Oh no! My grandmother made me shoulder the responsibility for eight households!

Chapter 516 The Truth About the System

"I am the spirit of the Nine-Story Chaos Pagoda."

"My master is at the peak of the God-Emperor realm."

"He failed to transcend and vanished into the world."

"Before his death, he sealed all his knowledge, his treasures, and his wishes into this pagoda and cast it into the turbulent flow of time and space, waiting for a destined person to enter."

Lin Chen remained silent for a moment.

Am I the one destined for us?

"You are the ninth successor chosen by the pagoda."

"The first eight, they're all dead."

Lin Chen's lips twitched.

"Are they all dead?"

"They're all dead."

"How did he die?"

"greedy."

The spirit's voice was calm and undisturbed.

"After they obtained the pagoda, they wanted more—more power, more lifespan, more worlds."

"They wanted everything, but in the end they got nothing."

"You mean, I'm not greedy?"

"You are not greedy."

The spirit paused.

"At least, they're not as greedy as them."

Lin Chen thought about it and realized that he was indeed not greedy.

Aside from being a bit lecherous, he just wanted to live a simple life, cuddling his wife and holding his children, basking in the sun, and listening to some tunes.

What do you mean by "number one in the world" or "lasting forever"? I don't care who it is.

"Why did you choose me?" Lin Chen asked.

"Your soul, your physique, your temperament, your fortune—these are all important."

"But these aren't the most important things." The spirit paused.

"Most importantly, you are not greedy."

"Your previous life... in your local dialect, was too Buddhist, so I chose to give you a try."

"Fortunately, I haven't given up hope yet. After you obtained the 'System,' you didn't use it to dominate the world or plunder resources."

"You use it to—live your life."

Lin Chen's lips twitched: "Living a normal life?"

"Yes, you use it to take care of your family, protect your friends, and enjoy life."

"The first eight successors were too greedy. They wanted more, they wanted to be stronger, they wanted to transcend, they wanted immortality."

"They obtained the pagoda, but they were never satisfied."

"They wanted everything, but in the end they got nothing."

"The pagoda was just a tool, not an end, but they treated the tool as an end, and that's why they failed."

The spirit sighed, its voice lowering as if it had remembered something it didn't want to recall.

"You already know the truth about the system."

"I created it based on your memories. Those check-ins, lotteries, and tasks are all to help you grow faster and adapt to this world more quickly."

Lin Chen's fingers twitched slightly.

The reason I'm only telling you the truth now is because—the probationary period is over.

"Probationary period?"

"From the first day you came into this world until the moment you heard me speak."

"I've been observing you, observing how you do things, how you treat people, how you face difficulties, and how you enjoy life."

"You passed."

The spirit's voice rose a few decibels, as if announcing something very important.

"You passed, so the truth is revealed."

"You won't pass. The truth will never be revealed. You will live your whole life carrying the lie of 'the system'."

"But you passed. You were not greedy, arrogant, proud, or impatient."

"You treat your family, friends, and subordinates with great care."

Enjoy life and cherish the present.

"Unlike the previous eight, you are not blinded by power."

"You're fine."

Lin Chen remained silent for a long time.

He didn't know what to say.

He was investigated by a tower for two years.

All his words and actions, all his choices, all his joys and sorrows, were recorded and examined, judged, and scored by a tower.

He was recognized by a tower.

I can't quite tell whether I feel honored or awkward.

Lin Chen gave a wry smile and said, "I have one last question."

"ask."

"What is this extraterrestrial passage? Where do those monsters come from? Why do they appear only once every ten thousand years?"

The spirit paused for a moment and then said:

"The truth about the extraterrestrial passage is that the will of heaven and earth on the Tianyuan Continent has declined."

Lin Chen was stunned for a moment.

"Is the will of Heaven and Earth declining?"

You can interpret it as—the world is sick.

"The will of heaven and earth is like the human body's immune system."

It maintains the operation of this world, the stability of the laws of heaven and earth, and the balance of the spiritual energy cycle.

"But it's too old."

"I don't even know how many years the Tianyuan Continent has existed."

"The will of heaven and earth of Tianyuan Continent has decayed."

"It's like an old tree with rotten roots, a hollow trunk, and fallen leaves. It's still holding on, but it won't last much longer."

"Its decline caused a gap to appear in the barrier between heaven and earth on the Tianyuan Continent. That gap is the passage to the outer realm."

"At the other end of the passage lies the chaotic void, inhabited by countless extraterrestrial creatures. They have no reason, no emotions, only instinct."

"Eat everything that has life."

"In the past, the will of heaven and earth was strong, and the barrier was solid, so they could not get in."

"Now that there's a gap in the barrier, they've poured in."

Lin Chen processed this information.

"So, that crack appeared because the will of heaven and earth was too weak to withstand it?"

"Exactly."

Lin Chen remained silent for a moment.

"So what do we do? Just watch the world rot away?"

The spirit's voice suddenly changed, becoming... meaningful.

"There is a way."

"What method?"

"You can refine the will of heaven and earth into an avatar."

Lin Chen was stunned.

"Refining the will of heaven and earth? What kind of operation is that?"

"The will of heaven and earth has no wisdom, no consciousness, only instinct."

"It's like a machine that's been running for too long; the parts are worn out, the program is malfunctioning, but it's still barely functioning."

"You can replace it."

"To become the new ruler of the Tianyuan Continent."

"At that time, you can become the universe and bring this world back to life."

Lin Chen's eyes lit up, then dimmed again.

"Wait, if I refine the will of heaven and earth into an avatar, and my body becomes the universe, what will happen to my original body?"

"Your avatar exists between heaven and earth, but your true self remains the same; the two coexist without affecting each other."

"It's like a company having two bosses?"

"You can understand it that way."

Lin Chen thought for a moment.

"If I refine the will of heaven and earth, will I be able to control the entire Tianyuan Continent?"

"Yes."

"Can you make it thunder and rain whenever you want?"

"Yes."

"You can just kill whoever you want?"

"...Yes, but you won't do that."

How do you know I can't?

The spirit was silent for a moment.

"Because you are a true villain, not a hypocrite."

Lin Chen smiled.

"I take your words as a compliment."

"It was meant as a compliment."

Lin Chen then asked, "What conditions are needed to refine the will of heaven and earth?"

"Great Emperor cultivation level."

"The Emperor?"

"Yes, the Great Emperor can control a world."

"But if you want to break through to the Great Emperor level, you have to rely on yourself. This step is an insurmountable barrier that has stopped countless geniuses and prodigies."

Lin Chen remained silent for a moment.

"So, I have to cultivate to the Great Emperor level before I can refine the will of heaven and earth?"

"Yes."

"What about the extraterrestrial passage? What about those monsters? Before I even reach the Great Emperor level, this world might be gone."