《I'm Contaminated With No Hope Of Recovery》 Chapter 1 - On Death’s Doorstep Lem¡¯s mind was in chaos. His body was a weak shell. The evil power inside of him was constantly sucking his vitality, giving him a thin, hollowed appearance that was frightening for someone who was only fifteen. A crowd of villagers was supervising his exile through the clearing while keeping their distance. Further behind were the farmlands and Willow Tree Village, where he had lived for his entire life. Ahead was the remaining stretch of clearing, and then the forest line, that boundary he had never dared cross. There were few he had ever considered friends and family. Now, even they refused to speak up for him, to plead on his behalf. They too were afraid of being infected. Not only was Lem being exiled, but it was also his responsibility to drag his fragile body away from the village premises. Tamor was an old bearded man who had the distinction of being the village elder. ¡°Go on Lem, go on Lem,¡± he called every time Lem stopped to rest his aching legs. Lem began moving again as soon as he was able. ¡°Go on Lem¡­¡± Step after painful step. ¡°Go on Lem¡­¡± He fell to the ground. The forest line was a small distance away, only a few dozen meters. ¡°Go on Lem.¡± Lem tried to get up, but his limbs refused to move. ¡°Go on Lem.¡± He began to cry uncontrollably. Why was his life so difficult? He had been born an orphan, and raised by strangers who told him that his parents had been contaminated by an evil being. It had not even killed them on purpose. It was a powerful creature that went to war with immortals, what did it care for a few small villagers. They had died because they had unknowingly consumed the meat of a beast that had been infected by the evil, which had likely met its fate in the same way. This was the nature of evil in the world. Lem was extremely indignant on behalf of his parents. Why were the other families in the village so healthy? Why had only his parents eaten an infected beast? It wasn¡¯t fair! Growing up, it was soon discovered that Lem was too sickly and weak to practice the martial arts of the village, the [Nine Bull Fist]. Even as a small child, he was laughed at by the farmers¡¯ sons and despised by the farmers¡¯ daughters. Every time the villagers left for Lang Town to sell their wares, the other children were excited, waiting for the day it would be their turn to leave the clearing. If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. Only Lem knew he would never be strong enough to make the journey. His only friends were a few sympathetic farmers, and the docile livestock that were too dumb to hate others. Yet, even under such circumstances, Lem had tried to live a good life. He had worked twice as hard as others. But the Gods had not finished with their punishment. Shortly after his fifteenth birthday, his health had rapidly declined, and the physical symptoms had appeared. The dark eyes and sallow skin, the horrible spots of blight¡­ It was clear that the evil being had not just affected his parents, it had affected him too! ¡°Go on Lem.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t!¡± he screamed back through his tears. ¡°I can¡¯t, I can¡¯t!¡± The forest line was in front of him, but it was too difficult to cross. It grew quiet behind him, as the villagers began muttering to one another. They came to a decision. Tamor spoke as their representative. ¡°You can rest for now Lem. You are an honest child, and we trust you to leave the rest of the way without our prodding. Remember that you can never come back, not even if you think you have recovered. From now on, you are a banished person.¡± Before Lem could respond, a bag was tossed over roughly, landing a meter away from him. A spear and a knife were tossed afterward, a bit further away. ¡°There are a week¡¯s worth of provisions in there, and several weeks worth of water. The forest is full of beasts, and there are many clean streams to drink from.¡± Lem turned around, looking for his foster parents in the crowd of villagers. He saw them immediately, a few steps away from Tamor. Lily and Dun. Dun stared back at him in sympathy. Lily looked to the side. ¡°Mom? Dad?¡± Dun cleared his throat awkwardly. ¡°We cared for you for fifteen years, but the karma must come to an end. From now on, you should consider yourself an orphan.¡± Lem knew that they were setting a hard stance so that he did not get any strange ideas about returning. However, it was still painful. They might not be his flesh and blood, but they had raised him from a boy. Even if their hearts were made of stone, they should have nurtured deep feelings for him by now. Lem¡¯s gaze drifted to the other villagers, most of whom were men. They had fear in their eyes, but also conviction. Only a few looked away or openly pitied him. Lem took a deep breath. He knew that he did not have long to live. The evil power within him would continue to consume his strength and grow stronger. It was a vicious cycle that would not stop until he was dead. Evil was feared by all. From the moment it showed itself, his fate was set. Lem looked away from the villagers. He pushed himself up to a sitting position and retrieved the bag, buckled the knife and picked up the spear. For a few awkward minutes, the villagers stared at him. Then, he stood up, nearly collapsing under the weight of the bag. With one last look at the people who had been his neighbors for fifteen years, he left, stumbling away under their gaze. Tamor sighed, pulling at his beard. Lily began to cry, and Dun quickly comforted her. At the same time the rest of the villagers began to walk back in the direction of Willow Tree Village proper. ¡°When will this evil come to an end,¡± Tamor said, gazing sadly at the sky. ¡°It is not your fault, nor is it the fault of the boy,¡± a villager said to Lily. ¡°It is the fault of the world.¡± ¡°The immortals can bear witness, we have done all that we can.¡± ¡°The boy¡­ah, the boy is to be pitied.¡± ¡°Little Lem, he was always sickly, we should have known.¡± ¡°If you had known, aye, maybe it would have been better for everyone if he had joined his parents.¡± ¡°Such a pitiable existence.¡± ¡°But it is hard for us too. It is hard for anyone.¡± The villagers rationalized their callous decision, but in the end, it all came down to necessity. They needed to banish him because they too needed to survive. Chapter 2 - Blessed By The Goddess In fits and starts, Lem reached the end of the clearing. He stopped, feeling lost. His sense of direction came from the village behind him. He had wiped away his tears, but the dull feeling in his heart only grew worse. What was he supposed to do? It had been a week since he showed signs of infection, and his already frail body had begun to suffer from abnormal fatigue. Now, he felt more feeble than ever. No village. No parents. No health. No hope. He had a spear and a knife, but if he ran into a beast, it was a real question who would become the food. Suddenly, a voice appeared in his head. ¡°The Goddess has taken pity, and bestowed the Life Simulation System upon you, poor mortal.¡± Lem¡¯s eyes widened. A stream of information was transmitted intuitively to him. This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. He understood the basic function of the simulator. It anchored the present moment. Then, events would unfold in the world, as they would in the absence of the simulator. When he died, the simulated events turned into an illusion, while the Karma that connected Lem to his simulated self allowed him to retrieve parts of the experience. Each simulation required a period of recovery, and an amount of energy equivalent to his Karma. The recovery time was proportionate to the time elapsed in the simulation. Life simulation system, Lem thought with incredulity. He vaguely understood the magnitude of the words, and was overcome with despair. The evil has already taken me! I have started to hallucinate a strange system! It was impossible to think that the system was real. The gift was too outlandish to be believed. He also did not believe that there was a Goddess watching him. Where was this Goddess for the first fifteen years of his life? After the information was transmitted to Lem, a translucent screen appeared in front of him. [Name: Lem] [Age: 15] [Cultivation: None] [Techniques: Nine Bull Fist (entry)] [Energy: 0] [Simulation: 101%] [Detecting Karma is small enough to extract energy from the environment. Run Simulation?] How bizarre and complex. Lem stared soullessly at the screen. As long as I am dying, I might as well play along with the hallucination. Yes, he thought with intent. Chapter 3 - Ethereal State Lem felt a small breeze pass over him, accompanied by a pleasant feeling. [+1 Energy] [Starting simulation¡­] [-1 Energy] [-100% Simulation] [Simulation begins.] Lem was suddenly put into a strange ethereal state. He was still in his body, but he lacked control over it. Other thoughts seemed to swim in the back of his mind, as if he was in a subconscious dream. The screen continued summarizing the events in front of his eyes, while his body carried out the actions. [Day 1: You are abandoned in Lang Woods. You do not know which direction to travel, so you travel randomly, in a northeast direction¡­] Lem watched from within his body as he began to walk into the forest, sensing the intent of his simulated self. True to the screen¡¯s words, he did seem to lack a sense of where he was going. The moment he entered the forest, the world around him changed. In the clearing, at least, there was sunlight and easy visibility. The forest was full of vegetation that made it difficult to discern anything. The sunlight coming down was filtered through layers of leaves and branches. Alternating lit and shadowed areas seemed to make his surroundings swim around him. At the same time, Lem noticed that the woods seemed less frightening than it should have been, as his perspective felt detached from the outcome of his body. The leaves and bramble brushed against him as his body walked, but it was only a sensation, nothing more. The vegetation may have affected his visibility, but it did not bother him in the slightest. If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. [After a short period of time, you grow tired and rest¡­] Lem¡¯s body sat down. From within it, he could feel the physical exhaustion, but it did not affect his mental abilities. He lacked even the ability to turn his head, and was forced to see whatever his ¡®simulated self¡¯ was looking at. [You continue traveling. You see broken branches and claw marks, and grow frightened, wanting to return, but you feel weak.] A strange feeling came over Lem. His body was transmitting all the signals of fear, but he did not care. He only felt curiosity as he studied the claw marks, wondering what beast had passed by. [You think you are about to die, and give in, resting in place for an hour. You eat unsparingly from your rations¡­] Lem could feel his body replenish its strength, as the hunger was abated. [Still alive, you continue traveling, resting intermittently¡­] Lem noticed, as the daylight began to fade, that the screen had not inputted any new summary text for almost an hour. [Night falls, and you hide in a partially concealed place, behind a dense copse of bushes. You are afraid of being killed in the night, but you are too tired to stave off sleep. You fall asleep unwillingly¡­] With his simulated self concealed beneath a thicket of large grayish leaves, Lem watched from inside his body as his eyes closed. Only the screen was visible in the dark. He waited, wondering what he should do. It appeared that his body was going to sleep for some time, but his mind did not need it. He felt as alert as he had the moment that the simulation had started. What a strange situation, he thought to himself. An hour passed. Two hours¡­ Lem was growing ever more bored. He began thinking about his childhood. He thought about the nature of evil and his current predicament¡­ Several hours later, he noticed that his body was opening its eyes. [Day 2: You wake up feeling significantly weaker due to the evil power consuming your vitality¡­] Lem watched from inside his body as his simulated self began walking again. [You come across an ordinary rabbit, but it quickly escapes before you can attack it¡­] Lem felt the frustration in his body¡¯s sullen movements, but it was not present in his mind. The day continued in this way¡­ [You eat from your rations and fall asleep¡­] Once again, Lem watched as his body closed its eyes, and he was forced to endure another night of endless thinking while staring into a black void. All he had to keep himself company was the static simulation screen. ¡­ Chapter 4 - Tyrant Sloth [Day 5: You wake up feeling significantly weaker due to the evil power consuming your vitality¡­] Lem¡¯s body opened its eyes, allowing him to see the light of the forest again, filtering down from the canopy. However, the quality of his eyesight had clearly degraded, and the body was constantly transmitting signals of pain and weakness. He had experienced the ups and downs of four days of simulating, as his body slowly began more feeble. Without a feeling of consequence and with ever-reducing senses, the daytime had grown monotonous, and the nighttime was even worse. Lem barely paid attention as his body began to walk through the forest again. The morning passed in utter boredom, as his simulated self stumbled clumsily over large tree roots and uneven terrain. At one point he was forced to squeeze himself awkwardly under an immense fallen log that seemed to block all ways forward. Lem himself was slipping into a thoughtless state, when his simulated self suddenly did something strange. Lem¡¯s heart nearly leapt from his chest, as he saw a distant, gray furred figure suspended a few meters above the ground in a large tree with low hanging branches. A tyrant sloth, one of the killers of the forest! The specimen in front of him was at least two meters tall, a bulky creature with claws the size of knives! And yet, his body did not react at all to the threat. Instead, he walked straight ahead, drawing nearer and near to the hulking beast. The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. Lem observed that it was busily tearing at the tree bark with its huge claws, seemingly attempting to extract some substance from deep within. To Lem¡¯s astonishment, his simulated self continued walking normally, passing directly below the tyrant sloth. His eyes moved away, so Lem did not know what the sloth was doing, but he expected to be attacked at any moment. Even as a detached spectator, he felt some fear. But the attack did not come¡­ A moment later, the screen read out a new message. [You pass directly before a juvenile tyrant sloth without understanding the danger.] Suddenly, Lem¡¯s body began convulsing, sending signals of extreme fear. Lem studied his bodily reaction with curiosity. Was the evil power really going to affect him to such an extent in a mere five days? [Several minutes later, you shiver uncontrollably as you realize what happened. You worry for the health of your mind¡­] Lem knew that his body was moving according to the will of a different mind. It was this mind that was making all of the decisions he witnessed, and it was also this mind that was being degraded by the evil power within his body. The day continued¡­ [You pass by mushrooms. Fearing they are poisonous, you do not eat them¡­] Lem agreed with the assessment of his simulated self. The bright mushrooms looked suspicious. ¡­ [Day 9: Your mind has become significantly impaired due to lack of vitality¡­ You run out of rations¡­] Lem stared at the empty bag that only had a few water skins remaining in it. He thought that his simulated self had done well to stretch out the provisions. They should have only lasted a week, and yet they had gone on for a week and a half. His body was constantly sending signals of hunger to his mind, to the point where it was almost becoming a mild annoyance. But much worse than this was the fear that was gnawing at Lem¡¯s mind, as he anticipated what would await him when he returned to the present¡­ With little else to do, he had thought excessively about his situation, and fully accepted the simulation. Watching his life play out before him, Lem wondered whether the simulation would be able to save him in reality. He knew that what he was currently looking at was his own fate if the simulation could not save him. Only nine days had passed, and his condition was beyond hopeless. Chapter 5 - Faintly Spiritual Berry [Day 10: ¡­You find a faintly spiritual berry.] Lem perked up. In front of him, he could see a bush with a single berry on it. His simulated self had approached it because it was food, but the moment he had gotten close, he felt a noticeable pleasant sensation. It was akin to finding an oasis in a drought of pain. He was sure it was the feeling of spirituality. Lem did not know what his simulated self was waiting for. Just eat the berry! Eventually, he stopped staring, and slowly picked the berry and raised it to his mouth. Lem felt relieved. His simulated self was so corroded by the evil power that its actions and judgments had become extremely unreliable. [You do not know whether it is poisonous, but you have lost much of your strength and are desperate, so you eat it. You do not taste anything, as your mouth has largely lost its function. Your vitality improves slightly¡­] After eating the berry, Lem could feel a noticeable improvement in his body¡¯s function. His senses seemed less dull and less pain was being transmitted. However, the situation was still far from promising. ¡­ [Day 13: ¡­You have not eaten for three days. You are beginning to hallucinate from hunger and weakness. You think that you are back in the village and begin mumbling to yourself.] Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon. Lem was taken aback when his mouth began speaking against his will. ¡°Mother, father, I have returned¡­¡± The situation was growing ever more dire. Lem¡¯s senses had grown so dull that he could barely see even a few feet ahead of him. He was constantly running into vines and bushes, and was operating mostly on instinct. It was clear that the mind of his simulated self was nearing its end. ¡°It was not my fault¡­¡± his body mumbled. Lem did not know what to think. He was ready for his simulated self to die at any moment. ¡­ [Day 14: As you wake up, you realize that you lack the strength to walk. You chose to stay in place rather than crawl away¡­] Lem¡¯s senses were nearly completely gone. Everything was blurry around him. Lem watched with morbid fascination as his body barely moved. His eyes closed, and the world was dark for a few minutes. His eyes opened, and the blurry forest appeared again. [As you lie on the ground, you slip in and out of consciousness¡­] Suddenly, Lem saw a dark figure pass right before him. His eyesight was too poor to make out any details. It was just a dark mass that cast a shadow over front of him. Clearly, his body also recognized the threat, as it began to radiate extreme fear. However, afterward, it began to feel¡­happiness? [A beast passes by your body. Your eyesight has degraded to the point that you do not recognize it.] The shadow remained over Lem¡¯s body, and then, a moment later, it was gone. [The beast chooses to keep moving without eating you, perhaps because it can sense the presence of evil.] ¡­ [Day 15: You lack the strength to move. Your senses are heavily impaired, and you are only occasionally aware of your surroundings. You are consumed by the evil power within you and die.] Lem felt relief as the world disappeared around him. The experience had been too strange and unpleasant at the end. Chapter 6 - Future Meets Past [Simulation ends.] Lem was standing in his original place in the forest when he was suddenly filled with the experiences of the version of him that had gone through the simulation. In a stream, thoughts and sensations rushed into his head. What is going on? Is this a hallucination? He was filled with confusion. Had he been trapped inside of a future version of himself for fifteen days? Or had the simulation only lasted for a few moments? It must have all been a hallucination, he thought. There is no simulation, and there is no future self. It¡¯s the evil power playing with my senses! Lem did not believe it was real, but this did not stop him from cursing when he remembered that he only had two weeks to live. If I¡¯m going to hallucinate, it should at least be pleasant! He noticed that the screen in front of him had a different display. [Choose one of three rewards: Option 1: peak cultivation from lifetime (Day 1 cultivation) Option 2: comprehension from lifetime Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation. Option 3: one faintly spiritual berry] He shook his head. Playing along, Lem saw that he was forced to choose the third option. After all, for most of the simulation, his mind was too warped for his ¡®comprehension¡¯ to be anything useful, and his ¡®cultivation¡¯ only got worse during the course of the simulation. Option 3, he thought with intent. To his shock, he felt a cool object appear in the palm of his hand. He quickly raised his arm, seeing a small, unassuming berry. The pleasant sensation on his skin was the only indicator that it had spiritual properties. ¡°I died in the simulation, but it was not your fault,¡± Lem mumbled. As far as he could tell, there were no problems with the berry. His death had been due to his hunger and his weakness. In fact, it seemed that it staved off the hunger slightly, as he lasted several days without food. But¡­is this a real berry? After feeling the berry in his hand, Lem seriously questioned whether the simulator was actually a hallucination. The events had only gotten stranger since he had heard the disembodied voice in his mind. It felt like he had experienced fifteen days, and yet at the same time, it felt like only a few seconds had passed. A screen had suddenly presented itself in front of him. But this berry seemed so real¡­ For a moment, he was forced to consider the horrifying and wonderful possibility that it could all be real. A deep feeling of comfort bloomed in his stomach, as he thought of the ability to be protected by the ¡®system¡¯. The only possibility of survival came from simulating his life. In fact, not only could he survive, but he could even elevate his standing in the world. The unease from being abandoned vanished in an instant. He was unwilling to give up the idea, and he decided that whatever the truth was, he was going to treat it as real. Having come to this decision, Lem reexamined the berry in his hands. He was about to eat it, when he stopped himself. If he ate it in the real world, it would be gone. However, if he simulated eating it, he could do so over and over again and keep reaping the benefits forever. Chapter 7 - Difference Of A Rabbit Lem knew that he could make the simulation screen appear and disappear with a single thought. He wanted to check the progress towards the next simulation, so he summoned it. [Name: Lem] [Age: 15] [Cultivation: None] [Techniques: Nine Bull Fist (entry)] [Energy: 0] [Simulation: 2%] Thankfully, it was recharging quickly. It had been at 1 percent earlier. Now, it was already at 2 percent. It appeared that he would be able to perform a second simulation within an hour. However, his happiness was restrained because he knew that the recovery speed was due to his quick death. He already knew what he wanted from the next simulation, a second berry. Lem imagined a situation where he retrieved several spiritual berries, eating them during every simulation. Wouldn¡¯t he be able to stave off the evil inside of him through sheer quantity of energy alone? Lem considered what he should do while he waited for the simulator to recharge. Instinctively, he wanted to stay in place. After all, he had not even entered the forest yet, and was still close to the village. It would also allow him to conserve his energy. He rejected this idea, however. Any part of the forest was a dangerous place, and he did not know if a beast would pass by and kill him even on the edge of the clearing. Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original. The only safe path that he knew of was that which he had already traversed. Remembering he had walked in a northeast direction, he entered the forest. Immediately, he was confronted with a feeling that he was in danger. It was very different from his experience within the simulation, where he was disconnected from the simulated body. Somehow, even knowing that it was safe was not enough to comfort him. Every time a vine or branch made contact with his body, his heart jumped. When the grass brushed against his legs, a shiver ran down his spine. He could barely imagine how difficult it would have been without the security of the simulation. His simulated self must have spent the entire fifteen days in complete terror. A few minutes passed as normal, until a rabbit ran up through the brush, startling him. Lem was even more frightened when he realized that this had deviated from the simulated events. The rabbit looked in Lem''s direction, and he remembered that he had the berry, which had not been simulated. Perhaps, the smell had wafted and changed events slightly. This meant that his safety was less secure than he thought. After all, with the rewards from the simulator, small changes were impossible to prevent. Lem reassured himself that the changes would be minor, but he could not calm himself. Every time he stopped to rest, he checked the simulation percentage. [Simulation: 42%] ¡­ [Simulation: 57%] ¡­ [Simulation: 81%] ¡­ [Simulation: 94%]...[Simulation: 95%]...[Simulation: 96%]...[Simulation: 97%]...[Simulation: 98%]...[Simulation: 99%] Lem breathed a sigh of relief. Apart from the rabbit, there had been no noticeable differences between the simulation and reality. [Simulation: 100%] [Detecting Karma is small enough to extract energy from the environment. Run Simulation?] Yes, he thought with intent. At the same time, he told himself to wait an hour before consuming the berry, hoping he could influence his actions in the simulation. Chapter 8 - Second Simulation A small, familiar breeze passed over him. [+1 Energy] [Starting simulation¡­] [-1 Energy] [-100% Simulation] [Simulation begins.] Lem once again entered the ethereal state, losing control of his body. The screen in front of him began to read out more text. [Day 1: You are abandoned in Lang Woods, traveling randomly in a northeast direction. You want to eat the faintly spiritual berry in your possession, but you sense that it would be better to wait for an hour to pass.] Lem was happy to see that his simulated self was staying in place. It appeared that he did have some control over it. He began to strategize how to make use of the new information. After all, the third option allowed him to retrieve any object that he touched during the simulation. Although this option was not consequence free, it opened up the possibility of sending his simulated self on a suicide mission to see if he could touch a highly valuable object. It felt distasteful, however, and he would have to witness every step of the process, but at least it would be available as a last resort. [You realize that you have waited for an hour, and you eat the berry. It tastes slightly bitter, but you feel energized. You continue traveling at a quicker pace to make up for the time difference, however, you still stop intermittently, to keep from wasting energy¡­] The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement. Lem watched as his body moved swiftly through the forest. He noticed a world of difference compared to the previous simulation, where every step had been a burden. It was clear that there was a great effect when he consumed the spiritual berry before the evil had finished its destruction of his body. [You see broken branches and claw marks, and grow frightened, but you know that you will survive. You rest in place for an hour¡­ Once you recover, you continue traveling, resting intermittently¡­ Night falls, and you hide in a partially concealed place, behind bushes. You fall asleep with some difficulty¡­] Lem¡¯s eyes closed, and he was thrown into complete darkness for the first time in the current simulation. After seeing the effects of a single spiritual berry, he felt optimistic about his chances of fighting off evil. Even if he could not find another one, all he had to do was select the first day of ¡®cultivation¡¯ afterward and he would make strong progress towards delaying the time it would take the evil to consume him. And with sufficient time, he was sure he could find another spiritual object from somewhere else in the forest¡­ [Day 2: You feel weaker due to the evil power consuming your vitality¡­] As Lem walked, he noticed that his body was missing some of the exuberance from the previous day, but his energy was still higher than it had been before the spiritual berry. [You come across an ordinary rabbit, and attempt to kill it, but it escapes from your spear¡­ After a short period of time, you grow tired and rest¡­ You eat from your rations and fall asleep¡­] ¡­ [Day 5: You feel significantly weaker due to the evil power consuming your vitality¡­] Lem remembered that he was about to come across the tyrant sloth again. He felt anxious, as he knew his simulated self was going to attempt to replicate his actions from the previous simulation. What if some small detail created a change in the attitude of the sloth? Would he be eaten directly? Chapter 9 - The Missing Berry [You reluctantly pass directly before a juvenile tyrant sloth, pretending not to realize the danger. You are frightened, but you know that you are following in the footsteps of the last simulation and are shielded somewhat from harm.] Lem breathed an internal sigh of relief. Just as before, the tyrant sloth had not attacked him. Still, it had been a nerve wracking few seconds, as the implications of failure were tremendous. It appeared that the path from the previous simulation was still safe. [You still worry for the health of your mind and the fact that you are on the brink of dying, but you have the strange hope that encountering a spiritual berry will save you¡­ You pass by mushrooms. Fearing they are poisonous, you do not eat them¡­] ¡­ [Day 7: Your mind has become impaired due to lack of vitality¡­] Lem was beginning to notice the signs that his actions were starting to deviate from normalcy. Now, it had been confirmed by the screen. Still, it was progress, as his mental state had become affected two days later than in the first simulation. His senses had also degraded to a similar state, leaving him with a reduced, blurry perception. He knew that it was nearing the end of his second simulation. ¡­ [Day 10: ¡­You know that it is the day you will encounter a spiritual berry. Your rations are running low, but you eat freely¡­ Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings. You run out of rations¡­] From within his body, Lem was acutely aware that his decisions were made with less and less logic. Even if he hoped to get the spiritual berry, there was still a need to stretch the rations out. Now, they were gone, and all he was left with was the hope of getting the berry. Lem watched as the day continued. At the point where he remembered finding the berry, he saw that the bush was empty, and he felt disappointment. It seemed that item rewards were taken from reality and would not reappear. This had serious implications for the future. However, in the present, it was also clear that he could not continue to harvest the same item over and over again. Lem begrudgingly accepted the new information, but it appeared that his simulated self still had not understood. [As night begins to fall, you realize that you have not found the spiritual berry. In your impaired state, you feel confused and betrayed¡­] ¡­ [Day 12: ¡­You have not eaten for two days. You are beginning to hallucinate due to hunger and weakness. You think that you are back in the village and begin mumbling to yourself.] Lem felt some annoyance, as the simulation once again entered a state where his body was too disoriented to perceive anything meaningful from its environment. It constantly sent signals of pain, as it bumped into trees and vines. It spoke sentences that made little sense and were addressed to people who were not present. Lem just wanted the simulation to end, so that he could harvest the rewards and start over again. ¡­ [Day 13: As you wake up, you realize that you lack the strength to walk. You chose to stay in place rather than crawl away¡­ As you lie on the ground, you slip in and out of consciousness¡­] ¡­ [Day 14: You lack the strength to move. Your senses are heavily impaired, and you are only occasionally aware of your surroundings. You are consumed by the evil power within you and die.] [Simulation ends.] Chapter 10 - First Cultivation Boost Lem was standing in his original place in the forest when the experiences streamed in from the version of himself that had observed the simulation. It was still extremely disorienting to have so many thoughts enter his mind all at once, but it was slightly easier than it had been the first time. [Choose one of three rewards: Option 1: peak cultivation from lifetime (Day 1 cultivation) Option 2: comprehension from lifetime Option 3: nothing] Lem¡¯s mood declined slightly. He had died earlier than the previous simulation, and he had not encountered the berry again. The earlier death was likely because he had also eaten the berry earlier, reducing its impact on prolonging his life. Thankfully, the physical berry had not disappeared from his hand. He had confirmed that consuming it in the simulation did not affect reality. Option 1, Lem thought with intent. A sudden wellspring of energy surged from within his chest. He immediately felt more invigorated, as though he sprint for several minutes straight without feeling tired. If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. In this state, he could survive for longer. Lem checked again that there was nothing wrong with the berry in his hand, before walking forward on the same path he remembered from the simulation. The simulation percentage had already begun to recover. It appeared that Lem would be able to simulate again in an hour. Lem walked for a few minutes without encountering any beasts. He was still full of energy, but he forced himself to stop, so that his actions would match the simulated actions better. He felt more secure in his safety since his simulation had taken the presence of the spiritual berry into account. Lem checked the screen. [Simulation: 33%] Since he had nothing better to do, he stared at the number while he waited. ¡­[Simulation: 34%]...[Simulation: 35%] Lem decided he had waited long enough, and he began walking again. After a while, he stopped again. [Simulation: 64%]...[Simulation: 65%]...[Simulation: 66%] He continued. [Simulation: 89%] ¡­ [Simulation: 96%]...[Simulation: 97%]... [Simulation: 100%] [Detecting Karma is small enough to extract energy from the environment. Run Simulation?] Lem reminded himself to wait in place for an hour, before eating the spiritual berry and traveling in a different direction to find a better opportunity for survival. Yes, he thought with intent. The breeze passed over him. [+1 Energy] [Starting simulation¡­] [-1 Energy] [-100% Simulation] [Simulation begins.] Chapter 11 - Four Days Lem sank into the ethereal state. [Day 1: You are abandoned in Lang Woods, traveling randomly in a northeast direction. Because you are aware that there are no opportunities in that direction, you decide to wait for an hour before traveling in a new direction. You want to eat the faintly spiritual berry in your possession, but you sense that it would be better to wait until you are about to travel¡­] With nothing better to do, Lem began to study the details of the forest that were in his vision. He was not expecting anything to happen for the next hour. A moment later, he heard the sudden noises of the bushes moving and felt a spike of emotions sent by his body. [The brush is disturbed, causing you to panic.] Lem¡¯s simulated self turned rapidly, allowing him to see what was happening. A small figure was distinct in the brush. Its size allowed him to relax. A moment later, he recognized the beast. [When you see that the disturbance was caused by a small fox, you relax. The fox watches you, without the intent to leave¡­] As the time passed, Lem studied the fox in curiosity. From the direction it was staring, he was sure that it had sensed the berry in his hand. It was another reminder that he should not retrieve items from the simulation easily. First there had been a rabbit, and now there was a fox. Perhaps the small fox was harmless enough, but there were many beasts that would not be pleasant company. [You realize that you have waited for an hour, and you eat the berry, ignoring the bitter taste.] Lem waited in anticipation, as the spiritual energy began to fill his body. Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation. What was the effect of eating two spiritual berries within two hours from each other? The energy permeated his body, giving him a comfortable feeling. A moment later, the energy had finished dispersing. Lem noticed that his mind felt slightly more alert, and his body was in slightly less pain, but there was not much of a difference otherwise. [You set off in a southeast direction. The fox follows you for a few minutes before running off¡­] As Lem noticed the fox was no longer around, he felt as though his guess had been correct. The fox had only been interested in the spiritual berry. His mind was more at ease without a beast following him. [After walking for some time, you rest in place for an hour¡­ Once you recover, you continue traveling, resting intermittently¡­ Night falls, and you hide in a partially concealed place, behind bushes. You lack the security of the simulation and are scared of the unknown. You fall asleep with some difficulty¡­] [Day 2: You feel weaker due to the evil power consuming your vitality¡­ You eat from your rations and fall asleep¡­] ¡­ [Day 4: You feel weaker due to the evil power consuming your vitality¡­] Lem was walking through the forest when there was a sudden explosion of movement. The world went dark, and he was thrown into confusion. Is that the end of the simulation? What happened? [A blur flashes before your eyes and your chest explodes. You are unable to identify what attacked you before you die.] [Simulation ends.] Lem was in his original place in the forest when the memories rushed into his mind. The process of assimilation was easier than the previous two times. When he recovered, he was still confused by the nature of his death. I died so soon? Lem decided he would pick a different direction for the next simulation. [Choose one of three rewards: Option 1: peak cultivation from lifetime (Day 1 cultivation) Option 2: comprehension from lifetime Option 3: nothing] Lem remembered that the second consumption of the berry provided less of an effect than the first time. From this, he could determine that his current solution to staving off death was temporary. Eventually, the energy from the berry would become less significant. Option 1, Lem thought with intent. Energy surged within his chest. Chapter 12 - Waiting With The Fox Lem sat down while he waited for the simulation to recover. The feeling after absorbing two spiritual berries worth of energy reminded him of the times in his childhood when he still had the strength to play in the fields. It gave him confidence that he would eventually overcome the evil within him. [Simulation: 5%] ¡­ [Simulation: 10%] He noticed that the speed of recovery was slightly quicker than before, likely due to how early he had died in the previous simulation. A few minutes later, he heard rustling in the brush. Even though he had expected it, his heart leapt in his chest. ¡°Come out, little fox,¡± he muttered, watching the bushes on his right. A small fox head peaked out from behind a tree. Lem could not help but smile. ¡°Are you here to keep me company,¡± he asked quietly. The fox quickly dashed away, causing the bushes to shake again. ¡°Another deviation,¡± Lem said in self-reproach. He knew that in the simulation he had kept quiet. [Simulation: 23%] The bushes rustled again, and Lem¡¯s eyes shot up, as his grip tightened on his spear. Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon. It was likely the fox again, but if it wasn¡¯t, then he could be in danger. A moment later, the fox head peaked out from the brush, and Lem relaxed again. This time, he made sure not to talk. The fox stared at him motionlessly. [Simulation: 36%] ¡­ [Simulation: 58%] ¡­ [Simulation: 71%] ¡­ [Simulation: 88%] ¡­ [Simulation: 94%]...[Simulation: 95%]... Lem looked over at the fox. He wondered if it would leave during the next hour in the simulation, or if it would stay as long as Lem had the berry in his possession. [Simulation: 100%] [Detecting Karma is small enough to extract energy from the environment. Run Simulation?] Lem reminded himself to wait in place for an hour, before eating the spiritual berry and traveling in a different direction. Not northeast, not southeast. A new direction. Yes, he thought with intent. The breeze passed over him. [+1 Energy] [Starting simulation¡­] [-1 Energy] [-100% Simulation] [Simulation begins.] Lem sank into the ethereal state. [Day 1: You are abandoned in Lang Woods, waiting, while a small fox watches you. You decide to wait for another hour before traveling. You want to eat the faintly spiritual berry in your possession, but you restrain yourself¡­ You realize that you have waited for an hour, and you eat the berry, ignoring the bitter taste. You feel energized, but the effect is subdued.] Feeling the changes within his body, Lem briefly wondered whether his current condition was how others always felt. Was this amount of pain normal for those who were not affected by evil? [You set off in a western direction. The fox follows you for a few minutes before running off¡­] So, the little fellow ran off again, Lem thought. He wondered if the west would be as dangerous as the southeast had been. If it was, then perhaps he would have to reconsider returning to the original direction. Even if there were no more opportunities for the first stretch, perhaps there would be some further along in the path. In theory, with the berry, he could live significantly longer on subsequent simulations, and encounter more beneficial events. Chapter 13 - Eighteen Days [After walking for some time, you rest in place for an hour¡­ Once you recover, you continue traveling, resting intermittently¡­ Night falls, and you hide in a partially concealed place, behind bushes. You lack the security of the simulation and are scared of the unknown. You fall asleep with some difficulty¡­] [Day 2: You feel weaker due to the evil power consuming your vitality¡­ While walking, you encounter a wolf, but it runs away immediately¡­ You eat from your rations and fall asleep¡­] [Day 3: You feel weaker due to the evil power consuming your vitality¡­ While walking, you encounter a tree with claw marks on it and grow scared. You wonder whether you should turn around, but you know that you will die if you do not find a new opportunity. You press forward, facing your fear¡­ You hear rustling in the brush, and stop in your tracks. Two rabbits run off in front of you, causing you to feel some relief¡­ You eat from your rations and fall asleep¡­] ¡­ [Day 6: You feel weaker due to the evil power consuming your vitality¡­ While walking, you encounter a bush with berries. You grow excited, but you quickly realize that they are all ordinary. You eat a few of them, and pick the rest, putting them with your rations¡­ You eat from your rations and fall asleep¡­] ¡­ [Day 7: You feel significantly weaker due to the evil power consuming your vitality¡­ You worry for the health of your mind and the fact that you are on the brink of dying¡­ After another fruitless day of walking, you eat from your rations and fall asleep¡­] If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. ¡­ [Day 10: Your mind has become impaired due to lack of vitality¡­] ¡­ [Day 12: ¡­You see a swathe of broken trees and furrows in the ground, and you suspect that it was left by a large beast which passed through the area.] Lem had been growing worried for the state of his mind for some time. As he came upon the scene of crushed trees, he half wished for the beast to finish him off. From the way that the simulation was going, he did not expect for any more progress to be made. Out of nowhere, his body had an intense reaction to the furrows. It began as fear and then turned into hilarity. Lem found that he had begun laughing uncontrollably, and he shivered internally. [You laugh at the deep gouges without knowing why. Vaguely, you feel that your mind is being affected by the evil power within you¡­ You are running dangerously low on rations¡­] ¡­ [Day 16: ¡­You have not eaten for three days. You are beginning to hallucinate from hunger and weakness. Everywhere you walk, you see the signs that giant beasts are roaming, and you feel paranoid, not trusting yourself.] [Day 17: As you wake up, you realize that you lack the strength to walk. You chose to stay in place rather than crawl away¡­ You feel as though you are fighting a great battle with the evil power within you. You hallucinate fighting a dark, shadowy figure as you slip in and out of consciousness¡­] [Day 18: You lack the strength to move. Your senses are heavily impaired, and you are only occasionally aware of your surroundings. You are consumed by the evil power within you and die.] [Simulation ends.] Lem felt the rush as the memories from the simulation poured into his mind. He felt ambivalent about the results. [Choose one of three rewards: Option 1: peak cultivation from lifetime (Day 1 cultivation) Option 2: comprehension from lifetime Option 3: one ordinary berry] Option 1, Lem thought with intent. His body instantly felt more alert and slightly more energetic. He looked over at the fox, which had yet to react. Lem felt worried. He now realized how lucky he had been to find a spiritual berry in the first simulation. He had yet to encounter any other spiritual plants. However, there were many other positives that he kept in mind. There were still many other directions he had yet to travel, and plenty of time remaining before he was in serious trouble. The last simulation he had died on the eighteenth day, which was the longest he had managed to survive yet. He knew that the best course of action was to remain calm and choose a different direction. Chapter 14 - Familiar Sensation Lem checked the simulation percentage. [Simulation: 3%] He noticed that there was not much of a difference in recovery time compared to the period after the other simulations. It appeared that a few more days of survival did not make a significant difference. Perhaps if he survived for several months or a year, he would have to wait longer than an hour for the simulation to recover. [Simulation: 17%] The fox continued to watch him. He wondered if it had noticed anything when he had absorbed the ¡®cultivation¡¯ from the simulation. [Simulation: 25%] ¡­ [Simulation: 45%] ¡­ [Simulation: 61%] ¡­ [Simulation: 72%] ¡­ [Simulation: 91%] ¡­ [Simulation: 96%]...[Simulation: 97%]... This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. [Simulation: 100%] [Detecting Karma is small enough to extract energy from the environment. Run Simulation?] Lem closed his eyes. Wait for an hour. Eat the spiritual berry. Travel north. Yes, he thought. The breeze passed over him. [+1 Energy] [Starting simulation¡­] [-1 Energy] [-100% Simulation] [Simulation begins.] Lem entered the ethereal state. [Day 1: You are abandoned in Lang Woods, waiting, while a small fox watches you. You decide to wait for another hour before traveling. You want to eat the faintly spiritual berry in your possession, but you restrain yourself¡­ You realize that you have waited for an hour, and you eat the berry, ignoring the bitter taste. You feel more spirited. You set off in a northern direction. The fox follows you for a few minutes before running off¡­] Goodbye, little friend, Lem thought to himself. Even if the fox was only around because of the berry, he could not help but feel well disposed towards it. [After walking for some time, you rest in place for an hour¡­ Once you recover, you continue traveling, resting intermittently¡­ Night falls, and you hide in a partially concealed place, behind bushes. You lack the security of the simulation and are scared of the unknown. You fall asleep with some difficulty¡­] ¡­ [Day 3: You feel weaker due to the evil power consuming your vitality¡­ While walking, you notice a rabbit ahead of you. You slow down, preparing to stab it with your spear, but it runs away¡­ You eat from your rations and fall asleep¡­] [Day 4: You feel weaker due to the evil power consuming your vitality¡­ While walking, you notice a faint pleasant feeling.] Lem was suddenly shaken from his casual observance. Could it be? Was there another spiritual berry? He paid full attention as his simulated self began looking around him. In some directions, the feeling disappeared immediately. In others it hung around. Lem¡¯s excitement grew. The spirituality appeared to be greater than that of the berry! It grew more and more intense as he approached a log¡­ Chapter 15 - Relieving The Energy [You follow your instincts and look under a fallen log, seeing a few mushrooms that you identify as spiritual.] The moment the log was turned over, Lem felt like he was bathing in warmth. He was certain that the mushrooms were far more saturated in spiritual energy than the berry had been. From his detached position within his body, he still had full control of himself, but he understood why his simulated self grabbed the mushrooms and began eating them immediately. It was a reflection of what he would do in the situation, however it did not stop him from getting concerned. One of the rules he remembered from the village was that mushrooms were not always safe to consume. If they were spiritual, this rule was likely magnified. At the same time, it was unclear whether he could actually digest such potent mushrooms without exploding. The spiritual energy was quickly trickling through his body, but he kept eating, empowered by irrational excitement. As Lem was putting the last of the mushrooms in his mouth, the spiritual energy had already become a flood that completely overpowered his senses. [You worry that they are poisonous, but excitement overrides your caution and you eat them. A large amount of energy overwhelms your body, and you feel as though you are about to explode. Instinctively, you begin to practice the [Nine Bull Fist] of your village to relieve the excess energy.] Lem relaxed slightly when he felt his simulated self practicing the [Nine Bull Fist]. It was not clear what would happen next, but it demonstrated that his presence of mind had returned. This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. A few minutes later, Lem believed that the tide had been stemmed. The energy levels were decreasing slightly, movement by movement. With the primary concern dealt with, he began to worry about the amount of noise that his practicing was making. A beast could easily be attracted. At the same time, he knew that his simulated self was far too preoccupied with managing the energy to think about such matters. Lem worried in silence, as the minutes continued to pass. Thankfully, no beasts had come yet. As more time passed, he relaxed slightly. [After half an hour, the energy is reduced to a manageable level, and you stop practicing¡­] Lem watched attentively as his simulated self began walking again. No beasts. No beasts. No beasts. An hour later, Lem felt as though the danger had passed. [That night, you have too much energy to fall asleep, but you do not feel safe traveling at night. You wait quietly by a tree, seeing if you can successfully hunt a beast¡­] Lem was happy to see that his simulated self had not closed his eyes. Even if the night was dark, it was much more pleasant than the total darkness that came when he closed his eyes to sleep. Lem could not help but feel like the current simulation held the most promising developments so far. The mushrooms were a significant improvement on the berry, granting him a period of reprieve where he could search for other opportunities. His only worry was that he was approaching the physical limits of spiritual energy saturation for a mortal. He did not forget the feeling he received from his body, as though he were on the verge of an explosion. For the first time, he began to think that he should begin looking for immortal techniques. If his body could not hold any more spiritual energy, then cultivation would be a natural solution. Even if the pursuit of immortality was an extremely unrealistic goal, he was aware that every step on the path of cultivation was known to improve lifespan, and, importantly, the ability to absorb and integrate spiritual energy. Chapter 16 - The Greater The Danger [Day 5: The night passed without incident. You feel slightly tired, so you eat from your rations before you begin walking¡­] ¡­ [Day 7: You feel weaker due to the evil power consuming your vitality¡­] The past couple of days had passed without any notable events. Lem was passively observing as his simulated self walked. Suddenly, he began receiving strange signals from his body. It was a strange form of paralysis that was rooted in a deep despair that completely overcame him. Lem wondered what entity could have caused the condition. There was nothing in sight, apart from the ordinary, monotonous forest. In the next moment, a dark shadow passed overhead. Through his simulated self¡¯s field of view, Lem saw an enormous figure. Two broad wings that covered the sun. Talons the size of trees. And then the figure was gone. [As you are walking, you are suddenly overcome with fear and helplessness. A giant bird flies above your head, only a couple dozen meters away¡­] Lem felt his body gradually return to normal. His simulated self began walking, even though he was clearly shaken from what had just occurred. [You continue walking.] Lem was thinking about the bird when the sensations from his body were stopped all at once. His vision went black. [A few minutes later, you are killed. Death comes instantly, before you are aware of any danger¡­] Was it the bird? This death was the most mysterious so far. [Simulation ends.] The memories poured into Lem¡¯s mind. [Choose one of three rewards: This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. Option 1: peak cultivation from lifetime (Day 4 cultivation) Option 2: comprehension from lifetime Option 3: one spiritual mushroom] As he reviewed the events from the simulation, Lem felt relieved and happy. He had finally encountered another spiritual opportunity, this time in the form of mushrooms. He also finally had a peak cultivation from a different day in the simulation. Even the death was not a big problem, as he could travel in a different direction in the future to avoid it. It was only slightly worrying that the death came for a second time without his simulated self being able to identify what killed him. From the perspective of his detached self, it was equally unclear. Was it the bird, or some other beast? Was it intentionally, or did a battle take place, with the ripple effects reaching him in an instant, before he had time to react? Or was all this thinking wrong? Lem remembered from the village that there were rare naturally occurring phenomena that were very dangerous. The most famous were the evil miasma clouds that could sweep through an area in an instant, leaving only decay in their wake. If one was around rivers, then there were illusion pools that could appear randomly, sucking the souls of everything in the area, be they man, beast, or sentient plant. The forest was a truly dangerous place. For the first time, Lem felt a dilemma in picking between two of the reward options. Part of him wanted to retrieve the spiritual mushroom, but he was also aware that there were other spiritual mushrooms at the site. Since he would have to visit the same location in the simulation again, it did not seem like a priority. Selecting it could also cause significant deviations from the safe path he had already simulated. If a beast like the fox could be attracted by just the berry, how much worse would it be if he was holding the mushroom? It was clear that the greater the spirituality contained, the greater the danger. If he selected a potent enough resource, would the giant bird arrive? Lem decided to put off retrieving it, as it could cause consequences he could not handle. Instead, he would make the mushrooms the first stop in the next simulation. After visiting them, he would travel in a different direction to avoid the fate of the last simulated self. Option 1, Lem thought with intent. In the next moment, his thoughts were stopped in their tracks, as an overwhelming power flooded through his body. He experienced a feeling of euphoria that caused him to momentarily disregard the trouble he was in. He felt the urge to scream out in happiness, but he suppressed it while he waited for his body to acclimate. A few minutes later, Lem regained a normal state of mind. He noticed that his senses were heightened, and his body felt several times stronger than before. It was clear that his understanding of the changes was far more pronounced when he was not just a spectator in his body. If his former self could match the strength of a young child, his current self felt capable of beating an adult man in a fight. The change was so large that it utterly dwarfed even the effect of eating the berry the first time. He wondered if the difference had anything to do with the time he had spent practicing the [Nine Bull Fist] in the simulation. It was well known that martial arts did not just enhance combat strength, but could also improve the physique directly. He made a mental note to observe his body¡¯s changes more thoroughly in the next simulation. Chapter 17 - Nine Bull Fist Lem summoned the simulation screen. [Name: Lem] [Age: 15] [Cultivation: None] [Techniques: Nine Bull Fist (entry)] [Energy: 0] [Simulation: 4%] He knew that he could accumulate simulations by letting the simulator recover past one hundred percent. For the first time, he considered doing so to add another safety measure. Of course, it was not the most reliable measure. After all, the percentages were calculated according to the current recovery time. If the next simulation ran significantly longer, then the one hundred percent he had saved up could suddenly regress into a much smaller number. Before, he had not considered accumulating them because every minute was precious. However, as his strength increased, he felt the need to protect himself both by having simulations in reserve and by gaining proficiency in the [Nine Bull Fist]. After a moment of indecision, Lem reluctantly decided against accumulating simulations for the moment. When the length of recovery time increased, he would revisit the idea. Lem looked down to the berry in his hand. Minutes ago, it had been his most precious possession, but now it only felt like a burden. The energy boost it provided seemed insignificant next to the mushrooms. It also had the potential to attract danger. He looked over at the fox, which was still watching him from a couple meters away. After a moment¡¯s hesitation, he tossed the berry over. The fox dashed away before it landed. Seeing how meek the little beast was, Lem felt like laughing, but he only shook his head. The fox had managed to stay alive without a simulator. Clearly, it was very intelligent. He still had an hour to wait. Now that he was full of energy, it felt like a waste to sit around doing nothing, so he began practicing the [Nine Bull Fist] into the air. Punch! Punch! Punch! This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work. His punches looked rough and unsophisticated, but this was only because he was trying to focus on many minute aspects at once. He accidentally broke a few nearby branches, but the noise was no louder than his ordinary moments, and was unavoidable in the course of practice. Punch! Punch! Punch! As the nearby branches broke and were no longer obstructing his movements, the noise from punching in the air began to diminish. Punch! Punch! Punch! Lem was pleasantly surprised to see that his body was easily keeping up with the energy exertion. It was a new experience for him, as his memories of practicing always left him gasping for air after only one or two punches. Martial arts were a mysterious subject. They bore some relationship to the cultivation arts of immortals. Theoretically, they cleaved to the fundamental principles of the world, allowing the martial artist to display power disproportionate to their physical strength. However, many lineages had intentionally modified the arts so that they were easier to practice, causing them to lose much of their effectiveness and orthodoxy in the process. Martial arts were many and varied, from body strengthening arts, movement arts, sword arts, and physical combat arts. Nearly every settlement in the forest had at least one, as it was impossible to survive in the world as a pure mortal. The lone martial arts of Lem¡¯s village, the [Nine Bull Fist], was extremely common and was watered down to the point that nearly anyone could practice it. The only requirement was that one had four limbs and sufficient energy and strength to sustain the extreme physical positions. After some time had passed, Lem began to feel fatigued, so he stopped his movements. It was very important that he did not put himself into a compromised position, as his safety was always at risk in the forest. He checked the simulation screen. [Name: Lem] [Age: 15] [Cultivation: None] [Techniques: Nine Bull Fist (entry)] [Energy: 0] [Simulation: 23%] It was unsurprising to him that his recorded skill level in [Nine Bull Fist] had not moved from ¡®entry.¡¯ If it was so easy to improve, then he would have done so long ago. Lem decided that he would rest while he waited for the next simulation. He sat down, but he did not lose his vigilance. [Simulation: 51%] ¡­ [Simulation: 63%] The brush began to rustle again. Lem¡¯s eyes flicked up, and the hand on his spear tightened. A small fox head emerged, and he relaxed again. This little guy is persistent, Lem thought to himself. The fox quickly dashed up to the fallen berry. It looked up at Lem, and then looked down at the berry and sniffed a couple times. It opened its mouth and picked up the berry, before dashing away through the underbrush. Lem smiled. The little fox was truly cautious, not even wanting to eat in front of others. He settled down again, as he prepared to wait for the simulation to recover. [Simulation: 69%] ¡­ [Simulation: 90%] ¡­ [Simulation: 97%]...[Simulation: 98%]... [Simulation: 100%] [Detecting Karma is small enough to extract energy from the environment. Run Simulation?] Wait for an hour while practicing [Nine Bull Fist]. Travel north until you reach the mushrooms, and then travel west. If you find signs of immortals, then follow all leads. Yes, he thought. Chapter 18 - Intense Observation The breeze passed over him. [+1 Energy] [Starting simulation¡­] [-1 Energy] [-100% Simulation] [Simulation begins.] Lem entered the ethereal state. [Day 1: You are abandoned in Lang Woods, waiting in place. You decide to wait for another hour before traveling. You begin practicing the [Nine Bull Fist]¡­] As Lem¡¯s body began executing punches, he paid close attention to the sensations coming from his muscles to see if he could notice any changes. Ordinarily, he was too focused on performing each motion to make such observations, however, with the simulator, he had a separate mind that was idle. A few minutes later, Lem gave up. If there were changes to his musculature, they were too subtle for him to notice. He decided to try again when he was dealing with the overflow of spiritual energy from the mushrooms. [You realize that you have waited for an hour, and you set off in a northern direction at a slightly faster pace to make up for the time difference¡­ After walking for some time, you rest in place for an hour¡­ Once you recover, you continue traveling, resting intermittently¡­ A rabbit runs across the forest floor in front of you, but you are too slow to attack it¡­] Lem was slightly troubled. Because he had left at a different time, the details of the simulation were also different. Thankfully, there had not been any significant deviations so far, but in the future, he would have to wait for longer so that he could align the timing of subsequent simulations. [Night falls, and you hide in a partially concealed place, behind bushes. You are scared of the unknown and too awake to sleep, but you try to replicate the outward appearance of sleeping so that your behavior will be in line with that of previous simulations¡­] This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work. Lem was annoyed at his simulated self. Even when the body had enough energy to be awake, it chose to close its eyes. Now Lem was relegated back into pure darkness with just the screen for company. Of course, he understood the reason why his simulated self chose such an action. It was just trying to follow the steps of the previous simulation. However, just because he understood it did not make him happy. ¡­ [Day 3: You feel weaker due to the evil power consuming your vitality¡­ While walking, you notice a rabbit ahead of you. You slow down, intending to ambush it. As it notices you, you lunge, but it runs away and your spear misses it by a narrow margin¡­ You eat from your rations and fall asleep¡­] [Day 4: You feel weaker due to the evil power consuming your vitality¡­ While walking, you notice a faint pleasant feeling and grow excited. You follow your instincts and look under a fallen log, seeing a few spiritual mushrooms. You immediately begin to eat them.] Lem was prepared to observe any changes that occurred this time while he practiced the [Nine Bull Fist] under duress. He focused intently on the sensation of spiritual energy within his body. At first, it appeared as a small stirring in his stomach. And then warmth began to expand through his chest. Swiftly, the warmth was transformed into an uncontrollable urge to move, and a feeling of being all-powerful. Like a snowball picking up momentum down a hill, the feeling grew stronger and stronger at an increasing rate. Lem¡¯s simulated self finished the mushrooms, and immediately began throwing punches. The pressure being exerted was too extreme to ignore. [A large amount of energy overwhelms your body, and you feel as though you are about to explode. You begin to practice the [Nine Bull Fist] of your village to relieve the excess energy.] As his body exerted itself to the fullest with every motion, Lem once again paid attention to minute changes that were occurring in his body. It was a difficult task, as much of the sensation was being dominated by pressure and exuberance, however Lem was able to notice a few things. In any particular area, when a motion was performed, there was a split second of pain, followed by a sense of fatigue and relief. This sensation would disappear almost immediately, as it was replaced by the feeling of pressure and an urge to move again. Lem suspected that the spiritual energy had a healing quality to it. Otherwise, the muscles would not be able to tolerate such abuse. If this was the case, then it also made sense that practicing while the body was full of spiritual energy would accelerate muscle growth. The muscles were pushed to their limits, then healed, then pushed to their limits again. Even though Lem did not have any hard proof that he was correct, intuitively, he thought that the truth could not be very far from his speculation. He continued to monitor the changes to his body. Chapter 19 - The Deathbear [After most of an hour passes, the energy is reduced to a manageable level, and you stop practicing¡­ You begin to travel west. That night, you have too much energy to fall asleep, but you do not feel safe traveling at night. You wait quietly by a tree, seeing if you can successfully hunt a beast¡­] [Day 5: The night passes without incident, and you continue traveling. You are full of vigor, but you purposefully move at a relaxed pace¡­ While walking, you notice a human footprint nearby, and you grow more cautious.] Seeing the footprint cast Lem¡¯s mind into thought. When he had been banished from the village, he had not considered any further interaction with humans. Even when he received the simulator, the most he thought was that he could find spiritual fruits and plants in the wild. However, as his simulations had begun to improve, he realized that there were other options available. He knew that Lang Town was the closest large settlement, and it was known to have cultivators within it. If he could find it in a future simulation, perhaps he could initiate a trade for a cultivation technique. Of course, his thoughts were speculative, and he didn¡¯t even know in which direction Lang Town was. [You do not know how others would react to you in your state. For a time, you expect to run into other humans, and you worry¡­ You eat from your rations and fall asleep¡­] ¡­ [Day 7: You feel weaker due to the evil power consuming your vitality¡­ While walking, you encounter a trail of blood. You consider following the blood, but you decide that the reward is not worth the risk. You avoid the trail and continue traveling¡­ You come across a rocky area with many caves. You think it is likely that there are beasts inside, so you avoid it¡­ You eat from your rations and fall asleep¡­] ¡­ [Day 9: You feel weaker due to the evil power consuming your vitality¡­] You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story. Five days had passed without much occurring. Lem had yet to see any more spiritual plants or dangerous beasts since he had consumed the mushroom on the fourth day. He was passively observing when a bulky figure suddenly came into view in the forest ahead of him. It had spiny black fur, a glossy nose. Drool dripped from its mouth as it sniffed around. What is that? A bear? The ears were distinctive, however, and he quickly corrected himself. A juvenile deathbear. Along with tyrant sloths and dust cats, it was one of the common dangers that the villagers warned of. He knew they could grow up to several times the size of a normal bear under normal conditions. His body was current frozen, several dozen meters away from the deathbear. It had stopped moving as well, its eyes locked on to Lem. Was this how the simulation would come to an end? [While walking, you encounter a juvenile deathbear. You stare at one another for several minutes, with neither of you moving. You are afraid for your life, but you are prepared to put up a fight.] Snap! [A branch snaps, and the deathbear runs off. You breathe a sigh of relief and continue walking¡­] Lem was just beginning to recover from the sudden encounter, when he felt signals of terror coming from his body. It was as though he was being stared at intensely, with his life in the hands of some immensely powerful being. From his detached perspective, Lem wondered if he was being looked at by the parent of the deathbear. Otherwise, it was difficult to explain how he had attracted such attention to himself. At the same time, he did not believe that he would be killed. If the parent wanted him dead, he would already be dead. Of course, it could also be the case that his speculation was wrong to begin with. Lem waited to see if the deathblow would occur. If it did, he imagined that the simulation would end without warning. A being that could cause him to feel such terror would surely have the means to kill him before he could react. The feeling began to disappear. Lem¡¯s body regained control of itself. [A few minutes later, you feel a piercing glare on you, and you freeze. You feel certain that a powerful beast is passing by and you expect to die. Seconds pass by, and nothing happens. The feeling grows less intense, eventually disappearing entirely¡­] As Lem¡¯s simulated self began moving again, he wondered whether a third encounter would occur. An hour later, he felt that the danger had passed, and he regressed back into passive observation. [You eat from your rations and fall asleep¡­] As Lem¡¯s world went dark, he began thinking about what had occurred. With little else to do at night, he had begun actively trying to memorize the locations of all the landmarks and powerful beasts that he had encountered. When he made a mental mark of the last encounter, he thought of it as a mature deathbear and its cub. How powerful was the mature deathbear? As he thought about it, he guessed that it was less powerful than the giant bird from the fifth simulation. The bird had merely been passing by and it had an effect of complete paralysis, whereas he did not sense the deathbear at all until it glared at him. Chapter 20 - Danger From Above [Day 10: You feel weaker due to the evil power consuming your vitality¡­] Lem was passively observing when his simulated self suddenly found itself in danger. Snap! Snap! Snap! A flutter of leaves fell down above him! A juvenile tyrant sloth was rapidly descending from a nearby tree. From his detached position, Lem was capable of keeping calm, but his simulated self was consumed by sheer panic. The sloth grew closer by the second, breaking off branches as it went. It looked like it was about to directly body-slam him. A beast that large could easily crush him through sheer weight alone. The claws were superfluous. [While walking, you encounter a juvenile tyrant sloth. It descends from nearby branches, rapidly approaching you.] As the beast entered within reach of the spear, he stabbed out with the spear, trying to deter it from ramming into him. The sloth¡¯s eyes fixed tightly on the spear point, a cautious intelligence gleaming within. Snap! Snap! The branches around him broke as he attacked. He hoped that it would continue forward and impale itself, but the sloth leapt out of the way with unusual grace. Not only big, but also wary and agile? [In a panic, you lunge with your spear, but the sloth jumps out of the way.] Once! Twice! Lem could not help but admire the movement pattern of the sloth. It was almost two meters tall and bulky, but it still managed to dodge the spear attacks with minimal effort. Afterward, it began barrelling towards him again. Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author. Again! Again! And again! Lem¡¯s simulated self was growing more and more desperate. His wild thrusts were nowhere near connecting, they were all that was keeping the tyrant sloth at bay. At the same time, the sloth had changed its tactics. It stood up on its hind legs, and was trying to rake him with its claws. It couldn¡¯t reach him as long as it was forced to dodge the spear, so he continuously poked at it. At the same time, the tyrant sloth was giving low grunts while it moved backwards, using a tree as partial cover while it waited for an opportunity. Please trip on a root! The long claws on its hind legs scraped against the ground menacingly. Lem¡¯s simulated self thrust out with the spear again, but the sloth ducked behind the tree. The spear snagged in the bark, leaving his side exposed for a moment. Mistake! He struggled to pull the spear out, before swinging it towards the beast. Unfortunately, instead of jumping backwards, it leapt forwards, avoiding the spear and lunging at his exposed torso with open claws. In a panic, Lem¡¯s simulated self dropped his spear and punched forward. The [Nine Bull Fist] met the shoulder of the sloth! Crack! At the same time, the sloth¡¯s claws glanced along his arm. [In desperation, you attack the sloth with the [Nine Bull Fist]. You land an unexpected blow that shatters the shoulder of the sloth, but you also receive a serious cut on your arm from the sloth¡¯s claws.] Ugnh! The tyrant sloth let out a loud grunt, as it scrambled away rapidly, falling from its hind legs back onto all fours, limping in agony. He leapt forward. His spear was left on the ground, as he let out one punch after another. Whoosh! Woosh! Crack! Another punch landed, this time striking the face of the sloth. A fount of blood squirted from its nose. It let out a low bellow as it moved to cover its face with its claws. Woosh! Crack! With another punch, the sloth¡¯s shattered shoulder was deformed even further. A bit of bone protruded from a ghastly cut. Crack! The face was hammered again. [Following up on your success, you land several punches on the sloth, severely injuring it.] Lem could feel that the tide of the battle had shifted dramatically. Even though he had sustained an injury, his simulated self had done far more damage to the tyrant sloth in return. It demonstrated the value of martial arts! Even one that was as watered down as the [Nine Bull Fist] allowed him to produce power far beyond his physical capabilities, allowing him to inflict serious damage on a beast. It was even more impressive when Lem considered how poor his comprehension of [Nine Bull Fist] was. If he had already mastered the technique, it was unlikely that ten tyrant sloths could stand a chance against him! Chapter 21 - Killing The Tyrant Sloth Lem¡¯s simulated self continued to press his advantage again, as the beast backed up quickly, its crouched body covered in blood, while its four legs scrambled over one another. Woosh! Crack! The sloth accidentally backed into a tree, allowing Lem¡¯s simulated self to land another punch. Woosh! Crack! The punches did not land every time, but when they did they fractured bone and cut open skin. The beaten sloth was a pale imitation of the aggressive beast that had attacked only moment¡¯s earlier. When it growled, the sound was suppressed. When it moved, it looked harried and anxious to escape. Crack! Crack! Two blows landed on the head of the tyrant sloth, and it suddenly dropped to the ground in a heap. Lem could feel a sense of pride coming from his body. A ferocious beast had been killed by his hand. However, there were more pressing concerns. Lem watched as his simulated self realized that he was seriously injured. The sloth had cut open his arm, causing a stream of blood to flow along his side. Over the course of the fight, it had stained his leg red. If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. [The juvenile sloth begins to retreat, but you kill it with a few more punches. As you stand over the carcass, you feel extremely lightheaded, and you realize you are bleeding to death.] He quickly retrieved his knife and began cutting from the hem of his shirt. In less than a minute he had fashioned a rough bandage for his arm. He tied it tightly. The cloth was immediately stained, but the blood had stopped flowing out. He noticed that both of his hands were swollen and bloody, and began bandaging them too. [You quickly tear up your shirt with the help of your knife and wrap your arm with the rough pieces.] Lem watched as his simulated self finished the bandaging and directed his attention back towards the dead tyrant sloth. He had to admit that he had been impressed by his own performance. Even in death, the sloth looked menacing. The heap almost went up to his waist. His simulated self lifted up the arm and touched it with the knife. Lem could see that he was considering whether he should try and eat some of the sloth. It was a reasonable thought, as there was certainly a healthy amount of spiritual energy in the meat. Unfortunately, a fire was out of the question. To avoid attracting beasts, the most he could get away with was a couple of mouthfuls of raw meat, which was hardly appealing. [After taking care of your immediate needs, you grab the arm of the sloth. You think about how much spiritual energy the dead body has, making you want to eat it, but the thought simultaneously repulses you.] Lem saw the struggle within his simulated self. He had worked so hard to defend himself. Was he going to give up on his only reward? He finally decided against eating the meat. He turned around with a sour feeling. He had won a tremendous battle and all he was going to leave with were injuries. Still, Lem thought that his simulated self had come to the right decision. [You are also worried about being attacked by beasts that are attracted to the carcass, so you release it and walk away decisively¡­] It was always best to be prudent. [As you are walking, you feel a whirl of motion and a sharp pain in the back of your neck. You die a moment later, without knowing what killed you.] What? Even though he had made the right decision, he still had not been fast enough. [Simulation ends.] Chapter 22 - Strength Of Two Men The memories poured into Lem¡¯s mind. [Choose one of three rewards: Option 1: peak cultivation from lifetime (Day 4 cultivation) Option 2: comprehension from lifetime Option 3: (one spiritual mushroom), or (one carcass of juvenile tyrant sloth)] Lem was not surprised that he had the ability to choose between multiple objects for the third option. This was part of the rules that had implicitly been transmitted to him when he received the system. He was more concerned with other aspects of the simulation. Because he had left one hour later than the previous simulation, it had caused some small differences at the beginning. What was most important was that the initial hour he had spent waiting, and the path to the mushrooms were both still safe. Lem agreed with the assessment he had made while observing the simulation. He would have to wait for a longer time before leaving, so that for a series of simulations he could leave at the same time and make the experiences more regular and predictable. This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. Lem also was beginning to notice that there were certain places in the forest where he encountered many beasts, and other places where he could survive for days without seeing anything dangerous. Were the differences related to the prevalence of spirituality? He had yet to choose between the three options. He briefly considered the third option, but he decided against it quickly. Both objects likely contained a large amount of spiritual energy, which made them too dangerous to risk taking out. Option 2 was more attractive than it had been in the past, as the simulation marked the first time he had used the [Nine Bull Fist] in combat, but he still declined it when he thought about how brief the fighting had been. In the future, it would be a real consideration if he experienced many fights, or if he made a significant breakthrough in combat. In the end, Lem came back to the first option. The greatest priority was to increase his energy and extend the time it would take for the evil to kill him. At the same time, when he selected cultivation, his physique would slightly improve, allowing for an increase in his combat ability even without selecting the comprehension option. Option 1, Lem thought with intent. He braced himself, but he was still incapable of controlling his emotions when the familiar domineering power flooded through his body. He ignored the euphoria to the best of his ability, knowing that acting on it could jeopardize his safety. After a few moments, he regained control of himself. Immediately, he could feel another qualitative improvement in his physique. If he had the strength of an adult man before, he felt as though he now had the strength of two men. His muscles felt more developed and prominent, and his mind was much sharper. This time, he was not surprised, as he understood why the changes had occurred after observing the process during the simulation. Chapter 23 - Seventh Simulation Lem did not waste time. He practiced the [Nine Bull Fist] while the simulation recharged. Punch! Punch! Punch! After he grew tired, he checked the screen. [Name: Lem] [Age: 15] [Cultivation: None] [Techniques: Nine Bull Fist (entry)] [Energy: 0] [Simulation: 30%] Lem sat down and began to wait. He noticed that with the improvements to his mind, he felt as though he could keep track of exactly how much time was passing. After he had judged that it had been a little less than an hour, he opened the screen again. [Simulation: 97%]...[Simulation: 98%]... [Simulation: 100%] [Detecting Karma is small enough to extract energy from the environment. Run Simulation?] Wait until the next day. Travel north until you reach the mushrooms, and then travel north-west. Search for signs of immortals. The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement. Yes, he thought. The breeze passed over him. [+1 Energy] [Starting simulation¡­] [-1 Energy] [-100% Simulation] [Simulation begins.] Lem sank into the ethereal state. [Day 1: You are abandoned in Lang Woods, waiting in place. You decide to wait for the next day before you travel¡­ While you wait, you practice the [Nine Bull Fist] intermittently¡­] Lem observed the changes in his body. In theory, with every punch, he should be able to produce the power of nine bulls, hence the name of the martial art. However, even though he had long memorized all of the forms for the punch, he had yet to understand where the power came from. It was a complicated mess of minute details. In the village, there were few who could claim to be proficient in the technique, and none who were masters. It was no surprise, as the very task of coordinating all of the movements together was akin to juggling a dozen objects at the same time. However, Lem had two significant advantages over others. First, if he could survive for long enough, eventually his ability to simulate would allow him to gain the experience of many lifetimes. With enough practice, even the village idiot could one day become a master. Second, in the short term, he had an entire mind that was idle whenever he practiced in the simulation. Others could not perform the moves while also intently focusing on the intricacies of the whole. However, Lem could do just that! He could casually observe while his simulated self did the hard work. All of the same muscle signals were still being received by his mind without the exertion of producing them. Lem continued to watch his simulated self practice. He had yet to have any meaningful insights across the simulations, but at least he was growing more familiar with the forms of the [Nine Bull Fist]. All of a sudden, he heard a noise. Lem¡¯s simulated self quickly stopped practicing and picked up his spear. [The bushes rustle and you grip your spear as you prepare to deal with the threat.] Chapter 24 - A Friend [When a small fox head appears, you cannot help but smile.] Lem was amused, even with his detached perspective. The fox had come back, despite having already eaten the berry. He wondered if it was expecting a second one. Secretly, he hoped that this was not the case. Wouldn¡¯t it be nice if the fox had returned because it felt grateful to him? After being abandoned by his entire village, Lem was willing to befriend anyone, and he found it to be impossible to dislike such a clever, elegant beast. Was it desperate, like him, on the brink of death day by day? Could it only rely on its wits to survive? Or was he just projecting his own qualities into the beast? [The fox watches you without moving¡­ The fox runs away abruptly¡­] Lem and his simulated self both stared at the vacant spot in the forest. Will it come back again? [Night falls, but you are too full of energy to sleep. You continue waiting patiently, but you do not practice martial arts¡­] [Day 2: Night passes without incident. As the sunlight begins to trickle in from between the tree branches, you begin traveling north at a fast pace. You wish to reach the mushrooms as soon as you can without creating an unnecessary commotion¡­ The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. You see three rabbits running across the forest floor nearby, but you are not in a position to attack them¡­ You see another rabbit. It is in a slightly vulnerable position, but you are only concerned with the spiritual mushrooms, so you run past¡­ You see a few strange brush marks on the ground, but do not think much of them¡­ You eat from your rations and fall asleep¡­] ¡­ [Day 4: You feel weaker due to the evil power consuming your vitality. You want to make it to the mushrooms before the sun falls, so you pick up your pace slightly¡­ In the waning hours of the day, you notice a faint pleasant feeling and grow excited. You look under a fallen log and find a few spiritual mushrooms.] Lem felt relieved that he had managed to reach the mushrooms again. After only consuming them twice, he had already made enormous strides towards survival. If he could eat them four times, or ten times, how much more progress could he make with the [Nine Bull Fist]? How much would his physique improve? He already had the ability to kill a juvenile tyrant sloth, so how much more would his capabilities expand? [You immediately eat the mushrooms.] Lem turned his focus toward the spiritual energy that was beginning to flow through his body. He wanted to observe the changes in his body again to see if there was anything else he could glean. [A large amount of energy overwhelms your body, and you feel as though you are about to explode. You begin to practice the [Nine Bull Fist] of your village to relieve the excess energy. After an hour, the energy is reduced to a manageable level, and you stop practicing¡­] Lem was unable to make any meaningful observations, but he was not dispirited. He knew from experience that the influx of spiritual energy also improved his mental capacity. With more experience and better cognition, perhaps he could discover something in the following simulation. [The sun is setting, so you do not continue traveling. You move away from the log where you found the mushrooms and prepare to wait for the night to pass. Night falls, and you are full of energy, constantly scanning the forest around you for signs of danger¡­ During the night, you hear many small noises and see small creatures in the underbrush, but nothing is dangerous or worth hunting¡­] [Day 5: The sun rises. You begin to travel in a northwest direction, looking for new opportunities¡­ As you are walking, you encounter a small jade-eye spider that is the size of a plate. It scampers away from you¡­ You encounter a pleasant sensation.] Chapter 25 - Walking Towards Paradise Lem was experienced enough to recognize the feeling of spirituality. His attention was grabbed immediately. His simulated self began looking around. Unfortunately, the feeling of spirituality was faint and only came from one direction, indicating that the object was not as saturated as the spiritual mushrooms. Lem felt his hopes shrink significantly. When his simulated self finally identified a small, fingernail-sized berry, his remaining excitement had vanished entirely. It was not even as impressive as the berry he had thrown to the fox. [You look and find a faintly spiritual berry. You eat it, but the improvement to your vitality is negligible. You eat from your rations and fall asleep¡­] [Day 6: You feel slightly weaker due to the evil power consuming your vitality¡­ As you are walking, you notice a pleasant feeling, and you recognize it as the feeling of spiritual energy.] Lem grew excited again. It had only been a day since he found the spiritual berries, and he had already discovered another source of spirituality. His simulated self began looking around, but it was difficult to distinguish what the source of the pleasant feeling was. Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. It was as if it was flowing in from everywhere¡­ Lem¡¯s excitement increased. After taking a few steps in every direction, Lem¡¯s simulated self determined that the feeling was strongest in the north. He began walking. Two meters forward. He stopped and reassessed the direction. The pleasant feeling had become unmistakable, and it still felt present in every direction. Two meters forward. Reassess. Two meters forward. Reassess. The pleasant feeling was growing stronger and stronger. It was as though he was taking a warm bath in spirituality. Lem suddenly became worried. If the feeling was already this strong, how powerful was the object of spirituality? His simulated self clearly shared his concerns, as it stopped moving. Was it walking towards certain death? Or was it a tremendous moment of fortune? [You look around for the source of the spirituality, and find that it is present everywhere, and coming from the north. You consider avoiding the area, but you are desperate for an opportunity to escape your fate.] For Lem¡¯s detached self, it would be an easy decision to avoid the danger, but his simulated self did not have access to the simulator. When death was already only a few days away, there was little choice in the matter. Taking risks was the only path to survival! [You begin to travel towards the north, but you are nervous about what you might find¡­] Two meters forward. Reassess. Two meters forward. Reassess. The pleasant feeling continued to grow. He was more comfortable by the moment. Step after step, it felt like blankets of warmth were being wrapped around him. Even though he was taking an enormous risk, his body felt so comfortable that it was impossible to be anxious. He unconsciously began to imagine that he was walking towards paradise. Chapter 26 - Harvest Tree Lem felt alarmed. The feeling of spiritual energy was too overpowering for his body to handle, and it was causing his simulated self to lose its sense of caution. He briefly wondered whether the energy was a honey trap being used by some plant or beast to reel in prey. It was impossible to know until his simulated self found the source of the spirituality. He walked for a few steps. The comfortable feeling increased. His simulated self quickly made a determination about the direction, and walked forward again. A few more steps. The ambient spiritual energy had appeared to reach a saturation point. Lem continued to watch, as his simulated self continued to advance. Suddenly, he caught a glimpse of what lay ahead through the trees. Water, with floating lilies. The source of the spirituality! Lem¡¯s simulated self continued to approach. It was a pond. The water lilies were gently moving, but the water was mostly still. He quickly saw that one of the lilies was much larger than the others. It also had a beautiful harmony to it, a mesmerizing perfection to every detail. Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site. Instinctively, he wanted to devour the lily, to consume every bit of it down to the roots. At the same time, he felt the urge to protect it, to cherish it. The feelings within his body were somehow without conflict, like they were mutually compatible desires. He wanted it to become a part of him. [You come across a small pond with many water lilies floating on the surface. You are certain that the spiritual energy is emanating from one of them in particular because it is significantly bigger than the others.] As his simulated self was becoming increasingly enthralled by the lily, Lem had noticed a different detail in the environment, one that extinguished his excitement immediately. A harvest tree. One of the most dangerous plants that was known to exist in the forest, far more dangerous than tyrant sloths and dust cats. It was a carnivorous plant with semi-sentience, distinctive for its barren, gnarled branches and gray-blue color. In the village, it was known that it would not necessarily attack mortals, as the energy within their bodies was too small for it to stir. Still, this did not mean that it never happened. When it did attack, there was nothing that could be done for the victim. Its branches and roots were tougher than any metal, and they could lash out in an instant, wrapping or puncturing anything in its path. One of the texts detailed the experience of a villager who stumbled upon a harvest tree that had ensnared several dozen dust cats of various sizes, all at the same time. The attacks of the desperate cats were like tickles to its branches, utterly harmless. The harvest tree was in plain sight, next to the water lily. It was slightly larger than average, a dozen meters in height with a trunk that was an arm''s breadth in width. Directly within view. And yet, Lem¡¯s simulated self did not notice it. He kept walking forward stupidly while he fantasized about eating the lily. Lem wondered how powerful its spirituality was for it to have such an extreme effect on him. Was the simulation about to come to an end? Chapter 27 - Danger To Unrest Lem¡¯s simulated self was walking ever closer to the pond. The spiritual water lily was only a few meters away from the shore, where the harvest tree stood conspicuously beside it. He walked forward. The lily was twenty meters away. Fifteen meters. A dozen meters. Lem was sure that the branch would approach in only a few seconds. No matter how harmless Lem¡¯s simulated self appeared, there was no chance that the harvest tree would allow him to get close to the water lily. And then his simulated self stopped. His body was flooded with sensations of horror and fright. Lem breathed an internal sigh of relief. The simulation would continue. He began taking slow steps backwards. He glanced to make sure there was a clear path behind him. It would be the worst moment to trip over a root, or stumble into a branch. There was no longer any temptation. Even with the influence of the ambient spiritual energy, once noticed, it was impossible to ignore a presence like the harvest tree. Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator. His only confliction was whether he should run away as fast as he could, or slowly, to avoid alerting the tree. He was flirting with death every second he remained in place. The gnarled branches appeared posed to launch outward. Slowly, Lem¡¯s simulated self moved away from the harvest tree, until it was no longer visible, obscured behind tree coverage. He still did not feel comfortable, however, so he continued to move backwards. [Unfortunately, you notice a tree near the pond. You recognize it as a harvest tree, one of the most dangerous carnivorous plants in the forest. You carefully walk away, not daring to take any chances¡­ You avoid the pond and the harvest tree, and you continue traveling north. Very quickly, you notice that the comfortable feeling of spiritual energy disappears¡­ As night falls, you get a strange sensation from your environment.] Lem was puzzled. His body was transmitting an unrest that it could not place. Even though he could still hear the normal sounds of the forest, it seemed oddly still. He could tell that there was nothing frightening about his surroundings, but somehow they felt off. [You eat from your rations and fall asleep¡­] As Lem was forced to endure the hours of pure darkness, he contemplated what the sensation had meant. Clearly, it was not a sign of immediate danger. After all, he was still alive. It was not his mind that was being affected, because Lem did not have access to his simulated self¡¯s mind. Lem was insulated from such attacks by the presence of the simulator. He wondered¡­ If spiritual energy made him feel comfortable, did this feeling come from the lack of spiritual energy? Or could it be a random phenomenon? Or an aura that was unconsciously cast by a beast? He continued to think up possibilities long into the hours of the night. Chapter 28 - Mother And Father [Day 7: You feel slightly weaker due to the evil power consuming your vitality¡­] As his simulated self woke up and began walking, Lem noticed that the strange sensation was still present. It lurked, never fluctuating in the slightest. The minutes passed, and he began to grow uneasy. What was the source of the sensation? Wait. Was the forest more quiet than before? From his detached position, Lem was suddenly alerted. The natural sounds of the forest had gradually dwindled to the point where they were only faintly present. He was sure of it! After making this observation, he also saw that the forest was unnaturally still, as though it was frozen in time. The leaves on the trees barely moved. The branches did not creak. The only sounds came from his feet stepping on the debris that carpeted the forest floor, and even those were muted. The mystery had only deepened, and Lem was sure that his simulated self was doomed. What would happen next? As the minutes passed, would he slow down, before freezing in place? A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. Or would he die suddenly, without warning? Whatever happened, he was sure it would not be good. Soon after, his simulated self also realized the danger. [After traveling for a couple of hours, you feel as though the forest is too still. The small sounds that you have grown used to have disappeared. You are frightened, and you turn around, trying to retrace your steps¡­] Lem watched grimly as his simulated self tried to escape its predicament. He ran back in the opposite direction, but the sensation did not disappear, and the stillness only grew. Lem¡¯s simulated self stopped. Before him was a rock that was shaped roughly like an eye. Was that the source of the mysterious phenomena? [You come across a distinctive, eye-shaped rock. You are frightened, because you are sure you would have recognized it if you had seen it before. You do not feel comfortable returning in that direction, so you turn around and walk away¡­] As Lem¡¯s simulated self began retreating, he stopped again in horror. There, in front of him, was the same eye-shaped rock. Had it teleported in front of him? Or were there multiple copies of the rock? Was he even moving through the forest in the first place, or was he caught in an illusion? [You encounter the distinctive rock again. You are incomparably frightened¡­] He tried to escape the rock again, this time by traveling in a different direction. ¡°Lem, my child, you can stop worrying. It was all a bad dream.¡± Lem watched what was happening with fascination and horror. The figure in front of him was a blond woman who he had never seen before, yet subconsciously, he knew it was his biological mother. Isla. He had only ever heard her name before. But if she was appearing before him, then there was no reason why¡­ ¡°You must have been confused, all this time, hearing about an evil. We were never really dead. It was all just a test.¡± A male voice sounded in his ear. And then a man appeared beside his mother. A handsome, distinguished face. Brown hair. ¡°Vanar, father?¡± his simulated self said tentatively. So this is how it ends, Lem thought to himself. He could see clearly that his simulated self was in the throes of an illusion, and it appeared to have broken his sense of reality. Chapter 29 - Evil Flower ¡°Why did you leave me?¡± Lem¡¯s simulated self asked. He was on the verge of tears. ¡°We never left. Who do you think has been watching over you and keeping you safe?¡± His simulated self was thrown into utter confusion. ¡°They said I am infected-am I infected by evil?¡± ¡°What is evil?¡± his father asked. The words echoed in his ears. ¡°What is evil?¡± ¡°What is evil?¡± He struggled to find an answer to the question. Lem watched, pondering. Evil was what he hated. It had killed his parents, and it was killing him. He had never questioned the truth of its existence. For him, it was the cause of sorrow and death! ¡°The other villagers,¡± he began, ¡°they said that evil infected us. They said that it killed both of you, and it was going to kill me.¡± ¡°But we are still alive,¡± his mother said softly. ¡°If we are still alive, does the evil really exist?¡± ¡°There is no good or evil,¡± his father said. ¡°There is only your family and strangers. Do you consider those villagers to be your family? After everything they have done? After banishing you from the village?¡± The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°There is no good or evil¡­¡± Lem¡¯s simulated self repeated. The words echoed. ¡°There is no good or evil¡­¡± Lem¡¯s simulated self furrowed his eyebrows. ¡°What is the thing they call evil, and why is it called that?¡± His mother sighed. ¡°Evil is what is feared, little Lem.¡± The faces of his mother and father became indistinct. They faded away, and the illusion suddenly vanished. From his detached perspective, Lem was startled when the sensory information from his body changed. He was lying on top of the eye-shaped rock, his arms tightly hugging it. Lem¡¯s simulated self jumped away from the rock in horror, and ran backwards desperately. What is happening? What manner of being is this rock? [You see the distinctive eye-shaped rock in front of you, and you realize that you were in an illusion. You try to run away again.] Lem watched as his simulated self attempted to escape the eye-shaped rock¡­ Only to find that it had appeared in front of him again. He ran away. Straight back to the eye-shaped rock. [No matter what direction you travel, you return to the distinctive rock. You do not know what to do.] As Lem¡¯s simulated self was staring at the rock in despair, the world around him appeared to melt. The forest remained roughly the same, but the trees were in different positions. The rock had vanished. In its place was a desiccated husk of a tree. The trunk was covered in vines, and at the very top, crowning it, was a blood-red flower, the whorl of its petals resembling an evil eye that seemed to stare into the depths of his very soul. Lem¡¯s simulated self was aghast. He turned around rapidly, searching for something, anything, that could help him. In his panic, he almost stumbled over his own feet. The evil flower watched serenely. [The eye-shaped rock disappears, and you see an eye-like flower perched on a tree, with tangled vines extending from it.] Lem¡¯s simulated self felt like screaming out in frustration. His mind had yet to recover, but he was full of anger and hatred. Was this the being that had killed his parents? Or was it a different form of evil? Or was it even an evil at all? Chapter 30 - What Is Real? Lem¡¯s simulated self pursed his lips, before charging directly at the trunk. Snap! Snap! Snap! He broke off branches of surrounding trees as he ran. Through his rage, somehow, his mind entered a state of utter calm and stillness. The motions of the [Nine Bull Fist] were replaying over and over again. Each muscle contraction. Each breath. The repositioning of his weight, from one foot to the other. The swing of the hips. His fist swung out in a punch, the most powerful punch he had ever delivered, directed squarely at the base of the trunk, where the thickest vines were. At his knuckles, there was a slight hint of a force that was similar to spiritual energy, but much more subdued. It made his fist vibrate slightly with warmth. Thud! His arm rebounded in an explosion of pain, throwing him to the ground. ¡°Agh!¡± He leapt to his feet and swung his fist again. He was able to produce the slight emergent force again. Thud! [In desperation, you attack the vines with the [Nine Bull Fist], but you cannot leave a mark on it, only hurting your hand. You keep attacking the vines¡­] If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. Lem watched as his simulated self attacked the vines of the evil flower over and over again. His attention became fully immersed in the feedback he was receiving from his body. Movement by movement, his use of the [Nine Bull Fist] was improving. When he observed carefully, he saw that the engagement of his muscles seemed more coherent and unified on every strike. The change was perceptible, and even though he did not have access to the thoughts of his simulated self, he could understand that something was occurring from the state of his body. Was his simulated self experiencing enlightenment? How else could the rapid improvement of the [Nine Bull Fist] be explained? This development brought a small measure of happiness back to Lem. He was already sure that his death was impending and worse, he would have to watch it unfold in a prolonged manner. At least now he could see just how far the ¡®enlightenment¡¯ could take him! [Night falls and you are exhausted. You decide to sleep to recover energy, and look for a solution later. You eat from your rations and fall asleep¡­] As the world turned to darkness, Lem was left alone with his thoughts again. He began thinking about the power of the evil flower, if that was even its true form¡­ In the past, when his mind had succumbed to the evil within him, his senses were merely diminished. From his detached perspective, he could not see the illusions because they were occurring entirely within the mind of his simulated self. However, this had changed with the evil flower. It had the ability to influence the raw perception transmitting to his body, distorting his senses on a fundamental level. This was frightening. It could confuse even his detached mind, bringing another level of danger into his life. After all, if he was tricked into thinking that a path was safe from the simulation, when in actuality, it was a trap set by an evil, then he might accidentally walk directly into certain death with his true body. This thought cast Lem into further confusion. What could he trust? His assumption was that the flower started affecting him when the strange sensation began, but that wasn¡¯t necessarily the case. The previous day, he had encountered the harvest tree and the water lily. Were they even real, or were they just illusions produced by the flower? To be on the safe side, he decided never to venture towards the harvest tree with his true body. The risks were too great! Chapter 31 - Breakthrough [Day 8: You feel weaker due to the evil power consuming your vitality¡­ Your hand is bruised and swollen¡­] The next day began with Lem¡¯s simulated self waking up in tremendous pain. He had been attacking the flower so relentlessly that he had not realized the extent of the damage he was doing to himself. Now, he understood that he had made no progress towards improving his situation, and had injured himself for naught. Distraught, he reverted back to his first instinct, to escape from the flower. Lem watched as his simulated self ran away in every possible direction. The trees flew by, and it appeared that he had outpaced the flower. And then he realized that he was running headlong back towards it. He turned around and tried again. Only to see the flower¡­ [You try to escape from the range of the flower by running at full speed, but you always return back to where you started¡­] Once he had lost the motivation to run, Lem¡¯s simulated self could only try the [Nine Bull Fist] again, desperately hoping that he could make a breakthrough in power. At the very least, he wanted to damage the vines. But alas, he could not put a mark on it. [You attack the vines with the [Nine Bull Fist] for a period of time, but it only leaves your fists more swollen and bloody¡­ You rest for a few minutes¡­ You attack the tree again¡­ You eat from your rations and fall asleep¡­] [Day 9: You feel weaker due to the evil power consuming your vitality. You feel as though your situation is hopeless, but you fight to maintain a positive outlook¡­ Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road. You are sure that your only path to survival lies with improving your understanding of the [Nine Bull Fist] so you meditate on the art for a few minutes¡­ You attack the tree¡­ You rest¡­ You attack the tree until your fists are a bloody mess¡­ You rest¡­ You eat from your rations and fall asleep¡­] As he was thrust into darkness again, Lem thought over what had occurred the past two days. His simulated self was growing increasingly desperate, but the improvements to the [Nine Bull Fist] were minimal. His mind was beginning to deteriorate, along with his physical condition. At least he still had rations that could be stretched out for a few days, but it would only prolong the inevitable. Lem only hoped that he could see a breakthrough in the [Nine Bull Fist] before the end came. [Day 10: You feel significantly weaker due to the evil power consuming your vitality, and your fists are unrecognizable from the bruises and bleeding¡­ In addition to the danger of the tree, you worry for the health of your mind and the fact that you are on the brink of dying¡­ You continue to attack the tree¡­] ¡­ [Day 13: Your mind has become impaired due to lack of vitality¡­] Lem was carefully observing the changes in his body while his simulated self attacked the vines. Punch! Punch! Punch! Bits of skin and dried blood covered the vine¡¯s surface over a meter-long stretch. Punch! SMACK! SMACK! SMACK! Suddenly, Lem saw a shift in the fluidity of his attacks. Each punch delivered far more power, and left more of his skin on vine. The emergent force produced at the point of impact had multiplied by several times, and made his fist feel like it was on fire. His simulated self began to laugh madly, attacking with greater fervor. [You enter a state of comprehension while attacking the tree. You feel that your fists are infused with energy, and you laugh, feeling as though you are making progress¡­] Unfortunately, Lem could clearly sense what was so difficult for his simulated self to see. The vines were still utterly unaffected. His punches were completely self-destructive, only serving to vastly increase the amount of energy he was expending and accelerate his demise. This made Lem feel a bit sad, even though he had already expected it. Deterioration at the end of simulations was becoming commonplace. He decided that he would finally choose the comprehension option at the end of the simulation to experience the moment of enlightenment for himself. However, before that time came, he was determined to continue studying his use of the [Nine Bull Fist]. Perhaps, he could independently make a discovery that would improve his understanding even further. Chapter 32 - Fighting To The Death [As night falls, you see that the vines are unblemished, apart from the blood you have spilled over them. Nonetheless, you feel certain that you can damage the flower eventually. You eat from your rations and fall asleep¡­] ¡­ [Day 17: ¡­You no longer pay attention to anything except for attacking the vines with the [Nine Bull Fist], ignoring your broken hands that are swollen to three times their usual size... You run out of rations¡­] ¡­ [Day 21: ¡­You have not eaten for four days. You are beginning to hallucinate, but you continue to attack the vines, despite your attacks becoming weaker and weaker¡­] ¡­ [Day 23: As you wake up, you realize that you lack the strength to walk. Your body is wracked with unbearable pain. You chose to stay in place¡­ You feel as though you are fighting a great battle with the evil power within you. You hallucinate fighting the vines as you slip in and out of consciousness¡­] [Day 24: You lack the strength to move. Your senses are heavily impaired, and you think you are still attacking the vines. You are consumed by the evil power within you and die.] Thankfully, the simulation was finally over. Lem did not enjoy being trapped in a half-blind version of himself that could barely move for hours on end. Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere. In his last moments, before he was transported back to his past self, he thought about the evil flower. Since it had displayed its ¡®true appearance¡¯, it had not stirred from atop the dead tree. He wondered whether it had another face that it had never shown him. [Simulation ends.] The memories poured into Lem¡¯s mind. [Choose one of three rewards: Option 1: peak cultivation from lifetime (Day 4 cultivation) Option 2: comprehension from lifetime Option 3: (one spiritual mushroom), or (one faintly spiritual berry)] Lem made a mental marking of the two significant places he had discovered. The pond with the harvest tree and the spiritual water lily was two days northwest of the mushrooms. The evil flower was directly north of the pond. Of course, the harvest tree could be an illusion, as it was unclear to Lem when he had fallen victim to the evil flower. He had already decided he would avoid both locations entirely, unless for some unknown reason, he was compelled to flee in their direction by his circumstances. Lem did not feel conflicted in the slightest when he looked at the three options. It was clear that he should choose Option 2. After all, it was the first time in a simulation that he had practiced [Nine Bull Fist] so much, and he had even made a breakthrough when he was single-mindedly fighting the evil flower, allowing him to produce a new mysterious force at the point of impact. He had some reservations about the mental states he would be subjected to, but he trusted that the system would not give him a useless option. Before he made his selection, Lem realized that he had completely discounted the ¡®faintly spiritual berry¡¯ that was among his options. It showed how far he had already come in less than a day of simulating. Lem shook his head. Option 2, he thought with intent. Chapter 33 - Rising In Proficiency For a split second, time froze. A rush of memories flew through Lem¡¯s mind at an incredible speed. He completely forgot where he was. In vivid detail, he experienced the entirety of the twenty-four day simulation as it had occurred from the perspective of his simulated self. He felt the rush and uncontrollable elation that compelled him to eat the mushrooms. He experienced the horror of nearly exploding while trying desperately to stop the spiritual energy inside him from increasing any further. When he came across the harvest tree, shivers of fear ran down his spine, as he realized how close he had come to being killed. When he was trapped in the illusions of the evil flower, his mind was wrapped in layers of confusion. When he could not escape the flower, he was beset with hopelessness. He fell victim to the slow degradation of his mind and body due to the evil power within him. And in the great battle that followed, all he thought about was the continuous practice of the [Nine Bull Fist], even as his mind was becoming warped beyond comprehension. A moment of elation came. He felt certain that all the intricacies of martial arts were laid bare before him. Each punch seemed more powerful than the last, as if he was shaking the very heavens. He realized that his attacks were not harming the evil flower. He died in confusion. The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. A moment later, time resumed, and Lem returned to his former presence of mind, with the experiences having been reduced to detached memories. The memories then slowly faded into insights about life and martial arts, leaving none of the emotional content behind. Lem shivered involuntarily. He felt grateful to the system for immediately modifying the experiences so that they could no longer have an impact on his mental state. The biggest reward of the simulation was what he had expected. His understanding of the [Nine Bull Fist] had improved enormously. If before he was trying to replicate a complicated motion, now he understood how the motion gave rise to an otherworldly force. Lem felt as though he was far from mastering that force, but he could at least exert a shadow of its potential. He checked the simulation screen. [Name: Lem] [Age: 15] [Cultivation: None] [Techniques: Nine Bull Fist (proficient)] [Energy: 0] [Simulation: 1%] Lem saw that his recorded mastery of the [Nine Bull Fist] had improved, as he had expected. Acting on impulse, he delivered an attack into the air. The intricacies of the motion were fluid and natural, directed towards the point of impact, where his fist vibrated with the emergent force. Smack! There was an unexpectedly loud sound, making him feel a jolt of nervousness. What was he doing? Why was it so loud? In his memories, he had never made such loud noises simply from attacking the air. A moment later, he felt like ridiculing himself. The reason he had not made such noises when he was battling the flower was because his body had been much more depleted by that time. At the moment, he had the energy of two courses of spiritual mushrooms rushing through his body, so it was expected that the technique would produce a different effect. As he began to panic, Lem quickly moved through the forest in a northern direction, heedless to the branches and vines that snagged him while he ran. A few minutes later, he felt as though he had traveled a safe distance and he stopped, monitoring his surroundings while he removed twigs and leaves from his clothing. He checked the simulation screen nervously. [Simulation: 4%] Chapter 34 - Startled Again For the first time in several simulations, Lem felt like he was in serious danger. The minutes that had passed by so pleasantly before were now stretched out to agonizing length. [Simulation: 10%] ¡­ [Simulation: 18%] The bushes began to rustle. Lem¡¯s eyes shot to the side, and he lifted his spear. ¡°You did this to yourself,¡± he muttered in self reproach. ¡°You did not think it was enough to be corrupted by evil, you also had to test your limits in the open without even making sure you had a simulation in reserve.¡± Lem shook his head, however shortly afterward he broke into a smile for what felt like the tenth time that day. ¡°This time, you got me,¡± he told the small fox that had poked its head out. ¡°I did not expect you to find me after I moved.¡± The fox stared back at him with solemn eyes. ¡°You must have a nose that embarasses the other beasts,¡± Lem said. ¡°I don¡¯t have any more berries, or I would give them to you.¡± The fox did not respond. ¡°It makes me wonder whether I will see you again. With no reward, will you still be here for me?¡± The time appeared to pass by slightly quicker after that moment, as the fox and man stared at one another. Secretly, Lem was checking the screen every few minutes. [Simulation: 26%] ¡­ [Simulation: 40%] ¡­ [Simulation: 51%] The small fox turned around abruptly, creating a disturbance in the brush that broke the silence. It scampered off quickly. If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it. A moment later, it was quiet and Lem was alone again. ¡°Will I see you again?¡± Lem muttered. [Simulation: 65%] ¡­ [Simulation: 79%] ¡­ [Simulation: 91%] ¡­ [Simulation: 97%]...[Simulation: 98%]... [Simulation: 100%] [Detecting Karma is small enough to extract energy from the environment. Run Simulation?] Wait until the next day. Travel north until you reach the mushrooms, and then travel south-west. Search for signs of immortals. Yes, he thought. The breeze passed over him. [+1 Energy] [Starting simulation¡­] [-1 Energy] [-100% Simulation] [Simulation begins.] Lem sank into the ethereal state. [Day 1: You are abandoned in Lang Woods. You decide to wait for the next day before you travel¡­ While you wait, you practice the [Nine Bull Fist] intermittently, however you are careful to adjust the power so that it does not make too much noise¡­ Night falls, but you are too full of energy to sleep. You continue waiting patiently, but you do not practice martial arts¡­] Lem felt relief when he saw that he was safe for the rest of the day. With so many troubles already at his door, it did not feel good to be adding to them. [Day 2: Night passes without incident. As the sunlight begins to trickle in from between the tree branches, you begin traveling north at a fast pace. You wish to reach the mushrooms as soon as you can without creating an unnecessary commotion¡­ You see two rabbits running across the forest floor nearby, but you are not in a position to attack them¡­ You see another rabbit running nearby¡­ You see a few strange brush marks on the ground, but do not think much of them¡­ You eat from your rations and fall asleep¡­] ¡­ [Day 4: You feel weaker due to the evil power consuming your vitality. You want to make it to the mushrooms before the sun falls, so you pick up your pace slightly¡­ In the waning hours of the day, you notice a faint pleasant feeling and grow excited. You look under a fallen log and find a few spiritual mushrooms. You immediately eat them. A large amount of energy overwhelms your body, and you feel as though you are about to explode. You begin to practice the [Nine Bull Fist] of your village to relieve the excess energy, however you are cautious and exert enormous restraint on the technique so that you do not make too much noise. After nearly two hours, the energy is reduced to a manageable level, and you stop practicing¡­ The sun is setting, so you do not continue traveling. As night falls, you move away from the log where you found the mushrooms. You are full of energy, constantly scanning the forest around you for signs of danger¡­] Chapter 35 - Asking Questions [Day 5: The sun rises. You begin to travel in a southwest direction, looking for new opportunities¡­ As you are walking, you hear the sounds of chopping, and you suspect there are people in the distance. You cautiously approach¡­] Lem was immediately interested. Since he had left the village, he had yet to encounter a single person. The closest he had come was finding footprints. Lem knew that it was rare for villagers to venture out into the wilderness. Those from Willow Tree Village only left for Lang Town to pay protection taxes and to sell their harvest. They would also occasionally send hunting parties to the forest fringe to ensure that there were no predators nearby that could threaten the villagers or their livestock. Whenever they left the village premises, they always used paths that had already been cleared by martial school disciples. Even so, it was considered an extremely dangerous undertaking. Lem was cautiously optimistic. If he had found people from Lang Town, then it would signify real progress towards finding an immortal technique. [After walking for several minutes, you come across a group of workers. Before you can get close enough to determine what they are doing, two guards approach you aggressively.] Seeing the hostile attitude of the guards and the spears in their hands, Lem¡¯s simulated self raised his arms up immediately. ¡°I mean no harm,¡± he said, in his most friendly voice. Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author. One of the guards was an older, gruff-looking man, with a large beard and dark eyes. The other was clean-shaven and middle-aged. His simulated self chose to direct his gaze at the middle-aged man. He gave a pitiful, sad look. ¡°I was recently abandoned by my village, and I truly wish no ill upon you. I am not asking to be rescued, and I understand the seriousness of my infection. I only wish to ask a few questions.¡± The guards exchanged glances. ¡°Wait a moment,¡± the older man said. ¡°Stay there and don¡¯t move.¡± They walked a short distance away and began talking to one another. After a few moments, the guard returned. The older man spoke up. ¡°You are a mortal with the signs of a late-stage infection, and yet you seem to be in good health. Can you explain this to us?¡± Lem¡¯s simulated self opened his mouth, about to respond. A thought ran through his head, and he paused. ¡°I can, but you have to show me a cultivation manual in return. I do not ask to keep it, I only want to read through it.¡± The older man raised an eyebrow, and the younger could not help but chuckle. ¡°You wish to see a cultivation manual? So do I!¡± the older man said. ¡°The martial schools can easily make copies, but they guard them tighter than-than-¡± He frowned, trying to think of a phrase. ¡°Than a miser guards his coin?¡± the younger man offered. ¡°No, that¡¯s not it¡­damn!¡± ¡°Than a metal beast hoards its jewels?¡± ¡°Ah, it will come to me later. In any case, you have your answer. The manuals are kept secret, and not just anyone can take one out.¡± ¡°Only their disciples have access to cultivation manuals, and they have to take strict vows that they will not disclose any matters regarding cultivation to outsiders.¡± The younger man gave a slight, understanding smile. ¡°How can one become a disciple?¡± Lem¡¯s simulated self asked. ¡°That, there are strict requirements that are tested for,¡± the younger man said. ¡°The whole town has taken their tests at one point or another, and almost everyone fails at the initial stage. You see most mortals are born with minimal affinity for spirituality. In the eyes of the martial schools, it would be a waste of spiritual energy to train us.¡± [Despite the negative response, you feel heartened.] ¡°The town? Do you mean Lang Town?¡± ¡°Aye, that is where we are from,¡± the younger man said. The older man frowned, and Lem¡¯s simulated self pressed his advantage. ¡°Do you know how one would travel to Lang Town?¡± Chapter 36 - Strongest In The Forest The younger man quickly looked at his companion. ¡°You should not entertain such thoughts.¡± The older man¡¯s grip on his spear tightened noticeably. ¡°I do not mean to enter the town,¡± Lem¡¯s simulated self said quickly. ¡°It does not matter.¡± ¡°I only wish to find a disciple to trade with. I will not even step foot within its limits. If it is desired of me, I will not even approach the gate.¡± ¡°You should give up on the pursuit.¡± The older man shook his head. ¡°If you continue to hold such thoughts, I¡¯m afraid you will have to leave immediately.¡± The younger man had a sympathetic look in his eyes. The older man gave Lem¡¯s simulated self a hard stare, and an awkward silence broke out between them. [You learn that they are from Lang Town, but the guard will not reveal where the town is located.] Lem¡¯s simulated self finally nodded to signal his understanding. ¡°Tell me, please, what is your secret for slowing down the rate of the evil infection?¡± The older man stared expectantly. ¡°By chance, I found a spiritual fruit on a tree, and I ate it immediately. It gave me a warm feeling throughout my body, and I noticed that I felt much better. Since then, I have searched everywhere, but I have not found another one.¡± Lem¡¯s simulated self gave a sad expression. The younger man shook his head. ¡°You found a spiritual herb, and lived to speak of it. I wish I had been born with such luck.¡± If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. ¡°Are they really so rare?¡± Lem¡¯s simulated self asked quickly. ¡°It is not a matter of rare or common. Ordinary townsfolk and even disciples rarely try to harvest spiritual plants because it can attract beasts.¡± ¡°Even disciples fear the beasts?¡± Lem¡¯s simulated self was incredulous. The younger man laughed. ¡°Villagers often have an exaggerated view of cultivation. The strongest beings out there may well be immortals, but I can confidently say that an immortal has never visited Lang Town. ¡°In the forest, there are beasts that could wipe out a town with a single breath. Some of them are tyrant sloths, others are dust cats. Likely every other common species has at least one ancient matriarch or patriarch supporting them. ¡°The reason that they don¡¯t exterminate us all is because it is beneath them. Under such circumstances, nobody would want to provoke such a creature, nor do they want to take chances. ¡°Is it strange that the martial schools will keep away from spiritual locations and try not to enter any conflicts? Who would want to accidentally murder the great grandson of one of those ancient beasts.¡± The older guard interrupted. ¡°Fine then, we heard your story, and you heard ours. Now, I¡¯d ask for you to leave before you disturb the harvesters.¡± ¡°Are there any known remedies for the evil infection?¡± Lem¡¯s simulated self quickly asked. ¡°Any remedies?¡± The older guard shook his head. ¡°It is better to lie down and try to die peacefully, rather than get your hopes up. You should leave now and look for more fruits.¡± He waved his spear threateningly. [The guard shakes his head, commenting about your luck. He tells you to leave.] Lem¡¯s simulated self reluctantly turned and slowly walked away. After he had taken several paces, he stopped and turned back, looking into the eyes of the guards. He was still walking in a southwest direction. If Lang Town was in the direction, wouldn¡¯t the faces of the guard¡¯s betray them? There was no difference in their expressions. The older man made a shooing gesture with his spear. Were they trying to hide their unease? Neither Lem nor his simulated self knew what to make of their reactions. [Reluctantly, you walk away from the guards. You continue walking in a southwest direction while trying to gauge information from the expressions on their faces, but you cannot glean anything¡­] Chapter 37 - Most Powerful Punch [As it is nearing nightfall, you hear a few small noises. When you look, you see a tyrant sloth high up in a tree, eating the foliage. The beast is a distance away, and you feel somewhat confident in your [Nine Bull Fist], but you are still unnerved.] Seeing the tyrant sloth only provoked a feeling of interest in Lem, as he wondered whether he would be able to kill it. He had to stop and reconsider his manner of thinking. After encountering the evil flower, his threshold for fearing an opponent had been raised. Lem had also experienced his own death many times, and had come to expect it in every simulation. With his already detached perspective, it was difficult to care as much when his simulated self encountered dangers he considered ordinary. [You continue walking¡­ Night falls, but you keep walking, as you want to put distance between you and the tyrant sloth¡­ When you feel you have walked for long enough, you stop¡­ You eat from your rations and fall asleep¡­] [Day 6: You feel slightly weaker due to the evil power consuming your vitality¡­ As you are walking you see claw marks on the ground. You grow slightly wary, but you keep walking¡­ You hear a distant beast howl¡­ You come across a clearing with many broken trees scattered on the ground. You wonder if there was a battle between beasts, and you consider turning around. However, you remember the reminder that the guard gave you. Since there are signs of beasts, you wonder if there is also a spiritual treasure nearby. You decide to continue walking forward¡­ This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. As night falls, you still have not seen either a beast or a treasure. You eat from your rations and fall asleep¡­] [Day 7: You feel slightly weaker due to the evil power consuming your vitality¡­ As you are walking, you come across another clearing with broken trees. You maintain your attitude from the previous day, and continue moving forward¡­ You see many small signs of beast activity¡­ You eat from your rations and fall asleep¡­] [Day 8: You feel slightly weaker due to the evil power consuming your vitality¡­ Early in the morning, as you are walking, you come across a juvenile tyrant sloth. The beast gives a low warning growl, and you see that it is reluctant to move forward.] Lem¡¯s suspicions were raised when he saw the behavior of the sloth. Typically, he was either ignored by beasts or attacked immediately. The type of warning that was being given to him felt unusual. In addition, its growl was much softer than expected, as though it was afraid of alerting anything else in the area. What was it hiding? Suddenly, there was an explosion of movement. The sloth took off on all fours towards Lem¡¯s simulated self. At the same time, he threw his spear. It was an instinctive response, with no thought behind it. The sloth leapt to the side, clearing the danger with ease, and Lem¡¯s simulated self attacked again, this time with his bare fist. The movements of the [Nine Bull Fist] were cemented in his mind. He had thrown thousands upon thousands of punches at the vines of the evil flower. Arm pulled back, shoulder locked. Legs tighten. Hand closed. Punch! Lem felt the elation radiating from his body as the small adjustments to his movements all came together perfectly. They unified to produce the otherworldly force. The vibration emanated from his knuckles. The fist moved through the air at an impossible speed. The tyrant sloth had no time to react. His knuckles made contact with the upper part of its furry arm. It felt as though he had come into contact with a wall of solid iron. At the same time, the energy emanating from his body gave him an indescribable feeling. It was undoubtedly the most powerful punch he had ever thrown. CRACK-BOOM! Chapter 38 - Coming From Below The arm of the tyrant sloth rippled and became lacerated beneath the vibration force, sending small bits of fur and flesh everywhere. The world twisted around, and Lem could barely keep track of what was happening. Both he and the sloth had been sent flying in opposite directions from the collision. He landed hard on his back, and his breath was driven from his body. Ignoring the pain, he leapt back up to his feet at once. Where had the sloth gone? He caught sight of it out of the corner of his eye, and ran towards it. His heart eased as he came closer. It was lying in an unmoving heap. The arm that he had punched was broken slightly above the elbow, with a fractured bone poking out from a large open gash. Other parts of its body looked limp and awkwardly crumpled, and they were coated in the sloth¡¯s own flesh and blood. It was an utter mess. Lem¡¯s simulated self touched the corpse a couple times, before pushing it over. As it rolled, it was even more clear that it had become a dead object. It fell back down out of inertia in a different position. Satisfied that his enemy had been defeated, Lem¡¯s simulated self looked at his right hand, which had just landed the punch. He wiped the blood from it as he checked the extent of the damage. If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. Immediately, he could see that he had not emerged from the fight unscathed. His fingers were already beginning to swell, and there were already purplish lumps, signs of deep bruising. Surprisingly enough, there were no cuts. All of the blood had been from the sloth, indicating that the force created by the [Nine Bull Fist] had insulated him from the impact somewhat. From his detached position, Lem was both shocked and happy. Somehow, he had already become so ferocious. He had completely crushed a dangerous beast at the cost of a swollen hand. His body was emanating elation. He did not even feel any pain yet due to all of the excitement. Lem glanced at the simulation screen. The events had occurred too quickly for him to read it. [As you are gauging your chances of defeating the sloth, it suddenly comes barreling towards you. You throw your spear at it! As it leaps out of the way, you explode towards it with the most powerful punch you have ever thrown. In an instant, your fist comes in contact with the tyrant sloth¡¯s arm and makes a loud sound. The arm breaks and you are launched backwards, while the tyrant sloth is sent flying through air. You quickly regain your footing and run forward, intending to finish the battle. You quickly realize that the sloth is dead. You touch it a few times, and even turn it over, but it is lifeless.] Lem¡¯s simulated self walked over to the place where the tyrant sloth had run from. He did not forget the odd behavior he had witnessed before being attacked. Remembering the words of the guard, he could not help but feel anticipation. There it was! Immediately, he felt the pleasant sensation of spiritual energy. He looked around, scanning the environment quickly. Was it a fruit? Or perhaps another berry? Trees, bushes, grass. The feeling did not increase as he approached any of them. It seemed to be coming from below. He scanned the forest floor. Leaves, twigs. Closer. He found a patch of earth that appeared to emanate the pleasant feeling. There was nothing on the surface¡­ It must be buried somewhere underneath. [After searching for a minute, you find a patch of ground that is saturated with spiritual energy. Without hesitating, you begin to dig.] Chapter 39 - Harmony Lem watched intently as his simulated self dug through the soil. The dirt was easily broken apart beneath his hands. The feeling of spirituality grew more intense, and his speed increased. Whatever lay beneath was certainly more potent than the mushrooms, he was sure of it! And then his fingers were stopped abruptly. A hard object. What was it? He dug around the object, broke up the soil, and pulled it out. [A few centimeters beneath the surface, you find a small seed that is radiating spiritual energy.] Lem¡¯s simulated self did not hesitate. No matter how appetizing a dirt-covered seed should have been, the feeling of extreme spirituality was one that could not be ignored. The seed was quickly raised to his lips. The urge to consume was innate! [You immediately eat the seed, ignoring the dirt that is attached. The seed has a strange flavor, but you can only taste it for a moment before an extreme quantity of spiritual energy floods through your body. The amount is so overwhelming that you do not feel any euphoria, only terror. You immediately begin punching the air repeatedly with your [Nine Bull Fist], but you are just barely able to keep the energy calmed down within you.] Once again, Lem was capable of observing the actions of his simulated self with detachment. Eating a strange spiritual seed without a second thought was unadvisable, particularly when the incident with the mushrooms was considered. At the very least, he should have only eaten a small part of it at first! Lem did not know whether he was going to watch his simulated self gain incredible power or if he was going to witness his very first death by spiritual explosion! Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings. Nevertheless, he completely understood the actions of his simulated self. The moment he had begun digging, his body had been overcome by the urge to find the source of spirituality. When he actually found it, his fingers had touched the very essence of comfort, the origin of bliss. The urge had been impossible to resist. Lem watched with interest as his simulated self let out his strongest punches. Each one left a thunderous sound echoing in the air. Boom! Boom! BOOM! Lem was aware that the noise could attract beasts, but he had more urgent priorities. His mind was focused on the changes occurring within his body. With each punch, his muscle fibers were damaged and repaired instantly. Lem could not sense his internal organs directly, but he felt as though they were also constantly oscillating between damage and repair. However, he was less focused on these aspects than on the movements as a whole. In his subconscious, he could feel the harmony that produced the incredible force in the [Nine Bull Fist]. Unfortunately, this feeling acted like an illusion! When he scattered his attention, the harmony was apparent. When he looked for its source, it disappeared. At the highest level, there was a fluid punch. One level lower, there were the movements of individual body parts. Lower still were the muscles contracting and relaxing. Where was the harmony birthed from? Boom! Boom! BOOM! Lem noticed that his injuries from his fight with the tyrant sloth had already healed from exposure to the miraculous spiritual energy. The swelling on his hand had already disappeared entirely. He turned his attention back to the feeling of harmony. Boom! Boom! Boom! Lem made a sudden observation. The spiritual energy within him had a pronounced effect on his body, causing it to vibrate at high frequencies. His sense that he was about to explode came from this vibration. Lems observation came from the [Nine Bull Fist]. Whenever he sent out a punch, it was the feeling of harmony that calmed down the spiritual energy for a moment, allowing it to have a purely beneficial impact, healing his injuries. Even though his simulated self was punching with full power, it might not be the best way of combating the chaotic spiritual energy. If he could find a way of engaging the harmony of the [Nine Bull Fist] with a focus on speed, perhaps it could have the same effect without causing so much noise¡­ Lem was sent deep into thought. [You sense that you are on the brink of exploding, and you keep sending out the strongest punches you can manage. A moment later, you feel a strange feeling come over your mind, and you feel the world come into clarity around you. You have the sensation that you can sustain a thousand thoughts at once, but this feeling slowly fades. At the same time, you feel that the pressure within you is still increasing. You continue to punch out with your fists at all costs, ignoring the sound it is making.] Chapter 40 - Fighting A Cloud Lem saw from the screen that changes had occurred in the mind of his simulated self. If he had time, he would have wondered whether they were included within the simulator¡¯s option of ¡®cultivation.¡¯ However, he was too busy observing his body¡¯s performance of the [Nine Bull Fist] to think in such directions. [After a time, you sense that the pressure within you is no longer increasing. You are relieved, thinking that you were very close to death. A few minutes later, as you are punching out with the [Nine Bull Fist], you see a dust cat in the treetops, approaching you. You do not even have the time to feel worried, as the cat quickly traverses the span of several trees and leaps down at you.] Lem¡¯s mind was wrapped in the cycle of injury and recovery when the energy within his body suddenly became chaotic and agitated again, and he realized something was happening. The continuous punches had been disturbed. He was startled from his observation, and the fight broke out abruptly. The dust cat fell at Lem¡¯s simulated self as a dark blur flying through in the air. It was roughly the size of a wolf, but lighter, fiercer, and much faster. He was only barely able to make out the feline shape and the green eyes, as he realized what it was. Lem watched as his simulated self punched at the beast. Thwack! A loud sound echoed through the air, but it was only the sound of the vibrating force against the air. The strike was futile. The dust cat had already moved two meters to the side, slipping behind a tree, by the time his fist reached its former position. The cat quickly climbed up onto a branch. It hissed and glared with its bright, green eyes, as he finally caught a good look at it. Sleek, and lethal, with dark patches of fur. The tail was stiff, and its claws were protracted. This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it. Lem¡¯s simulated self jumped backwards, anticipating an attack. It watched him quietly, before darting to a different branch in a flurry of motion. He quickly adjusted his footing, but the dust cat continued to move, running circles around him in the treetops. A dark blur appeared in his vision, and he threw a punch. Thwack! It hit nothing! He sensed something approaching from behind, and he turned, lashing out with another punch. Nothing! The blur left the trees in a lithe motion. It ran up close to him, near enough to touch. He threw a punch and it escaped, unscathed. While his simulated self was preoccupied, Lem could feel that the injuries within him were compounding. The delicate internal balance had been broken, and his physical state was going from bad to worse. His muscles were torn and healing improperly, but the damage was also deeper. His body felt as though it was being ripped apart in every direction simultaneously. At the same time, the spiritual energy within him was exciting his internal organs to greater and greater levels of agitation. He spat out blood. Making use of the opportunity, the dust cat came close to him, only a hair''s breadth away. He punched and it retreated. It was as though he was fighting a cloud. The dust cat suddenly pounded the forest floor with its hind legs, kicking up a large number of leaves and twigs. Lem was startled, and it ran close again. Its paw extended towards him, and suddenly there was contact. With all the devastation already within him, it felt like a light tap, but he was jerked backwards all the same. He swung his fist instinctively. It felt like it was impossible to miss. The dark blur of the dust cat was directly in front of him. All its momentum was carrying it towards him. As his arm drew close to the dust cat, there was an unnatural ripple of movement. Its paws pushed off of his body, and he felt the soft fur brush against his knuckles, but there was no impact. With a strange contortion, the dust cat retreated once again. It jumped backwards several times, putting a few meters between them, as it began hissing. Lem¡¯s simulated self caught sight of his side. The redness of his own blood startled him, and he realized he had been scratched. At the same time, he had the overwhelming sense that he was about to burst. When guided by the technique, the spiritual energy harmonized with his body and was slowly absorbed, but when left alone, it was a dangerous power, constantly galvanizing his insides to vibrate at higher and higher frequencies. If the vibration force reached a certain threshold¡­ A feeling of dread came over him. Lem watched grimly. Chapter 41 - Abrupt Ending [You are scratched by the dust cat, but you barely feel the pain. In return, you nearly hit the dust cat, and you continue to put pressure on it. The cat hisses and jumps back. You close the distance and continue to punch at it, swinging with relentless energy.] Lem¡¯s simulated self was desperate. He knew that he was slowly bleeding out, and every motion made his injuries worse. At the same time, if he did not calm down the energy within him, he would explode. He began to take wild swings at the dust cat. Branches snagged against his arms. Every time, it would leap away easily, running up nearby trees and leaping from branch to branch. Thwack! Thwack! Thwack! He noticed that he had relieved some of the pressure coming from inside of him, but the wound on his side had also begun to squirt blood. Lem¡¯s simulated self continued to make his attacks more and more wild. Thwack!-Thwack!-Thwack!-Thwack! The dust cat began to retreat to higher branches, hissing, before it charged at him again. [You miss again, as the cat runs up a tree. You think that the dust cat is on the verge of running away, but you are unwilling to leave a threat behind and you are also trying your hardest to keep from exploding.] Seconds passed by at an agonizing pace. Thwack!-Thwack! Each minute was an eternity. The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there. Lem noticed that the dust cat was becoming enraged. Its hisses had become incredibly loud, and it had begun to take initiative in the fight. It leapt forward in blur, dodging punches as it sliced Lem¡¯s body in the side again. He got cut once, twice, three times. Unfortunately, he had to continue attacking with the [Nine Bull Fist], hoping that one of his punches would land. Thwack!-Thwack! The surrounding forest was splattered with red drops, forcing Lem¡¯s simulated self to watch his footing to avoid stepping in the slick patches, in addition to dodging the trees and branches. [You continue to miss the dust cat with every swing, and it begins to attack you with more aggression.] They were locked in a strange dance, man and beast. One would move forward, the other would move back. One forward, the other back. Again, and again, and again. Suddenly, his fist connected. The vibration force at his knuckles destabilized the fur, skin and muscle colliding with it. Lem¡¯s simulated self had a momentary realization. The surface of the cat was a far softer target than he expected. His hand went straight into it, completely unlike the tyrant sloth, causing a fist-sized deformity in its chest. CRACK-BANG! The sound was enormous and the dust cat disappeared before his eyes, as it was punted directly into a tree. Wet drops of blood splattered against his face, as he was sent flying through the air again in a disorienting whirl, however, his concern remained squarely on alleviating the enormous pressure within him. Trees were flying by his side in every direction, and he was being flung, twirling, through the air, yet he continued to punch out with the [Nine Bull Fist], not even letting up for a second. Thwack! Thwack! He hit the ground and bounced back up. The forest floor was coated in blood , but he continued to swing his fist. [After sustaining numerous cuts, you finally manage to land a solid hit on the dust cat. Its body is less durable than that of the tyrant sloth, and its chest is caved in, while you are sent flying in the opposite direction. You notice that you have lost a large amount of blood, but you cannot stop punching.] Lem was still reeling from the unexpected outcome of the fight, when he caught sight of a figure moving towards him. His simulated self noticed the beast a second later. Not again! Chapter 42 - Warm Touch A full grown deathbear appeared in front of Lem¡¯s simulated self. It astonished him with its sheer size. Its head was bigger than the body of a full-grown man, with enormous eyes, a wet nose, and a tongue that was longer than his legs. Even when it was on all fours, he still was barely eye-level with its knees. As he stared up at the face of death, it moved towards him, and he felt like he was about to be flattened by a mountain. He punched out with his [Nine Bull Fist], but it was like throwing an egg at a stone. His fist bounced off of its fur without leaving a mark. The vibration force disappeared instantly. A split second later, its paw came down. Even with his detached perspective, Lem was surprised by the sensation. The pads of the paw felt warm and comfortable, as they touched him. It was like the warm sun against his skin, or the soothing waters of a hot spring. Instinctively, he knew that the attack was filled with spiritual energy. All of the bones in his body were simultaneously breaking, as his skin began to burst and his muscles compressed. This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. The feeling of gentle sunlight had quickly risen to scorching levels. The comforting waters of the spring had begun to boil. Crack!-Crack!-Crack! Just before he was flattened entirely, the latent energy within him was somehow agitated even further by its interaction with the spiritual paw. He felt a horrible stirring within him. His body went from one extreme to another, expanding like a balloon. The last thing Lem saw was the bear¡¯s snout recoiling backwards out of instinct. Was it surprise? The next moment, his world was black. [You are still punching when you see a fully grown deathbear lumber in front of you. It is several times your height, but you have no choice but to engage it in a fight. You punch the deathbear in the leg, but it barely moves. A moment later, you are crushed by its paw. You die in a massive explosion of spiritual energy. In your last moment, you see the deathbear ducking away, and you think you see fear in its eyes¡­] Lem made a different judgment from his simulated self. He did not believe that the deathbear would be harmed from his explosion. It was likely only startled by the sequence of events. [Simulation ends.] The memories poured into Lem¡¯s mind. [Choose one of three rewards: Option 1: peak cultivation from lifetime (Day 8 cultivation) Option 2: comprehension from lifetime Option 3: (one spiritual mushroom), or (one spiritual seed), or (one carcass of juvenile tyrant sloth)] Chapter 43 - Selecting The Reward Lem was overwhelmed by the results of the simulation. No matter how he looked at it, he could not help but feel pleased, but he was happiest with the clue he got about Lang Town. Ultimately, he had always known that the only way to escape the grasp of the evil lay with cultivation. If he just continued to increase the energy in his body, as he had been, the evil power within him would only continue to grow stronger, raising his need for energy. It was a vicious cycle that could only end with his death, as at some point, his body would reach a limit to the amount of energy it could safely hold, unlike the evil power. Even just from the results of consuming the mushrooms, Lem had wondered whether he was already close to that limit. Now, after eating the seed, he felt like he was closer than ever to reaching it. The only information Lem knew about cultivation came from Lang Town. It was the local power where the villagers went to sell their products. Because of his illness, he had only heard about it from others. He knew there were three martial schools within it: Mountain Paths School, Lang Martial School, and The Sword Of Many Paths. All three certainly had cultivation methods, as this was the minimum requirement of a martial school. If the guard was to be trusted, they guarded these methods tightly, but he did not believe that they could not be traded for. If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it. He couldn¡¯t believe this! At the time that he was driven out of Willow Tree Village, he did not even entertain thoughts of going to the town, so, unfortunately, he currently didn¡¯t even know what direction it was. Now, at least he could use the harvesters in future simulations to find the town. However, just because Lem was more happy because of the clues about Lang Town did not mean that he looked past the spiritual seed. It was clear that it had the potential to grow into a spiritual plant, although he was not sure he would be able to handle the consequences of consuming its mature form as he could barely handle its seed form. On the other hand, it clearly had immediate benefits for the improvement of his body and mind, and when it finished serving that function, it could still be used to trade with others afterward. It was impossible to say that he wasn¡¯t tempted to select it directly as a reward. It was clear that the tyrant sloth that had been guarding it had its own plans for it, and Lem would definitely feel the sting if the seed was missing in future simulations. Still, his caution outweighed such fears. He did not want a bigger fox to come sniffing after him, as it may not be so friendly as the little one. Of the three options, Lem had decided to select the first. He knew from the intuitive understanding that had been transmitted to him that the cultivation option was selected from the moment before he was attacked by the dust cat, when the energy was already beginning to settle down within him. Of course, he still would have to practice the [Nine Bull Fist] to further calm the pent up energy, but the duration would be far less than in the simulation, lowering the corresponding risk. He also knew that he could focus on speed rather than power, and it should have a similar effect. The selection had its own risks attached, but there were risks associated with merely existing in the forest. Unfortunately, the simulation recovery also could not begin until an option was selected, so he was forced to proceed without any safety measures, apart from the path he had already simulated. Option 1, Lem thought with intent, as he secured his spear on his back. Chapter 44 - Trouble An extreme feeling erupted. Spiritual energy immediately began to proliferate within him, vibrating intensely, and every part of his body felt fit to burst. It felt as though a large man had suddenly been stuffed inside of him. Without a second thought, Lem began punching with the [Nine Bull Fist]. Speed! Speed! Speed! He tried his hardest to shift the punches away from power. However, speed and power were not completely divorced from each other, so his punches still produced a substantial noise. Bang! Bang! Bang! Every punch channeled enormous amounts of spiritual energy within him, culminating in explosions of vibration force at his fingertips. Despite selecting the option himself, Lem grew increasingly worried, however he could no longer amend his choice. Bang! Bang! Bang! The energy within him was slowly calming. Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Soon, the pressure was low enough that he was comfortable lowering the intensity. Lem quickly began traveling through the forest, avoiding branches as much as possible and letting off punches as he moved. Smack! Smack! Eventually, he stopped moving, but he continued to hurl punches. Smack! Smack! Smack! Smack! The energy slowly subsided, and he slowly stopped his motions. His nervousness did not abate, however, and he monitored his surroundings closely. This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. A few minutes passed, and he checked the simulation percentage. [Simulation: 88%] Lem breathed a slight sigh of relief. He only had to wait for a few minutes, and then he could assess the situation with the simulator. He made the screen disappear, and continued to watch for signs of disturbance in the brush. [Simulation: 92%] ¡­ [Simulation: 95%] ¡­ [Simulation: 98%]...[Simulation: 99%]... [Simulation: 100%] [Detecting Karma is small enough to extract energy from the environment. Run Simulation?] As Lem was planning out the simulation, he thought for a moment. Based on the path he had traveled, it appeared that he was closer to the seed than he was to the mushrooms. Unfortunately, he did not have confidence that he could find the seed without following the previous route. Perhaps when his mental acuity had improved, he could consider changing the order. Lem shook his head, and reminded himself of the plan. Wait until the next day. Travel north until you reach the mushrooms, then south-west until you reach the seed, then look for Lang Village. Yes, Lem thought. The breeze passed over him. [+1 Energy] [Starting simulation¡­] [-1 Energy] [-100% Simulation] [Simulation begins.] Lem sank into the ethereal state. [Day 1: You are abandoned in Lang Woods. You decide to wait for the next day before you travel¡­ While you wait, you practice the [Nine Bull Fist] intermittently, however you are careful to adjust the power so that it does not make too much noise¡­] Lem monitored the sensory feedback of his simulated self intently. After making so much noise, he could not trust that it was still safe to wait in place. If there was a problem, then he would have to act on it the moment that the simulation ended. His simulated self was also cautious. After every few punches, he would listen and scan his surroundings. Punch! Punch! He looked around. Still safe. There were no suspicious sounds or movements in the forest. Punch! Punch! What was that? He could hear a faint crunching sound, the sound of footsteps¡­ [As you are practicing, you hear noises in the underbrush.] A grim mood suddenly fell over both Lem and his simulated self at the same time. Trouble. Chapter 45 - Life And Death The commotion increased quickly and Lem¡¯s simulated self was able to identify the direction. South. He turned around to face the threat. Lem tried to anticipate what beast was coming. Whatever it was, it sounded big. He imagined that it was barreling through the forest, breaking branches and uprooting saplings as it went. Was it a tyrant sloth? A deathbear? A wolf? A metal beast? He hoped it was not a dust cat. They were typically smaller than other beasts. If there was one of that size, he could only imagine that it was a goliath of a creature that he had no chance of defeating or outrunning. The commotion increased. It grew louder and louder. A deathbear broke into view. Its spiny black fur had a few streaks of gray mixed in. Leaves fluttered around it, as it ran towards Lem¡¯s simulated self. It was twice his height and much faster than he was, coming closer by the second. Lem could see the saliva being flung around as it panted, mouth agape. [You turn and see a juvenile deathbear running towards you.] Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel. Lem¡¯s simulated self dropped his spear immediately, and instinctively began to move behind a nearby tree. The deathbear was less than a second away, and he knew that only martial arts could save him. As he took partial cover, he punched outwards, his body smoothly performing the motions of the [Nine Bull Fist]. Lem perceived the harmony overlaying over the movements, and magnifying the force at the end of his knuckles, as the deathbear lunged forward. Crack! His fist connected squarely with face of the deathbear, directly beneath the eye. It felt hard, but it still gave way with a crunch. A split second later, a massive paw landed heavily on the side of his arm, batting away the blow before it could demolish the deathbear¡¯s skull. Lem¡¯s simulated self was sent flying backwards, and the deathbear smashed against the tree he had been standing against. He felt his back collide against something. Oof! He was ricocheted directly into the ground in a flurry of motion. [With no choice but to fight, you set a stance and attack the deathbear with your strongest punch. Your fist connects to its face, as its paw mauls your arm. You are knocked against a tree.] Lem¡¯s simulated self felt rattled from the impact, and could feel blood clogging his throat. He coughed, and wiped his mouth, before struggling back onto his feet. A dozen meters away, he saw the lumbering form of the deathbear. It was reeling and shaking the blood out of its eyes, but unfortunately, it did not appear to have been frightened. It roared angrily, and fixed its gaze back on Lem¡¯s simulated self. It squinted and roared again. The right side of its face had a horrifying dent at the cheek, and it was squirting blood across the forest floor. Lem felt a sinking feeling in his chest. His best attack had been neutralized, and the beast¡¯s desire to kill him had only grown stronger. The chances that his simulated self, and by extension his true body, could survive the encounter were abysmal. Chapter 46 - Blood In Its Eyes The deathbear shook its head. Blood flicked down onto the surrounding forest floor. It rubbed its face against the inside of its furry arm, before reflexively pulling its head back in pain. The blood continued to run in rivulets around its nose, pooling at its chin and falling in drops beneath it. The deathbear roared, before charging back at Lem¡¯s simulated self. He took a few steps backwards instinctively and ducked behind a tree, as he tried to put distance between him and the beast. His arm felt weak, and when he glanced at it he saw vicious gashes in the middle of an enormous red stain. He looked back up immediately. The deathbear rumbled towards him, navigating effortlessly through the tree cover. When it was nearly on top of him, Lem¡¯s simulated self feigned a punch. The beast paused. Its instincts to charge forward were overrun by fear of the attack it had been hit with. Lem¡¯s simulated self took advantage of its indecision, retreating by a few more steps behind a different tree. The deathbear saw that an attack was not incoming, and it charged forward again, angrily. Lem lunged to meet it, this time with a real punch. Thwack! The deathbear leapt backwards in a big clumsy motion, but it avoided the attack. Thwack! Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator. The deathbear retreated again. ROAR! It bellowed in its rage, but it could not overcome its fear of the [Nine Bull Fist]. The sight of the hulking beast fleeing awkwardly would have been amusing for Lem, were it not for the real danger it presented to him. It was sobering to realize that after the simulation, this battle could very well reflect his fate. A battle of attrition against one of the top predators in the forest¡­ [As you regain your footing, you see the enraged deathbear running towards you with a mangled face. You engage it in combat again, but it is far more cautious.] Lem¡¯s simulated self threw a few more punches that were easily avoided. The deathbear¡¯s movements looked ungainly but they were effective. Fortunately, it was becoming more and more blinded by the moment. Could it still dodge when it could no longer see? Lem could not help but feel a bit of hope stirring within him. The deathbear shook its head, trying to rid itself of the blood that was clouding its vision, but its wound continued to bleed into its eyes. It hesitated, wanting to rub its face with its furry arm, but it remembered the pain it had felt the last time it had tried and thought better of it. The deathbear stopped. Evidently, it could sense that the momentum was against it, and it needed to change its method of attack. Its hindpaws clenched the ground as it turned abruptly and swung its paws, trying to pin Lem¡¯s simulated self in place. He jumped out of the way, hiding behind a tree, and the deathbear lost track of him, halting its charge and backing up wildly as it looked around. Lem¡¯s simulated self was relieved to see that the beast had become easy to avoid. It was obvious that it was struggling to see him. He circled the deathbear and ran at it from behind, trying to press his advantage, but it was too cautious, retreating every time it heard him closing the distance. [You do not manage to land any solid hits, as the deathbear jumps away from every punch. The vision of the deathbear was clearly impacted by your initial strike, as it also struggles to hit you.] Thwack! Thwack! Thwack! Suddenly, he felt a flash of insight. Lem was watching carefully when he perceived elation in his simulated self. The [Nine Bull Fist] suddenly became far smoother, and his hand blurred through the air. Chapter 47 - Empty Victory [After fighting for several minutes, you suddenly comprehend how to increase the speed of the [Nine Bull Fist].] Lem¡¯s simulated self began punching several times faster than before, as the deathbear barely managed to dodge the attacks. Thwack! Thwack! Thwack! Lem noticed that the harmony behind the [Nine Bull Fist] had not changed. It just felt more intense. The movements complemented each other to an even greater degree. At the same time, the attack seemed natural and graceful, as though it was blessed by the very world itself. Is this the true [Nine Bull Fist]? Lem immediately chided himself. The improvement was not even as great as the first one, which had allowed him to break into the ¡®proficient¡¯ stage of understanding. It was impossible that his simulated self had already mastered the technique! Thwack! Thwack! Thwack! The deathbear was clearly growing more desperate. It had long become the one who was taking cover behind trees while Lem pursued it. There had already been a few moments where it had just barely managed to escape being hit. Lem¡¯s simulated self swung his fist, as he had done countless times before. The reaction from the deathbear was different. The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement. Instead of jumping back, it growled and ducked its head. For a brief moment, he knew what was about to occur, but the die was already cast. Midway through the swing, the deathbear lunged toward him at full speed, allowing itself to be hit in return, all for one clean attempt to kill him. CRACK! His fist landed directly on the cavity in the deathbear¡¯s face, partial shattering the skull. His arm exploded in pain! At the same time, the deathbear¡¯s paw came down directly on lems leg, shearing through his thigh. [As your attacks become harder to avoid, the deathbear lunges at you in a desperate bid. It mauls you on the leg, but you also manage to land another strike directly on the beast¡¯s head.] As its head was being mutilated, the body of the deathbear was simultaneously propelled downward, directly into the ground, where it stopped lifelessly. A moment later, Lem¡¯s simulated self fell down on top of it. He was in a daze. When he looked down, he saw that most of his left leg was missing. His arm was broken in several places and hanging limply at his side. He wanted to act, to bandage himself, but he couldn¡¯t move his arms. He couldn¡¯t feel anything. [The deathbear falls to the ground, dead, but you are not much better, as your leg and arm are both mangled. You have lost a large amount of blood, and you collapse on top of the deathbear, unable to even wrap your wounds. You do not feel happy, despite your feat of finally taking down the beast.] Lem watched as the sensations coming from his body gradually dwindled. He was sure of one thing. The moment the simulation ended, he needed to run to the north. Whatever dangers were involved, it was better than what remained for him here. Even with his improved [Nine Bull Fist], all it had led to was a quicker death. [You bleed out and lose consciousness. You die¡­] [Simulation ends.] The memories poured into Lem¡¯s mind. [Choose one of three rewards: Option 1: peak cultivation from lifetime (Day 1 cultivation) Option 2: comprehension from lifetime Option 3: nothing] Chapter 48 - Running From The Deathbear The moment Lem merged with his memories, his feet began moving. If the deathbear was coming from the south, then he needed to escape to the north. Option 2, Lem thought with intent. Time froze. A new flood of memories flew through Lem¡¯s mind, as he stopped running for a brief moment. He was thrust into the intense battle with the deathbear, exchanging blow for blow. He experienced a sudden rush of insight. The intricate movements of the [Nine Bull Fist] did not simply produce force. If they were used correctly, they would move the fist through the air with impossible speed. It was like adding wheels to a handcart. The effort exerted was similar, but when the movement became frictionless, the speed naturally increased. After his realization, Lem saw himself utilizing the [Nine Bull Fist] to greater and greater effect. The deathbear grew desperate and lunged forward to meet Lem¡¯s attack. Lem was too slow to move out of the way, and he could only continue his punch. His fist landed directly on the dent in the bear¡¯s face. Crack! At the same time, Lem felt a massive power smash into his leg. The deathbear sank in front of him, in a giant heap. He fell over and quickly lost consciousness. Lem returned to his body and the experiences became detached memories. He immediately began running again. The trees flew by as he navigated his way through the forest, dodging branches as he went. He checked his screen. [Name: Lem] Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon. [Age: 15] [Cultivation: None] [Techniques: Nine Bull Fist (proficient)] [Energy: 0] [Simulation: 1%] Lem saw that the insight he had experienced was not enough to increase the level of mastery that was recorded. This was what he had expected, as the insight was nowhere near as impactful as the first one, where he had directly understood the force that lay beneath the [Nine Bull Fist]. In either case, a few numbers on a screen did not impact the benefits he had received. His attacks could now be delivered with greater speed, increasing his chances against more nimble opponents like dust cats. In addition, it was more likely that he could end his easier fights without sustaining injuries. Lem kept on running for a few minutes, and then he slowed down his pace. He was increasingly conscious of the noise he was producing. He did not want to signal his current position to the deathbear. He began walking as quickly as he could while keeping a low profile. [Simulation: 15%] ¡­ [Simulation: 38%] ¡­ [Simulation: 57%] ¡­ [Simulation: 70%] ¡­ [Simulation: 86%] Lem decided to stop in place. He thought it was unlikely that the deathbear would find him in the few minutes it would take for the simulation to fully recharge. Even if he was found, he had a better chance of winning the fight without dying, as he had the insights from the first fight. Lem waited in place. He was still nervous, as he monitored his surroundings. Were there any unusual noises? Any signs of a disturbance in the distance? [Simulation: 90%] ¡­ [Simulation: 94%] ¡­ [Simulation: 96%]...[Simulation: 97%]... Lem was relieved. It appeared he would not have to fight the deathbear for the moment. Now, the only question was whether it would still manage to find him in the future. He did not welcome the thought of having to run away again immediately after his next simulation. It was easy to imagine that he could attract the attention of another beast while fleeing from the deathbear. After all, he was no longer taking the safe path that he had already taken in the simulation. Anything could happen. [Simulation: 100%] [Detecting Karma is small enough to extract energy from the environment. Run Simulation?] Chapter 49 - Defeated Enemy Wait until an hour into the next day. Travel north until you reach the mushrooms, then south-west until you reach the seed, then look for Lang Village. Yes, Lem thought. He hoped the simulation would prove that waiting in place was safe. The breeze passed over him. [+1 Energy] [Starting simulation¡­] [-1 Energy] [-100% Simulation] [Simulation begins.] Lem sank into the ethereal state. [Day 1: You are abandoned in Lang Woods. You are worried that the deathbear may find you, but you decide to wait for the next day before you travel¡­ While you wait, you do not dare to practice the [Nine Bull Fist]¡­] Lem watched intently. If the deathbear appeared, then he would have to run again immediately after the simulation ended, exposing his real body to more danger. [After about an hour, the night falls, but you are too full of energy to sleep. You continue waiting patiently¡­] Lem became relieved. At least for the time being, he was safe again. [Day 2: Night passes without incident¡­ After waiting for another hour, you begin traveling north at a fast pace. You wish to reach the mushrooms as soon as you can without creating an unnecessary commotion¡­ You see three rabbits running across the forest floor nearby, but you are not in a position to attack them¡­ You see a few strange brush marks on the ground, but do not think much of them¡­ You are too full of energy to sleep, so you maintain your vigilance at night¡­] ¡­ If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. [Day 4: You feel slightly weaker due to the evil power consuming your vitality. You want to make it to the mushrooms before the sun falls, so you pick up your pace slightly¡­ In the waning hours of the day, you notice a faint pleasant feeling. You look under a fallen log and find a few spiritual mushrooms. You immediately eat them. A large amount of energy enters your body. You begin to practice the [Nine Bull Fist] of your village to relieve the excess energy, however you focus on increasing speed instead of power so that you do not make too much noise.] Lem¡¯s simulated self began punching the air in rapid succession. Woosh! Woosh! Woosh! Lem focused intently. Where was the source of the harmony? Unfortunately, even with his improved cognition from consuming the seed, he still was not able to find it. [After an hour, the energy is reduced to a manageable level, and you stop practicing¡­ The sun is setting, so you do not continue traveling. As night falls, you move away from the log where you found the mushrooms. You are constantly scanning the forest around you for signs of danger¡­] [Day 5: The sun rises. You begin to travel in a southwest direction, intending to find the spiritual seed¡­ As you are walking, you hear the sounds of chopping, and you avoid the area, thinking that you will try to find where the harvesters came from after you take the seed¡­ As it is nearing nightfall, you hear a few small noises. When you look, you see a tyrant sloth high up in a tree, eating the foliage. The beast is a distance away. You continue walking¡­ Night falls, but you keep walking¡­ You eat from your rations and fall asleep¡­] [Day 6: You feel slightly weaker due to the evil power consuming your vitality¡­ As you are walking you see claw marks on the ground. You continue walking¡­ You hear a distant beast howl¡­ You come across a clearing with many broken trees scattered on the ground. You wonder if there was a battle between beasts. You continue walking forward¡­ You eat from your rations and fall asleep¡­] [Day 7: You feel slightly weaker due to the evil power consuming your vitality¡­ As you are walking, you come across another clearing with broken trees. You continue moving forward¡­ You see many small signs of beast activity¡­ You eat from your rations and fall asleep¡­] [Day 8: You feel slightly weaker due to the evil power consuming your vitality¡­ Early in the morning, as you are walking, you come across a juvenile tyrant sloth. The beast gives a low warning growl. You know that it is about to attack you, so you prepare to use your quickest [Nine Bull Fist].] Lem began to focus. He understood that it was often in battle that breakthroughs were made. Perhaps if one occurred, it would aid him in improving his own comprehension of the [Nine Bull Fist]. While his simulated self could experience enlightenment, he could do the same from his end! As for the danger, he was not worried at all. The juvenile tyrant sloth in front of him was just a defeated enemy. He could improve himself on every simulation, while it would always remain at the same strength. With the perspective of the simulator, he already looked past such opponents! Chapter 50 - Eating The Seed Again [The sloth suddenly comes barreling towards you. You throw your spear at it, attempting to distract it. As it leaps out of the way, you explode towards it with your quickest punch.] Lem¡¯s simulated self dropped his spear and punched out in a blur. He felt the brief moment when his knuckles met the furry shoulder of the sloth, carrying the vibration force into the hard, tough skin beneath¡­ BANG! The arm was instantly deformed and cut beneath his fist. All of the tyrant sloth¡¯s insides were rattled. Lem¡¯s body was sent flying backwards, but he somehow managed to land on his feet. He watched as the tyrant sloth was launched in the opposite direction. It was dead as it impacted the ground. His punch was less explosive than the first time he had killed the sloth, but this was purposeful. Lem¡¯s simulated self remembered how easily it had been before, so he had shifted his focus towards control and speed. As a result, the bruising on his knuckles was also far less severe. [Your fist comes in contact with the tyrant sloth¡¯s arm and makes a loud sound. The arm deforms and you are launched backwards, while the tyrant sloth is sent flying through air.] Lem was unable to make any meaningful observations. The fight was too short, and there was too little pressure being exerted on his simulated self to produce any breakthroughs. Despite this, he was still happy.Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more. From the performance of his simulated self, he could see his experiences in prior simulations were bearing fruit. The first time, he had killed the tyrant sloth without any serious injuries, but it had been nerve-wracking. This time, the entire fight had been smooth. He had hardly exerted himself. Lem¡¯s simulated self ran forward, casting a brief glance aside at the sloth. Motionless. He continued over to the general area where he remembered finding the seed. [You land on your feet and run forward. You make sure that the sloth is dead, before running over to where it had been standing. You immediately feel the pleasant sensation that you recognize as ambient spiritual energy, and you follow it to find the saturated patch of ground. Without hesitating, you dig out the small spiritual seed.] Seeing the dirty seed in his palm, Lem¡¯s simulated self felt the urge to stuff it in his mouth and devour it, but he was prepared. Lem did not know exactly what was going through the mind of his simulated self but he felt an enormous conflict emerge in his body. Both Lem and his simulated self remembered the danger he had been in the last time he had eaten the seed. Lem guessed that he was fixating on that memory. He felt nervous, as he saw his simulated self struggle. The next few moments had the potential to ruin the current simulation if they were handled improperly. Lem¡¯s simulated self exerted all of his discipline as he attempted to break the seed into two portions. That way, he could eat it in parts and lower the danger. However, no matter how many times he tried, his fingers only slipped off of the seed. When he used his knife he had the same problem. Lem could feel the patience in his body was wearing out. He just wanted to shove the whole seed into his mouth immediately! Lem¡¯s simulated self lost the battle and finally gave in. He put the seed to his lips. With his last shred of self control, he made sure to only bite off a part of the seed. Crunch. Lem¡¯s simulated self swallowed greedily. [You try to break the seed in half with your hands, but it is too difficult. You take a bite out of the seed, leaving slightly more than half remaining. The seed has a strange flavor, but you can only taste it for a moment before an overwhelming amount of spiritual energy floods through your body. You feel something in between euphoria and terror.] Chapter 51 - How Could Half Give Trouble? Lem watched, wracked with suspense, as he monitored his simulated self. Would he shove the rest of the seed in his mouth and ruin his efforts? No. Lem felt his simulated self open his hand. The other part of the seed fell to the ground, among the leaves. He began throwing punches. Lem was relieved. His simulated self had managed to overcome his urges. Lem shifted his focus back towards the changes that were occurring in his body. The spiritual energy was flooding through his muscles and causing the familiar cycles of destruction and healing. It was a far smaller amount than it had been before, small enough that he was confident that his simulated self could handle it without causing too much of a disturbance. [You immediately begin punching the air repeatedly with your [Nine Bull Fist], focusing on speed, and you are able to easily keep the pressure at a manageable level. You feel a strange feeling come over your mind, and you feel the world come into clarity around you¡­] The spiritual energy within Lem¡¯s body slowly subsided. It quieted down until it was no longer exerting any pressure from within him. Lem had not found any meaningful insights. Fruitless again! However, he did not feel any disappointment. Everything else in the simulation was going too well! He had managed to consume half of the seed without being attacked by a beast.The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. Even if everything went wrong from this point forward, at the very least, he could select the cultivation option at the end of the simulation, and it would be a success. In any case, he still had to finish the rest of the seed. Lem¡¯s simulated self looked around on the ground and found the part of the seed that he had dropped. Without any hesitation, he stuffed it into his mouth. [After a time, you no longer feel like the pressure within you is dangerous, so you consume the second half of the seed. Another huge amount of spiritual energy enters your body, giving you a feeling of terror. You continue practicing the [Nine Bull Fist].] Lem¡¯s alarm was triggered slightly, as the amount of spiritual energy felt significantly greater than it had for the first part of the seed. He quickly recovered his confidence. He had already handled the entire seed before. How could half of it give him any trouble? [For a moment, you do not know whether you will have to resort to full force punches, but your condition stabilizes, and you are relieved that you can still focus solely on speed¡­ After more than an hour, the spiritual energy within you settles to the point that you no longer have to practice the [Nine Bull Fist].] Once again, Lem found that he had not discovered anything interesting. He was ready for the next part of the simulation, the search for Lang Town! Would he be lucky, and find it immediately? Or would it elude him for countless simulations? Lem did not dare raise his hopes. [You retrieve your fallen spear and begin to travel to the northeast, intending to return to the harvesters and look for clues about Lang Town¡­ You see the clearing you passed by on the previous day, with broken trees strewn about. You continue walking¡­ You encounter a wolf-sized jade-eyed spider, but it runs away¡­ Night falls, but you are too energized to sleep. You stay awake, monitoring your surroundings¡­ You hear a noise and grow nervous. A wolf enters your field of view. When you look at it, it flees...] [Day 9: Night passes without incident, and you continue traveling in a northeast direction. You still feel vigorous and alert from the consumption of the spiritual seed¡­ You see the same clearing you passed by three days ago¡­ You see the same claw marks on the ground¡­ You eat from your rations and fall asleep¡­] [Day 10: ¡­You continue traveling in a northeast direction¡­ You come across the area where you remember hearing the harvesters, but it is silent.] Lem watched, as his simulated self began to look around. If the harvesters had left, then they were likely heading back to Lang Town. If he could catch their trail, then he would be well on his way to getting a cultivation technique! Chapter 52 - The Fallen Tree Moves [You assume that the harvesters have left, and you look around the area for signs of their work¡­ You see a clearing with many broken trees, and human footprints in every direction.. You try to identify the direction that the harvesters came from, but it is beyond your abilities to discern. You are forced to randomly choose a direction to begin searching for their trail. After a brief moment of thought, you decide that you will travel west¡­ As you begin walking, you are suddenly reminded of something that you heard in Willow Tree Village. You vaguely remember someone telling you that Lang Town was built on a river. Whatever the truth was, you decide to search for rivers in addition to searching for signs of the harvesters¡­] Ah, right! As Lem read the screen, he was similarly reminded. Lang Town was built on a river! His memory had always been poor due to the effects of the evil. It had also been several years since he had heard it, so it was easy to forget. In fact, the more Lem thought, the more unsure he was that he had recalled it correctly. There were many invented stories that the villagers would pass around from generation to generation. Most of them were cautionary tales that reminded the young children of various taboos, for instance not to pet a baby dust cat, or cry for help near the forest fringe. There were also stories that were pure fantasy, tales of princesses and immortals, ruthless kings and swordsmen who fought to extinguish the evils of the world.Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. These stories mentioned fictional towns. Was one of them on a river? Even if Lem had remembered correctly that the rumor was about a real town, he was not certain that it was about Lang Town specifically. There were a dozen towns scattered in the forest around Pilgrimage City. Occasionally, one or another was brought up in conversation. Or was the rumor there was a riverway system that connected all of the towns together? Thoughts passed through Lem¡¯s head, as his simulated self traveled through the forest. [Night falls, and you have not seen anything of note. You eat from your rations and fall asleep¡­] [Day 11 ¡­You continue traveling in a western direction¡­] Lem passively observed his simulated self. He had long stopped trying to remember the origins of the rumor, and was now thinking about the [Nine Bull Fist]. What was that? His attention was suddenly drawn back to his simulated self. A good distance away, it appeared that a fallen tree had shifted, catching his simulated self off guard. He stopped in place. Was that really a fallen tree? It moved again, and suddenly he could see it better. Oh no! A diamond-shaped head moved up brushing aside nearby branches, and a tongue flicked out. Behind it, he could see another head. He was staring at the coils of a gigantic snake! A two-headed python! His only solace was that the python had definitely already eaten. The coils were extremely bloated, and it was clear that its movements were lethargic. The python¡¯s head slowly turned towards Lem¡¯s simulated self, revealing a massive hole in the ground behind it. He wanted to run, but he was paralyzed by fear. There was a large distance and many trees between him and the python, but he knew that it meant nothing. Such beasts could traverse several dozen meters in a flash, breaking everything in their path! As the python finished turning its head, it fixed its glassy, brown eyes directly on Lem¡¯s simulated self. The tongue flicked out. He was staring at death itself! Chapter 53 - The Ravine [You encounter a two-headed python that is the size of a tree, and you stop in fear. It is still digesting a meal, and its coils are bloated. One of its heads looks at you lazily revealing a big hole behind it. You slowly back up, not wanting to get into a fight¡­] Fortunately, the python did not look like it was interested in Lem¡¯s simulated self. It flicked its tongue a few times, before lowering its raised head. The other head nipped playfully at the first head, before both of them became dormant again. Lem watched with fascination and horror as his simulated self walked backwards. The massive creature slipped further and further from view. [You give the area with the python a wide berth and continue traveling in a western direction¡­ As the sun begins to fall, you begin to think that you have traveled in the wrong direction. You do not want to turn around and waste more time. You also think that you could still come across a river¡­ You eat from your rations and fall asleep¡­] Lem was also sure that he had traveled in the wrong direction, but he supported the actions of his simulated self. It was impossible to know what lay ahead. If there was an opportunity, and he turned around now, he could miss it. As for Lang Town, it could still be found in a different simulation. [Day 12: You feel slightly weaker due to the evil power consuming your vitality¡­This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there. You continue traveling in a western direction¡­ You come across a big hill, and you begin climbing it¡­] As Lem¡¯s simulated self reached the top of the hill, he stopped, staring out in wonder. Lem was similarly awe-struck. On the other end of the hill, the forest line vanished, and beyond it there was nothing, only a gaping hole that appeared large enough to swallow the world. It was pitch black. In the distance, an impossible span away, he could see a tiny row of trees, a fuzzy green line. On the edges of the ravine there were innumerable caves, crevices, and vines. Everywhere else, as far as he could see, was just abyss. Darkness upon darkness. Who knew how deep it was? Who knew what lay inside, if anything? Was a hole that led directly to the end of the world? Such a sight was particularly eye-opening to someone like Lem, who had never even left his village when he was growing up. How many hundreds of thousands of villages could fit in the ravine below? After staring for a few minutes, Lem began to carefully descend down the side of the hill, holding trees for purchase as he looked for a path around. [On the other side of the hill is a deep ravine with caves cut into either side. You begin to traverse the perimeter of the ravine, hoping to travel around it¡­] While Lem¡¯s simulated self walked, he made sure to keep a buffer of a few dozen meters between him and the edge. The last thing he wanted to do was fall in. It would be like falling off of the face of the world! Lem was very engaged. There were no unusual events, no encounters with beasts. Just the sight of the abyss was enough to captivate him. As Lem¡¯s simulated self walked, he happened to glance past a dark object. He took a double take. Only a handful of meters away from the ravine, there was an enormous feather stretched out conspicuously on the ground. So huge! Even with all he had experienced, it was hard for Lem to imagine the size of the bird! Chapter 54 - Phantom Presence [You find a black, human-sized down feather¡­] Lem¡¯s simulated self looked around, but he could not find any other signs of the bird that had left the feather behind. The ravine was desolate. Even the surrounding forest seemed more empty than it usually did. He turned his attention back to the feather, and tried to imagine the bird that left it behind. It must have been at least a couple times larger than the one he had seen in the fifth simulation. To a creature so big, he was nothing more than an ant. Still, at the end of the day, it was still only a feather. Lem¡¯s simulated self turned away from the sight and continued traveling along the ravine. [You eat from your rations and fall asleep¡­] [Day 13: You feel slightly weaker due to the evil power consuming your vitality¡­ You continue traveling around the ravine¡­] As Lem¡¯s simulated self was walking, his body suddenly stopped moving. He was seized by a horror that paralyzed his limbs. It was far more serious than anything he had felt previously, almost as though he was being affected by a malicious energy. Lem watched with interest. Where was the threat coming from? Was it the bird?If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. The area around the ravine was still, without even so much as a breeze passing through. His legs went soft and he fell to the ground. His spear fell from his hands. Before whatever presence was affecting him, he did not even have the strength to stand. [As you are walking, you are suddenly overcome with terror. You sense that there is a presence lurking in the ravine, and you think that it is emerging. You fall to your knees in terror¡­] From the screen, Lem understood that his simulated self was not just feeling bodily terror. He was also experiencing some form of hallucination. He watched as his simulated self languished, fearing for his life. There was nothing in the area. The ravine was motionless. [After a time passes, you realize that the presence has disappeared. You get up from the ground and wonder what you just experienced. You continue walking¡­] Just as Lem was starting to think about what had just happened to his simulated self, he fell in danger once again. The sudden sound of vigorous motion emerged from above him, accompanied by a rustle of falling leaves. Out of the corner of his eye, Lem¡¯s simulated self caught sight of the beast above him. A tyrant sloth! And it appeared much larger than those he had seen before, nearly three meters long. He was sure it was an adult. It was almost gliding through the canopy, as it shuttled, limb by limb, from one branch to the next. Its claws were frighteningly long. [As you are walking, out of the corner of your eye, you notice something moving rapidly towards you. You turn and see there is a fully grown tyrant sloth descending a tree in your direction. You are afraid, but you prepare to fight it.] Lem¡¯s simulated self could see that the tyrant sloth did not view him as a threat. It looked like it wanted to ram into him directly without any attempt at ambush. Knowing this, he was ready to surprise it with a couple strong punches while dodging the charge. He dropped his spear, feigning terror as he bent his knees slightly in preparation. A second later, the sloth leapt from the tree, jumping towards him. Its right arm extended, its claws aimed for the jugular vein in his neck. Lem¡¯s feet were planted firmly in the ground. He turned his hips, and punched out, letting his fist meet the oncoming attack. His knuckles vibrated with an intense force. Chapter 55 - Extreme Reversal Smack! The tyrant sloth was surprised when it was unable to reach Lem¡¯s simulated self. Its arm was stopped, and its entire body was jerked in mid-air. The fist had halted it like a blow from a sledge hammer. The vibrational force of the [Nine Bull Fist] created a secondary impact a split second later. BOOM! Snap! Snap! Snap! The arm was immediately broken and the sloth flew backwards, breaking branches as it went. The vibrations rattled all of its internal organs. Lem¡¯s simulated self was thrown a few meters to the side, narrowly missing a tree. Keeping his feet, he ran forward, hitting the sloth again before it could recover its center of balance. Smack-BOOM! Snap! Snap! Snap! The second strike sent the tyrant sloth flying another few meters, head over heels, through a few more branches. [As the tyrant sloth comes near you, you punch it twice in quick succession before it can react with your [Nine Bull Fist].] The sloth scraped the ground beneath its feet with its claws as it moved away fearfully. Its arm was held at an awkward angle, while its hind leg drooped feebly from its side. Its fur was much thicker than that of a juvenile tyrant sloth, but it had still sustained a few cuts in addition to the serious internal damage from the vibrational force. It tried to turn around and run, but it could only mobilize two of its limbs properly.Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. Its terror was palpable. It had attacked what it thought was a defenseless target, but instead, it had quickly been pushed to the brink of death. Such an extreme reversal within a few seconds heightened its fear to inconceivable levels. Lem¡¯s simulated self did not allow it to escape. While he did not actively seek to murder beasts, he also did not feel like sparing one that sought his death. However one-sided the fight was, the outcome would have looked drastically different if the sloth had managed to strike him. Lem pressed his advantage, rushing towards the limping sloth while its back was turned. He punched out. Due to its impressive size, he was only able to reach the area above its furry stub of a tail. The force on the end of his fist vibrated, just before the impact. CRACK! Its spine snapped, and it was pummeled into the ground. The sloth tried to get up, raising its head weakly. Lem walked around the beast. He hit it again, this time in the head. CRACK! Its neck broke and its head was twisted to the side unnaturally. It fell over and did not move. [The sloth is gravely injured, and it begins to retreat. You strike it a couple of times, and it falls to the ground, dead¡­] Lem¡¯s simulated self stared at the corpse before him. It was nearly twice his height, and much bigger than he was, but he wasn¡¯t thinking about how impressive of a feat it had been to take it down. Lem was familiar with the look that his simulated self was giving. He was even more familiar with the feeling that was running through his body. Hunger. Because his rations were running low, he had been spacing out the meals, only eating a small portion of dried meat every day. He was ravenous enough to see the corpse before him as a meal. Raw beast meat. Lem¡¯s simulated self had already made his choice to eat a portion of it, but it did not mean that he liked the thought. He took a reluctant step forward. And then another. The dead eyes of the sloth stared at him. He retrieved his knife and cut into the side of the corpse. Chapter 56 - Taste Of Sloth The sloth¡¯s fur was thick, stopping the knife blade in its tracks. Lem¡¯s simulated self had to saw it back and forth for a few seconds before it finally penetrated into the flesh. He widened the cut on the fur, pulling the knife up and down through the resistance. Lem watched with interest as his simulated self finally sliced off a piece of the flesh, causing a small amount of blood to pool on the cut. He pried it out of the gap with the knife. Eventually, the piece of bloody flesh was finally free of the skin. He held it delicately between two fingers. What would it taste like? Lem¡¯s simulated self put the piece of flesh in his mouth, and chewed a couple of times. It had a slimy texture, and a pungent flavor that was metallic and salty. It felt wrong in his mouth, and his body rejected it. Lem¡¯s simulated self had to forcefully prevent himself from throwing up. He chewed again, before swallowing it with difficulty. Quickly, before his own disgust could stop him, he cut off another bloody piece of flesh, and swallowed it whole, without even chewing it first. He suppressed the urge to wretch as he quickly walked away from the corpse, picking up his spear again. [You know that your rations are getting low, and you reluctantly take a couple of bites of the sloth, but you almost throw up from the taste. You do not have the confidence to cook the meat or take the corpse with you, as you fear that you will be beset by beasts, so you leave¡­]Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. For Lem, the moment was a stark reminder for how different the life of his simulated self was compared to his own. He had not yet felt true hunger, nor had he been driven to any extremes in his behavior. In fact, he had been given the life simulation system before he had even entered the forest. Lem could not help but feel sorrow for the versions of himself that had to die for him to live. At the same time, as a selfish being, it was impossible for him to value their lives more than his own. The day passed slowly. The ravine had become a familiar presence for Lem¡¯s simulated self, a fixture in the background. [You eat from your rations and fall asleep¡­] ¡­ [Day 16: You feel weaker due to the evil power consuming your vitality¡­ You continue traveling around the ravine¡­] As Lem¡¯s simulated self was walking, he saw a figure lying down on a branch in a tree that was several dozen meters ahead. A dust cat. As he looked at it, it noticed his gaze and locked its green eyes with his. It turned around, its tail waving slightly in the air. In the next moment, it had disappeared in a flurry of movement, rattling the top of the tree, and sending a few leaves down in its wake. Lem wondered what the dust cat had been doing in the tree. Was it sleeping? Had he disturbed it while he was walking by? It felt like a naive thought. He knew from his education in the village that dust cats often ambushed their prey from the tops of trees. Lem had suspicions that it had been waiting for him to get closer. The spirituality boosts from eating the mushrooms and the seed several times had greatly improved his perception. If he had been in his original body, then it would be easy to imagine a situation where he never spotted it. He could have unknowingly passed directly beneath the tree that the dust cat was standing in¡­ Lem remembered a moment in a past simulation where he had felt a sharp pain in the back of his neck shortly before a mysterious death. He had never learned what had killed him. Had it been a dust cat that was lying in ambush? Chapter 57 - Alerted [As you are walking, you see a dust cat in the distance. It runs away before you get any closer¡­ As night falls, you look over your ever-dwindling rations, and eat a small amount. You fall asleep¡­] ¡­ [Day 20: You feel significantly weaker due to the evil power consuming your vitality¡­ You continue traveling around the ravine¡­] Around midday, Lem¡¯s simulated self passed into a region where the forest thinned out, and the sunlight streamed down without obstruction. The terrain was rocky and uneven, with a few prominent hills, and every so often, he would see a small lizard scurry over from one rock to another. It made for a pleasant change, as the rocks reflected the sunlight and created a bright, warm atmosphere. He had been walking through it for a few minutes when he suddenly grew alert. His instincts told him that something was amiss. He stopped in his tracks, drawing Lem¡¯s attention to the unsteady gut feeling. Lem wondered where it was coming from. To his left was the ravine. While he didn¡¯t discount the possibility that there could be something lurking inside of it, he felt it was unlikely that it was the origin of the feeling. Whatever secrets it held were far more terrifying and primordial. Lem¡¯s simulated self had just passed through the outcrops behind him without being alerted, and he had already been looking ahead. Lem thought that his instincts should be signaling to something on the forest side. His simulated self came to the same conclusion.You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version. His eyes darted, as he glanced through the thin forest. There was one prominent rocky outcropping that obstructed his view. His instincts told him that the feeling originated from directly behind it. He studied the position of the rocks carefully. A few lizards were visible, sunbathing on the more prominent, flat stones, but they were far from threatening. What was wrong? Was it a beast? Suddenly, he saw movement. It was slight, but discernible. A head peeking over a boulder. His eyes were fixed on the new, more specific location. Two ears were still clearly visible. Both Lem and his simulated self were able to quickly identify the beast from the shape of the ears. A dust cat! He suspected it was the same one that he had seen several days earlier on the tree. Was it really trying to ambush him? The dust cat peeked out from over the rock a second time. Their eyes met, just as they had before. [As you are walking, you see a dust cat staring down at you from a rocky outcrop. You suspect it is the same cat that you saw several days earlier. You stare at one another for several minutes¡­] The dust cat abruptly retreated, the head ducking back down. Lem¡¯s simulated self stared at the vacant spot for a moment, before he continued on his way. Would he see the dust cat again in the future? Lem felt uneasy. What if it attacked him while he was sleeping? Would his senses alert him or would he die suddenly? The simulation could end in an instant, without warning. [The dust cat runs away, and you continue traveling¡­] The next few minutes passed by in discomfort. Lem¡¯s simulated self was busy thinking about his troubles. At the same time, Lem was musing over the situation from his detached position. Out of nowhere, he noticed that his simulated self had been alerted to danger once more. Lem¡¯s simulated self turned quickly, and saw the dust cat was only a handful of meters away, and closing the distance. It kicked at the ground with its hind legs, causing a cloud of dirt to fly through the air. Lem shielded his eyes with his left arm, as he pulled his right arm back, dropping his spear in the same motion. Strangely, he had time to feel happy. The dust cat had chosen to attack him during the day after all, eliminating one of his concerns. Chapter 58 - Forcing It Down [As you are walking, your instincts tell you that you are in danger. You turn around, and see the same dust cat a couple meters away from you.] The moment that Lem¡¯s simulated self pulled his arm back, the dust cat heeled, stopping abruptly, its figure partially distorted in the cloud of dirt. Even through the obstruction, the cunning in its eyes was unmistakable. It feigned a lunge, baring its teeth as it lurched towards him. Hiss! Lem¡¯s simulated self did not react. He watched the dust cat while keeping his left arm just beneath his line of vision to block the dirt. Hiss! It feigned again, running a meter towards him before turning around in a blur. Its head faced the forest, as though it were about to run up a tree. In the next moment, it kicked up the ground again, raising another cloud of dirt, as it turned back and lunged forward, its claws aiming for his throat. Lem¡¯s simulated self struck out with his [Nine Bull Fist] as quickly as he could. His arm extended in an instant, slipping past the dust cat¡¯s paw and hitting it directly on its shoulder. The emergent force vibrated on his knuckles before contacting the dust cat, shaking its internal organs. For a split second, he saw surprise in the dust cat¡¯s eyes, as it began to yowl. As the force ripped through the cat, it was killed instantly and its scream was cut off abruptly. Its skin burst open and it was knocked roughly to the ground.If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. [You strike out with your quickest punch, hitting the dust cat squarely, and killing it.] It had been a week since Lem¡¯s simulated self had experimented with raw tyrant sloth meat. Even though he had stretched his rations to the very limit, they were almost at their end. Now there was a dead dust cat in front of him. He had never eaten raw cat before. Perhaps it tasted better than sloth meat. The long pause and the pangs of hunger told the entire story to Lem. If his simulated self had merely been hungry a week ago, he was ravenous now. As he walked over to the corpse, Lem knew what was going to happen. He withdrew his knife, and axed it directly into the side of the dust cat, wiggling it in deeper. Once he had bypassed the skin and fur, he cut directly into the muscle, slicing off a small, bloody chunk, before prying the chunk out. After a relatively smooth retrieval, he threw it into his mouth and swallowed, not bothering to chew. A disgusting metallic taste filled his mouth, far worse than that of the tyrant sloth. His body immediately rejected the meat, but his hunger was far more overpowering. Lem¡¯s simulated self began cutting off little bloody pieces of meat, swallowing them whole as he removed them. Two pieces. Three pieces. Four. Five. He choked each one down, ignoring the wretched taste. It was a matter of survival. After a few minutes passed, Lem¡¯s simulated self was full. He staggered away from the corpse, putting all of his effort into forcefully keeping the food down. It would all be for naught if he threw up the meat that he had worked so hard to eat. He needed to keep moving. He picked up his spear and continued to walk, holding his stomach with his off hand. [Your rations are nearly out, and you are wracked with hunger, so you feel you do not have a choice in eating the raw meat. You use your knife and cut off small pieces of meat, and choke them down¡­ Your hunger is fully satiated, and you have replenished some of your rations, but you feel nauseous. You forcefully manage to keep yourself from expelling the contents of your stomach¡­] Lem had his doubts over whether his simulated self would succumb to his revulsion and dispel the contents of his stomach later that day. After all, he knew better than anyone how compelling the urge was. An hour passed. Two hours. Lem¡¯s simulated self was able to keep the food down. Thankfully, there were no further beast attacks in the meantime. [You fall asleep¡­] Chapter 59 - Origin Of Fear [Day 24: You feel significantly weaker due to the evil power consuming your vitality¡­ You continue traveling around the ravine. The end of the ravine is in sight¡­] Both Lem and his simulated self had been keeping track of the distance they had covered. They were aware that they had nearly traversed the entire ravine and made it to the other side. When his simulated self turned around, he could see roughly where he had started out, all the way across the ravine. It was so distant that the trees in the area were no longer discernible. They were only a green line on the horizon. Suddenly, Lem¡¯s body was seized up by a malicious presence. Terror radiated through every inch of him, and he fell to his knees. His spear dropped to the ground a moment later. Lem was familiar with the feeling, and he reacted calmly. Last time it had occurred, the source had never made itself known. The malicious presence had run through his body for a few minutes, and then it had disappeared. Surely, this time it would be the same. Lem took the time to study the reaction his body was giving him. If he was being affected by some dark form of energy, perhaps he would be able to locate it.This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there. [As you are walking, you are overcome with terror once again. You sense the presence lurking in the ravine, and get the feeling that it is emerging¡­] Just like the first time, Lem could only tell from the screen that his simulated self was in the throes of another mental hallucination. However, he could not detect anything anomalous in his body outside of the feeling of terror itself. He continued to study it, noticing that the terror was already fading by nearly imperceptible amounts. The feeling continued to dwindle until Lem¡¯s simulated self was able to gather his wits again. [After a time passes, you realize that the presence has disappeared again. You continue walking, happy to leave the ravine behind¡­] The day passed by uneventfully. As his simulated self walked forward, Lem continued to think about the origin of the fear. He was beginning to doubt whether there was really a conscious entity at all. After all, the ¡®entity¡¯ had affected him twice, but both times it had not taken any further action. If it was conscious, then he imagined that affecting him once would be sufficient to fulfill whatever purpose it had in mind, whether it was to mark him, or satisfy its curiosity. If there was a reason for inflicting multiple hallucinations, he did not know what it was. For this reason, Lem was coming to believe that the feeling was a passive effect caused by some profound object within the ravine. This made him wonder how the ravine had been created in the first place. Looking at it, he could imagine a meteor flying through the sky and landing in a giant explosion that had devastated the area and produced the giant crater. Of course, this was all Lem¡¯s speculation. He did not have much faith that it was actually true. As Lem¡¯s simulated self passed by a copse of trees, he stopped abruptly. Lem moved his attention to what had just appeared in front of him. What an utterly bizarre sight! Chapter 60 - The Bone Two dozen meters away, tucked behind a few trees, there was an enormous bone that was roughly the size of a house. It was bleached white with a slight silver tinge. Multiple trees were growing inside of it, pushing out past a natural opening on the top of the bone. After studying it for a moment, Lem guessed that it was once a piece of a hip. What would have such a massive skeleton, he could not even guess, but it was surely a goliath of a creature. He approached the bone slowly, not knowing whether something had taken up residence inside of it. He saw a few spiderwebs in the crevices, but the gossamer was too thin and insubstantial to belong to jade-eye spiders so he wasn¡¯t worried. The forest was still. There was no sign of movement from around the bone. The village did have certain texts on beast anatomy, but he had never studied them, so he was not able to identify any characteristics of the beast it had come from. He was not even sure that it was a hip bone. However, he was reminded of the feather that he had seen nearly two weeks prior. The proportions of the two seemed compatible to his untrained eye. Was the bone related to the feather? Was there one gigantic bird that had been killed and eaten a long time ago? In either case, he wondered where the rest of the skeleton was. As Lem drew within arm¡¯s reach of the bone, he noticed that there was no feeling of warmth and pleasantness.Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. He touched it. The bone was smooth and cool beneath his hand. Regardless of whether it had ever been a spiritual bone, it was clear that it did not have any spiritual energy remaining in it now. Lem continued to study it for a few minutes, before he continued along his way. Whatever it had been in the past, now it was just a fixture of the environment. Just like every tree, rock, and hill he had passed before. [As you are walking, you come across a strange bone that is roughly the size of a house. You do not sense any spiritual energy, so you continue walking¡­ After traveling for a period of time, you feel paralyzed by fear.] As Lem¡¯s body transmitted its feelings to Lem, he was not overly alarmed. The terror he had felt from the abyss had been a completely unique sensation, whereas the sensations he was currently experiencing were much more similar to his encounters with powerful beasts. His situation was not without danger, but it was far less threatening than it would appear. Such creatures did not care about someone as weak as him after all. If he died, it would likely be unintentional, from the shockwaves of a battle, for instance. His simulated self kept his head down. He had the ability to resist the fear that was coursing through his body and run away, but he did not dare to do so. He did not want to unintentionally offend whatever was passing by. A noise suddenly exploded through the air, pressuring Lem¡¯s eardrums. ROAR! He nearly fell to the ground in shock. For a moment, it felt like he was about to be eaten, but nothing happened. It was clear that the roar had not been aimed at him. The echoes soon disappeared, along with the pressure. [You do not dare look up, and a moment later, you hear a tremendous roar. The pressure fades away, and you continue walking¡­ You come across a bush full of ordinary berries. Your rations are running low, and you are hungry, so you eat most of them, hoping that they are not poisonous. You pick the rest, putting them with your dwindling rations¡­ You fall asleep¡­] ¡­ Chapter 61 - End Of The Ravine [Day 27: You feel significantly weaker due to the evil power consuming your vitality¡­ You finally reach the end of the ravine, and can put it behind you¡­] Lem¡¯s simulated self stopped, planting the butt of his spear into a patch of grass. He looked back across the ravine at the distant smudges on the other side. He judged that he had arrived at the approximate location opposite where he had started. Lem¡¯s simulated self looked down into the ravine one last time, but all he could see was darkness. He turned back around, and continued walking towards the west. It quickly began to feel a bit strange to be separated from the ravine. It had been a fixture in the environment for more than two weeks. Now, it was gone, leaving only the monotonous sight of the thick forest in its place. Trees, trees, and more trees. The day passed uneventfully. As it was growing late in the afternoon, with the sun low on the horizon, Lem¡¯s simulated self began to hear faint noises coming from an area ahead of him. When he paused to listen, he could not recognize the sounds. They were bizarre and chaotic. His simulated self did not know whether to go forward. Watching from his detached perspective, Lem had a feeling that he would eventually succumb to his curiosity.Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators! After all, it could be an opportunity. His rations were running low again, and he could feel the evil power growing stronger within him day by day. He was not in dire straits yet, but he also wasn¡¯t far from it. Even if it was dangerous, he had to venture forward if there was even the slightest chance of a reward. A few moments later, as Lem had expected, his simulated self began to walk forward. Clearly, he had the intent to take a quick look at what was causing the noises before deciding whether to approach or flee. As he drew closer, the sounds began to resemble a cacophony of ripping sounds. It was unlike anything he had ever heard before. The closest thing he could think of was the sound of rain. Lem¡¯s simulated self was confused but he continued forward. His view continuously changed as he walked. The trees ahead of him slowly shifted in position. The sounds grew louder. Suddenly, he was able to see past a few trees that had been blocking his sight, giving him a clear gaze at what was ahead. He stopped, filled with horror. Lem could hardly believe what he was seeing. What an astonishing sight! A massive tyrant sloth lay there, dead. With its corpse sprawled out, it resembled a hill. At some places, its body rose to the height of some of the nearby trees. This was not the frightening thing! A corpse could hardly kill Lem, no matter how huge it was. What was far more disturbing were the innumerable dust cats that were eating from every part of the dead sloth. Together, they resembled flies on a carcass, only much, much larger. The sound came from the chorus of biting, ripping, chewing, hissing, and purring that emerged from countless interactions between the dust cats. Some of them were as large as a mature deathbear, sprawling several meters in length. A few were as small as rabbits with hairless pink skin and indistinct features, clearly newborns from a recent litter. Most were roughly the size of a wolf or slightly bigger. As Lem¡¯s simulated self watched, one of the smaller dust cats turned from the crevice it had carved into the arm of the sloth, its face covered in blood, as it looked directly at him. His heart nearly stopped from fear. Chapter 62 - Sea Of Green [As you are walking, you hear noises. When you approach, you see that in the distance there are several dozen dust cats eating from a dead, hill-sized tyrant sloth.] Lem watched, filled with nervous anticipation. His simulated self was still frozen in place. It was not hard for Lem to see that he was hoping the others would continue eating in peace. Unfortunately, a different dust cat noticed that something was happening. It turned to see what the first one was looking at. Other cats began turning their heads too, as the shift in attention spread like a wave from all over the corpse. In mere seconds, Lem¡¯s simulated self was being stared at by nearly half of the dust cats. He was sure that those who were still eating already knew of his presence. They gazed at him in a sea of green eyes. Both Lem and his simulated self were sure that he was about to be killed. It was surprising that he was able to maintain his grip on his spear. However, just as quickly as it had started, the cats began to lose interest and return to their meal. In another few seconds, there was only one curious dust cat that was still looking at him. It was the first one that had noticed him.This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there. Lem¡¯s simulated self began backing up, careful not to brush up against a tree or trip over a root. The dust cat cocked its head to the side. Lem watched, but much of the suspense had faded for him. To his eye, the danger had already passed. However tense the moment was, he was capable of keeping his wits about him. He realized that the dust cats were too preoccupied with the meal in front of them to care about one puny human. However, his simulated self was unable to make that judgment and was still incredibly frightened. [One of the dust cats turns to look at you, causing a chain-reaction among the others. However, they quickly lose interest and return to their meal. You back away slowly. Only one of the dust cats continues to stare at you, but it does not move. It is clear that they are not interested in your presence, but you do not know how long this will last¡­] The giant corpse of the tyrant sloth and the dust cats quickly slipped out of view, behind the cover of trees. Lem¡¯s simulated self continued to walk backwards slowly. As the noise began to fade, his nerves began to calm down and he began to turn around. When it had disappeared entirely, he increased his speed. He took a wide arc around the dust cat, and continued to travel westward. [Once you are out of earshot of the dust cats, you speed up your pace. You do not want to be near the dust cats once the sloth is gone¡­ As night falls, you finish off the small amount that remains of your rations. You fall asleep¡­] [Day 28: You feel significantly weaker due to the evil power consuming your vitality¡­ As you are walking, you encounter a tree with several fruits hanging from it. As you approach, you notice that one is slightly spiritual. You eat the spiritual fruit, and do not notice a difference in your internal energy¡­ You eat most of the other fruits to stave off your hunger. You pick the rest, putting them in your bag to save for later¡­] ¡­ Chapter 63 - The Bold Fear The Insane [Day 30: Your mind has become impaired due to lack of vitality¡­] The signs that Lem''s simulated self was beginning to lose his reason had already begun to show when Lem saw the information from the screen. As the day passed, his behavior had become even more aberrant. He would chuckle to no one in particular, and make exaggerated stretching motions every few hours. Lem knew that the signs would only get worse in the future, but he was still hopeful that there were more benefits to come from the current simulation. At the very least, there was still information that could be learned about the western part of the forest. Despite the changes to his mind, his body was mostly in good health, and he was making progress every day. Through no small measure of luck, his rations had not yet run out. When Lem thought back on what had happened in the simulation so far, he could not help but feel pleased. Not only had he managed to survive the initial period of waiting without encountering the deathbear, but he had also outlasted all of his former projections. The longest he had lived in previous simulations was twenty-four days. Currently, he had added nearly a week to that total, and it had yet to finish. He had eaten the seed again, this time while safely digesting the spiritual energy. He had come across many new and unusual sights, giving him a better understanding of the forest. He had even continued his search for Lang Town, eliminating another direction entirely. Even if he died on the spot, Lem would still be pleased with the result. Suddenly, Lem was brought back into awareness of his surroundings by a loud growl. His simulated self turned abruptly, and saw a deathbear charging towards him through the forest. It was smaller than the others he had fought before, but this should not have made it any less frightening.This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version. However, to his simulated self, who was becoming mentally impaired, it was not frightening at all. ¡°You bastard,¡± he cried out fiercely, glaring at the deathbear. He pointed his spear at it in an outward display of anger. His response surprised the deathbear somewhat, as it slowed down for a brief moment. ¡°Just wait until I get ahold of you,¡± his simulated self bellowed out as he used a nearby tree as cover. He angled the spear between him and the deathbear. ¡°Damn bear, watch me impale you!¡± Lem was pleased to see that he was at least waiting for the right moment to strike instead of charging directly at the beast, or worse, ignoring the threat entirely. If the initial stage of the fight went wrong, he would almost certainly die from his injuries, even if he eventually won. [As you are walking you hear a loud growl. A juvenile deathbear approaches you without giving any warning. You are forced to engage the beast in a fight, and you prepare to use the [Nine Bull Fist].] A moment later, the deathbear drew close to the tree Lem¡¯s simulated self was hiding behind. As it moved around it, he leapt out, throwing his spear as he began punching with his quickest attacks, sacrificing power for speed. ¡°Ha!¡± The deathbear was slightly hesitant, ducking away from the spear. After a second of indecision, it swung its paw at Lem¡¯s simulated self, but he managed to land two hits on it before the paw reached him. Smack! Smack! Two rounds of vibration force impacted the deathbear, one on its chest, and the other on its arm, deforming and cutting up it up in an explosion of pain. Ouugh! The deathbear was startled and it forcefully pulled itself backwards, as the impact pushed them away from one another. Its paw scraped against Lem¡¯s chest out of momentum, but nearly all of the force was gone. After regaining its feet, the deathbear backed up several meters in a hurry. It was already seriously hurt and frightened, with no desire to engage. [When the deathbear enters your range of motion, you punch several times, landing strikes on the beast¡¯s torso. At the same time, one of its paws scrapes your chest. Luckily, the punches push you away from the bear as you are hit, and the scrape is minor.] Lem¡¯s simulated self picked up his spear and chased after it like a man possessed. ¡°Scrape me with your claws! Scrape me with your claws! Do you want to die?¡± His fearless attitude pushed the deathbear¡¯s fear over the edge. It immediately bolted, taking off into the forest in a four-legged sprint. Lem¡¯s simulated self had no ability to catch up, so he screamed instead as he ran. ¡°Haha, you damn bastard! Run away! Coward! Come back here!¡± Chapter 64 - Origin Of The Conflict [The deathbear runs away after the brief conflict, leaving you aggrieved with a minor injury¡­] Lem did not know what to think of the encounter. It was not just the aberrant behavior from his simulated self that gave him pause, every part of it was strange. Even when he considered all angles, the actions of the deathbear did not make sense. It had roared at him before he had even seen it, which only gave its presence away. Afterward, it had run away immediately after it was struck, as though it had never wanted to fight in the first place. Lem remembered that the deathbear that was chasing him in the last simulation did not bat an eye, even when its face was nearly destroyed. It seemed like this deathbear did not truly want to fight him. It was trying to chase him away. He wondered whether it was also guarding a spiritual item, like the tyrant sloth had been. Lem did not know if his simulated self had come to any of the same conclusions, or if he was spurred on purely by rage, but he was continuing to pursue the deathbear, despite being too slow to catch up. ¡°Come back here, you bastard! You cut me up and then you want to just run away?¡± Lem¡¯s simulated self was growing slightly tired, but he did not let that deter him. Far ahead in the forest, partially obscured by tree cover, he could still see the deathbear running. That sight motivated him to keep running. ¡°Don¡¯t let me get close,¡± he yelled out. He readjusted his grip on his spear as he considered throwing it at the deathbear. After a moment, he tucked it back under his arm.The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there. The deathbear was growing smaller and smaller in the distance, until it was nearly out of sight. Just as it was about to vanish from view, it stopped. Lem¡¯s simulated self kept running, but he slowed down when he saw the behavior of the bear. It was running back and forth, giving low growls at him. Even in his impaired state, he could sense that something was off. Was there something hidden between the trees? He approached slowly. ¡°Bastard, don¡¯t think you can scare me with that display,¡± he scoffed. ¡°You won¡¯t face me in a fight, but you still posture from a distance. Trying to catch me in a trap? Ha!¡± [You think that the deathbear was acting strange, so you approach the area with caution.] Lem felt embarrassed at the conduct of his simulated self, but he forced himself to ignore his feelings and focus on the rest of the situation. The deathbear was almost certainly guarding something. The only question was what. As Lem¡¯s simulated self drew closer, the deathbear continuously retreated, but it did not run off again. Instead, it continued to pace back and forth while growling. [You notice that the deathbear is lingering, but it unwillingly flees when you approach¡­ As you search through the area, you sense the pleasant sensation of spiritual energy¡­] Lem was pleased at the development, but he also thought from the intensity of the feeling that the spiritual object was not as potent as the seed. This meant it was less dangerous to consume, but also less beneficial to him. The deathbear continued to growl as Lem''s simulated self narrowed down the place where the spiritual energy was most concentrated. When he reached a particular spot, the deathbear finally ran off, dashing out of view. ¡°Run off then,¡± Lem¡¯s simulated self called out after it. ¡°Don¡¯t expect to find anything when you come back.¡± He bent over. He was sure that the feeling of spirituality was coming from beneath a pile of leaves. He swept them away, exposing a chewed stump of a root. When he touched it, it filled him with a warm, comfortable feeling that was comparable to the mushrooms, only slightly less powerful. Lem felt disappointed. He felt certain that there had been an intact spiritual herb in the recent past, and that it had been eaten by the deathbear, leaving him with only a part of a root. Not only that, but the deathbear had also covered what remained of the root with leaves to prevent him from finding it. ¡°Bastard bear,¡± Lem¡¯s simulated self muttered to himself. Chapter 65 - Forty-Six Days [You find a root buried in the soil. You notice that the top is gnawed off, and you understand that the spiritual plant that had been attached has been eaten.] Lem¡¯s simulated self immediately dropped his spear and began digging around the root. Once it was dislodged he began pulling it gently, not wanting to accidentally break off the end. There was a little resistance, so he went back to digging. He pulled again, this time uprooting it in its entirety. The root was smaller than he expected. It was short and stubby, with a few hairs on it. Lem¡¯s simulated self brushed off the dirt, and began taking bites from the long end. Crunch. Crunch. Crunch. In a few moments, it had disappeared. He looked regretfully at his empty hand, before picking up his spear, getting up, and continuing to walk in a western direction. The additional spiritual energy was not worth the conflict that had preceded it, but at least it was enough to stave off his hunger. It had also healed the cuts on his chest that he had received the deathbear¡¯s paw. [You eat the spiritual root, and you feel a slight improvement to your energy. You continue searching, unsatisfied with the compensation for your injury¡­ You do not find any other spiritual plants, and are forced to continue traveling¡­ You fall asleep¡­]This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work. ¡­ [Day 34: Your mind has become significantly impaired due to lack of vitality¡­ As you are traveling, you see a bush with red berries. As you approach, you feel the pleasant feeling of spiritual energy. You hesitate, wondering if the berries are poisonous. You decide to eat the berries, as you have run out of rations¡­ As you eat the spiritual berries, you notice a slightly unpleasant taste. The benefits to your spiritual energy are minimal, but they do a good job of staving off your hunger¡­ After you eat half of the berries, you pick the rest and put them in your bag, intending to slowly eat them¡­ As night falls, you eat all of the berries that remain, and fall asleep in satisfaction¡­] ¡­ [Day 40: You are beginning to hallucinate due to lack of vitality¡­ As you walk you notice that beasts flee from your presence. You see evil everywhere, like a dark fog that clouds the spirituality of the world¡­ You fall asleep and dream of strange beasts that are dying in unlikely ways¡­] ¡­ [Day 45: As you wake up, you realize that you lack the strength to walk. Your body is wracked with unbearable pain. You chose to stay in place¡­ You sink in and out of consciousness. You feel as though you are constantly being poked and prodded by an evil presence and you think you are at the bottom of the ravine¡­] [Day 46: You lack the strength to move. Your senses are heavily impaired. You are consumed by the evil power within you and die.] [Simulation ends.] The memories poured into Lem¡¯s mind. [Choose one of three rewards: Option 1: peak cultivation from lifetime (Day 8 cultivation) Option 2: comprehension from lifetime Option 3: (one spiritual mushroom), or (one spiritual seed), or (one carcass of juvenile tyrant sloth)...or (one spiritual root), or (one red spiritual berry)] Lem saw through the simulation that it would be safe to wait until the morning. He also saw that the simulation had lasted almost two months, which was a promising development. At the same time, if reality deviated too much from what was simulated, he could be put in a far more dire situation if he had to wait for several hours before he could simulate. It was time to save up simulation attempts. Chapter 66 - Recharging Simulations Lem decided that he would select the second option, as it would create minimal changes from the simulation, and then let the entire night pass to recharge. After his recent experiences, he no longer felt secure with just the results of the last simulation. He needed the ability to simulate several times in succession to ensure his survival. Option 2, Lem thought with intent. Time froze, and a rush of memories flew through Lem¡¯s mind. He experienced the forty-six days in their entirety. He killed multiple beasts, and scared off others. He consumed several spiritual plants and animals, as his body became stronger and better at processing spiritual energy. He felt terror at the evil presence in the ravine. He fell victim to the evil power within him, as it slowly degraded his mind and body. Eventually, he became fully detached from reality, and died. The experiences became memories, and Lem returned to his normal state of mind. He did not have much of a reaction to what he saw. Part of the reason was because he had experienced the simulation already from his detached perspective, but this was not the main point. The evil flower had been a far more threatening adversary than the evil presence in the ravine, as it did not stop at terrifying him, but actively trapped him and prevented him from escaping.If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement. In addition, he had already ¡®experienced¡¯ multiple deaths, which dulled the impact of dying again. The largest benefit to Lem came from the battle experiences, as well as his newfound understanding of the surrounding area. His mind had already been improved by the spiritual seed, so it was far easier for him to remember small details, allowing him to extract more benefits from reliving his simulated experiences. He summoned the screen. [Name: Lem] [Age: 15] [Cultivation: None] [Techniques: Nine Bull Fist (proficient)] [Energy: 0] [Simulation: 1%] As expected, he was still only ¡®proficient¡¯ at the [Nine Bull Fist]. Lem sat down. In the simulation, he had not practiced martial arts while he waited, so he was resigned to pass the time in a different way. A few minutes later, he checked the simulation percentage again. [Simulation: 4%] At the rate it was improving, it would take close to two hours to recharge fully. Lem went back to waiting. About an hour passed, and night began to fall. Lem barely shifted his position. [Simulation: 68%] As the sunlight grew more and faint, Lem began hearing small noises in his surroundings. With the security of the simulation, he didn¡¯t feel nervous at all. [Simulation: 74%] ¡­ [Simulation: 103%] [Detecting Karma is small enough to extract energy from the environment. Run Simulation?] No, Lem thought, as he continued to wait. [Simulation: 142%] ¡­ [Simulation: 190%] ¡­ [Simulation: 220%] ¡­ [Simulation: 286%] ¡­ [Simulation: 475%] ¡­ [Simulation: 588%] ¡­ [Simulation: 702%] ¡­ Chapter 67 - Eleventh Simulation The sun began to rise over the leafy canopy, bringing a new day to Lang Forest. Lem watched as the branches cast long, narrow shadows across the forest floor. It was hard to believe that it was only the first morning since he had been abandoned by his village. The simulator had completely distorted his sense of time. In any case, Lem had waited for the entire night, and he was ready to find Lang Town. He summoned the simulation screen. [Simulation: 839%] [Detecting Karma is small enough to extract energy from the environment. Run Simulation?] Wait for two hours. Travel north until the mushrooms, southwest until the seed, and then search for Lang Village north of the harvesters. Yes, Lem thought. The breeze passed over him. [+1 Energy] [Starting simulation¡­] [-1 Energy] [-100% Simulation] [Simulation begins.] Lem sank into the ethereal state. [Day 1: You are abandoned in Lang Woods. As the sun rises, you decide to wait for two hours¡­ You begin traveling north at a fast pace. You wish to reach the mushrooms quickly without creating an unnecessary commotion¡­ You see a few strange brush marks on the ground, but do not think much of them¡­ You are too full of energy to sleep, so you maintain your vigilance at night¡­]Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings. ¡­ [Day 3: You feel slightly weaker due to the evil power consuming your vitality. You want to make it to the mushrooms before the sun falls, so you pick up your pace¡­ You find a few spiritual mushrooms. You immediately eat them. A large amount of energy enters your body. You begin to practice the [Nine Bull Fist] of your village to relieve the excess energy, focusing on speed.] Lem felt optimistic about the current simulation. He had already known that the initial few days would be safe, but with all of the chaos of the last few simulations it was still heartening to see such a stress free beginning. He watched carefully, studying the feedback from his body as his simulated self practiced the [Nine Bull Fist]. Unfortunately, the energy quickly settled down, and he was not able to make any interesting observations. [After an hour, the energy is reduced to a manageable level, and you stop practicing¡­ The sun is setting, so you do not continue traveling. As night falls, you move away from the log where you found the mushrooms. You scan the forest around you for signs of danger¡­] [Day 4: You begin to travel in a southwest direction, intending to find the spiritual seed¡­ You hear the sounds of chopping, and you avoid the area¡­ As it is nearing nightfall, you hear a few small noises. When you look, you see a tyrant sloth high up in a tree, eating the foliage. The beast is a distance away. You continue walking¡­ Night falls, but you keep walking¡­ You eat from your rations and fall asleep¡­] ¡­ [Day 6: You feel slightly weaker due to the evil power consuming your vitality¡­ As you are walking, you come across another clearing¡­ You see many small signs of beast activity¡­ You eat from your rations and fall asleep¡­] [Day 7: You feel slightly weaker due to the evil power consuming your vitality¡­ You come across a juvenile tyrant sloth. The beast gives a low warning growl... It comes barreling towards you. You throw your spear. As it leaps out of the way, you explode towards it with your quickest punch. Your fist explodes the tyrant sloth¡¯s arm with a loud sound, and you are launched backwards. You regain your footing and make sure that the sloth is dead... You find the saturated patch of ground and dig out the small spiritual seed¡­] In the last simulation, Lem¡¯s simulated self had been able to resist the urge to eat the seed whole. Lem hoped that the current version of himself would still have enough self control to do the same. Otherwise, there was a chance that the entire simulation would be derailed from the start¡­ Chapter 68 - Verge Of Understanding [You take a bite out of the seed, leaving slightly more than half remaining¡­] Lem felt relieved when his simulated self immediately dropped the other part of the seed, ignoring the temptation to take another bite. So easy. In the last simulation, it had been much more of a struggle because he had wasted time trying to break the seed in half first. This time he had bitten it directly, reducing the amount of time he spent resisting his urges. [You immediately begin punching the air repeatedly with your [Nine Bull Fist], focusing on speed, and you are able to easily keep the energy at a manageable level.] Lem focused on the sensations in his body, the cycle of damage and recovery. [You feel a strange feeling come over your mind, and you feel the world come into clarity around you¡­ After a time, you no longer feel like the energy level is dangerous, so you consume the second half of the seed. Another huge amount of spiritual energy enters your body, giving you a feeling of terror.] Lem was unable to make any meaningful observation while his simulated self digested the first half of the seed, but he maintained his focus. It only took one breakthrough for all his efforts to be worth something. On the other hand, the only way it would be certain that he had been wasting his time was if he gave up. [You continue practicing the [Nine Bull Fist]. Your condition stabilizes¡­ After more than an hour, the spiritual energy within you settles to the point that you no longer have to practice the [Nine Bull Fist]. You turn and begin to travel to the northeast, intending to return to the harvesters and look for clues about Lang Town¡­] Lem ruminated over what he observed. Unlike other sessions, this time he had been close to finding a crucial detail.This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. He thought through the motions of the [Nine Bull Fist], one movement after another. There was something he was missing, something obvious. He felt like he was on the verge of understanding a critical point. Unfortunately, this feeling slowly faded. [You see the clearing you passed by on the previous day¡­ You encounter a wolf-sized jade-eyed spider, but it runs away¡­ Night falls, but you are too energized to sleep. You stay awake, monitoring your surroundings¡­ You hear a noise. A wolf enters your field of view. When you look at it, it flees...] [Day 8: Night passes without incident, and you continue traveling in a northeast direction. You still feel vigorous and alert from the consumption of the spiritual seed¡­] Early in the morning, Lem suddenly realized what he had been on the cusp of discovering before. It all felt so obvious now. The origin of the feeling of harmony. The harmony came from the world. The harmony also came from his body. This was because his body was a part of the world. It felt like a simple point, and in many ways it was, but it was far from intuitive. It was easy to view the world as separate from the body. After all, most of his life was spent with tension between himself and his surroundings. Threats such as beasts, dangerous plants, and evil beings all felt very antagonistic towards him. They felt like they were separate entities that he had to avoid. From his perspective, the world was a hostile place that wanted to kill him. Even opportunities, like spiritual herbs, and even spiritual energy, were things that he sought and tried to integrate. Why would he be integrating it if it was already part of him? His entire experience grated against the feeling of being one with the world. Would he have to run from beasts if they were already one with him? Would he have to desperately pursue opportunities if they were already one with him? This had influenced Lem¡¯s thinking on a very fundamental basis. Most of the time, when he was practicing the [Nine Bull Fist], he was thinking that he was improving his abilities. Martial arts felt very personal to him. However, this was not where the feeling of harmony originated. It was the very opposite! The feeling of harmony came from giving up ownership of the attack. It came from borrowing power from the world. The very force that he was producing with the punch was not something that could be produced from his physical body. How could his current body ever match up to that of a beast¡¯s? The force had to come from elsewhere. It had to come from the outside, from a place that was filled with power and was far more mysterious and spiritual than his fleshy body. The world was that very place, and he was already connected to it. The harmony was the bridge that formed the connection! Chapter 69 - Signs Of Water [You see the same clearing you passed by three days ago¡­ You see the same claw marks on the ground¡­ You eat from your rations and fall asleep¡­] For the entire day, Lem could not stop thinking about the [Nine Bull Fist]. The moves were replayed over and over again in his mind with the feeling of harmony as a reference point. Every so often, a new insight spontaneously emerged from his subconscious. His way of thinking had changed. He no longer focused on producing more force. Instead, he tried to find a better way to connect to the world. It was not about how he could attack an opponent, but how he could coordinate a dance. There was no target he was trying to hit. There was only a union with the world. He wanted to strengthen that bond. It felt ridiculously simple, like he should have understood it long ago, yet every time he tried to comprehend the underlying mechanisms, it was too profound and complicated to grasp. It was only when he observed the larger patterns within the movements of the [Nine Bull Fist] that the simplicity reemerged. Lem was filled with ideas he wanted to test out, but alas, he had no control over his body. His simulated self continued traveling, unaware of the insights that were running through Lem¡¯s mind. [Day 9: ¡­You continue traveling in a northeast direction¡­ You come across the area where you heard the harvesters, and enter the clearing. You look around for signs of their travel¡­If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. You try to understand the direction that they came from, but it is beyond your abilities to discern. You begin traveling north, searching for rivers, or any signs of harvesters¡­ As you walk, you notice a cloud of light flies. You remember from village texts that they congregate around water, and you grow excited¡­] Lem was finally drawn out of his contemplation of the [Nine Bull Fist]. He completely agreed with his simulated self. Light flies were a good sign that he was near water. This increased his confidence in his prior recollections. He was now almost certain that Lang Town was indeed built on a river. Otherwise, it would be too large of a coincidence. Lem grew excited. North was a promising direction. He focused on the feedback he was getting from his senses, as he tried to find more evidence of the river. His simulated self was doing the same, not wanting to accidentally walk in the wrong direction. Fortunately, it appeared that he was only getting closer, as he began to hear a faint burbling sound. [You hear the sounds of the river, and feel certain that you have traveled in the correct direction, and that the town is built on the river¡­] As Lem walked, the sound of burbling grew louder and louder. It was now obvious that there was running water nearby. Here and there, he saw individual light flies moving through the air in little flashes. He was also beginning to find muddy patches, forcing him to watch his step. The plant-life had also subtly changed. There were far more vines and reedy grasses than there had been before. Lem¡¯s simulated self had to slow down. The river was a dangerous place. In the village, there were many stories of horrible deaths, most commonly from deep water mud and illusion pools. If the unsuspecting person walked too carelessly, they could quickly find themselves up to their neck in mud, and sinking. If they let their gaze linger in the bright patches in the water, they could end up being mesmerized and unable to withdraw their attention. There was a story of a villager who stared into an illusion pool so long that he forgot his own name and who he was. This was a favorable outcome. It was far more common for such people to be killed by a red-scaled eel or a death-skull crab, both of which were aquatic beasts that were known to lurk around illusion pools for the very purpose of preying upon anything that was ensnared. Needless to say, Lem¡¯s simulated self watched his footing very carefully. Chapter 70 - Lang River [A few minutes later, you come across the river. You push away brambles and watch for deep-water mud, as you get closer to the banks. You are careful not to get too close, as you are aware that the river is full of dangers, but you want to find clues left by the harvesters.] As the river came into view, Lem was filled with wonder. The water was clear and deep, spanning dozens of meters in width. Certain parts were filled with froth from the collision with rocks and logs that were lodged in the sediment, while in other places overhanging trees had their complex root networks exposed as they clung precariously to the sides of the banks. More than a few fish were visible as dark figures of different sizes darting beneath the surface. In the village, the only water he had seen was collected from the rain or pulled up in wells. The sight of running water and mossy riverbanks with fallen trees was beautiful and miraculous by comparison. The sheer power visible in the waterflow and the accompanying sound gave him a feeling of bliss. His simulated self had less time to appreciate the sight. Instead, he continued to maintain his vigilance. Some places were extremely muddy and suspicious, and other rocky areas looked like potential ambush spots. Every step he took was deliberate and measured, as he navigated the terrain.The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation. At the same time, he tried to find signs that the harvesters had passed through. A footprint or any other unnatural impressions in the ground would be a good sign that he was close to finding something. [As you reach the riverbanks, you begin to survey the surrounding area¡­] Lem watched as his simulated self struggled momentarily with indecision. Which way should he follow the river? West or east? His simulated self began traveling west along the riverbank. With no real basis for making the decision, he had chosen randomly. As he walked, he monitored his surroundings, paying the most attention to the riverside. He was already walking a few meters away from the water and he was prepared to run further at the first sign of danger. The atmosphere fell into a tense silence, with the sounds of the river drowning out the usual small forest noises. Two little crabs scuttled about in front of him, each the size of a finger. He had already seen more than a few tiny, broken crab molts, so he wasn¡¯t surprised. A short while later, Lem¡¯s simulated self spotted a long stretch of chaotic impressions in the riverbank ahead. As he drew closer, he saw a few human footprints, and breathed a sigh of relief. How lucky! He had walked directly north and randomly chosen a direction, and almost immediately found the landing spot of the harvesters! Now, all that was left was to follow the river in the direction of its flow. More than likely, he would find Lang Town further along its course. It was just a matter of time. [Close by, you find long scrape marks and human footprints, and you assume that it was where the harvesters loaded their cargo. You cannot determine which direction they traveled from, but you guess that they traveled from downriver, because it would allow them to transport the cargo back with the aid of the river. You begin to walk on the riverbank, following the flow of the river¡­] Chapter 71 - What Clean Streams? [As you walk, you see watercress in the river. You know it is edible, but you are unwilling to get any closer, so you continue walking¡­] Lem was filled with excitement. Every so often, his simulated self would find an unusual plant or rock formation that was interesting to look at. A few were utterly bizarre, like a spindly water plant that he could not recognize from the village texts and a clump of yellow mushrooms with thorny hooks. His simulated self was significantly more grounded, as he was extremely concerned with the dangers of the river. If a death-skull crab ambushed him because he was distracted, would he be compensated by the beauty of the plant he was staring at? Still, discovering the town would be a tremendous step towards the survival of his simulated self, so he was not in a bad mood. If anything, he was feeling hopeful towards the developments of the day. A few minutes later, when Lem¡¯s simulated self was surveying his surroundings, he finally saw the first sign of larger wildlife. A hundred meters behind him, a white figure with patches of red was slowly approaching along the river. Lem¡¯s simulated self felt a jolt run through his body, but it was quickly dispelled, as he saw that the bird was not interested in him, and was being moved forward by the river current. [You see a fire swan drifting on the river. It does not even look at you, as it floats past¡­] The elegant bird never moved within a two dozen meters of Lem. It slowly passed from view.If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. Even though the swan had not shown any interest in him, Lem¡¯s simulated self felt a little more at ease when it was gone. The bird was larger than a bear, with a beak the size of his forearm. He was not interested in spending any more time around it than was necessary. A few moments later, Lem¡¯s simulated self saw a large fish move underneath the surface of the river, a shadow that was at least the size of a man. A moment later, it swam into a patch of underwater grass and out of view. Was it a catfish? Lem was not particularly troubled. As far as he knew, fish did not have the means to attack outside of water. At least, such a case had never been recorded in the village texts. About an hour later, Lem¡¯s simulated self saw a small stream that fed into the river up ahead. When he came up to it, he stopped a few meters away and studied the area carefully. When he could not find any dangers, he closed the distance, walking right up to the very edge. The stream was only a meter across its narrowest. There were a few small fish and insects he could see darting around, but nothing that concerned him. The water was very clear, indicating that it was good drinking water. Lem¡¯s simulated self stooped over, and undid the clasp on his bag. Even if he was nowhere near the point of running out, he thought it was a good idea to refill his water skins. As he dipped the skins in the water, he took the opportunity to drink to his heart''s content. [As you travel, you notice a stream that feeds into the river. You stop and restock your water¡­] While he waited, Lem remembered the words that Tamor, the village elder, had told him when he was banished. ¡°The forest is full of beasts, and there are many clean streams to drink from.¡± He couldn''t agree more that the forest was full of beasts. Every one of them wanted to kill him! But were there really many clean streams to drink from? If that was the case, why was this the first one he had come across? Chapter 72 - Human Although he was predisposed to hate the villagers for banishing him, Lem also had to admit that they had given him generous water supplies. In the dry season, rain was scarce, and there was precious little available in their stores. In all the simulations, he had not found any drinking water to speak of, and yet he still had never run out of water. He also was certain that the village elder had not intended to mislead him about the prevalence of streams. The problem was that the villagers knew very little of the forest. The only information they gathered was from traveling to Lang Town. If this was the case, then he could assume that their knowledge was specific to the area around the river. It made sense that they assumed that he would come across many streams. Once he had finished filling up the water skins, Lem¡¯s simulated self found a narrow point in the stream. He used his spear as a vaulting pole, as he crossed over and continued forward. [As you travel, you notice that the riverbank is growing muddier. You suspect that there is deep-water mud ahead, so you walk away from the riverbank to circumvent it¡­This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience. After walking for several minutes, you begin walking back towards the riverbank. You notice that it is still muddy, so you walk away again¡­ A few minutes later, you come back towards the riverbank, and find that it is more solid. You begin walking on the riverbank again¡­] Lem felt encouraged. In the thick of the forest, every tyrant sloth, deathbear, and dust cat seemed to want to tear him to pieces on sight. By comparison, the river was a far more harmonious place. Even though his simulated self was forced to constantly monitor his surroundings, he had yet to encounter any beast that had threatened him. The big fish stayed in the river, and the swan simply drifted by. Another few hours passed by uneventfully. Apart from sighting a few more fish and different aquatic plants, Lem¡¯s simulated self had not come across anything interesting. The afternoon light was beginning to fade when he suddenly came to a stop. Lem¡¯s mind stopped wandering, as he focused on the object of his simulated self¡¯s attention. There was a large figure out ahead, on the riverbank. Was it a deathbear or a tyrant sloth stopping by the river to get a drink of water? Why did it look¡­like a human? Lem could feel the excitement bubbling up from his body. His simulated self began approaching eagerly. Had he found Lang Town at last? Chapter 73 - Even A Fish As Lem¡¯s simulated self drew closer, his excitement vanished. The figure looked less and less like a living human. The texture and color resembled bone rather than flesh. [As you are walking, you notice a horizontal man-sized skeletal figure on the bank ahead.] He took a few more steps, and realized that the figure was unnaturally still, and stooped over. Was it a corpse? If so, was there a trap up ahead? Lem could not help but remember certain stories he had heard of illusion pools. He had limited the amount of time he spent looking into the river for fear of accidentally gazing into one. Was there an illusion pool ahead? He did not dare check to see if there were any bright patches in the water. Had a poor townsperson stared so long into one that he turned into a skeleton? Lem¡¯s simulated self was tempted to avoid the area, but curiosity got the better of him. He began walking again with some hesitancy. However, once he had gotten a better look, he felt assured. It was not a human that he was looking at, after all, but the carapace of a death-skull crab. The angle at which the carapace was positioned had distorted his perspective. Lem chided himself for not remembering that the patterning of their shells could resemble bones.Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions. It was even the inspiration for their name! [You are surprised, but you quickly notice that it is unnaturally still. You carefully approach, and determine that it is the carapace of a death-skull crab. You suspect that it is a shed skin from a molt.] No longer afraid, Lem¡¯s simulated self continued walking normally. He stopped when he came up to the carapace. From a closer distance, it was impossible to mistake for a human, however, the patterning truly was unique. He gazed up at the sky. The sunlight was dwindling. He wanted to get a bit further before it was gone entirely and he was forced to stop. {You continue traveling¡­ Night falls. You move away from the riverbank to the nearby forest. You eat from your rations and fall asleep¡­] [Day 10:¡­You continue traveling along the river¡­ As you are walking, you see a cloud of light flies traveling close to the river surface. You watch as a blue snapfish leaps from the river and eats a swathe from the cloud, while the rest of light flies scatter.] Looking at the light flies dispersing into the air in a cluster of light, Lem thought about how beautiful the sight was. Apart from the majesty of the river itself, he found that he enjoyed the presence of the light flies more than any other detail in the environment. They provided little bursts of color to the day, and were also entirely harmless. At the same time, watching the light flies being eaten by the snapfish reminded him of how brutal the way of the world was for all of its inhabitants. Even a fish had to eat, and even a fly could be seen as prey. Of course this appreciation was only possible with his detachment from the real dangers that surrounded his simulated self. Lem felt fatigue from the constant fight for his survival. It was accompanied by a curious longing. Perhaps, one day, when he was strong enough, and had outlasted the evil within him, he could sit back in his real body and appreciate such sights. A few minutes later, Lem¡¯s simulated self stopped. In the distance, he could see a green vine that was curled around a dead rabbit. A razor-leaf vine! Chapter 74 - Something Strange [As you are walking, you see a razor-leaf vine in the distance. Recognizing the danger, you travel away from the riverbank¡­] Lem¡¯s simulated self made the easy decision to avoid the area. Razor-leaf vines were known for spending the majority of the time laying perfectly still, virtually indistinguishable from ordinary vines, apart from a few minor characteristics. However, the moment that an unsuspecting beast stepped too close¡­ Snap! It would wrap itself around the limbs of its prey, immediately trussing it up in a binding coil that slowly crushed out the life of the beast with increasing force. At the same time, every inch of the vine was covered with sharp protruding edges that dug underneath the skin. Little tubular feelers extending from the sharp edges would drill further into the flesh and begin sucking up all the blood they could. By the time that the bones of the prey were crushed by the deathgrip of the coil, the beast would have already long been sucked dry. Lem¡¯s simulated self was glad that the razor-leaf vine had already captured a meal, otherwise there was a chance he may not have noticed it and wandered into mortal danger. It served as a warning. The outward appearance of peace around the river was a facade. It could be broken in one unforgiving instant if his simulated self let his guard down. [You rejoin the riverbank after a few minutes. You continue walking¡­]Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site. Lem¡¯s simulated self was on edge for more than an hour, as he questioned every vine he saw. He took his time before he stepped underneath certain suspicious trees, and he was careful to check that there were no plants slowly creeping towards him. He crossed another stream that was slightly larger than the first. He used his spear again as a vaulting pole and a protruding log as a stepping stone. A few minutes later, Lem¡¯s simulated self suddenly realized that there was a large shadow moving in the river. He felt a lurch in his stomach and he turned his attention to the water. It was not looking at him, but Lem¡¯s simulated self was still frozen in place. What a monster! The shadow was almost a dozen meters in size, a gigantic, rounded figure that was slowly moving against the current. There was a large shell and long, spidery limbs that took slow, plodding steps across the riverbed. It was too distant from the surface for Lem to make out the characteristic markings, but it was clearly a death-skull crab, as that was the only crab that was known to grow any larger than an arm''s breadth. What would be large enough to constitute a meal for such a behemoth? [As you are walking, you notice a dark figure beneath the surface of the river. By the shape, you are sure that it is a mature death-skull crab¡­] Lem watched in awe as the shadow slowly moved through his field of vision. It felt as though time had stopped. And then the shadow was gone. His simulated self felt enormous relief and he continued walking again. He made a routine scan of the riverbed ahead of him when he suddenly realized that there was something strange that he had overlooked. His eyes darted back into the fast-moving river. A wooden structure was floating in the water. A couple of mossy posts and a long pontoon that was secured in place, bobbing gently among a small cluster of light flies. It was unmistakably a sign of humans. It was all so sudden, but he had actually reached Lang Town! Chapter 75 - Outpost [You come across a few posts and wooden structures in the river, and you are happy, as you are sure that you have finally found Lang Town.] Lem¡¯s simulated self quickly made the decision to leave the river and approach from the forest. If the guards could be trusted, then there was a chance he would be killed on the spot if he made his presence known to the town. Lem agreed with the actions of his simulated self. From everything that he understood, the riverway would be a popular entry point. His simulated self intended to slowly approach until he found a different entrance where he could monitor the people who were going to and from Lang Town. As long as he was not noticed by the guards, he could likely find a martial school disciple before he was in any serious danger. [You walk away from the river, not wanting to approach from a conspicuous direction¡­] As he put the muddy riverbanks behind him, Lem felt like celebrating. Now that he had found Lang Town, he no longer needed to search for it in future simulations. The results of the current simulation were no longer as important. Even if he failed to trade for a cultivation technique, he could just keep trying over and over again until he succeeded. Of course, he would be happiest if his simulated self could get his hands on a cultivation technique in this simulation, but it was no longer something he was desperate for.Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work! Looking through the forest ahead, Lem¡¯s simulated self saw that the trees were thinned out. He drew closer. As he had suspected, it was a road. With the river as a reference, it was easy to tell which direction led to the town. Lem¡¯s simulated self did not leave the forest. Instead, he began walking parallel to the road. He was prepared to duck down and stop moving if he noticed any signs that there was someone passing by. [You find a road, and begin to follow it towards the town.] As his simulated self walked, Lem expected to hear the sounds of passersby at any moment. The forest no longer seemed so empty now that he had found Lang Town. The next hour passed in anticipation. Every hundred meters or so, he came across a fork in the road, but it was easy to distinguish the main road from the offshoots. The side roads were not maintained well, and had less wear. Lem¡¯s simulated self continued walking towards the town. It was silent. There were no babies crying, no squealing wheels of a handcart, no casual conversation picked up by the wind. Even the air was still. Lem¡¯s simulated self passed by another fork in the road, before he stopped. Up ahead, he saw a stone structure that was in the rough shape of a hut, built by the side of the road. There was an opening in the front, where a sentry armed with a spear was visible. Lem¡¯s simulated self turned around, careful not to make any noise, as he began walking back. The guard outpost indicated that he was close to the town. Now, all he had to do was wait. Chapter 76 - Standard Of Lorn [You find an outpost, and suspect you are close to one of the entrances of Lang Town. Having confirmed the location, you go down the road, away from the town, and wait a few steps off of it¡­] Lem¡¯s simulated self waited quietly. He was tucked out of the way, crouching in between bushes, but his view of the road was unobstructed. The day passed by slowly, before a few small sounds drifted through the air. Lem¡¯s simulated self perked up. It seemed that there were travelers coming down the road. He craned his neck in either direction, but he couldn¡¯t see anything. The noises slowly increased. ¡°...at the feast. It was only because¡­that he got the job¡­first place¡­¡± A second voice broke in. ¡°I agree, but you have to understand¡­in the past¡­you lose a friend and you realize how little it means.¡± ¡°But still even if his father is an immortal, he should understand that he is still a mortal.¡± ¡°Even if he is a mortal, he still has an immortal father. You should not speak ill of the kin of such a character. If you truly offend him, who knows what he could do to you. Getting a bad shift would be the least of your concern. ¡°In any case, you should be careful when we get closer to the traps. Occasionally, there are foxes or other small beasts that get caught. Their teeth are not merely ornaments, I assure you.¡±You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story. ¡°I know, I know.¡± It became clear that they were coming from the direction of the town. Lem¡¯s simulated self adjusted his gaze in anticipation. Shortly after he had done so, a man and a woman came into view. Both were armed with a spear and shield, and clad in leather armor, however, their demeanors were surprisingly relaxed. ¡°I¡¯ve heard that he is getting married soon,¡± the woman said. ¡°What does that have to do with it?¡± ¡°Maybe after having a child, he¡¯ll stop taking his anger out on me.¡± ¡°Or he could take his anger out more.¡± ¡°I heard that before taking the job, Lorn was known for his temper. He got married, and look what happened. If you could find someone who could put up with you, it wouldn¡¯t seem so strange¡­¡± As the pair passed in front of where he was hiding, Lem¡¯s simulated self tensed up. Should he approach? Lem understood his indecision. His sense of danger did not flare up. They also did not notice his presence, and their conversation seemed like pure gossip. None of it was apt for a pair of martial disciples. On the other hand it was the first time he had seen people on the road. He did not know how long it would be until another group passed by. He had also heard them mention an immortal¡­ In the end he did not get up, and the pair slowly walked away. ¡°If Lorn jumps off of a roof, will Jospel break his legs?¡± ¡°What could that possibly mean?¡± ¡°You cannot judge Jospel by the standard of Lorn. Who knows why he changed, or if he even changed to start with. You can never trust the rumors you hear. I only believe in what my own eyes see and what my own hands touch.¡± ¡°How will you ever learn anything if you don¡¯t trust others? Will you touch all the trees in the forest before you think it exists?¡± ¡°In your world¡­¡± [As you wait, a few passersby travel past you without noticing your presence. They do not look like martial school disciples, so you do not disturb them. You are aware that if you begin disturbing people, you could be chased away, so you are content to be patient¡­] Chapter 77 - Robed Man [The day passes by, but you only see ordinary townspeople, so you stay hidden from sight¡­] As different people walked by, Lem¡¯s simulated self nearly approached them several times, but he always ended up restraining himself. If he made the wrong judgment, then it could ruin his chances to initiate a trade. It was better to be too cautious than to put his life at unnecessary risk. Lem did not mind this approach. His enthusiasm was not dampened by the inaction, as all he cared about was whether his simulated self would succeed in making contact with a martial disciple. The time it took was of no consequence. [Night falls. You eat from your rations and fall asleep¡­] [Day 11: You feel slightly weaker due to the evil power consuming your vitality¡­ You continue waiting by the road¡­ In the early morning, you see a few townspeople walking along the road, but none of them look like disciples¡­] Lem¡¯s simulated self was growing more impatient. After spending a night beside the road, he had continued to pass on more opportunities. It felt like he was just waiting for the evil to degrade his mind.Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. Lem could tell that he was on the brink of approaching the next person who walked by regardless of who they were or what they looked like. At least then he could try to convey a message to a martial disciple through them. There was noise coming from the town end of the road. A scrawny man passed by. He was holding a spear in his off hand at an awkward angle. Lem¡¯s simulated self did not act. Just one more! He had waited so long. The next one had to be a martial disciple! He heard footsteps, and his attention was drawn back to the road. It was a robed man with a large beard. He was a lone traveler with a sword at his belt, and a calm expression on his face. A man who had seen the world for all its vicissitudes. It fit the appearance that he imagined a cultivator would have! Without a second¡¯s hesitation, Lem¡¯s simulated self stood up, and pushed his way through the brush. He tucked the spear behind his back and raised his arms to indicate that he had no intention of starting a conflict. At the same time he gave a friendly smile. The robed man turned and looked over at him with a discerning eye. His face was grave. Lem could not tell whether he had been surprised or if he had been waiting for Lem¡¯s simulated self to reveal himself. He did not feel any danger, but this was easily explained away. A disciple of an immortal lineage would certainly have techniques to conceal their presence. Lem¡¯s simulated self bowed deeply. ¡°Senior, I apologize for the intrusion, but I have knowledge of a spiritual treasure, a water lily. It is not guarded by beasts of any kind. I will freely tell you its location, and even lead you to it if you wish. I have only a small request to make in return.¡± Lem¡¯s simulated self did not ask if the robed man was a cultivator directly, because he did not want to offend him. He also had not forgotten the words that the guards had told him. It may be true that disciples had hesitancy around spiritual treasures because of beasts, but would this hold true when the treasure was not guarded by a beast, but by a tree instead? Chapter 78 - City And Sect [It is mid afternoon, and you see a robed man pass by. You quickly stand up and accost the traveler, thinking he could be a disciple.] As his simulated self straightened up from the bow, Lem saw the eyebrows of the robed man shoot up in surprise. He could easily see from the man¡¯s reaction that he had not been anticipating him, nor did he have any combat experience. His hand had not even moved to the sword by his side. ¡°No, no, you have mistaken me. I am not a martial disciple.¡± The robed man had an apologetic smile. ¡°I am just checking my traps.¡± ¡°Traps,¡± Lem¡¯s simulated self repeated. ¡°Yes, yes, my hunting traps! I can see you are not from Lang Town-not that I look down on you.¡± The robed man hurried to correct himself. ¡°For all I know you are from the city, haha. I ask that you don¡¯t look down on me! But¡­ah yes, many of us set traps for catching game¡­¡± Lem¡¯s simulated self felt disappointment. ¡°Do you know any disciples?¡± ¡°No, no, they are held in too high esteem for townspeople to interact with. It is only for the town head who can see eye-to-eye with the martial schools. And there is the sect deacon who stands above everyone. But we have no complaints, no complaints! They protect us from the beasts, after all.¡± ¡°Who is the sect deacon?¡± Lem¡¯s simulated self was curious. He had never heard of a sect in Lang Town. ¡°A sect deacon? Ah, I understand what you mean. The deacon is from the Heavenly Treasure Sect. I thought it to be strange as well. If the Surrender Sword Sect is in charge of Pilgrimage City, why would the deacon be from a different sect. The ways of immortals are mysterious-ah, not true immortals, but disciples, I mean!¡± Stolen novel; please report. ¡°I see.¡± Lem¡¯s simulated self did not clarify the misunderstanding, as the new information had filled him with thoughts. He remembered his purpose and resisted the impulse to ask more questions. ¡°In any case, please relay my message to any of the disciples if you can.¡± ¡°Right away!¡± The robed man turned around, before quickly looking back at Lem¡¯s simulated self. ¡°Ah-your message?¡± ¡°Tell them that I know of an extremely potent spiritual herb that is not guarded by any beast. I am willing to trade the secret for a small price.¡± ¡°Ah-yes, yes, I will tell them!¡± The robed man turned around and hurried back in the direction of the town. As he was running, he quickly repeated. ¡°I will tell them about the spiritual herb!¡± [The robed man is surprised, and frightened by your appearance. He immediately denies being a disciple. You are disappointed, but you tell him that you have a secret about a treasure that you are willing to trade to a disciple. You let him leave, and walk back to the side of the road¡­] As his simulated self returned to his lookout spot in the forest, Lem was drawing inferences from the words of the robed man. It appeared that there were many distinctions within the hierarchy of cultivators. Outside of fantasy stories, he had never heard of a sect before, but it appeared that they were the class of cultivators that stood above martial schools. Were they the true immortals that the robed man had spoken of? From his wording, the sect deacon appeared to be in charge of Lang Town, and there was a different sect that controlled Pilgrimage City. At the very least, a sect must be an extremely powerful force¡­ Assuming that a deacon was not the strongest member of a sect, were there other sect disciples who were strong enough to kill the ancient beasts the guard had mentioned in the past simulation? As Lem¡¯s thoughts were spinning out of control, he felt a force render his body immobile. It felt as though he was being squeezed by an invisible hand, rendering him utterly helpless. His heart nearly leapt out of its chest. What was happening? ¡°Die, slave of the Goliath!¡± Chapter 79 - Footsteps [A few minutes later, you feel tremendous pressure being exerted on your body. ¡°Die, slave of the Goliath,¡± you hear someone cry out.] Lem¡¯s simulated self was filled with absolute horror. Every instinct in his body told him that he would die if he remained in place. He tried to call out, but his mouth was frozen. He tried to move his body, but it remained locked and unresponsive. He urged his feet with all of his will, but the invisible force was unrelenting, carrying a feeling that it was impossible to overcome. Should he resign himself to his fate? Just when Lem was sure that death was inevitable, he felt a sudden shift in strategy from his simulated self. Pushed to the extreme by his circumstances, he was trying desperately to punch out with the [Nine Bull Fist]. He had no target in mind, he was only trying to break through the force that was seizing him so he could jump out of the way of whatever was coming. [You feel a premonition of death, but you are frozen in place. You try to harness the feeling from the [Nine Bull Fist], not to attack, but merely to move out of the way.] Time seemed to slow down. Lem could feel all of his sensations suddenly heighten, as his body tried to move according to the motions of the [Nine Bull Fist].You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story. He felt incredible friction all over his skin, like he was being squeezed through a narrow space. Pop! The pressure vanished, and the invisible grip was suddenly broken apart. In a jolt, his fist extended, bringing his body along with it, as he leapt forward. A split second later¡­ Whishhh-BOOM! He heard a keen whistle followed by the intense sensation of heat coming from behind him. A warm draft pushed up beneath him like an enormous pillow. His body was carried a few meters higher and he was flung forward through the forest. His head narrowly missed a tree while numerous branches broke against his flying body. Crack-crack-crack! Lem¡¯s simulated self landed in a heap on the road. He could not tell who had targeted him, or where they were, but he was sure he would not survive the second attack. [Somehow, you managed to burst out of your feeling of paralysis. Behind you, you feel an enormous explosion, and you are pushed forward.] ¡°I have information about a treasure,¡± he screamed out, taking advantage of his sudden freedom of movement. He expected to be killed in the next moment, as he remained sprawled out in an ungainly position. The air was still. No force acted on him. He heard the sound of footsteps, but, surprisingly, no attack came. ¡°Look at me,¡± a powerful voice commanded. Lem¡¯s simulated self turned around. At the forest line, walking with the aura of a king, there was a bearded man in crimson robes. His lapel had three distinctive overlapping triangles. ¡°Tell me about this treasure,¡± the cultivator said. His eyes appeared hazy, and yet they were trained on him like a hawk. He did not raise his voice, but it felt like it was echoing through Lem¡¯s ears. The implication of his words was obvious. Tell me about this treasure¡­ ¡­or die! Chapter 80 - Master Brightflame [You expect to be killed in the next moment, but surprisingly no attack comes. A bearded cultivator in robes walks in front of you. He asks for you to elaborate.] Lem¡¯s simulated self scrambled to his feet and bowed deeply. ¡°Senior, it is a spiritual water lily,¡± he said. ¡°There are no beasts nearby. I can lead you there. All I want is to read a cultivation manual in return.¡± For a second he wanted to mention the harvest tree but something made him stop. He didn¡¯t know if it would provoke the bearded cultivator¡¯s sense of caution and ruin his chances of survival. The cultivator did not reply immediately. Would he agree to the exchange? Would Lem''s simulated self be tortured for the information? Or would the cultivator decide that he did not want to take any risks with a suspicious water lily. Lem knew that his simulated self was desperately hoping that his theory about spiritual herbs and beasts was correct. If the cultivator was not interested in the water lily, then he would be dead, no matter what he said. His life was no longer in his hands. [The cultivator pauses, and you guess that he is considering whether he could take the treasure by force. You wait with increasing nervousness.]Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author. ¡°How are you so sure that it is not guarded by a beast?¡± the bearded cultivator finally asked with suspicion in his voice. Lem felt his heart pounding in his chest. He knew that his simulated self was caught between disclosing the presence of the evil flower or the presence of the harvest tree. He didn¡¯t know which would be more likely to ruin his chances. At the same time, he was sure that if he did not mention either that the cultivator would not believe him and he would be killed. ¡°I am sure that it is not guarded by a beast because there is a presence nearby. It may be an evil. It is within two days of the spiritual lily, but I did not dare get close enough to find its specific resting place.¡± Lem¡¯s simulated self finally decided to mention the evil flower. Surely, it was far enough away that the cultivator would not be scared off. ¡°The spiritual lily is also in the water,¡± Lem¡¯s simulated self said nervously when he did not get a response. He looked at the face of the bearded cultivator, but he could not discern his attitude. Was an evil being really so terrifying for a cultivator? ¡°Your infection, when did the signs begin?¡± The cultivator had a much lighter tone of voice, as he unexpectedly changed the subject. ¡°It has been nearly three weeks.¡± Lem¡¯s simulated self answered immediately. Lem saw a look of shock on the face of the cultivator, followed by a light smile. He was surprised by the shift in attitude. Why was he suddenly being treated so well? Lem¡¯s simulated self was also surprised, but he was more fearful that he was being misunderstood or that he wouldn¡¯t be believed. He quickly explained how he had only survived because he had found several different spiritual plants. He reiterated everything that had happened from the moment he had been abandoned to his present circumstances. To replace the role of the simulator, he explained that at every key moment, his intuition had led him away from danger or towards opportunities. Once he had finished, he looked nervously at the cultivator. A smile was beginning to grace the robed man¡¯s lips. ¡°In the middle of all this unpleasantness, I don¡¯t believe I introduced myself. I am Master Brightflame, an elder of the Mountain Paths Martial School. Why don¡¯t you tell me your name?¡± Chapter 81 - Unable To Contain Himself [You explain your circumstances, replacing the role of the simulator with an explanation that your instincts told you what to do. Afterward, you look back at the cultivator. He changes the subject, introducing himself as Master Brightflame, and you sense a shift in his attitude.] ¡°Lem¡­from Willow Tree Village.¡± Lem¡¯s simulated self answered with uncertainty. ¡°Ah, Willow Tree. I have never visited, but I have a disciple who met the village chief when he was clearing the area of beasts.¡± Lem¡¯s simulated self paused. Willow Tree Village did not have a chief. The disciple that he spoke of had likely met Tamor, the village elder. However, he was not comfortable correcting Master Brightflame. ¡°Lem, my young friend, you are quite fortunate to have survived.¡± Master Brightflame gave a small smile. ¡°Strictly speaking, as soon as it was reported that there was a slave-Ah! Shall I say, a victim- of the evil, it became my responsibility to kill you.¡± He shook his head before staring pointedly at Lem¡¯s simulated self. ¡°Such is the duty of martial elders, as commanded by the Star Palace.¡± Lem¡¯s simulated self swallowed. [You sense that he is trying to dissuade you from trying to contact other cultivators, likely for selfish reasons, however, you also feel as though he is speaking the truth.] A few seconds passed by with Master Brightflame staring at Lem¡¯s simulated self. He realized that he was expected to respond. ¡°I understand.¡±Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators! Master Brightflame slipped a hand into the robes. Lem watched carefully. When the martial elder pulled his hand out again, he was holding a green slip that was two palm¡¯s breadths long. ¡°You do not need to return this.¡± He tossed the slip over and Lem¡¯s simulated self caught it, turning it over in his hands. The slip felt cool in his hands. The material was a green crystal of some sort. Strangely, he could not find the characters of the technique written anywhere. How was he supposed to read it? ¡°Jade?¡± Lem¡¯s simulated self looked up hesitantly. Master Brightflame gave a slight nod. ¡°The primary cultivation technique of the Mountain Paths Martial School is recorded within. Now, tell me more of this water lily.¡± [Master Brightflame accepts your deal. He retrieves a jade slip from his robes and tosses it over, saying that you do not need to return it. He asks for the information in return.] Lem¡¯s simulated self did not respond immediately. Lem understood what was running through his mind. The moment had passed so quickly, but it seemed that he was finally safe. Lem himself had not expected the martial elder to agree. From the guard¡¯s words, he had already thought that it was more likely than not that the offer would be rejected. After hearing Master Brightflame¡¯s words, it appeared that martial elders were tasked with killing those infected by evil. The power that he had mentioned, Star Palace, appeared to have an authority that surpassed even sects. Under such circumstances, Lem¡¯s simulated self had no leverage at all, and the most he could hope for was that Master Brightflame would spare his life in exchange for the information. Yet, in mere moments, the deal had been established. Now, within Lem¡¯s hands was the great reward that he had been waiting for all along¡­contained within a mysterious jade slip that he had no idea how to use. ¡°Master Brightflame, may I read the...jade slip¡­first¡­¡± As soon as he had spoken the words, Lem could feel a spike in nervousness and regret from his simulated self. He knew that he shouldn¡¯t have been so bold, but he was burning with desire to see the cultivation technique and couldn''t help it. Lem¡¯s simulated self shrunk visibly, anticipating a punishment for his insolence. The bearded face of Master Brightflame began to frown for a moment, before returning to normal. ¡°Your enthusiasm is understandable,¡± he said. ¡°I have seen it in many of the junior disciples. If you cannot contain yourself further, you may look at the technique.¡± Chapter 82 - Uthur [You tentatively request to read the jade slip first. The martial elder accepts your request. You are sure that his tolerance is due to his belief that you have a special gift, and you feel nervous as you fear that your lies related to the role of your instincts will be discovered in the future.] Lem¡¯s shock continued. Master Brightflame was treating him much better than he expected, even holding back his impatience at what Lem thought was an impertinent request. What was the reason? Lem¡¯s simulated self looked awkwardly at Master Brightflame. His eyes turned away to the symbol on his crimson robes, the three overlapping triangles. ¡°How¡­¡± ¡°Put it on your forehead, and focus your mind on the point of contact.¡± Lem¡¯s simulated self quickly raised the jade slip, touching it just above his eyebrows. He felt slightly embarrassed, but he attempted to follow Master Brightflame¡¯s strange instructions and focus his mind. Lem was curious. He was anticipating the reaction of his simulated self when a rush of information flooded his perception all at once, drowning out his other sensations. The text of the [Mountain Sitting Technique] slowly formed, presenting itself to him sequentially.If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. The first portion was the Introduction. It described the life of the Mountain Paths Master, the first sect master of the Mountain Paths Martial School, the inception of the [Mountain Sitting Technique], along with basic theories of cultivation. The first sect master was originally named Uthur, born to a mortal family. A passing immortal of the Heavenly Treasure Sect took fancy to his talent and inducted him into the Heavenly Treasure Sect as an outer disciple. At first, he made significant progress in the Initial Stage of the [Third Ascendency Path], the primary cultivation technique of the sect, and the desire to cultivate immortality was lit within him. However, he quickly hit a bottleneck, and his position among outer disciples slowly sank. Even after a decade of hard work, he found that he still could not fully comprehend the Initial Stage of the [Third Ascendency Path]. Even the immortal who had discovered him no longer cared for his future. Facing ostracization by his fellow disciples, he left the sect and entered the mortal world. In those times, there was a separation between mortals and cultivators. The mortals lived in sprawling kingdoms, while the cultivators lived in secluded, spiritual locations. As Uthur traveled the mortal world, he constantly honed himself, starting fights with both beasts and man as he tried to comprehend the [Third Ascendency Path]. His physique was little better than a mortal¡¯s, but his techniques were profound by comparison with the paltry martial arts of the mortal kingdoms, so he was rarely tested in his fights. Unfortunately, even after several decades, he made little progress in his understanding. Eventually, he settled down near his parents, who were in the twilight of their lives, spending his time in quiet retirement. After both of his parents died of natural causes, Uthur found that he no longer felt a connection to the world of mortals. At the same time, he still desperately yearned for immortality. He retreated from public life, becoming a hermit on a remote mountain, where he spent all of his time meditating on the [Third Ascendancy Path]. In his sixties, as he was sitting, cross legged, near the peak of the mountain, he suddenly experienced enlightenment, and comprehended the laws of the world. What he understood was not the [Third Ascendancy Path], but a new cultivation method, one that embodied the way of the mountain. It gave rise to his title, the Mountain Paths Master. Chapter 83 - Mountain Sitting Technique The new method shared three fundamental premises with the [Third Ascendancy Path]. They were basic truths in the teachings of the Heavenly Treasure Sect. First was the Law of Spirit: Every physical entity, living and nonliving, contained a spirit. Second was the Law of Lifeforms: Every spirit contained the potential to coalesce and form the spark of life. Third was the Law of Nature: The energy of the world was naturally drawn to spirits and could be operated by them to different degrees according to their structure and strength. Humans had weak spirits, but through the so-called spark of life, they could attract and operate spiritual energy. The [Third Ascendancy Path] described a method for attracting spiritual energy and reforming the spirit, but it was too profound for the limited comprehension abilities of the Mountain Paths Master. The way of the mountain was far simpler. The mountain sat with a dispersed spirit and a solid, immovable intent. It had mass and gravity. Spiritual energy naturally was drawn to it. The accumulation was slow, but steady, with the capability to turn a small hill into a towering summit that touched the sky. By operating spiritual energy like a mountain, the world would treat the cultivator like a mountain, and they would gain these qualities for themself. The text continued to describe a few of the points of insight that the Mountain Paths Master had been enlightened on, before describing the body of the [Mountain Sitting Technique] in a broad summary. Of course, while most of the technique had come from the Mountain Paths Master¡¯s enlightenment, it had also been improved upon and refined over many centuries by generations of elders and sect masters. The technique was broken into two realms: Body Refinement and Spirit Refinement. Body Refinement was the process of absorbing spiritual energy and operating it with the intent of a mountain. Slowly, over time, the body would change, until it was steady and immovable. Spirit Refinement was the process of developing the spirituality of a mountain within the cultivator. At first, true essence would be birthed, and then grown and then condensed, before it began to naturally accumulate spiritual energy from the world, growing steadily without any additional effort from the cultivator. The Body Refinement Realm had seven stages, modeled off of the structure of the Initial Stage of the [Third Ascendency Path].The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. Stage One: Instincts Of A Mountain Using a visualization diagram and special breathing method, the cultivator began to feel the spiritual energy around them and nudge it, as a mountain would naturally do. At this stage, the lifespan of the cultivator was generally improved by a decade. Stage Two: Tempering Skin The cultivator drew the spiritual energy close enough to their body that the skin could begin to absorb it and become tougher and sturdier. Lifespan was improved by another decade. Stage Three: Tempering Muscle Once the skin had absorbed spiritual energy to the point of saturation, the cultivator drew the spiritual energy deeper into their body, where it began to strengthen the muscle. Lifespan was improved by another decade. Stage Four: Tempering Viscera Once the muscle had absorbed spiritual energy to the point of saturation, the cultivator drew the spiritual energy deeper still, into the viscera. This stage was particularly delicate, requiring much greater understanding and control than the first three stages, but it also fortified the weakest point in the body and improved the lifespan by two decades. Stage Five: Tempering Bone Once the viscera had absorbed spiritual energy to the point of saturation, the cultivator drew the spiritual energy into the bone. Again, the level of control required to penetrate the bone was much greater than the Fourth Stage, but the benefits were immense. Along with an improved ability to heal from serious wounds, lifespan was improved by fifty years. Stage Six: Tempering Marrow Once the bones had absorbed spiritual energy to the point of saturation, the cultivator drew the spiritual energy deeper still into the bone marrow. The spirituality of blood was improved along with adding another fifty years of lifespan. Stage Seven: One With The Mountain The spirituality of the blood was improved and condensed until it carried the intent of a mountain, adding ten years of lifespan. The Spirit Refinement Realm diverged entirely from the Realms of the [Third Ascendency Path]. It had three unique stages. Stage One: Essence Birthing The mountain intent was transformed into true essence, fundamentally changing the nature of the cultivator. From this rebirth came the addition of more than a century of lifespan. Stage Two: Mountain Formation The true essence was condensed and grown through the absorption of spiritual energy. At the extreme, more than two centuries of lifespan could be added. Stage Three: Blessing Of The Heavens Once the true essence was condensed sufficiently, the world would naturally begin to accept it, treating the cultivator as if they were a mountain and spiritual energy would naturally be drawn into the true essence, growing it further. As the amount of true essence was grown, the cultivator would be forced to condense it again to allow for more room for spiritual energy accumulation, but there was no theoretical limit to the amount of growth. Once the heavens had accepted the cultivator as a mountain, their true essence would continue to improve and accumulate until the conclusion of their natural lifespan. Because there were no limits, the amount of improvement to the lifespan was unknown. Chapter 84 - The Elder Frowns [You ask how to read the jade slip, and the martial elder tells you to put it on your forehead and concentrate. You follow the instructions you are given, and you feel a wondrous sensation as the text appears in your mind. It describes the [Mountain Sitting Technique].] The Introduction ended, leaving Lem with a small amount of time to gather his thoughts. He was barely able to collect himself and feel wonder at the mystical experience when the First Chapter entered his mind. If the Introduction entered his mind in a stream, the First Chapter was a torrent. First came the text, conveying a complicated breathing method to attract and sense spiritual energy. The internal and external movements of the body were described in detail, along with a wealth of information about the subtleties of the First Stage of Cultivation, Instincts Of A Mountain. Next, a complex visualization diagram was fixed in his mind¡¯s eye. It presented a small mountain in the middle of a forest. Initially, the image was bland, but when Lem concentrated on it, many aspects of the mountain suddenly became apparent, from its physical qualities to its spiritual interactions with the world. It was mesmerizing but also very taxing for his mental faculties, making him want to stop. When he resisted this urge and continued to fix it in his mind¡¯s eye, he began to have different realizations about the mountain. It drove Lem¡¯s thoughts back to the breathing method.You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story. Many unclear parts of the First Chapter began to make sense. His focus returned to the visualization diagram. So that was how it was¡­ As he slowly comprehended the information, he felt continuous enlightenment, as though he was receiving hundreds of insights every second. After an unknown amount of time had passed, the visualization diagram disappeared from Lem¡¯s senses. [You find that it is a profound manual describing the process for cultivating spiritual energy, with extremely detailed instructions for the internal and external motions required for every step. Most of the information is too difficult to comprehend, but you try your best to memorize it. A few minutes later, you regain awareness of your surroundings.] Lem had not finished processing all of the information, but it was clear that his simulated self had. It was unsurprising that he was slower than his simulated self, as his simulated self had already had an additional boost to his mind in the simulation from consuming the mushrooms and the seed again. Lem felt that his simulated self could access the Second Chapter if he wished with a mental command, but he declined to do so. Lem agreed with the decision. The First Chapter described the First Stage of Body Refinement in full, which was sufficient for his present needs. Apart from this, he still needed time to digest what he had received. It felt like his mind would explode if he received the Second Chapter on top of the first. There was a third reason¡­standing in front of him. Lem¡¯s simulated self came to his senses, realizing that Master Brightflame had an undisguised frown on his face. Clearly, he had been waiting for some time. ¡°Tell me more about this water lily,¡± the martial elder said, as he saw that Lem¡¯s simulated self had awoken from his stupor. Lem¡¯s simulated self hurriedly stowed away the jade slip, before beginning to describe all of the details he could remember surrounding the water lily. He left out all mention of the harvest tree, emphasizing at the end that he felt unsafe around the water due to an uncanny presence, and that he had left quickly out of fear despite thinking that the presence was probably too far away to affect him. As Lem¡¯s simulated self spoke, Master Brightflame began to stroke his beard, deep in thought. Chapter 85 - Nature Of Evil [The martial elder appears to have grown impatient, and he asks again for the information about the water lily. You describe the circumstances of the spiritual water lily to him without mentioning the harvest tree. You say that you were too fearful of the water to enter. The plan you formed was to feign ignorance of the harvest tree. No matter what the elder chose to do, you would have already fulfilled your commitment to him. If the elder decided to take the water lily from under the watchful eyes of the tree, then it would give you more information on the strength of the martial schools, as well as that of the harvest tree.] After Lem¡¯s simulated self finished speaking, he looked anxiously at Master Brightflame. If the martial elder sensed that there was something wrong with his story it would not bode well for his future. Master Brightflame narrowed his eyes. ¡°Tell me more about this uncanny presence. How much could you sense with this intuition of yours?¡± Lem¡¯s simulated self felt relieved. It appeared that the martial elder had believed his story. He paused for a moment. Lem knew that he was considering how much to reveal. After all, nothing had been ¡®sensed by his intuition.¡¯ All he had was a first-hand account.Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. There was a chance that if he said too much, it would raise more suspicions. On the other hand, he was confused about his experience with the flower. The martial elder was the best source of answers. ¡°This was from a feeling, and not precise, but I thought that it was an evil plant that could distort my reality. I worried that if I moved too close to it, I would be lost in illusions for the rest of my life¡­¡± Lem¡¯s simulated self disclosed a few more details under the guise of being revealed by his ¡®intuition.¡¯ Afterward, he quickly changed the subject. ¡°Martial elder, what is the true nature of evil?¡± It was clear that Lem¡¯s simulated self had decided to take a risk in order to gain more information from Master Brightflame. He also wanted to direct the conversation away from the spiritual water lily. Master Brightflame did not give a direct response. He asked Lem¡¯s simulated self a few more questions. Lem¡¯s simulated self answered vaguely. The martial elder rubbed his chin again. ¡°This presence¡­if your intuition is correct, then it does not have the characteristics of an evil being, which exists to perpetuate its infection in others. This does not mean that such characteristics are normal in a plant. It falls under the category of an anomaly, although it is a typical pattern of anomaly.¡± Master Brightflame saw the worry in Lem¡¯s simulated self, and he chuckled. ¡°It is likely a weak thing, not to be feared. When a beast grows strong, it has the ability to chase after its prey. Plants are far less threatening. ¡°Most beasts are born with instincts that allow them to sense that something is wrong and avoid strange situations. This limits the means that plant anomalies have to grow. ¡°It would also be easy for me to sense the range of this presence long before it can affect me.¡± [The martial elder explains to you that the evil flower is not an evil, but an anomaly. He downplays its danger, greatly easing your worry.] Chapter 86 - Anomalous Phenomena ¡°How far is the water lily from Lang Town?¡± Master Brightflame asked. ¡°If you travel by daylight, it will take three days at the longest.¡± Master Brightflame gave him a strange look. ¡°It is suicide to travel by night.¡± Lem¡¯s attention was suddenly riveted to the conversation. A martial elder was afraid of the dark? He knew that he was about to learn something important. In the course of all of his simulations, Lem had yet to be attacked by a beast at night. This was a matter that had been somewhat puzzling to him. Was Master Brightflame about to reveal the reason? His simulated self was also stunned. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Did your village elders not tell you why you were staying within closed doors when the sun fell?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± he replied immediately. ¡°Are beasts really so active at night?¡± Lem was cast into thought. It was true that there were strict rules in the village about staying indoors at nighttime. He had always assumed that it was due to the dangers of being attacked by a beast, but he did not remember if he had ever been told this explicitly. ¡°To the contrary, even the most powerful beasts will be dormant at night, because that is the time that anomalies and evil become prevalent. There are some weak creatures that are active, but it is far too dangerous for any creature with significant spirituality.¡±Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site. Lem was surprised. Anomalies and evil became prevalent at night? He could not speak for evil, but if the plant was truly an anomaly, had it not affected him during the daytime? Of course, Lem¡¯s simulated self could not reveal this information. ¡°Is that true?¡± he asked instead. ¡°Why couldn¡¯t anomalies attack at other times.¡± Master Brightflame paused, as though he was considering how much to reveal. Eventually, he spoke. ¡°These strange things do not operate by the rules of the world, and so they are strongest when the world is operating at its weakest. There is vital energy in light and in lifeforms, so anomalies are most likely to appear outside of these conditions.¡± Lem¡¯s simulated self was still confused. ¡°Did you not say that the plant anomalies are harmless. Why would powerful beasts fear such creatures?¡± Master Brightflame shook his head. ¡°It is not anomalous lifeforms that are concerning. It is when an anomaly corrupts the rules of an area that it becomes dangerous. We call such situations anomalous phenomena. ¡°Fortunately, as I have mentioned before, most wide-scale corruption cannot survive the presence of light, and cannot come about in the presence of lifeforms. For anyone, be they beast or man, so long as they do not move at night, the chances of encountering anomalous phenomena are low, as they will form in desolate places at night and disappear in the morning.¡± Master Brightflame¡¯s voice became grave. ¡°However, if you ever do encounter an anomalous phenomenon, know that the basic rules of the world will cease to function as you expect them to. Often, there is a path to safety, but it is embedded within the very differences in rules.¡± ¡°Is evil related to anomalies?¡± Lem¡¯s simulated self could not help but ask. Master Brightflame did not answer immediately. ¡°This, there is much speculation, but who can say that they truly know the answer to that question? Now stay here, I need to fetch a few things from the town.¡± Chapter 87 - What Was In The Bag? [The martial elder tells you to wait while he prepares for the trip.] ¡°How long will it take?¡± Lem¡¯s simulated self asked. An instant later, the elder faded from sight, and he realized he had briefly been looking at an afterimage. A shiver ran down his spine when he thought of how easily Master Brightflame could have killed him. He could move so fast that Lem¡¯s simulated self could not even see him. [The elder disappears from sight. You wonder what technique he is using to move so quickly¡­] Lem was curious. He had already been given the [Mountain Sitting Technique] by Master Brightflame. At the same time, he had seen the martial elder cause an explosion and move at impossible speeds. He wondered how many techniques Master Brightflame knew, and whether he could extract them all in subsequent simulations. Lem¡¯s simulated self turned around. In the martial elder¡¯s presence, he did not dare let his attention wander, but he had yet to see the aftermath of the first attack that had been directed at him. What he saw was stunning. Charred wood, broken trees. He turned back around numbly and waited for Master Brightflame to return. Lem¡¯s mind began to drift. He thought about what the martial elder had told him of anomalous phenomena. His mind went back to the evil flower.The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement. Since Master Brightflame had called it an anomaly, did this mean that it was more powerful at night? It clearly did not fade away in the daytime, so it appeared that the rules were different for anomalous plants. He also had noticed that the martial elder had used his words carefully. Master Brightflame had only said that most anomalous phenomena faded away. Lem wondered how terrifying those that were powerful enough to persist into daytime were. Lem¡¯s mind drifted again. He wondered again whether the spiritual lily was a mirage created by the evil flower. If it was, he assumed he would find out one way or the other by bringing the martial elder there. If it was truly a mirage, then it would certainly be the end of his simulated self, whether it was by the hand of the evil flower or by Master Brightflame himself. After hearing the martial elder¡¯s thoughts, Lem suspected that the water lily was real. He was also sure that his simulated self had calculated the risk beforehand. Even with the evil flower as a concern, the spiritual lily had always been the best chance to entice the martial elder considering the uncertain attitude cultivators had towards beasts. Of course, Lem did not want to employ such a strategy with his real body, as he was too afraid of the evil flower, but it was reasonable for his simulated self who was desperate to survive. ¡°Lead the way, young Lem. If your intuition warns you of anything, make certain that you tell me immediately.¡± Lem¡¯s simulated self shivered when he suddenly heard his name. He straightened up and turned around. Master Brightflame had returned. He was now holding a large mysterious bag that was slung easily across his back. Even though he was surprised, Lem¡¯s simulated self did not gawk. He nodded quickly. ¡°The first leg of the journey is along the river.¡± As his simulated self spoke, Lem wondered what was inside of the bag. He knew so little of cultivators that nothing would surprise him. He half expected that the martial elder was going to reach into it and take out some fantastic means of travel. Would he take out a flying sword and jump on its blade? Or would he pull out a flying boat that expanded in size? Or would he- ¡°Starting moving, then,¡± Master Brightflame said. ¡°Pay attention to your intuition.¡± His hands did not move to the bag, and Lem felt vaguely disappointed. Chapter 88 - Bound At The Hip [You wait in place for several minutes¡­ The martial elder returns with a bag. He tells you to point the way. You respond that the first leg of the journey is along the river, wondering if the elder will take something out of the bag. You are slightly disappointed when the martial elder directs you to begin walking. You walk with the elder in the direction of the river¡­] The first stretch of the journey was quiet. Lem¡¯s simulated self was still nervous around Master Brightflame. As he walked, he was self-conscious about everything. Each step, he was careful not to trip over a root or hit his head on a branch. He tried not to look at the martial elder, who was walking a couple of meters to his side. He was still vividly aware that Master Brightflame was under a misapprehension about his true abilities, and he was worried that his lies would be discovered. After a few minutes, Lem stopped monitoring what his simulated self was doing, as he began to meditate on the [Mountain Sitting Technique]. He fixed the visualization diagram in his mind¡¯s eye and began to think about mountains. As the image drifted in and out of focus, generating many perspectives, he began to ponder different aspects of what he saw.Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more. An unknown amount of time passed when Lem was roused from his meditation. He noticed that his simulated self had begun engaging the martial elder in conversation again. ¡°What cultivation realm?¡± Master Brightflame looked sharply at Lem¡¯s simulated self. ¡°To be given the title of Martial Master, it is required that a practitioner achieve Spirit Refinement. That is also the minimum standard to become an elder of a martial school. ¡°I have been less diligent than others, only reaching the Second Stage of Spirit Refinement. There are elders who are far more powerful.¡± [You ask the martial elder what his cultivation realm is, and you learn that he is a Martial Master, which corresponds to the Spirit Refinement Realm¡­] ¡°What title is given to cultivators in the Body Refinement Realm?¡± Lem¡¯s simulated self asked. ¡°Body Refiners? They do not have titles. If you must give them a name, we would refer to them as martial disciples. Of course it is acceptable to simply call them practitioners if you must. Now that you have received a cultivation technique, you could be considered a half-step practitioner yourself.¡± Master Brightflame gave a half smile as he looked over Lem¡¯s body. ¡°Perhaps you will find more success than you imagine in your pursuit of cultivation, and it will not be long before you join the ranks of martial disciples. ¡°Of course, you must always be wary of other cultivators, particularly those of the martial schools who could report directly to the sects. Not everyone is so willing to overlook the rules. ¡°You could find yourself in grave peril if the Heavenly Treasure Sect learned of your presence. If you had not touched a cultivation technique they may not care, but if you had already begun to cultivate, not even I could save you then¡­ ¡°Young friend Lem, to a certain extent, you could consider us bound at the hip.¡± Master Brightflame chuckled and slapped Lem¡¯s simulated self on the shoulder. He nearly jumped from fright. ¡°Hehe. Don¡¯t worry about this spiritual lily. Even if it does not please me, with this intuition of yours another opportunity will present itself.¡± Chapter 89 - Toddler With An Axe Lem could feel the discomfort of his simulated self. He knew better than anyone that his intuition would not work as the martial elder intended. And when Master Brightflame realized he had been deceived¡­ For the first time in the current simulation, Lem felt that he could see the end was coming. As he was brooding over the future, Lem¡¯s simulated self got a sudden thought. ¡°When you attacked before¡­¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Master Brightflame replied. ¡°It was not at my full strength, I assure you. Otherwise it would have been impossible for you to resist.¡± ¡°I felt a paralysis come over me. Was that because you mobilized your true essence?¡± ¡°That was likely what you felt,¡± Master Brightflame agreed. ¡°Technically, there is no difference in life level between a pure mortal and a Body Refiner. One may be more powerful than the other, but it is not a qualitative difference. ¡°True essence can be thought of as the difference between mortals and cultivators. When it is exerted, the very world will give priority to its operation, causing all beings beneath the Spirit Refinement Realm to be incapable of resistance. This is why Spirit Refinement is considered to be the first authentic realm of cultivation.¡± [You learn that the reason why you were paralyzed when the martial elder attacked was due to his utilization of spirit essence, the mark of the Spirit Refinement Realm¡­] ¡°And what can be done to break out of that state?¡± Lem¡¯s simulated self asked in confusion. After all, he was certainly not in the Spirit Refinement Realm. ¡°The only way of breaking free from this effect is to utilize a force that transcends the Mortal Realm. I saw that you were capable of producing such a force from the [Nine Bull Fist], which could be considered a small achievement, but only because it is not an orthodox method. It is far more common for a martial artist to use a movement technique to the same effect.¡±The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. Master Brightflame gave a deep look at Lem. ¡°However, do not get the feeling that martial arts are capable of matching cultivation. They are easy to learn, and even easier to be enthralled by, but this is because it is a shortcut. A mortal using the power of the Spirit Refinement Realm is akin to a toddler brandishing an axe. ¡°At most, it enhances combat abilities. Cultivation arts, on the other hand, improve the very origin of the cultivator. Every aspect undergoes a transformation, from longevity to physique and even fundamental understanding of the world. ¡°It is because of this that any Spirit Refinement Master could easily dispose of the most powerful martial artist. It would be akin to an adult facing off against that toddler. Axe or not, it would make no difference. ¡°Furthermore, after reaching the Spirit Refinement Realm, any cultivator can pick up a martial art and master it in a day. Can the same be said for someone who masters a martial art and tries to learn cultivation? No! Remember that prioritizing martial arts will always be a shortsighted decision at best.¡± Lem¡¯s simulated self stopped talking as he quietly processed what Master Brightflame had told him. At the same time, Lem was also lost in thought. Instinctively, he knew that there was something wrong with the martial elder¡¯s words. If martial arts could channel the power of the world, there did not appear to be a limit to the strength that could be exerted. Theoretically, the limit was the limit of the world! If the power being exerted was great enough, then it would be superior to that of the cultivator. In the terms of the conversation, the toddler could win against the adult if it could wield a deadly enough weapon. The usefulness of martial arts would be even more apparent if the ¡®wielder¡¯ was also a cultivator. Would it not be akin to adding wings to a tiger? Still, Lem agreed with Master Brightflame¡¯s overall point. In his current situation, prioritizing martial arts would be shortsighted. If cultivation could improve his longevity and ability to comprehend other techniques, including martial arts, then it was obvious which he should choose to focus on. Chapter 90 - Blood Bone Goliath [The martial elder warns you to focus on cultivation methods and not to pursue martial arts¡­] They walked in silence after Master Brightflame finished his lecture. While his simulated self brooded over the words of the martial elder, Lem returned to his meditation on the [Mountain Sitting Technique]. At the moment, all he could do was think about the technique. It was impossible for him to put any of his ideas into practice. However, once he regained control of his body, the insights he had accumulated would accelerate his early cultivation progress. The forest floor slowly became muddy, and Lem¡¯s simulated self began to see the occasional light fly flickering through between tree branches. The vegetation began to change, and he could hear the burbling of water again. Meanwhile, Lem came in and out of meditation, surveying his bodily sensations every so often as a matter of habit. It was easy for him to notice certain changes that his simulated self was blind to, as his mind was free from external influence. Lem¡¯s simulated self continued to watch his step, carefully to avoid any muddy patches, but he was less nervous than he had been the first time he had walked along the riverside. After all, now he had a cultivator to protect him. The river came into view from in between the trees. Seeing the rushing water again, Lem still could not help but feel awe. The sheer power combined with the pleasant rippling movement made the forest come alive.This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version. Master Brightflame appeared unimpressed. This was in line with Lem¡¯s expectations. After all, the martial elder had likely lived near the river for many decades already. Lem was suddenly reminded of the long lives of cultivators. According to the [Mountain Sitting Technique], a Second Stage Martial Master could have a lifespan of more than 500 years. It was possible that Master Brightflame had spent hundreds of years seeing Lang River every day. It was no wonder that the sight would no longer evoke any emotions in him. As they turned and began walking along the mossy riverbank, Lem¡¯s simulated self kept the same buffer of a few meters from the edge that he had when he had followed the river to Lang Town. It was interesting for him to see that Master Brightflame followed his lead without comment. [You reach the river, and together, you begin traveling along its banks¡­] After a few minutes passed by, Lem¡¯s simulated self asked another question, breaking Lem out of his meditation. ¡°Why did you call me a slave of the Goliath before?¡± Master Brightflame paused. ¡°There is an evil that has been named the Blood Bone Goliath. It operates throughout the Northern Province. As for the specific details of its features, little is known. The immortals of Star Palace do not have a habit of sharing such information. ¡°When the Goliath infects an immortal directly, they become a slave of his will, often without realizing it until much later. Of course, most of the infected are weak, and are not directly infected by the Goliath, but those that are directly infected¡­they are troublesome to root out and deal with, even for the immortals. ¡°In any case, the immortals do not care about making distinctions. In order to encourage the world to report and kill any infected immortals, they make a habit of calling all of the infected ¡®slaves.¡¯ This practice was passed down from Star Palace to the sects, and from the sects to the martial schools. ¡°Of course, neither you nor I will ever need to care about such things. The world of immortals is so far above me that I don''t even know the realm of the Goliath or even that of the Star Envoys that combat it. ¡°And if that is my standpoint as an elder, you need to care even less. The Goliath would never stoop to infect someone of my lowly stature. As for you, there isn¡¯t the slightest chance that it even knows of your existence.¡± Chapter 91 - How Much Good? [You learn that the reason the martial elder called you a slave of Goliath is because there is an evil named the Blood Bone Goliath that operates in the Northern Province, which Lang Town is located in.] Lem saw that Master Brightflame had assumed he knew what the Northern Province was. In fact, it was his first time hearing those words. The scale of the powers that the martial elder had described felt fantastical and unreal. He could not muster even a shred of fear of the Blood Bone Goliath, as it was too mysterious and disconnected from him, even if it was the origin of his evil. All he felt towards it was hate and resentment. This Blood Bone Goliath had murdered his parents, gotten him banished from the village, and nearly cost him his life. It was the root cause of his suffering. If he did not hate it, what could he hate? As for the rest of what the martial elder had said, Lem was full of questions. What was Star Palace? How many sects were there? What was the difference between an immortal and a cultivator? Such questions were beyond his ability to comprehend, and he hoped that his simulated self would get more answers from Master Brightflame. ¡°Apart from Sword Pilgrimage City, how many cities are there in the Northern Province?¡± Lem¡¯s simulated self asked. Master Brightflame gave him a bewildered look. ¡°Is that the only city you know of? There are hundreds upon hundreds of cities in the province. Sword Pilgrimage is a mere roadside attraction by comparison even to Earth-Sky City.¡± Lem¡¯s simulated self nodded vigorously in response, but in reality he was in shock.If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. A thousand cities was incomprehensible. He had not yet stepped foot in a town! And it was only the Northern Province. He did not know how many provinces there were. ¡°There are eight provinces in total, and Star Palace rules over all of them,¡± Master Brightflame said, predicting his question. ¡°Earth-Sky City is the nearest of the significant cities, and it is still sufficiently far enough away that neither you nor I will ever see it in our lifetimes.¡± The martial elder suddenly turned away, looking into the distance. Lem¡¯s simulated self swallowed his next question, and they traveled in silence again. As they walked by a distinctive plant by the river, Lem realized that he had passed the point where he had seen the gigantic death-skull crab. There was no sign of it now, which confused him. The river did not appear large enough to conceal it, so where did it go? A few minutes later, his simulated self began thinking in the same direction. [The dark figure of the death-skull crab is no longer present when you pass by¡­] The day continued in a quiet fashion. Lem¡¯s simulated self trudged carefully on the riverbank, watching his step. When they reached the large stream, Lem¡¯s simulated self once again used his spear to vault over it, while Master Brightflame merely took one graceful step and appeared on the other side. Lem descended back into meditating on the [Mountain Sitting Technique]. He did not know whether it was abstruse or simple. Initially, when observing it from the jade slip, he had thought that he understood it, but he had not made much progress since then. Lem wondered how much easier it would be once he could observe his simulated self practicing the breathing method. Without the ability to direct his body, it was all too abstract. The frustration brought his mind back to his moment of enlightenment about the harmony within the [Nine Bull Fist]. He still had not been given a chance to see if he could use that insight to improve his combat strength, as the simulation had not yet ended. This brought a comforting thought to his mind. The enlightenment had only occurred three days earlier, but it felt like weeks had passed. Not only had he found Lang Town, but he had also received a cultivation method from Master Brightflame. He wondered how much more good would come from the current simulation¡­ As Lem was thinking, he was brought back to the present situation. His simulated self had just spotted the razor-leaf vine in the distance. He turned to Master Brightflame. Lem remembered the explosion that had been directed at him in their first meeting. A small thrill ran though his mind, as he wondered whether the martial elder would do the same to the vine. Was he about to see the martial technique of a cultivator? Chapter 92 - Camp In The Open ¡°That is a razor-leaf vine,¡± Master Brightflame said dully. He did not even pause, as he began walking away from the riverbank. Clearly, he was planning on walking around the vine and avoiding conflict. Lem¡¯s simulated self did not question his words and he quickly followed along, but Lem was surprised. Even if the martial elder was afraid of killing beasts for fear of disturbing their ancient patriarchs, surely that was not the case with plants. Where was the domineering figure who had shouted at him earlier? Where was the majestic and powerful cultivator? The only thing that Lem could think of was that the martial elder wanted to avoid making noise and attracting attention. Still, Master Brightflame was far more meek than he had expected. [You reach the razor-leaf vine. You are surprised when the martial elder does not attack it, but tells you to avoid the area¡­ You take a broad path around the vine¡­] They continued traveling along the riverside for a few more hours. Lem was lost in the monotonous motion, walking step by step while scanning the terrain around him, when Master Brightflame stopped him. The sun was beginning to fall.Stolen novel; please report. Master Brightflame looked up and studied the sky. ¡°Let''s make camp.¡± ¡°Where should we¡­¡± Lem¡¯s simulated self trailed off, as he looked out into the forest. ¡°We do not need to move very far from the river. The water is safe.¡± Lem¡¯s simulated self did not ask for clarification but he was puzzled. What had the martial elder meant? The water was safe¡­ Safe from beasts? Safe from anomalies? He dutifully followed Master Brightflame, as the martial elder walked away from the river. Once they had moved a few dozen meters, the martial elder chose a relatively clear patch of ground. He stopped, and easily slung his bag down from his back. ¡°Here is as good a place as any,¡± Master Brightflame said, tucking his crimson robe in and taking a seat on a rock. The sound of the river was still present in the background. [As night begins to fall, the martial elder stops you. You walk away from the riverbank and begin to set up camp.] Lem¡¯s simulated self sat down in the brush. A few light flies darted around a nearby tree, causing streaks of brightness in the darkening forest. The distance from the river was similar to his own campsites, but the selection was entirely different. Since the beginning, he had always chosen concealed parts of the forest with many bushes and tall grasses, where he could tuck himself out of sight for the night. He had never slept out in the open. It felt too exposed. However, he was not going to argue, as Master Brightflame had already chosen to make camp. As he sat, Lem¡¯s simulated self held on to his bag, unsure of whether it was appropriate to begin eating in front of the martial elder. He did not want to begin his first attempt at cultivation on an empty stomach. Master Brightflame seemed supremely untroubled. He had simply folded his robes and was sitting serenely, staring up past the canopy and into the dusky sky. In the dim light, his features were cloaked in shadow, and barely visible. ¡°What did your intuition tell you today?¡± Chapter 93 - Do You Feel A Crisis? Lem¡¯s simulated self was startled by the question. Lem¡¯s focus became trained on the martial elder. What did his intuition tell him? How should he answer? He knew that Master Brightflame was under the impression that his intuition warned him of both opportunities and dangers. Would it be strange if he said that a day had gone past without him feeling anything? There should at least have been a danger present somewhere¡­ Master Brightflame turned his shadowed face to stare at Lem¡¯s simulated self. Lem remembered the circumstances they had met under, the explosion behind him, the movement at impossible speeds. He had a sudden feeling that the martial elder was not human. There was a difference in realm between them. There was a difference in life level. With all the time they had spent together, it was easy to forget, but the moment he felt a threat coming from Master Brightflame, an enormous gap opened up. It was a chasm that could not be bridged. He felt that he was an ant looking up at a giant. Lem¡¯s simulated self scrambled to respond with something, anything that could serve as a lifeline. ¡°I-earlier in the day, there was a vague threat in the water. Something massive lurked underneath the water, but it did not feel as though it was going to attack. I am not even sure if it saw us.¡±The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation. Lem knew that his simulated self was referring to the giant death-skull crab. Clearly, he was reluctant to fabricate an answer out of whole cloth. All good lies had a grain of truth within them. Master Brightflame did not appear satisfied with the answer. His shadowy features remained fixed on Lem¡¯s simulated self and his voice turned cold. ¡°I told you to inform me if your intuition warned of anything¡­¡± Lem¡¯s simulated self shrank into the brush in fear. ¡°These vague threats are always passing by. They do not mean anything! It is only when I feel a huge crisis, as though I am about to die that it feels important and I would think to tell you. I did not want to convey the wrong information or mislead you in any way!¡± The martial elder¡¯s voice remained unchanged. ¡°Do you feel a crisis now?¡± It felt like Master Brightflame was an immense, looming figure in Lem¡¯s perception. Lem¡¯s simulated self was frozen in place, without the ability to even twitch a finger. His arms and legs would not respond. The feeling was just as it had been earlier in the day! Lem¡¯s simulated self did not know how he was supposed to answer the question. Lem understood the impossible situation he was in. If he said yes, and Master Brightflame had not intended to kill him, would it be a contradiction? But then if Master Brightflame did kill him because of his answer, there would be no contradiction. Or if he said no and Master Brightflame thought that his intuition was useless¡­ Luckily, his jaw was frozen along with the rest of his body, and he was unable to answer, even if he wanted to. Every muscle in his body was immobile! Had the suspicions finally come to a head? Was it the end of the simulation? It felt as though he was about to be struck! Master Brightflame¡¯s hand would go up. The forest would be illuminated by flame. The hand would come down, and the simulation would end! Chapter 94 - Imagine The Mountain Master Brightflame frowned. ¡°The next time you feel anything, even a vague feeling, you will tell me.¡± In a moment, the tension had dissipated. Lem¡¯s simulated self felt that his senses had returned and he could move again. He realized that Master Brightflame had never approached him. The martial elder had not even stirred from his position on the rock. [The martial elder asks about your intuition. When you try to answer him with a compelling lie, he is displeased with your response.] ¡°You should take some time to practice cultivation before you sleep,¡± Master Brightflame said, before looking back up at the sky. Lem¡¯s simulated self immediately acquiesced, closing his eyes nervously. He had already set aside his thoughts of eating in front of the martial elder. Lem, meanwhile, began to pay attention. This was the first time he was witnessing the [Mountain Sitting Technique] in action. Lem¡¯s simulated self began by taking breaths and calming his mind. Following the steps of the technique, he tried to mentally fixate on the visualization diagram. The mountain appeared in his mind, in all of its complexity. He kept his thoughts fixed on it, and then he began trying to visualize the spiritual energy in his body. Lem followed along, imagining the visualization diagram for himself as he paid attention to his bodily sensations. There was a general sense of power within his body, but it was difficult to separate the feeling of strength from the spiritual energy itself, if it was even there.The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. Where was the spiritual energy? Lem¡¯s simulated self began trying to perform the complicated breathing movements. Breathing in. Contracting muscles. Trying to nudge the spiritual energy. Breathing out. Contracting muscles. Trying to nudge the spiritual energy. Breathing in¡­ He ignored the multitude of mistakes he was making in the breathing technique, as he tried to focus on the spiritual energy. Where were the slight comfortable feelings coming from? What gave a mountain its power? Lem¡¯s simulated self spent a couple minutes focusing intently, before he changed his target from his body to the air around him. Where was the spiritual energy? He knew that it should be constantly moving around as an invisible, omnipresent force. According to the teachings of the Heavenly Treasure Sect, it was affecting everything, giving rise to all spirituality. But where was it? Why couldn¡¯t he sense it? Why couldn¡¯t he move it? Again, he tried to trace any slight feelings of comfort, but his sensation of the air on his skin was too complicated to disentangle. He went back to visualizing the inside of his body. He could feel his muscles contracting, but the spiritual energy was not distinguishable. Eventually, when he felt he wasn¡¯t making any progress Lem¡¯s simulated self opened his eyes. He had failed. At the outset, he had not expected to perform the breathing movements correctly, but it was slightly distressing that he had never even sensed the spiritual energy. ¡°If you have any confusion, ask me now.¡± Master Brightflame did not even glance at him, but Lem could feel his curiosity and was sure that he had expectations for the performance of his simulated self. ¡°I-cannot sense the spiritual energy,¡± he admitted. He did not dare lie to the martial elder. His results would quickly become apparent later. ¡°Did you imagine the mountain?¡± Lem¡¯s simulated self thought deeply. He had fixated on the visualization diagram, but could he say that he had truly imagined the mountain. ¡°You must gain an intuition of the characteristics of the mountain, the feeling of the mountain. And then you must gain an intuition of the power that gives rise to those characteristics. ¡°Without using the mountain intent as a guide, you will never know what to look for and it will always elude you. ¡°I¡¯ll ask again. Did you imagine the mountain?¡± Chapter 95 - Details Are Less Important [You attempt to cultivate the [Mountain Sitting Technique], but are unable to sense spiritual energy. As you open your eyes, the martial elder asks you whether you imagined the mountain.] ¡°How should I imagine the mountain?¡± Lem¡¯s simulated self asked, bowing his head. ¡°What is a mountain?¡± Master Brightflame asked. When Lem¡¯s simulated self did not respond, he continued. ¡°Patient. Unshakeable. Unshakeable to the point of inevitability. Humans may be exterminated, the seas may boil, but the mountain will remain. Two thousand years pass, and the mountain has gained a meter of height. Is it bothered? Is it in a hurry?¡± ¡°Massive. Encompassing. One with the world-or even a world unto itself. A small beast may live its entire life without leaving the mountain, without ever knowing that anything exists outside of the mountain. ¡°Who can bargain with a mountain? Who can force it to concede? What has more gravity, more weight? It is the essence of solidity, the essence of strength, of virtue.¡± Lem¡¯s simulated self frowned. ¡°But Senior, where are these elements in the visualization diagram? If I cannot see them, how can I imagine them in my mind?¡± ¡°See them? I have already told you the qualities, and you still cannot see them? Focus! Focus, and if you still cannot imagine the mountain, you may ask me again. What other questions do you have?¡± Lem listened intently as his simulated self began to ask specific questions about the aspects of the mountain in the visualization diagram. A few of them were points of confusion that he shared. Others were questions that he had already resolved, and a few were completely novel, drawing his mind in a different direction. Master Brightflame carefully answered each point, one by one. Lem could see his experience in teaching from the competent manner in which he summarized difficult concepts. Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. Both he and his simulated self were making constant realizations after every sentence the martial elder delivered. Finally, as Lem¡¯s simulated self was about to ask another question, Master Brightflame cut him off. ¡°The details are less important than the approach. You are pestering me for everything I have seen when you should be focused on how to open your eyes.¡± Lem felt a slight sense of enlightenment. Details are less important than the approach! The words resonated with his understanding of the visualization diagram. He quickly began to visualize the mountain again. Details are less important than the approach! Where was the mountain? He stopped trying to hold on to every detail in the image, stopped trying to mash everything together into a comprehensive vision. Instead he tried to see the mountain in a new light, he tried to imagine it! Slowly, the image began to morph. It was difficult to understand what had changed, but it felt alive somehow, invigorated. If before it was merely a fixture on the environment, now it was an embodiment. It was no longer just a collection of visual elements, but an actual mountain! At the same time, Lem¡¯s simulated self closed his eyes and began to follow the steps described in the First Chapter of the [Mountain Sitting Technique]. Fixate on the mountain. Fixate on its qualities, its characteristics. It was solid! It was huge! It was inevitable! Lem¡¯s simulated self attempted to follow the complicated breathing movements. They were choppy and not at all natural, but he did not make any mistakes in the order. Breathe in. He began to contract his muscles in the correct proportions and order. Breathe out. He contracted his muscles, and began to try and nudge the spiritual energy within him. If only it could stir, he could identify it from the amorphous sensations within him. Where was the spiritual energy¡­ He could feel the power distributed throughout his muscles, the specific sensations that allowed him to move with speed and precision. Some muscles felt like they were full of strength, but that was the extent of the sensation. Where was the spiritual energy¡­ Breathe in. Breath out. He attempted to nudge the spiritual energy again. Wait! What was that? Chapter 96 - Subtle Difference Both Lem and his simulated self immediately noticed the difference. The sensation of power within his body had changed. It felt like his muscles were crawling with ants, and yet it was a feeling of utter comfort. All at once, many tiny nodes separated from his vague perception of his body. It was slight, but noticeable. The spiritual energy was everywhere! Somehow, the new visualization of the mountain had completely altered the effect of the breathing method. His internal perspective was much clearer. Lem held onto the image of the living mountain in his head. The characteristics that formed the vivid impression had wavered slightly due to his emotions. Lem¡¯s simulated self continued to perform the breathing movements. Breathe in. Breathe out. Breathe in. Breathe out. The spiritual energy stirred. Breathe in. Breath out. The spiritual energy stirred. Breathe in. The spiritual energy stirred. Breathe out. It stirred again. It was becoming surprisingly easy, as he became more and more attuned to the spiritual energy.Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators! Lem knew that when the breathing method was performed correctly, the spiritual energy would circulate throughout his body in a specific pattern and begin to attract the ambient energy in the environment. Once he reached the point where he could circulate the spiritual energy reliably, he would be ready to receive the Second Chapter, which was focused on improving specific aspects of the circulation and opening his pores to receive the spiritual energy. Lem¡¯s simulated self continued to perform the breathing method. Breathe in. The spiritual energy stirred¡­ Lem kept the image of the mountain in his head. He noticed that his simulated self had shifted his focus from visualizing the inside of his body to visualizing the spiritual energy in his surroundings. Breathe in¡­ Unfortunately, he could not stir the spiritual energy outside of his body, nor could he differentiate it from his other sensations. Lem¡¯s simulated self quickly ended the attempt and turned his focus back inside his body, where he had found success before. Breathe in. The spiritual energy stirred. Breathe out¡­ As the minutes passed, Lem could feel a subtle difference in his perception of the world. He felt at peace, like he had been accepted by the world. Eventually, Lem¡¯s simulated self stopped performing the breathing method and opened his eyes. [You take the martial elder¡¯s advice, and try to cultivate again. This time, when you focus on imagining the mountain, you are able to sense the spiritual energy within your body and even move it slightly. Even though you are far from being able to circulate it, you feel happy with your progress¡­] As Lem saw the forest around him and Master Brightflame sitting on the rock, nothing had changed. It was just as it had been before he closed his eyes. And yet, everything felt different, improved, like the world had come into focus. Even in the darkness, the colors of the leaves, the bark, the rocks, all felt deeper. The interplay of shadow and light was enriched. ¡°Did you imagine the mountain?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Good. Did you sense the spiritual energy?¡± ¡°I did,¡± Lem¡¯s simulated self said. In his slightly altered state, he had even forgotten his fear of the martial elder. Master Brightflame smiled approvingly. ¡°You managed to open your eyes quicker than many of the other disciples. By the standard of our martial school, you would be considered above average. What is the extent of your success?¡± ¡°I can barely nudge the spiritual energy,¡± Lem¡¯s simulated self confessed. ¡°And how does it feel now?¡± ¡°Everything is¡­heightened. As though the world is closer to me.¡± ¡°Good, good. You are beginning to cultivate mountain intent. Now try once more.¡± Chapter 97 - Innate Constitution [When you reveal that you can sense the spiritual energy, Master Brightflame gives you praise. You do not voice your disagreement, but internally you attribute your ability to the copious amounts of spiritual energy that you have consumed in prior simulations¡­] Lem agreed with his simulated self. Despite the martial elder¡¯s words, he doubted his talent. Had the other disciples been stuffed with so much spiritual energy that they had nearly burst? He felt that even just having additional energy to sense within him was enough to have a significant advantage over others. At the same time, he also knew that his senses and his mind had both been improved. And yet, he was merely ¡®quicker than many of the other disciples.¡¯ Taking the advice of the martial elder, Lem¡¯s simulated self closed his eyes again and began to meditate on the visualization diagram. Lem followed suit. The mountain appeared in his mind, full of vibrancy and life. Lem¡¯s simulated self was excited with his progress, but he forcefully subdued his emotions. He began to perform the breathing movements again. Breathe in. Breathe out. He sensed the spiritual energy within him and tried to nudge it. Breathe in. Breathe out. Nudge the spiritual energy. Breathe in. Breathe out¡­ As time passed, Lem found that the spiritual energy stirred every time, but there did not seem to be any improvement in the degree to which it moved. It was always just a slight change, barely perceptible. He knew that he was a long way from being able to circulate it through his body. Breathe in. Breathe out¡­ Breathe in. Breathe out¡­ Breathe in. Breathe out¡­ Eventually, Lem¡¯s simulated self gave up, and stopped the cultivation session. He opened his eyes.This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. Even if he had not succeeded, it did not affect his spirited mood. He could handle a temporary lack of success. What he could not handle was a lack of direction. [After being instructed to cultivate again by the martial elder, you resume your practice, but you do not make any progress. However, the failure does not upset you...] ¡°You should stop for the night and go to sleep.¡± Lem¡¯s simulated self was surprised. He had thought that Master Brightflame would give him more direction and tell him to cultivate again. Evidently his surprise was visible, as the martial elder chuckled. ¡°It has been more than four hours, and I do not want your intuition to be negatively affected tomorrow.¡± As the word ¡®intuition¡¯ was spoken, Lem¡¯s simulated self felt a shudder of fear. In an instant, he was brought out of his good mood. At the same time, Lem was marveling at how skewed his perception of time had been. It felt like a few minutes, and yet it had been four hours! Master Brightflame shifted his position on the rock. ¡°Don¡¯t be disheartened by slow progress. I have seen many generations of disciples pass through the school and I know a natural when I see it.¡± He glanced meaningfully at Lem¡¯s simulated self. ¡°I have been wondering about this intuition of yours.¡± Again, Lem¡¯s simulated self felt a shudder pass through him. ¡°I suspect that it is the raw potential in you, some innate constitution that was awakened by your infection. As to which constitution that is, I am sure you would be curious¡­¡± Master Brightflame looked at Lem¡¯s simulated self, gauging his reaction. He tried to look interested. Master Brightflame was apparently satisfied, as he continued. ¡°Unfortunately, innate constitutions, rare as they are, are often unique and difficult to assess. There are some methods available to the school, but I cannot bring them out without arousing suspicion, so I am afraid we will have to go without knowing.¡± ¡°In any case, even with such a constitution, you would still be unfit for the world of immortals. Leaving aside your infection for which they would kill you on the spot, your talent would be laughable by their standards.¡± Lem¡¯s simulated self nodded in agreement. At the same time, his stomach began to growl audibly. Master Brightflame noticed, and stopped talking. Lem¡¯s simulated self stared back, not knowing what to say. ¡°Go ahead. Eat if you wish. Immortals above, don¡¯t starve because you are too scared to eat in front of me.¡± Master Brightflame chuckled again, and Lem¡¯s simulated self cracked a smile through his fear. Nevertheless, he quickly opened his bag and began chewing on the dried meat. For a time, he expected the martial elder to speak. When he looked over, Master Brightflame was perfectly still on the rock. He had begun to meditate. Lem¡¯s simulated self suddenly felt a slight change in the atmosphere. Was it the result of Master Brightflame¡¯s cultivation? He was careful not to disturb the martial elder. Chapter 98 - Small Crab [You eat from your rations and fall asleep¡­] [Day 12: As you wake up, you feel slightly weaker due to the evil power consuming your vitality¡­] Lem was broken out of his meditation when his simulated self opened his eyes. While his simulated self had been sleeping, he had spent the entire night practicing his visualization of the mountain. For once, he had been able to have a productive night, rather than just staring into the darkness for hours on end. It felt invigorating, not just because it was a more enjoyable experience, but also because it reduced the time being wasted during the simulation. It was a new day. Lem¡¯s simulated self was hit with a strange sensation when he woke up in the open forest rather than in a thicket of bushes. The heightened feeling from the cultivation session had worn off, but he still felt particularly at ease. He rubbed his eyes and looked around. The morning sun cast jagged, narrow shadows across the trees and forest floor. Everything was as he had left it the previous day. Even the martial elder was sitting in the same position on the rock, his bag still slung on the ground by his feet. Had he cultivated all night? Lem found it hard to believe that anyone would choose to fall asleep seated upright. He did not know if sleep ceased to be a necessity at higher cultivation levels, but it seemed likely. Lem¡¯s simulated self stood up, stretching his arms and legs. At the same time, he saw that the martial elder had begun to stir. [Master Brightflame is cultivating in the same position you saw him the previous night.] As you wonder whether he slept at all, he begins to move.] Lem¡¯s simulated self waited for instruction. Were they about to set off or would the martial elder tell him to wait? He saw Master Brightflame reach towards the ground, by his bag. A small crab was scuttling sideways through the dirt.A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. As the martial elder placed his fingers beneath it, the crab naturally scuttled on top of them. Lem watched in curiosity. ¡°It may seem that everything comes easier to us elders than it does to you, but there is an order to the world,¡± Master Brightflame said. ¡°You should not take your intuition for granted.¡± The crab scuttled between his fingers. When it reached the end of one hand, he touched his palms together, and let it continue on to his other thumb. ¡°I have not stepped foot outside of Lang Town for many years, nor have the other martial elders. We teach generation after generation, but we are prisoners in captivity.¡± The martial elder turned his hand again to let the crab scuttle uninterrupted. ¡°Even when the disciples clear out the paths between the villages, they are never accompanied by elders. Do you know why this is?¡± He splayed his fingers, letting the little crab dance between the crevices. At the same time, he turned to look at Lem¡¯s simulated self. Lem¡¯s simulated self shook his head quickly. ¡°You see in the world of cultivation, everything draws attention to itself. When someone of your strength wanders around the forest, nothing powerful would deign to eat you. At most, you will come across weak beasts that are only slightly stronger than your life level. ¡°However, when someone like me wanders the forest, I will draw out a far more serious threat. It will still be nothing compared to the true kings of the forest, but it will be trouble nonetheless. ¡°Due to the hidden agreements between top powers, the towns are safe. We were close enough yesterday that there was not much danger. As we get further into the forest, expect for the danger to increase. ¡°I was not sure if I had made this clear, but this is the real reason why I will need full support from your instincts. You were able to survive alone in the forest for weeks, even managing to pluck the spiritual herbs from beneath the noses of the nearby beasts, which gives me great confidence in your abilities¡­¡± The small crab continued to scuttle across his fingers. He lifted his hand, and turned it. ¡°We martial elders have quite long lives, and are fond of protecting them. The real reason we do not step out of the towns is not because we cannot, but because the meager reward of a spiritual fruit is not much compared to the accompanying risk. ¡°The only reason I even entertained the thought of cutting this deal with you was because of how potent the spiritual lily was in your description. In addition, I am quite old and weak. One could say that I am desperate to break through to the next stage, and this spiritual lily could help me tremendously. You should think about the consequences of acting against a desperate cultivator like me.¡± The small crab scuttled from his thumb to his first finger. ¡°My point is, you should not think that I can handle all of the dangers of the forest. After all, there are innumerable beasts which I can barely defeat. ¡°But, if one of them attacks us, rest assured that the first casualty will be anything weak that just happens to be nearby.¡± Master Brightflame suddenly squeezed his fingers together. The small crab was crushed into a paste. He turned his gaze to Lem¡¯s simulated self. ¡°Understood?¡± Chapter 99 - Forced To Lie [Master Brightflame delivers a warning to you, emphasizing that the forest will be increasingly dangerous and that you should help him with all of your ability if you want to survive.] Lem¡¯s simulated self swallowed. He had not expected to be greeted with a lecture and a threat as soon as he woke up. It furthered his impression of the martial elder as an erratic and unpredictable person, increasing his unease. ¡°I-I understand. I will tell you if I sense anything.¡± Unfortunately, he could only give empty promises to assuage the martial elder. He did not have a special intuition after all. ¡°Good, then. I did not know if I was making myself clear yesterday. Let''s continue.¡± Master Brightflame wiped off the remains of the crab on his crimson robes and gestured for Lem¡¯s simulated self to move. Lem¡¯s simulated self stepped forward with alacrity, setting out towards the river. Lem could sense that there was a shift in the mood between his simulated self and the martial elder, and there would not be any questions being asked. He began to meditate on the visualization diagram again. If there was danger, the signals from his body would draw his attention. In lieu of new information, his most important priority was to continue improving his mountain intent. He had seen from the progress of the previous day that it could have a profound influence on his cultivation. Currently, the mountain in his imagination felt alive, but he was sure that his visualization was far from its ideal state. If he could improve his comprehension, he was sure that he would be close to making the spiritual energy circulate. As for the progress that could be made in the current simulation¡­it was sufficient to say that the martial elder¡¯s words had killed the last of his hopes. It was clear that the road forward was too dangerous for him to hold any expectations.Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more. [Master Brightflame instructs you to continue leading the way. You are beginning to feel that the martial elder¡¯s moods are unpredictable, which makes you nervous for the future¡­ Together, you walk back to the riverbank, and continue walking along the river¡­ Because you are worrying about the martial elder¡¯s suspicions, you tell Master Brightflame that you have a vague feeling of danger. When he asks you for the direction it was coming from, you tell him that you are unable to locate it. You see the carapace of the death-skull crab that you passed by before¡­ You pass by a cloud of light flies¡­ You report another vague feeling to Master Brightflame¡­ You pass by a fire swan drifting on the river¡­] After a few hours passed, Lem brought his attention back to the present situation. He was in a good mood, as he felt that he had made progress in his visualization attempts. With the night-long meditation, he had discovered many new insights that were beginning to crystalize. He also saw that his simulated self had yet to die, which was reassuring. The river was even more picturesque than it had been on previous days. There were many more light flies about, zipping across the surface of the water, and the atmosphere felt lively. However, Lem¡¯s simulated self was not in the right mood to observe it. He was filled with anxiety as he worried over what the martial elder had told him earlier in the day. Was a real danger about to present itself? Was the martial elder about to kill him in anger? Every few moments, he wondered whether he should report another fabricated nearby danger, to maintain consistency. After a few minutes, he spoke up. ¡°I feel something vaguely off¡­¡± Lem¡¯s simulated self trailed off with uncertainty. ¡°The third vague feeling of the day,¡± Master Brightflame said coldly. ¡°A powerful beast is in the area,¡± Lem¡¯s simulated self amended. ¡°Hmm¡­how powerful?¡± ¡°A-almost as strong as you, I think.¡± Master Brightflame glanced at him but did not speak. Lem¡¯s simulated self swallowed the rest of his explanation. His heart pounded in his chest like a drum. ¡°If you sense anything else, tell me.¡± Chapter 100 - Taking Credit [As you walk, you notice that the riverbank is becoming muddier, and you remember avoiding the upcoming stretch of riverbank when you passed by before. Before you can make the suggestion, Master Brightflame tells you there is deep-water mud ahead. You take a broad path around the muddy riverbank¡­] Lem¡¯s simulated self felt regret. Even when he was actually aware of the danger ahead, he had still not been quick enough to inform the elder. At the direction of the martial elder, he began walking back towards the river. The forest was dark and still by comparison with the riverbank. The only sounds came from crunching footsteps as they stepped on fallen leaves and small plants. ¡°I felt some¡­¡± Lem¡¯s simulated self began, before trailing off. Through a gap in the trees, he could see the river ahead. And in between, a huge figure was emerging from onto the bank. Streams of water fell down from its broad, jagged carapace in a miniature cascade. Danger¡­ It was a death-skull crab, and it was clear that it had noticed them. Its beady eyes were staring directly in their direction. Lem¡¯s simulated self froze.The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. It was a towering creature with bizarre features. Even though it was moving slowly, he could tell that it was a moment away from charging. The ground between them would be covered in an instant. Its several-meter-long body would flatten the trees in the way. Lem¡¯s simulated self was momentarily taken aback, however, he noticed that the martial elder¡¯s expression was placid. He felt relieved. The crab was not a real threat, at least, not for Master Brightflame. A moment later, Lem¡¯s simulated self had another realization. The situation was to his advantage! ¡°That must be what I was feeling,¡± he whispered to the martial elder. [As you rejoin the riverbank, you see a death-skull crab that is half-out of the river. It is twice the size of a man, and for a moment you are scared. You see the calm expression on Master Brightflame¡¯s face, and you regain your nerves. You try to take credit for predicting the appearance of the crab.] Master Brightflame did not respond to Lem¡¯s simulated self. His eyes did not move from the death-skull crab. It pulled the rest of its body out of the river, shaking its rear legs free of water. Its mandibles opened and closed, while the bone markings on its carapace appeared to stare directly at Lem, like another set of eyes. Eight of its ten legs touched the muddy ground. Its two massive pincers began snapping. Clack! Clack! Clack! Clack! Clack! Clack! Lem could imagine a person being cut in half by the sharp claws. Somehow neither he nor his simulated self were particularly concerned. The martial elder was standing next to him. Impressive as the crab was, he doubted it could move faster than the eye could track and explode sections of the forest on command. He had to remind himself that Master Brightflame had such capabilities. Everything would be fine, as long as this particular crab was not a relative of the behemoth he had seen lurking by Lang Town¡­ Woosh! Chapter 101 - Unharmed But Frightened The crab charged forward in an instant, its legs pounding the ground in rapid succession. Bom-bom-bom-bom¡­Crack-Crack! It broke through the treeline, snapping branches and uprooting saplings. At the same time, Master Brightflame disappeared from Lem¡¯s side. Where did he go? Lem tried to locate the martial elder, but he was moving too fast. Skreee! Clack-clack! The death-skull crab suddenly moved backwards, its ten legs retreating in a blur of motion. A moment later, it had ducked into the water in haste, its massive shell creating a splash in its wake. The disturbance dissipated into the chaos of the fast-flowing river, returning the scene back to the ordinary calm. The only sign of what had occurred were the dents in the mud left by the crab¡¯s legs. It was over? Lem could not process what had happened. Barely a second after it had charged, the crab had run away. To his eye, from the brief moment of observation, it appeared unharmed, but extremely frightened. But what had it been frightened by? ¡°Keep moving.¡± At some point in time, Master Brightflame had reappeared at his side. Lem¡¯s simulated self wanted to ask him what he had done to scare off the crab, but the words froze in his mouth.Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site. He nodded and continued to walk towards the river. He began scanning the surroundings for threats again. Lem felt a pang of jealousy. How long would it take for him to gain such capabilities? He too wanted to move like the wind and scare off giant creatures without even making a move. For a moment, he fantasized about approaching Master Brightflame in a future simulation, and seeing only respect in the martial elder¡¯s eyes. Lem shook off the thought and began to visualize the mountain again. He had to remember his place. Even with all of the capability in the world, he was still infected by the evil and doomed to die. He needed to work against his fate with every ounce of effort in him. It was ridiculous to fantasize about the future when he had yet to deal with the problems of the present. [The death-skull crab charges towards you and Master Brightflame disappears. As you are trying to understand what happened, you see the death-skull crab retreating back into the water¡­ Master Brightflame tells you to continue leading the way, and you hastily oblige¡­] Almost immediately after Lem had shifted his focus away, he was brought back to the current moment. ¡°You said that the lily would be three days away¡­¡± It was clear from his tone that the martial elder was not in a good mood. Lem¡¯s simulated self swallowed and nodded. ¡°Three days at the most.¡± ¡°If your intuition continues to have such poor timing, you will not live to see the third day.¡± It sounded like a threat. Lem¡¯s simulated self nodded vigorously. Threat or not, there was nothing he could do. His mind was scrambling to find a suitable response. ¡°It is possible that I did not sense it quickly enough because it was never going to harm me.¡± Lem¡¯s simulated self felt regret immediately after he spoke. Why had he made it sound like Master Brightflame was at fault? How was that going to help his cause? The martial elder did not reply, and Lem¡¯s simulated self could feel his heartbeat rapidly accelerating. ¡°I-¡± He was beginning to apologize. ¡°Be quiet,¡± the martial elder said. Lem closed his mouth. ¡°Leave the excuses aside and focus on putting your abilities to use.¡± Chapter 102 - Reasonable Temperament [Master Brightflame mocks your late warning. You attempt to explain yourself, but the martial elder cuts you off¡­ As you walk, you think about Master Brightflame¡¯s actions and you wonder whether he will really come into conflict with the harvest tree. It was clear to you that he could have dealt with the crab, but he scared it off instead. You are also sure that he could have destroyed the razor-leaf vine before with relative ease, but he chose to avoid it¡­] As the day progressed, it was obvious that Master Brightflame was not happy. It appeared that he thought that Lem¡¯s simulated self should have given an earlier warning of the presence of the death-skull crab. Lem knew that his simulated self was close to falling out of the martial elder¡¯s graces entirely. He redoubled his efforts in comprehending the visualization diagram. If the simulation ended suddenly, he wanted to get a head start on cultivating the First Stage of Body Refinement. Anxiety shot through Lem¡¯s body, drawing him back to the present. It was the martial elder suddenly speaking that had alarmed him. ¡°Perhaps you were correct.¡± Master Brightflame stroked his beard. ¡°My presence may be confusing your instincts towards danger.¡± Lem¡¯s simulated self felt relief again. His emotions had been played with too much by the martial elder. Despite having life and death battles and being forced to weather the constant uncertainty of a beast attack, Lem knew that his simulated self had not felt anywhere near the stress that the martial elder now constantly gave him.Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. One moment, he was feeling secure and protected by the presence of the martial elder. In the next, he was sure that he was about to be killed on the spot. Lem knew that his simulated self was desperately hoping that they would part ways in the future, if there was even a future in which he could survive. [You pass a stream, using your spear to vault across¡­ You pass by the watercress in the river¡­ You reach the area where the harvesters loaded their cargo. Some of the footprints and scrape marks are gone, but enough of the traces are still visible for you to identify it. You tell Master Brightflame that the rest of the journey is through the thick of the forest. The martial elder gestures for you to continue walking, and you begin to lead him in a southeast direction¡­] Lem¡¯s simulated self felt a small surge of happiness. They were finally leaving the river behind them. Lem understood his emotion. Although he was also leaving behind the pleasant sight of flowing water and dancing light flies, it also meant that he had survived the first part of the journey. The ground quickly became firmer and the plant life changed, as the semiaquatic grasses disappeared and the forest thickened. Lem was beginning to anticipate seeing the harvest tree again. In retrospect, he thought that of all the dangerous beings that he had encountered, it was one of the more friendly. After all, he had walked right up to the lily that it was guarding, and it had not so much as stirred. Because he was still not close enough to steal the lily and because he had not been viewed as a real threat, it did not feel the need to attack him. What a reasonable temperament! Lem¡¯s mind unwittingly went to the fox. Another pleasant fellow! They had peacefully coexisted for hours on end. Even after it had taken his berry, it still came back to see him again. When compared to the absurdly violent deathbears and scheming dust cats, how could he not think favorably of it? Chapter 103 - Sinking Feeling [You reach the clearing where you first encountered the harvesters¡­ You begin to lead the elder in a northeast direction¡­] Lem¡¯s simulated self felt tense. It had been too long since he had been in danger, and it felt like something was about to go wrong. It was an eerie feeling that bordered on presentiment. Lem was watching with his usual detachment. He had just finished a long session of visualization, and he needed a break. At the same time, even though he expected that his simulated self would die soon, in one way or another, he was still invested in the details of exactly how it would happen. The silence that had stretched between Lem¡¯s simulated self and Master Brightflame was broken in an instant. There were sounds in the brush! Lem¡¯s simulated self felt sure that something bad was about to happen. Was this the danger that he had been expecting? A moment later, there was movement from between nearby trees. The source of the disturbance revealed itself. A couple of rabbits jumping around. They quickly fled from sight. Lem¡¯s simulated self and Master Brightflame continued to walk, as the silence reemerged between them. And then it was broken again. There were more noises coming from the forest ahead. Lem¡¯s simulated self stopped. His breath was caught in his throat. More rabbits, hopefully?This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work. A moment later, they saw what was causing the sounds¡­ There were three wolves standing less than a dozen meters away. They were sleek and bulky, with thick coats and tongues rolled out as they panted. One of them turned, its canines glinting as it looked calmly at Lem¡¯s simulated self. It continued to pant. ¡°Keep going.¡± Master Brightflame motioned forward. As they approached, the wolves suddenly scattered into the forest. Master Brightflame turned, looking at Lem¡¯s simulated self without speaking. The implication was clear. Why didn¡¯t you sense anything? Lem¡¯s simulated self shrunk back until the martial elder turned his gaze back to the forest ahead. The silence quickly returned. [As you are leading Master Brightflame through the forest, you encounter a few wolves. They scatter as you pass by¡­] Lem did not know if it was his imagination, but the martial elder appeared more disgruntled than before. He took solace in the fact that they were only a day away from reaching the harvest tree. Whatever happened, his simulated self was still safe for the present moment. They had barely continued walking, when they both stopped abruptly. There were sounds coming from the brush again. At first, it appeared that there was something ahead of them, but then the rest of the surrounding forest burst into motion. Dark figures with triangular ears were suddenly visible in every direction, flitting in and out between trees, panting, yipping and growling. It was difficult to tell how many there were. Wolves again! Most of them were trotting, without the intent to move approach, but a few were more courageous than the rest, running up until they were only a couple meters away, before darting back. One of the wolves behind them howled, and Lem¡¯s simulated self turned around reflexively. Another wolf howled. Lem¡¯s simulated self had a sinking feeling in his chest. They were being targeted. He looked at the martial elder. Master Brightflame still looked relatively serene in his crimson robes. Lem¡¯s simulated self wondered briefly whether he should mention his feeling. For the first time, it was authentic. But it was also too late. He had a strong suspicion that speaking now would only heighten the anger of the martial elder. A moment later, Lem felt his body freeze up. The familiar pressure robbed him of his ability to move. Chapter 104 - Surrounded For a moment, Lem¡¯s simulated self thought that Master Brightflame was about to attack. He had made his final mistake, and the martial elder had decided to kill him! However, when the blow did not come, he realized what Lem had known all along. He was not the target. In fact, it appeared that Master Brightflame was not targeting anything, but flaring his true essence as a warning to the wolves. As quickly as it had come, the pressure disappeared and Lem could move again. The brush, which had grown quiet under Master Brightflame¡¯s actions, suddenly exploded into motion. The wolves continued to yip and growl, but it was only a parting sally as they fled rapidly. Before long, the brush was silent. ¡°I don¡¯t need your intuition to tell me that they will be back,¡± Master Brightflame muttered. Lem¡¯s simulated self did not respond, as he continued to meekly lead the martial elder through the forest. [A few minutes later, you hear movement in the brush. You see that the wolves have returned. You feel a sudden pressure emanate from Master Brightflame, and you are frozen in place once again.Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author. The pressure fades, and there is a flurry of movement in the brush as the wolves scatter. You continue leading Master Brightflame through the forest¡­] Barely any time had passed when Lem heard a symphony of howling. One wolf after another began calling, each one closer than the last. Master Brightflame frowned. The brush came alive again. This time there appeared to be more than twice as many wolves as before, and they carried an unusual swagger. After the last standoff, they seemed wary of the martial elder, but they did not seem terrified, as they had been before. The howling continued with a mix of growls, but they did not run up with the same aggression any more. In fact, they were slowly stopping in place, coming to heel in a ring around Lem¡¯s simulated self and Master Brightflame. It was bizarre, giving Lem the strange impression of a group of officials lining up to carry out a ritual form of a welcoming ceremony. Master Brightflame raised his hand, and gestured behind him. Lem¡¯s simulated self recognized the signal and quickly moved back. As he did, both he and Lem were confused. The wolves were surrounding them on all sides. What difference did it make where he was standing? [After a time passes, you hear several howls, and Master Brightflame frowns. As you continue walking, the bushes come alive with movement, and you realize that you are surrounded by wolves. Master Brightflame waves his hand, motioning for you to move behind him.] A moment later, Lem had his answer. From the trees in front of them, a massive wolf broke free from the ring. It was twice the size of the others, much larger than man, with a huge maw that sported an impressive set of knife-like teeth. The wolf opened its mouth and produced a vibrating growl that startled Lem¡¯s simulated self. Chapter 105 - Wolf King [As you fall back, you quickly notice that the wolves are hesitant to approach, until one of them steps forward provocatively. It is nearly twice the size of the others. Taking into account Master Brightflame¡¯s words from earlier in the day, you make a guess that it emerged because it thought that the martial elder was challenging it.] ¡°A wolf king,¡± Master Brightflame muttered as though he was spitting poison. Lem felt a shot of fear run through his body. Was the martial elder afraid? His simulated self turned and tried to see the expression on Master Brightflame¡¯s face. Because he was standing behind the martial elder, he had a bad angle, but he still thought that Master Brightflame appeared calm. Why did he utter his words with such displeasure? Lem thought he understood. It was likely that the martial elder had realized that intimidation tactics would no longer work. He had an obvious desire to avoid conflict, but it was no longer possible in this case. Lem felt a rush of confidence. It felt good to have such a strong combatant on his side. Even in front of a group of wolves, he held the upper hand. Lem watched carefully. He was aware that conflicts involving the martial elder could begin and end in a split second.Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings. [¡°A wolf king,¡± the martial elder mutters, and you glance over. You see that Master Brightflame¡¯s face is still calm and feel relieved, thinking that the martial elder was still in control of the situation.] The violence erupted in a heartbeat. The wolf king charged forward in a blur. Even with his enhanced senses, Lem was barely able to keep track of it. The world seemed frozen. Bang! Before Lem could process what had happened, the wolf king had fallen on the ground, with Master Brightflame appearing by its side. A long gash was striking along the side of the wolf, spewing bright red blood onto the forest floor. The solid pink of organs and intestines slowly fell out of the inert corpse. The surrounding wolves were silenced at once and they scattered even quicker than they had the first time. There was no yipping or howling. They all deserted the scene at top speed, disappearing into the forest. Lem was stunned. Once again, the martial elder had moved so quickly that he had not seen any of his actions, only the end result. It appeared that no matter how hard he focused, it would be impossible to make out any of the martial elder¡¯s movements. What was worse, he was sure that Master Brightflame had not even attacked with his most powerful move. From his title of ¡®Brightflame¡¯ and the explosion he remembered from their first interaction, he was sure that the signature ability of the martial elder involved fire in some way. Unfortunately, he had never seen it in action, so he could only speculate. His thoughts began to wander. If an expert of the Second Stage of Spirit Refinement was only this powerful, how much stronger were the top experts of the forest? They had the ability to make Master Brightflame feel utterly powerless, as Lem did before the martial elder. What did this amount to? How powerful was the Bone Blood Goliath really? Could he level an entire mountain with a casual gesture? It was impossible to understand from Lem¡¯s perspective. No feat seemed too large, and no means too extraordinary. Chapter 106 - Discontinuity [The wolf king charges forward in a blur towards Master Brightflame, and for a split second, you wonder whether you would be fast enough to kill it with your [Nine Bull Fist]. In the next moment, you hear a loud noise, and see the wolf king stop, before falling over to the side. A long gash is visible across the length of its body, and Master Brightflame is now at its side. The wolves scatter, rustling all of the bushes at once¡­] Even though he had expected it before it had happened, it felt incredible to Lem that everything had ended in such a brief moment. It felt like a discontinuity. The wolves had been surrounding them, snarling and posturing. Lem had not moved. A moment later, the woods were back to feeling empty, with the only difference being the massive wolf corpse that had been left behind. In front of him, Master Brightflame opened his bag and removed a few containers and a carving knife. Without wasting any time, he began to cut from the wolf carcass, causing it to shake and spill out more of its guts from the gash on its side. Lem watched as the martial elder broke apart the carcass systematically. Each movement, every stroke of the knife, was delivered with impeccable precision and efficiency. He wondered which parts of the beast were considered important for consumption or valuable.The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there. The times that he had eaten directly from a beast corpse in prior simulations, he had just cut into the meat randomly. Master Brightflame removed the eyes, heart and few other parts of the beast. His selections were all relatively small organs, making Lem wonder why he was avoiding the meat. Was it standard practice when dissecting a beast? Was the meat harmful in some way? Or did it carry the threat of potentially being tainted, perhaps by the presence of evil? Or had it only been a practical decision because there was a lack of space in his bag? Whatever the case, Lem was certain that his simulated self would not ask the martial elder for clarification. He was more worried that he might be next on the chopping block after the wolf! [Master Brightflame deftly begins to cut a few choice parts from the wolf carcass, stuffing them inside of containers that he withdrew from his bag. You watch with interest. As you think about your impression of the wolf king, you wonder if it would be possible to injure it. You decide that if you had been in the elder¡¯s position that you would have been instantly killed without knowing what happened.] Lem saw from the simulation screen that his simulated self was thinking down a completely different direction. Most of the time, he saw that his own thinking was aligned with that of his simulated self, but occasionally, he noticed strange thoughts. What did it matter if he could injure the wolf king? If he couldn¡¯t stay alive then it was pointless to inflict injuries on it. And on what basis could he make such judgements in the first place? He did not know how tough its skin was, or what its reaction speed was. Wasn¡¯t it more important to learn about the dissecting method and which parts of a carcass were more valuable than to daydream about killing a wolf king? As Lem¡¯s simulated self watched the martial elder carving up the wolf carcass in silence, Master Brightflame suddenly spoke. His voice was neither cold nor friendly, making it difficult for Lem to understand his current attitude. ¡°Boy, do you remember what I said before of the strange rules of anomalies?¡± Chapter 107 - Great Wolf Ancestor ¡°Yes.¡± Lem¡¯s simulated self responded hurriedly. Lem¡¯s attention was riveted on Master Brightflame. Was he about to learn more about anomalies? His simulated self hesitated, and when he saw that the martial elder was staring at him, he continued. ¡°Anomalies break from the operation of the world. When they appear as phenomena, they create bizarre rules that govern the areas they affect.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Master Brightflame slowly wiped the gore from his hands and the knife on a nearby patch of grass. ¡°One of the most famous cautionary tales of anomalous phenomena involved the Great Wolf Ancestor.¡± He stood up. Woosh! An unexpected burst of flame suddenly ignited over his hands, startling Lem¡¯s simulated self. The flame evaporated the remaining bloodstains, before vanishing into thin air, as though it had never existed. Lem¡¯s simulated self was taken aback. Even after he recognized that it was a cleaning technique, his heart would not stop pounding. How exquisite did the martial elder¡¯s control have to be to freely command fire in such a casual way? Lem marveled at the technique. At the same time, he tried to keep his focus on Master Brightflame¡¯s words. ¡°It was said that long ago, when strange existences appeared in the world, there were many top experts who investigated them. They were peerless talents who stood out even among the immortals. They included the primogenitors of several races, including the race of wolves.Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon. ¡°Even these experts did not understand much about the strange existences. Evil and anomalous were as far as they went in differentiating them. Evils were the strange beings that existed to kill and infect. Anomalies were everything else that broke the rules of the world. ¡°I won¡¯t elaborate on the details, as they are less important and not fully understood, but suffice it to say that the Great Wolf Ancestor fought a horrific battle with an anomalous phenomenon that eventually resulted in mutual destruction. This battle was not witnessed by anyone, and what little is known of it comes from its consequences. ¡°Namely among these consequences is the complete collapse of the race of wolves. As a race today, the strongest among them are barely comparable to Martial Masters. ¡°The reasons given for this are varied, as the strange rules of the anomalous phenomenon are always under dispute, but one of the most widely agreed upon explanations was that it imposed a racial lock.¡± Master Brightflame had stooped down and begun to put away the containers holding the organs of the wolf king. One by one, he set them inside of his bag, before closing it, and slinging it over his back. Lem continued to listen with rapt attention. ¡°Again, the specifics are debated, but it is generally thought that this lock only affects those weaker members who are of the same lineage as the one affected. At the same time, there is no reason to think that any race with a powerful existing member would be exempt from being affected. ¡°There are further questions about the extent to which a racial lock could be imposed by future anomalous phenomena. Some speculate that the phenomena could affect anything of the same race, while others think that it can only affect direct lineages. ¡°I find the speculation rather unimportant. Just think of this. All it would take was for one powerful human to enter into conflict with an anomalous phenomenon, and just like that.¡± Master Brightflame snapped his fingers. ¡°All of the human immortals are exterminated, and you become bound by a racial lock. Your intelligence plummets and you lose the ability to cultivate.¡± Chapter 108 - How Many Threats? Lem took the martial elder¡¯s words to heart. He could already feel the constraints that were put upon him by the world. They had given him a feeling of helplessness in the past. For one, he remembered vividly that it was about this time in the first simulation that he was on his deathbed, about to be killed by the evil. Because of this, he considered evil as the most pressing danger to him, but it was not the only danger. There were the powerful beasts of the forest, who could kill him in an instant¡­ If his presence was revealed to the sects, he would face an extermination by his own race, but even if he did not die in such a way, he still had to worry about being killed by the one person who was currently helping him. Now, the martial elder was giving him additional worries about anomalies with means like the racial lock that could affect him even if he never came into conflict with them. How many more threats could the world produce? If he kept on increasing in strength, would there always be another level of insecurity? It felt like a karmic entanglement of the worst kind. He just wanted to live his own life in peace, but everything around him insisted on his death. That was, everything except for the life simulation system and the mysterious goddess who had given it to him. As these thoughts rushed through Lem¡¯s mind, Master Brightflame continued. ¡°Of course, there are other theories as to what occurred with the wolf race, apart from the racial lock theory. Some speculate that they became incorporated by the anomaly and alienated by the world.The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. ¡°It should also be said that even if the anomaly did not directly kill off the other powerful members of the race, it might as well have. It affected their strength enough that they were quickly hunted and consumed by other top predators, and the race of wolves fell apart in a matter of years.¡± Master Brightflame gave a grim smile. ¡°The world is brutal, and there are few who you can trust, but they are all of your own race. Remember that.¡± Lem knew that the martial elder was making the point that if Lem did not trust him, there would be no one he could trust instead. Lem¡¯s simulated self nodded. ¡°Do you know why the race did not go extinct?¡± He shook his head and Master Brightflame continued. ¡°It seemed once again to be related to the strange rules of anomalies, or to that anomaly in particular. After the Great Wolf Ancestor died, wolves became one of the few races that can travel freely at night without being affected by common anomalous phenomena. ¡°They now occupy the niche of being the scavengers of the night, picking off the kills of the day and preying on beasts that have to stay in place to avoid the phenomena. At least, this applies to common members of their packs. Wolf kings are known to still become ensnared by phenomena. ¡°Some speculate that the reason is because anomalies only have an effect on individuals of races that have powerful members, but it also gives credence to the theory that they became accepted by the anomaly as a race. ¡°Of course, hanging over this discussion is the obvious fact that with their limited potential, wolves are not very threatening. Of all the beasts in the forest, I fear them the least.¡± It was clear that Master Brightflame was finished with his history lesson. ¡°Come,¡± he said, gesturing for Lem¡¯s simulated self to keep walking. Lem does not know what to think of the story he had just heard. If anything, he began to feel bad for wolves. Like him, their lives were ruined inadvertently by the actions of others. For him, it was his parents who had eaten tainted beast meat. For them it was their ancestor who had investigated an anomalous phenomenon. He continued to think about the nature of anomalies, as they set out, leaving the carcass of the wolf king behind them. It would soon be set upon by dust cats and deathbears. If there were any remains, they would be consumed by wolves at night, leaving nothing left in the morning. Chapter 109 - If I Die, Then You Die [While he finishes carving the carcass of the wolf king, Master Brightflame tells you the story of how the wolf race was affected by a racial lock following the death of the Great Wolf Ancestor¡­ The martial elder tells you to continue leading the way, and you begin traveling again¡­ You arrive at the log where you found the spiritual mushrooms, and you begin traveling to the northwest, in the direction of the pond and the harvest tree¡­] As his simulated self passed by the log where he had found the spiritual mushrooms, Lem could not help but feel a thrill come over him. Ever since the conflict with the wolves, he had been infused with an irrational confidence that his simulated self would live to see the harvest tree. Now, although they were still about a day away, it felt like they were on the last leg of the journey. They were also crossing through a part of the forest where he had not encountered any dangerous beasts in the past. From his memory, he had only seen a small jade-eyed spider. The sun was still high in the sky, but he doubted they would make it before it fell. They continued traveling. Lem came out of an unproductive meditation session. He saw that his simulated self had begun stealing glances at Master Brightflame. It was impossible for him to understand their relationship. Every action the martial elder took felt like it contradicted the last. Lem was just about to sink into another meditation session, when he saw alarm come from his simulated self. His eyes had been scanning the forest as a matter of routine procedure, when he detected slight movement in his periphery from a cluster of branches high up in the treetops.This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. Lem¡¯s simulated self focused on the moving branches. He could immediately tell that the patterns of motion were unnatural, clearly caused by a beast. A tyrant sloth? Moments later, his suspicions were confirmed. A sloping arm with long claws moved into view before disappearing behind leaf-cover. Lem¡¯s simulated self opened his mouth. He was about to point the tyrant sloth out to Master Brightflame, when the martial elder shook his head. ¡°You don¡¯t have to say anything, I see it,¡± he muttered. [As you are traveling with Master Brightflame, you see a tyrant sloth high above in the trees. You and the elder both notice it, but it does not come down, so you keep walking¡­] As a few minutes passed without sight of the sloth again, Lem¡¯s simulated self became relaxed again. There were a number of times over the course of his simulations that he had seen tyrant sloths from afar without being attacked. Perhaps this time was just like¡­ A couple of nearby trees began to shake violently, and a five-meter long tyrant sloth suddenly leapt down from above. The trees were pushed aside and broken by its massive girth. Crack! Crack! Crack! As it plummeted, its arms grabbed onto the damaged trunks to control the fall, snapping them like rotten wood in the process. Crack! Crack! Crack! From his detached perspective, Lem wondered whether the tyrant sloth would be difficult for Master Brightflame to handle. It was large, but it was extremely slow when compared to the martial elder. Somehow it seemed inferior. His simulated self did not have such thoughts. He was only filled with a natural fear that came from a difference in life level. ¡°We are only passing through,¡± Master Brightflame said loudly, his eyes fixed on the sloth. It bellowed aggressively in response as it neared ground level. The answer was unequivocal. Each arm was large enough to dwarf both of them in size. And the claws at the end¡­ Master Brightflame glanced angrily at Lem¡¯s simulated self. He shrunk back. ¡°If I die, then you die,¡± the martial elder said plainly, before turning his attention back to the sloth. Chapter 110 - Plaything [A few minutes later, you hear a rumbling in the brush, and a mature tyrant sloth descends from the sky. It is the height of three men, and nearly as fast as the wolf king.] The body of the tyrant sloth landed with an enormous impact, breaking up the forest floor and sending gusts of dirt clumps and a cascade of fluttering leaves into the air. The roots of several nearby trees were twisted up through the ground, where they poked out nakedly through jagged patches of shuffled dirt. As the debris from the impact flew around him, Lem¡¯s simulated self entered a dazed state. Even with all of the beasts he had come across, the immense monsters and terrifying sights, nothing had carried the visceral threat of the massive sloth. The stature of the beast made it seem like an impossible opponent, and yet Master Brightflame stood in opposition to it, the gusts causing his crimson robes to billow behind him like a cape. The martial master was all that stood between him and the sloth. ARAAAAAA! The tyrant sloth bellowed. Lem marveled at its gargantuan features. Truly, the juvenile tyrant sloth was a mere plaything compared to the adult. For a moment, there was a delicate balance in the air, as the beast eyed Master Brightflame. They were on the precipice of conflict and Lem could not even imagine the scale of the fighting.Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more. How did such a creature fight? It could uproot a tree and wield it like a weapon if it so choosed. ¡°I don¡¯t want to kill you,¡± Master Brightflame said, his voice flat. The words seemed to ignite the fighting spirit in the tyrant sloth, and it sprung forward, an unstoppable force directed at the martial elder, and behind him, Lem¡¯s simulated self¡­ Lem sensed a feeling of dread coming from his body, as though he was being confronted with death itself. Time seemed to slow down imperceptibly, causing his perception to become slightly askew. A few more trees were leveled, as the tyrant sloth barrelled through the forest. Lem¡¯s simulated self suddenly felt his shoulder being grabbed. He felt a distinct but immensely powerful tug, as he suddenly became airborne. His waist was grabbed and his vision became a mess of indecipherable movements and colors. A feeling of weightlessness. Before he knew what had happened, his feet contacted the ground unsteadily, in a completely different part of the forest. His eyes adjusted to the jarring shift. He saw a line of broken trees, and the sloth bellowing again. Araa! ARAAAAAAA! His head felt like it was spinning and he nearly lost his feet. A moment later, his vision reoriented and his balance came back to him all at once. And then Lem¡¯s simulated self was tugged again, and his senses became garbled and incomprehensible. His feet touched the ground again, and the world righted itself. The only sense that Lem could make of the situation came from the simulation screen. [As the mature tyrant sloth lands, you are sent into a dazed state. The martial elder attempts to reason with the beast, but his words only provoke it further. The tyrant sloth charges, and the martial elder picks you up as he dodges the attack.] Chapter 111 - Cacophony Lem¡¯s simulated self would have keeled over and thrown up if he had been given the time to collapse, but the martial elder maintained a firm grip on his body. ¡°Bastard sloth,¡± he barked angrily. The words seemed like they were floating through Lem¡¯s ears. His simulated self could vaguely hear them. His eyes were still adjusting and could not even see the sloth. As he was collecting himself, he was jolted from his feet and he became airborne again. The world whizzed by his body in a surreal blur. His feet touched hard ground. He was jolted from his feet. His feet touched the ground. Even though he was being given disorienting feedback from his body, Lem could separate out the confusing aspects and understand roughly what was happening. The tyrant sloth was attacking in wild charges that leveled huge swathes of the forest. Master Brightflame was dodging the charges while carrying his simulated self to keep him safe. ¡°Stop,¡± the martial elder called out. Once again, Lem¡¯s simulated self felt as though the words were floating through his head. He was jolted and taken airborne, before his feet landed on the ground. This time, he was no longer being held. His body swam through the air before his face collided with the ground. Oof!You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story. He could feel the hard, cold contact of a solid layer of dirt and leaves pressed up against his face and digging into his mouth and nose. For a moment, Lem¡¯s simulated self still did not know what was happening. Everything had come too suddenly for him to understand. A moment later, he attempted to lift his head. The sounds of falling trees filled his ears with a cacophony of sounds. His sense of balance was confused, and he accidentally drove his head back into the ground. Ooof! His stomach began expelling its contents up his throat, and he vomited directly into the ground, and into his face. [After carrying you with him for a few disorienting seconds, the martial elder finally lets go of you, depositing you in a relatively safe area away from the battlefield. You fall to the ground and throw up as you attempt to regain your wits.] ¡°Stop!¡± The sound seemed magnified in Lem¡¯s ears as the world suddenly came into focus and began to settle. He lifted his head from the ground again. In the distance, he could see warm sunlight bathing large sections of the forest, where the trees had all been toppled. A bit farther away, he saw the tyrant sloth running on all fours. The small figure of the martial elder seemed to pop in and out of existence. It seemed absurd when he compared his own fights to what he was witnessing. For a moment, Lem¡¯s simulated self felt a wet sensation on his face, before he scrambled to wipe everything off with his sleeve. He blinked a few times. ¡°Stop,¡± Master Brightflame called again. Lem could not see the expression on the martial elder¡¯s face, but he could hear the impatience in his voice. Then, the tone of the battle shifted. The tyrant sloth ran forward but the martial elder did not move out of the way. Lem saw from afar the lumbering figure swing its massive arm, before being rebounded backwards. The colossal form smashed through a few trees before it landed on its feet again. ARAAAAAAAAAA! Chapter 112 - Losing Patience The angry bellows of the tyrant sloth echoed loudly. Even though Lem¡¯s simulated self was sitting a hundred meters away it made his ears ring. The moment that the sloth had finished crying out, it charged forward again, swinging its arm down like a hammer on Master Brightflame¡¯s ant-like form. The attack was repelled again, and the sloth was once again sent tumbling through the air, breaking more trees in the process. Lem could tell that the martial elder had blocked the arm directly. The tyrant sloth showed no signs of harm as it charged forward again. This time, the martial elder avoided the huge arm, allowing it to swing perilously close to his face before he moved a dozen meters out of the way. The sloth attacked again, swinging its arm in another hammerblow. The claws sliced through the air. Master Brightflame moved back again, avoiding it by another slight margin. It was as though they had entered a dance. And then, the martial elder struck back, and the tyrant sloth was flung through the air again. The pattern continued. Sometimes, Master Brightflame dodged, and sometimes he sent the sloth flying, but Lem could sense that he was holding back. He was reluctant to kill the beast and risk upsetting a larger power. It was a surreal experience for Lem¡¯s simulated self. Each time the tyrant sloth attacked and was repelled, it broke apart dozens of trees. The twenty and thirty meter pillars constantly toppling over gave him a strange discomfort. For all the time that Lem had spent in the forest, they had been fixtures of the environment.Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. Now, most of the trees in the area had been leveled, exposing a clear sky above the newly cleared field. As the sloth was sent flying repeatedly, the battle moved farther and farther away from Lem¡¯s simulated self. Moments later, they had vanished from view. Lem¡¯s simulated self could still hear the bellows of the sloth in the distance. He finally stood up, regaining his feet after what seemed like an eternity. Even though it had only been a few minutes, he had been sent through a whirlwind of events. His body felt tired and out of sorts. Being pulled through the air at high speeds had strained it in unusual ways. He stretched his arms, and shook his head, trying to recalibrate. The bellows of the sloth gradually increased again. Lem¡¯s simulated self frowned and squinted. Hundreds of meters away, the forest-line was breaking apart. A moment later, the tyrant sloth was sent flying through a few of the trees that were still standing, and back into view. It stood up and bellowed. Araa! Araa! ARAAAAA! The tyrant sloth was now clearly suffering. When it had disappeared moments before, it had looked untouched, but Lem could see that it was now covered in scrapes. Streams of blood were falling down its sides and back. The martial elder was losing his patience. BANG! Lem did not see the attack, but the tyrant sloth was sent flying at an incredible speed, creating an explosion of trees. When the debris settled, there was a visible crater in the ground. It was obvious where the injuries had come from. No matter how durable the beast was, if it was flung hard enough, eventually it would begin to bleed. Lem¡¯s simulated self could sense that the battle would be over soon. And then, it was. As the tyrant sloth was slowly rising from the crater, Master Brightflame suddenly appeared, slamming it back down with a kick, and then pinning it beneath his foot. The martial elder did not move, but Lem heard a sickening crunch. The form of the tyrant sloth suddenly caved and separated into two parts. He did not see what the martial elder had done to finish it off, but it was clear that the tyrant sloth was dead. Chapter 113 - Beast And Man [You watch from afar as Master Brightflame battles with the tyrant sloth. At first, he avoids hurting the beast, but eventually he loses patience. Before you can react, the martial elder kills the tyrant sloth.] The moment that the tyrant sloth had been broken in half, Lem¡¯s simulated self began walking back towards Master Brightflame, who had already taken out his carving knife and begun to cut into the huge body. The battle was over, and Lem¡¯s simulated self could not quite understand what he had witnessed. At the beginning he had been too close to catch the details and at the end he had been too far. He surveyed the destroyed landscape around him. Everywhere, there were splintered trees. The few that were untouched stood out as stark reminders of what the forest had looked like a moment ago. Lem could not help but feel a thrill run through him. He imagined the battle from the perspective of Master Brightflame, reconstructing the buildup. He had warned the sloth repeatedly. Then he had sneered at it. His rage increased before he finally snapped. Bark in my face, will you!Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators! It didn¡¯t matter that the beast was countless times larger than he was, it was toppled all the same. Unfortunately, he had barely been able to make out the martial elder¡¯s body, much less his expression. [As you approach Master Brightflame, he begins to dissect the tyrant sloth.] Lem¡¯s simulated self stopped a few meters away from the martial elder. The corpse of the tyrant sloth only rose to shoulder height while stretched out, reminding Lem of the hill-sized tyrant sloth that had been covered in dust cats. Big as this one was, it was nothing next to other beasts he had already seen. Master Brightflame was cutting up the tyrant sloth¡¯s liver with his usual efficiency. Lem watched as the martial elder finished putting a few pieces away and stacking the container next to a few others that were filled with sloth organs. The martial elder turned and looked at Lem¡¯s simulated self. ¡°What a nuisance. Do you know the fundamental difference between beasts and man?¡± Lem¡¯s simulated self opened his mouth to respond, but the martial elder did not let him speak. ¡°Civility! Civility is the difference. Some of these beasts are so full of spiritual energy that they think they are immortal, and they would rather die than leave a human alone.¡± Master Brightflame began putting away the containers angrily. In a matter of seconds, they had vanished and the bag had slung over his back again. ¡°Come! Let''s make ourselves scarce before this place attracts a crowd.¡± Lem¡¯s simulated self nodded and began leading the eccentric martial elder again. They had wandered a bit off of the path he remembered, but they were close enough that it was easy to correct for. ¡°I am surprised you were able to make this journey before,¡± Master Brightflame said, turning to Lem¡¯s simulated self. ¡°With all the beasts around and your unreliable intuition, it must have been difficult for you.¡± ¡°I was lucky.¡± Lem¡¯s simulated self did not answer further. By now, he was used to the remarks of the martial elder. As long as he was alive, he would not complain. Chapter 114 - Involved In Murders [When you reach the martial elder, he stops dissecting the corpse and instructs you to keep walking. You begin traveling again¡­ The martial elder comments that he is surprised that you were able to make this journey before, as there are many beasts present. You reply that you were lucky, and the elder does not press you¡­] They had barely put the battlefield behind them, when Master Brightflame spoke up again. ¡°We have to hope that that wasn¡¯t the long lost grandchild of anyone important,¡± he muttered. Lem¡¯s simulated self did not want to comment, but he was confused. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t we already be dead if it was?¡± ¡°Do you think we can dictate terms with those ancient beasts?¡± The martial elder gave a scathing glance. ¡°If they want to kill us they must do so immediately, or lose the right to attack?¡± ¡°How would they learn of our involvement after the fact?¡± ¡°The ancient patriarchs have their ways. They are not like us. Even if years pass, they would still have the capability to identify the perpetrator.¡± Master Brightflame saw that Lem¡¯s simulated self was still confused, so he clarified. ¡°Everything in the world has an aura that stains the karma of what it interacts with - or something to that effect. In any case, our actions leave imprints in the world, we are just at too low of a level to perceive it. ¡°The ancient patriarchs do not take an active role in the lives of their descendants. Suppose the great, great grandfather of that tyrant sloth was currently in seclusion. Decades could pass before he wakes up.This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there. ¡°But when he does, and he senses the karmic ties around him and realizes that he has one less idiot in his family¡­¡± Snap! Master Brightflame snapped his finger. ¡°The two of us¡­¡± He glanced at Lem¡¯s simulated self. ¡°Or likely just me¡­would die in a second. And this is all because of an action that I might no longer remember. They say that all of our actions are stained with karma, but nothing quite helps me understand this like the thought of a thousand-meter beast pinching me to death because his descendent went off and killed itself by my hand.¡± Lem¡¯s simulated self felt his chest tighten. Lem knew what he was thinking about. He had already killed a tyrant sloth only days prior. Even though he had known that there were ancient beasts who could kill him for such offenses it had not scared him because he had never been pursued even when he took all of the prior simulations into account. In reality, there could be a latent danger that had not caught up to him yet. Now, he was involved in another murder¡­ Lem knew he had to pay attention to the actions he took with his real body. He was thankful that he had not killed any beasts outside of simulations yet, but he also knew that certain situations could leave him with little choice. ¡°How likely is it that this tyrant sloth had such a connection,¡± his simulated self asked. Master Brightflame shrugged. ¡°Who can say? It is not a large chance, but the difficulty is the uncertainty. Every time you kill a beast, you add to the threat that will hang over your head for the rest of your life.¡± Lem¡¯s simulated self felt slightly more secure. [The martial elder makes a comment expressing his hope that the tyrant sloth did not have a powerful ancestor. You ask about the capabilities of such ancestors and learn that it is impossible to evade their pursuit or hide your involvement. At the same time, you learn that it can take years for the ancestor to act. Thinking about your role in the deaths of multiple tyrant sloths, you feel unnerved¡­] Chapter 115 - Trouble With Cultivation After Master Brightflame finished speaking, his gaze did not leave Lem¡¯s simulated self. Lem did not know what the martial elder was thinking about. Was the martial elder thinking about his intuition again? There had yet to be a serious danger, or at least anything that was serious for the martial elder, so his simulated self could plausibly say that his intuition had not failed him yet. Perhaps Master Brightflame was thinking about this very problem. As long as they were safe, it was uncertain whether his intuition had failed him. However, if a lethal danger presented itself, the martial elder could learn far too late that Lem¡¯s simulated self had nothing to rely on. If the ancestor of the tyrant sloth suddenly appeared, it would do Master Brightflame no good to tell it that he had been deceived by Lem¡¯s simulated self all along. Eventually, the martial elder looked away and Lem¡¯s simulated self could breathe easy, as they continued to travel through the forest. The day passed by in a surprisingly calm fashion. Apart from a few rabbits, they had not been disturbed by any more beasts. When the afternoon grew late, it seemed increasingly unlikely that there would be any more unwelcome surprises. Lem was excited. At their current pace, they would encounter the harvest tree sometime around the morning. It felt like good news to him, but the sense of danger had not yet disappeared for his simulated self. When Master Brightflame finally saw the promised spiritual lily, there was no way of predicting what his response would be. [As night begins to fall, Master Brightflame stops you, and you set up camp. The elder tells you to cultivate¡­]This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there. Lem paid attention as his simulated self closed his eyes and began to picture the visualization diagram. They had stopped in another open stretch of forest similar to the campsite from the previous night. When Master Brightflame told him to cultivate, his simulated self did not think twice about it. He was already in hot water and did not want to disobey the martial elder. At the same time, he would have cultivated even if he hadn¡¯t been told to. This was his second cultivation session. In the first, he had learned how to visualize the mountain properly. Now, he was attempting to stir the spiritual energy within his body in preparation for circulating it through his meridians. Lem¡¯s simulated self began performing the breathing technique. In. Out. In. Out. The spiritual energy was not moving. Lem did not have access to the mind of his simulated self, but he was sure that it was drifting into thought. In. Out. In. Out. Lem could tell from the frustration and anxiety in his body that his simulated self was trying to focus, but was finding it difficult. He opened his eyes. He was prepared to make an excuse, but he found that he did not have to. Master Brightflame was sitting down in the grass, eyes closed and legs crossed. From the gentle feeling on Lem¡¯s skin, he could tell that the martial elder was cultivating. It was clear that he valued Lem¡¯s simulated self less and less, not even bothering to instruct him anymore. Lem¡¯s simulated self did not mind the martial elder¡¯s attitude at that moment. If Master Brightflame was still taking an active interest in his progress, he was sure that he would only frustrate the elder further with his incompetence. Lem¡¯s simulated self closed his eyes again. He attempted to banish his unnecessary thoughts and cultivate. Unfortunately, his mindset was still wrong, and he could not make any progress. [Finding difficulty with cultivation, you open your eyes and see that the martial elder is cultivating and no longer paying attention to you¡­ You attempt to cultivate several more times, but you cannot keep your thoughts still¡­ You consider trying to access the rest of the [Mountain Sitting Technique], but you remember how difficult it was to learn the First Chapter, and you fear that it will be impossible to digest. You eat from your rations and fall asleep¡­] Chapter 116 - Where Was The Threat? [Day 13: As you wake up, you feel slightly weaker due to the evil power consuming your vitality¡­] Lem was broken out of his meditation by his simulated self opening his eyes. Lem was deep in thought. The past day and night, he had felt that the rate at which he experienced insights were slowing down. He did not know if it was because of his limited comprehension abilities, or because his thinking was too abstract and he did not have any way of directly testing his ideas. No matter what the reason, the past night had been less productive than that of the first night. After Lem¡¯s simulated self woke up, he found that the martial elder was also awake. Neither of them was in a mood for talking, so they quickly prepared for the last stretch of the journey before setting out in stony silence. [You continue traveling northwest, leading the martial elder in the direction of the harvest tree¡­] Compared to the mood of the journey, Lem was in good spirits despite his slowing rate of improvement. He remembered that Master Brightflame had told his simulated self that if he did not use his intuition, he would not make it to the third day. Whatever else happened, he had at least proven the martial elder wrong. Less than two hours into the day, Lem¡¯s simulated self was interrupted from his thoughts by a slight feeling of spirituality. He looked and found the fingernail-sized berry from the previous simulation. He picked it off of the bush and was about to eat it when he remembered the presence of the martial elder. Lem¡¯s simulated self looked up. As expected, Master Brightflame was staring at him. ¡°Would you like¡­¡± Lem¡¯s simulated self trailed off when he saw the martial elder shaking his head in disgust.Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings. ¡°Eat it if you must but don¡¯t slow us down.¡± Lem¡¯s simulated self hurriedly nodded. He stuffed it in his mouth as he continued walking. [As you walk, you encounter a pleasant sensation, disrupting your thoughts. You look and find a faintly spiritual berry. You look at Master Brightflame, unsure of what to do. The martial elder does not want it¡­ You eat the berry, but the improvement to your vitality is negligible. You continue traveling¡­] They were getting close to the harvest tree. Lem was counting down the minutes in anticipation. He was about to learn either the strength of the martial elder, the strength of the harvest tree, or the true nature of the evil flower. No matter what, it would be extremely useful information for future simulations. His simulated self was in a similar state of anticipation, albeit tempered by the fears of what would happen to him as a result of the conflict. And then, he felt it. The comfortable feeling of spiritual energy was dispersed throughout the air and difficult to pin down. He now knew that this was because the source of energy was dozens of meters away. He had made it. Lem¡¯s simulated self cast a worried look at Master Brightflame, who was standing a couple of meters behind him. The martial elder did not have a reaction on his face. How strange. If even Lem¡¯s simulated self could feel the spiritual energy, then surely Master Brightflame could as well. His perception was far better than that of Lem''s simulated self. It had to be, otherwise his decades of cultivation would have all been a complete joke. Was he unimpressed by it? ¡°What are you playing at?¡± Master Brightflame¡¯s voice was unexpectedly harsh. Lem was surprised again, this time by the words. What was he playing at? Was the martial elder complaining about the spiritual energy? Was it still too mediocre for his tastes? But Lem¡¯s simulated self knew that the diluted effect was only because of how far away it was. Shouldn¡¯t the martial elder also be able to sense this? Or could Master Brightflame already detect that the spiritual lily was too weak? Or had he sensed the harvest tree? Neither Lem nor his simulated self could understand. His simulated self was about to answer, when the martial elder spoke up again. ¡°If you do not reveal yourself, then I can assure you that it will be your final regret.¡± Lem¡¯s simulated self looked around vigilantly. So there was a threatening presence hiding in the forest. Where was it? Chapter 117 - Escorting An Old Villager [As you are walking, you notice a pleasant feeling, and you recognize it as the feeling of spiritual energy. You know that you have finally come across the pond and the harvest tree. You turn around, and notice an odd expression on Master Brightflame¡¯s face. The martial elder begins making threats, and you grow confused.] ¡°What is the problem?¡± Lem¡¯s simulated self whispered. The martial elder turned around abruptly, before looking directly ahead. ¡°Master Brightflame?¡± ¡°What are you playing at?¡± The martial elder repeated himself, his voice cold. ¡°I don¡¯t understand.¡± ¡°Where did you go?¡± Suddenly, Lem¡¯s simulated self felt a wonderful feeling spread through his body. It came from a realization. Lem recognized what was happening at the same moment. For some reason, the martial elder could no longer see him! Perhaps the spiritual region around the pond had some strange warding effect that only affected those in higher realms. In any case, he was free! He no longer had to wait nervously, hoping that Master Brightflame did not kill him on a whim. All he had to do was sneak off into the forest, and the martial elder would be none the wiser. Afterward, he would find a quiet place to cultivate in peace. Lem could already imagine it. The martial elder¡¯s next words cut into his excitement like a knife. ¡°If I do not hear your voice in the next few seconds, I will burn down everything within a kilometer of here.¡±Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation. Lem¡¯s simulated self was filled with a sense of crisis. Lem doubted whether Master Brightflame would be able to carry out his threat, but the fear of the martial elder was ingrained in his simulated self. For a split second his simulated self was torn. What were the chances that he would actually be able to escape? Then, his fear of Master Brightflame overrode the thought of freedom. Lem¡¯s simulated self cleared his throat. ¡°I did not wander off or do anything,¡± he quickly said, moving towards the martial elder. ¡°I¡¯m only standing a few meters away.¡± He smiled, trying to play off his momentary intention to leave. [After a moment, you realize from Master Brightflame¡¯s words that he can no longer see you. You consider abandoning him. For a moment, you are prepared to run away, but then he threatens to burn down the nearby forest, and your fear restrains you.] Master Brightflame finally saw Lem¡¯s simulated self, and he narrowed his eyes. ¡°Where should I walk?¡± ¡°Here,¡± Lem¡¯s simulated self pointed, and walked forward again. He waited for the martial elder to come up beside him. ¡°It didn¡¯t work. Explain what is going on.¡± Lem¡¯s simulated self turned around in confusion. He quickly saw that the martial elder had taken a few steps in the wrong direction. Somehow, he had been led astray. ¡°You did not, ahem, you did not walk in the correct¡­¡± He stopped speaking when he saw a puzzled look on Master Brightflame¡¯s face. The martial elder closed his eyes. ¡°Tell me the direction again. To my left or to my right?¡± ¡°Left and forward,¡± Lem¡¯s simulated self said promptly. Master Brightflame slowly lifted his foot and put it down¡­in the wrong place. ¡°Ah, that step was not right. And that was wrong too. Those are all wrong.¡± Master Brightflame stopped again. ¡°Hold my hand.¡± Lem¡¯s simulated self stepped forward hesitantly. He saw the extended arm and felt some fear. ¡°Go on,¡± the martial elder barked. Lem¡¯s simulated self quickly grabbed ahold of the hand. It felt strangely normal, as though he was escorting an old villager through the field. ¡°Now move.¡± Lem¡¯s simulated self slowly took steps in the direction of the spiritual energy. All of a sudden, his arm was jerked back. The moment he had pulled Master Brightflame¡¯s hand, the martial elder had not cooperated. It felt as though he had tried to uproot a tree. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Master Brightflame asked. ¡°Did I tell you to stop?¡± Chapter 118 - Losing The Dignified Image [You try to guide the martial elder verbally, but he continues to move in the wrong direction. You take his hand and try to guide him physically, but you find that he is immovable.] ¡°I tried to guide you, but you wouldn''t move,¡± Lem¡¯s simulated self said quickly, not wanting to take any blame for what had happened. He did not understand what the problem was. As far as he could see, there wasn¡¯t any physical impediment in the martial elder¡¯s path. Was Master Brightflame¡¯s sense of direction so distorted by the warding effect that he could no longer move to his left? The martial elder paused, as he considered what Lem¡¯s simulated self had said. ¡°Guide me again.¡± Lem¡¯s simulated self began walking again with Master Brightflame in tow. This time, the martial elder went weirdly limp in his hand, forcing Lem¡¯s simulated self to exert more pressure to move him forward. Lem¡¯s simulated self looked down the end of his arm and saw that Master Brightflame had partially collapsed onto the ground. He could not help but lose the dignified image that he associated with the martial elder. ¡°Keep pulling,¡± Master Brightflame said. Even in his compromised position, he had not lost his domineering tone.Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. ¡°Yes, senior,¡± Lem¡¯s simulated self said quickly. Lem could not help but reflect on the strangeness of the situation. His simulated self was in the middle of the forest, holding the hand of an unfathomably powerful senior who was semi-collapsed, while he pulled him through the brush. It all seemed too strange to be believed. With Master Brightflame no longer resisting the pulling, Lem¡¯s simulated self quickly made progress. In two strides, he pulled the martial elder a couple of meters forward, passing through some form of invisible barrier. Master Brightflame righted himself again, regaining some of his image. ¡°I can see you, and it feels as though the effect is gone,¡± he said, looking around. ¡°Hmm, that is a good sign. The spiritual energy is incredibly dispersed.¡± Lem¡¯s simulated self stopped. He did not know whether he should drop the martial elder¡¯s hand. Was it unseemly? ¡°Move forward. I¡¯ll keep holding on to you, just in case I am still under some form of bewilderment.¡± Master Brightflame gestured with a nod. ¡°Continue, boy, continue.¡± ¡°Yes, senior.¡± When Lem¡¯s simulated self began pulling the martial elder again, this time there was no more resistance. Master Brightflame began muttering. ¡°No wonder it would be so close and yet still be undiscovered.¡± The feeling of spirituality grew more powerful. Lem¡¯s simulated self felt the martial elder release his hand. ¡°The effect is undoubtedly gone,¡± Master Brightflame said. Lem¡¯s simulated self quickly withdrew his arm and gave a slight bow. When he looked up again, Master Brightflame was gone. [Eventually, you manage to pull the martial elder past the area of restriction. He disappears before your eyes, and you once again briefly consider escaping.] Chapter 119 - Intoxicated Lem¡¯s simulated self turned back. He stared into the trees and bushes. Somewhere in the middle of the undergrowth was a supposed invisible barrier that could distort the martial elder¡¯s perception. Lem knew what was going through his mind. Did the barrier work in both directions? If he ran to the other side, would Master Brightflame detect it? This led to the larger and more heavy questions¡­ What were the chances that the martial elder would kill him if he stayed? Was it worth it taking the risk? It was a moment that required cold calculation. Even if Master Brightflame was gone from sight, Lem was sure that the martial elder could still sense him. This meant that if his simulated self ran through the barrier, the martial elder would know, and would likely pursue him after he finished dealing with the harvest tree. Of course, there was the chance that Master Brightflame would not enter into conflict with the harvest tree in the first place. If the spiritual lily was not potent enough, or the harvest tree seemed too dangerous, he could forgo the lily and turn back around. In this situation, if Lem¡¯s simulated self decided to flee, he would be dealt with directly. No matter how much Lem stretched his thinking, it was impossible to believe that he could survive the wrath of the martial elder.You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story. It appeared that Lem¡¯s simulated self had come to a similar conclusion. He reluctantly tore his eyes away from the invisible barrier and began walking in the direction of the pond. The feeling of spirituality continued to increase. It began to relax his body, and then give him the sensation of bliss. He could not help himself. Even though he knew of the danger ahead, with every passing tree he could not help but feel more exuberant. In the simulation where he had encountered the harvest tree, he had been caught off guard and completely captured by the intoxicating sensation of spirituality. In that state, it had felt like he was walking towards paradise. With his current awareness of the surrounding dangers and his anticipation beforehand of the spirituality, it did not have quite the same effect as it had then, but it still was not far off. This spoke to the potency of spiritual energy! Prepare for it or not, it will affect you! Lem¡¯s simulated self continued walking. As he passed by a small copse of arrow trees, the scene of the still pond filled with gently swaying water lilies revealed itself. This time, the barren and gnarled harvest tree was completely conspicuous, drawing his attention away from the perfect water lily. The martial elder was standing a short distance away from Lem¡¯s simulated self. He was staring into the water with a familiar expression of rapture. [You approach the pond in the same direction from your memories, and it comes into sight. You see the martial elder staring into the water and guess that he is possessed by greed for the spiritual water lily.] ¡°A treasure, a treasure, so close to the town. It is lying under the noses of all of those old dogs and they cannot even see it.¡± The martial elder muttered to himself in excitement. He cast his eyes towards the harvest tree in a furtive motion and then turned them back to the water lily, where they were riveted again. ¡°How to get it? The harvest tree is in the way. It will no doubt be triggered the moment I approach the water¡­¡± Chapter 120 - Title Of Brightflame Lem was impressed with the performance of his simulated self. Even if the spirituality had a disproportionate effect on those at higher realms of cultivation, the current state of the martial elder demonstrated how difficult it was to operate normally around the water lily. Yet, despite this, his simulated self had kept his rationality, albeit with a huge internal struggle. The perfect water lily swayed with a mesmerizing rhythm in the water. It almost felt like it was trying to entrap everything around it. The martial elder suddenly spoke, but he did not move his eyes away from the water as a big smile crept over his features. ¡°I don¡¯t even care that you neglected to mention the harvest tree. You are my lucky star, boy. After all this is done, I¡¯ll bring you back to the martial school and make you my personal disciple.¡± Lem¡¯s simulated self did not know whether to laugh or to cry. The martial elder¡¯s mind was clearly distorted, and he knew that he could not trust the words that were coming out of his mouth. However, he immediately felt a chill run down his spine when Master Brightflame continued. ¡°In the end, there were no mishaps. I should not have doubted your intuition! You know, boy, I was this close to killing you yesterday. I was sure that you had been lying to me all along, but the stories of the water lily were too compelling. I then decided that I would kill you after we found the water lily.This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. ¡°But that is all over, boy, you don¡¯t have to worry. You are my lucky star.¡± Lem¡¯s simulated self panicked. He felt trapped, as though there were walls closing in on him from all sides. He should have run away when he had the chance! Master Brightflame was oblivious to the emotions of Lem¡¯s simulated self, as his attention had been drawn back to the harvest tree. The gray-blue trunk seemed as though it was taunting him, serving as the only barrier between him and his rightful prize. ¡°In such a moment, am I really going to hesitate?¡± He bellowed angrily. ¡°Will I really fear a tree in the Spirit Refinement Realm? I have lived for four centuries as a man, and now I¡¯ll be stopped by a mere harvest tree? I don¡¯t believe this!¡± Master Brightflame seemed to grow in size at that moment. He straightened, making his crimson robes ripples. ¡°Watch carefully, boy, and I¡¯ll show you how I earned the title of Brightflame!¡± The martial elder took a step forward. Lem¡¯s simulated self felt a sudden fear erupt in him. A moment later, he became paralyzed. It was far worse than the previous times, where he lacked mobility but could still think. This time, it was as though his mind was frozen as well. He could not even muster an ordinary thought, much less a thought of resistance. Master Brightflame¡¯s hands seemed to crackle with a strange, hidden energy. There was an undercurrent of something imminent. As he watched, Lem felt that the scene was strangely serene. The harvest tree was motionless, its barren branches unmoving. The lilies in the pond had a gentle rhythm to their floating. Even the martial elder seemed to be moving quietly. He was twenty meters away from the harvest tree, and approaching with soft, steady steps. It was the calm before the storm. Chapter 121 – Nine Suns Technique [You hear Master Brightflame speaking semi-coherently, and you are slightly amused until you the martial elder admit that he wanted to kill you. You are terrified, thinking that you should have attempted to run away earlier. The martial elder approaches the harvest tree, and you grow paralyzed, unable to move your body or exercise your thoughts.] The air around Master Brightflame began to ripple and distort. Lem¡¯s simulated self felt a wave of heat pass over him, and he began to sweat. The martial elder began to glow. At first, it was only a slight effect, but the brightness quickly increased. If Lem¡¯s simulated self could make a decision, he would have turned away immediately, but he could not move. He was forced to watch as the light grew ever more intense. Before long, all he could see was a bright white glare, as though he was witnessing the birth of a sun. Lem wondered whether his simulated self was going to go blind. It felt like a hole was being burned through his eyes. And then, his simulated self suddenly regained control of his body. He forcefully averted his gaze and rapidly took steps backwards, stumbling into the bushes. He slipped behind a nearby tree and turned to look at the harvest tree. It was still motionless. ¡°Why don¡¯t you try my Nine Suns Technique on for size?¡±This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. Boom! A loud sound emitted from Master Brightflame. Lem¡¯s simulated self instinctively looked over in time to see an arc of miniature explosions tracing from the martial elder to the tree. It was a long chain of fire that detonated several trees that happened to lie in between them. Boom-boom-boom-boom-boom-BOOOM! The final explosion was much larger than all of the previous ones combined, and it landed directly on the harvest tree. A massive bright flare obscured the tree from view as it was ignited by blinding fire. Lem''s simulated self was forced to look away, as he protected his face from the onset of flying splinters. Wooden shrapnel from the other ordinary trees that had been smashed in the explosions flew through the air in a barrage. Even though Lem¡¯s simulated self was hiding behind cover, a few small pieces cut into arms and legs, and one cut across his cheek. The air began to rumble, giving a feeling that the entire world was about to break into calamity. Instinctively, Lem knew that it was the reaction of the tree, but all his simulated self could feel was a strong sense of danger. The flying debris slowly settled on the forest floor. A few moments later, the air was still and the brightness had disappeared. Lem¡¯s simulated self looked up from behind his arms. He could not help but give a double take at what he saw. The pond was covered in an incredible number of thick, gray roots that connected across its entire width. They sprung up everywhere from the ground, with many rising up directly from the bottom of the lake, all to protect the water lilies from damage. At the same time several of the harvest tree¡¯s branches had elongated to three times their normal length. They were projecting out twenty meters, to where they had ensnared Master Brightflame, gripping his lower body and holding him aloft, a dozen meters above the ground. Chapter 122 - Interrogation Flame [The martial elder begins to glow intensely, nearly blinding you. Somehow, you regain control of your body and stumble away, hiding behind a tree. You hear Master Brightflame scream about his [Nine Suns Technique], and you look back in time to see a chain of explosions that travel from the martial elder to the harvest tree, breaking apart several nearby trees and forcing you to protect your eyes from the debris. When you look back, you see that the harvest tree has protected the water lilies with its roots, and simultaneously bound Master Brightflame with its branches¡­] ¡°Is that all you have?¡± Master Brightflame yelled out, as though he was unaware of the branches that were wrapped around his legs and waist. Lem saw the branches tighten like the coils of a snake, reaching further up the martial elder¡¯s body. At the same time, Master Brightflame suddenly clapped his hands together. A bright red flame burst from between his palms, carrying with it an immense heat, as the entire world appeared to ripple from heat distortion. Lem¡¯s simulated self thought that his entire body was about to be cooked to death. He could feel his skin searing, and he began to scramble backwards again. ¡°Interrogation Flame!¡± Master Brightflame clapped his hands again, creating large flames and Lem¡¯s simulated self felt a dreadful premonition. His legs began immobile again, and yet he felt a morbid fascination. Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings. Lem knew that the mental faculties of his simulated self had ceased to function again. The gray-blue of the harvest tree turned red and fiery. Master Brightflame clapped again. More flames spurt from his palms and the heat increased. ¡°Impervious on the outside, but how tough are your insides!¡± The harvest tree looked like it was about to combust any moment, but Lem¡¯s attention was drawn to the martial elder. At some point in time, his appearance had changed drastically, like he had lost most of his body weight. His skin was now shrunken, clinging close to the bone, and his hair seemed thin and unseemly. ¡°Hahahaha,¡± Master Brightflame laughed loudly, as he clapped his hands again. The harvest tree suddenly immolated, shooting flames dozens of meters into the air. Lem felt that time had stopped. The world seemed to blink, and the flames were gone, but the harvest tree had turned completely black. The heat in the air had disappeared completely. The world blinked again, and the tree was back to normal. Its gray-blue hues were just the same as before, and it appeared to be unharmed by any of the martial elder¡¯s attacks. What was that? Lem questioned the sensations that had just occurred, but he could not come up with an explanation. Master Brightflame¡¯s attacks seemed understandable enough, as did the physical movements of the harvest tree, but how had it made the fire and the heat disappear, much less reverse the damage it had taken? A moment later, Lem¡¯s shock increased. It wasn¡¯t just the harvest tree that had reverted to normal. All of the other trees that had been broken by the martial elder¡¯s attacks were similarly back to normal, giving Lem an eerie feeling. No matter what the martial elder did, could the harvest tree just reverse the results? He had never heard of a harvest tree, or any plant for that matter, that had such properties! What kind of tree was this? Chapter 123 - Fancy Trick [The martial elder does not seem to be concerned by the branches that are entangling him, and he begins to clap. Flames begin to burst out of his palms and the heat of the surrounding area increases precipitously. The harvest tree looks as though it is about to burst into flame, and you feel as though your skin is about to boil. In a hazy state, close to death, you hear the name of the technique that the martial elder is now using, [Interrogation Flame]. The harvest tree bursts into flame, and suddenly, the world appears to blink multiple times. A split second later, all of the effects of Master Brightflame¡¯s attacks have disappeared, including the searing heat.] ¡°What a fancy trick! But, I wonder if you can repeat it!¡± Master Brightflame twisted his ghoulish features into a smile. Clap! Clap! Clap! As the martial elder began to clap, enormous spurts of flame erupted from his palms, twisting in the air like giant snakes as they crashed towards the harvest tree, sending flames everywhere. Lem never saw the harvest tree move, as the branches instantly shifted place and blocked the wall of fire from contacting the trunk. The heat in the air began to increase again. Master Brightflame¡¯s hair was on fire, but he continued to laugh and clap, shooting flames from his palms. His appearance had only grown increasingly more skeletal, and Lem wondered how much longer he could sustain his attacks before he died. Clap! Clap! Clap! Clap! After the momentary reprieve, the ambient heat in the air had increased to a new high, and it kept soaring. It was so intense that Lem¡¯s simulated self could no longer think.The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement. Master Brightflame stopped laughing abruptly. ¡°You,¡± he exclaimed with sudden horror. ¡°My senses have been addled all this time. The heavens have truly forsaken me! To pit me against this abomination-you!¡± Lem¡¯s simulated self felt the martial elder¡¯s gaze lock on to him. He felt his body freeze again under the threat. Again, he had no power over his movements, and was robbed even of the ability to think. Lem knew that it was impossible to escape. His body would not naturally perform the [Nine Bull Fist] without being commanded to do so, and even if it could, he was not sure that it would work. ¡°Leading me here with your stories and your damn intuition!¡± Master Brightflame clapped, but the motion was feeble, a far cry from his earlier performance. It was clearly an act performed with none of the substance from earlier, devoid of true essence. However, Lem¡¯s simulated self had capabilities that were far beneath those of the harvest tree. It felt as though he had been engulfed in flames. Extreme pain shot through his body. Even Lem, from his detached position, was shocked at the sheer intensity of the sensation. He had the morbid thought that it was good that his ability to think had been arrested by the freezing effect of the martial elder¡¯s attack. The pain continued to increase, until he saw that his simulated self had actually become engulfed in flame. Lem could feel his skin beginning to melt from the heat. Was the simulation going to end? It felt like the current iteration of his simulated self had used the luck of the ten previous simulations not to have died already. There were at least three points of luck that had been used. The first had been finding Lang Town without mishap. The second was his escaping from the first conflict with Master Brightflame unharmed. The third had been his success in tricking the martial elder, allowing him to use the [Mountain Sitting Technique] and travel through the forest with a protector. Even though it looked like he would die before he could read the entire technique, Lem could not complain with the results. He had barely been able to handle the First Chapter, and he doubted he would have been able to memorize the Second Chapter. While his simulated self was fixed in place and was silently being burned alive, Lem waited for the cold release of death. Chapter 124 - Charred Skeleton [Master Brightflame continues to clap and send streams of fire towards the harvest tree while he withers away. When he finally realizes that he is on the brink of death, he bemoans his fate, before turning his ire on you. You feel your body freeze in place and burst into flame.] ¡°I should have never trusted-¡± His simulated self was in no position to make observations, but Lem heard the martial elder¡¯s voice being cut off. Was Master Brightflame dead? Lem felt that the shackles that were keeping his body frozen had suddenly come undone. ¡°AHHHHHH!¡± Acting from sheer instinct, Lem¡¯s simulated self uttered a piercing scream as he leapt to the forest floor and began rolling wildly. Thud. Thud. Thud. He continuously smashed into trees, but he never stopped rolling. Every part of his body felt like it was melting away. Most of the flames were quickly extinguished, but the pain continued. A hard object poked into his back but he kept on rolling. His bag broke apart, and he continued to roll over its contents. Everything within his sight was on fire. ¡°AHHHHH!¡±If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. In the midst of the chaotic sensations, Lem caught a glimpse of his spear. It lay a few meters away, with parts of the shaft burning. At some point in time, the clasp keeping it on his back had broken off. His simulated self continued to roll wildly, until he came face up and finally realized that he was no longer on fire. The parts of his skin that were in sight were all burnt and black, and his body was still in unbearable pain. However, he did not have time to think about his physical condition. He froze, staring at the blue-gray trunk that was within ten meters of him. After seeing its branches ensnare the martial elder, the sight was enough to terrify him. In his wild panic, he had rolled over close to the harvest tree. Was he about to be skewered? Would the roots shoot up from the ground? Or would the branches descend on him? Lem watched in fascination. Somehow he was still alive, after nearly being burned alive. But it seemed that he had only moved from one threat to another. [You are paralyzed and burning in place, to impaired to comprehend your situation. Then, you regain the ability to move, and you lunge to the ground, rolling madly to put out the fire while you scream. When you realize that you are no longer on fire, you stop and see that you have accidentally rolled all the way to the harvest tree. You recoil in horror, expecting to be killed, but the finishing blow does not come.] Out of the corner of his eye, Lem¡¯s simulated self saw the body of Master Brightflame being held aloft by branches, a charred skeleton clad in tattered robes. It was no longer human. Lem¡¯s simulated self felt horror. Master Brightflame had been laughing and waging war against the harvest tree a moment ago. Now, he had left the world. The imposing presence had vanished into the wind, leaving nothing but a few bones behind. It should have given him relief, but it only frightened him further. Chapter 125 - Jade Slips [As you stand in front of the harvest tree you catch a glimpse of the remains of the martial elder, increasing your horror.] The branches tighten around what was left of the martial elder. The dead bones were crushed and broken. Crack-crack-crack! Lem¡¯s simulated self¡¯s attention was drawn to the big tattered bag on the martial elder¡¯s back. Somehow, it had kept its integrity through all the abuse, but it was now protesting mightily under the strain. The branches continued to coil around the remains. The torn crimson robe that Master Brightflame had once worn was compressed into his shattered ribcage. Crack-crack-crack-POP! The bag finally burst, and a rain of objects fell from the sky. They were many and varied, of every color and size. The most common were small clear crystals, brown pouches and containers, but Lem¡¯s simulated self was drawn to a glint of green. Jade slips! Cultivation techniques! His chest tightened, and he temporarily lost control of his mental faculties, as he was consumed by greed. [As you watch, the harvest tree tightens its grip, and the bag of the martial elder bursts.] Lem¡¯s simulated self scrambled forward as he followed the trajectory of the small, glinting green object.This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. Lem watched in eager anticipation, half expecting his simulated self to be attacked by the branches of the harvest tree, just as the martial elder had been. As his simulated self drew closer, he had a closer look at the falling projectiles. One, no two jade slips! Lem¡¯s simulated self reached up and grabbed the jade slips, one in each hand. He felt a blinding pain as the cold crystal touched his burnt flesh, but he ignored it, dodging a few of the other falling objects and running directly for the treeline. Safe! [You see a glint of green in the midst of the falling objects. You run forward without considering the consequences, and discover that there are actually two jade slips. You retrieve them before running to safety.] Lem¡¯s simulated self turned around for a moment, feeling a small measure of security from the distance he had already put between him and the harvest tree. If it did not feel threatened by him before, surely it wouldn¡¯t take offense at the current distance. He caught sight of the harvest tree withdrawing its branches. The crushed remains of the martial elder fell into the pond, amidst the water lilies. For a moment, they floated on the surface, before the bones slowly began sinking out of sight. As the harvest tree grew still again, Lem¡¯s simulated self felt a shiver run down his spine. Dangerous! It had easily dispatched of Master Brightflame, a Second Stage Martial Master. To think that he had let his greed take over him, even for jade slips. And yet, the harvest tree had ignored him. The harvest tree had ignored him, and he was safe. Somehow. Lem was just as bewildered as his simulated self was. What a good harvest tree! It felt surreal. How had he managed to survive for so long under so many threats? Thinking back on it, he had even survived the final blow of a Martial Master! Granted, the move that he had been hit with was a shadow of what had been used on the harvest tree, being performed by Master Brightflame when he was a second away from death, but still, it was a tremendous achievement. Lem was sure that his current simulated self did not have the luck of ten simulations, but that of a thousand! Chapter 126 – Saving Grace [You turn back and see the bones of the martial elder being dropped in the pond by the branches of the harvest tree. A moment later, the branches retract to their original position and the tree grows still.] Lem¡¯s simulated self tore his gaze away and kept on moving through the trees. Even if the harvest tree had not threatened him, it did not mean that he was comfortable around it. As he put more distance between him and the water lilies, he could feel the ambient spirituality diminishing. Lem¡¯s simulated self was in too much pain to be influenced by it, but he still paid attention. As far as he knew, the invisible barrier only protected places where he could still feel the spiritual energy. Once he was beginning to feel the spirituality drop precipitously, Lem¡¯s simulated self fell to the ground. He cried out involuntarily as his burnt skin touched the ground. The spiritual energy was still significantly higher than it was on the fringe, but it was far from the saturation that was present close to the pond. He had not moved further because he knew that the spiritual energy had healing properties that he did not want to forgo completely. Lem¡¯s simulated self closed his eyes, grimacing at the slightest movements of his body. Now that he was no longer concerned with his safety, the pain felt like it magnified. At the same time, wherever he looked there was either burnt clothing or black and red flakes of skin. [You keep traveling through the forest, wanting to put distance between you and the harvest tree. You stop before you pass the invisible barrier and drop to the ground, feeling tremendous pain due to your full-body burns.]Stolen novel; please report. Lem was amazed. His condition was truly ludicrous. He was not someone who was concerned with aesthetics. His attention was on survival, so how could he care about slight differences in facial symmetry! Still, he could not help but feel a morbid curiosity as he wondered how badly his simulated self had been mutilated. What did his face now look like? If children saw him, would they shriek and run away? What about their parents? Would they even have the ability to hold their nerves when they saw his appearance? Lem¡¯s mind went to the final blow of the martial elder. He was sure that the only reason he had survived was because Master Brightflame had been at the end of his tether. If he had been hit by any of the attacks that had been used on the harvest tree, he would have been vaporized in an instant. When he recalled the harvest tree¡¯s attitude towards him, it made him wonder. Had Master Brightflame actually saved him by trying to kill him? The mystery was why the harvest tree had not attacked him in the first place. One possible explanation was that it only attacked those who tried to steal the water lily. Another was that he was too weak to be regarded as a threat. But there was a third theory that Lem thought was highly probable. The harvest tree had not perceived Master Brightflame and his simulated self as being together. He and the martial elder had arrived at the same time, so it would be natural to treat them both as invaders who wanted to steal the spiritual lily. What could have stopped the harvest tree from making this assumption? The answer was obvious. The martial elder had tried to kill Lem¡¯s simulated self in his last moments! In doing so, it was possible that he had saved the life of Lem¡¯s simulated self. He had drawn a line between the two of them in front of the harvest tree. If this was the case, then it would demonstrate just how much luck his current simulated self had. Even a killing blow from a Martial Master had become a saving grace! Chapter 127 - Cultivation Through Pain Lem took stock of the current situation of his simulated self. His provisions had been burned off of his back. He was left with no food and no water. Even his spear and knife were gone. He was also in intense pain. On the other hand, the danger of the martial elder killing him was now gone. He had retrieved the two new jade slips, and he had found a relatively safe location to rest in. And he also still had his life. It was a thoroughly mixed outcome, with more dangers on the horizon. Lem¡¯s simulated self would eventually have to return to the harvest tree to retrieve his knife at the very least. After that, food and water were a huge concern. At present, he had no ready solutions, or any forward momentum. Lem¡¯s simulated self was in no condition to do anything. He was in too much pain to move or think. He just stayed where he was, lying on the ground as he writhed and grimaced. Lem took his attention away from his simulated self and began to meditate on the visualization diagram of the [Mountain Sitting Technique]. Eventually, his simulated self would begin to move or cultivate, or form some plan of action, but there was no point in just waiting around until then. [You lie on the ground and writhe in pain, losing track of the time.] As Lem was meditating, he noticed that his simulated self had begun to cultivate, or at least was trying to do so.The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation. Breathe in. Breathe out. There was no rhythm to the breathing method, likely because his concentration was constantly being interrupted by pain. The spiritual energy within his body did not even stir slightly. Because of this, Lem found it difficult to make any meaningful observations. In. Out. Lem began meditating independently on the visualization diagram again, ignoring the cultivation attempt by his simulated self. In. Out. In. Out. [You try to cultivate to distract yourself from the pain, but you find little success.] After his focus began to waver, Lem stopped meditating. The pain within the body of his simulated self had not abated. If anything, it had only grown worse. Lem could feel the visceral damage on his skin, and the deeper underlying tissue damage. He remembered the strange moment in the fight where the world had blinked and the harvest tree had reversed the damage done by the martial elder to itself and the surrounding trees. For a moment, Lem wondered if the harvest tree could perform a similar operation on his simulated self and restore his old body. He cast aside this thought, thinking it was far too optimistic. The most his simulated self could hope for was that the harvest tree would not change its attitude and go out of its way to kill him. Lem went back to meditating. [As the sun goes down, you begin to worry about the invisible barrier. You hope that it can ward off all dangers, as you think about the wolves that you have sometimes seen roaming at night. You remember Master Brightflame¡¯s comments about wolves attacking defenseless beasts, and you wonder if you look like an easy target in your present state¡­ You move to a more secluded part of the forest, hiding in the bushes inside of a copse of trees. The pain involved brings you close to tears, and the feeling of leaves brushing against your skin is almost unbearable, but you try to ignore it¡­ You close your eyes¡­ The pain is constant, keeping you awake¡­ Eventually you manage to fall asleep¡­] Chapter 128 - First Retrieval [Day 14: You are woken up from pain well before sunrise. Your entire body is throbbing, and you feel slightly weaker due to the evil power consuming your vitality¡­] As the day began, and Lem broke from his nightly meditation, he noticed a shift in the behavior of his simulated self. Despite the continued presence of pain, he was now moving with purpose rather than just laying about and wallowing. Nothing demonstrated this more than his early decision to return to the source of danger. Lem did not agree with his decision for reasons that were selfish. He would have liked for his simulated self to at least glance through the jade slips he had already looted before taking another risk. That way, if he died, at least Lem¡¯s real body could extract some benefits. For his simulated self, however, it represented an improvement in attitude from the previous day. Lem also thought that the harvest tree would most likely not attack him. After all, he had passed in front of it twice already in different simulations, and each time he had returned unharmed. [You know you need to retrieve your knife. Aside from this, you also need food and water. Confronting the necessity of your situation, you confront your fear and begin to walk back towards the harvest tree¡­] As Lem¡¯s simulated self walked in the direction of the pond, the pleasant sensations from the increasing spirituality were muted by his physical condition, as they had been the previous day. Lem noted grimly that it was a benefit of the mutilation of his simulated self that he was no longer at risk of acting abnormally from the intoxicating effects of spiritual energy. As the gray-blue harvest tree shifted into view, Lem¡¯s gaze was immediately drawn to the perfect spiritual lily, which still had a tantalizing hold on him. He dragged his attention away to the forest floor. Lem and his simulated self both saw the scene of the battle from the previous day with fresh eyes.The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings. It was covered in various objects, most of which were the contents of the martial elder¡¯s bag. There were containers, both empty and full, small pouches, crystals and an assortment of small items, many of which were too damaged to identify. He could also see multiple daggers, burnt papers, needles, flasks, and a rope. Lem could see the path that he had rolled through from the distribution of his former possessions. Thankfully, on the end of the item trail that was furthest from the harvest tree, he saw the one that was most important to retrieve. His knife. There was also a nearby water skin that was within arm¡¯s reach. Further on, he saw his spear, which had been burned to a husk. Next to it were the tattered scraps of his bag with the majority of its contents, mainly ruined containers of food and a few more water skins. Within the folds of the bag, Lem could also see a glint of green. It was the jade slip that recorded the [Mountain Sitting Technique]. Unfortunately, Lem could not see any preserved food among either his or the martial elder¡¯s possessions outside of a few of the containers that had independently stored parts of the mature tyrant sloth and the wolf king. Whether or not they were originally intended for eating, his simulated self had little choice in the matter. Lem¡¯s simulated self cast a nervous eye towards the harvest tree. It stood, motionless. One could hardly believe that it could explode with the speed and power that could take down a Martial Master. Lem¡¯s simulated self focused his mind. Lem knew that he was preparing for the first retrieval mission. He could guess what his simulated self would focus on. For the first pass, he needed to retrieve the knife and the water skin, the two closest important items. His simulated self took a deep breath before walking as calmly as he could. He did not move too fast or too slow. One step forward. Two steps. Three steps. He drew closer to the knife, and the harvest tree was still motionless. Almost there. He stooped down and picked up the knife, wincing from the pain as it contacted his palm. He tucked it under his arm, before he reached over and retrieved the water skin with another grimace. He felt somewhat relieved to find that it was heavy. The water had not leaked. He walked back while trying to project the same aura of calmness. One step. Two steps. Three steps¡­ Safe. He had made his first pass through the scattered objects, and the harvest tree had not attacked him. Chapter 129 - Spiritual Crystal [As you arrive in front of the harvest tree, you look through the scattered items on the ground. You decide to first retrieve your knife and a waterskin. You try to exude calm as you walk forward, and are relieved to find that the harvest tree remains still.] Lem¡¯s simulated self surveyed his spoils. The blade of the knife was covered in dust, and the handle was singed, but it seemed to still be in good working order. He hefted the water skin, and determined that it was slightly over half full. Even though its exterior was burned, it did not seem as though there were any holes or leaks. He undid the lid and took a small sip. The water was warm, but otherwise fine. Lem could feel that his simulated self was making a decision of whether or not to retrieve the jade slip. It was closer to the harvest tree, making it a more dangerous retrieval target. At the same time, he did not know what would happen if he left it unattended. With the harvest tree¡¯s abilities to affect its surroundings, would it disappear someday? He also had not yet looked past the First Chapter. If he lost the opportunity to see the rest of the [Mountain Sitting Technique, would his progress forever be stuck at the First Stage of Body Refinement? Lem was in favor of him returning immediately.Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author. Just look at the jade slips in your possession before doing anything dangerous again! Lem could feel the conviction of his simulated self wavering. He looked out and surveyed the forest floor again. Lem was sure that his simulated self was about to return, when he suddenly put down the knife and waterskin and began walking towards the harvest tree again. This time, he had slightly less fear than before. Lem was confused when he saw that his simulated self was not even going for the jade slip of the [Mountain Sitting Technique]. Instead, he walked up to one of the nearby crystals that had fallen from the martial elder¡¯s bags. It was clear and thumb-sized, made all the more unremarkable for the fact that there were many other similar crystals scattered across the ground. Lem doubted its usefulness. How could something so common be any good? When his simulated self actually grabbed one, he was startled. In addition to the expected pain, there was a sensation of pleasantness. The crystal was filled with spiritual energy. A spiritual crystal! Lem¡¯s simulated self quickly grabbed a small intact pouch that was also originally from the martial elder¡¯s possessions. Disregarding the contents of the pouch, he began retrieving all of the nearby spiritual crystals and stuffing them on top of whatever was inside. Once there were no more crystals in the immediate area, he picked up a few of the other pouches and small objects. If Master Brightflame had a use for them, perhaps they were good things for him too! [After checking to make sure that your knife is still functional, and drinking from the water skin, you return to collect a few of the martial elder¡¯s belongings. Among them, you find a type of clear crystal that is scattered among the other items. You immediately recognize it as having a spiritual quality, and rush to pick up as many as possible.] Lem¡¯s simulated self returned with the pouches, putting them beside the knife and the waterskin, before turning around again. A third trip? Chapter 130 – Greed Lem was astounded by the greed of his simulated self, but he immediately understood his thinking. As long as he was going to go closer to the harvest tree and take the risk of retrieving the [Mountain Sitting Technique], he might as well also grab everything on the periphery that seemed like it could be of use! Lem may have disagreed with the actions of his simulated self, but he applauded the boldness. As long as his simulated self did not die, just the spiritual crystals alone would be reward enough for his efforts. Lem¡¯s simulated self retrieved a couple of containers filled with beast parts and a few more pouches stuffed with spiritual crystals. Lem watched carefully, monitoring his body¡¯s senses, but no attack came. It seemed that around his simulated self, the harvest tree was perfectly docile! How would Master Brightflame feel if he saw this? Lem¡¯s simulated self turned around and began a fourth trip. Then, a fifth trip. Soon, he had a substantial pile of pouches, containers, and loose items on the forest fringe, and he finally decided to go for the jade slip of the [Mountain Sitting Technique]. It was closer to the harvest tree than anything else he had retrieved, giving him a spike in nervousness.Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website. As he walked, his eyes were trained on the harvest tree. If it attacked him, it could move faster than his eyes could track, but it still felt reassuring to keep it within his sight. Lem¡¯s simulated self got closer and closer. When he reached the scraps of his bag, he bent down and picked up the jade slip, ignoring the pain in his hand. Without hesitating, he grabbed a couple of burned water skins, and a nearby pouch. He slipped the jade slip inside of the pouch, and tucked the water skins under his arm. There were a few spiritual crystals on the ground within easy reach. Lem could feel a slight hesitation in his simulated self, before he began retrieving the crystals, one by one, and putting them in the pouch with the jade slip. After he was done, he cast a quick glance at the harvest tree. It was serene as ever. Lem¡¯s simulated self turned around and began walking back towards his substantial pile. No attack. No attack. Safe! [You continue to retrieve the martial elder¡¯s possessions, prioritizing the spiritual crystals, before finally retrieving the jade slip of the [Mountain Sitting Technique]. You decide to stop, not wanting to press your luck any further.] Lem was relieved when he saw that his simulated self did not plan on retrieving any more of the fallen items. It was clear that his greed had its bounds! His simulated self was likely worried about making too many trips and annoying the harvest tree. Lem could feel an overwhelming gratitude surge up in the chest of his simulated self. The harvest tree had really treated him too well. Not only had it taken care of Master Brightflame for him, but it had even allowed him to retrieve the spoils! Chapter 131 - Martial Elders Possessions Lem¡¯s simulated self hugged the entire pile of items. As it made contact along his burned arms, his eyes began to tear up, but he ignored the pain, gently lifting it up while making sure that nothing fell. He quickly began walking back through the forest, leaving the pond behind him. Even in his injured state, his reflexes were sufficient to secure the entire pile without accidentally dropping anything. When he reached his campsite, he put the pile down next to the two jade slips. Now it was time to properly take account of what he had retrieved. In his haste, he had not looked inside of any of the pouches or studied any of the small objects he was collecting. His only focus had been taking everything he could in as safe and quick a manner as possible. He felt a small thrill run through his body. Who knew what was inside of the pouches! He just might find an item of crucial importance! Lem was just as excited as his simulated self. Even if he disagreed with the risks that had been taken, he could not argue with the results. The harvest tree had not killed his simulated self, and his immediate needs had been met.Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon. Not only had he brought back the jade slip of the [Mountain Sitting Technique], but he now had food in the form of beast-part containers, an abundant supply of water, and a few dozen mysterious spiritual crystals. This was without taking into account the random objects he had put in the pouches, and whatever else had happened to be in the pouches before. Of the items that had been within reach, he had taken almost everything outside of the most damaged and useless looking objects. Lem¡¯s simulated self began by separating out the waterskins. There were six of them. Five were more than half full, and one was mostly empty. There were seven containers with beast parts inside of them. Lem¡¯s simulated self did not know enough of beast anatomy to distinguish between the organs of the wolf and of the tyrant sloth, but to his eye, it all looked edible. Lem counted ten pouches, two of which were slightly larger than the others. To prepare an area of forest floor for sorting, Lem¡¯s simulated self moved his knife away beside the water skin and swept the leaves aside. He picked up the first pouch and turned it over, dumping its contents over the ground. A number of spiritual crystals fell out, along with some stones and minerals of various colors and a few golden coins. He separated out the spiritual crystals before picking up another pouch and turning it over. In addition to the spiritual crystals that he had stuffed in it, an assortment of papers and letters fell out. The third pouch was slightly larger. It had a single glove and a black cloak. The fourth pouch had more papers, but they were strange and yellow. Slipped in between them was a small burnt white sheet. Lem¡¯s simulated self examined the sheet and quickly realized that it was an incomplete alchemy recipe. It was useless, since he had no prior understanding of alchemy. He set it aside, and picked up the fifth pouch. He dumped it over causally, but he quickly grew serious when he saw a glint of green. He quickly brushed aside the spiritual crystals, and uncovered the object. Another jade slip! Chapter 132 - Not Junk [You bring the items that you scavenged back to your campsite and sort through them. You grow excited when you find another jade slip.] Lem and his simulated self were both full of anticipation. It was his fourth jade slip! The first recorded the [Mountain Sitting Technique] while the contents of the three others were unknown. He made sure to put the three unknowns together and keep them separate from the [Mountain Sitting Technique], before he began dumping out the remaining pouches, disregarding the additional pain it was giving his hands. What if there was another jade slip among them? One pouch. Nothing. Two pouches. Nothing. Three! Four! Five! [You continue sorting the items, but you do not find any more jade slips.] Unfortunately, Lem¡¯s simulated self did not see any more glints of green among the contents. He felt a headache. Touching so many things with his burned hands was giving him shooting pain through his arms, but he continued through it. He separated out the rest of the spiritual crystals, moving them aside, before sorting out duplicates of different stones and more gold coins. He looked through what remained.Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. There was an identification badge with overlapping triangles, the symbol of the Mountain Paths Martial School. He set it aside. There was a strange amulet. It had what appeared to be the face of a demon on it. Was it for warding off evil? He did not know what to do with it. Even if it had a purpose, it was useless to him. The remaining items seemed equally useless for the same reason: a few sticks of incense, a compass, and a small lantern. Lem¡¯s simulated self set aside all of the strange objects, and returned to the letters that he had found in the second pouch. He scanned through them. ¡°...my dearest, I just wish I could hold you in my arms¡­¡± ¡°...when I see you again¡­¡± It all seemed like irrelevant love letters, likely from Master Brightflame¡¯s youth. Since he had a lifespan of hundreds of years, it could be mementos from a past lover, a past life. Lem¡¯s simulated self continued to look through the letters. Junk, junk, junk-not junk! In between the sickly sweet writing was a darker paper with what looked to be a map on it. It was extremely crude, with symbols in place of names, but there were distinct images of trees, mountains, and other landmarks. Lem¡¯s simulated self lingered over a marking that reminded him of the ravine he had encountered in a simulation where he had traveled west. Interesting, but of what immediate value was it? [You find a map among the items. Apart from a marking that you suspect is the ravine that you are familiar with, you cannot interpret it.] He set the map aside, and decided to take a break from the organizing process. It had been a day since he had eaten, and he was feeling hungry. He carefully put away all the items, sorting them into the ten pouches, before taking out the container with the least suspicious-looking meat in it. From the looks of it, it was a piece of liver. Lem¡¯s simulated self opened the container and plugged his nose. Chapter 133 - Lantern [You use your carving knife and slice off a small piece of what you think is a part of a beast¡¯s liver. When you put it in your mouth, you feel like retching, but you forcefully swallow.] A disgusting taste flooded Lem¡¯s mouth. His simulated self immediately shook his head, and put the container down. Lem watched in curiosity as he reached for the small lantern, and turned it over in his hands. Lem guessed that his simulated self wanted to try to cook the beast meat instead. There were a number of reasons why he had never cooked meat in previous simulations. The most important was that he did not want to attract the wrong kind of attention. At the moment, he had the protection of the invisible warding barrier, so his main concern was dealt with. Of course, his simulated self did not fully understand the functions of the barrier, so there was still risk involved, but Lem could not bring himself to judge him harshly. Lem had never been forced to eat raw meat either. He would also have preferred if his simulated self had looked at the jade slips first, but it was clear that his simulated self was not thinking in this direction. He did not know if his simulated self was afraid of taxing his mind, or if it just hadn¡¯t occurred to him to take into account the interests of the real self. As Lem¡¯s simulated self studied the lantern, he immediately ran into trouble. It wasn¡¯t immediately obvious how the lantern was meant to be used. It was the tool of a cultivator, not of a mortal. The lantern was formed from a few metal plates that were engraved with strange symbols. There were a few sliding doors on the lanterns that opened to two different compartments, and a separate handle that intuitively appeared to have the purpose of lighting the flame, and perhaps changing its intensity.This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there. Lem¡¯s simulated self moved the handle, sliding it along its groove, but there was no reaction from the lantern. Was it out of fuel? [You decide to cook the meat instead of eating it raw. You pick up the small lantern from the martial elder¡¯s possessions and try to understand how to use it.] As Lem¡¯s simulated self explored the transparent main chamber of the lantern, he saw that there was a wick, but no wax. The wick did not seem to be made of ordinary material. It was a strange metal that had more symbols on it. He also noticed that the glassy inner walls of the chamber had a higher density of the strange symbols. What served as the fuel? Lem¡¯s simulated self opened the smaller compartment and saw a layer of black dust coating more of the same symbols. Presumably, it was the fuel chamber. Watching his simulated self play with the small lantern, Lem was filled with curiosity. What were the symbols? What was their purpose? His mind went straight to spiritual energy. Did they serve to channel it somehow? Or did they directly connect to the operation of the world? His simulated self frowned and turned to pouch where he had put the spiritual crystals. Even though he had several dozen of them, Lem could feel his reluctance. Every spiritual crystal felt precious. One more used was one more gone. Still, it was not just in service of making his food palatable, but also to learn more about the lantern as well as the uses of the crystals themselves. Lem¡¯s simulated self stopped hesitating. Even if he used up one, there were plenty remaining. He took out one of the thumb-sized spiritual crystals. There was no obvious groove, so he just placed it in the center of the small chamber, before closing the little door flap until it clicked. Lem felt his anticipation, as he moved the slider by a millimeter. Woof! Behind the transparent sides of the main chamber, the wick suddenly lit up, and a tiny flame was birthed at its end. Chapter 134 - Use Of The Crystal [You discover that the key to lighting the lantern is to use a spiritual crystal as fuel. After you generate a flame, you play with the sliding handle, and watch it grow larger and smaller.] Lem felt impressed. All of the symbols and the spiritual crystal had somehow produced a flame, and the slider managed to perfectly control its intensity. His guess about the spiritual crystals had been correct. At the same time while Lem was marveling, his simulated self cut off another piece of the ¡®liver¡¯. He forked it with the end of the knife, and opened the flap door to the main chamber of the lantern, placing it by the flame. Lem¡¯s simulated self waited, but even after a couple of minutes, there did not seem to be a change, so he began to increase the intensity. He moved the slider by a quarter, and the flame doubled in size. This time, he could see the meat beginning to change color, so he kept the same intensity. A few minutes later, he turned the meat over. And over again. By the end, he was left with a golden slice that released a smell that made his mouth water. It was worlds apart from the purplish cut that he had begun with. Lem¡¯s simulated self hesitantly put the cooked piece of meat in his mouth and chewed. Real food! It tasted far better than even the dry meat that he had been eating for rations, and there was no need to mention the comparison with eating it raw. A rush of energy immediately filled his body. Lem was immediately cast into thought. When he had eaten the meat raw, it had not produced a sensation of rushing energy, but when it was cooked, it had.The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement. Why? [You cook a piece of meat on the flame and eat it, to your great pleasure. You feel an influx of energy, but it does not feel overwhelming¡­ After enjoying one slice, you cut off a few more pieces. You cook and eat them, before putting away the container¡­] Lem¡¯s simulated self left just over half of the meat in the container. He only had seven containers, so he needed to stretch them out to make sure they lasted. Not only had his appetite been satisfied, but his body was coursing with spiritual energy. Lem stopped thinking about the differences in the spiritual interactions with raw and cooked meat. For now, it was sufficient to know that there was a difference. Perhaps in the future he would have the opportunity to learn the reason. Lem¡¯s simulated self turned off the lantern and checked inside the small compartment. The spiritual crystal looked no different than it had before. He touched it. From the feeling, he thought that it had lost a small amount of its spirituality. He left the crystal inside of the compartment and closed the lantern, setting it aside, before removing a fresh spiritual crystal from the pouch. [You wonder whether holding a spiritual crystal will have a beneficial effect on your cultivation.] Lem saw that his simulated self was considering more uses for the spiritual crystals, but he doubted whether it would help him in stirring the spiritual energy. He did not see the logical connection. After all, his problem was not that he lacked spiritual energy. It had more to do with his skill with the breathing technique and his mental connection with the visualization diagram. Lem¡¯s simulated self sat down in a meditative posture and began to focus while holding the crystal in his palm. Lem followed suit, imagining the mountain with his simulated self. Breathe in. Breathe out. Breathe in. Breathe out. Lem¡¯s simulated self tried nudging the spiritual energy within his body. It stirred. Was the change larger than before? Breathe in. Breathe out¡­ [You cultivate while holding a new spiritual crystal.] After observing the cultivation of his simulated self for a long period, Lem found that there was a slight improvement in the receptivity of the spiritual energy. He wasn¡¯t sure whether it was due to the spiritual crystal, to the consumption of the meat, or due to an improvement in his mindset. Now that the martial elder was out of his life, the greatest source of stress had been removed, allowing him to focus better, both on the breathing method and on the visualization of the mountain. Perhaps he was witnessing the results of his relaxed mind. Chapter 135 – Spirit Hand Talisman Method Breathe in. Breathe out. Lem¡¯s simulated self shifted his focus and tried to sense the spiritual energy outside his body. So far, he had found little success in even differentiating the spiritual energy from the general sensations on his skin, much less stirring it. Unfortunately, this time it was more of the same. He continued to move his awareness around different parts of his body, thinking that there could be a difference depending on where he focused. Nothing. Nothing. Nothing. After many successive failures, he finally began to focus on his hand, and the skin that was touching the spiritual crystal. Huh? Lem noticed that there was a unique sensation. It went beyond the general pleasant feeling of spiritual energy. It was more granular and minute. It was different, but why? What exactly was he feeling? Breathe in. Breathe out. Lem¡¯s simulated self moved his focus a few centimeters to a part of his hand that was not touching the crystal. The sensations went back to normal. He moved his awareness back to the crystal. The difference was still too vague for him to clearly distinguish. Lem felt a strain in his simulated self, as his simulated self focused as intently on the visualization diagram as he could.Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more. What part of the sensation was different? He remembered the feeling of galvanizing the spiritual energy within him. Where were the similarities? Breathe in. Breathe out. Lem¡¯s simulated self tried to nudge the spiritual energy. Nothing happened. [You find more success with galvanizing the spiritual energy inside of your body. You can vaguely sense the spiritual energy within the crystal but you still cannot differentiate it.] Lem¡¯s simulated self gave up on the pursuit, and returned his focus to the spiritual energy within his body. Breathe in. Breathe out. The spiritual energy stirred. Breathe in. Breathe out¡­ [You continue until you feel fatigue from holding the visualization diagram in your head¡­ You stop cultivating and decide to study the jade slips in your possession¡­] Lem felt excited. From the simulation screen, he could see that his simulated self was finally going to take a look at the unknown jade slips. It was about time! Lem did not want to try and predict their contents, but he could not help but hope that at least one of them would have something useful. [Remembering your first experience, you put the jade slip on your forehead, and focus intently. The text appears in your mind. It describes the [Spirit Hand Talisman Method].] Lem¡¯s mind was flooded with information about talismans. Some of it was basic, but most of it was far beyond his comprehension and impossible to memorize. He retained a rough map of the information, while he tried to digest the complexities. Fundamentally, talisman creation was the use of intent to create a spiritual structure within a base material. The base material was typically talisman paper, a thick, yellow parchment that had high spiritual conductivity. The method to deliver the intent was the [Spirit Hand Talisman Method], which used a talisman brush to trace metallic ink into the paper. If the materials were correct, the intent well-formed, and the brushing method proper, then a structure was created within the talisman paper that could channel spiritual energy and galvanize the world operation to produce an effect. After a period of time passed, Lem emerged from his stupor, filled with excitement. His simulated self had already finished digesting the information from the jade slip before him and he shared in the enthusiasm. Apparently they had made the same observation! Chapter 136 – Hidden Breath Talisman Within the [Spirit Hand Talisman Method] jade slip, there was a section of the text that described the creation structure of talismans. In principle, all variations within the Spirit Hand lineage were derivable from certain basic principles, but the principles were still too complex for Lem to remember, much less understand. The important information came after the general explanation, when the text described the specific creation structure of many different types of talismans, including Flame Talismans, Piercing Talismans, and Fortification Talismans. One talisman stood out to both Lem and his simulated self. The Hidden Breath Talisman. It specialized in hiding aura! If a cultivator was using the talisman, almost every spiritual aspect within them would be hidden, including spiritual energy signatures and soul fluctuations. This meant that if Lem¡¯s simulated self could create a Hidden Breath Talisman, he could conceal the presence of evil on him! Of course, it would not work on beings of every power level, but it would at least prevent those of the Spirit Refinement Realm and below from sensing him. This was not the only unique characteristic of the Hidden Breath Talisman. Most other talismans had a limited period for which they worked. The spiritual energy channeling through the talisman would slowly wear down the structure. When the structure broke, the effect would disappear. With the Hidden Breath Talisman, the channeling process was extremely mild and did not degrade the talisman structure. This meant that unlike other talismans, it could theoretically run forever.The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there. However, in practice, this would not occur, as there were a number of conditions under which the Hidden Breath Talisman could still break. For instance, if a sufficiently powerful being tried to detect the user then the structure would collapse from the strain. Lem did not know the upper level of strength for the most powerful cultivators in Lang Town, but his guess was that it was no higher than the Spirit Refinement Realm. His intuition came from his awareness of the massive gap between realms. If Master Brightflame was an elder of a martial school and only at the Second Stage, then it seemed unreasonable that there would be experts that were a realm higher than the Third Stage of Spirit Refinement, a level that was not even recorded in the [Mountain Sitting Technique]. Of course, he did not know this for sure, so even if he was successful in creating a Hidden Breath Talisman he would only go to the town as a last resort. Still, Lem¡¯s knowledge of the Hidden Breath Talisman was extremely impactful, both for his current simulated self, and for his real body in the future. If his simulated self could create a Hidden Breath Talisman, then he would have the option to go to Lang Town if he ran out of opportunities in the forest. In such a situation, if he gained benefits from the town, then they would be passed down to the real body. [After digesting the information inside of the jade slip, you grow excited. The Hidden Breath Talisman, one of the talismans described, happens to have the property of concealing auras, including that of evil. You remember seeing some talisman papers in one of the pouches among the martial elder¡¯s possessions, and you vaguely recall the presence of a talisman brush on the ground near the harvest tree. You consider returning to the pond to retrieve the brush and to look for talisman ink¡­] After seeing what was on the simulation screen, Lem felt mixed emotions. He had also realized from the [Spirit Hand Talisman Method] that the strange yellow papers he had found with the incomplete alchemy recipe were actually talisman papers, and felt excitement when he saw that all of the necessary materials were potentially available for his simulated self. However, he felt slightly depressed when he saw that his simulated self was already considering a return to the pond. There were still two more jade slips to look at! Chapter 137 - Nuanced Observations [You decide to wait until you have seen the contents of the last two jade slips before retrieving any more items from near the harvest tree. However, because you are mentally fatigued from the combination of cultivation and reading the first jade slip, you recognize that you are in no condition to read another one. You decide to practice the movements of the [Spirit Hand Talisman Method] while you recover¡­] As his simulated self began to mimic the brush strokes of the [Spirit Hand Talisman Method], drawing in the air with his hand, Lem felt relief. Ultimately, his simulated self had decided not to take any more risks before reading the rest of the jade slips. He watched his simulated self practice with interest. The [Spirit Hand Talisman Method] was similar to the [Mountain Sitting Technique] in its emphasis on intent, but there were enormous differences between the two. In the [Mountain Sitting Technique], the intent was formed from fixation on a visualization diagram, while in the [Spirit Hand Talisman Method], it came from the perfection of a movement. In this sense, the [Spirit Hand Talisman Method] actually reminded Lem more of martial arts than of cultivation, only, instead of punching, he was practicing a brush stroke. The practice was not going well. Lem¡¯s simulated self was unfamiliar with the brush motions, and it showed. His movements did not have any grace, and it felt unclear how he was going to make any progress without actually using the brush.This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version. Lem thought that to an outside observer, it must have looked like he was randomly waving his hand. After a short time, his simulated self stopped and began cultivating instead. The [Spirit Hand Talisman Method] could wait until he actually had a talisman brush he could practice with. [After a fruitless session, you decide to stop practicing the [Spirit Hand Talisman Method]. You switch your focus to the [Mountain Sitting Technique], however, you do not exert much effort to avoid taxing yourself. After a time, you feel like your mind has recovered, and you pick up one of the two remaining jade slips. You put the second jade slip on your forehead, and the text appears in your mind. It is a compilation of notes on fire cultivation¡­ You slowly digest the information¡­] After Lem finally finished processing the information, he felt disappointed. The contents of the jade slip were useless to him. It did not describe any specific techniques, only making nuanced observations about the interactions between fire and mountain intent, focused specifically on the birth of fire element from earth element. It was clearly referencing a method that could convert true essence from the [Mountain Sitting Technique] into that of a different, unknown fire technique. There was also a large section on the creation patterns of flames within the world operation. Again, without a primary text for reference, it was meaningless. The two methods that Lem had heard the martial elder cry out, the [Nine Suns Technique] and the [Interrogation Flame] were never even mentioned. It was bad enough that he did not have a basis to understand the cultivation notes, but the concepts were also far too high level for him to grasp in the first place. They were supplemental, and without the primary text, he couldn¡¯t understand anything or put any of the ideas into practice. Chapter 138 - Surprising Progress [After reading the contents of the jade slip, you feel disappointment. Because you do not practice a fire cultivation technique, you feel that the notes are useless to you. You begin to cultivate while you recover your mental state¡­] Lem¡¯s simulated self took another break. Once again, he did not focus very hard on the visualization diagram or the breathing method. He practiced the motions without expectation while he waited for his mind to recover. Lem did not know what was going through the mind of his simulated self, but he could feel a difference in the fluidity of his motions. Breathe in. Breathe out. Nudge the spiritual energy. Breathe in. Breathe out. Nudge the spiritual energy. Woah! He felt a shift in his body. The spiritual energy, which had only been budging by the slightest of margins, had suddenly moved at an accelerated rate. It even showed signs of beginning to revolve through his meridians. Lem¡¯s simulated self calmed himself and kept on practicing. Breathe in. Breathe out. Nudge! The spiritual energy shifted again in an exaggerated fashion. Breathe in. Breathe out¡­ As time passed, the spiritual energy continued to be receptive to the nudges of Lem¡¯s simulated self. Eventually, he stopped, and opened his eyes.This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. The forest seemed slightly different, as if all his senses had become sharper. [As you cultivate, you find that you have an easier time connecting with the mountain in the visualization diagram. You are also surprisingly successful in stimulating the spiritual energy in your body¡­ You still stop when you feel as though you have recovered your mental state¡­] Lem felt the surprise and happiness coursing through his body. Despite the lack of effort, or perhaps because of it, he had made surprising progress in the [Mountain Sitting Technique]. It was the best session yet, giving him hope that he could circulate the spiritual energy through his body before long. When he could do so, it would mark the completion of small success of the First Stage of Body Refinement. Of course, it still did not feel like he was anywhere near sensing the spiritual energy outside of his body, much less stirring it, which was a necessary step for large success. Lem could not help but feel anticipation as his simulated self reached for the final jade slip. The first one had given him the [Mountain Sitting Technique]. The second had given him the [Spirit Hand Talisman Method] and the creation method for the Hidden Breath Talisman. It was only the third that had failed to deliver anything good. [You put the jade slip on your forehead, and the text appears in your mind. It is a compilation of cultivation notes on the [Mountain Sitting Technique], including a conversion method for producing fire attributed true essence. You slowly digest the information¡­] After Lem was brought back to his senses, he once again felt disappointment. The jade slip for the [Spirit Hand Talisman Method] had brought his hopes up, but the last two jade slips had sent them crashing down again. They were both useless! One of the slips had discussed the interactions of fire and mountain intent, while the latest had given a more practical method for converting one form of true essence into another. The only problem was that he had no accompanying fire technique! It wasn¡¯t just this, but the cultivation notes were once again too abstract and complex for him to remember, much less comprehend. They were clearly made for practitioners of the Spirit Refinement Realm! Even if he spent a copious amount of time and was somehow able to understand the notes, in the best case scenario he would gain the ability to ruin his progress in the [Mountain Sitting Technique] in the future and be left with a useless fire attributed true essence! Chapter 139 - Cinnabar Ink [You feel dissatisfied with the last two jade slips, and you revisit your intention to return to the harvest tree. You want to retrieve the talisman brush before anything happens to it.] As his simulated self stood up and began to walk back towards the pond, Lem continued to think. Perhaps the jade slips were not without use. In the future, the notes from the last jade slip could be referenced for insights about true essence. In a similar vein, the notes on fire and mountain intent could be helpful for understanding mountain intent at the Spirit Refinement Realm. Even if they were a far cry from being as helpful as the jade slips of the [Mountain Sitting Technique] and the [Spirit Hand Talisman Method], perhaps it was wrong to think that they were completely devoid of value. There was one other matter that had been made clear to him from the jade slips. In both sets of notes it was explicitly written that it was difficult to progress past the Second Stage of Spirit Refinement in the [Mountain Sitting Technique]. It appeared that there was a bottleneck due to the level of comprehension of mountain characteristics that was necessary to compress and grow the true essence. Lem guessed that Master Brightflame had reached that plateau before converting to a fire technique. [You reach the pond and the harvest tree.] Lem¡¯s simulated self reached the pond once again, and began to survey the forest floor. The items had not disappeared yet, not that he had expected them to. As he looked around, he felt a tingling sensation. The conflict of pleasant and harsh sensations from the spiritual energy and the burns on his skin was difficult to adjust to.This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon. Lem and his simulated self immediately identified the talisman brush. It was charred and looking a bit battered, lying slightly further from the tree than Lem¡¯s bag had been. A split-second later, Lem¡¯s simulated self was drawn to a pouch that was only a couple of meters away from the brush, attracting Lem¡¯s attention. There was a slight discoloration around the lip of the pouch. It was subtle, but it reminded Lem of the description of cinnabar ink. In the [Spirit Hand Talisman Method], crushed radiant bronze was described as the ideal metallic ink, but among the preferred alternatives, cinnabar ink ranked highly. [You see the talisman brush that you remembered from before. Near it, you are pleasantly surprised to see what you determine to be cinnabar ink stains on a pouch.] Lem¡¯s simulated self looked around to make sure there was nothing else he wanted to take, before he began to approach the talisman brush. He felt a slight shiver of fear run through his body, but it was much more suppressed compared to previous trips. Even if the harvest tree had the capacity to kill him instantly, it had never done so before. As Lem¡¯s simulated self reached the brush, he stooped over and picked it up in one fluid motion, ignoring the pain from the burns on his hand. He took one step and retrieved the stained pouch. There were a few spiritual crystals on the ground nearby. He slipped them into the pouch as well before he turned around. [You retrieve the talisman brush and the stained pouch.] Easy. As Lem¡¯s simulated self began walking back, he was already beginning to feel secure. And then he heard a small noise. Creak. It came from behind him. It was the direction of the harvest tree. An instant feeling of regret flooded his body, and he stopped in his tracks, his heart pounding. His hands were still holding on to the brush and the pouch. Lem knew exactly the kinds of thoughts that were running through his head. Why had he not left the tree alone? Why did he come back for talisman materials? Was it really so important? And the spiritual crystals! Were they necessary? A moment later, when death did not arrive, Lem¡¯s simulated self felt confusion. He was not hurt, but he could still hear the creaking noise behind him. Creak. Lem¡¯s simulated self slowly turned around and saw, with horror, that one of gray-blue branches of the harvest tree had stirred. Chapter 140 - Gifted A Lily [As you are walking back to the treeline, you hear a sound. You stop and turn around, only to see that one of the harvest tree¡¯s branches is moving.] Lem¡¯s simulated self was frozen in place, but Lem was still able to think freely. He felt surprisingly relaxed. It did not appear that the harvest tree was trying to attack his simulated self. If it had been, then Lem suspected that he would already be dead. The branch was not even moving towards him, but rather in the direction of the pond. What was the harvest tree doing? The branch dipped into the water and wrapped around the flower of one of the peripheral water lilies with the litheness of a snake. It slowly moved up. The flower rose from the water, followed by a couple of lily pads, and then the roots at the end. The branch softly separated the flower end from the rest of the spiritual plant. The lily pads flopped back down and landed back in the water, where they sent a cascade of ripples out, disturbing the calm surface. The harvest tree slowly moved the lily through the air and away from the pond, while the water dripped from its petals.This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it. A moment later, Lem realized that the branch was now moving towards him. Was the water lily going to be given to him as a gift? It might not be as potent as the perfect water lily, but it had been growing in the same water! It was certainly not ordinary! And now, it was going to be his? The idea felt too fantastical to be believed, and yet the branch continued to move, meter by meter, in his direction. When the branch arrived less than a meter above his arms, the spiritual lily dropped. Lem¡¯s simulated self felt a wet, yet utterly pleasant sensation as it fell into his hands. At the same time, he felt a dull ache of pain radiating down his arms. The branch began to withdraw, but it was still close enough that he could reach out and touch it. It was from the same tree that had killed the martial elder only a day prior, sucking the blood out of him like leech. And it had come so close to his skin. As the branch continued to retract, withdrawing back towards the harvest tree, Lem¡¯s simulated self felt only horror, as he tried to comprehend what was happening. Lem similarly struggled to understand the perspective of the harvest tree. Was he entering into some strange relationship with it? He refused to believe that such a good thing would just fall in his lap. It was one matter for the harvest tree to ignore him, not deigning to kill a being that was realms weaker than it. It was quite another matter for such a powerful tree to give a gift to him. Or was he overthinking the matter? Was the harvest tree simply showing kindness? It had an abundance of water lilies, and it merely gave him one of the least potent specimens¡­ Chapter 141 - Strange [You watch as the harvest tree reaches into the pond and plucks the flower of a water lily with its branch. It then slowly drops the flower into your hands. You question your reality¡­] No matter how baffled his simulated self was, he was not going to be rude in response. He gave an unsure bow in the direction of the harvest tree, keeping a firm grip on the water lily, along with the talisman brush and the pouch. The pleasant feeling coming from the water lily dwarfed that of the spiritual seed. Lem could not imagine what it would feel like to hold the perfect centerpiece water lily in the pond. Burns or not, it would probably be too overwhelming to ignore. However, he was dealing with one of the comparatively ordinary water lilies, and the burns on his skin were being put to good use. Were it not for the sensation of pain, he wouldn¡¯t have been able to stop himself from stuffing the water lily into his mouth. As Lem¡¯s simulated self held his bow, he did not see a reaction from the harvest tree. It had grown still again. [You do not know how to react, so you bow in the direction of the harvest tree, hoping that the response is sufficient.] Lem¡¯s simulated self tentatively turned around and began walking back to his campsite. The forest was falling into shadow again, as the sunlight dwindled. Unwittingly, the day had slipped away from him.The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. Everything around him felt strange. He was actually holding one of the water lilies from the pond. The water on it could likely be considered some form of spiritual water. It had been given to him directly by the harvest tree. Lem could only think that the luck of his current simulated self was completely beyond his understanding. After ten brutal simulations, everything seemed to have broken perfectly. Of course, he still had the evil power eating away at him. However, with the ability to cultivate, and the perfect secluded spiritual environment, it felt like he had the capital to fight back against it. And what was the reason? The harvest tree. It all came back to the harvest tree. When he was persecuted by everyone and everything he met, it was the first power to freely harbor him, giving him a safe haven from the brutality of the world. But why? What was its purpose? [You return to camp, setting aside the talisman brush and the pouch with your other possessions. You hold the water lily and stare at it, as you think intently over your experiences. You wonder if you are in the throes of an illusion, and your mind goes directly to the evil flower. You think grimly that if you are truly trapped in an illusion, then it is one that is incredibly immersive and impossible to escape from.] As Lem¡¯s simulated self sat in the brush, the last of the daylight faded away. With conviction similar to that when he first received the simulator, he decided to play along with his reality, even if it was an illusion. He brought the water lily to his lips and nibbled off one of its petals, before bringing it back down. A familiar sensation stirred in his stomach, as he felt a rush of energy. It was manageable. The water lily had roughly fifty petals. One petal did not seem like too much or too little to eat. [Night falls, and you decide to eat a little bit of the water lily. You eat one of its petals and begin to cultivate. You do not make meaningful progress in stirring the spiritual energy within you¡­ After a while, you stop cultivating and fall asleep¡­] Chapter 142 - Curiosity [You are sleeping peacefully, when your senses arouse you. You snap wide awake, as you realise that there are noises in your immediate surroundings.] Lem was meditating on the visualization diagram of the [Mountain Sitting Technique] when his simulated self was suddenly disturbed from sleep. It sounded like there was scuffling and movement in the bushes. Lem¡¯s simulated self opened his eyes. Several meters away from him, in the darkness of the forest, he saw indistinct forms on all fours, walking through the brush. A pair of wolves. One of them was sniffing the ground, while the other looked at him, its yellow eyes glowing in the night. Lem¡¯s simulated self quickly noticed that the wolf was fixated on the spiritual lily in his hand. He had gone to sleep holding it, not wanting to let it out of his sight for fear that he would lose it. Lem wondered whether this had been a mistake. Should his simulated self have eaten more of the water lily instead of going to sleep? Clearly, it had attracted the wolves. Yet, at the same time, he did not see any hostility. The wolves carried themselves with calmness, as though they had walked over just to satisfy their curiosity.If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. The wolf that was sniffing the ground brought its head up, and the pair of them trotted off through the brush, continuing along their way. Lem¡¯s simulated self watched as they walked away, disappearing into the night. They were traveling in the direction of the harvest tree. [You see two wolves nearby. They look at you in curiosity, before walking away.] How strange. Lem thought about the difference between their attitude and the one that had been shown by wolves when he had been with the martial elder. At that time, the wolves would not leave them alone. They kept yipping and rushing forward in mock charges, and would not be deterred even when Master Brightflame had flared his true essence. The wolves he was encountering now hadn¡¯t made a move or even postured at him. It had been the same every other time he had encountered wolves when he was alone at night. They had always been either timid or curious, but never hostile. Why? Here, it could be explained that they were calm because they were in the territory of the harvest tree. But what about the other times? And when they had been aggressive, had it been because Master Brightflame¡¯s powerful aura had provoked them? Was just his presence enough to set them over the edge? Or was he overthinking the matter? As Lem and his simulated self were deep in thought, the brush was disturbed again. This time, three wolves emerged from the forest. Once again, there was no aggression. They only cast curious glances at him, before they continued walking past, following in the footsteps of the last pair of wolves. Again? Before the forest could return to quiet, Lem¡¯s simulated self heard noises, and another wolf passed by. Lem¡¯s simulated self stood up. Even if it was dangerous, he felt a need to satisfy his curiosity. Chapter 143 - Chastened Wolf [As more wolves continue to move past you, you decide to investigate. You remember Master Brightflame¡¯s warning about traveling at night, but you do not think that it applies to the spiritual area because phenomena only occur where the world operation is at its weakest. The spiritual area is already being affected by a set of rules, as evidenced by the invisible barrier, so you know that the world operation is strong.] Something was going on. Lem did not know what it was, but it did not feel normal. The behavior of the harvest tree, and now of the wolves was extremely strange. When they saw the Martial Master, they wanted to rip him limb from limb. When they saw his simulated self, it was like he wasn¡¯t even there. Although it made him uneasy, for the moment he felt that he was safe as long as he was within the barrier. After the harvest tree had gifted him the water lily, no matter what its reasons had been, it had demonstrated its attitude. As for the appearance of anomalies, he remembered that Master Brightflame had said that they appear at places where the world operation was at its weakest. Any place that could bewilder a Martial Master did not meet that standard! [You stand up, as you consider whether or not to take the lily with you. You are loath to leave it unattended, but you also do not want to attract unnecessary attention to yourself. Another three wolves pass by, and you decide to follow them, lily in hand.] As his simulated self began walking behind the wolves, Lem was unsure what their reaction would be. Would they snarl? Would they stop in their tracks, or scatter into the forest?The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation. A moment later, he had his answer. The wolves made no reaction, but continued to walk peacefully. Lem¡¯s simulated self clutched on to the water lily even tighter. When they drew closer to the harvest tree, Lem began seeing more wolves. They were coming from several different directions, and forming a line straight towards the pond. Many of them turned and looked at his simulated self, but they showed the same subdued attitude and looked away shortly after. How eerie. [As you follow the three wolves, they join a long line of wolves that are trotting in the direction of the harvest tree. Riveted by the mysterious sight, you choose to follow.] Lem got the feeling that he was observing a ritual. It was just like it had felt before the wolf king had emerged. To get so many wolves together¡­ He wondered what he would find near the pond. Because of the presence of the harvest tree, he still felt safe. His only worry was that he would somehow lose the spiritual lily. Lem¡¯s simulated self gripped the spiritual lily tighter. He was sure now that if he had left it back at the camp, it would already be gone, gift from the harvest tree or not. A minute later, Lem saw that there was another line of wolves coming from the opposite direction. Had they already participated in whatever was occuring? The wolves passed by, casting glances over at Lem¡¯s simulated self, or more likely, at the water lily in his hands. One of them broke ranks and approached Lem''s simulated self directly. Lem watched in curiosity. The wolf drew closer and closer, its eyes fixed on the water lily. And then, it got too close. An invisible line had been crossed. Suddenly, there were echoes of snarling. Several members of its own race turned and began aggressively posturing. It shrank back, chastened, and the rest of the wolves grew calm again. What just happened? Were the other wolves standing up for him? Was it over? Lem waited to see if the wolf would come forward again, but it seemed that the incident had come to an end. The two lines of wolves continued to move past one another peacefully. Before long, the chastened wolf was out of sight. [You arrive at the pond, and see that the line of wolves continues all the way to the edge of the water. You see several wolf kings waiting by the harvest tree, overseeing the wolves at the front of the line.] Chapter 144 - Another Gift As Lem¡¯s simulated self closed in on the pond, the experience became even more surreal. It was the first time he had seen the harvest tree at night. The gray-blue bark shined, and the moonlight reflected in the pond, casting a flickering and dazzling reflection among the pale water lilies. The centerpiece, the perfect water lily, was like a queen among her entourage. Lit up by the moonlight, its pink flowers radiated delicate beauty, as they splayed symmetrically around its yellow center. By the waterside, five huge wolf kings towered over the procession of wolves. When they turned, one by one, to look at Lem¡¯s simulated self, it was clear from the gleam in their eyes that they had an intelligence that the others did not possess. Yet again, he did not sense any hostility. The entire scene felt peaceful and idyllic. Even the dual sensations of pain and pleasantness seemed to fade into the background. As the wolves at the front of the line reached the pond, they drank from the water, before turning around and joining the line moving in the opposite direction. Lem¡¯s mind wandered. He remembered the stories that Master Brightflame had told him, and he could not help but feel sadness at what he was seeing. The entire race had been brought down by the actions of their ancestor. Now, they were forced to get their water surreptitiously, in the middle of the night.The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. Even though it was pure conjecture on his part, he could not help but feel like the wolves and he were both fugitives of the world who had been taken in by the harvest tree. The tree had given him the water lily, and it was now giving the wolves permission to drink from its pond. Lem¡¯s simulated self stayed and watched as the line of wolves continued to move. He was rooted to the scene, whether by its beauty, or his sense of solidarity with the wolves, Lem did not know. Eventually, the number of wolves in the line dwindled to the point that the end of the line was in sight. Shortly afterward, there were only a few wolves left apart from the wolf kings. Lem heard a couple of howls in the distance. Then, the last wolf drank from the pond, before turning around and walking away, following its brethren into the forest. The harvest tree began to rumble, as though it had been waiting for just that moment. One of its branches extended down into the pond in a familiar motion, plucking a flower from the stem of a peripheral water lily. At the same time, a few more budding flowers shifted in place, poking up from the bottom of the pond and rising in between lily pads. The branch extended to the five wolf kings, dropping the water lily at their feet, before returning to the harvest tree and growing still again. [You watch, as the line of wolves drink water and leave. When the rest of the wolves have gone, the harvest tree plucks another water lily and gives it to the wolf kings.] The wolf kings moved in a circle around the lily, before slowly eating its pedals. They did not bark or snarl. There was no fighting, only a civilized meal between equals. The water lily was quickly consumed, and the wolf kings laid down one by one, with the appearance of indolence or perhaps docility. The pond felt empty. Chapter 145 - Thoughts In The Night As Lem observed the harvest tree, he thought its gnarled branches seemed desolate. Did it care for the wolves because it did not have kin of its own? The tension had been completely diffused. Even the wolf kings no longer felt like dangerous beasts. His simulated self had never worried that they would try to take the spiritual lily from him. His fears were directed elsewhere. There seemed to be fewer items on the ground around the pond. In particular, all of the spiritual crystals were gone. Lem was sure that his simulated self was thinking about the items he had left at his camp. [You feel that the matter between the wolves and the harvest tree has come to an end, so you begin walking back to camp, hoping that nothing from your possessions will be missing.] As his simulated self walked, Lem thought about what he had just seen. Another gift had been given by the harvest tree. Strangely, this gave him a sense of comfort. Perhaps the harvest tree was just a benevolent figure in the forest, giving aid to those it deemed as worthy of its friendship. This begged the question of how it distinguished between friends and foes. Was it on a whim? As Lem¡¯s simulated self drew closer to his campsite, he saw that the pouches were roughly where he had left them, but there were wolf footprints all over the ground. He felt a moment of crisis.This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. Were the spiritual crystals still there? He scrambled, opening the pouches one by one, before breathing a sigh of relief. Everything was as he had left it. [You return to your camping location, and are relieved to find that nothing is gone. You wonder whether the wolves had passed by during the previous night, as you suspect that you were in too impaired a state to notice¡­ You fall back asleep, the water lily in your arms¡­] As the curtain of darkness fell over his surroundings, Lem¡¯s mind was still fixed on the harvest tree. He replayed the moments he had seen and considered the attitude of the harvest tree. Why did it like both him and the wolves, but not the martial elder? Was the harvest tree friendly towards anomalous creatures and evil, the so-called strangeness that had infected the world? If this was the case, then did it like him because he was infected, and carried the aura of evil, and the wolves because their entire race had been incorporated by the anomaly. Of course, this assumed that the theory about the wolves being incorporated was correct. Keeping this motive in mind, it made him wonder whether the harvest tree itself was an anomaly. Its proximity to the evil flower appeared to support this notion. Would this mean that the barrier represented the borders of a persistent anomalous phenomenon, one that did not disappear in the daytime? If so, then what were the rules of the world that were being broken? Apart from the warding effect, he had not noticed anything that differed from ordinary reality. Lem also remembered that Master Brightflame had said that he could sense plant anomalies from afar. If the harvest tree was an anomaly, why hadn¡¯t he been able to sense it? Was it because it was a plant anomaly contained within the bounds of an anomalous phenomenon that could distort his perception? Eventually, Lem was forced to put aside his thoughts because they were too speculative. For now, it was enough to focus on his survival. He began meditating on the visualization diagram, as he waited out the waning hours of the night. Chapter 146 - Patrolling The Barrier [Day 15: You wake up feeling dull pain throughout your body, but your condition is much improved. You think back to when you consumed a small part of the spiritual water lily, and you guess that the improvement is due to the healing effects of spirituality¡­] As his simulated self was being roused from his sleep, Lem broke free from his nightly meditation. The trend had continued, and he had made less headway into his understanding of the visualization diagram than any night prior. Setting aside his concerns about his own cultivation, Lem felt pleased that his simulated self was regaining his former health. He agreed with the sentiment he saw expressed on the simulated screen. The consumption of the water lily was likely the reason for the improvement. He had observed the miraculous effects of spiritual energy more than once over the course of his eleven simulations. [You know that your food stores will run out within the next couple of weeks, so you decide to look around to see if you can find any weak beasts to hunt¡­ With your spiritual water lily in one hand, and your knife in the other, you begin walking through the outskirts of the harvest tree¡¯s territory, staying within the bounds of the barrier. You are careful not to wander too close to the side that is close to the evil flower, not wanting to accidentally step within the range of its trapping effect¡­ You do not see any beasts, not even wolves, which surprises you, considering how many of them had been around at night¡­] As Lem¡¯s simulated self wandered around the spiritual territory, Lem could sense that he was reluctant to walk into the deeper areas that were closer to the harvest tree. Now that his pain was subsiding, his simulated self was afraid of the increased spirituality distorting his thinking. His simulated self walked for the better part of an hour without seeing traces of any beasts, even small ones.Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on. Lem began to wonder whether his assumption that weaker beasts could pass through the barrier was correct. Perhaps anything that was not an anomaly or did not carry a trace of evil would be impeded. Of course, he did not rule out other selection criteria, as he did not have enough information to do anything more than make informed guesses. Eventually, his simulated self began to walk closer and closer to the invisible barrier, where the feeling of spirituality was negligible. [After searching for some time without encountering any beasts, you decide to test the area around the barrier. You move to the very edge, where the spiritual energy is barely perceptible, and begin walking slowly. You recognize the dangers of traveling with the spiritual water lily in hand, but you are loath to leave it behind. You are prepared to jump back if you encounter anything dangerous.] Lem observed while his simulated self walked around the perimeter of the spiritual area. Sometimes he walked slightly outside of the barrier, and sometimes slightly inside. However, there still was no sign of any beasts. [After spending another hour fruitlessly, you return to your campsite¡­ You begin to cultivate the [Mountain Sitting Technique], trying to get the spiritual energy to circulate through your meridians¡­ You feel as though you have made a good amount of progress, and you switch your focus to the [Spirit Hand Talisman Method]...] Lem saw that his simulated self was not running into any plateaus in his cultivation, giving Lem slight relief. In fact, if anything, his progress seemed to be improving as he got more familiar with using the breathing method to stir spirituality. This renewed Lem''s hope that his simulated self would soon be able to achieve small success in the First Stage of Body Refinement. However, this was not the main focus for Lem. His simulated self was about to practice the [Spirit Hand Talisman Method] for the first time while using a talisman brush. He remembered the embarrassing experience of trying to practice while substituting his hands for the brush, and wondered whether it was about to be more of the same. If talismans were so easy to make, wouldn¡¯t he have seen Master Brightflame using them? Chapter 147 - Heart Of The Technique As Lem¡¯s simulated self picked up the spirit brush, he felt a small thrill run through his body. It was heavier than it looked, with a line of the small mysterious symbols running down the midpoint. Lem¡¯s simulated self sat and began to trace it across the ground according to what he remembered of the [Spirit Hand Talisman Method]. Each arc of the brush was purposeful, but they felt disconnected from one to the next. Lem knew that eventually it should become like a dance, with every motion inextricably linked together, such that they were indistinguishable within the whole. Obviously, it would take a significant amount of effort to get to that level, but there was no reason to believe that it was impossible with enough practice. There was a more substantive problem. Apart from the disconnected feeling, his movements had a curious sensation of hollowness to them, like they were lacking in spirit. There was no intent! It was rote memorization, and Lem instinctively knew that it was impossible to produce a functional talisman with such a technique, even if the motions were smoothed out. Gaining proficiency in the strict technical elements was important, but it was more important to understand the heart of the technique. [You practice drawing into the ground with the spirit brush, but you can tell that you are lacking intent in your motions.] Lem¡¯s simulated self continued to practice. With every stroke of the spirit brush he tried to summon the intent of the technique, but it was too difficult. At least with the [Mountain Sitting Technique], he was given a roadmap to producing the intent with the visualization diagram. With the [Spirit Hand Talisman Method] there was no obvious way of understanding it.This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. It had to be summoned from within the motions through intuition and enlightenment, similar to how he broke through with the [Nine Bull Fist]. After a time, Lem¡¯s simulated self began to grow frustrated, before he quit altogether, deciding to find the intent another time. [You stop practicing the [Spirit Hand Talisman Method] and decide to return to cultivation. Briefly, you look up, and see that there are still several hours of daylight left. You bite off another petal of the spiritual water lily, and you feel the improvement in energy and spirituality, rejuvenating your spirits¡­ You return to cultivation, as you attempt to stir the spiritual energy within you¡­ You feel as though you are seeing small improvements in your control over the breathing method¡­ You enter a trance-like state¡­] Lem watched with fascination as his simulated self lost track of the time. He saw that the spiritual energy inside of his body was beginning to respond. It was moving in larger and larger bursts, seemingly one step away from fully circulating. Lem played along, focusing on the visualization diagram while he observed the changes in his body. Eventually, the sky began to grow dark. With the sudden change in his surroundings, Lem¡¯s simulated self was aroused into consciousness. [You are broken out of your trance-like state as night begins to fall, and you feel pleased when you notice the improvement in your ability to connect with the spiritual energy within you. You decide not to eat, as your hunger is mostly satiated from consuming the spiritual lily, but you drink from a waterskin¡­ You wonder whether the meat will go bad, as it is not dried or preserved in any detectable manner, and you begin to think about the special containers that Master Brightflame used. You think that it is possible that they have the ability to keep their contents fresh, but you are not willing to stake the safety of your rations on it, so you decide to cook all of the meat on the following day and dry it to increase its longevity. You wonder if the spiritual lily will eventually spoil. When you look at it, it does not seem wilted at all, making you think that the ability to keep ingredients from degrading is another potential benefit of spirituality¡­ You fall asleep¡­] As his simulated self closed his eyes, Lem began to meditate on the visualization diagram of the [Mountain Sitting Technique]. He tried to ignore his recent string of failures, as he hoped to achieve a moment of enlightenment on mountain intent. Every night represented the passing of another opportunity to improve his comprehension ahead of his return to his real body. Chapter 148 - Breakthroughs [Day 16: You wake up with your body slightly aching¡­ You cultivate the [Mountain Sitting Technique]... You do not make much progress¡­ You take the spiritual lily with you and walk around the perimeter of the spiritual territory¡­ You do not see any beasts¡­ You return to your campsite and you practice the [Spirit Hand Talisman Method]... After a fruitless session, you decide to practice the [Nine Bull Fist]. It has been almost ten days since you last practiced it, and you do not want to fall out of the habit of honing your only combat skill¡­] Lem was excited to see that his simulated self was practicing martial arts again. It felt like so much had occurred within the past few days. Most importantly, his simulated self had begun to cultivate. Even if he had yet to achieve small success of the First Stage, he was still far more attuned to spirituality than ever before. Lem wondered whether he would be able to make any breakthroughs using his new sensitivity. Punch! Punch! Punch! Lem was focused on the sensations coming from his body. His simulated self had not practiced recently, but the [Nine Bull Fist] seemed fluid as ever. The vibration force sprung forth from the end of his fists reliably. Punch! Punch! Punch! [As you punch out, you begin to remember the feeling of stirring the spiritual energy within your body¡­]This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. Punch! Punch! Punch! The movements suddenly began smoother, like his fists were gliding through the air. The vibration force was not any larger, but he felt more in control. Punch! Punch! Punch! As he continued practicing, Lem¡¯s simulated self felt a rush run through him. His body felt oddly comfortable, like his pores had opened up and he was breathing freely. He had not realized how tense he had been before. Lem had a vague suspicion that the spiritual energy from eating two petals from the water lily had not been fully incorporated into his body. It was only now, when all of his muscles and organs were exerting themselves that the energy was beginning to flow correctly. Punch! Punch! Punch! [After some time passes, you stop punching. You feel elated and robust, like you are no longer bloated. You reconsider the benefits of martial arts, and decide to add it to your daily routine¡­] Lem was slightly disappointed that his simulated self had not made any significant progress in either martial arts or talisman brushing. It appeared that breakthroughs were becoming harder and harder to come by. Even with cultivation, it had felt like his simulated self was on the verge of circulating the spiritual energy through his meridians for several days. It gave Lem the feeling that time was passing by too quickly. This did not mean that he wasn¡¯t grateful for the reprieve that had been given to his simulated self. So far, the area around the harvest tree was an unprecedented safe zone, and it had delivered many benefits to his simulated self on top of giving him time to train before the evil caught up to him. He just could not consider it a pleasant reality because of what was looming over him. He had roughly fifty petals of the water lily left. As long as his simulated self was putting spiritual energy into his body, he was fine, but after that, Lem knew from experience that the evil would eat away at his vitality like a termite through rotten wood. Death would come quickly. The simulation would be over and Lem would be forced to take risks with his real body again or go through the hellish scenario that his simulated self had just faced with Master Brightflame. Lem could hardly imagine trying to follow in the footsteps of the simulation while filled with fear that he would accidentally deviate from the safe path. One mistake with his real body was all that it took¡­ Chapter 149 - Bordering On Insane [You feel hungry and think that it is due to having practiced martial arts for so long. You decide that today, instead of eating a petal from the spiritual lily, you will eat from Master Brightflame¡¯s containers. Before you do, you check the lily to make sure it has not started to wilted¡­ You feel reassured after seeing that it looks just as fresh as it did the moment it was gifted to you¡­ You open the container that you ate from before. You study the meat and cannot find any sign that it is spoiling. You come to the conclusion that it is better preserved than it should be¡­] Lem agreed with the assessment of his simulated self. The meat, which was presumably part of the liver of either the tyrant sloth or the wolf king, was already several days old, and yet there was no discoloration or slimy texture. Lem suspected that one or both of two possibilities was occurring. Either the containers were capable of preserving freshness on their own, or it was the natural spirituality within the meat itself that slowed down the rate of spoiling. [You open the other containers of meat, one by one, and determine that none of them show signs of spoiling. To be on the safe side, you resolve to continue with your decision from the previous day to cook and dry out all of the meat¡­ You take out the spiritual lamp. You hesitate for a moment, not wanting to waste the spiritual crystals, before begrudgingly lighting the wick. You cut off a piece of meat and hold it over the flame, letting it cook until nearly all of the moisture has evaporated¡­A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. You cut off another piece of meat¡­] Lem watched while his simulated self slowly cooked all of the reserves of meat from the containers. There was an old technique he had seen used in Willow Tree Village after the hunting parties made a kill where they dried out the meat and wrapped it in special herbs for preservation. He did not have any of the necessary herbs, nor could he even identify them, but he thought that drying the meat was sufficient, particularly since the meat had already proved to be slow to spoil even without taking additional measures. [After you cook all of the meat, you repackage them in the containers, leaving a few dried cuts out for your dinner. You prepare to eat, but you hesitate, as you think that there is a chance that you are about to consume wolf meat. You remember seeing the wolves a couple nights prior, and you feel empathy for the wolf race¡­] Lem could see what his simulated self was thinking from the simulation screen. It was easy to draw comparisons between himself and the race, and to empathize with them, particularly after seeing that they were both beneficiaries of the harvest tree. However, it was much harder to act against his own interests. Lem was in no position to take the burden of an entire race. His survival was at stake, so he had to think practically. If this was the case for him, then it could only be more true for his simulated self, who was in far worse straits. To forgo food just because he felt bad for a wolf was idiotic and bordering on insane. [A moment later, you push your thoughts aside and bite into the dried meat. You devour the strip, and you move on to the next one¡­ You quickly finish eating the meat that you have set aside, and you notice that you are running out of daylight. You judge that you still have an hour left and you close your eyes, as you begin to cultivate¡­ You sense that your surroundings have gone dark, so you stop cultivating¡­ You fall asleep¡­] Chapter 150 - The Cloak [Day 17: You wake up and feel weaker due to the evil power consuming your vitality¡­ You cultivate the [Mountain Sitting Technique]... You take the spiritual lily with you and walk around the perimeter of the spiritual territory¡­ You practice the [Spirit Hand Talisman Method]... You practice the [Nine Bull Fist]... You eat a petal from the spiritual lily, and you cultivate¡­ You fall asleep¡­] [Day 18: You wake up¡­ You cultivate the [Mountain Sitting Technique]...] Lem¡¯s simulated self stopped his morning cultivation session and opened his eyes. In the past couple of days, Lem had noticed that his simulated self was able to move the spiritual energy within him more and more. He was surprised that he had not been able to circulate it fully yet, and he was expecting a breakthrough to happen any day now. On the other hand, his own nighttime meditation seemed to have become a complete waste of time. He had spent the past night fixating on the visualization diagram for hours on end without experiencing any new insights. Lem assumed that his simulated self was about to patrol the barrier and look for beasts to hunt. He was ready to slip into another meditation session, when he noticed that his simulated self was deviating from his expectations. His simulated self had begun rifling through one of the pouches. Lem watched in curiosity as his simulated self took out the cloak that he had scavenged days earlier. Before he could realize what was happening, his simulated self had pulled the cloak over his own tattered clothing.Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon. The strong smell of burnt leaves filled his nose, as the cloth slid down past his face, coming to rest snugly over his torso. [By chance, you remember the cloak you had found among the martial elder¡¯s possessions, and wonder if it could be helpful in concealing your presence. On a whim, you take it out and put it on. You feel surprisingly at ease¡­] Lem¡¯s simulated self stuck his hands in the spacious pockets of the cloak, pushing them in and making sure there were no holes. Everything seemed to be in good working order. He pushed the spiritual lily inside, being careful not to damage it. It was a comfortable fit, with plenty of room remaining. Lem¡¯s simulated self took a few steps, feeling the tail of the cloak billow behind him, before he pushed the cowl over his head. With his current appearance, perhaps he would still look a bit suspicious, but he assumed that it was far from the horrendous sight he was without it on. [The more you move around with the cloak on, the better you like the feeling. You think that if you had been wearing it before, you would have been able to carry the scattered items by the harvest tree in fewer trips, reducing the risk. You also think that you would have the benefit of camouflage in certain situations, particularly if you also use a Hidden Breath Talisman. You decide to keep the cloak on for the time being¡­ You walk around the perimeter of the spiritual territory¡­ You practice the [Spirit Hand Talisman Method]... You practice the [Nine Bull Fist]... You eat a petal from the spiritual lily, and you cultivate¡­ As night falls, you take out the spiritual lily and take a close look to make sure that it has not wilted or been damaged from the time it spent inside the cloak earlier in the day¡­ You do not see any blemishes or discolored areas¡­ As you close your eyes, you decide that you are going to make a habit of wearing the cloak. You fall asleep¡­] As he was cast into complete darkness, Lem did not know what to think about the new development. In truth, he did not care. One more cloak or one fewer cloak, it did not matter to him. So as long as it made his simulated self happy, he could support it. Lem began to meditate, bringing the mountain to the forefront of his mind. He was not going to let his lack of progress deter him. Even if he was only able to make one small insight for the rest of the simulation, it could make all the difference later on. There was also nothing better to do. Chapter 151 - Whether To Go Forward [You are sleeping peacefully when your senses arouse you. You quickly realize that there are noises in your immediate surroundings, and you open your eyes.] Lem was interrupted from his meditation when his simulated self was awoken from his sleep again. The first sight he was greeted with was a wolf standing a few meters away. From his detached perspective, Lem thought it was predictable, but his simulated self nearly jumped back in surprise. He quickly regained control of himself, rising to his feet. It was another peaceful wolf with the aura of domestication. It cocked its head and rolled out its tongue, as it stared at Lem¡¯s simulated self. Or, more specifically, at his midsection, where the spiritual lily was. If it weren¡¯t for its sharp, glinting teeth, Lem¡¯s simulated self might have been tempted to pet it. He put a hand in his cloak pocket, and touched the water lily, reassuring himself that it was still there. Meanwhile, it appeared that the wolf had lost interest. It turned its head and began trotting in the direction of the harvest tree. [You see a wolf standing nearby, staring at you, and you are shocked to full alertness, but you quickly calm down. The wolf walks away, and you quickly make the decision to follow it.] ¡°If I didn¡¯t know better, I would think that you came over just to wake me up,¡± Lem¡¯s simulated self muttered to himself.You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author. The wolf stopped and turned its head. ¡°Go on,¡± he gestured with his hand. The wolf continued to stare at him, so he gestured more emphatically. ¡°Let''s move!¡¯ He shooed the wolf forward with both of his hands, and it finally turned around and kept walking. The spirituality began to increase again as they walked forward. A minute later, they joined a line of wolves. The wolf continued moving, but Lem¡¯s simulated self stopped. Lem could feel a wave of nervousness run through his body. His simulated self had sensed that his emotions were being stirred into giddiness. It was dangerous. Now that his body was no longer in constant pain, there was nothing to countervail the pleasant sensation. If he walked further, the ambient spiritual energy would only affect him more and more. Lem knew that his simulated self was debating whether to go forward or back. Was it really worth investigating the little wolf ritual? What were the chances that anything good would come out of that? Lem thought that the sensible choice was to return. Eventually, his simulated self came to the same conclusion, turning back around. ¡°I¡¯ll see you another time,¡± he muttered to the wolf. It stopped and stared at him. A few other wolves turned their heads. [You feel that the increased spirituality is affecting you adversely, so you turn back around and begin to return to your campsite. You see a couple of wolves who are heading towards the line. They turn their heads and watch you pass by¡­ You reach your campsite, and lie down, curling up into a ball around the spiritual lily to keep it away from any wolves that might get too close for comfort. You hear a few small sounds and ignore them, assuming that another wolf is passing by¡­ You fall back asleep¡­] Chapter 152 - Monitoring The Changes [Day 19: You wake up¡­ You cultivate the [Mountain Sitting Technique]... You walk around the perimeter of the spiritual territory¡­ While you are walking, you see a rabbit just outside of the range of the barrier. You stop, wishing that you still had your spear so that you could attack with extra reach. As the rabbit turns its head, you explode forward with the [Nine Bull Fist], focusing entirely on speed. Your punch lands, and the rabbit is smashed dead into the ground, without knowing what hit it. You quickly scoop up the corpse and dart back into safety. You return to your campsite, and lay the rabbit corpse down. You began dissecting the corpse with your knife, crudely cutting out its guts, and removing the fur¡­ You cut up the meat into strips, and take out the spiritual lantern. You cook and dry out the meat, before separating it into a few containers¡­ You practice the [Spirit Hand Talisman Method]... You practice the [Nine Bull Fist]... You eat a couple strips of dried rabbit meat, and you take out a spiritual crystal, before closing your eyes. You begin to cultivate while trying to sense the spirituality that surrounds your body, focusing on your hand that is holding the crystal¡­ After a period, you switch to trying to galvanize the spiritual energy in your body¡­ By the time that you finish, you feel that you can faintly distinguish the surrounding spiritual energy¡­ You fall asleep¡­]Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings. [Day 20: You wake up and feel weaker due to the evil power consuming your vitality¡­ You cultivate the [Mountain Sitting Technique]... You take the spiritual lily with you and walk around the perimeter of the spiritual territory¡­ You practice the [Spirit Hand Talisman Method]... You practice the [Nine Bull Fist]... You eat a petal from the spiritual lily, and you cultivate¡­ You fall asleep¡­] [Day 21: You wake up¡­] As his simulated self opened his eyes, Lem noted that a week had already passed since the martial elder had died. The spiritual lily had not yet shown signs of wilting, so his simulated self had seen no reason to rush his consumption of it. On any given day, he ate at most a single petal. His simulated self was feeling optimistic after catching his first game from the area surrounding the barrier, giving him some hope. He had even finally managed to distinguish the spiritual energy in the air around him, giving him a slightly strange feeling every time he focused intently. If Lem had to guess, it was the happiest he had ever seen a simulated version of himself at any point in time. His simulated self quickly made a few preparations, before closing his eyes. [You cultivate the [Mountain Sitting Technique]...] Lem focused on the visualization diagram, as he monitored the changes in his body. Breathe in. He began to contract his muscles in the correct proportions and order. The breathing method had become extremely familiar and almost automatic. Breathe out. Breathe in. Stir the spiritual energy. The spiritual energy jolted in his body all at once, shifting in his meridians in the proper direction. Breathe out. Breathe in. Stir the spiritual energy. The spiritual energy jolted again. By now, Lem was used to its massive shifts. Breathe out. Breathe in. Stir the spiritual energy. Woah, what was that! Lem¡¯s attention was riveted to what was occurring in his meridians. The visualization diagram vanished from his mind as he lost focus. The spiritual energy had jolted¡­and continued to move!