"The rewards nowadays are much better than what they used to be. In the past simulations, my life was short-lived, but now that I've lived for 50 years, the rewards are truly abundant compared to before."
"However, what I truly desired was the cultivation technique. Sigh! Let's first examine the skill that I obtained." Xuan Ji closed his eyes to review the skill he received as a reward. After a few moments, he opened his eyes in astonishment.
"Surprisingly, the knowledge and understanding I gained about this skill during the simulation have also been retained. If my assumption is correct, any insights I develop while practicing this skill in the simulation will be applicable in the real world from now on and vice versa."
"Hey there! Now that I take a closer look at the achievement name, what do they mean by word 'protagonist'?" Xuan Ji pondered for a moment before speaking again, "In the simulation, I only killed that beggar. Could it be that the 'protagonist' refers to the beggar? He looked just like a beggar, and it seemed probable that he might become one soon. So, the achievement suggests that I killed the potential beggar candidate?"
"Yeah, that sounds believable. But you know what? I don't really care about the details. All I care about is getting the reward. This simulator is amazing; it even rewards you for killing someone who might end up as a beggar," Xuan Ji said, completely absorbed in his delusions.
…
Xu Han was in his room, seated cross-legged on his bed, deep in meditation. The surrounding Qi energy swirled around him, making the scene picturesque and enhancing his charm.
Several hours later, Xu Han opened his eyes and the Qi ceased its movement. "This cultivation technique is truly extraordinary," he whispered. "It only took me a few hours to consolidate my realm, a process that would have taken me days."
He continued, "The reason I was so eager for a new cultivation technique, despite gaining cultivation as a reward, is because I had noticed something. When the Simulator rewarded me with cultivation, and Qi flowed into my body, it utilized the technique I was currently practicing—'Icicle Body Refinement Art'—which I acquired when I joined the Frostbite Sect. In contrast, I used the Xu family's cultivation technique when I was at Body Tempering Level 1. This led me to believe that the system would automatically utilize a high-level cultivation technique for cultivation rewards."
"Today's cultivation reward confirmed my theory, as the technique used was the Ancient Emperor Arcane. Higher-level techniques usually lead to stronger power gains from each breakthrough, and a sturdier foundation."
He added, "By using this technique as my foundation, and having no untampered parts up to Body Tempering level 4, I have made my foundation stronger than ever. I can now confidently claim that I am unrivaled in the Body Tempering realm. Even against those at the first level of the Qi Gathering realm, I could at least hold my own. However, whether I can win is uncertain, given the vast power gap between Body Tempering and Qi Gathering realms."
"Grrr!"
Xu Han's stomach growled loudly, interrupting his thoughts. He realized that he hadn't eaten since breakfast, and now it was already dinner time. Feeling hungry from expending so much energy on consolidating his realm, he decided it was time to grab a bite to eat.
"Let's find something delicious to eat." Xu Han said as he stepped out of his room.
Leaving his room, Xu Han called out, "Lingxi!" His voice, infused with qi, echoed through the courtyard, impressively reaching far and wide as he made his way towards the kitchen.
Reaching the kitchen, he settled into a dining chair, awaiting Lingxi's arrival. However, after waiting for five minutes, there was still no sign of her.
"Hmm, she should have been here by now," Xu Han pondered, puzzled. He decided to check her room, which was adjacent to his, and knocked on the door. With no response, he opened it to find an empty room.
Xu Han furrowed his brow, deep in thought. "Could she be outside? But she hardly ever leaves, except to buy daily necessities. And she already did that after making tea for me this morning," he pondered.
He paced back and forth, considering the possibilities. Lingxi's unusual behavior had him intrigued. "Ah, perhaps she's feeling shy because of yesterday's events?" he asked to himself.
As he contemplated, he couldn't help but boast, "Well, I can understand if my dashing looks make her a bit nervous. It's only natural."
After a moment of contemplation, Xu Han shook his head, dismissing the thought. "Nah what nonsense am I thinking, that can't be it,"
Then a realization struck him, and he continued, "Wait! Her sudden outing might mean her plot as a protagonist is about to unfold. And if that happens… I will surely be involved. No, I can't let that happen! If it does, my life will turn into a living nightmare." So, without further delay, Xu Han hurried outside.
As he stepped outside, the crisp air brushed against his face, revitalizing his senses.
He knew the sect like the back of his hand, but finding Lingxi in its vastness was no small task. So, he decided to make his way towards the main road connecting different parts of the sect.
As Xu Han walked neither slow nor fast towards the main road, he noticed that many disciples were staring at him strangely. This was different from how they used to look at him, either with fear or respect.
Although Xu Han had mentioned before that he didn't care if they were afraid, as he was going to become an inner court disciple soon, the expressions in their eyes and his assumption about Lingxi causing trouble for him made him angry.
As he hurried along, he noticed a fellow disciple with a similar expression. Unable to contain himself, Xu Han spoke in a cold tone, "What are you looking at? If I wasn't in a hurry, I'd have ripped those eyes from your skull. Get lost, fool, before I change my mind."
The disciple quickly retreated upon hearing Xu Han's fierce words, realizing it was better not to provoke this demon.