The Innkeeper

There was silence in the room as the two looked at one another. The Innkeeper was as calm and stoic as ever, while Ming Jie was having rapid mood swings. First there was alarm, for he thought he had revealed a secret he was meant to keep close to himself. Then there was panic, as he realized that even if the secret hadn't been revealed, his reaction might have tipped off the Innkeeper. Then there was ambivalence, as the Innkeeper was not showing any reaction at all whatsoever, which led Ming Jie to wonder if he was over-thinking things.

A part of himself was also admonishing himself. He was not an inexperienced man, but his extreme emotions had made him vulnerable, otherwise he would not have made such a basic mistake. But what he needed to decide now was how to react. The Innkeeper did not seem at all perturbed by the knowledge that he had a system, so maybe it wasn't a big deal at all.

He spent a few more moments to collect himself and then recalled what it was the Innkeeper had even said.

Finally, filled with hesitation, Ming Jie asked, "What do you mean by a 'system' wanting something else?"

The focus was back on Lex, and so was the pressure. While initially he was probing, and had the discretion to lead the conversation in a different direction should Ming Jie not respond to his system about comments, he was the one being questioned now. He had been reassured, for Ming Jie's reaction was a strong indicator that he was a system wielder, he had not admitted it outright. If Lex chose to imply that by system he meant the cycle of reincarnation, he would lose out on the possibility of exposing Ming Jie.

But if he continued and explained about systems as he knew them, but Ming Jie did not have a system, it would make the Innkeeper look like he didn't know what he was talking about.

It was a delicate situation, but Lex was not too perturbed. The reason was simple: he would only need to care what his perception was if they were conversing as equals, which they were not. Ming Jie was an uninformed, lost soul while the Innkeeper was a mysterious and powerful entity. Even if the conversation went in a direction that might make the Innkeeper look imperceptive, he could spin the conversation by saying Ming Jie was too low level to understand what he meant.

"Systems are interesting entities. They wield enormous power, and even provide unimaginable assistance to their wielders. But, and this is the important part, to gain that assistance, you have to play by the system's rules. You have to follow the direction they set, and march according to their beat if you want their rewards. If you want to retain control, or even your identity, you have to be very careful about how you play along."

Lex paused to see if Ming Jie had anything to say, but the Mountain-man was silently absorbing all that Lex had said, so he continued.

"Of course, having a system is not in of itself a bad thing. Like I said, as long as they are used carefully, they can provide you with immense shortcuts, and that can be the key to your growth. If you want to cultivate without it, you will have to search for a cultivation method for your new species first. It shouldn't be too hard, I'm sure it exists, and you could even use the Inn's services to look for one. But how much you'd have to spend to successfully find one, and moreover find one that is actually stable and even suits you, is a question you'd have to discover the answer for on your own."

Lex was extremely tempted to directly ask, or at least hint at his curiosity at what Ming jie's system was. But he had to remind himself that he had to maintain an aloof image. Systems were beneath him. The Innkeeper had no need for systems. That was the image he had to maintain.

Ming Jie ran through all the various options in his head. Without the system he might not be able to get a suitable cultivation technique, whereas with the system he could cultivate but would have to act according to the system's requirements.

After a while, Ming Jie asked, "Is there a way for me to turn back into a human?"

Lex was genuinely stumped by the question. Was changing species even possible? Well actually, Ming Jie had accomplished it somehow, so surely it was.

"That is not so simple. But, like I told you before, once you grow stronger and your cultivation reaches a high enough level, you'll be able to do things you can't even imagine right now."

"What if I give up my system? Will that change me back?"

Pure excitement ran through Lex's mind as he finally got the confirmation he was looking for, but his expression was still the same.

"Do you have reason to believe that your system is what's keeping you in your current form?"

"Yes, it's called the "Reincarnated as a Mountain system'. What if I get rid of it? What if I give it to you? Can I turn back into a human?"

Ming Jie didn't know the worth of a system, but since it had immense power it was surely valuable. If he could give the system as payment for the Innkeepers help, that would make things incredibly convenient. Besides, since it would take growing stronger to get what he wanted, wasn't an easier solution to just ask someone who is already strong for help? And who better than this mysterious Innkeeper to ask for help? He was ready to give up on all his shortcuts if that's what it took.

Lex, on the other hand, did not respond immediately. The temptation to absorb another system was great, but he couldn't bring himself to kill an innocent man just to get it. If he was giving it of his own accord, however…

"Mary, can I take his system without killing him?"