132: Chapter 132: The Fourth Simulation Ends

"Zhao Zhanming's footsteps came to an abrupt halt."

"He stared blankly at you in his arms, his brain feeling as if it had been struck by a divine thunderbolt, instantly turning blank."

"This face—he would never forget it, even in death."

"The peerless Fairy he had caught a fleeting glimpse of on the street that day, the back profile that had haunted his dreams and caused him to mistake her for someone else... was actually Manager Lin, who clicked the abacus in Wangjiang Tower every day!"

""It's you?!" Zhao Zhanming's voice trembled. Shock, ecstasy, confusion, pain... countless complex emotions intertwined wildly in his eyes. "Why... why did you lie to me?""

"Watching his breakdown, you chuckled inwardly."

"You coughed up another mouthful of fresh blood, feeling the weakness spreading through your body. Your gaze became unfocused, and your voice was so faint it seemed like a gust of wind could blow it away: "I... didn't mean to...""

"You struggled to raise your hand, as if wanting to caress his cheek, but it fell limply in mid-air."

""Zhanming... to be able to die in your arms... I am very happy...""

"After delivering this ultimate green tea line, you decisively closed your eyes and completely let your consciousness sink into darkness."

""No—!!!""

"On the long street, a heart-wrenching, desperate roar erupted, like that of a trapped beast."

"Simulation ended."

"..."

"County Magistrate's Prison."

"Lin Shuangwan opened her eyes abruptly, leaning against the cold stone wall as her consciousness returned to reality."

"After looking around for a moment, she scratched her head. Recalling that final scene in the simulation, the corner of her mouth couldn't help but twitch."

""What a disaster." Lin Shuangwan muttered to herself in her heart."

"Zhao Zhanming's brain wasn't very sharp to begin with, and he had been protected by his Family like a little white flower. And yet, she had teased him?"

""I reckon this kid's Dao Heart for the rest of his life has been shattered by me.""

"Lin Shuangwan shook her head with a smile, then composed herself and turned her gaze to the slightly flickering simulation panel in front of her."

""Simulation settling...""

""Simulation duration: 30 years, 3 months, 14 days.""

""Cause of death: Encountered a Foundation Establishment Stage evil cultivator slaughtering the city, surrounded by ghost servants, abdomen pierced, died from Yin Qi devouring the body.""

""Settlement remarks: In this simulation, the host demonstrated extremely keen situational awareness and excellent survival wisdom. You successfully acquired an Immortal Cave of a Foundation Establishment superior as a Mortal, reached the Cultivation World, established a foothold in the market, used information gaps and connections to accumulate your first pot of gold, and obtained a precious Talisman Dao Legacy and basic Spells. Although you did not step into cultivation, overall, this was a highly valuable intelligence exploration trip.""

""Settlement rewards are as follows—""

""Reward 1: Complete simulation memory retention—all memories of 30 years, 3 months, and 14 days (including "Burning Heaven True Art" (Fragment), First-Grade Low Grade Talisman Dao Legacy (Complete Version), and knowledge related to "Fireball Spell", "Water Mirror Technique", and "Object Manipulation Spell").""

""Reward 2: "Shadowless Startling Hong Step" (Perfection), "Restraining Breath Returning Origin Art" (Perfection), "Thousand-Face Faceless Art" (Perfection)...""

""Reward 3: Origin Qi Realm martial arts cultivation.""

""Reward 4: Premium Trait random draw opportunity × 1 (guaranteed Blue quality or higher).""

""Note: You may choose to abandon all rewards except Reward 4 and exchange them for a Trait random draw opportunity × 1.""

"Lin Shuangwan's gaze swept quickly across the panel. When she saw "Premium Trait random draw opportunity × 1", a look of satisfaction flashed in her eyes."

"Although she hadn't lived long, the goal of this simulation had been fully achieved."

"She had not only figured out the power structure of Qingyue Market, but also successfully obtained the Talisman Dao Legacy, which was the easiest of the hundred arts of cultivation to get started with. This was the foundation for her future survival in the Cultivation World."

"However, when her gaze fell on "Reward 1", her brows furrowed involuntarily."

"On the panel, the words [Reward 1: Complete simulation memory retention] were flickering slightly."

"Her slender fingers hovered in the Void Realm, hesitating to click."

""Thirty years of memories..." Lin Shuangwan bit her lower lip, a flash of extreme resistance in her cold, clear eyes."

"These thirty years included her experience struggling at the bottom of the Cultivation World market, the "Burning Heaven True Art" fragment she had spent countless efforts memorizing by heart, and that extremely precious First-Grade Low Grade Talisman Dao Legacy."

"But at the same time, it also meant that if she chose to retain them completely, she would have to re-experience in her memories the process of being... by Wei Feisen on the desk in the side hall of the Imperial Study, in the bathhouse... and so on."

""What a disaster.""

"Lin Shuangwan cursed fiercely in her heart."

""Just consider it as having watched an immersive R-rated movie, where the leading actress just happens to look exactly like me.""

"Lin Shuangwan took a deep breath, forcibly cutting off her inner sentimentality. In this dog-eat-dog world, surviving and becoming stronger were the only truths."

"Her eyes hardened, and she decisively clicked with her fingertip."

""Reward 1, extraction complete.""

""Boom!""

"In an instant, a massive stream of information, like a bursting flood, violently smashed open her Sea of Consciousness."

"Lin Shuangwan groaned, her eyes instantly snapping shut."

"Countless images flashed wildly before her eyes: the rainy night at Daliang Mountain, the life-and-death struggle with Yao Beasts in the Ten Thousand Mountains, the days and nights clicking the abacus in Wangjiang Tower, and... the suffocating panting and entanglement in the Imperial Study."

"She kept her eyes closed, enduring the tearing sensation in her mind, quickly packaging those useless emotional memories and suppressing them deep in her mind, while turning to frantically absorb the things that were truly valuable."

"The Yuan Qi circulation route of the "Thousand-Face Faceless Art"."

"The obscure and difficult ancient seal script of the "Burning Heaven True Art"."

"The casting hand seals for "Fireball Spell", "Water Mirror Technique", and "Object Manipulation Spell"."

"And, the techniques for drawing First-Grade Low Grade Talisman, the pauses at Spiritual Qi nodes, the mixing ratio of cinnabar and beast blood..."

"It took a full incense stick of time before Lin Shuangwan slowly opened her eyes."

"She exhaled a long, turbid breath. Her originally clear eyes now held a hint of the vicissitudes and depth that came with thirty years of time, but this was quickly replaced by extreme calmness."

""Reward 2, Reward 3, distribution beginning.""

"The panel flickered again."

"The next moment, an indescribably massive hot current appeared out of thin air deep in her Dantian."

"Without needing her to guide it deliberately, this hot current instantly turned into countless fire dragons, swimming wildly along all the meridians of her body."

""Hum—""

"The air in the prison cell emitted a vibration barely perceptible to the human ear."

"Lin Shuangwan closed her eyes, carefully perceiving the changes in her body."

"There was no excruciating pain of marrow cleansing as legends described; instead, it was a warm, comfortable feeling, like soaking in warm water."

"Her bones emitted faint cracking sounds, her muscle fibers became tougher, and her senses were infinitely magnified."

"She could even hear the hushed conversation of two jailers ten zhang away and could see every silk thread of a spider weaving a web in the corner of the cell."

"Great Grandmaster Early Stage, Great Grandmaster Middle Stage, Great Grandmaster Peak... Earthly Immortal Realm!"