The Fifth Simulation Recharge

The wedding feast for Niu had come to an end.

Night fell.

Lanterns hung high.

A faint crimson glow swayed gently at the estate gate, rippling with the promise of a joyous future and the dawn of a new home.

Moonlight cascaded from the sky, delicate and silken, slowly merging with the muted red of celebration.

"Niu, take these."

Before leaving, Xu Xi smiled and offered Niu a few more gifts.

There were elixirs to heal bodily ailments, as well as artifacts to protect home and hearth—quite a number of them, for Xu Xi couldn’t shake his concern for the honest man.

Thus, in this special way, he bestowed blessings and safeguards upon Niu’s future.

"Let’s go, Ying Xue. It’s time to return home."

"Yes, Master."

On the starlit path back,

Xu Xi once again carried the exhausted noblewoman on his back.

The girl claimed she had expended all her strength resisting the three great demons, and only by being carried could she rest properly.

Whether Xu Xi believed it or not, she certainly did.

"Ying Xue."

"What is it, Master?"

"Has anyone ever told you that when you lie, you tend to stare at your toes?"

"Wha—?!"

In the end, Xu Xi still carried the noblewoman back to the courtyard.

Consumed by guilt, she remained silent the entire way.

"Good evening, Brother. Would you mind going inside first? I’d like to spar with Lady Ying Xue."

At the courtyard gate, the sweet and demure Mo Li stood waiting, having arrived early.

She walked up to Xu Xi with a smile, forcibly pulled the noblewoman down, and vanished into the void with her, leaving no trace of their destination.

Only Xu Xi remained behind.

"Are the stars tonight... unusually bright?"

The night wind was cool, rustling through the grass.

The faint skittering of insects was especially clear in the quiet of the evening.

Standing in the courtyard, Xu Xi gazed up at the sky, where the stars shimmered brilliantly—a vast, undulating sea of light, surging and bursting with radiance.

In comparison,

Earth seemed unnaturally tranquil, like a pure and untouched sanctuary.

"It’s getting late. Best to rest."

Snapping out of his thoughts, Xu Xi smiled and headed toward the courtyard bedroom.

His sister and the noblewoman were no children.

Once their sparring ended, they’d return on their own; there was no need for him to worry.

Thus, upon reaching his bedroom, Xu Xi quickly fell asleep and began to dream.

In the dream, chaos churned.

Four strange lights clashed and collided.

Their struggle was fierce, tumultuous—so much so that the dream world itself seemed on the verge of shattering.

Xu Xi watched with fascination, but one detail puzzled him: for some reason, the confrontation had turned into a three-against-one scenario.

The red light was suppressed,

reduced to a desperate defense.

The next morning, Xu Xi awoke to warm spring sunlight streaming through the window and mused aloud, "What a strange dream."

……

In the days that followed, Xu Xi’s life returned to its usual tranquility.

Cultivation, gardening, fishing.

His days were simple, no more extraordinary than those of ordinary folk.

The girls, too, were well-behaved.

Aside from Wu Yingxue’s frequent outings, the other three were occupied with their own affairs, never giving Xu Xi cause for concern.

The spring breeze stirred, flowers bloomed, and the courtyard’s many plants regained their vibrant beauty.

Fresh buds peeked from their tips,

bathed in sunlight, brimming with life.

Xu Xi cherished this peace, the serenity of the courtyard. Yet occasionally, he faced dilemmas of his own making.

"Mentor, please have some tea."

"Master, please have some soup."

The enchantress and the mechanical maid stood quietly, awaiting his choice.

At such times, Xu Xi could only resort to the laws of space and time, sampling both offerings simultaneously.

The process was admittedly peculiar,

but the outcome was satisfactory.

To Xu Xi, life in the courtyard remained idyllic.

Of course, he wasn’t always confined to the estate. Occasionally, he ventured elsewhere, witnessing Earth’s ascension and exploring Boundary Ruins scattered across the world.

"Mo Li’s plans... seem close to success?"

"Lately, the Supernatural United Bureau’s records on Earth’s ascension data have grown increasingly exaggerated—almost to the point where the records can’t keep up with the changes."

"At this rate, Earth might soon become a realm of its own."

Roaming the planet,

slaying malevolent spirits,

observing Earth’s shifting geology and the proliferation of Boundary Ruins, Xu Xi couldn’t help but reflect. After all, this ascension traced its origins to him.

Whether it was the Life Simulator

or the four supreme beings in his household,

all were tied to him in some way.

"Speaking of which... what should I simulate next?"

"Body, Qi, and Spirit—each has its own cultivation system. The sci-fi path, while not directly strengthening me, has provided a unique observational perspective."

……

Yanshan City, the courtyard.

Beneath the swaying canopy of emerald leaves, Xu Xi sat amid dappled light and shadow, summoning the simulator’s interface to browse the available worlds.

Bloodline Path, Xuanhuan Path, Urban Path, Necrotic Path...

Worlds beyond count,

realms without end.

Every possibility spawned countless planes and infinite histories.

To any cultivator, this was an inexhaustible trove of treasures.

Except for Xu Xi.

"Immortal cultivation, magic, martial arts, sci-fi."

"Four simulations, four supreme rewards, and the insights from each—I’ve long since seen the path ahead with clarity."

"In the end, all paths converge. The differences lie only in their specialties."

"At the pinnacle of martial arts, the soul rivals the body."

"At the zenith of magic, the flesh bears the weight of chaos."

"Thus, for this fifth simulation, I should seek something... more unique."

Contemplation.

Comparison.

Selection.

Sunlight filtered through his lashes, casting fragmented trails.

After a long silence, Xu Xi’s gaze settled on the Necrotic Path.

A world governed by death and souls.

Such was the definition of the Necrotic Path.

Xu Xi had reviewed the Supernatural United Bureau’s archives. The Boundary Ruins of this path teemed with undead—wraiths, specters, bone dragons, liches.

Living beings did exist in such worlds,

but the dead held dominion, their power eclipsing all else.

"A world of death..."

"Come to think of it, in past simulations, death always meant the end. I’ve never truly experienced the state of being deceased."

"Perhaps this time will be different."

Xu Xi weighed the thought, intrigued.

He lacked for nothing as it stood. Even the authority over death, granted by Krisha’s aid, was already his to wield.

Yet at its core,

this was Krisha’s power,

not his own understanding.

Why not, then, seize this new simulation as a chance to explore the nature of the simulator while also glimpsing existence from the perspective of the departed?

"Then it’s settled. The fifth simulation will be the Necrotic Path."

With a flick of his finger, Xu Xi retrieved a trove of necrotic artifacts from his spatial ring and fed them, one by one, into the simulator.