Chapter 1127: A Sanctuary
The dark void around them hummed with the quiet energy of the floating monitors. Jirno continued to sniffle while staring at the portrait of Vaxx on the side screen. The puppet master of the Dragon Core was nothing more than a somewhat timid person trapped in a cage and Li Yu felt a strange sense of camaraderie with him. They were both people that were stranded far away from the lives they actually wanted to live.
"Crying over lost points will not bring them back, Jirno," Li Yu said with a gentle tone while reaching into his spatial ring again. "You have been sitting in this dark room for over a thousand years. When was the last time you had a proper meal? Do you even need to eat in here?"
Jirno wiped his yellow eyes and looked at the human with a confused expression. "A meal? The system sustains my ethereal form with ambient energy. I have not experienced physical hunger since I obtained this system so I have not eaten anything since the day the artifact bonded with my soul."
"Not feeling hunger is very different from not enjoying a good meal," Li Yu replied and pulled a heavy iron stove from his storage. He set the stove on the invisible floor and gathered a pile of charcoal inside his storage ring. Li Yu then flicked his finger to ignite the charcoal and a warm orange light pushed back the pale blue glow of the digital screens.
Li Yu brought out a thick cut of preserved thunder hawk meat he had purchased in Fulgurite Town along with the sun core roots he traded for just a few days ago. He pulled out a cutting board and a sharp knife to begin his preparations for a meal. In times such as this, Li Yu felt a good meal did wonders for the soul. The rhythmic sound of the blade chopping against the wood echoed through the quiet administrative space.
Jirn floated a bit closer and watched the process with wide eyes. "I haven’t seen real food after all this time. I didn’t have a storage ring or anything like that on me when I acquired this system and it does not offer any food to buy. Seeing you prepare things brings back a lot of memories."
"It would seem that we all have our own challenges and struggles to deal with. What is a simple thing for so many others is a rare luxury for you. And the power that everyone outside is seeking, you have in abundance." Li Yu noted while tossing the sliced roots into a heated iron pan. "No matter what path we walk in life, everyone will face difficulties."
"You are very observant and after all these years I can’t say I disagree with you." Jirno admitted while wrapping his arms around his knees. "The system converted my flesh into a state of light and energy once I got it. It allows me to touch the screens and process the data streams without sleeping but I am still a physical being. I miss some of life's little luxuries."
The rich aroma of sizzling meat and sweet roots quickly filled the void. Li Yu was keeping this meal simple and not using his natal flame or special cooking techniques. He was the very most basic form of cooking and preparing a simple meal for two people that were facing issues. Jirno leaned forward and his nostrils flared as the scent reached him. A loud rumble echoed from his ethereal stomach and a bright blue blush spread across his translucent cheeks. He quickly covered his stomach with his hands and looked away in embarrassment.
Li Yu chuckled and stirred the heavy stew simmering in the pan. He added a few pinches of dried herbs to enhance the flavor and let the meal cook until the meat became incredibly tender. Li Yu pulled a wooden bowl from his ring and filled it to the brim before handing it to the timid overseer.
"Eat," Li Yu offered with a warm smile. "It is not the finest delicacy in the cosmos but it is much better than absorbing cold energy from a screen."
Jirno took the warm bowl with trembling hands, this was going to be his first meal in over one thousand years. He stared at the rich brown broth and the vibrant yellow roots floating near the surface and it touched him in a way he didn’t think a soup could. He picked up the wooden spoon and took a small and hesitant bite.
The moment the flavor hit his tongue, his yellow eyes widened to the size of saucers. The savory juices of the thunder hawk meat combined perfectly with the sweet heat of the sun core roots. It was an explosion of taste that shattered a millennium of sterile sensory deprivation in his mouth. Jirno let out a soft gasp and tears began to stream down his face once again. This time they were not tears of sorrow over lost system points but rather tears of joy that carried with it memories of his time without this system.
He ate the stew with ravenous speed and practically inhaled the contents of the bowl. Li Yu quietly refilled the dish twice before Jirno finally slowed down and let out a deep contented sigh.
"That was the most wonderful thing I have ever tasted," Jirno whispered while holding the empty bowl against his chest. "I forgot what warmth felt like. I forgot how food could carry memories of the outside world. Thank you, Li Yu. Truly, thank you for coming here."
"You are very welcome," Li Yu replied with a chuckle while filling a bowl for himself. He took a bite and nodded in satisfaction at the taste of the soup. The ingredients from this realm were quite good when prepared properly.
The two of them sat in comfortable silence for a while as they finished their food. One was reliving memories of a life outside this place while the other was thinking about what to do next. Li Yu set his empty bowl aside and looked at the ethereal dragon kin next to him. He wanted to understand the mechanics of this realm better so he decided to address the strange aura he had noticed earlier.
"I have been meaning to ask you about your cultivation, Jirno," Li Yu started carefully. "You project the aura of a Tribulation realm expert but it feels very different from the experts I know and from my own experience of the realm. When a cultivator faces the cosmic tribulation, they absorb a heavy heavenly weight into their foundation. Your energy is vast but it lacks that specific heavenly pressure. It feels somewhat hollow and please don’t take this the wrong way but it feels artificial."
Jirno did not take offense to the observation at all. He simply nodded and pulled up a screen displaying a series of progress bars and golden numbers.
"You have a very sharp perception, Li Yu," Jirno admitted openly. Jirno didn’t know if it was Li Yu’s charm, his feeling of absolute security within this realm of his or if his years of loneliness had made his tongue much looser. Either way, he was willing to share just about everything with Li Yu.
"My cultivation is indeed hollow and I actually don’t even know any offensive techniques right now. I never faced a lightning tribulation when advancing to the Tribulation realm and I never spent centuries comprehending the deep laws of the universe. The system simply deposited cultivation directly into my dantian as a reward for completing the tutorial quests long ago. It forced my realm to increase instantly without any bottlenecks or anything like that at all. I have the Qi of a Tribulation expert but I lack the understanding to use it effectively."
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Li Yu listened to the explanation and felt a sense of familiarity. "I understand. I have actually encountered something similar in my past. During one of my experiences within a magical artifact called the Temporal Dao Stone, I lived a life where a system existed. It was a strange life where power was granted through blue screens just like yours after doing tasks. From my vague memories of it though, it was easier than what your system has. So this construct does not shock me as much as it probably should."
Jirn looked at Li Yu with genuine surprise and a bright smile formed on his face. "You know about systems? You do not think I am a demon or a cursed monster? How did it go in that other life that you lived?"
"Not at all," Li Yu reassured him while pouring two cups of hot tea but decided to not mention how that person’s life ended. "I just think you are a man dealing with a very stubborn artifact. Systems have their own rules and their own goals. There are countless artifacts throughout the Myriad Realms and you happened to get this one. They seem to rarely care about the desires of the host they attach to."
The validation lifted a heavy burden from Jirno's shoulders. He had spent centuries worrying that his own people would view him as a corrupted abomination if they ever saw his digital prison. Finding someone who understood his bizarre reality made him feel truly seen for the first time in an era.
"You have been so kind to me, Li Yu," Jirno said while looking at the floating screens. "You gave me a delicious meal and you treat me like a person instead of just some freak of nature. I want to give you something in return to show my gratitude for the wonderful meal. The system store has many rare items. Let me find something useful for your journey."
Jirno swiped his hand through the air and brought up a large display filled with golden icons. The store contained images of divine weapons and glowing cultivation manuals and radiant pills. Jirno selected a beautiful jade sword that wasn’t too powerful but looked amazing. It pulsed with wind Qi and pressed a button to purchase it.
A red error message flashed across the screen and a harsh buzzing sound filled the void.
'Error. System items are bound to the host and designated spawned units. Trading with unregistered entities is strictly forbidden.'
Jirno frowned and tried to purchase a healing pill instead. The same red error message flashed across the screen. He tried buying a simple spatial ring and then a basic set of robes but the system rejected every single attempt. The artifact refused to let any of its generated wealth fall into the hands of someone outside its control.
The ethereal overseer lowered his hands and his shoulders slumped in defeat. A deep look of shame washed over his face as he dismissed the store screen.
"I am so sorry, Li Yu," Jirno whispered while looking down at his lap. "I control the wealth of an entire continent but I cannot even give you a single cup of tea. Nothing in the store can be given to others. I am a terrible host."
Li Yu reached out and patted the ethereal shoulder of the dragon kin. The physical contact surprised Jirno but it brought a sense of grounding comfort.
"Do not worry about it, Jirno," Li Yu said warmly. "I did not cook for you to get a reward. I cooked because we both needed a break from the chaos of our situations. I have plenty of supplies in my ring so we will not go hungry. You just provide the space and the conversation."
Li Yu proved his words by pulling a large jug of spark wine from his storage. He popped the cork and poured the static filled liquid into two large cups. He handed one to Jirno and raised his own cup in a toast. "To unexpected friends in strange places."
Jirno smiled and clinked his cup against Li Yu's. "To unexpected friends."
The two of them drank the wine and the crackling energy of the local brew brought a relaxed warmth to their chests. With no way to open a portal home right now, Li Yu decided to stay in the administrative space for the time being. Not that he had any choice anyways. It was the safest place on the continent and it gave him a chance to gather crucial intelligence about the history of the realm.
Over the course of the next two weeks, they established a comfortable daily routine. Li Yu would spend his mornings cultivating his while sitting on the invisible floor. Jirno would float nearby and manage the weather patterns across the continent using his glowing monitors. He adjusted the rainfall to ensure the crops received enough water and he shifted the wind currents to keep the dark ocean storms away from the shores.
When the afternoon arrived, Li Yu would set up his iron stove and prepare a new meal. He cooked roasted fish and spicy herbal soups and dense meat skewers. Jirno eagerly anticipated every meal and his timid personality slowly blossomed into a cheerful demeanor as the two got to know each other better. The isolation that had crushed his spirit for a millennium began to fade away thanks to the simple act of sharing food and conversation.
They spent their evenings drinking the various different drinks that Li Yu had and discussing the history of the world. Jirno became quite talkative after a few cups of wine and he freely shared the story of his strange rise to power.
"The dragon kin were always a peaceful race. We farmed the land and recorded the stars. But then a glowing meteor crashed into the eastern ridge. I was the first one to find the crater and the system artifact jumped into my chest."
Jirno pointed at the central monitor displaying the continent. "The system pulled me into this dimension and told me I was chosen to lead the dragons to cosmic glory. It slowly gave me cultivation levels as I completed tasks up to the Tribulation cultivation you see now and told me to unite the outer continents through conquest. I tried my best to follow the mandate early on. I used my initial points to purchase advanced martial manuals and I projected my voice across the sky to order my people to train for war."
Li Yu took a sip of wine and chuckled. "I am guessing they did not listen."
"They were terrible at it," Jirno groaned and took a long drink from his cup. "I gave them a manual for the Heavenly Severing Sword art and they used the Qi techniques to harvest wheat faster. I gave them a manual for explosive fire palms and they used it to heat their ovens for baking bread. They had zero martial ambition, Li Yu. They just wanted to be left alone."
"So you gave up on them and relied on the system spawns," Li Yu deduced while recalling Vaxx.
"I had no other choice," Jirno sighed and leaned back in his chair. "The system requires combat data and territorial expansion to unlock the higher tiers. Since the common folk refused to fight, I had to rely on the gacha mechanics. I save up my daily points and roll for units like Vaxx. I send them out to do the dirty work while I stay here and manage the weather to keep the baseline points flowing."
"And the automated defense grid?" Li Yu asked.
"The system built that on its own to protect its host," Jirno answered while pulling up a schematic of the dark ocean. "Once the system realized the local population would not defend the borders, it erected the energy barrier and the automated storms. It intercepts any unauthorized entry and erases them. That is why the outer races believe we are ruthless monsters. They die before they ever see the peaceful farms."
Li Yu nodded as the final pieces of the puzzle clicked into place. The terrifying Dragon Core was a localized paradox. The system demanded a brutal empire but bonded with a peaceful dragon who ruled over content farmers. The result was a stagnant but peaceful continent protected by a lethal and automated shell.
As the two weeks drew to a close, Li Yu realized he had grown quite fond of the timid overseer. Jirno was smart and observant but he lacked the worldly experience of a true cultivator. He asked Li Yu endless questions about the different realms and the various beasts he had fought. Li Yu shared his stories of the Green Mountain Sect, his battles and Jirno listened with the bright enthusiasm of an excited student.
They sat together in the digital void sharing food and trading stories while the glowing screens hummed around them. It was a bizarre situation but Li Yu found peace in the quiet sanctuary. Now that he was trapped here for the time being, the feeling of being rushed had faded. His hurried journey through this land was forcibly stopped and that made him able to relax more.