Chương 54: Stalkception

[Level 3 subsystem: Ren Xuan (Scan, Devour, Transfer) Level 1 subsystem: Ren Shiluo, Ren Wangzhen, Azure Empire's Palace Librarian, Pure Wave Sect's Sect Master, Pure Wave Sect's Miscellaneous Hall Master, and 3 other Pure Wave Sect higher-ups (Scan)] After reading the lists of subsystems, Ren Qingquan said, 'There's quite a lot? I know most of them, but who is the Pure Wave Sect's Sect Master? And why are all of them given the 'Scan' function?' Oops, I think I forgot to mention something pretty important.

[The Sect Master is one of the people you met upon arriving at the Cultivation World. As for why they're all given the Scan function, it's because the main system can use the subsystem's function.]'Meaning?' [It means you can check someone's surroundings through the subsystem as long as you grant them the 'Scan' function.]'Ohhh…' Then Ren Qingquan realized, 'So, System. You've been using this function to stalk those people?' [System won't call it stalking. I prefer a more official word - Observing.] Ren Qingquan didn't change his expression as he asked, 'Then, let me try this stalking function.' [Ding! Observation mode activated. The observation mode is divided into two modes. The screen mode and immersive mode. Which one would you like to use?]'What's the difference?' [Immersive mode is like using a highly immersive VR, while screen mode is like watching a CCTV recording from a screen.] When the host chooses immersive mode, you can target only one person at a time and must do so in a safe area, as your body will stop moving. In immersive mode, you exist in an ethereal state, perceiving the target's surroundings as if you were there in person. Additionally, you can sense the target's energy, energy flow, and other details. The screen mode, on the other hand, displays screens from different people's scans, allowing the host to monitor them while performing other tasks.]'Alright, the screen mode sounds convenient, but let me try the immersive mode first.' [Ding! Please select a target.] Ren Qingquan sat on his bed and looked at the list of available targets before deciding, 'Let me stalk Ren Shiluo.' [Immersive observation mode activated.] After Ren Qingquan saw the message, darkness filled his sight. When he opened his eyes again, Ren Qingquan saw himself beside Ren Shiluo, who was riding a giant bird. Apart from Ren Shiluo and the bird, the sky and ground appear very blurry.

The sky is just a vague mix of white and blue, while the ground is covered with green.

'System, do you have myopia?' Although it's in his inner monologue, I could sense that Ren Qingquan's tone sounded a bit mystified as he asked the question. [Your mom has myopia. Your whole family is the one with myopia! The surroundings are blurry because Ren Shiluo has only a Level 1 subsystem. At Level 1, the subsystem can only use 1% of Scan's original power.] Ignoring my outburst, Ren Qingquan asked, 'System, do you know where my father plans to go?'

[Based on the clue that System has, he should be going to the core of Endless Mountain.]'Ohhh…' Ren Qingquan didn't ask further questions and observed a moment as his father flew across the sky. A minute passed by before Ren Qingquan asked, 'Soo… how do I exit this state?' [Ding! Do you wish to exit immersive mode?]'Yes.' Once Ren Qingquan thought so, he opened his eyes and saw he had returned to his new house in the Pure Wave Sect. Then, Ren Qingquan asked me to try the Screen mode.

He initially displayed a screen of Ren Shiluo soaring in the sky, then added two more screens featuring Ren Xuan and the Pure Wave Sect Master. He intended to open more screens, but I issued a warning. [Insufficient calculation power. Please upgrade the 'Calculate' ability] Actually, I can still open a few more screens, but I plan to use Ren Qingquan's points to upgrade my [Calculate] ability.

After reading the notification, Ren Qingquan ignored it for now and focused on the three people shown on the screen. Just like in the immersive mode, Ren Shiluo is still flying on a bird. He played around with the screen and found out he could change the camera angle simply by willing it. Then he looked at Ren Xuan's screen while deep in thought, 'I think I've heard this Ren Xuan before. Isn't he the one who has won against the original Ren Qingquan during that battle?'

'System, why did you give this Ren Xuan guy a Level 3 subsystem while only giving the others a Level 1 subsystem?'I could feel Ren Qingquan's curiosity as he observed Ren Xuan. If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. [It's because one of the nonsensical things you previously said about him is actually real.]'My nonsense about Ren Xuan?' Ren Qingquan pondered for a moment, then his expression turned somewhat strange.

'Are you referring to when I thought Ren Xuan, with a two-syllable name, seems like a protagonist. While I, with my three-syllable name, seem like a typical cannon fodder?' [Indeed, based on the system's observation, it seems likely he's a protagonist-like figure. Specifically, he appears to be the kind of protagonist who has been regressed to the past.]'What the fuck?' Ren Qingquan asked, 'I thought as a transmigrator, I am the most special person here. So, there's also a regressor?' [Indeed.]'How did you know he's a regressor? Did you read his mind like how you can hear my inner monologue?' [No, System can't read the mind of the subsystem host. I recognized Ren Xuan as a regressor due to his habit of muttering to himself. Occasionally, he revealed information about events that had not yet occurred.] While talking, Ren Qingquan noticed that Ren Xuan on his screen had stood up from his meditation.

"I've finally sensed the spirit qi and refined some of it to reach the Qi Refining realm. With this, I'll have more options." Then, Ren Xuan looked at the sky before running in a specific direction. He also muttered some information while running, "This time, I arrived in this world much faster. By calculating the time, I should be in time for that inheritance site to open." Although he muttered it very quietly, My [Scan]'s hearing is exceptional.

Even if he used infrasound or a secret voice transmission method, I could still catch it. Ren Qingquan also heard Ren Xuan's words from the screen and was stunned.

'You mean talking about a future event like just now?' [Yeah, just like that.]'Is he stupid? Why would he mutter about those kinds of important things?' [¯\_(ツ)_/¯. Don't ask me. I am also curious.] Finally, Ren Qingquan placed his sight on the screen showing the Pure Wave Sect's Sect Master. When he saw the Sect Master sitting cross-legged and glaring at a mirror the size of a table in front of him, Ren Qingquan grew curious.

He turned the view around and noticed that the mirror didn't reflect the surrounding scene like a normal mirror. Instead, it displayed a slightly familiar boy sitting in a familiar room.

'Isn't that me?!' Ren Qingquan exclaimed, utterly flabbergasted.

'System, is your subsystem still glitchy? Why does that mirror show my surroundings instead of the Sect Master's?' [Ding! It's not the subsystem's fault. The Sect Master is indeed observing you through that mirror.]'Why would the Pure Wave Sect's Sect Master observe me with such an intense stare?' Ren Qingquan's mind began to wander all around the place, 'Is it possible he might be interested in my body?!' Whoa, hold your reins there, dude. Why did you quickly assume someone to be a pedophile?

[Host, do you remember the mirror you shattered after you tested your spirit root before?]'mmhm.' [While observing the Sect Master, System found out that the mirror is used to test someone's luck. When it shatters, that should mean the target has extremely high luck and is a child of destiny.]'So, it's indeed because that guy got interested in me?' [He is indeed interested in you, but definitely not romantically.]'Phew.' Ren Qingquan breathed in relief.

'Anyway, what's the business with that children of destiny thingy you mentioned?' Ren Qingquan finally asked an important question. [Based on what the System heard from the Sect Master's conversations with some other higher-ups of the Pure Wave Sect, System discovered that there are individuals known as 'children of destiny' in this world. These children of destiny are individuals blessed with extraordinary luck and are generally favored by fate.]'So, why is he staring at me intensely simply because I have high luck?' [He is cautious of the children of destiny.]'Why?' I rolled my nonexistent eyes. What are you? One hundred thousand whys? Why did you ask so many questions? I find it somewhat bothersome to explain, so I simply replayed the conversations between the Sect Master and the higher-ups, as well as the one between the Sect Master and the Hall Master.

I also added subtitles to tell Ren Qingquan what they were talking about using a secret voice transmission technique. After watching it, Ren Qingquan fell silent.

'I have so many questions. But first, they're actually chatting while I am reciting the Body Tempering Method until I almost foamed at the mouth?!'

'System, from now on, I want you to show it whenever someone is talking with that secret voice transmission technique.' [Alright. System will add subtitles whenever people are talking using the secret voice transmission around your area.] Then, I heard the gear in Ren Qingquan's head turning as he finally started thinking, 'So, are they cautious of me right now?' [Yes.]'Then, that means I shouldn't do anything suspicious now.'

'But, wait. Does acting not suspicious is actually suspicious? After all, those so-called children of destiny definitely have something special about them. If I don't act suspicious, the Sect Master who seems to be especially proficient in cultivation cliché a. k. a Child of destiny study, will definitely get suspicious.'

'Then, that means I must show my suspiciousness to a certain extent while making sure they think I am not the troublesome type child of destiny.'

'I need to demonstrate to that old stalker Sect Master that I am neither dangerous nor likely to cause trouble. Otherwise, who knows if he might suddenly call down a thunderbolt from the sky to strike me down.' After contemplating multiple Xianxia character archetypes, Ren Qingquan finally selected one of them, 'I think for now, I'll act like those main characters from comedy misunderstanding novels.

The kind who could understand a technique just by watching others using that technique and shock everyone around them.'

'My cheat, although unreliable, is called the Heavenly Comprehension System. So, it's finally time for the Heavenly Comprehension part of its name to come into use.'Ren Qingquan dealt me a jab. Then he began to plan more things in detail. For example, he plans to show his suspiciousness in a way that'll help him gain points. Afterall, to act like a genius who could learn any technique with a look, he'll need a lot of points.

'Let's see whether your child of destiniology could fight against my trope knowledge from reading thousands of xianxia slop.' [Host, System doesn't think destiniology is a real word.]'What's wrong with it? The -ology suffix simply means 'the study of'. So, the child of destiniology should mean the study of the child of destiny. See? Compared to 'the study of child of destiny', which is a mouthful, child-of-destiniology is much better.' I sighed in defeat. Whatever. As long as Ren Qingquan is happy.

Why do I even bother arguing with him about such a stupid thing? I'll be the bigger person, or system, and let it go. After preparing his plan, Ren Qingquan suddenly threw an attack at me, 'System, I actually want to ask this since a few minutes ago. But how did you know so many things that happened to those people who were given a subsystem? Did you perhaps spend most of your time stalking them?' [After obtaining the subsystem function, System indeed spends most of the time OBSERVING others. System needs to make sure you're safe from harm's way.] Please stop calling it stalking. What I do is a righteous job of observing and preventing dangers from harming you in advance.