Two Years

Xiao Ming had long been envious of the Flame Mantra, a cultivation method that could evolve.

Unfortunately, Old Man Yao had not even given it to Han Feng, whom he had raised since childhood. How could he possibly give it to an outsider like Xiao Ming?

Only Xiao Yan, the fated protagonist, might have a chance of earning his favor.

Xiao Ming had originally hoped that the Life Simulator would draw the Flame Mantra, but now that he had the Spirit Nourishing Technique, his desire for the Flame Mantra gradually faded.

Although the Spirit Nourishing Technique did not explicitly state whether it could evolve, the difference between cultivation methods lay in how much they enhanced the cultivator. Taking the most basic example, among cultivators of the same level, those practicing high-grade cultivation methods possessed several times the Dou Qi reserves of those practicing low-grade ones, not to mention other advantages. Yet such differences were not a problem at all for the Spirit Nourishing Technique, which allowed dual cultivation methods.

The more Xiao Ming considered it, the more overwhelmingly powerful he found the Spirit Nourishing Technique.

"How do I feel like the dual-cultivation version of the Spirit Nourishing Technique is even stronger than the Flame Mantra? How could it only be an Earth Tier High Grade Cultivation Technique? It should at least be Heaven Tier. Could this ranking be based only on cultivating a single method?"

As he stroked the jade slip containing the cultivation method, its smooth texture brushed against his fingertips. Xiao Ming felt that he might be right.

Dual cultivation through the Spirit Nourishing Technique was not easy. The first cultivation method required a Special Item as an aid, and such items were not easy to find. Without one, he could only use the second cultivation method.

And the second cultivation method truly matched the performance of an Earth Tier High Grade Cultivation Technique.

"Hehehe, luckily, I no longer need to search for this Special Item myself. Otherwise, I wouldn't even know where to find such a thing."

The Special Item required by the Spirit Nourishing Technique was called Spirit Nourishing Jade. The Spirit Nourishing Technique granted by the Simulator was engraved upon Spirit Nourishing Jade, saving Xiao Ming a great deal of trouble.

"Still, for that secret realm to possess such a cultivation method, it really isn't simple!" Xiao Ming remembered that quite a few good things had Appeared during the simulated Life Simulation.

"Unfortunately, that secret realm is a massive trap. Once you enter, you can't get out. No matter how many treasures it has, they're useless. Otherwise, when the secret realm truly opens in the future, I could go in and search and collect a haul."

Xiao Ming Shook His Head and firmly memorized the small town mentioned by the Simulator. It would be best if he never went there in the future, lest the secret realm truly opened one day and he happened to stumble inside. Wouldn't that leave him dead without even a corpse?

With a sigh, he stopped dwelling on it. He stored the jade slip in his Na Ring and followed the path away from the Back Mountain.

The eastern waters flowed on, leaves fell in abundance, and fleeting time quietly faded away amid cultivation.

"Phew." In the dim room, Xiao Ming used Internal Sight to examine the milky-white Qi Cyclone Inside the Body and let out a soft breath. "I've successfully broken through to Three-star Dou Zhe. Calculate the Time, and Jia Nan Academy's recruitment should be starting soon, right?"

More than a year, nearly two years, had passed since his first Life Simulation.

During this time, he had conducted dozens of Life Simulations and accumulated quite a few good things.

Because the Northwest Continent was remote, and Xiao Ming was quite satisfied with the speed at which his Dou Qi Power stage advanced, the Life Simulator had not produced any medicines that could increase cultivation speed.

His cultivation, on the other hand, had advanced more or less according to the results of his first Life Simulation, improving steadily step by step and being only slightly affected by the Life Simulator.

Knock, knock, knock!

The sound of someone knocking on the door handle Rang Out from outside.

"What is it?"

"Young Master Xiao Ming, the Clan Leader and the elders have invited you over."

"Got it. Wait for me a moment."

Over the past two years, Xiao Ming had learned through the Life Simulator that exposing his talent would not bring much danger as long as he kept a low profile. Once the time was right, he directly revealed his cultivation.

In truth, he could not have concealed it even if he wanted to. At the time, the Xiao Family had required all children of eligible age to go On Stage for testing, so Xiao Ming naturally had to do the same.

Xiao Ming still remembered the scene. The other Xiao Family juniors had all been at Dou Qi Power Stage One, while only Xiao Yan had reached Dou Qi Power Stage Two. When it was Xiao Ming's turn, the Dou Qi Power Stage Seven displayed by the Magic Stone Tablet made the deacon responsible for announcing names beside it choke on his words.

The onlookers all began questioning their lives, thinking the Magic Stone Tablet had broken.

When it was later confirmed that the Magic Stone Tablet was not damaged, their faces flushed red and their gazes fell apart as they stared at him, raising goosebumps all over his body.

Xiao Ming understood their thoughts. Xiao Yan becoming a Dou Zhe at twelve was enough to make him famous throughout the Jia Ma Empire. Xiao Ming had reached Dou Qi Power Stage Seven at five; at this rate, he would definitely become a Dou Zhe at six. The difference was beyond comparison. Forget becoming famous across Jia Ma—he could shake dozens of neighboring nations without issue. It was no wonder they acted as if they had all climaxed over the emergence of a genius in the family.

After that, the title of the Xiao Family's number one genius, which Xiao Yan had not held for long, fell onto Xiao Ming. Xiao Ming's treatment within the Xiao Family rose sharply. He moved from a communal dormitory into his own small courtyard, and his monthly allowance climbed rapidly as well.

"The treatment for a genius really is different. In the past, the Clan Leader and elders would never have paid attention to a transparent nobody like me. Even if they summoned me, they wouldn't have used the word 'invite.'"

The benefits after exposing his talent were obvious. Xiao Ming did not lose himself because of them, becoming arrogant, complacent, or overbearing. He had long anticipated such treatment. If he could not withstand even a little flattery and praise and thus became blindly conceited, then what was the point of cultivating?

Besides, this kind of talent could be considered strong in the Jia Ma Empire and the Northwest Continent, but before certain people, what difference was there between it and trash? For example, someone with a Woeful Poison Body or divine-grade bloodline.

After getting dressed and pushing open his door, Xiao Ming found the Old Butler who had come to deliver the message waiting outside. Speaking of this Old Butler, Xiao Ming did not know his surname. He only knew that the man had served the old Clan Leader, Xiao Lin, for many years. Everyone in the Xiao Family called him Old Butler, so Xiao Ming did the same.

Following Behind Him, Xiao Ming Opened Her Mouth to ask, "Steward, why have the Clan Leader and elders summoned me?"

"Cough cough, this old servant isn't entirely sure either. But they probably wish to ask Young Master Xiao Ming about your future cultivation, don't they?"

"My cultivation?" The Old Butler's aged voice made Xiao Ming Fell Into Deep Thought.

The Life Simulation conducted by the Simulator three days ago had not mentioned this matter, but Xiao Ming was not surprised. There was something called the butterfly effect. Ever since obtaining the Simulator, he had known that simulated lives could only serve as references.

The Xiao Family's Council Hall was not far away. Both were cultivators, and they quickly arrived at the entrance.

"Hehe, Young Master Xiao Ming, the Clan Leader and elders are inside. This old servant has other matters to attend to, so I won't go in."

"Mm, thank you, Steward. Go take care of your business."

"Young Master Xiao Ming is too polite." The Old Butler chuckled and slowly left.

Xiao Ming looked up at the plaque above the entrance. He knocked on the door first, then walked in with his head held high.

The hall was spacious, but there were not many people. Only a few seats at the very front were occupied—just four people: one middle-aged man and Three Elders with indifferent expressions.

Xiao Ming recognized them. They were Patriarch Xiao Zhan and the Three Elders.

"Xiao Ming, you're here?"

When they saw that the Incoming Person was Xiao Ming, the indifference on the elders' faces immediately vanished, replaced by exceedingly warm smiles.