[Congratulations, host! You have completed the fourth world and have been awarded 13 points!]
'13, huh? So Jiang Lu won in the end?' Yu Qingyu immediately asked, before his senses even fully connected to his new body.
[Yes, the goal of the mission has been completed successfully. However, some points were deducted, mainly because of the lack of Host's participation in the final match, but also because of unsatisfactory performance.]
Yu Qingyu nodded his head lightly in agreement. He expected such an outcome. In fact, he thought he would receive even fewer points. 13 points might not have been that much, but at least he completed the mission.
Feeling a faint tingling at the end of his fingertips, he took a deep breath, and exhaling the air slowly, he opened up his eyes, his eyelashes fluttering.
He was sitting on the floor by a low, wooden table. Right in front of him, there was a beautiful ceramic teacup, filled to the brims with freshly brewed tea, steam still rising from the liquid's surface, dancing in the air. The fragrance was rich and alluring, nothing like the cheap teas Yu Qingyu usually bought in the supermarket. Not much further laid an elegant straight sword, hidden within a dark, sleek scabbard, covered in exquisite golden carvings.
As he leaned forward, a strand of long, inky hair slipped from behind his ear. Yu Qingyu rolled it around his fingers, taking a glance around the simple, undecorated room, then at the lilac inner robes he was wearing.
Was it some sort of ancient Chinese setting? Or cultivation, perhaps?
'520, fill me in on the next mission,' he asked his system, listening to the relaxing sounds of birds chirping and rippling of a stream coming from the outside.
[Of course. Your current identity is Gu Sihe, courtesy Huiji, the master of Chunren Peak from Lanshan Sect, one of the most influential cultivation sects in the martial world. As a Peak Master, it is your responsibility to train your disciples, and choose your successor from among them.]
[Your mission is to ensure that your oldest disciple, Zhao Chen, courtesy Weixin, gains recognition, and gets approved as the future master of Chunren Peak by the Sect Leader and other Peak Masters!]
[Time limit: 5 years.]
'5 years!?' Yu Qingyu, who was just about to take a sip of the tea, froze in place, as if struck by the lighting. 'So long?'
[This is the maximum time Host is given to complete the mission. If Host is capable of accomplishing it within a month, then the mission will naturally end within the month,] 520 explained.
'Hmm…' Yu Qingyu rubbed his chin, lost in thought. 'How many points is the mission worth then?'
[For a perfect completion of the mission you can be rewarded with 100 points.]
Yu Qingyu felt as if he was struck by the lighting once again. How difficult must the mission be to be worth 100 points? His last one was worth only 30!
'Isn't that a bit too sudden spike in difficulty? Are all the missions going to be like that from now on?' he probed 520 anxiously. Although technically high-value missions meant he could complete his contract sooner, he lacked the confidence to tackle them right now…
[The missions are not necessarily sorted by their difficulty, with the exception of the first two missions, which were meant for Host to get accustomed to working with the system. For example, according to my data, the next mission will be worth 75 points, making it slightly easier than the current one.]
Staring at the vapors swirling in the air above the teacup, Yu Qingyu let out a long sigh, and shook his head. There was still so much he didn't know about how his contract with the system functioned, even though his life was literally bound to it. But there was no point pondering about it too much. The only thing he could do was to move forward anyway. 'Alright. Transfer all the necessary knowledge to me, then.'
The information started abruptly flowing into his mind, giving him an intense headache. Massaging his aching temple, he slowly got up, and with the cup of tea in his hand, he walked over to the window.
The scenery outside had a calming effect. From between the pine trees, the view opened to a vast expanse of mountain ridges, smudged by the morning mist, which, gradually receding, revealed a lustrous teal lake hidden in the valley below. Peaks and sky reflecting in the clear water surface created an image so beautiful that it took Yu Qingyu's breath away, instantly lifting his mood.
Even when 520 spoke up again in his mind, announcing the arrival of system 748 in this world, Yu Qingyu still couldn't take his eyes away.
He took a sip of his tea, remaining calm. He was prepared for this possibility, although his chest still tightened, his breathing becoming slightly uneven after hearing 520's words.
So, Liu Wei was here. And, most likely, his goal was to mess with Yu Qingyu's mission again.
'520, you said that the systems cannot access any information regarding other system's hosts, right? Meaning, Liu Wei's system cannot tell him about my current identity or mission, right?' he asked, seeking reassurance.
[Yes, that is correct.]
Yu Qingyu nodded lightly, his shoulders relaxing. They have already discussed it several times in the previous world, planning the possible course of action he could take should Liu Wei appear again, but he still needed confirmation. His life depended on it, after all, so he couldn't take it easy.
Since Liu Wei was here, Yu Qingyu couldn't just proceed with his mission as he'd normally do. Instead, he needed to remain vigilant, trying to conceal his identity and goal from his opponent. If Liu Wei didn't know what Yu Qingyu had to achieve, then he wouldn't be able to get in his way.
'Alright. Then, what is Gu Huiji's personality and behavior?'
To take the identity flawlessly, he needed to be prepared. Liu Wei, having also just transmigrated, wouldn't be able to pick up on the changes in the Peak Master, but other people would. And if gossip were to spread, it would undoubtedly reach his ears eventually.
[Well, for the starters, he is a very open and talkative person. Well-liked within the sect, and quite respected within the martial world.]
Yu Qingyu nodded his head, a small smile appearing on his face. He wasn't particularly talkative himself, but he was still a very sociable person, who preferred other people's company over solitude. Talking a bit more wouldn't pose much of a challenge.
[He is also quite a ferocious fighter. He enjoys slaying monsters and demonic creatures, and never gets tired of it!]
The smile still remained plastered over Yu Qingyu's face, although it became visibly forced. His fingers holding the tea cup tensed.
Yu Qingyu wasn't a courageous person. The idea of fighting monsters gave him chills. B-but, he inherited Gu Huiji's martial arts, so he should be fine… Right?
[He is also well-known as a womanizer. Although he never had any illicit affairs, he loves to flirt with women whenever he has an opportunity.]
The cup slipped from Yu Qingyu's hand and crashed on the floor.
That…
That was simply impossible!
Yu Qingyu has never been much of a flirt in the first place. He was shy when it came to love! Moreover, when it came to women, his flirting experience was non-existent, and he was never interested in changing it. After all, he was only ever attracted to men…
Covering his face with his hands, he let out a short, hysterical chuckle.
He was doomed! There was no way he would ever fully impersonate Gu Huiji!