Just as Wang Ping was about to attempt to make Xu Yi's Gold Finger display its power and see if he could multiply the resources in Xu Yi's possession before proceeding with the paid simulation, the chat group system suddenly rang out.
"Ding, group member Xiao Shitian (93) joined the group chat."
"Ding, group member Xia Daoguang (94) joined the group chat."
"Ding, group member Liao Lifeng (95) joined the group chat."
"Oh, three newbies again? How interesting."
Wang Ping paused, feeling intrigued, and opened the chat group interface directly.
Then, Wang Ping witnessed a very familiar scene.
The old members offering "kind advice," the newcomers looking confused, and the debate over whether to choose soul transmigration or body transmigration.
Xiao Shitian (93): "I'm so handsome; it would be a waste to transmigrate my soul. Bros, I'll go with body transmigration. Watch how I land effortlessly and immediately get a powerful Gold Finger, taking off in an instant."
Xia Daoguang (94): "As a newbie, why are you so optimistic?"
Liao Lifeng (95): "I'm doomed. I'm always so unlucky. It seems I'll die whether I choose soul transmigration or body transmigration."
Wu Jun (20): "Wow, this time, the newcomers' optimism and pessimism are quite extreme."
Fang Yun (3): "Newcomers, let me kindly remind you that whether you choose soul transmigration or body transmigration, the first thing you should do after crossing over is to obtain a Gold Finger and then explain its abilities in the chat group. If your Gold Finger is useful, we're willing to spend some group points to resurrect you."
Wang Ping (66): "Fang Yun is right. Obtaining a Gold Finger is the most crucial; everything else is secondary."
Zhao Sihan (87): "Ding, Master Ball, capture Wang Ge."
Xiao Shitian (93): "Resurrection? Is there such a good thing? Understood, I'll go with body transmigration."
After saying this, Xiao Shitian immediately chose body transmigration.
One second later, the system's voice resounded.
"Ding, group member Xiao Shitian (93) has died. The death replay video has been recorded. All group members should take this as a lesson and learn from it."
Wang Ping (66): "."
Everyone: "."
Zhang Hu (5): "Damn, he died just like that? This is too outrageous; he couldn't even survive for a second."
Zhang Jun (70): ". He hasn't even hit the ground yet, and he's already dead."
Fang Yun (3): "I have to say, it's been a long time since anything like this happened in the chat group. The speed of this death is something Chen Kang couldn't compare to."
Chen Kang (67): "."
Zeng Lingdong (89): "I'm lucky to still be alive."
Xia Daoguang (94): "Damn, I'd better go with soul transmigration. Whoever chooses body transmigration is a fool."
Liao Lifeng (95): ". +1"
Ye Xiaofan (75): "Terrifying. The newcomers this time were frightened."
Qin Tian (77): "Who wouldn't be frightened? I would be scared too."
While everyone was making various comments, the death replay video was completed, and Wang Ping immediately clicked on it to take a look.
Then, Wang Ping's expression became strange.
Because the place where Xiao Shitian had transmigrated was quite miserable; he had transmigrated directly into the center of a battle between two terrifying powerhouses. The moment he appeared, he was crushed into powder by the energy, not even surviving for a second.
"However, this world seems to be quite powerful. Also, this system is somewhat interesting."
Wang Ping looked at the scenes in the death replay video and stroked his chin.
In the video, both powerhouses had special martial souls above their heads, endowing them with powerful abilities and strengths, and they were engaged in battle.
In terms of strength, they had reached the level of God Kings.
Wang Ping didn't think that Xiao Shitian would encounter a battle between the top powerhouses in this world right after transmigrating. There was a high probability that this world had even stronger beings than God Kings.
"Alpha, how strong is this world?"
When in doubt, ask Alpha. Wang Ping said this in his mind.
"It's very strong, equivalent to the most powerful realm in your world, the Saint King. Moreover, there might even be beings approaching the level of Half-Saint."
Alpha replied to Wang Ping.
"Can this martial soul system rival the one that can reach the level of Half-Saint? It's quite interesting."
Wang Ping became interested.
In his world, they were in the Last Era.
In the Last Era, even if one became a Saint, it was challenging to progress further and difficult to advance.
Once in the Saint realm, the reliance on resources for attributes and unique physiques would decrease.
In the Saint realm, the most important aspects of cultivation were willpower and enlightenment.
With successful enlightenment, cultivation would advance rapidly.
With failed enlightenment, one might die on the path.
This was a nail-biting process.
Of course, even though the percentage of reliance on attributes and unique physiques would decrease in the Saint realm, it didn't mean they were useless. Some people who steadily cultivated had deeper foundations and were stronger at the same realm.
Furthermore, special physiques and bloodlines provided significant enhancements to combat power.
"In the Last Era, the laws of heaven and earth aren't as apparent. Even if I have the incomplete Space-Time Dao Body, it's difficult to gain enlightenment, and the rate of progress definitely won't be fast. I might even be stuck at the Saint King level."
Wang Ping thought to himself.
"If it weren't for the Last Era making cultivation difficult, most of the old monsters wouldn't have sealed themselves and waited for the Last Era to pass before continuing their cultivation. Because cultivating in the Last Era meant wasting their lifespans."
"If I could take another path to continue improving my strength, reaching a level higher than Saint King, it would not only alleviate the issue of resource consumption but also give me more confidence when facing those old monsters."
"I initially thought of becoming stronger through the Body Refining Dao of Wang Shuqi's world. However, I later discovered that the Body Refining Dao of the Dao Palace was not weaker than that of Wang Shuqi's world, and it might even be stronger. Additionally, the consumption of resources for body refining was too high, so I temporarily put aside my cultivation in the High Martial Arts system."
"Now, if I
can explore this martial soul system, it would be great."
Various thoughts flashed through Wang Ping's mind.
Then, Wang Ping asked Alpha again, "Alpha, can I go to this world?"
"No, you can't. You can only go there if you resurrect this newcomer, and even then, your stay will be very short."
Alpha's cold voice rang out.
"As expected." Wang Ping wasn't surprised by this answer.
"If only I could draw a talent for creating avatars; that way, I could create other individuals to focus on simulations in different worlds simultaneously and merge them all into one in the end, making it enjoyable."
Wang Ping regretfully thought.
Although he had a secret technique for creating external avatars, it wasn't as useful, and he was worried about losing control over them once they went to different worlds.
"To stay in a world for an extended period, it's only possible when you're an ordinary person right after crossing over. Once you gain power, you'll be marked with the label of the world you're in and become more susceptible to rejection. Only ordinary crossers who successfully traverse can gradually develop the label of that world."
Alpha said silently.
"That's why I mentioned the need for a talent like creating avatars. If I could split myself into an ordinary version, I might be able to conduct corresponding simulations."
Wang Ping breathed a sigh of relief and spoke.
"Unless you're extremely lucky, the probability of getting such a talent is quite low."
Alpha's voice sounded again.
"It's just an idea; it would be best if I could draw it, but if I can't, there's no need to worry too much about it."
Wang Ping smiled and didn't continue discussing this topic.
At this moment, in the chat group, the two newcomers had made their choices and opted for soul transmigration.
Then, Xia Daoguang, one of the newcomers, successfully transmigrated his soul into the body of a middle-aged man. Although the man was a bit overweight, at least he was a human, better than transmigrating into a woman or some strange creature.
Xia Daoguang was quite happy about this.
As for Liao Lifeng, the other newcomer had a tougher time. He transmigrated into the body of a country dog, which left him feeling frustrated.
Fang Yun (3): "Why are you so frustrated? At least you're still alive, and that's already good. Unlike the first newcomer who died right away. Besides, when you become stronger and follow the path of demon cultivation, you can transform into a humanoid form; it's not impossible."
Liao Lifeng (95): "You make a lot of sense; I'm speechless."
Xia Daoguang (94): "I get it; I'm going to start drawing my Gold Finger."
Liao Lifeng (95): "I'm going to draw my Gold Finger too."
Soon, both newcomers had drawn their Gold Fingers and started bubbling with excitement.
Xia Daoguang (94): "Damn, I'm a bit unlucky. I drew a Gold Finger that unlocks the human body's limiter, and you become stronger just by training."
Liao Lifeng (95): "My Gold Finger seems pretty good; it's the Power of Sloth. As long as you're lazy enough, you automatically become stronger."
Fang Yun (3): "???"
Qin Tian (77): ". Xia Daoguang, are you having a Versailles complex?"
Wu Jun (20): "Unlocking the human body's limiter, envy! Uh, for the sake of my hair, I'd rather not be envious."
Wang Shuqi (74): "To be honest, I don't care about hair; being able to become stronger quickly is the way to go."
Xia Daoguang (94): "Why am I being called Versailles?"
Wang Ping (66) @ Xia Daoguang (94): "Don't you watch anime and read manga?"
Xia Daoguang (94): "I'm not a shut-in; why would I watch anime and read manga?"
Wang Ping (66): "It seems like you really don't know. Anyway, based on what I remember, your Gold Finger is pretty good; you can easily become stronger with it. However, Gold Fingers have their limits, including yours. To break through the limits, you'll need to earn group points for optimization."
Xia Daoguang (94): "Uh..."
Wang Ping (66): "Alright, instead of chatting here, I think you guys should find a safe place quickly and explore what your worlds are like."
After saying this, Wang Ping went silent.
As for the issue of resurrecting the first newcomer, Wang Ping planned to take his time.
If he truly encountered a bottleneck in the upcoming simulations, he wouldn't mind resurrecting the newcomer. After all, newcomers were just ordinary people, and even if they became slightly stronger with the newcomer's gift pack, that was about it. With Wang Ping's current amount of group points, even if he resurrected the newcomer a few years later, it wouldn't cost much.
"Come to think of it, among the crossers who died before I joined the group, it seems like there were some pretty good worlds, and some of the crossers had decent Gold Fingers," Wang Ping thought, rubbing his chin.
"Never mind, I'll think about the resurrection issue later; it's not urgent now."
With that, Wang Ping shook his head, pushing aside his wandering thoughts.
Next, Wang Ping opened a private chat with Xu Yi and transferred the divine source to him.
Unfortunately, this time, the mid-grade divine source multiplication failed, and instead, it triggered a two-fold multiplication of the high-grade divine source, increasing the amount of high-grade divine source in Wang Ping's possession to three thousand catties.
After retrieving the divine source, Wang Ping said in his mind, "System, I want to start a new paid simulation."
"Ding, consuming five thousand mid-grade divine sources. Life Simulator activated, talent refresh in progress."
The system's voice echoed.
"Ding, talent refresh successful. Congratulations, host, you
've successfully refreshed a purple talent: Blood Drinking; and a red talent: Inspiration."
Purple Talent - Blood Drinking: With this talent, when the host battles enemies, they will receive a certain degree of healing based on the damage dealt.
Red Talent - Inspiration: With this talent, the host can inspire the morale of an army, boosting their combat power.
"Hmm, a talent related to endurance? It's a pity it's only purple," Wang Ping said with a slight surprise, considering his current state. Purple talents typically benefited divine realm individuals, while red talents were suitable for saint realm individuals. Unless they were special talents that could bypass levels, purple talents were often unable to keep up with the pace.
Purple corresponded to the divine realm, while gold corresponded to the saint realm. Usually, purple talents were useful for individuals in the divine realm, while gold talents were tailored for those in the saint realm. However, some special talents could transcend levels.
Therefore, Wang Ping wasn't overly excited about this purple talent's effectiveness.
"But having something is better than nothing. System, I choose the purple talent - Blood Drinking."
Wang Ping muttered and made his choice.
"Ding, talent selection successful, and Life Simulator begins."
The system's voice rang out, and Wang Ping felt his consciousness blur as he entered an immersive simulation state.
Then, the screen appeared, and text began to appear.
[Day One, you chose to go into closed-door cultivation. In the blink of an eye, ten years have passed, and you've killed Ruo Lan.]
[Time flows rapidly, and the Grand Saint's Secret Realm opens. You chose to enter and effortlessly seized the Holy Medicine and its Grand Saint inheritance before leaving.]
[Next, you chose to leave the Primordial Star and arrived on a desolate planet for closed-door cultivation, utilizing the Holy Medicine and numerous top-grade divine sources to break through to the Saint realm.]
[Finally, you seized the opportunity to break through the barrier and entered the Saint realm. As you stepped into the realm of Saints, a terrifying heavenly tribulation began brewing, covering the entire starry sky.]
[Facing this, you looked up and laughed heartily, unafraid, and unleashed your full power to confront the heavenly tribulation. It must be said that even with your extraordinary foundation and the addition of a flawed Space-Time Dao Body, the Saint-level tribulation was still extremely formidable, and you nearly couldn't endure it.]
[However, you ultimately survived the Saint-level tribulation, becoming a powerful Saint in this era of decline. Upon your ascension to sainthood, a dazzling golden radiance enveloped the starry sky, exuding a powerful sacred aura that spread far and wide, causing even nearby desolate planets to shatter.]
[Feeling the immense power within you, you felt confident. You believed that in this era of decline, as long as you didn't encounter the ancient monsters wandering the world, your chances of survival would greatly increase, and you could explore the vast world.]
"Although I anticipated this, it's still a relief to have reached sainthood," Wang Ping thought, looking at the simulation content with a smile.
In Wang Ping's view, attaining sainthood in this simulation was inevitable. After all, in his previous simulation, he had already reached the bottleneck of sainthood and could break through the barrier.
However, he had encountered the Source of Darkness suddenly, which forced him to forcefully cross the tribulation and take his enemies and some dark creatures with him.
This time, with the Holy Medicine and top-grade divine sources on the verge of breaking through, not breaking through would be strange. He even began to suspect whether the Heavenly Dao was targeting him.
Next, Wang Ping collected his thoughts and continued to gaze at the screen.
[Just when you were confidently soaring, a sudden voice startled you. You turned to see a middle-aged man holding a jug of wine, drinking heartily while looking at you with great interest. He praised your achievement of sainthood in this era, which was truly astonishing.]
[You stared at the middle-aged man drinking wine with a serious expression because you realized that you couldn't see through his cultivation level. Clearly, he was not an ordinary Saint. You became cautious and prepared for a fight or escape at any moment. You started questioning him about his identity and why he was spying on you during your tribulation.]
[The middle-aged man chuckled and assured you that there was no need to be nervous. He had just passed by this place and sensed the Saint-level tribulation, so he came to take a look. However, he didn't expect to find a practitioner with a Space-Time Dao Body in this era. But he also pointed out that your Dao Body was incomplete.]
[You could only remain silent at this revelation. The incomplete Space-Time Dao Body was indeed flawed, and the complete version was much more highly regarded than the Golden Talent rating. However, you naturally didn't reveal the truth about extracting talents.]
[Seeing your silence, the middle-aged man shook his wine gourd at you, asking if you wanted a drink. Naturally, you declined, given your high vigilance.]
[Seeing your extreme caution, the middle-aged man found it uninteresting and revealed his identity. He introduced himself as Darkstar and allowed you to call him Darkstar Grand Saint. He hailed from the Nine Star Pavilion. If you were interested, you could follow him to the Nine Star Pavilion, where there might be a chance to restore the origin of your Space-Time Dao Body.]
[Upon hearing Darkstar's words, you were surprised. You didn't expect him to say such things. After all, the opportunity to restore the origin of a Space-Time Dao Body was something that even supreme beings and potential emperors would find incredible.]
[You searched for information about the Nine Star Pavilion in your mind but found no information about such a powerful organization. You had spent a long time reading books in the Scripture Repository of the Daoist Palace during a previous simulation, but there was no information about the Nine Star Pavilion, which was quite astonishing.]
[Although it was clear that the current Daoist Palace could not be compared to the previous one, it still indicated that the Nine Star Pavilion was shrouded in mystery.]
[You inquired about the origin and purpose of the Nine Star Pavilion from Darkstar Grand Saint. He took a sip of wine and answered your question, stating that the Nine Star Pavilion had no fixed base and was an entirely free-spirited organization. Those who joined the Nine Star Pavilion came from all walks of life, including some old monsters from major powers, hidden experts, and mysterious prodigies.]
[All of these individuals were extraordinary, and there was not a single weakling among them. After all, the Nine Star Pavilion had a minimum requirement for entry: being a Saint or a destined-to-be Saint prodigy. Even ordinary Saints did not qualify for an invitation to join.]
[Hearing Darkstar Grand Saint's words, you were deeply moved. The Nine Star Pavilion was truly terrifying, with a minimum entry requirement of being a Saint or a destined-to-be Saint prodigy. Even ordinary Saints were not qualified for an invitation.]
[Subsequently, you questioned Darkstar Grand Saint about the Nine Star Pavilion being a completely free-spirited organization and the purpose behind its creation. Darkstar Grand Saint chuckled and said that no one knew the origin of its founder or the purpose behind creating the Nine Star Pavilion. All you needed to know was that within the Nine Star Pavilion, no one knew each other's true identities, and everyone operated under code names.]
[Upon hearing this, you furrowed your brow, wondering if the Nine Star Pavilion was merely a gathering of powerful individuals.]
[Seeing your doubt, Darkstar Grand Saint shook his head with a smile and stated that if that were the case, no one would be willing to join. The reason people joined was that within the Nine Star Pavilion, they could gain benefits. Once you joined the Nine Star Pavilion, you would receive a scripture that allowed you to hide your cultivation and identity for free.]
[With this scripture, even quasi-emperors would find it difficult to discern your origin and true identity based on your cultivation. Just this benefit alone was enough to entice many cultivators.]
[Furthermore, the greatest advantage of the Nine Star Pavilion was that its members could abandon their real-world identities and work together to complete certain missions, gaining greater benefits.]
[These missions could be assigned by powerful individuals within the Nine Star Pavilion or even the mysterious founder of the Nine Star Pavilion. Regardless, once completed, they brought many benefits.]
[In addition to these benefits, the greatest advantage of the Nine Star Pavilion was the Nine Stars themselves. If one could become one of the Nine Stars, they could gain power equivalent to an emperor.]
[Hearing this, you were deeply shocked. To possess power on par with an emperor sounded unbelievable. After all, emperors were the most powerful beings in the upper realms and the pinnacle of cultivation. In this era, the number of emperors among the
top ten universes combined might not even exceed a hundred.]
[For a Nine Star Pavilion to boldly claim that becoming one of the Nine Stars could grant power equal to that of an emperor seemed quite absurd.]
[Subsequently, you asked Darkstar Grand Saint how one could become one of the Nine Stars. Darkstar Grand Saint took a sip of wine, chuckled, and said that you currently didn't have the qualifications to know. First, you needed to join the Nine Star Pavilion.]
[Upon hearing this, you pondered for a moment and made the choice to join the so-called Nine Star Pavilion. Whether it was to gather information or satisfy your curiosity, you had no reason to refuse.]
[Seeing your choice to join the Nine Star Pavilion, Darkstar Grand Saint nodded in satisfaction. After handing you a scripture and a token, he tore through the fabric of space and departed.]
[Receiving the scripture, you discovered it was the miraculous technique that Darkstar Grand Saint had mentioned earlier. It allowed members of the Nine Star Pavilion to practice freely and hide the origin of their techniques and identities.]
[This left you quite astonished. This technique seemed too miraculous, surpassing the usual level of secrecy associated with techniques. However, you couldn't help but recall that the upper realms were a gathering place for many celestial powers, and this technique might indeed come from the celestial realms. The Nine Star Pavilion could have been created by a formidable figure from one of these celestial powers.]
[However, these were all your speculations. The exact truth was something you would need to explore slowly.]
"Nine Star Pavilion, another peculiar force has emerged. The depths of the upper realms are truly profound," Wang Ping thought as he watched the simulation content.
"Nevertheless, even though this turned out unexpectedly and I was drawn into this Nine Star Pavilion, as long as I'm not dead, it's fine," Wang Ping sighed in relief.
When he saw the appearance of Darkstar Grand Saint, he initially thought that this simulation might come to an end again. After all, beings like Grand Saints were incredibly powerful. Even though he had broken through to the Saint realm and wielded the Supreme Weapon, the Black Abyss Devil Spear, it was impossible for him to contend with them.
Crossing realms had to follow a certain logic, and there was a world of difference between a Saint and a Grand Saint, separated by two major realms. Their strengths were like night and day.
Furthermore, individuals who became Grand Saints were no simple characters. Attempting to defeat one, even if he were to reach the cultivation level of a Half-Step Grand Saint, might still be impossible.
Perhaps only after becoming a Half-Step Grand Saint, combined with the power of the Black Abyss Devil Spear, could he hope to face them head-on.
As various thoughts swirled in Wang Ping's mind, the simulation continued.
[Next, after careful consideration, you chose to return to the Primordial Star. While many events would still occur on the Primordial Star, you knew what the future held and could avoid risks. Staying in a familiar place seemed more reasonable than venturing to other ancient stars.]
[Of course, the main reason was that your current resources were barely sufficient. Embarking on a long journey to other ancient stars would bring unfamiliar environments, and you might not obtain precious resources. Staying put and planning for the future seemed wiser.]
[Upon returning to the Primordial Star, you arrived at the Baiyan Divine Sect. Once there, you intended to take Lin Qinghe, who was still very young and inexperienced, as your disciple.]
[Your sudden act of taking a disciple left Lin Qinghe utterly bewildered. The members of the Baiyan Divine Sect were shocked and furious at this blatant act of undermining their authority, especially Lin Qinghe's master, who was infuriated.]
[However, after you displayed your divine authority, they all fell silent, overwhelmed with fear.]
[Lin Qinghe, although shocked by your status as a Saint, initially refused your offer, claiming she already had a master. The higher-ups of the Baiyan Divine Sect were even more alarmed, fearing that you might kill them all in your anger.]
[Listening to Lin Qinghe's words, you coldly laughed and directly exposed the wrongdoings of the Baiyan Divine Sect. This left Lin Qinghe in disbelief. However, when you forcibly probed her memories and then implanted them in her mind, Lin Qinghe fell silent.]
[Subsequently, without hesitation, she chose to become your disciple, hoping that you, her new master, would help her seek revenge. Without any hesitation, after ruthlessly eliminating the higher-ups of the Baiyan Divine Sect, you left with Lin Qinghe.]
[The news of the extermination of the Baiyan Divine Sect's higher-ups spread quickly, causing shock throughout the land. The cultivators on the Primordial Star couldn't have anticipated that, in this era of decline, a Saint would appear once more. In particular, when they learned the details, they were even more astonished.]
[The most affected were the Green Yuan Divine Sect and the North Snow Divine Dynasty. Because you had been walking among them using the identity and appearance of Bai Tianhong, they remembered that just a hundred years ago, you were merely a God-King in terms of cultivation. Now, you had ascended to the status of a Saint, which was truly terrifying.]
[As various factions and powers were shaken and inquiring about your news, you arrived at the Daoist Palace with Lin Qinghe. Your goal was simple: to join the Daoist Palace. If you could become a part of it, you would have a chance to gain control of the Dao Celestial Emperor's weapon, the Emperor's Divine Weapon.]
[Although the Daoist Palace had been destroyed, and the Emperor's Divine Weapon had been banished and sealed, you would undoubtedly obtain it eventually. This was an opportunity that you absolutely could not afford to miss.]
[The Daoist Palace's requirements for your membership left the Daoist Palace Master astonished. He had not expected that a powerful Saint like you would seek to join the Daoist Palace. Moreover, when you revealed your incomplete Space-Time Dao Body and the fact that you had cultivated the Dao Celestial Emperor's scriptures, the Daoist Palace Master was even more astounded.]
[However, during its prime, it would have been quite normal for a Saint to join as a guest elder. But for the current Daoist Palace, your entry posed significant risks. After all, you were too powerful, and the Daoist Palace could not provide you with the resources you desired.]
[If you had been weaker and joined the Daoist Palace for cultivation, it might have fostered emotional connections. However, given your current overwhelming strength, joining the Daoist Palace raised suspicions about your origin and intentions.]
[In the end, after the Daoist Palace Master fell into silence, he declined your request to join. You sighed at this outcome, feeling disappointed, but it wasn't entirely unexpected.]
[After all, this was how various forces operated, whether in the lower realms or the upper realms. When you were weak, they would readily accept you, but as you grew stronger, they became cautious.]
[However, even though you couldn't join the Daoist Palace, you still informed them of some upcoming events and left.]
[This is the result of the lack of origin sources available for absorption on the Primordial Star nowadays; otherwise, it wouldn't have been impossible for Lin Qinghe to become a Saint.]
[During these thousand years, you've worked hard on your cultivation, but you've come to understand the essence of the Dharma Ending Era - Saints remain hidden. In this Dharma Ending Era, it's difficult to become a Saint, and the cultivation after achieving that status is even more challenging.]
[After reaching the Saint realm, understanding the Dao becomes paramount, with resources being secondary. However, even after reaching the Saint realm, your resources are only barely sufficient, preventing any luxurious use. Moreover, in the Dharma Ending Era, the laws are concealed, making it difficult to comprehend the Dao.]
[For this reason, after a thousand years, you remain at the first level of Saint, without advancing to the second. At times, you contemplate self-sealing and await the arrival of a Golden Age.]
[However, you eventually abandon this plan. After all, nobody knows when the Golden Age will come, and self-sealing carries its own risks. Instead, you choose to continue exploring the Upper Realms, uncovering various mysteries and gathering intelligence. With your current status in the life simulation, time is abundant.]
[In the blink of an eye, hundreds of years pass, and the Daoist Palace is still tragically destroyed.]
[In addition, Ye Chen also arrives in the Upper Realms and joins the Purple Cloud Sacred Ground. Just as you remember, he clashes with the descendants of the Supreme from the Central Ancient Star Domain and is confined by the Purple Cloud Sacred Ground's Patriarch.]
[This time, you choose to go to the Purple Cloud Sacred Ground to observe Ye Chen, who has been taken away by a powerful figure. Due to your proficiency in spatial laws and concealment techniques, the Saint protecting the Supreme descendant does not detect your presence.]
[Of course, this is also related to the fact that the other Saint is just an ordinary one. If it had been a powerful Saint, they might have sensed your presence even in this Dharma Ending Era.]
[Soon, you receive an answer. A powerful soul force emerges from the new ring that Ye Chen obtained, and this soul force is incredibly potent, at least at the level of a Saint. To possess such formidable soul power in a soul state suggests the incredible strength Ye Chen possessed in his prime.]
[However, your amazement soon turns into a feeling of déjà vu, thinking that Ye Chen has become another "Ring Grandpa" in this journey. You've encountered so many of them along the way.]
[However, you're soon proven wrong. This time, it's not a "Ring Grandpa" but a "Ring Grandma." You give her a peculiar look, feeling that Ye Chen is not following the usual pattern.]
[Next, the "Ring Grandma" directly acknowledges your presence and inquires about your reasons for spying. In response, you choose to step out.]
[As you step out of the space, Ye Chen is left dumbfounded, followed by a sense of delight. He hasn't seen you, his mentor, in a long time. During his time in the Upper Realms, he had been trying to gather information about you but without success, which had left him worried, fearing that something might have happened to you.]
[After catching up, Ye Chen's "Ring Grandma" also becomes aware of your relationship with Ye Chen and ceases to be wary of you.]
[However, she is more astonished, as she recognizes you as a Saint. According to Ye Chen, just over a thousand years ago, you had only recently ascended as a Divine God. In a little over a thousand years, you had gone from being a Divine God to becoming a Saint in the Dharma Ending Era, which was truly extraordinary. Even the imperial princes from the ancient Golden Age couldn't achieve such a feat without massive resources.]
[Those who could accomplish such a feat usually received extensive cultivation resources during the Golden Age.]
[For a moment, the "Ring Grandma" holds you in great respect, considering you a person with great potential to attain enlightenment.]
[After chatting for a while, you and Ye Chen depart together. After leaving, the "Ring Grandma" reveals her plan. She intends to take Ye Chen to the Thunderflame Valley in her faction for cultivation and hopes that you can join as well, as it would be the best outcome.]
[You listen to her proposal, feeling conflicted but ultimately declining it. Thunderflame Valley is a force you've heard of. During its peak, it had a Supreme sitting in authority. Although you're uncertain if there is still a self-sealed Supreme in Thunderflame Valley now, it's still formidable.]
[However, Thunderflame Valley isn't your goal. You aim to join forces with factions that have Emperors presiding over them. Only by joining such major powers can you avoid being targeted by those old monsters, or at least minimize the risk of being targeted.]
[Seeing your refusal, the "Ring Grandma" feels somewhat disappointed but doesn't say much. She chooses to leave with Ye Chen. Although Ye Chen is reluctant, he bids you farewell and follows the "Ring Grandma" to Thunderflame Valley.]
[With no intention of staying on the Primordial Star any longer, you have a clear goal now. After all, the Dark Catastrophe will erupt in a short time. By then, even though you've become a Saint, your life will still be at risk.]
[For this reason, it's essential to use your remaining time to explore ancient stars with Supremes or head directly to the Central Ancient Star Domain. Both options are crucial.]
[However, just as you plan to leave the Primordial Star with your disciple Lin Qinghe, a message appears on your Nine Star Token, presenting you with a unique mission. This mission requires you to enter the Taiyuan Forbidden Area and find a piece of Taiyuan Saint Stone. Whether you accept this mission or not is entirely up to you.]
[As the Darkstar Grand Saint mentioned, the Nine Star Pavilion is a completely free and independent faction, and its members are not compelled to undertake any tasks.]
[In response, you find yourself deep in thought and contemplation.]
[The text simulation comes to a halt here, and Wang Ping enters a state of immersive simulation, with numerous insights and images flooding his mind.]
[Finally, his figure reappears in a certain place on the Primordial Star.]
"A rare forced entry into an immersive simulation, it seems like it's time for a branching storyline. According to experience, entering the Taiyuan Forbidden Area will most likely lead to trouble."
Wang Ping stroked his chin, his eyes flickering as he fell into contemplation.
(End of this chapter)