Xu Han sat in the garden, his eyes shining with excitement as he read the lines of words before him:
[The candidate you invited, Xuan Ji, has spent 55 years, 5 months, and 3 days in the Celestial Simulator. You need to wait 24 hours before you can invite again.]
[You have received the following rewards --]
[Reward 1: Ancient Emperor Arcana Cultivation Technique.]
[Reward 2: Pills, herbs, and Spirit stones found by Xuan Ji in the small world.]
[The candidate has also unlocked an achievement "The Protagonist Candidate Killer" triggering an additional reward.]
[Additional Rewards: Body Tempering level 4 Cultivation (Pure Spiritual Qi).]
[Please choose one of the rewards! The additional reward is essential and not among the options to choose from.]
Excitement filled Xu Han's heart as he marveled at the richness of the rewards. He remarked, "This time rewards are truly extraordinary! Xuan Ji's more than 50 years in the Simulation has surely paid off."
He couldn't contain his awe for the first reward, the Ancient Emperor Arcana Cultivation Technique, which possessed a rare talent-increasing ability. Its value was beyond estimation.
"But I thought I would get the whole jade slip, but I only received its technique section. Let's not be greedy, let's not be greedy. Greed always kills people," Xu Han said hurriedly, but shaking his head with a hint of disappointment.
"Though now that I look at it, this time the grade of the cultivation technique isn't mentioned. But why? Is it above heaven grade? Is it because I don't know what is above heaven grade that the simulator didn't mention its grade?"
After pondering for two minutes and still not finding a satisfactory explanation, Xu Han exclaimed: "Let's not dwell on these useless thoughts and focus on deciding which reward to choose."
Putting aside these thoughts, he focused on the crucial task of selecting a reward. After careful consideration, he confidently chose Reward 1, acknowledging its value, which surpassed even the abundance of resources he would get from reward 2.
"Though reward 2 is good as these resources can sustain me for many years, but the cultivation technique's value is many times higher than these resources," he said, convinced of his decision.
Turning his attention to the achievement, he reaffirmed his earlier suspicion that the beggar was merely a protagonist candidate and not the real protagonist. "My instincts are always right," Xu Han declared proudly and continued.
"The reward of this achievement is also very impressive: Body Tempering Level 4 Cultivation, he mused, nodding in satisfaction.
With resolve, Xu Han decided not to delay any further. He opted for Reward 1; certain it was the right path for him: "I choose reward 1."
As Xu Han's words left his lips, a flow of information entered his brain like a flood, causing Xu Han to stand still like a statue, overwhelmed by the influx of knowledge. After a few minutes, he regained his senses.
Before he could catch his breath, strands of Spiritual Qi surged into his body, surpassing the quantity of previous cultivation rewards. A delightful moan escaped Xu Han's lips as the abundant Spiritual Qi coursed through him. Closing his eyes, he started to feel the changes being done by the strands of Qi.
The Qi began to temper his flesh, tempering the parts that were left untouched during Body Tempering Level 2. Xu Han's aura grew stronger with each passing moment as the strands of Qi worked their magic. Gradually, the Qi moved toward his organs, refining them in the same meticulous manner.
As the tempering process continued, Xu Han marveled at the Qi's precision, focusing only on the untampered areas. He knew that with each passing moment, he was growing stronger and more resilient.
Finally, the strands of Qi flowed towards Xu Han's muscles, diligently working their way through each fiber. After some time, they completed their work, leaving no part untampered. The transformation was complete, and the Qi dissipated, leaving Xu Han feeling rejuvenated and invigorated.
Opening his eyes, he smiled with satisfaction, flexing his newly tempered muscles. "My muscles have been fully tempered. Now, I only need a little push to be able to breakthrough in Body Tempering Level 5," he declared with determination.
Without wasting any time, Xu Han assumed a cross-legged position on the ground, gathering Qi from his surroundings. With a resounding crack, his aura surged, and a radiant smile of accomplishment adorned his face.
"Hah! I have finally broken through to Body Tempering Level 5," he exclaimed, thrilled with his progress.
…
Xuan Ji, still reeling from the shock of his recent experiences, had only one question echoing in his mind, "Could that world collapse?"
As he contemplated this haunting possibility, lines of words suddenly materialized before him, capturing his attention.
[You have survived for 55 years, 5 months, and 3 days in the Celestial Simulation. You are eligible to receive a reward! There is a 24-hour cooldown period before the next simulation.]
[You have received the following rewards –]
[Reward: Stellar Palm technique.]
[You have unlocked an achievement "The Protagonist Candidate Killer" triggering an additional reward.]
[Additional Rewards: Early grade Earth rank Herb: Spirit weave Orchid.]
"The rewards are here!" Xuan Ji exclaimed, his deadpan expression transforming into a beaming smile as he immersed himself in the lines of words before him. The accident he had just experienced faded into the background, overshadowed by the excitement of the rewards.
As he continued to read, a sudden rush of information inundated his mind, momentarily causing him to black out. When he regained consciousness, his eyes widened in astonishment as he saw the very same orchid he had picked from the forest— the one guarded by the snake— materialize out of thin air and fall gracefully to the ground.
Without a moment's hesitation, Xuan Ji swiftly caught the falling orchid in his hands, cradling it as if it were the most precious treasure in the world.
"It's the orchid that I took from the forest!" Xuan Ji exclaimed joyfully, unable to contain his delight.