Chapter 43: Pass Me a Cigarette!
“Be patient, Host.” The system’s unhurried voice echoed.
“If you can’t give me a reasonable explanation, I’d rather see the Shang dynasty perish at the hands of the sages than waste a single point of Tyrant Value here!” Jiang Yuan threatened.
“The system’s offerings are always first-rate. Host, take a look at your panel!”
Jiang Yuan paused, then glanced at his attribute panel.
Character: Di Xin
Title: King of the Shang Dynasty (Future Supreme Tyrant)
Cultivation: Celestial Immortal
Tyrant Value: 537 (Note: Can be used to exchange for cultivation or draw prizes)
Possessions: Revival Coin, Mysterious Item, Fire-Tipped Spear, Universe Ring, Heavenly Silk Sash...
Mounts: Violet Jade Qilin, Lamborghini
Technique: Divine Art of Creation and Destruction
Luck: None
A Lamborghini counts as a mount? I’m cultivating immortality here—doesn’t such a feeble mount seem out of place?
Harboring a sliver of hope, Jiang Yuan clicked into the Lamborghini’s attribute panel.
Lamborghini: Innate Spiritual Treasure level, travels three thousand miles a day, peerless defense, unbreakable by anyone below a Golden Immortal (Note: No need for refueling).
Only two words flashed through Jiang Yuan’s mind: What the hell???
This is actually an Innate Spiritual Treasure? I take back what I said—this thing would be a chick magnet even in the Shang dynasty!
“This damn system actually has something going for it!” Jiang Yuan praised.
“…” The system fell silent, as if it couldn’t even take a compliment from Jiang Yuan.
“Does the host wish to try the lottery again?” the system prompted, not sounding keen on further conversation.
“Of course! Why wouldn’t I? Or do you not want my Tyrant Value?” Jiang Yuan frowned.
In his mind, the system was the one losing out this time! Innate Spiritual Treasure—those were the same grade as the treasures he’d gotten from Nezha!
“Then please issue the transaction command, Host.”
“All right, another one—one hundred Tyrant Value for a draw.” Jiang Yuan said calmly.
“Ding! Transaction successful! One hundred Tyrant Value deducted, current Tyrant Value: 437! Host has received one advanced lottery draw!”
“Ding! Draw complete. Host has drawn… loneliness.”
So this is where the damn system was waiting for me! Jiang Yuan instantly realized the trick—the system had given him a taste of sweetness, only to bait him into wasting his Tyrant Value!
The system is operating on another level! I thought the system had lost out, but as it turns out, I’ve fallen into its trap.
“Again?” The system’s tone was tinged with provocation.
“Again!” Jiang Yuan knew the system was taunting him, but he couldn’t stop now—he was in too deep!
“Ding! Transaction successful! One hundred Tyrant Value deducted, current Tyrant Value: 337! Host has received one advanced lottery draw!”
“Ding! Draw complete. Host has drawn… loneliness.”
Damn it! Jiang Yuan couldn’t help but curse.
“Again?”
“Again!”
“Ding! Transaction successful! One hundred Tyrant Value deducted, current Tyrant Value: 237! Host has received one advanced lottery draw!”
“Ding! Draw complete. Host has drawn… loneliness.”
“Again?”
“Bring it on! I don’t believe this!” Jiang Yuan’s eyes blazed with fury.
“Ding! Transaction successful! One hundred Tyrant Value deducted, current Tyrant Value: 137! Host has received one advanced lottery draw!”
“Ding! Draw complete. Host has drawn… loneliness.”
“Agai—”
“Shut your mouth!” Jiang Yuan barked furiously.
Having drawn nothing three times in a row, he was finally sobering up—this damn system was really screwing him over.
He cursed himself inwardly for being a gambler doomed to lose.
“Damn system, are you rigging the odds?” Jiang Yuan frowned. There wasn’t enough Tyrant Value left for more draws.
“No. The system is absolutely fair.”
Jiang Yuan rolled his eyes, plainly not believing a word.
“So, does the host wish to continue?” The system sounded like it was issuing a final ultimatum.
A trace of hesitation flashed across Jiang Yuan’s face, but at last he gritted his teeth and said, “Again!”
“Ding! Transaction successful! One hundred Tyrant Value deducted, current Tyrant Value: 37! Host has received one advanced lottery draw!”
“Ding! Draw complete. Host has received the treasure: Heavenly Dragon Armor!”
Jiang Yuan breathed a sigh of relief—at least he’d finally gotten something. But why did the name of this treasure sound so familiar?
Suddenly, realization struck. Fury welled up inside him—wasn’t this the very treasure he’d just had reclaimed by the system from the Dragon King of the South Sea? How had it circled back to him?
“System, are you toying with me?” Jiang Yuan’s eyes glinted dangerously.
“Not at all. This Dragon King Armor has been repaired and enhanced, upgraded from an Acquired Spiritual Treasure to an Acquired Supreme Treasure—just a step away from an Innate Spiritual Treasure. Likewise, it’s unbreakable by anyone below a Golden Immortal.”
With that, the system fell silent. Jiang Yuan felt certain it had gone off to count his Tyrant Value after fleecing him.
Damn system—after all that, I’ve lost my treasures and you’ve robbed me of all my Tyrant Value!
Jiang Yuan slumped in defeat. Muttering to himself that gamblers are doomed, he swore never to try his luck again. Yet as he stared dazedly at the two treasures in his storage space, he couldn’t tell if he’d lost or come out ahead.
The more he thought, the more melancholy he felt. The damn system was a master at exploiting him without leaving a trace.
Unconsciously, Jiang Yuan took out the cigarette he’d just drawn earlier. He couldn’t help it—he was vexed!
At that moment, a commotion sounded outside the door, and Zhang Kui’s voice called out, “My king, has something troubled you?”
“It’s nothing. General Zhang, come in,” Jiang Yuan replied coolly, cigarette dangling from his lips.
The cigarette bobbed as Jiang Yuan spoke. As Zhang Kui entered and saw the cigarette in the king’s mouth, he immediately pleaded, “Just now, I sensed some disturbance in your chambers, so I came to check. I beg your pardon, my king.”
“No matter. I merely had some insights and broke through,” Jiang Yuan replied offhandedly.
This startled Zhang Kui—breakthrough? Hadn’t the king just advanced not long ago? How could he break through again so quickly?
But then he recalled that the king could grant him a Golden Immortal breakthrough with a word—let alone breaking through himself. What startled him even more was that now he could no longer see through the king’s cultivation!
The king truly is gifted by the heavens!
“May I ask, my king, what is that in your mouth?” Zhang Kui asked curiously, eyeing the cigarette.
Though he couldn’t see anything remarkable about the white stick, he instinctively felt that anything in the king’s hand was no ordinary item.
Jiang Yuan replied casually, “This is called a Huazi. General Zhang, would you like one?”
With that, he pulled a cigarette from the pack and handed it to Zhang Kui.
Zhang Kui stared at the king’s proffered “Huazi” in alarm, replying respectfully, “Is this a reward from you, my king?”
“It’s nothing precious. Try it out—if you get used to it, I can reward you with a whole pack,” Jiang Yuan said indifferently.
“I can, I can. If my king rewards me, I will certainly get used to it—thank you, my king!” Zhang Kui replied at once, regardless of what it was.
Since the king wanted to bestow it, he’d take it first and ask questions later.
He mimicked Jiang Yuan, clamping the Huazi between his lips, then asked in curiosity, “My king, how should this be… consumed?”
“Light it and inhale deeply,” Jiang Yuan explained, finding it oddly amusing to teach a great general to smoke.
“Understood,” Zhang Kui replied, summoning a wisp of flame to his hand.
Jiang Yuan immediately felt his intelligence insulted and said sternly, “Don’t use your internal true fire!”
“Then what flame should I use?” Zhang Kui was even more curious now—not a single alternative came to mind.
Jiang Yuan produced a lighter, lit his own cigarette as a demonstration, and handed it over. “General Zhang, go ahead.”
Zhang Kui stared wide-eyed at the lighter Jiang Yuan handed him, inwardly marveling—only a genius like the king was worthy of possessing such a divine object!