Simulation Year 22.
Xu Xi is 36 years old, and Krisha is 28.
Compared to before, Xu Xi has undergone a significant change, a change called "aging."
Krisha, however, remains young, still maintaining the appearance of a 17-year-old.
Now, when the two go out together, no one mistakes them for "siblings." The disparity in their appearances is too great, and people firmly believe they are "father and daughter."
When hearing such comments, Krisha's eyes grow even more hollow.
Her fingers unconsciously tighten.
She feels a dull ache in her chest.
Yet, the specifics of that pain, the source of its weight, the witch cannot quite articulate. She can only hide helplessly behind Xu Xi, as she always has, deep in the shadow of light.
There, she seeks a fleeting, momentary peace.
"It's alright, Krisha, let's keep going," Xu Xi comforts the frightened witch, just as he did when they first met, extending his hand and gently leading her forward.
The path of life is painful.
It is also twisted and unsettling.
Xu Xi knows that Krisha, alone, would struggle to walk fearlessly to the end.
So, in the limited time he has left to act, Xu Xi will continue to lead Krisha forward, until the final conclusion.
...
[Simulation Year 23, you are 37, Krisha is 29]
[You deeply realize that you are indeed no longer young, but your life remains unaffected]
[For a mage, the older you are, the more powerful you become. Though your body is not as youthful as before, your vast spiritual energy is enough to accomplish anything]
[That same year, Krisha advances once more]
[She rises from a Grand Magus to a Grand Archmage, becoming a spellcaster of the same realm as you. But unlike you, the witch's restraints are not as severe]
[You speculate that perhaps the power of Equilibrium has helped her offset some of the obstacles]
[In your heart, you exclaim: The power of Equilibrium is truly terrifying]
[To celebrate the witch's growth, as her mentor, you decide to gift her something special. You craft a unique wand]
The cicadas hum in the summer heat, waves of warmth rolling through the air.
Under the sunlight, the leaves of the vast forest shimmer like emeralds. When the wind blows, they transform into deep green waves, rustling endlessly.
At the base of a thick, sturdy tree root.
Xu Xi and Krisha sit resting.
"Krisha, this is the new wand I prepared for you. Try it out," Xu Xi says, brushing his fingers over his spatial ring and pulling out a brand-new wand.
The wand is slender, its body a yellowish-brown hue.
It is crafted from a branch of the Tree of Life.
It carries a natural restorative effect.
It also enhances the wielder's meditation.
At its tip, embedded in a depression, is a smooth, translucent gem—the essence of an elemental fairy, capable of amplifying the power of magic.
"Thank you, I like it very much..."
Whatever you give me.
I will cherish.
Krisha takes the wand, her eyes blinking, still hollow and lifeless.
Her fingers gently trace the wand, feeling the wooden grain and rough texture, acclimating to its use.
The newly crafted wand has no name.
Xu Xi lets the girl name it herself.
Krisha holds the wand close to her chest, her blank eyes gazing at Xu Xi's face, and finally responds:
"Gray Rekindling."
This is the name of Krisha's first wand, the first wand Xu Xi ever gave her.
During the Alenson Crisis years ago, Krisha accidentally lost it. Now, she chooses to bestow that name upon this new wand.
Is this a form of legacy?
Xu Xi smiles, reaching out to ruffle the witch's hair.
"That's good," he says.
...
[Simulation Year 26, you are 40, Krisha is 32]
[Your body has grown somewhat sluggish, but your mind remains sharp. Your mastery over the elements has reached a divine level, and you begin to sense the concept of domains]
[You and Krisha continue to travel the world]
[You lead the immortal witch to the island in the eastern lake, a place known as Dragon Island, a terrifying and perilous land teeming with draconic creatures and ruled by true pure-blooded dragons]
[You invite the witch to ride a dragon with you]
"Krisha, don't worry, these dragons are quite docile."
"Just like this, a gentle tap, and they'll understand our intentions. They're more obedient than household pets."
The once-roaring Dragon Island.
Today, it is unusually quiet.
Countless draconic creatures lie prostrate on the ground, trembling, their eyes filled with terror as they watch the fearsome master and disciple conducting their lesson nearby.
"Look, Krisha."
Atop the head of a crimson dragon, Xu Xi smiles and waves his wand.
9th-tier Earth Magic: Gravity Field.
9th-tier Fire Magic: Skyfire.
9th-tier Lightning Magic: Thunderous Roar.
9th-tier Light Magic: Holy Thorn Piercer.
The small, long-handled wand is simultaneously imbued with four 9th-tier spells. With a light tap on the dragon's head, the crimson dragon lets out a panicked whimper.
Dragon scales shatter, blood spurts, and the scene becomes a dragon's nightmare.
But soon.
Thanks to the dragon's robust constitution, it regains consciousness and lowers its head in a submissive gesture, fearing another strike.
"See, Krisha, dragons are very docile."
"I understand, Mentor."
The witch obediently replies, committing Xu Xi's dragon-taming techniques to memory.
...
[You teach the witch how to communicate with savage magical beasts and dragons. The witch internalizes your teachings, remembering them deeply]
[You and the witch become dragon riders for a day, leaving in high spirits]
[Afterward, you and the witch leave Dragon Island, but your legend spreads, firmly ingrained in the minds of the dragon-blooded]
[Simulation Year 30, you are 44, Krisha is 36]
[You look even older now. While drinking water, you catch a glimpse of your reflection and notice a strand of white hair at your temple]
[You pause for a moment, plucking out the strand. The witch remains unaware]
[You take the witch to a country devoid of steam technology, a place still steeped in primitive customs, where people rely on manual labor for farming. Yet, its scenery is breathtaking]
[The witch sees endless golden waves of wheat for the first time. Amidst the harmony of soil and breeze, she learns to observe the world with a calm heart]
[Simulation Year 35, you are 49, Krisha is 41]
[The passage of time, the flow of years, has not affected the "miracle that surpasses the divine" in the slightest. Krisha still maintains the appearance of a 17-year-old]
[But her inner self has matured and stabilized through her long journey with you]
[You notice that, at some point, whether walking or resting, the witch's gaze is always fixed on you, as if she is worried about something]
[Simulation Year 38, you are 52, Krisha is 44]
[You prepare to break through to the realm of a Saintly Archmage]
g Yu was preparing for retirement when her organization decided to eliminate her. She transmigrated to a zombie apocalypse world. However, a tiny unexpected situation occurred: She somehow transformed into an adorable little girl?!
s the Eldest Princess, renowned for her cold and aloof detachment, became the most docile of lambs, obeying his every command without question. But when the final move was played on the chessboard, as Gu Chenghan seized everything and ascended on the verge of apotheosis, that very Princess suddenly embraced him from behind, her tone carrying a dependence never heard before: "Wait... you haven't yet... commanded me to love you forever." Gu Chenghan froze abruptly. She... hadn't been hypnotized?! ... [The Eldest Princess's Diary] [When my soul was extracted, becoming the sole spectator outside my own shell] [At first, there was overwhelming fury, until I saw] [How he used my sword to effortlessly shatter my inescapable doom] [How he wielded my authority to eradicate fatal conspiracies I had never even detected] [Like a deity, he rescued me from the deep mire I was trapped in] [If not for those annoying vixens, he and I would be a match made in heaven] [I think I am ill, gravely ill] [My deity should belong to me alone] ... "Hypnosis? Oh, it succeeded, my dear Master." "Only this time, it's my turn to hypnotize you."
nd fell into a coma while saving his younger sister from an out-of-control car. He became a vegetable. No one knew that his consciousness had crossed into a world of cultivation. Over the course of sixty years, he began as the lowest kind of mine slave, struggling to survive amid mountains of corpses and seas of blood. By sheer chance, he eventually obtained the complete memories of a fallen Immortal King. Alchemy, medicine, formations, feng shui, physiognomy, artifact forging… Every great inheritance of the cultivation world was now his. But when he opened his eyes again, he discovered that ten full years had passed in the modern world. To pay for his treatment, his father had sold the family’s shop and house, leaving himself covered in lasting injuries and illness. His mother had cared for him day and night, and more than half of her hair had already turned white. His younger sister, who had been only fifteen back then, was now twenty-five. To help repay the family’s debts, she had been forced to lower her head and put on a smiling face in places of glittering lights and endless revelry. Only then did Chen Xuan understand that what he had lost was not merely ten years. He had lost the life his entire family was meant to have. The good news was that he had brought back the memories of an Immortal King’s entire lifetime. The bad news was that his soul had returned alone—his cultivation had not come with him. Spiritual energy was scarce, resources were depleted, and the modern world still had firearms, surveillance, capital, and laws. If he wanted to protect his family, break free from everyone’s control, and become truly invincible beneath the heavens, he would have to start all over again.
to panic—he has a system. As long as an investment target dies, he can claim a reward. And since he is immortal, the one thing he has plenty of is time. ... Countless years later. “Immortal Emperor of Longevity? I invested in him.” “Supreme Celestial Venerable? I invested in him.” “Undying Empress? I invested in her.” “...” “Heh. Once they’ve all died, even the Heavenly Dao will have to kneel and call me Dad.”
