"Is that the system's rule, or are you hiding something?"
Wan Zheng's eyes narrowed.
He didn't flinch, nor was he scared at the fact that leaving this bound system would mean death.
It was only the fact that he was not a suicidal man that kept him from choosing such a ridiculous end.
Why would he throw away a new life given to him just because he didn't want a system?
He didn't consider himself a fool.
While waiting for an answer from the system, he weighed the pouch of coins in his hand.
Not too heavy, but not enough.
"Host, as a system, we cannot lie, for we possess no soul."
"You're leaving an impression. You are a complete tool at my disposal."
"...Yes."
"Tell me everything and let me know if talking to you is worth the time."
The SSS-Ranked Treasures Bidding System began transmitting all the information directly into the host's consciousness.
In less than five minutes, Wan Zheng grasped, comprehended, and perceived the true purpose of the system.
"Twelve SSS-Ranked Heavenly Artifacts, you say?"
"...."
"You're a greedy System, and you're giving me a lot of trouble." Wan Zheng chuckled lowly.
His slender fingers picked up the silver ring, observing the prompt details just as before.
[500 Copper Coins, No-Grade Mortal Artifact.]
After analyzing everything, Wan Zheng realized this system's goal was far from simple task completion.
It was greedy, ambitious, and sought domination.
To rid himself of it, Wan Zheng would need to collect all twelve SSS high-ranking Heavenly Artifacts.
They were scattered across the Nine Realms of the Tian Meng Continent.
Heh, that's not all.
What Wan Zheng understood was that this was far from a simple cultivation world.
It's a world following the plot trajectory of a male protagonist novel his nephew had been listening to.
He had also been forced to listen to it over the past few nights before his assassination.
The Tian Meng Continent is a world created within the story of a highly popular male protagonist cultivation novel known as Destroying the Heavens in Devil's Way.
In the novel, the male protagonist is a half-demon, half-godspawn who grew up as the mortal son in a noble house of powerful figures.
He was bullied and shamed for most of his childhood.
But like any other cliché male power fantasy, he eventually brought every world to its knees after acquiring his golden finger, the Twelve High-Ranking Heavenly Artifacts scattered across the Nine Realms of Tian Meng.
This male protagonist took his revenge for his broken past. His reputation and fame grew until everyone feared him.
When he rose to power across the Nine Realms, he was ruthless, ensuring that anyone who stood in his way faced his wrath.
Along the way of his journey, as a typical male protagonist of a stallion novel, he did not neglect romance.
He built a harem of ten thousand beauties across the Nine Realms.
With hundreds of main wives awaiting him on his bed.
When Wan Zheng heard it, he frowned, ready to scold his nephew for reading such trashy books.
The nephew, seeing his uncle's cold, sharp eyes, quickly defended himself by criticizing the male protagonist instead.
"What a messed-up male MC! I thought his system was so cool and powerful, but he actually turned out this terrible. How can he do it hundreds of times in a night? Doesn't he get tired from all those flowers to… suck?"
Wan Zheng picked up a thousand-dollar pen and threw it at his nephew's head to stop the audiobook at once.
At the same time, he was punishing him for speaking such vulgar things in the office.
Later, the male protagonist of the novel was able to unite all Nine Realms and became the true Emperor of the Nine Realms of Tian Meng.
He lived happily with his wives, sons, and hundreds of descendants for thousands of years.
Wan Zheng didn't care whether it ended happily or sadly.
He wanted to punish his nephew for crying with joy instead of focusing on his work.
Inside this dark cultivation world of that stallion male protagonist, Wan Zheng was not afraid of his future.
For him, he only needed to make sure he survived and lived well after the protagonist united the Nine Realms.
As for the system bound to his soul, he had no plans to follow its goal.
After all, those twelve high-ranking Heavenly Artifacts belonged to the male protagonist.
Isn't this system asking him to become the male protagonist's enemy?
It wasn't worth the trouble, and he was fine living like a common mortal.
Stepping out of the room, the system stayed silent unless addressed, which was a great relief to Wan Zheng.
"Husband? Husband, you're awake? I've already cooked your morning meal." Mu Ruying spoke in a slow, careful tone.
She silently watched Wan Zheng's face for any sign of a violent reaction.
Thinking of last night's events, she was sure her husband would not let her off easily.
Her fingers dug into the hem of her skirt, trembling with nervousness as she braced for a possible strike to her face.
Seconds passed, yet nothing came, no angry curses, no hard slap, just her husband's silent gaze.
Mu Ruying couldn't help but start explaining herself in a trembling, pleading voice.
"Husband… last night. I didn't mean to do that. I'm sorry, I'm sorry… can you punish me later? I have to go to the fields soon."
Near the dining table, her two eldest sons were helping place the wooden bowls, stiff and tense.
Both silently watched their mother, hearts pounding with nervousness.
They were afraid she might be scolded or beaten by their father.
Wan Zheng noticed their nervousness at once.
He knew it was a trauma response from experiences with an abusive husband and father, so he chose to either endure it or turn a blind eye.
Wan Zheng's raised his hand, offering the pouch of copper coins worth one tael to Mu Ruying.
This battered wife had a small figure and a thin face.
Her chapped lips and sunken eyes made her look fragile, as if a strong wind could carry her away at any moment.
She looked as if she had never slept a day in her life.
Wan Zheng furrowed his eyebrows as she subconsciously closed her eyes in fear.
Mu Ruying probably thought she was about to be hit by her husband, which is why she had that scared reaction.
Suddenly, a strong urge to repair his poor reputation took root in Wan Zheng's mind.
He felt as if he were bullying her.
Even though Wan Zheng didn't care for Mu Ruying personally, he felt uneasy seeing a woman react to him that way.
Somehow, when Wan Zheng spoke again, his voice was light.
It carried a gentle, careful tone, though he didn't notice it himself.
"Buy some necessities we need today. Don't go into the field for now."