The Young Swordsman Bai Tianhong!

Chapter 18: Young Swordsman · Bai Tianhong!

"Ding, talent refresh successful. Congratulations, Host, on successfully refreshing White Talent · Business Genius; White Talent · Exceptional Aptitude."

White Talent · Business Genius: Possessing this talent enhances one's aptitude in commerce.

White Talent · Exceptional Aptitude: Possessing this talent improves the Host's cultivation aptitude to a degree slightly above that of an ordinary person.

The system's voice rang out again, causing Wang Ping's eyes to brighten slightly.

"System, I choose White Talent · Exceptional Aptitude."

Wang Ping said inwardly.

In the simulation, his talent—bolstered by consuming Essence Nurturing Grass to solidify his foundation and enhance his aptitude—had allowed him to practice martial arts. But his original aptitude was too poor, and he started too late. Even after taking the Essence Nurturing Grass, his talent couldn't match that of children like Chi Feng.

In the simulation, it took him seven and a half years just to reach Skin Training Realm Peak.

Thus, Wang Ping placed particular importance on improving his bone structure, aptitude, and talent.

"Ding, talent selected. Life Simulation begins."

The system's voice sounded.

Then, before Wang Ping, the pale blue virtual screen reappeared, and text began to form on it.

Great Xia Calendar 480, March 10: At night, you feasted on meat and told Chi Feng the story of Battle Through the Heavens.

March 11: The Village Chief led a successful hunt, killing two Gale Leopards and harvesting Essence Nurturing Grass. Upon returning, he held a grand banquet to celebrate and gave you one stalk of Essence Nurturing Grass.

At the same time, the Village Chief discovered that your cultivation had reached Skin Training Realm Peak. Shocked, he realized you harbored a great secret. You had no explanation to offer.

In the end, however, the Village Chief didn't make things difficult for you. He only said that everyone has their own little secrets, but urged you to remember: out in the wider world, you must never let anyone discover that your cultivation could suddenly skyrocket.

You said you would remember his advice. At the same time, you felt deeply fortunate that the people of Chi Village were truly good-natured; otherwise, you'd have been in real danger.

August 5: You successfully broke through to Bone Tempering Realm Initial Stage, spurring Chi Feng to train even harder out of urgency. After some thought, you revealed Li Huai's matter. The Village Chief was horrified but ultimately trusted you and decided to relocate the entire village.

August 7: The people of Chi Village left the Blackwind Forest. You were forced to break away from the group and remain in Blackwind Town.

After that, you survived in Blackwind Town with great caution, opening a breakfast stall selling steamed buns to throw others off your trail.

Great Xia Calendar 481, March 5: You successfully broke through to Bone Tempering Realm Middle Stage.

Great Xia Calendar 481, December 7: You successfully broke through to Bone Tempering Realm Late Stage.

Great Xia Calendar 482, October 8: You successfully broke through to Bone Tempering Realm Peak.

Great Xia Calendar 484, May 5: You successfully broke through to Meridian Opening Realm Initial Stage. By now, you were considered a minor expert in Blackwind Town, and you finally felt a bit more at ease.

Great Xia Calendar 487, July 1: You successfully broke through to Organ Training Realm Initial Stage. Overjoyed, you treated yourself to a feast at a restaurant. There, you overheard mercenaries excitedly discussing something. Eavesdropping, you learned the full story.

It turned out that someone had discovered traces of a Seventh-Level Demon Beast, the Silver Moon Wolf, deep in the Blackwind Forest. What's more, this Seventh-Level Silver Moon Wolf King appeared to be pregnant and about to give birth. If anyone could obtain a Silver Moon Wolf cub, they would rise to the heavens in a single step.

After hearing the mercenaries' words, you were greatly shocked. At the same time, you finally understood why a beast tide would suddenly erupt on August 1 of Great Xia Calendar 487. Some powerful figure must have ventured deep into the Blackwind Forest and stolen the Silver Moon Wolf's cub, enraging it.

You quickly finished your meal, went home, packed your things, and planned to flee Blackwind Town—the farther, the better. Otherwise, you'd surely be devoured by demon beasts.

"So that's how it was."

Watching the text on the screen, Wang Ping finally understood.

He had wondered why a terrifying beast tide suddenly erupted from the Blackwind Forest. So it was because someone might have stolen the cub of a Seventh-Level Demon Beast.

A Sixth-Level Demon Beast was already a monster equivalent to a human above Innate Realm Seventh Level.

A Seventh-Level Demon Beast was equivalent to the Spirit Origin Realm beyond the Innate Realm—unimaginably terrifying.

"Still, my cultivation progress in this simulation was pretty good. Seven years in, I've reached Organ Training Realm. It seems the White Talent · Exceptional Aptitude gives a decent boost to aptitude. At least, it's quite good compared to ordinary people."

Wang Ping's thoughts turned back to his cultivation progress, and he couldn't help but chuckle.

Then, he focused his attention on the screen again.

As Wang Ping stared, the text on the screen continued to appear. The simulator was very user-friendly.

You packed your things and fled Blackwind Town. This time, you were very careful, and with your Organ Training Realm cultivation, you managed to avoid being caught and killed by bandits.

Great Xia Calendar 487, July 10: You fled to Whitewood Village, two thousand li from Blackwind Town. You found that Whitewood Village had a population of only two thousand, with two major families: the Ye family and the Zhao family. The strongest members of these families were only at Organ Training Realm, which reassured you greatly. You figured that, with your current cultivation, even if the Ye or Zhao families made a move against you, you could escape with ease.

Still, having read too many web novels, you were deeply wary of the Ye family. After all, the surname Ye was a common protagonist surname—truly not to be trifled with.

In the following days, you didn't reveal your cultivation. You bought a steamed bun shop in Whitewood Village and continued selling buns, hiding yourself and trying to cultivate quietly. Because your buns were delicious, the Ye family's eldest daughter, Ye Xiaorou, often came to buy them, and the two of you gradually became acquainted.

Great Xia Calendar 487, August 7: You learned from Ye Xiaorou about the beast tide in the Blackwind Forest. On August 1, the beast tide erupted, sweeping through nearby towns and villages, causing over a hundred thousand casualties. Eventually, led by the Silver Moon Wolf, the beast tide attacked Clearwind City.

The martial artists of Clearwind City defended the city with their lives, but they were no match for the beast tide. The city was nearly breached, and a million people were on the verge of being devoured. At the critical moment, a young swordsman stepped forward, slew the Silver Moon Wolf, and drove back the beast tide—an utterly domineering feat.

Hearing this, you were stunned. A young swordsman capable of killing a Seventh-Level Demon Beast Silver Moon Wolf? What a freak. Curious, you pressed for details about the young swordsman. Ye Xiaorou, who greatly admired him, told you.

It turned out he was Bai Tianhong, hailed as a once-in-a-century Sword Dao Prodigy in the Great Xia dynasty. At just twenty-five, his cultivation had already reached Half-Step Spirit Origin Realm, and he had comprehended the legendary Sword Intent. Only by paying a heavy price in injuries could he kill the postpartum, weakened Silver Moon Wolf in a cross-tier battle.

After hearing Bai Tianhong's story, you couldn't help but sigh at the vast gap between people. Ye Xiaorou deeply agreed. At eighteen, she was only at Bone Tempering Realm; at most, she'd reach Postnatal Realm in her lifetime. Meanwhile, Bai Tianhong, at twenty-five, was already a peerless expert.