Celestial Simulation cooldown ends

Xu Han sat comfortably in his garden, rocking in his chair and enjoying the cold breeze. Lingxi approached behind him and began massaging his shoulders. She remained inside the house throughout the fight, watching the intense battle unfold from the window as she was mortal and could be injured by mere aftermath.

Despite Xu Han's reputation for being ruthless, Lingxi had grown accustomed to his ways and no longer felt afraid. However, she couldn't help but question the necessity of his cruelty.

Sensing Lingxi's thoughts, Xu Han turned to face her, understanding her concerns. He decided to explain his perspective.

"Lingxi, I understand that you may perceive my methods as cruel. But in this world of cultivation, survival doesn't solely depend on strength alone. It also involves establishing a strong deterrent to dissuade potential threats."

"By instilling fear in others, I have managed to maintain our safety and avoid unnecessary conflicts for the past five years. If I were to simply engage in battles without employing these ruthless tactics, it would attract challengers who believe they can defeat me and gain recognition."

"However, by instilling fear, I ensure that they think twice before challenging me. It may appear harsh, but it's a necessary strategy for survival in the cultivation world—either you dominate or become someone else's prey."

Lingxi listened attentively, still maintaining her gentle nature but with some reservations she spoke calmly yet firmly.

"Master, I understand your intentions. However, I am concerned about the concept of karma. It reminds us that our actions have consequences, and what we sow, we eventually reap. It is essential to consider the effects of our choices and the potential repercussions they may bring."

Xu Han's gaze lingered on Lingxi, thinking if she read novels nowadays. He found it both intriguing and funny and wanted to correct her.

However, he suddenly felt fear that if he were to expose her to the path of ruthlessness, it might corrupt her and potentially lead her to betray him. Even if such a betrayal didn't occur, he knew it would undoubtedly damage their bond and erode the trust they initially had.

Therefore, he made a conscious choice to shield her from the harsh realities, preserving her pure-hearted nature and kindness.

Masking his true intentions behind a warm smile, Xu Han reassured her, "Rest assured, Lingxi. I will make an effort to temper my actions." Yet, deep within, Xu Han knew that completely abandoning his ruthless nature was an impossibility.

While Lingxi spoke of karma, Xu Han couldn't help scoff internally, if the concept of cosmic justice truly held, villains would be nonexistent in this world.

…

As night gave way to day, Xu Han emerged from his cultivation, his body no longer enveloped in the chilling frost that had emerged when cultivating. Despite having the Celestial Simulation, he didn't want to rely too heavily on it, so he spent the entire night cultivating.

"Huff!"

Taking a deep breath, Xu Han rose from his bed and made his way to the kitchen, where Lingxi was skillfully preparing a meal. Initially, she was inexperienced in cooking and household chores, but after learning and practicing, she had gradually honed her skills over time.

Finding a seat at the kitchen table, Xu Han didn't have to wait long before Lingxi brought him his breakfast. "Master, here is your breakfast," she said, presenting the meal before him.

As Xu Han savored the food, a smile graced his face. "Your cooking keeps improving, Lingxi," he complimented.

"Thank you, master," Lingxi responded with a beaming smile, her face radiating warmth like a sunny day as she stood by the side watching him.

After finishing his meal, Xu Han made his way back to his room and patiently awaited the cooldown of the Celestial Simulation. To pass the time, he immersed himself in his cultivation practice, determined to reach the peak of Body Tempering Level 4 as soon as possible. His progress was remarkable, considering he was only 18 years old.

Typically, it was rare for individuals to reach Body Tempering Level 4 before the age of 30. Those who managed to accomplish such a feat at a young age were often regarded as heaven's favored children, and they were usually appointed as chief disciples (Sect Master Disciple) of the prestigious Nascent Level sects.

Xu Han's rapid advancement was truly exceptional. However, his talent went unnoticed and unacknowledged due to the not knowing his exact age.

During the sect's enrollment process, there was a stone that provided an estimation of one's bone age. Unfortunately, it couldn't provide an exact age but only determine if someone was above or below 50 years old.

The ability to accurately assess bone age belonged to powerful cultivators at the Gold Core stage. Since none of them were present during the enrollment event, Xu Han's true age remained a mystery.

Even if there had been high-level cultivators, they would not have paid attention to someone insignificant like me. Furthermore, Xu Han deliberately performed average during the enrollment test, failing to attract the attention of elders at that time.

This was also what Xu Han wanted as becoming a genius of sect will surely attract trouble and cheap plot like someone fighting him while saying: "Only I am worthy of title of genius" like bullshit.

After two hours of intense cultivation, Xu Han finally brought his session to a halt. Opening his eyes, a sinister smile stretched across his face, giving demonic charm to his appearance as cooldown for the Celestial Simulation has ended.

[Welcome back to the Celestial Simulator. The cooldown period has ended, and you can invite a person again.]

As the words from the system materialized in front of him, Xu Han sensed Xuan Ji's attempt to connect with the Celestial Simulator. Without hesitation, he approved the connection, allowing Xuan Ji to simulate.

As for rejecting the request, Xu Han didn't even think about it as he knew it would be like throwing an axe at his own foot.