Chapter 7: The Worthless Dog System

The system told her a long story.

Somewhere in the years she had never known, the Blue Star had suddenly merged with this world of cultivation.

Yes, merged. The entire planet had fused into this world without warning.

And then the people of Blue Star discovered, to their delight, that this world not only possessed cultivation, the technology of immortality, but also contained spiritual energy, a special substance. Blue Star was shocked. Blue Star was thrilled. Blue Star devoted itself to the deep study of spiritual energy.

The era the system called the Alliance Calendar began anew from the first year of that merger.

In the more than a thousand years since, Blue Star had not only thoroughly researched spiritual energy and cultivation techniques, but had also combined them with its own technology. Along the way there had been several great bursts of technological advancement, and the system itself was one of those products. In the end, Blue Star achieved its goal of ascension.

And so... everyone ascended.

Blue Star took with it every member of its race it could carry, even digging up those already in the earth, along with their genetic legacy, that is, the dead and buried people of Blue Star, determined not to leave a single one behind.

Except for Chu Qiuci.

(╬￣皿￣)

"So... I was the one left out?"

[Not sure, hmm?]

"They didn't do a census and a comprehensive search before leaving?"

[Not sure, indeed!]

"Where did everyone go after ascending? Can I still catch up?"

[Not sure, hmm!]

"Then what the hell do you know?"

[Also don't know, hmm!]

"..." Fine. This system was an idiot.

Though she did not know why only she had been left behind, now that she understood where everyone had gone, there was still a chance to catch up. Wasn't it just ascension? Once she ascended too, she would naturally be able to see everyone again.

Besides, she had a golden finger.

"System, didn't you say you could assist with cultivation? How exactly do you assist?" she asked directly.

[Yes, Master!]

The little ball of light brightened at once and answered immediately. [As long as this system runs in cultivation mode, it can provide synchronized feedback to the Master, perform spiritual energy upgrades, and achieve rapid improvement in cultivation.]

"So you're saying you can help me cultivate automatically while I'm away?" Qiuci asked in delight.

[Yes!]

"Then what are we waiting for? Hurry up and start!"

[Uh...]

The little ball of light froze at once. [I'm sorry, Master. I'm only an initial system. I don't yet have that function installed, so I can't load it...]

"..." No, then why did you even mention it!

"What functions do you actually have?"

[Aside from the virtual assistance function included at the factory, the system has ample memory!]

"..."

Qiuci felt a chill in her heart. So it was just a bare machine.

It had nothing except an empty shell!

What use were you then, hey!

(ノ=Д=)ノ┻━┻

She had thought a golden finger would be powerful, but it turned out to be completely useless.

[Master...]

Seemingly aware that it was rather useless, the little ball of light trembled, then quickly added, [Actually, as long as we can find the system database, it can be upgraded to a new version, and then it will have other functions.]

"The Blue Star is gone. Where am I supposed to find a database for you?" Before Blue Star ascended, hadn't they hidden their home planet completely?

[Ding! Automatic detection function activated. Searching for data update point. Nearest update point: 1,756 meters away! You may go there yourself.]

"How much?!" Qiuci shot to her feet. "1,756 meters! Is Blue Star nearby?"

[No, Master.]

The little ball of light quickly explained, [Back when Blue Star was studying cultivation technology, it established many research institutes on various continents. Those institutes preserved the most complete data from their earliest days, and there just happens to be one such institute nearby.]

"So if I find these research institutes, you can update and upgrade?"

[Yes, Master!]

Qiuci's hope ignited again. 1,756 meters was less than two kilometers, not far at all.

She had the system pull up a map and studied it carefully. Sure enough, it was within the grounds of this Azure Heaven Sect. The quarters for reserve disciples were at the foot of the mountain, while the research institute lay slightly to the east, with two floating peaks in between. Getting there would require crossing nearly the entire sect.

Originally, Qiuci had wanted to leave the Azure Heaven Sect as soon as possible, but now it seemed she did not need to rush. She could simply wait until she found the research institute.

As for why a research institute built by Blue Star would appear inside the Azure Heaven Sect, that was unknown.

Thinking of this, Qiuci calmed down, and even had the leisure to open the two items she had been given earlier. She already knew that the two milky-white stones were the common currency of this world, spirit stones.

As for the other item, a blue booklet, it seemed to be a cultivation manual. When she opened it, she saw crooked characters filling the pages in the writing of this world.

Well, she could not understand a single word.

[Ding. Foreign script detected. Would you like to perform a real-time scanned translation?]

The system suddenly spoke.

It even had this function!

"Translate!"

The little ball of light floated down from her shoulder, made a circle, and hovered above the booklet. A beam of blue light swept over it.

[Ding. One hundred fifty-seven common-sense errors detected! Master, this textbook is terrible. Recommendation: report it to the Blue Star Education Bureau! Textbooks like this were never allowed to be sold on Blue Star.]

The little ball of light drifted away from the booklet. When Qiuci looked again, rows of familiar Chinese characters had appeared above the strange script. However, five of every ten lines were marked in red bold type, and beside them was a glaring red exclamation mark bearing the words "common-sense errors."

Fine, she could feel its contempt. But...

"Can you bring out a better textbook?"

[...]

The system fell silent. A bare machine had no right to speak.

Still, it silently corrected the proper content beside some of the more outrageous errors.

But for Qiuci, who had never had any contact with cultivation, the difference was not much. She still could not understand it anyway.

ヽ(ー_ー)ノ

Qiuci silently flipped through the entire book. After confirming her own hopeless academic abilities, she planned to go out and ask about the research institute.

Unexpectedly, just as she stepped outside, she ran into Piao Yi and Feng Ting, who had come looking for her.

"Big Sis Qiuci! We were just about to come find you!" Feng Ting trotted up and habitually took her hand, saying excitedly, "Zhenyi said an Establishment Realm elder will be giving a lecture in the outer sect. We can go listen, and it will help us draw in spiritual energy into our bodies faster."

"The outer sect? Can we go there?"

"It's fine." Zhenyi patted his chest in assurance. "I have a friend in the outer sect. He can take us in. As long as we keep quiet, the elder giving the lecture won't care about such things."

You really do have an impressive network of friends, don't you?

Thinking of the research institute, Qiuci decided this was a good chance to scout the way, so she nodded.

Sure enough, as soon as the three of them came out of the transfer array, they saw a disciple in outer sect robes waiting for them.

"Brother Zhen!" Seeing them emerge, the disciple waved to Zhenyi and immediately came up to greet them. "You finally arrived."

"This is Senior Brother Wen Zhang from the outer sect's administrative hall." Zhenyi made introductions between them.

"Senior Brother Wen." Qiuci and Feng Ting immediately cupped their fists in salute.

"No need for formality!" Wen Zhang waved a hand and nodded at them. "The elder's lecture is about to begin. Let's hurry over."

Without saying anything more, he led them straight toward a hall on the right.

When they arrived, the inside was already packed. Most were outer sect disciples like Wen Zhang, with only a few scattered reserve disciples who had come in through connections like them.

Wen Zhang led them to an inconspicuous corner. Since they were here to audit the lecture, naturally they had no seats. Just as they were about to sit on the floor, a sudden clamor rose from the entrance.