74: Chapter 74 The Final Madness, Simulation Ends

[Peace is always fleeting.]

[After that night, the war miraculously paused.]

[Xia Nihuang retreated thirty miles with Chu Qinglian, and both sides entered a strange state of standoff.]

[Chu Sheng knew this was the result of his daughter maneuvering in between.]

[She begged her master to delay the attack and give her father some time.]

[Chu Sheng cherished this period of time.]

[He visited his daughter every day, kept her company, and told her about what had happened over the years.]

[At first, Chu Qinglian was a bit reserved, but gradually she opened up, acting spoiled, laughing, and clinging to his arm.]

["Father, when will you come to pick me up?"]

["Soon."]

[Chu Sheng patted her head, "Wait until Father is a bit stronger."]

[Chu Qinglian nodded, her eyes filled with reluctance.]

[But Chu Sheng knew that such days would not last long.]

[On the night of the seventh day, Chu Sheng was meditating alone in his tent.]

[Suddenly, a terrifying pressure descended from the sky!]

[Spirit Sea Realm!]

[Chu Sheng opened his eyes abruptly and retreated violently!]

[But it was already too late.]

[A large hand reached out from the void and struck his chest with one palm!]

["Bang!"]

[Chu Sheng flew backward, smashed through the tent, and plowed a deep trench into the ground!]

[He struggled to crawl up and looked up—]

[Under the moonlight, a figure stood in the air.]

[That Old Ancestor of Yan Kingdom from the Spirit Sea Realm.]

["Sen... Senior?!"]

[Chu Sheng coughed up a mouthful of blood, "Why?!"]

[The Old Ancestor did not speak, just looked at him coldly and raised his hand for another strike!]

[Chu Sheng desperately circulated his spiritual power, activating all the magic treasures on his body!]

[The bronze mirror shone brightly, the jade ruler whistled out, the bracers turned into streams of light, and the jade pendant burst into layers of protective shields—]

["Bang bang bang bang—!"]

[In a series of explosions, all the magic treasures shattered completely!]

[Mysterious Tier middle-grade and lower-grade treasures were as brittle as thin paper under this palm from the Spirit Sea Realm!]

[Chu Sheng was sent flying again, his bones shattered, and blood sprayed wildly.]

["W... why..."]

[He lay on the ground, struggling to lift his head.]

["No, you are not the Old Ancestor of Yan Kingdom!"]

[The Old Ancestor descended and stood before him.]

[The moonlight illuminated that face.]

[It was not the Old Ancestor of Yan Kingdom.]

[It was Xia Nihuang.]

["It's you..."]

[Chu Sheng's pupils constricted.]

[Xia Nihuang sneered.]

["Did you think I would let you go?"]

[Chu Sheng felt a chill all over his body.]

["You... you disguised yourself as the Old Ancestor of Yan Kingdom... why?"]

[Xia Nihuang looked down at him, her gaze as cold as frost.]

["Because you cannot be allowed to live."]

[She said, word by word.]

["Your presence only affects Qinglian's Dao heart. She could have been single-minded, focusing entirely on the Dao. But you appeared, and she began to hesitate, to waver, and to think about things like father-daughter reunion."]

[She shook her head.]

["How can she attain the Dao like this?"]

[Chu Sheng struggled to stand up but couldn't move at all.]

[The palm strike from the Spirit Sea Realm had already shattered most of his meridians.]

["What... what do you want?"]

[Xia Nihuang looked at him, her eyes devoid of ripples.]

["To make her believe that you died at the hands of the people of Yan Kingdom."]

[She said slowly.]

["This way, she will hate Yan Kingdom, she will strive for strength, and she will break through amidst hatred."]

["And you, you can be considered to have fulfilled your final bit of value."]

[She paused, her voice as indifferent as ice.]

["Rest assured, I will take good care of your daughter."]

[Chu Sheng widened his eyes, staring fixedly at her.]

[He wanted to curse, to resist, to rush up and fight her to the death.]

[But he could not move.]

"What's going on? Is this the end?"

Chu Sheng watched the scene.

In the face of absolute power, magic treasures, sword techniques, and Strong Luck were all a joke.

Strong Luck... Yes, Strong Luck!

He communicated with the trait, trying to trigger that ethereal luck.

[Nothing happened.]

[Xia Nihuang watched his futile struggle, the corner of her mouth curling into a cold sneer.]

["Don't waste your effort. I have investigated you; you do have some luck, but in front of me, you are nothing."]

[Chu Sheng despaired.]

[He lay paralyzed on the ground, watching Xia Nihuang raise her hand, spiritual power gathering in her palm, about to strike down.]

[Suddenly, he laughed.]

["Xia Nihuang..."]

[He said hoarsely, "Do you think this will make Qinglian hate Yan Kingdom?"]

[Xia Nihuang's movements paused.]

["She will not hate them."]

[Chu Sheng smiled, blood streaming from the corner of his mouth, "Because she will know the truth."]

[He took a small bottle from his bosom.]

[It was filled with pills.]

[fleeting bloom pill.]

[All of his stock from these years.]

[Xia Nihuang's pupils constricted slightly.]

["Are you crazy?!"]

[Chu Sheng did not answer, just unscrewed the cap and swallowed all the pills in one gulp!]

[The moment the medicinal power entered his belly, his whole body shook violently!]

[A violent force exploded from his dantian, instantly destroying his remaining meridians, yet rebuilding and surging amidst the destruction!]

[Peak of True Gathering Realm!]

[Initial Stage True Firmament!]

[Mid Stage True Firmament!]

[His aura climbed crazily, finally stabilizing at Late Stage Gu Zhen Realm. However, it was extremely unstable and could collapse at any moment.]

[Chu Sheng stood up, covered in blood, yet stood straight.]

["Come."]

[He stared at Xia Nihuang, his eyes full of madness, "Continue."]

[Xia Nihuang frowned.]

[She didn't expect Chu Sheng to be crazy to this extent.]

[Each fleeting bloom pill reduces one's lifespan by five years.]

[By swallowing this bottle, he would lose at least fifty years of his lifespan.]

[And after the medicinal power wears off, he will surely die.]

["Courting death," she said coldly, taking an object from her sleeve.]

[A feather fan.]

[Five Fire Seven Birds Fan.]

[earth rank magic treasure!]

[The fan surface was woven from the feathers of seven types of spiritual birds, surrounded by red, orange, yellow, green, and cyan five-colored flames.]

[Once it appeared, the surrounding air instantly became as scorching as a furnace!]

["To be able to die under my natal magic treasure."]

[Xia Nihuang looked at him, a flash of complexity in her eyes, "Can be considered a worthy death."]

[She waved the feather fan.]

[The five-colored flames turned into a monstrous sea of fire, sweeping towards Chu Sheng!]

[Chu Sheng did not dodge.]

[He also had no ability to dodge.]

[He just stood on the spot, watching the sea of fire, and suddenly thought of many people in his heart.]

[Li Zhiyi, Yue Jianli, Lin Wanqing, Chu Qinglian, Chu Wuyou, and that young son he had never met...]

["Qinglian..."]

[He murmured, "Father tried his best."]

[The sea of fire engulfed him.]

[Everything returned to nothingness.]

[Ding! The fourth simulation has ended!]

[Time of death: 37 years old]

[Cause of death: Swallowed an excessive amount of fleeting bloom pill, incinerated by the earth rank magic treasure, Five Fire Seven Birds Fan.]

[Simulation rating: A-]

[Rating basis: Successfully assisted the Crown Prince in ascending the throne, was enfeoffed as a marquis and general, established a family, and left behind descendants. However, mid-term decision-making errors led to the beast tide occurring early, and later lack of combat power led to death at the hands of someone in the Spirit Sea Realm, failing to witness the daughter's growth. Merits and demerits cancel each other out, thus rated A-.]

[Achievements completed:]

[Father-Daughter Unity (Gold) — Reunited with his daughter after eighteen years of separation and killed a powerful enemy.]

[Merit of Following the Dragon (Purple) — Assisted the Crown Prince in ascending the throne, awarded the title of Marquis Dingyuan.]

[Bloodline Continuation (Purple) — Fathered three sons and two daughters, continuing the bloodline.]

[Magic Treasure Collector (Purple) — Possessed five Mysterious Tier magic treasures.]

[Death as Returning Home (Purple) — Facing an enemy more than three realms higher than himself, knowing he was no match, still fought to the death.]

[Magic Treasure King (Blue)...]

[fleeting bloom (Blue)...]

[Battlefield Vanguard (Blue)...]

[Undercover Career (Green)...]

[...]

[... A total of 13 achievements, calculating rewards...]

[Chu Sheng stared blankly at the simulator's settlement screen, silent for a long time.]

"37 years old..."

He murmured, "Lived a dozen years longer than last time."

He leaned back against the chair and let out a long sigh.

Xia Nihuang...

That woman is too ruthless.

For her disciple's Dao heart, she could kill her disciple's father without hesitation.

"However..."

He suddenly laughed, "She's not wrong either. My presence does indeed affect Qinglian's Dao heart."

But that is his daughter.

How could he not affect it?

"Next simulation..."

He sat up straight, his gaze firm, "Must become stronger."

Strong enough to confront the Spirit Sea Realm.

Strong enough to take his daughter away from Xia Nihuang openly and honestly.

Outside the window, the moonlight was like water.

[simulator interface, rewards are being calculated...]