Seized by the System

If Fang Ning were to say that he was ranked the second on the subject of one’s understanding of the Axiom Daddy, he believed that no other human on this Earth would dare to rank themselves first.

After obtaining Heavenly Merit several times, his experiences had all told him one thing: Axiom Daddy cared less about the means and methods used. As long as someone could solve the underlying risk and eliminate the danger, Axiom Daddy would happily grant Heavenly Merit. There was nothing mystifying or spiritually inspiring here.

“Well, I’m greater in this than you are,” Sir System gloated gleefully, “I know the ins and outs of that stupid Heavenly Axiom better than you do.”

“Oh yeah, you’re not human anyway, you can definitely be better than I am.” Fang Ning argued eloquently.

“…You’re sneakily insulting me again,” brooded the System.

Right at that moment, murmurs were heard once again in the area.

“Basically, the Heavenly Axiom only cared about the results and could not bother less about the cause of the issue…” Someone whispered.

“Look at you with your nonsense. Do we need you to regurgitate what the Venerable One has just said? Did you just assume that we cannot understand Dragonspeech?” A distasteful voice spat.

“…” The person was immediately shunned silent.

“If that’s the case, we can now be bold and act with confidence. Now comes the problem: what matters are beneficial to heaven and earth, and will we be able to gain Heavenly Merits if we were to act upon those matters?”

“That’s simple, we’ll just do whatever the Venerable Dragon God and Master Ma does. Drawing a ladle by the gourd is still doable.”

“Hmph, you’re oversimplifying things. Just before this, two people said that if we were to blindly imitate them despite our lack of ability just like how an ugly woman imitate Xishi’s beautiful frown, we would not only become the butt of a joke, but also risk our lives!”

Suddenly, Xie Dong spoke on the stage, “To reiterate, I’ve just explained how the difference in abilities will not influence your attitudes. There is no such thing as a ‘higher’ or a ‘lower’ attitude that is preferable. Was the Venerable Dragon God burdened with Boss fights every day? No! On the contrary, he spent a large portion of his abilities in settling menial disputes. Do not assume that your ability is too weak to do anything, and do not think that you will never obtain the Heavenly Merit just because you do not have powers that rival the Venerable Dragon God.”

Everyone who heard this all felt a rush of nerves as their hearts seized in excitement.

That’s right, even if they could not farm powerful monsters and devils left and right just like Vigilante A, they could learn to arrest minor thieves and crooks, right?

“Such good advice from Leader Xie! As long as our heart is right, and we do good every day, our acts will accumulate and bring great impact, just like constantly dripping water can wear away a stone. All of us will get Heavenly Merits sooner or later.” Another person spoke in agreement.

Fang Ning calmly sat and took things easy when suddenly the System’s panicked voice rang in his head.

“This cannot be it. Sir Big Spender, the meeting is getting more problematic the longer it goes on…” The System exclaimed in frustration.

“Hahaha, did you just realize it now? Are you worried that these folks are after your business here?” Fang Ning maintained his composure.

The System answered honestly, “You’re indeed wise, Mr Rich-man. How should we tackle this problem then?”

“Hmph, why don’t you go and ask Anderson about this instead?” Fang Ning retorted.

“Uh, Mr Rich-man, you’re out making things difficult for me again. You asked these questions even though you know full well that I cannot expose my details to a third party. If I were to bring this question to Anderson, it will be too easy for me to lose my cover,” complained the System dejectedly.

“Hahaha, good that you still know about this.” Fang Ning was relieved and thus proceeded to comfort the System, “Don’t worry, these people will be too busy with their cultivation to bother about anything else. If they were to do good deeds to gain karma, they will never be able to compare with your efficiency, my good sir. The gap of efficiency would be similar to a small-scale farming economy and a modern superfarm, or even greater than that.”

“That’s true. Besides, that idiotic Heavenly Axiom doesn’t give me much Heavenly Merits for my catch of minor crooks anymore.” The System finally heaved a sigh of relief.

“Uh, once you’ve said that, I suddenly understood why did they invite me here today…” Fang Ning mumbled to himself.

To be frank, he was the only person on this earth that understood the secrets behind the Heavenly Merit.

That Master Ma mostly got everything from blind accumulation, which has provided him with qualitative change almost purely through blunt force. He did not have System Notifications that informed him which monster to farm for Heavenly Merit.

“Big Spender, don’t you leak our exclusive recipe to anyone else. If they knew what monsters could give them Heavenly Merit, I will no longer have anything to farm!” The System promptly reminded.

“Don’t worry about it. Do I look like a person that is entirely selfless?”

“No. On the contrary, you’re always the stingy one. You don’t even reimburse me the experience points that I have submitted my claims for. When we’re talking about this, remember how I have exhausted a million experience points for you to get the mystery behind the lightning previously? You must reimburse me from that stupid book of yours.” The System saw the opportunity and took it without hesitation.

“Alright, alright. I’ll reimburse you. It’s just a million experience points anyway.” Fang Ning waved it off.

After all, he kept those experience points just for the purpose of manipulating Sir System. He will have to take some out and use them once in a while.

Otherwise, if the System could never seem to get any rewards, all his efforts in controlling the System will no longer have any effect.

///

However, Xie Dong did not ask Fang Ning about the matters that should be done to gain Heavenly Merits.

Instead, with his arms outstretched and his palms moving downwards, Xie Dong indicated the people to be quiet.

A blanket of silence quickly enveloped the area. After Xie Dong’s several attempts to influence the crowd, the atmosphere of the discussion was quickly changing. The orientation of the question has changed from ‘What should people do to gain Heavenly Merits?’ to ‘What should we do to assist the Heavenly Axiom?’

They are another step away from achieving the goal set by Advisor Ren… Well, one-third of it.

With that thought quietly circling his mind, Xie Dong spoke once more.

“Do spare me an ear, everyone.”

The people looked towards the man with invigorating energy, their eyes filled with hope.

After the long discussion, their passion and yearning for Heavenly Merit were as strong as a blazing fire .

Usually, if no one was there to do the initial push and promotion for an inherently good effort, it will be difficult for that matter to take flight and for others to be interested in it.

“We are now living in a modern society, and thus we should pay attention to the division of labor, cooperation, comprehensive analysis and the rational allocation of resources so that we can achieve optimal performance. This is one of the essences of modern economics…”

Apart from the elder cultivators, other cultivators were all thrown off by this statement. Most of them were visibly shocked by it, and soon they began to ponder.

“At the Truth Department, we have already been working on this topic of the ways to seek for Heavenly Merit. Now, we have some preliminary results from our research…”

“Sir Big Spender, stay alert and remember everything, quick!”

“I know, I know. Look at you. You’re like a knave that uses a yardstick to measure the stature of a great man again. Not only did they not ask us for our secrets, but they had also kickstarted their own production and might have even made a production line out of it,” said Fang Ning as he suddenly felt immensely pressured as if a mountain rested itself on his shoulders.

“It’s all your fault in failing to look at the big picture. Why haven’t you thought of ways to maximize our collection of the Heavenly Merit?”

Why, you ask? It was all due to my laziness of course.

His goal of the Milky Way Nets Above Snares Below was still underway, and there seems to be no set date for its completion. With that massive burden on his back, there will be no time left for him to think of this huge issue.

Fang Ning’s monologue of thoughts were filled with rightful indignation.

The System hissed in anger, “I knew it, you’re being lazy about it again…”

Simultaneously, Xie Dong’s speech continued on, and many of the audiences below the stage has started to scribble and take down some notes using the notebook that was provided by the venue.

Even though most of them had a great memory, but the last thing that they want right now was to miss even a single word.

“First, we have to analyze the one thing that our Heavenly Axiom lacks the most. Instead of blindly doing good deeds, our plans should then be made specifically around this issue, so that we can reap the biggest harvest with our efforts. After all, even if good deeds are inherently great for all of us to do, we humans have limited time and energy, and our resources are scarce. We must use what we have very carefully, and use scientific analysis methods to find the most cost-effective way to obtain Heavenly Merits,” declared Xie Dong loudly.

When the people heard this, they all nodded in agreement. There was no one that was stubbornly against the idea anymore.

Now that was the correct way of cultivating as a modern individual in this new day and age. Why should they follow the footsteps of the ancient or the Upper Realm Descended Ones and mulishly follow the old scriptures?

Instead, they should understand the principle, and use scientific analysis to keep themselves flexible and creative in their search for the most effective method.

“Does anyone know what the Heavenly Axiom of the Earth needs the most right now?” Xie Dong smiled.

For a long moment, no one could muster up any replies. Just when Xie Dong was going to reveal the answer, Fang Ning spoke offhandedly, his words short yet shocking once again.

“The Heavenly Axiom needs more love.”

“Love?” Everyone exchanged confused glances. The mysterious and almighty Heavenly Axiom needs this the most?

Humans should be the ones that need more love, no?

However, Xie Dong’s expression was one of utter aghast, his eyes shone with obvious disbelief.

It was as if the Truth Department had never expected Vigilante A to correctly guess the answer.

After speaking, Fang Ning remained seated and offered no explanations. He was still expressionless.

His answer was not given without any aim, nor was it exaggerated just so that it could be sensational. In fact, even Anderson would not know this answer.

Fang Ning had always instructed Anderson to educate the sinning spirits the education of love and justice. The wording was chosen not because it was nice to the ears, but because they had a deeper meaning behind it.

No matter if it were the plan for the Milky Way Nets Above Snares Below, or the Nine Transformation Golden Core Technique that Sir System researched and promoted, they both had obtained incredibly high Heavenly Merit from Axiom Daddy.

One was to filter external threats, and another was to improve internal strength. At its core, both of these initiatives were able to increase the ‘immunity’ of the Earth, just like how a human’s body can improve its immunity.

All this only explained one thing – theHeavenly Axiom was extremely insecure…

Why would it be insecure? In the end, Heavenly Axiom was just like a baby that felt insecure because no one was there to love it.

From the minute when it was born, no one could understand it, and it had no one to depend on.

It had no parents, and could only seek companionship from the chilling wind and the scorching sun.

Humans can always rely on friends, Vigilante A, or even rely on Heavenly Axiom itself. Who then could it rely on?

If it was not because of its insecurity, it would never cap the power limit of the Descended Ones that came from the Upper Realm so tightly.

If it was not because of its insecurity, that Elder Ancestor Bai that allowed its subordinates to commit crimes would never be able to escape death under Vigilante A’s hand by gaining Heavenly Merits through eliminating a large number of competitors from the Upper Realm.