June 2008, Yanjing, outside the Fifth Ring Road.
"Balance: ¥938.52"
Nine hundred thirty-eight yuan and fifty-two cents.
This was Jing Xiuran, the entirety of his wealth, the so-called "Heaven's Chosen Son" who had gained admission to the Beijing Film Academy's Director Department with the top score in his major.
Beijing Film Academy? A Director's dream?
In less than sixty days, school would start.
Tuition fees, accommodation fees, food, just living costs money!
He had come to Yanjing with three thousand yuan from his family, full of passion, hoping to solve his tuition problem himself.
He hadn't expected that the set assistant job he had found beforehand would be taken by someone else just before filming began.
Then he thought about performing at a bar with his good looks? But they just waved him off directly when they saw he wasn't of age on his ID card.
This slap from reality really hurt like hell!
Just as Jing Xiuran was contemplating his next move.
An extremely dazzling golden light tore through the thick clouds and crashed down towards his location!
"Buzz—!!!"
A sharp, high-pitched buzzing sound echoed deep within Jing Xiuran's mind!
Immediately after, a cold, synthesized mechanical voice appeared:
"Host detected, permission verification in progress..."
"Mental threshold met, soul strength matched... Compatibility 100%!"
"Juxing Cultivation System... Binding initiated..."
"10%... 50%... 99%... Binding successful!"
A series of notification sounds heavily impacted Jing Xiuran's consciousness!
"Sy... System? I'm not dreaming, am I?"
Jing Xiuran pinched his thigh hard!
"Hiss—!"
A sharp pain came, incredibly clear!
A semi-transparent, technologically advanced light screen appeared out of thin air in front of his retina.
"Host: Jing Xiuran"
"Age: 17"
"Skills: None"
"juxing value: 0"
"Current Mission: None"
"System Core Purpose: Crush all shackles and help you ascend to the sole throne in the entertainment domain (director, actor, singer, etc.)!"
Holy cow!! It's real!!
Suppressing his incredulous emotions, he tried to silently recite in his mind:
"Sy... System?"
"The Juxing Cultivation System has been successfully activated."
Jing Xiuran took a deep breath, forcing his chaotic mind to calm down, and quickly grasped the key point:
"Can you help me solve my current predicament?"
"This system can provide all relevant skills in the pan-entertainment domain (such as acting, singing, directing, Screenwriter, creation, etc.)."
"The system database contains top-tier entertainment works, crucial future information, industry resources, and special items from parallel dimensions."
"Host detected to be in the novice protection period; a novice gift package has been sent to the system space."
As soon as the system finished speaking, a virtual gift package icon, shimmering with colorful light, appeared out of thin air on Jing Xiuran's retina!
Novice Gift Package!!
Jing Xiuran's breathing instantly paused for half a second!
His thoughts focused on the continuously rotating gift package icon!
Without any hesitation!
"Open!!!"
"Ding! Novice Gift Package opened successfully!"
"Congratulations to the Host for obtaining: Singing Skills (Passive)"
"Grants the Host professional singer-level vocal abilities! Includes a complete set of knowledge such as vocalization techniques, breath control, and emotional infusion!"
"Congratulations to the Host for obtaining: Parallel Dimension Golden Song Treasure Chest x 1"
"Congratulations to the Host for obtaining: Unique Special Reward Treasure Chest x 1"
Innumerable singing knowledge and techniques seemed innate, rushing into Jing Xiuran's mind!
Jing Xiuran tentatively sang a line from a song he really liked:
"Playing Chopin's nocturne for you, commemorating my dead love..."
The moment the sound left his mouth, Jing Xiuran himself was stunned!
This... Is this my voice?
Clear, mellow, with a unique magnetism! The pitch was perfectly flawless!
Compared to his previous thin voice, it was like night and day!
Suppressing his excitement, Jing Xiuran fixed his gaze on the Golden Song Treasure Chest!
"Open the Treasure Chest!"
"Congratulations to the Host for obtaining: S-rank Golden Song 'this life unchanging'"
"Congratulations to the Host for obtaining: S-rank Golden Song 'preference'"
"System Special Tip 1: Song acquisition automatically registers copyright."
"System Special Tip 2: Both songs are core background music for the phenomenal xianxia drama 'chinese paladin 3'. This drama will trigger a viewership frenzy in the future!"
'this life unchanging'? 'preference'?
'chinese paladin 3'?
Jing Xiuran felt these two songs in his mind, every note incredibly clear, as if he had sung them thousands of times.
The destined reincarnation of 'this life unchanging', the desperate gamble of 'preference'...
These were absolutely king-level songs!
A wave of wild joy surged in his heart!
Based on the information he had, the super IP 'chinese paladin 3' had not yet begun filming! Tangren Film and Television should have only recently started its project planning!
Now, these two core theme songs belonged only to him, Jing Xiuran!!! This wave was really going to take off!
If operated properly, let alone tuition and living expenses, this was his nuclear warhead to smash open the door to the entertainment industry!
Especially... the "phenomenal xianxia drama" and "future viewership frenzy" mentioned in the System Special Tip!
This information gap was simply priceless!
This meant he could plan ahead, using these two hit songs to deeply tie into this hit drama!
Jing Xiuran's gaze finally landed on the last reward, which was also the most dazzling and brilliant.
The "Unique Special Reward Treasure Chest."
This was a treasure chest even more magnificent than the previous two gift packages, its light almost solidifying, with colorful iridescent light swirling around, clearly indicating it was extraordinary.
"System, open this treasure chest!" Jing Xiuran commanded, with a slight tremor in his voice.
"Insufficient permissions, failed to open!"
"Insufficient permissions? What does that mean!" Jing Xiuran was stunned.
"The Host must complete the first main mission before this treasure chest can be opened."
The cold system notification sounded again:
"Ding! Main Mission Triggered: First Pot of Gold!"
"Mission Requirement: Within 7 days, use the song resources obtained from the novice gift package to legally earn a first income of no less than 30,000 RMB."
"Mission Reward: 50 juxing value"
"Failure Penalty: Agreement termination, system unbinding, reclamation of all vested interests of the Host (including but not limited to skills, items, memories)."
It actually required completing a mission to open!
However, just by looking at the treasure chest's colorful glow and the word "unique," Jing Xiuran could tell that the reward inside was absolutely extraordinary!
Then looking at the main mission—seven days, thirty thousand yuan.
Failure penalty... system unbinding? Reclamation of everything?
If it were the previous Jing Xiuran, it might be quite difficult.
But now, with the acquired golden songs and singing skills as a foundation.
He had no fear whatsoever!
"System, accept mission!"
Jing Xiuran looked at the colorful treasure chest in the system space!
A plan was rapidly forming!