509: Chapter 509 All that is gained in this world is but a prologue.

He complained that she always wore this same black dress.

In that case, should she put more effort into her clothing in the future?

The thought had just surfaced when it was interrupted by the movements behind her.

She let out a muffled groan, her entire body leaning forward as her forehead pressed against the mattress, her thoughts shattering like colored glass across the floor.

Like a lonely boat, tossing and turning in the wind and rain.

He grabbed those 'steering wheels' and pulled back.

Her upper body was forced upright, her neck stretching into an elegant arc.

It lasted only a moment.

Then, under that indisputable force, she was stepped back into the mud.

An unknown amount of time passed.

It was over.

Long Yue stood up, picking up the scattered pieces of her black-scaled dress one by one. She dressed herself neatly and combed her long hair.

When she looked up again, her face had returned to that cold, aloof expression of the Siming.

It was as if nothing had ever happened.

“Long Yue takes her leave.”

Her voice was calm; the trailing note was even steadier than usual.

Qin Wangchuan leaned against the couch, watching that black-clad figure disappear outside the hall doors.

The black dress trailed on the ground, her steps composed and her back ramrod straight; every step seemed measured to the millimeter.

But he knew that beneath that black-scaled dress, there was nothing.

Though it was somewhat bold, Long Yue's bedchamber was located right within the Divine Son Hall.

Aside from him, no outsider would ever know.

Recalling the wanton scene from just now, Qin Wangchuan couldn't help but smile.

It felt as if no amount was ever enough.

Truly worthy of the Dragon Clan.

A few more days passed.

During these days, Qin Zhaoer came over every day carrying that Bronze Furnace.

He told her she could just leave it there, but she refused.

She insisted on carrying it in her hands, taking it wherever she went, as if she were afraid someone might steal it.

Qin Wangchuan let her have her way.

On the sixth day, he sat cross-legged by the pool, closing his eyes to look within.

That Heaven-Opening Intent had been circulating within his body for several days.

He had comprehended most of what could be understood; keeping it any longer would only be an unnecessary distraction.

He asked an Elder to come and disperse it, letting it return to nothingness.

The next day, Qin Wangchuan summoned Ye Jianwei to his presence.

“I will be in seclusion for a period of time. You handle the trivial matters as you see fit.”

Ye Jianwei nodded without asking any questions.

Qin Wangchuan returned to his room and sat cross-legged on the couch.

Closing his eyes, a translucent panel unfolded before him.

The [Start Trial] button glowed quietly with a faint light.

He clicked it without hesitation.

The next moment, the System's broadcast rang out.

[Ten Lifetimes Trial I: Mortal]

[Task Objective: Experience the life of a Mortal—to live, to age, to fall ill, and to die.]

[Initial Points: 3]

[Task Reward: None]

[Warning: Once the trial begins, active withdrawal will be judged as failure, and the subsequent nine trials will be permanently closed.]

[Confirm to start?]

“Confirm.”

The moment he clicked confirm.

Qin Wangchuan's vision went black. When he opened his eyes again, he found himself in a grey-white space.

There was no sky and no earth; only he stood alone in the void.

The ground beneath his feet shimmered with a faint light, like the surface of water, yet he did not sink.

A translucent panel appeared out of thin air before him.

[Please begin allocating points]

[Every choice is an etched mark. This Physical Body, this family door, this homeland, this Bloodline, this fortune—they shall compose you.]

[Physique: 0] — The resilience of the flesh and blood body.

If less than 1, you will have Innate illnesses and be accompanied by medicine.

[Family Background: 0] — Born into a wealthy mansion or a narrow alley.

If less than 1, you will lack food and clothing.

[Birthplace: 0] — The prosperity or desolation of your homeland.

If less than 1, your homeland will fall, and you will be displaced.

[Family Affection: 0] — The warmth of the Bloodline.

If less than 1, you will have no parents and be all alone.

[Fortune: 0] — Born in an age of prosperity or an age of chaos.

If less than 1, the world will be in turmoil, and life will be as cheap as grass.

Qin Wangchuan stared at these five attributes, falling into deep thought.

He moved his gaze downward.

[Remaining Points: 3]

“In other words, it's not completely random... No, this makes sense.”

“After all, I was born at the peak, but surely some are born in the mud. If it were completely random, one might die immediately upon birth.”

“Five attributes, but only three points, and anything less than 1 has negative effects...”

He didn't rush to allocate points, instead asking: “System, are these points available for every trial?”

[This System is unable to view within the trial...]

“Piss off!”

It didn't know about simulations, it didn't know about trials, and the tasks were all wrong.

Qin Wangchuan finally realized that this dog System knew nothing except how to talk.

His gaze returned to the panel.

“Three out of five...”

He didn't need much hesitation.

He added one point each to Physique, Family Background, and Birthplace.

It was a trial anyway; family affection wasn't important.

As for fortune, as long as the starting birthplace was safe, world turmoil wasn't necessarily a dealbreaker.

[Please confirm]

“Confirm.”

As the words fell, the scene before him suddenly began to change.

[World generating...]

[Randomizing age... The randomized number is: 17]

[You will begin this life from the age of seventeen.]

[Your hidden attribute — Luck is: 0]

[You will live through an unremarkable life.]

[Confirming attributes.]

[Physique: 1]

You were not born strong, but you were not weak either.

As a child, you occasionally caught a cold, but you could get through it after drinking a few bowls of medicine.

Aside from that, your constitution was quite decent and didn't cause you any major trouble.

[Family Background: 1]

Your father was a Martial Artist in the town. He wasn't extremely wealthy, but it was enough to keep you fed and clothed.

The family owned a brick house with two courtyards, front and back, and a jujube tree grew in the yard.

Your mother could do embroidery, and the neighbors all praised her craftsmanship.

As a child, you wore every piece of clothing she made; the stitches were fine, and they fit comfortably.

[Birthplace: 1]

You were born in a small town called Liuxi Town, under the jurisdiction of Qingzhou Prefecture.

The town wasn't large, with about a hundred households. It was nestled against mountains and by a river, with a small stream flowing through the town and willow trees planted along both banks.

There was a market in town that opened on days ending in three and eight, and people from all the surrounding villages would come to the market.

[Family Affection: 0]

Your mother passed away from illness when you were three years old.

You don't remember her face; you only heard from your father that she was a gentle woman whose eyes curved like crescent moons when she smiled.

Your father never remarried and raised you alone.

However, he was a man of few words and never shared his inner thoughts with you.

There was a layer of something between you, hard to describe—like the window paper in winter, thin, yet impossible to poke through.

[Fortune: 0]

In the year you turned seventeen, the world fell into chaos.

Rebels rose in the north, the imperial court failed to suppress them, and the flames of war spread across most of the land.

Bandits in the rear took advantage of the situation, plundering everywhere.

Your father encountered bandits during a cargo escort mission and never returned.

The war grew fiercer, and more people died.

Later, even Martial Artists were sent to the battlefield. Those who could take on ten men or walk on walls were placed into this chaotic game like chess pieces.

In this world, there exist: [Martial Artists] (in large numbers); [Cultivators] (in small numbers); and [Spirits] (in very few numbers).

“Martial Artists, Cultivators, and Spirits? Like demons?”

[Generation complete]

[Loading...]

He was just looking at these descriptions.

In the next instant, Qin Wangchuan felt as if he were being sucked into something.

His vision spun, and light and shadow flowed past him like water, as if he were falling into a bottomless abyss.

Vaguely, he heard a voice.

He couldn't tell if it was male or female, or who it was. It came from very far away, yet felt as if it were whispered right against his ear.

“All gains in this life are but a prelude.”

Eight words.

As the voice faded, all things returned to silence.