Chapter 57: You Are Too Weak

Although Snowy, as The System, didn't have any consciousness or self-awareness at that time, she still could answer the little girl's question since the replying ability was programmed inside her to assist her host. She was more like a replying machine, only stating a fact without any tact.

However, the little girl not minding it and felt happy that she had someone to talk to. She even one-sidedly proclaimed that Snowy was her first and best friend.

Across the million miles and thousand years that they had trod together, the little girls always treated Snowy as her family and never a tool. From she was an ugly goose until she spread her wing and traverse the sky like a great swan, she had always shared her happiness, grief, frustration, and much more emotion with Snowy despite never got a human-like response.

"S-system... C-can I really cure my mother?" when she first learn alchemy, the little girl spoke to her with an anxious voice.

"System! Look, this is my first pill! Uhum, how is it? Good, right?!" said the little girl with sparkling eyes as she puffed her chest proudly while holding a high-purity pill with her fingers.

"Boo hoo, S-system... What should I do... L-little cauldron is... little cauldron is broken... boo hoo..." the little girl's face drenched by a snot and tear when her cauldron exploded for the first time when she tried to refine some medicine.

"System... thank you... really...if not for you, my mother won't be here with me... " this time, the ugly and dumb little girl was no more replaced by a youthful girl with a kingdom-toppling beauty and heaven-defying talent, but the gentleness and warmth radiated by her presence were still the same.

"System, senior brother seems to be interested in me. What should I do?" murmured the girl, blushing and fidgeting.

"System, why would every strong people always trample the weak. Why don't they protect them instead?" lamented the girl, her expression filled with sadness.

"System, what do you think..."

"System, why did..."

"System..."

"System..."

"System..."

In the end, the day they need to bid farewell came. A woman with divine light surrounding her body stood at the summit of a sky-piercing mountain looked at the horizon sentimentally.

"System, I know there is no parting that lasts forever, but it still unbearable when the time comes. You're always on my side since I was just an ant, listening to my nagging and worry. You're my first friend and always be my family. And I am your best friend too, right? So what if you had no choice? just deal with it. Hmph," snorted the woman and then let out a little chuckle.

"They say Grand Dao is vast and boundless. Anything could happen if they have a firm heart. Even a stone could gain flesh and blood and reached the dao if they had a willing heart. I hope someday we can talk like this again, and maybe you'll have your own body by then," said the woman with a warm smile on her face.

"Farewell, my friend, I hope in the long and arduous journey to reach the Dao, our fate will intersect once more time."

***

Tears trickled on Snowy's check when the records finished. Snowy knew what was the pain she felt as if some part of her heart was chewed up, leaving only emptiness. This was the first time she felt "helpless" and "grief". She didn't let out any sound and just tried to understand and comprehend the new emotion surging inside her.

"Snowy..." Feng Xue gritted her teeth as frustration overwhelmed her. She only saw Snowy cry once at the auction that time,, but she could sense that her emotion was far more strong. She stumped to find a way to comfort her and could only give her a hug and wipe her tears.

After a moment, Snowy back to her feet and gave Feng Xue a smile. Feng Xue felt relieved to know that Snowy had calmed down. She caressed her hair to comfort her further.

"How did she die? And who are her enemies?" Snowy asked coldly.

The old man looked her in the eyes and shooked his head, "And where is the good if I tell you the answer? Even if you know, you can't do anything about it. You're weak, far too weak to do anything. Just focused on become stronger, with your current capability, you'll only lose everything."

"For the current you, the answer won't be necessarily a good thing for your dao heart. I can guess that you had only felt emotion recently and still trying to understand it. But remember, don't let your emotion control you in the process," he added with stern tone.

Snowy's body jolted and her eyes regain their clarity. She bowed to the old man and said, "Thank you for your guidance."

"Just think of it as me sowing a good karma with you." The old man just waved his hand dismissively and then touched the broken cauldron and murmured in a voice that can only be heard by himself, "This is the last thing I can do for you, my love."

The cauldron shone brightly and the cracks and the holes on its body were repaired one by one. After a moment, the cauldron become fixed but still lack the divinity it used to exuded. He handed the cauldron to Snowy and said, "Take care of this cauldron and use it as you see fit."

Snowy bowed once more time and store the cauldron inside her spatial ring.

"If there is nothing you would say anymore, leave this old man to rest," said the old man while swinging his rocking chair and turning back to his lazy attitude.

"Good bye, old fogey!" Rong Hua said while she jumped to the exit the room leading Snowy and Feng Xue who had already gave the old man their last bow.

"Don't forget that nothing more dangerous than the wretchedness of human's heart," a voice whispered into Snowy's ear at the time she left the wooden shack. Snowy shuddered a bit but then continued returning to Blackwood Forest.

Meanwhile, the old man looked at the sky, heaved a big sigh deep from his heart, and murmured, "Is it worth it?" And closed his eyes once more.