What was that sound?
Jiang Zhiyi tensed, her eyes scanning the surroundings.
[Ding! This system is derived from the Heavenly Dao. It is a Destiny Opportunity exclusive to the host, and only the host can hear it!]
[Ding! Unlocking Favorability Interface. Increase your Destiny Dao Companion’s favorability to obtain corresponding rewards! (Rewards can be obtained at 10, 100, 500, 1000… favorability. The higher the favorability, the better the reward!)]
What Heavenly Dao opportunity? What nonsense? Jiang Lin is the younger brother I raised. How could he possibly be my Destiny Dao Companion?
A strange unease rose in Jiang Zhiyi’s heart.
[Ding! This opportunity is entirely voluntary. Apart from the confidentiality clause (revealing this system to anyone will result in immediate annihilation of the soul), there are no negative penalties. The host can abandon this opportunity at any time, and rewards obtained in the early stages will not disappear!]
[All clauses are bound by the Heavenly Dao. Please rest assured!]
[Hint: Reaching 1000 favorability will grant the recipe for a Transcendent Realm Pill!]
[Current favorability: Pending test (Testing available!)]
Entirely voluntary? Can be abandoned anytime? And the reward was a long-lost Transcendent Realm Pill recipe?! She had been studying an incomplete version for three years with no progress. If she obtained it, she could finally leave the imperial palace!
Jiang Zhiyi’s heart stirred, but thinking of her Destiny Dao Companion being Jiang Lin made her feel both embarrassed and angry.
“Does Lin’er know about this system?”
[Ding! The other party has no knowledge of it. This system is exclusive to the host!]
“Will it affect Lin’er in any way?”
[There will be no impact. As long as the host gathers favorability from the other party, rewards can be unlocked.]
Good, that was fine. She would treat this as just another opportunity. Ignore the “Dao Companion” label. Once she obtained the Transcendent Pill recipe, she could cancel the system and it would be over. She would just think of it as making up for not paying attention to Lin’er for a long time.
He had been unhappy with her entering the palace, and probably held some resentment. Reaching 1000 favorability wouldn’t be easy.
[Ding! Host has been detected to have relatively high prior favorability with Destiny Dao Companion “Jiang Lin.” Unlocking the evaluation test interface will grant one divine-grade lottery draw.]
[Evaluation Test: Complete the test questions to receive an evaluation grade. The higher the grade, the better the extra rewards when gaining favorability rewards!] Enjoying the story? Read on at g.com.
No need to think about it—take the test!
[Evaluation starting!]
[Do you truly understand Jiang Lin…]
“Lin’er was raised by me. How could I not understand him?” Jiang Zhiyi scoffed at the question.
[Question 1: Who does Jiang Lin care about most?]
[A. Himself]
[B. Zhang Wanmeng]
[C. Jiang Zhiyi (the host)]
[D. The common people]
“Since childhood, I’ve taught Lin’er: If a man does not act for himself, heaven and earth will destroy him! To achieve greatness, a man must put himself first! I choose A—Lin’er still listens to me…” she answered confidently.
[Ding! Incorrect. Next question!]
Bang! Jiang Zhiyi slapped the table in anger.
“Lin’er, stand up!”
Jiang Lin snapped out of his daze over her long legs. What was happening? She’d been praising him just moments ago, and now she’d turned on him? This woman was dangerous.
The soul-deep pressure made him feel like a child caught misbehaving. He stood up obediently.
“What have I always told you?”
Jiang Lin was bewildered—he had no idea what was going on. “What’s wrong? Why so angry…”
With a look of bitter disappointment, Jiang Zhiyi said, “How many times have I told you? A man must not be obsessed with love and romance. You’ve been so smitten with Zhang Wanmeng—it’s disgraceful! She’s just a woman. In time, I can pressure the Zhang family to make her come to you. You can play with her if you want. But your focus must be on the great Dao, understand?”
Jiang Lin froze for a second before realizing—this was about his previous fawning over Zhang Wanmeng. That must have displeased this formidable woman.
But listen to what she was saying—“play with her”? No wonder the original Jiang Lin turned out like this. And she was a woman herself! Still, if she really did pressure the Zhang family, they might hand Zhang Wanmeng over, just like in the original plot. Then Xiao Dong would appear, heroically save her, win her heart, and crush Jiang Zhiyi’s position. Follow the newest chapters on NovelPing.
He wasn’t going to hand out experience like that. He’d lie low, develop, capture a few female leads, and only make his move once his trump cards were ready.
“I understand. I’m not interested in Zhang Wanmeng anymore. I won’t go looking for her. You can rest assured—I’ll focus on my cultivation.”
Hearing him back down, Jiang Zhiyi stopped scolding, but that didn’t mean she believed him. She knew the type she’d raised—and all men were duplicitous, always yearning for what they couldn’t have.
All she needed was to make him bored of it. She’d already arranged that yesterday. The head of the zither sect had failed a breakthrough and suffered soul damage—she’d offered two Life-Extension Pills in exchange for Zhang Wanmeng’s company. The old man had refused, but Zhang Wanmeng had agreed…
[Question 2: What does Jiang Lin enjoy doing most?]
[A. Drinking, gambling, womanizing, bullying]
[B. Traveling, listening to music, drinking tea]
[C. Diligent cultivation, improving his level]
[D. Helping others, saving the people]
“A true man should aim for diligent cultivation and pursuit of the Dao! Although Lin’er is naturally playful, I believe he knows his priorities. I choose C!”
[Ding! Incorrect. Next question!]
Bang! Another angry slap on the table.
“Useless thing—who told you to sit down?”
Jiang Lin had just sat when her sudden bark made him jolt upright. What the hell was wrong with this woman?
“What now?” he muttered.
“I’m asking you—what is the most important thing for a man to do?”
Looking at her about to explode again, Jiang Lin thought back to her usual lessons. “Not to be blinded by worldly distractions—endure a thousand years of hardship to pursue the Dao!”
Jiang Zhiyi nodded, her anger subsiding by half. “You remember it well. I hope next time you’ll keep it in your heart. If I find you losing yourself to pleasure again, I won’t forgive you!”
Jiang Lin was baffled. “I’ve been working hard lately—I’m already at late-stage Nascent Soul…”
Sensing his cultivation, Jiang Zhiyi’s anger fully dissipated. “I’ll allow that you’ve been diligent, but you must not let your mind wander. After becoming Dao heir of the Dao Heaven Sect, stay in the Dao Realm to forge your Dao heart before coming out. And suppress your cultivation—don’t reach perfected Nascent Soul unless you can form a superior-grade nascent soul. With your bloodline, I’ve prepared the 17th-ranked Poison-Heart Demon Nascent Soul for you. It will double your results with half the effort.”
Looking at her utterly serious face, Jiang Lin nodded, not daring to argue.