forbidden martial practices. Also, the greatest advantage of the martial arts system is that it is inconspicuous and able to blend extremely well into the background of the current world]
Yi Zhen: “Oh...”
[Third, the System of Self-Cultivation.]
The little person in the painting sat cross-legged in meditation. A cloud of qi vapor rose from its head. The qi vapor gradually transformed into a round, golden elixir, which then broke open, revealing the form of an infant. The infant form then returned to qi vapor.
Before Tai’a could explain, Yi Zhen exclaimed in surprise, “Cultivating immortality! That’s incredible!”
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[In actuality, all systems ultimately strive toward the celestial status of a deity. People are too lowly to hold the scepter of ascension. The grandeur of the self-cultivation system is indeed beyond the reach of other systems. It uses the foundation of time, propping up humans as they use their mortal bodies to question fate. However, this is also its drawback. Player, can you truly endure the process of spending a decade to get started, fifty years to build a foundation, and a hundred years to take the first step?]
Yi Zhen frowned, contemplating the situation for a moment.
“Let me see the next one.”
[Fourth: the Cultivation System of Believers.]
On the screen, the little person turned over and knelt, bowing his head to the statue of the sun. After finishing, he went to the statue of the moon, then to the God of Fire, and then to the God of Water. He bowed to the beautiful ones, then to the ugly ones...after worshiping all he could, he finally bowed to an ugly creature with an octopus head and wings.
Yi Zhen’s mouth twitched, “This... what is this thing ah! It looks like a system of acknowledging fathers everywhere. When you can’t beat them, you call out ‘father[e/n: me in ff15 calling for the gods in every battle...], come over, and help me out’! Is there even a need to choose with this broken thing?!”
[In common terms, that’s indeed so,] Tai’a surprisingly acknowledged seriously. [However, the cultivation of believers is the easiest system to use. Those beings who transcend humanity, surpass the stars, and even leap above the laws, having been endowed with various ranks and missions since the ancient times... They stand above all living things, overlooking the universe while simultaneously being crowned with the wills of all beings. If you can call upon one of them and gain Their support…]
“What will become of me?”
[Once, there was a player who, like you, received the reward of choosing a cultivation system. She chose to become a devotee and successfully summoned a demon god symbolizing trickery, ambition, and enslavement.] Tai’a shifted the topic, [Now, she is one of the twelve judges, holding control over fifty-four worlds.]
Pausing for a moment, Tai’a added, [To be more precise, it’s a grand world with fifty-four ensemble leads, featuring a complex plot and meticulous logic.]
Yi Zhen: “”...What if I choose this one, and I can’t summon a deity?”
Tai’a replied: [I can only express my deep regrets.]
Yi Zhen: “Forget it.”
[Besides these, there are also steam technology systems, wasteland survival systems, insect race biotech systems, and so on. However, according to my calculations, the most suitable for you are still the four aforementioned types.]
Yi Zhen furrowed his brows, his fingertips tapping here and there on the scroll.
It really is a tough choice.
He tentatively said, “”I believe that only children need to make choices, but as for me, I’m already an adult.”
Tai’a said indifferently, [Yes, player. Only children are privileged enough to make choices, while adults don’t even have the option to choose.]
Yi Zhen: “...You see, saying it like that just takes the fun out of it, doesn’t it?”
Though poor, he still cracked his knuckles and pondered carefully.
“I’ll choose... Oh, screw it, I’ll just eliminate the options!”
He began to calculate, “”First, exclude the believers. They are too focused on appearances and are willing to risk their lives. And they always tell me to kneel this, kneel that. I don’t want to kneel.”
[As the protagonist of this world, there is a high probability that you will be answered by a high-ranking deity, at least 80%,] pointed out Tai’a, [This can be regarded as a special benefit from the system, and as long as you choose it, you can ascend into heaven in one step.]
Yi Zhen sneered, “Do you think I’m an idiot? There’s no such thing as a free lunch. The more you benefit, the greater the price you’ll have to pay. Luck is like any other physical resource, it must be conserved. Why would a god give me any special treatment simply because I’m handsome? I would much rather start with nothing and build my own success.”
Tai’a remained silent for a moment before replying, [You are very composed; an advantageous trait to possess.]
Yi Zhen continued his calculations, “”Next, let’s exclude... let’s exclude cultivation.”
Psst... are you enjoying this content? Head over to https://rottentledits.blogspot.com/ for the original version! It's where the magic happens, without any pesky ads. See you there!
Tai’a didn’t express an opinion. He continued on by himself: “You’re right, cultivating immortality is a lengthy process. I vaguely remember some slogans like refining essence to turn it into spiritual energy, or refining spiritual energy to turn it into a deity. This is a conversation with the heavens and the earth, with the inner self. I can choose my own path, but I’m not sure if I have the patience to walk this obscure and uncertain road.”
His expression was calm, and his tone was also calm. Tai’a did not speak, and the option of self-cultivation had already disappeared on its own.
“The Martial Arts System.” Yi Zhen took a breath. “I actually wanted to be a shadow master, but…”
He scrutinized the figurines holding sabers, spears, swords, and halberds, “This system has something I desire.”
[Has it been decided? No changes?]
“I won’t change it.”
【 Exclusive Side Quest: Beginner Level , has been Triggered!
Quest Content: The Greenhorn of the Martial World
I have officially chosen the path of martial arts practice. Shall I become a chivalrous hero, or instead, a menace to society? After all, it’s not absolutely necessary to be a great hero. Employing hidden weapons and poisons seem intriguing, and deviating from the conventional path of swordsmanship sounds tempting.
But—— before entering the field, I cannot drag this frail body along. I suppose that I will have to find a way to wash my body of imperfections and reshape my bones.
Task Reward: 《 Illustrations of a Hundred Weapons 》 or 《 The Book of Poisons 》 】
Yi Zhen watched for a while before saying, “Your system tasks sure know how to save effort. In the end, you’re making me find some method to cleanse my body and reshape my bones. This sort of thing sounds completely out of sync with the world’s setting. How do you expect me to find it?”
Tai’a replied, [The quest is only to improve the physical quality of your body. As for how to achieve it, the system will not interfere further.]
“So, you’re only looking at the outcomes, not the process? That’s quite risky, this guiding principle of yours.”
[How else could it be? We’re all adults here. Whether it’s for better or worse, we should bear the consequences ourselves.]
Tai’a actually gave such a reply... Yi Zhen felt that, if it were a person, it would definitely have shrugged its shoulders at this moment.
Yi Zhen sighed, patting his stomach, “I’m hungry.”
“Let’s go find something to eat.”
He climbed out of bed and wandered around the room, which looked lavish and splendid. However, he couldn’t even find a wardrobe. After rummaging around for a long time, Yi Zhen silently activated the household AI, which then slid several rows of metal clothes racks out from the wall.
Yi Zhen: “...Thanks.”
He meticulously sifted through the collection of “Yi Zhen’s” clothing, which mainly consisted of light, flowing, and shimmering fabrics. After much effort, he finally found a simple milk-grey coat with a touch of velvet and hurriedly put it on.
Next to him was a mirror. He glanced at it and, after his entanglement with Rong Hongxue, he finally saw his current state.
“What a tender, fair face,” Yi Zhen said.
It’s hard to guess the exact age of this young sister-in-law, but he certainly looks quite young, with refined eyebrows and handsome eyes, complemented by his round, luscious lips that curve slightly upwards at the corners, giving him the appearance of harboring a hint of a smile even when he’s not smiling. His snow-white skin makes his hair appear even darker and his lips even redder; the contrast of these three colors is so stark, yet they harmonize perfectly together.
He is a conspicuous figure.
“The one surnamed Rong has taken a fancy to you... taken a fancy to me, it shows he has good taste,” Yi Zhen praised himself with a hint of narcissism and then swiftly left.
It’s hard to say whether such an architectural style exists in reality, one that combines the European elegance with the concise, fluid, and highly orderly characteristics of the interstellar age. However, the designer from the Rong family is clearly a genius, as Yi Zhen can see that every detail he observed was harmoniously integrated, following a logic that is self-consistent.
Following the map provided by Tai’a, he gradually made his way out of the deserted corridor. Along the way, the servants he encountered looked at him with peculiar gazes, whispering among themselves. Their murmurs were loud enough that even from ten meters away, Yi Zhen could easily detect them.
Ar3 y0u r34ding th1s 0n https://rottentledits.blogspot.com/ ? If n0t, 1t's b33n st0l3n! C0m3 r34d 0n th3 OG s1t3. N0 ads, 4nd 1t k33ps m3 m0t1v4t3d~[Such an unprofessional employee,] Tai’a criticized with the stern gaze of an experienced AI system.
“No,” Yi Zhen retorted earnestly,“It’s all in order to make me feel mortified and deeply humiliated. As supporting characters in the original story, they would have had to abandon their professional ethics to achieve this goal.”
Moving slightly closer, Yi Zhen could barely make out the gossiping voices.
“……Look quickly, why has he come down today?”
“It goes without saying. Mr. Rong just left, so he was finally able to crawl out of bed…”
“Shhh, be careful lest he overhears...”
Yi Zhen: “...”
My dear little servants, you might as well hold up a loudspeaker and recite right into my ear. Evidently, your volume standards aren’t “lower your voice, he’ll hear you,” but rather, “let’s speak louder just in case he can’t hear us.”
Yi Zhen walked over, the sound of conversation still continuing.
“……Look quickly, why has he come down today?”
“It goes without saying. Mr. Rong just left, so he was finally able to crawl out of bed…”
“Shhh, be careful lest he overhears...”
Ah, it turns out that you’re just programmed NPCs, with your lines on a loop.
Ignoring the servants’ gossiping, Yi Zhen walked straight into the dining room, the hanging lamp above emitting a sunlight-like brightness—or perhaps it was actual sunlight. The old butler hurriedly led several servants through the hall, his face etched with worry. “Mr. Yi—”
Indeed, a sad and bitter face; the butler’s disposition never changed. A soft-hearted, indecisive fellow, disapproving of Rong Hongxue’s actions; yet, with little say in the matter. The original text never mentioned his name, thus, Yi Zhen was unaware of it as well.
“What’s wrong,” Yi Zhen watched him, “What’s happened?”
The old steward was worried, his wrinkled face full of distress, and his two white mustaches kept trembling. In this world where the strong were everywhere and those who relied on cheats were as common as dogs, everyone seemed to maintain a youthful appearance. As for him, however, he did not follow the trend and was instead uniquely aged. This was probably due to his character setting. After all, with his forehead creased and brows furrowed all day long, how could he be young?
“What are you... intending to do?” He carefully observed Yi Zhen. “Master Rong has only been gone a short while. This time, he’s on official duty, and he might not be able to return for a long while. You shouldn’t...”
“Not coming back for a long while? Well, that’s delightful news.” Yi Zhen casually remarked, “I’m getting a little hungry. Is there anything to eat?”
The old butler visibly sagged with relief.
“If you would please take a seat,” he gestured toward a chair, “a meal will be ready shortly.”
Yi Zhen shouted, “Remember to add more meat! Don’t make it too bland.”
The old butler seemed a little surprised, but he didn’t say much; his white beard trembled, so Yi Zhen took it as him silently saying, “Very well.”
Before long, Yi Zhen looked at the exquisitely plated, steaming dishes in front of him, his eyebrows furrowing in confusion.
“Is this... steak?” He picked up a piece with his fork. “It’s steak, right? Not fake, real steak?”
The butler’s mustache twitched in pride. “That’s right, top-grade Wagyu from Rainbow Star’s exclusive ranch. The unique climate there causes the pasture to thrive in the snowfields, contributing to Rainbow Star’s celebrated Wagyu. Grilled to perfection, the fat has evenly melted into the meat’s texture. With every slice, the knife glides through it, feeling as smooth as silk or the finest, softest butter...”
Yi Zhen whispered to Tai’a, “Did I hear that correctly? Did he just say ’‘beef’? How has this so-called superior ingredient not gone extinct after thousands of years, and instead, is making a comeback in the great interstellar age?”
Tai’a said: [What are you expecting? A salad of strange, flesh-eating flowers, the steamed pincers of a radiated insect, or the stir-fried casings of burrowing earthworms?]
Yi Zhen: “Even if the ingredients you mentioned are unusual, I still firmly believe that they are the common foods of the people nowadays, not...beef, swan eggs, and this sea urchin roe, each of which has its own emotional origin story.”
[You still lack understanding,] Taia said, [In an era far ahead of its time, to be able to preserve and meticulously reproduce the traditional scenes of the old days, that in itself is a skill beyond the ordinary person’s imagination, a display of extraordinary strength and influence only afforded to the elite.]
Just as Yi Zhen was holding up a wagyu steak, ready to engage in an epic debate with Tai’a, a series of tapping footsteps approached from afar, like the pecking of a bird’s beak on the ground, lightly heading towards the dining area.
Ar3 y0u r34ding th1s 0n https://rottentledits.blogspot.com/ ? If n0t, 1t's b33n st0l3n! C0m3 r34d 0n th3 OG s1t3. N0 ads, 4nd 1t k33ps m3 m0t1v4t3d~“Uncle Guan, I’m hungry!” The lively and unrestrained greeting of the young girl arrived before her figure appeared in front of Yi Zhen, “Hurry up and get me something to eat. Less sweet, not salty, more sour and spicy. No fish or meat, I want a whole table full!”
Is this the legendary way of eating that goes “besides alcohol and soup, give me the entire menu!”?
“Who is this?” asked Yi Zhen in a bewildered tone, “Which side character is this?”
[She first appeared on page 14 of the original work. She is Ai Ling, Rong Hongxue’s cousin.] Tai’a reminded him.
Yi Zhen understood. “So, that’s who it is.”
In the early courtship, there was a rather eye-catching stereotype of “antagonist”. Her (the antagonist’s) father was a sworn younger brother to the mother of Rong Hong Xue before she was abandoned to the wilderness. When Rong Hong Xue became the master of the Rong family, she also came along, even though she was considered a relative without blood ties.
According to the original plot, this girl, who had once risen from rags to riches like a phoenix, was both self-abasing and arrogant at heart. At a young age, she was already a Class B Mecha Pilot, and the male lead’s cousin. However, due to living on a frontier planet for many years, she could not escape being labeled as a “country bumpkin” and was unpopular among her peers on the Central Planet. Put simply, she had very few friends.
“Consequently, I, as an unfaithful and immoral widower, played the role of a mirror against which she measured herself, providing her with a superior moral standing.” Yi Zhen spoke thoughtfully.
[I believe this is an accurate interpretation.]
“So, her surname is Ai?” Yi Zhen inquired curiously. “That’s a rather uncommon surname.”
After a moment of silence, Tai’a responded, [No, her surname is not Ai. According to the tradition of this era, numerous people inherit the surnames of their ancestors. Those pioneers who explored the universe, those original natives from the beginning, how did they choose their surnames? By stars, landforms, minerals, mountains, rivers, lakes, and seas.]
[Her full name is Airelynn(e/n: 艾灵·天心石 / Ai Ling Tianxinshi : chinese dictionary link , I put the literal for a comedic effect, will prolly stick to pinyin in the future) Heavenheart Stone.]
Yi Zhen speared a piece of beef with his fork, “...The original work doesn’t mention it, so this is now entering the realm of my ignorance.”
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e/n: cough... this novel takes so much brainpower... cultivation terms, interstellar terms, witty banter everywhere.... I'll begin stockpiling chapters slowly over here :D
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