"There can't possibly be anyone richer than us in this world, right?" This sentence exploded in Fang Jueyu's mind like a bomb, buzzing loudly. It even reminded him of a famous quote from a wealthy heir online:
"I've never cared if my friends have money or not—there's no way they're richer than me, anyway."
Compared to that, what Fang Huai and Cao Lan said had a much stronger impact. To his surprise, the developer of this neighborhood was actually their family's company, and he hadn't known this until now.
If this turned out to be true, then Fang Huai just driving a Porsche Cayenne to pick him up was already lowering his status, no? Not to mention the money on that black card—most people couldn't spend it all even if they lived lavishly their entire lives.
"Alright, now that you're grown up, you should understand some things. There are things you can say and things you can't, and you surely have a sense of discretion unless you've reached the point where you can overlook the rules of this world like us. You'll probably tire of this life eventually," Fang Huai said with the air of someone much older.
"If you ever get bored of Earth, just come find us, and don't forget to bring your wife," Cao Lan laughed. "We're in a hurry to find your grandfather. In the meantime, take care of yourself and reach the required level as soon as you can. When you do, don't just think about contacting us—even flying out into space to find us will be a piece of cake!"
As Fang Jueyu was still puzzled by words like "fly out into space" and "level," Fang Huai suddenly jabbed a syringe into his arm. It felt like a mosquito bite, and Fang Jueyu shuddered slightly. A wave of dizziness washed over him, and he drifted off to sleep.
"Honey, are you going to miss our son?" Fang Huai laid Fang Jueyu on the bed and gently covered him with a blanket, while Cao Lan never took her eyes off him.
"This little rascal came from me, how could I not miss him?" Cao Lan's eyes became a bit misty. "But we don't have a choice; things might be worse for Mom and Dad. Anyway, with that thing, Jueyu will definitely thrive on his own. We'll be able to get back in touch in two or three years at the most."
"I'm glad you think that way!" Fang Jueyu wiped away Cao Lan's tears. "Shall we set off now?"
The couple stepped onto the balcony, and an extraordinary glow emanated from them, enveloping their bodies. It was pure and surreal, reminiscent of mythical deities.
"Zoom!" Two streaks of golden light shot into the sky, vanishing into the pitch-black night...
Meanwhile, Fang Jueyu found himself in a peculiar state, as though he had entered a world full of data. A this humanlike voice kept echoing in his ears.
"System is initiating host status detection…"
"All physical conditions are normal, beginning host binding…"
"Binding complete, generating permissions…"
"Following the previous host's orders, unlocking all wealth…"
"Initiating task for permission upgrade…"
"Beep beep beep… Task generation complete, system host transfer complete!"
"Whoosh!" Fang Jueyu jolted awake from the dream, feeling as if he had been dreaming. His parents not only told him he was a rich heir, but they also had superpowers and even had to leave Earth to find his grandfather in the vast cosmos...
"Wait, why am I lying on the bed with my clothes on? Where are my parents?" He looked at the clock; it was already half past ten. Even if it was a holiday, Cao Lan would wake him up at nine, spot on.
"Host, you don't need to look around. The previous generation of hosts has already left Earth to search for the 98th generation of hosts!" A voice suddenly popped into his mind.
"You... Who are you? Show yourself! Where are you?" Fang Jueyu jumped out of bed, but there was nothing in the house.
"I exist within your body, having merged with the host's body. Unless the host reaches top-level permissions and possesses the same abilities as the past hosts, you can't separate me from your body using your own energy!"
"Wait, are you the family heirloom my parents mentioned?" Fang Jueyu suddenly had a realization.
"Yes, you could put it that way. I've served the Fang Family for thousands of years, and you are the hundredth generation host."
"Holy crap!" Fang Jueyu didn't know what to say. Other people's family heirlooms were precious antiques or something, but his family amazingly inherited an entire system?
"What exactly are you?"
"Simply put, I am a multifunctional intelligent system with features like management, investment, cultivation, and inquiry, among others. However, your earliest ancestors have amassed enough wealth, so you might not need these features now."
"What about cultivation? Don't tell me my parents practiced some Cultivation Technique or something. This isn't some fantasy world! Where would you find such things?"
"Of course, my Cultivation System is somewhat unique. Your bodies indeed have great potential, and with certain guidance, the abilities you can possess are beyond your imagination. You'll find out after you unlock certain levels of permissions."
"Permissions? What are those?" Fang Jueyu asked again.
"They're the keys to using my functions. Right now, you've only unlocked some basic ones. The 99th generation host worried you might find Earth dull, so they created tasks. Completing these tasks will increase your permissions."
"For instance, once your permissions are elevated, you can start learning ways to unlock human potential. If you grow strong enough, you can also leave Earth to find the previous generation of hosts."
"What tasks did my father leave me?"
"Spend money, show off," the voice chuckled mischievously. "The previous host's idea is quite amusing!"
"Oh, come on, my dad's really that kind of person?" Then again, thinking about it, his parents were never really conventional. "By the way, do you have a name?"
"It's just a code. The host can name me as you please."
"Alright, in that case, I'll call you Xiao Yi!" Fang Jueyu said offhandedly.
Who knows? Maybe heaven pitied his earlier tough times and gave him this system now. Was it to help him defy fate and change his destiny? Since his parents left him this thing, wouldn't it be a waste not to make good use of it?
Jiang Yuan left him because he wasn't wealthy or powerful enough, right? With this ancestral fortune, such things shouldn't happen to him anymore, should they?
"Now, I'm going to release the first stage of the permission upgrade mission. Host, are you ready?"
"First task, increase your fame and let everyone know that a super-rich person like you exists! The system will automatically assess the completion criteria, and the first stage permissions will be unlocked upon completion. The time limit is one year!"