Lin Shao Gives Up on Thinking

“Di Yao’er?”

The first thing that came to Lin Shao’s mind was that the Sovereign of Great Shang was supposedly named Di Yao. Usually, to avoid taboo or showing disrespect, one wouldn’t pick a name like Di Yao’er, right?

The second thing was her surname—Di—while her sister’s surname was Wang. Why did biological sisters have different last names?

“Hey, where’s your sister?” After a while without seeing Wang Yao return, Lin Shao asked.

Di Yao suppressed a smile. “She had some business and went back first.” Looking at Lin Shao’s furrowed brow, she couldn’t help but let out a soft laugh. “You’re really staying in character.”

“Character?” Lin Shao was puzzled. “What character?”

“Nothing.”

Di Yao walked in and sat in the original chair. She leaned forward, resting her elbows on her knees and cupping her chin with her hands like a flower petal, gazing at Lin Shao with a gaze full of tenderness.

‘Starting over.’ These two words held infinite possibilities.

Before, her relationship with Master was that of mentor and disciple. She had desperately wanted to take a step further from that foundation, but she had never succeeded.

But now, with everything starting over, did it mean it would be easier to develop a different kind of relationship with Master? For example, companions… or even husband and wife?

The thought made her heart race with excitement.

Lin Shao wasn’t made of wood; he could clearly see the deep affection in Di Yao’er’s eyes. However, he didn’t link it to romantic feelings. Based on his conversation with the “older sister” earlier—how her attitude turned warm and kind the moment she heard he had “resurrected”—Lin Shao couldn’t help but wonder if these two sisters were mentally stable.

What if this younger sister was just like her elder sister, viewing him as some rare “resurrected specimen”? To take it a step further… would they kidnap him and freeze him into a statue for their collection?

At this thought, what Lin Shao felt from Di Yao’er’s gaze wasn’t warmth, but a chill of dread.

“You heard everything outside just now?” he tested.

Di Yao nodded emphatically. “Mhm. I know everything. Or, if we’re starting over… is it better to pretend I don’t know?”

Lin Shao gave a dry laugh. “Why torture yourself? Why do something so awkward as pretending not to know when you clearly do?”

Di Yao smiled. “Indeed. Who would do something so awkward?”

‘Why can’t I understand a single word this girl is saying?’ A bead of sweat rolled down Lin Shao’s cheek. He tried his best to untangle the current situation, but it was a total mess. Finally, he gave up.

‘Forget it, forget it. Whatever happens, happens. As long as I can pluck some wool from this fat sheep, it’s fine. Once I cure Mu Li’s eyes, we’re leaving this city overnight. Dammit, why is talking to these people so exhausting!’

Returning to business, he put on his professional, polite smile and said softly:

“Do you wish to exchange for information about the System?”

Di Yao’er turned serious. Her Master had chosen to reincarnate; she respected his choice and supported him fully. But there was a trouble called the “System” waiting to be dealt with. If it wasn’t resolved in time, it might disturb Master’s peaceful life.

‘Wait. Master provided the poems… could it be he intentionally used them to lure me here to tell me about the System? Meaning everything from the auction until now was calculated by Master!’

‘Master wants a relaxed and easy life, so he decided to break with his past. But because the System is a lingering threat, he still has a sliver of connection to that past. He wants to use the hands of us disciples to eradicate the System, so he designed this to pass the information to me.’

In an instant, Di Yao felt a surge of pride, as if she had been entrusted with a heavy responsibility by her Master.

‘I must resolve the System and ensure it doesn’t affect Master’s current life. Once it’s dealt with, I can formally be with him as Di Yao’er, and no one will ever interfere again.’

With a goal and newfound motivation, Di Yao’er was full of energy. She nodded to Lin Shao:

“Please tell me more about the System.”

Lin Shao smiled happily and was about to discuss payment when he saw Di Yao’er pick up the sketch from the wooden table. After a moment of thought, she asked:

“Are these three ancient swords very important to you?”

“One of the three ancient blades, the Spirit Void Sword, is kept within the Wanjiang Pavilion. I—my sister is an acquaintance of the Pavilion Master. If you need it, my sister can have her bring the Spirit Void Sword here for your inspection.”

‘Huh? Do the three swords in my dream have real-world counterparts?’

Lin Shao stroked his chin, feeling pleasantly surprised. As a transmigrator, he was very attentive to prophetic visions. Since he suddenly dreamed of three ancient swords and a coffin, it likely had something to do with his “Golden Finger.”

Maybe if he gathered the three swords, he could open the coffin. Inside, there might be a miraculous treasure, or perhaps the remains of the Senior Transmigrator himself. If he inherited the remains, he could become the second Immortal of the Great Thousand World.

It was a beautiful fantasy. If obtaining these swords required risking his life, Lin Shao might have given up. After all, his only wish was to cure Mu Li and find a peaceful place to live happily together. But according to Di Yao’er, there was no risk involved—he just had to ask to see one of them.

“Obtaining” it might be an exaggeration—”seeing” it was more like it. But maybe just seeing it would trigger a quest condition?

Anyway, it didn’t cost a cent. There was no harm in trying.

Lin Shao nodded. “Fine. Then I’ll trouble you to persuade your sister to invite the Pavilion Master over.” At the end, he added, “Consider this your payment for this round of System intel.”

If someone was willing to pay, he had to provide a return. If he always “leeched” and made the other party feel cheated, they’d never do business with him again. In the long run, he’d be the loser.

As someone who liked to maximize benefits, Lin Shao understood this logic well.

“What clues about the System do you want to know?”

Di Yao’er thought for a bit and asked, “Is the System very powerful?”

Lin Shao nodded. “Extremely powerful.”

Di Yao’er pursed her lips. To be acknowledged as “powerful” by Master, the System must be formidable indeed. It seemed they would have to wait for Second Senior Sister to break through to Level 9 and gather everyone’s strength to have a chance at winning.

“You have two questions left.” Lin Shao’s lips curled into a smile.

Di Yao’er asked again: “What is the System’s ability?”

Lin Shao answered quickly: “Omnipotence.”

‘Omnipotent…’ It sounded incredibly difficult to handle. Even Master had never claimed to be omnipotent. This System actually had such vast capability.

“You have one last question.”

Di Yao’er asked: “Does the System have any weaknesses?”

‘The System doesn’t really have obvious weaknesses. Comparatively, the Host is the biggest weakness—if the Host dies, the System goes with them.’ Lin Shao thought for a long while before answering: “The Immortal Venerable.”

Di Yao’er felt a surge of joy. That meant the System feared her Master! As long as Master took action, he could definitely subdue it. But then she felt a pang of worry. Master was determined to break with the past and surely wouldn’t intervene personally. They would have to rely on themselves. She wondered what kind of ordeal this System—which was a simple fix in Master’s eyes—would pose for them.

She nodded. She really wanted to stay and talk more with Lin Shao, but right now, the most important focus had to be the System. As Second Senior Sister said, only by resolving the System could they peacefully find Master—or in her case, peacefully date Master.

After a few polite words, she rose to say goodbye. Di Yao’er passed the century-old scholar tree. When she emerged from behind it, she had shifted into her Empress mode. With a slight shimmer of her body, she vanished on the spot.

It was time to invite the Chief Master of the Wanjiang Pavilion, Shao Qingnü, to bring the Spirit Void Sword for a visit.

TL Note: “Omnipotence” here refers to the common trope of game-like systems in novels that can grant any wish or power, though Lin Shao is using it somewhat hyperbolically.