"Xiao Yi, I've completed the task. Shouldn't I get my reward now?" Fang Jueyu exited the live streaming platform, eagerly asking for his reward.
"Stage task completed. First-level access unlock progress increased by 2%, total progress is now 2%. Additional reward: double physical enhancement!"
It was as if an electric current flowed through his body. Fang Jueyu felt a mysterious energy surging from every cell, strengthening his muscles, toughening his bones, and even sharpening his mind.
"Awesome!" The euphoric feeling, which seemed to reach down to his soul, made him shout out loud.
The state lasted for a full five minutes. Fang Jueyu felt as if he'd been given a completely new body. "Rebirth" might be a more accurate description.
"Host, your muscle strength, bone density, brain cell activity, and all other physical metrics have doubled from their original state!"
"This is real!" Fang Jueyu, though he hadn't done any formal testing, could clearly feel the difference in his body. "What was that warm sensation just now?"
"That was the energy released by your ancestors when they unlocked their body's potential. The excess energy was absorbed by the system, allowing me to give it back to you to help enhance your body," Xiao Yi explained.
"Is there more of that energy?"
"Of course. The energy accumulated over 99 generations is enough to turn you from an ordinary person into an almost invincible superhuman," Xiao Yi knew what Fang Jueyu was thinking. "But your father instructed not to use too much of it, as it could negatively affect your future growth."
"My dad thought this through well." Fang Jueyu understood. This kind of rapid enhancement had short-term benefits, but real strength would come as his access level increased.
"Wait a minute, what's that smell?" Suddenly, a foul, nauseating odor hit his nose.
"Those are the impurities in your body. While enhancing you, I took the liberty of clearing them out. You might want to take a shower!"
"You could've told me earlier!" Fang Jueyu quickly stripped down and rushed into the bathroom.
There was quite a lot of grime. Fang Jueyu scrubbed for ages to get rid of it all, and even the floor was covered in a disgusting black liquid. He had to rinse several times before the smell finally disappeared.
He wiped the fog off the mirror and, looking at his reflection, found himself a little unfamiliar.
Fang Jueyu had originally been quite ordinary in appearance, not very tall, and even somewhat skinny. But in the mirror, there was a face with sharp, well-defined features, and he even somewhat resembled his father, Fang Huai. His height had also increased by almost five centimeters, putting him over 1.8 meters. Most astonishing of all, his once-slim body now had well-defined muscles!
"My God, am I dreaming?" Fang Jueyu touched his body. If it weren't for the recognizable contours of his face, he wouldn't have believed it was really him.
"While enhancing the host, I also modified your genes. Your appearance is now gradually shifting towards the most perfect human form!"
"Are my parents like this too?" Fang Jueyu finally understood why his parents, despite being close to fifty, still had such enviable looks and figures.
"Your parents underwent traditional potential development, so their genes are naturally even more refined. They won't age, and in the future, you can achieve the same."
"Wait, you're part of my family's ancestral system, passed down for generations. What about my mom? Can this potential development be taught to others?"
"Yes, but there are certain conditions that must be met. You'll understand in due time," Xiao Yi replied. "Oh, by the way, I contacted a family steward for you just now. He's waiting outside. Do you want to meet him?"
"A steward? My family has a steward?" Fang Jueyu was almost too shocked to react.
"He's someone who was helped by the 98th-generation host, your grandfather. His purpose is to manage some of the Fang family's assets and be ready to serve you at any time."
"He's already here?"
"Yes, right outside the door!"
"Well, I guess I should meet him." It didn't seem polite to keep someone waiting at the door, so Fang Jueyu dried himself off and quickly headed to the entrance.
When he opened the door, there were two people standing outside: a man who looked to be around sixty years old and a girl about Fang Jueyu's age.
The old man was dressed in traditional Tang-style clothing. Despite his age, he had the air of someone who had been in a position of power for a long time, an aura Fang Jueyu had only seen on high-ranking officials or business magnates.
The girl, standing about 1.68 meters tall, was beyond beautiful. Words like "pretty" didn't do her justice, especially with her long, perfectly-proportioned legs that made Fang Jueyu sneak a second glance.
"So alike, just too alike!" The old man seemed to become incoherent with excitement the moment he saw Fang Jueyu. "You must be Young Master Fang, right?"
"What? Young... Young Master Fang?" Fang Jueyu wasn't used to being addressed like that. Who still used titles like "young master" in this day and age?
"Sir, who are you?"
"Oh, pardon my rudeness. Young Master Fang, my name is Zhuang Hanzhong, and this is my granddaughter, Zhuang Ying. We've been managing part of your family's assets. We received word that you've officially inherited all the Fang family's assets, so I've come to report on your share." The old man spoke respectfully.
"Oh, I see. Sir, please come inside. It must be tiring standing out there." Fang Jueyu stepped aside and invited the two inside.
"It seems the young master is quite a decent person!" Zhuang Ying, who had been nervous about whether Fang Jueyu would be difficult to get along with, felt a bit more at ease.
"Sir, please have a seat. I only found out about our family's assets yesterday, so I'll need you to explain everything in detail."
"Young Master Fang, you can just call me Old Zhuang, or Uncle Zhuang if you prefer," the old man replied.
During their conversation, Fang Jueyu learned that Zhuang Hanzhong had been helped by his grandfather, Fang Su, in his youth, and had since diligently managed the assets Fang Su entrusted to him.
"I'm getting old, and some things are beyond my capabilities now. My sons are managing those businesses, but I think you'll need a personal assistant, and I believe my granddaughter Zhuang Ying could help you."
"What? An assistant? But I'm not some company boss; I'm just a college student. Why would I need an assistant?" Fang Jueyu waved his hands dismissively. How could he handle having such a beautiful girl follow him around?
"Haha," Zhuang Hanzhong chuckled. "Young Master Fang, even if you don't have any business affairs, you'll still need someone to manage your funds, right? You can't personally handle every transaction."
It almost felt like he was advertising his granddaughter. "Don't be fooled by her youth; she's completed her master's in economics and management from Oxford. You can leave all these matters to her."
"That sounds pretty good!" Fang Jueyu nodded. He knew next to nothing about his assets. If he ran out of money, he wouldn't even know where to pull funds from. Who knew what crazy spending tasks Xiao Yi would give him next?