You shook your head. Unfortunately, this kind of gossip wasn't what you were looking for, so you ignored it automatically.Day six—investigating for information, no results.A year passed. You had questioned nearly everyone in Qingshan City, young and old alike, but you hadn't obtained a single useful lead about cultivators.Instead, thanks to the "bystander A" talent, you learned a lot about the trivial matters and gossip of Qingshan City.During the same year, your obsession with seeking immortals became known to everyone. Rumors began to spread that the young master of the Jiang family business—yourself—was going mad.When your father, Jiang Fushan, learned of your behavior, he repeatedly advised you to read less fiction and stop chasing after immortals.You couldn't reveal the existence of the simulator, nor could you explain your reasons for searching for cultivators, so all you could do was nod in agreement.But you didn't give up on gathering information; you just became much more discreet.
By the second year, realizing the limits of personal strength, you spent a large sum to hire people to secretly gather information about cultivators.Half a year passed, and it seemed that Qingshan City had been thoroughly scouted. Finding no useful leads, you decided it was time to explore farther afield.So you left Qingshan City with four guards and a large amount of money.Two months later, you encountered mountain bandits. All four guards were killed, and your money was stolen.Fortunately, you revealed your identity in time, making it clear that keeping you alive could bring the bandits more wealth. For now, you survived.A month later, your father Jiang Fushan spent a fortune to redeem you, bringing you back to Qingshan City.
Jiang Yifeng frowned as he murmured, "Bandits?" He hadn't expected to encounter danger only two months after leaving Qingshan City. It seemed that all these years of enjoying life in Qingshan City had made him underestimate the outside world. From now on, he reminded himself, he would have to survive more cautiously.
(Back in Qingshan City, realizing he had been unprepared before, you spent another fortune hiring guards skilled in martial arts.)By the third year, you regrouped and left Qingshan City again.This time, you brought dozens of guards, all trained fighters.With your wealth, even Master Wu became the leader of your guards.That year, you passed through several cities, still unable to find any leads on cultivators.
In the fourth year, you encountered mountain bandits twice, but under the protection of Wu Youdao and others, you emerged unscathed.This made you realize that martial arts might not be as useless as you had thought.Especially Wu Youdao—he was truly skilled, capable of handling dozens of bandits at once.
One day in the fifth year, your "bystander A" talent triggered. You vaguely overheard someone saying that there were anomalies in the Changqing Mountains, possibly indicating the presence of an immortal.Although the information's truth was uncertain, you were extremely excited.After all, this came from a talent-triggered event—you thought it was very likely true.Without hesitation, you set out immediately toward the Changqing Mountains.
By the sixth year, you had been searching the Changqing Mountains for over a year.But the mountains were vast; you hadn't even seen another person besides your group, let alone a cultivator.In the seventh year, your search continued with no results.
In the eighth year, while in the Changqing Mountains, you spotted a small Taoist temple in the distance.As you prepared to lead your group there, a cold voice shouted from behind: "Those who seek immortals without permission, die!"You instinctively turned and saw a figure in black riding a sword toward you.Without a word, the black-clad figure slashed a beam of sword energy at you.
Wu Youdao tried to intervene, but it was no use.You died at the age of twenty-eight!Simulation complete.
This simulation grants you a choice of one reward: Bystander A (Talent) or the Tianxuan Temple Coordinates (Map).
Bystander A (Talent): Costs 1,000 energy points.
Tianxuan Temple Coordinates (Map): Costs energy points; shows the location of the small Taoist temple in the Changqing Mountains.
Jiang Yifeng stared at the simulation panel in silence. What's going on? Another black-clad figure—but it seemed to be a different person this time. The first one attacked with a palm; this one used a sword. And judging from the simulator's text, the threat "Those who seek immortals without permission, die" was clearly directed at him. Anyone trying to learn about cultivators would be deliberately targeted.
Finally, Jiang Yifeng understood why he had never heard about cultivators in real life. Even after so long in the simulator, he could never get any leads. It was because this sword-wielding figure was blocking anyone from knowing about cultivators. Most people who did know were likely already eliminated.
As for the information triggered by his "bystander A" talent, Jiang Yifeng believed it was a rare coincidence—an exceptional case. The person who shared the message likely had just learned it themselves, and they might have been silenced afterward. Of course, this was only Jiang Yifeng's speculation, but he considered it highly probable.
Even if he guessed correctly, what could he do? Stop seeking cultivators? No—there was the threat of a cultivator thirteen years in the future. If he gave up, he wouldn't understand cultivators, wouldn't know how to improve his strength, protect himself, or save his family. Fortunately, he had the simulator. He decided to continue investigating cultivators only within the simulator and never mention them in reality.
Looking at the simulation rewards, there were only two this time—but still better than the first time. Jiang Yifeng carefully considered which would be more useful.
The Bystander A (Talent) often revealed trivial gossip, though occasionally it could be valuable. The Tianxuan Temple Coordinates (Map) clearly marked the location of the small Taoist temple seen in the simulation. Jiang Yifeng felt it was important. If he didn't choose the map, he might never find the temple again in the vast Changqing Mountains. He had heard that the Changqing Mountains were the largest range in Dayou Kingdom, possibly even connected to other countries—though he had never left Qingshan City, and had no way to verify. Searching such a huge range for a single temple would be extremely difficult.
Subconsciously, Jiang Yifeng believed that the Tianxuan Temple was linked to cultivators. After all, why would an ordinary person build a temple in a nearly uninhabited mountain range?
He made his decision, silently saying, "I choose the Tianxuan Temple Coordinates (Map)."
The choice wasn't just instinct. From the simulator, Jiang Yifeng understood that Bystander A required someone to actually know and discuss information to trigger. With a black-clad figure actively eliminating those who investigate cultivators, the number of people with information must be extremely small. Any information gained would be largely due to luck. Meanwhile, the known temple offered a more reliable lead to investigate cultivators.
As soon as he made his choice, an electronic voice sounded in his mind:
"Ding! Host energy points insufficient. Please exchange items for energy points. Simulation rewards can be retained until the next simulation begins."
Jiang Yifeng understood immediately. Just energy points—not a problem. Without hesitation, he exchanged all miscellaneous items in the room to make up the deficit.