After finishing his dinner, Xu Han went to his room and took out an extraordinary book. It was so incredible, not even the most advanced adjectives could do it justice! He opened the book and was immediately drawn into its mesmerizing pages.
But the more he 'saw', the more he felt a tinge of dissatisfaction with his current Situation as he said: "I can only see these things through a hand-drawn pictures, while in my previous life, I enjoyed them in full 4k HD view!"
"And I was not a cherry boy," Xu Han chuckled to himself, "These were the things I used to watch before my marriage," he mused, but as the word 'marriage' escaped his lips, memories of his past life came rushing back, and he found himself lost in nostalgia. A tear welled up in the corner of his eye as he recalled his previous life.
Xu Han quickly brushed away the tear, snapping out of his memories with a self-conscious chuckle. "Alright, enough of that," he said, shaking his head as if trying to dispel the lingering emotions.
Taking a moment to collect his thoughts, he closed his eyes, deep in contemplation. After a calming breath, he opened his eyes again, his gaze now firm and resolute. "Well, that was my previous life," he admitted, shrugging off the sentimental moment.
"But dwelling on the past won't get me anywhere. So, it is best if I focus on the future," he declared.
The word 'future' triggered something in Xu Han's mind, prompting him to close the book in his hand immediately as he said: "Instead of wasting time on these vulgar books, why don't I read about the history or other things of this world? Even if they aren't useful now, I can't dismiss their potential for the future," he concluded.
With this thought, Xu Han rose from his bed and stepped out of his room, making a beeline for the library.
…
The night passed, and morning arrived, but Xu Han didn't return home. Instead, he sat in the library, engrossed in a book resting on a wooden table before him, surrounded by a stack of other books.
This library was called the Archive Hall, not the Ninefold Pavilion where techniques and skills were stored.
The Archive Hall was a vast place, designed with an ancient touch, and its size doubled that of a large-scale library on Earth. Bookshelves lined the walls, and tables stood at the center of the room.
The Archive Hall was a place of vast knowledge, holding secrets that stretched far beyond the history of the world. It contained valuable information on medicine, herbs, mystic arrays, and much more. That's why many people frequented the library, not just Xu Han. But there was something unusual about Xu Han's spot; the chairs around his table remained empty, as if others were purposely staying away.
Undeterred by the solitude, Xu Han immersed himself in his reading. Occasionally, he looked up and observed a grand hourglass hanging in the center of the library. The cascading sands served as a gentle reminder of passing of time.
…
Xuan Ji was seated cross-legged on his bed in his room, deep in meditation. In his hand, he held an orchid he had obtained from a previous simulation, most likely using it for his cultivation. After several hours of profound concentration, he finally opened his eyes, feeling a surge of energy.
"I've used the Spirit Weave Orchid, and I can sense a significant increase in my cultivation. In just three months, I can break through to the Qi Gathering realm. And it seems this orchid has also improved my talent," Xuan Ji thought, excitement evident in his expression. However, his excitement was short-lived as he suddenly remembered something.
"Uh-oh! It's already afternoon, and I started consuming the orchid last night. I completely forgot about going to the simulation. I hope the time difference doesn't force me to leave the simulation," Xuan Ji said, feeling uneasy as he attempted to connect back to the simulation.
Xu Han who has left library was on his way home, when he suddenly felt the familiar connection of Xuan Ji. Xu Han didn't waste time and immediately granted him permission to enter the simulation.
As Xuan Ji sat there, feeling anxious and as if he was sitting on pins, he saw the lines of text appear before him. A sense of relief washed over him, and he said, "So, I can enter anytime during the day, but I have to make sure I stay within the time limit?"
After some more thought, Xuan Ji decided not to dwell on the time limit for now as he said: "Well, whatever, first let's do the simulation," shifting his focus back to the lines of text before him.
[Welcome to the Celestial Simulator. You have confirmed the activation of the simulation!]
[You have two options –]
[Option 1: Continue the last simulation but everything needs to start from the beginning. You need to survive in the Immortal cultivation simulation for 15 years before you can have an extra newborn talent.]
[Option 2: Start a new simulation.]
He didn't take long to decide as he said: "I choose option 1."
[You have chosen to start previous life…]
[Your personal attributes are...]
[Name: Xuan Ji]
[State of mind: 1]
[Fortune: 1]
[Perseverance: 2]
[Background: 2]
[Talent: Sword]
[Hint: If any attribute reaches zero, the probability of death will be greatly increased.]
[Your simulated life has officially begun –]
[Countdown: 10, 9... 0!]
[Simulation begins!]
[Age 0: You have been born into a merchant family. Your father is the head of the merchant family.]
[Age 1: Your first year was ordinary, like that of any child.]