In the midst of everyone's astonishment, you initiated another challenge through telepathy. This time, your opponent was none other than the first Emperor's Son of the Taiyi Emperor's Palace, the true prodigy of the younger generation, Yu Dao Hong. He was the direct son of the current Taiyi Emperor, making him a prominent figure in the Taiyi Emperor's Palace.
It was rumored that Yu Dao Hong had never exerted his full strength. Like you, he had defeated the second Emperor's Son with just one move, and after that, the second Emperor's Son had acknowledged his superiority. Since then, he had become a loyal follower of Yu Dao Hong, never again bringing up the matter of competing for the position of Taiyi Emperor's Palace's Master.
The fact that a fellow Emperor's Son willingly became his follower spoke volumes about Yu Dao Hong's immense strength and terrifying talent. When you challenged Yu Dao Hong, you didn't believe you could defeat him; you just wanted to gauge his true strength and battle prowess.
Observing your challenge, many onlookers shook their heads, thinking that you were destined to lose. Even the second Emperor's Son had a changed expression but refrained from saying much, believing that your defeat was inevitable.
You paid little attention to the reactions of those around you. At that moment, Yu Dao Hong, the graceful first Emperor's Son, appeared before you, accepting your challenge.
The ensuing battle was fierce. Yu Dao Hong also displayed the cultivation level of a half-step Great Saint. However, what left you in disbelief was that, despite sharing the same cultivation level, you couldn't even last for ten moves against him, even when using your Purple Talent, the Endless Blade, and your Golden Talent, the Multiple Harmony.
After your defeat, Yu Dao Hong commented lightly, stating that if your Time-Space Dao Body were complete, you could have posed a real challenge. However, with a fragmented Time-Space Dao Body, it was merely at the level of an ordinary Saintly Body.
Listening to Yu Dao Hong's words, you fell into silence. You had an intuition that Yu Dao Hong was still hiding his true strength. The previous battle had seemed too effortless for him.
Ultimately, you sighed inwardly, acknowledging that Yu Dao Hong was indeed worthy of being the direct son of a Great Emperor. He likely possessed not only the purest Great Emperor's bloodline but also an extraordinarily powerful physique that exceeded that of an ordinary Saintly Body. This was why he had achieved such remarkable strength.
It was no wonder that Bai Xiaosheng ranked Yu Dao Hong fifth on the Saint King Ranking, indicating his terrifying potential. Initially, you had thought that after reaching the half-step Great Saint level, you could easily break into the top ten of the Saint King Ranking. However, now you realized that you had underestimated the top four figures and their potential.
The Golden Age was truly a remarkable era, giving rise to so many potential future Great Emperors. With these thoughts in mind, you accepted your defeat and retreated to continue your cultivation in the Taiyi Emperor's Tower.
"Wow, this Yu Dao Hong is truly exceptional," Wang Ping commented as he read the simulation text, expressing his admiration.
"It seems that my Golden Talent, the Incomplete Time-Space Dao Body, can't keep up anymore. I must complete the source of my Time-Space Dao Body as soon as possible," Wang Ping pondered, rubbing his chin.
In the Last Age, his Incomplete Time-Space Dao Body had allowed him to dominate, leaving few contenders. However, in this Golden Age, with various body constitutions and bloodlines emerging, his advantage had diminished significantly, even to the point of becoming a weak point.
Moreover, compared to the true prodigies born in this era, he had fallen behind. Therefore, completing his Time-Space Dao Body had become an urgent necessity.
"In the Last Age, I met that Dark Star Great Saint from the Nine Stars Pavilion, who mentioned that they have a method to complete the source of the Time-Space Dao Body. I wonder if it's true," Wang Ping recalled his encounter with the Dark Star Great Saint from the Nine Stars Pavilion, his eyes shining with anticipation.
He had joined the Taiyi Emperor's Palace and performed exceptionally well. If the Taiyi Emperor's Palace could help him complete the source of his Time-Space Dao Body, he believed they wouldn't hesitate to do so.
However, if the Taiyi Emperor's Palace couldn't provide a solution, he had also thought of the Nine Stars Pavilion. Although their credibility was in question, they might hold some clues. After all, the Nine Stars Pavilion's origins were mysterious and might have ties to different dimensions.
Regardless of the outcome, Wang Ping had decided that he must rejoin the Nine Stars Pavilion. Even if they couldn't help, they might provide some leads. He understood that finding potential disciples like Zhi Huowang or Wan Yu was not an easy task. The competition among major powers was fierce, and they could easily detect and recruit such extraordinary talents.
At this point, Wang Ping sighed with regret. Given the current Golden Age, it was highly unlikely that he would be able to recruit disciples like Zhi Huowang or Wan Yu. He would have to wait for the next simulation to try again.
In the end, after completing the Taiyi Emperor's Palace's tasks, you returned to your residence.
Time passed quickly, nearly a century went by. During these years, your cultivation didn't make significant progress, but your understanding of the laws, with the help of the Taiyi Emperor's Tower, reached the peak of eighty percent, not far from ninety.
Then, you received another letter from Ji Bingyan, and you met her once more. After a brief exchange, you accepted Ji Bingyan's request to help the Ji family secure a spot in the secret realm.
This time, you intended to explore the secrets deep within the cold pool thoroughly. Even if you couldn't uncover all its mysteries, you hoped to obtain the Tianhan Ice and make it recognize you, granting you the Tianhan Ice Body.
When you arrived, the fourth Prince of the Taiyi Emperor's Palace wore a dark expression. The Wang family's faces were equally grim, surprised that the Ji family had managed to secure the assistance of the renowned second Prince.
Ultimately, there was no suspense in the competition. Despite the Wang family's effort to tie the score at three apiece, in the final battle, the fourth Prince of the Taiyi Emperor's Palace chose not to face you and conceded defeat directly. The Wang family had no choice but to accept their loss.
Following this, you entered the secret realm with Ji's family. Without wasting time, you began to contemplate the laws within. Eventually, with the help of the secret realm, you successfully comprehended ninety percent of the spatial laws, significantly enhancing your strength.
As the time was running out, you decided to venture deep into the cold pool. This time, thanks to your increased strength, your descent into the cold pool's depths was much smoother and appeared effortless.
Upon reaching the Tianhan Ice, you once again attempted to subdue it. However, your actions infuriated the Tianhan Ice, which emitted a terrifying cold aura, intent on freezing you.
Once again, you sensed a life-threatening danger and utilized secret techniques to boost your strength while seeking refuge in your spatial abilities. Unfortunately, you discovered that the Tianhan Ice was truly formidable. Even with your current power, it was challenging to withstand its terrifying cold aura, and your spatial abilities had their limits.
You speculated that to truly resist this cold aura, you would need to reach the level of a Great Saint in cultivation.
However, you remained composed and chose to use the effect of your Golden Talent, Damage Nullification, to forcefully break through the cold aura and seize the Tianhan Ice.
The Tianhan Ice struggled vigorously and released an even more dreadful cold aura, refusing to acknowledge you. Frustrated, you sighed, realizing that your efforts might be in vain once again.
Instead of attempting to win its recognition, you decided to make use of your Golden Talent, Teleportation, to escape before the time limit of Damage Nullification ran out. If you didn't, you would be completely frozen, rendering you unable to continue the simulation, something you didn't want to happen.
As you prepared to teleport, you sensed a peculiar aura emanating from the depths of the cold pool, a sensation that drew you in. Your body yearned for whatever lay below, leaving you deeply intrigued.
Your intuition told you that whatever awaited you down there was of utmost importance and could lead to a significant transformation.
However, you also understood that, given your inability to overcome the Tianhan Ice, it was nearly impossible to venture deeper into the cold pool and seize this opportunity. Forcing your way to obtain it would likely result in your demise.
Therefore, you suppressed your greed and decisively activated your Golden Talent, Teleportation, to leave the area.
"This Tianhan Ice is quite troublesome. It seems that this opportunity doesn't belong to me," Wang Ping mused as he read the simulation text, a hint of regret in his heart.
To truly obtain the Tianhan Ice Body, he would need to reach a level where he could suppress it with overwhelming power, a level of cultivation that rendered the Tianhan Ice irrelevant to him. This created a dilemma for him.
"I should focus on the other opportunity in the cold pool," Wang Ping thought to himself, his eyes flickering with determination.
"Now, I'm definitely unable to venture deep into the cold pool's depths. However, if I bring Cai Yonglong to the Upper Realm and coordinate with his optimized Golden Finger, we might have a chance."
"Cai Yonglong's Golden Finger has already been optimized once, and the duration of his absolute defense has increased to one minute. One minute of invincible defense is already quite terrifying. Although compared to its full potential, it still falls short."
Wang Ping shook his head, sighed softly, and shifted his focus to Cai Yonglong.
"If I do this, there's one problem. To allow Cai Yonglong to enter, the Ji family will need to provide an additional slot," Wang Ping muttered to himself.
"However, with my status and position, the Ji family should be willing to accommodate this request."
With these thoughts in mind, Wang Ping calmed his emotions and continued to gaze at the screen.
"After you used Teleportation to leave, the secret realm closed, and Ji Bingyan was shocked to discover that you hadn't been teleported out, causing her extreme distress. Even the Ji family was taken aback. If you were left within the secret realm, it would be terrible news for the Ji family."
As the second Prince of the Taiyi Emperor's Palace, you held a prestigious status and astonishing potential. It was not unexpected for you to become a future supreme being, and even achieving the status of a quasi-emperor was not out of the question.
Individuals of your caliber, even within a place like the Taiyi Emperor's Palace, were considered highly valuable assets and the future elite. If something were to happen to you, the Ji family would likely face blame from the Taiyi Emperor's Palace. Even if they weren't annihilated, they would pay a heavy price.
However, unaware of the Ji family's concerns, you found yourself in a mysterious place after using your Golden Talent, Teleportation.
This place was shrouded in thick fog, making it impossible to discern its true nature. No matter what method you employed, you couldn't escape the foggy surroundings, leaving you puzzled and suspecting that you might have entered some kind of illusionary formation.
At that moment, you felt somewhat helpless, fearing that this teleportation had landed you in a troublesome situation.
Just when you were feeling pessimistic about what would come next, your consciousness suddenly flickered, and you emerged from the fog, finding yourself in a peculiar village.
Before you stood a one-eyed old man, who was examining you with a curious expression, clicking his tongue in amazement.
Seeing the one-eyed old man, you were surprised and sensed that he was not an ordinary person. He was undoubtedly an existence you couldn't contend with. Understanding this, you began to pay your respects as a junior, explaining that you had accidentally arrived here and had no intention of disturbing the senior.
In response to your apology, the one-eyed old man chuckled and assured you that he didn't mind your sudden arrival. He was merely curious about how you had managed to be transported to this place. He emphasized that even the Supreme beings couldn't perform spatial transfers in this location.
The one-eyed old man's words sent a shiver down your spine, and you realized that this elderly figure was most likely a quasi-emperor. Lying to him was not a path you wanted to take, as he would see through it.
Therefore, you explained your situation with a mixture of truth and falsehood, revealing that you possessed a one-time use talisman that had brought you here.
Upon hearing your words, the one-eyed old man scrutinized you for a long while before finally chuckling and choosing to believe your story.
Relieved, you politely inquired about your whereabouts and the identity of the senior.
In response, the one-eyed old man, with a grin on his face, informed you that this place was Chrysanthemum Village, a hidden village of recluses. He then advised you not to ask too many questions. If not for the fact that you were a prince of the Taiyi Emperor's Palace, you would have met your end here countless times.
Your astonishment grew as you realized that this was a secluded village of recluses, implying that there were likely other Supreme beings and quasi-emperors here besides the one-eyed old man.
At the same time, you understood why the seemingly malevolent one-eyed old man hadn't taken any action against you earlier. It was evident that anyone intruding into this place, even a Supreme being, would likely meet a grim fate.
You then expressed your intention not to disturb the elders and requested to leave peacefully, hoping that the one-eyed old man would grant your request.
Hearing your words, the one-eyed old man chuckled once again and was about to teleport you away. However, at that moment, you witnessed a pair of twin girls flying into the sky, puffing their cheeks and shouting in unison that they were too grown-up to continue drinking beast milk.
This sight left you greatly astonished. You noticed that the twin girls' cultivation had reached the level of Saints, but their appearance was exceptionally youthful, making them appear around eleven or twelve years old. Their life force was incredibly vigorous, suggesting they were around twenty years old. Saints at twenty years of age were already a formidable force, even though they couldn't compare to your innate Saint status in the One Profound Universe.
The one-eyed old man, who clearly had a close relationship with the twin girls, gazed at them affectionately. Then, he looked at you, his eyes turning icy, revealing a hint of murderous intent.
This made your hair stand on end as a chilling sensation surged from your feet up your spine. You realized that the one-eyed old man had developed murderous intentions toward you. All of this was because you had witnessed the existence of the twin girls, whom the one-eyed old man clearly wanted to keep secret from the outside world.
While you were amazed by all of this, your curiosity about the village's secrets and the twin girls grew stronger.
Even as various thoughts crossed your mind, the one-eyed old man gradually suppressed his killing intent and chose not to eliminate you. You breathed a sigh of relief, realizing that your death in this simulation would indeed be a waste. You wanted to gather more information and become stronger.
As you contemplated your situation, the one-eyed old man smiled and stated that since you had arrived and seen what you did, he couldn't let you leave. From now on, you would stay in Chrysanthemum Village. Moreover, the two girls, Phoenix Qing and Phoenix Yin, needed a playmate; otherwise, they would keep bothering the elderly residents.
Although you felt somewhat helpless as the one-eyed old man decided not to let you go, you couldn't help but become intrigued by the two twin girls. You saw an opportunity to uncover the secrets of Chrysanthemum Village, especially regarding these extraordinary twins.
You believed that, with time, you might even be able to take them as disciples once you grew stronger. While it was challenging to reach the quasi-emperor level or higher in the real world in just a hundred years, you had confidence in the capabilities of the life simulation system.
The one-eyed old man proceeded to seal your cultivation and applied a secret technique on you, leaving you unable to practice. However, considering that your cultivation wasn't likely to reach the level of a Great Saint anytime soon, and you hadn't yet comprehended the way of enlightenment, the immediate impact was limited.
"This Chrysanthemum Village is truly mysterious," you thought to yourself, intrigued by the village's secrets.
As you continued to observe, the one-eyed old man led you into the heart of Chrysanthemum Village. There, you learned the total number of inhabitants: nineteen. Some of their identities were unclear to you, but others were figures you had read about in the ancient records of the Taiyi Emperor's Palace—legendary individuals, all of them quasi-emperors, and some notorious ones at that.
This revelation sent shivers down your spine. You hadn't expected Chrysanthemum Village to be this formidable, harboring quasi-emperors who even the Supreme beings couldn't match.
Furthermore, you discovered the names of the two twin girls—Phoenix Qing and Phoenix Yin. They possessed pure Phoenix bloodline, making them legitimate descendants of the Phoenix clan. Both pure-blooded Phoenixes and pure-blooded Dragons were incredibly powerful races among the mystical beasts. Even the emperor-level forces among humanity would think twice before provoking these two mighty clans.
You couldn't help but wonder whether the elders of Chrysanthemum Village had abducted these Phoenix descendants and hidden them here, which might explain the one-eyed old man's actions. If the pure-blooded Phoenix clan found out about their existence, they would likely take drastic measures against Chrysanthemum Village.
While you silently condemned the elders for kidnapping the Phoenixes, Phoenix Qing and Phoenix Yin warmly greeted you. Given the dull atmosphere of the village filled with elderly residents, they were naturally curious and excited to have a young visitor.
Seeing their enthusiasm, you willingly played with them, deepening your friendship. You shared various stories with them and even introduced some modified games from your hometown.
As your relationship with Phoenix Qing and Phoenix Yin blossomed, you became close friends. The elderly residents of Chrysanthemum Village, who had initially underestimated you due to your status as a Taiyi Emperor's Palace prince, were now pleasantly surprised by your interactions with the twin girls.
In their eyes, your status and potential as a prince were of no concern. They were more focused on whether you could keep Phoenix Qing and Phoenix Yin happy and prevent them from causing trouble.
"These pure-blooded Phoenix descendants have truly remarkable backgrounds," you pondered as you continued to read the simulation's content.
Their bloodlines, combined with the esteem in which they were held by the elderly residents, suggested that Phoenix Qing and Phoenix Yin were not just potential quasi-emperors but possibly destined for even greater achievements. The possibilities were both impressive and terrifying.
Pure-blooded Phoenixes and Dragons were already formidable races, and if they achieved quasi-emperor status, their power would surpass that of many emperors. Moreover, as twins, it raised the question of who could be their match if both achieved such heights.
Chrysanthemum Village's residents seemed to be playing a significant game, and you couldn't help but feel a sense of apprehension.
As you contemplated the extraordinary circumstances in the simulation, Wang Ping found himself thoroughly engrossed in the narrative. The mysteries of Chrysanthemum Village, the secrets of Phoenix Qing and Phoenix Yin, and the potential consequences of their incredible backgrounds had him hooked.
The simulation continued, and over the course of a hundred years, you established a rapport with the eccentric residents of Chrysanthemum Village. You didn't hesitate to make the most of your time, taking advantage of Phoenix Qing and Phoenix Yin's resources and attending lectures on various Dao teachings by the elderly residents. This led to significant progress in your understanding of the Dao.
Your mastery of the Space Dao reached the peak of ninety percent, only a step away from perfection. However, it was your advancement in the Fire Dao that truly astounded everyone.
Due to your interactions with Phoenix Qing and Phoenix Yin, who followed the path of the Fire Dao as Phoenixes, you had the privilege of receiving personalized guidance and access to various Fire Dao treasures. As a result, you managed to attain perfection in the Fire Dao, much to your own astonishment.
In a mere hundred and twenty years, Phoenix Qing and Phoenix Yin, who had started as Saints, had progressed to the level of Saint Kings, achieving perfection in the Fire Dao as well.
Their rapid growth was a source of envy even for you, and you couldn't help but admire their talents. Their achievements were astounding—a pair of Saint Kings at the age of around one hundred and twenty, and both with perfected mastery of the Fire Dao. If this news were to spread, it would surely shake the world of prodigies.
Even you, who had been granted exceptional abilities, found it difficult to maintain composure in the face of such remarkable progress.
The story in the simulation had captivated Wang Ping. He couldn't help but contemplate the implications of the twin girls' potential, the village's mysteries, and the hidden motives of the enigmatic residents of Chrysanthemum Village.
With bated breath, he continued to read, eager to uncover more of the story.