The Fourth Simulation!

Looking at the dazzling variety of food in the kitchen, Zheng Qian's eyes lit up.

However, he had no intention of taking too much.

Admittedly, with a Storage Space of a thousand cubic meters, he had more than enough room to pack up the entire kitchen and take it away.

But if he really dared to do that, the owner of the residence would most likely report the loss of so many things to the authorities. By then, who knew whether the constables would follow the clues and track him down?

So he had to know when to stop.

In the end, Zheng Qian took only one roast chicken, one roast goose, two pieces of sauced beef, ten baozi, ten steamed buns, a bowl of pickled vegetables, two plates of pastries, and some vegetables that could be eaten raw.

These things looked like a lot, but compared with the mountain of food piled up in the kitchen, they occupied only a tiny fraction of it—and were enough to last him merely three or four days.

There was no helping it. His talents, "Eating is a Blessing" and "Strength Multiplier," both greatly increased his appetite.

On top of that, as a postnatal martial artist who also practiced body cultivation, he naturally had an even greater appetite.

With the two factors combined, these things could only keep him from going hungry for three or four days. They were nowhere near enough to fill him up.

Soon, after storing everything in his Storage Space, Zheng Qian silently returned to the pitch-black cavern inside the well.

Before he knew it, more than half a month had passed in the blink of an eye.

During those twenty-odd days, aside from sneaking out in the middle of the night every few days to dump the trash and take some food, he spent almost all his time in the cavern inside the well. He even ate, drank, relieved himself, and slept there, as if he had been transferred to an even smaller prison cell.

Of course, he had not gained nothing during those days.

First was the matter of his escape from prison.

Although he had been hiding in the well for more than twenty days, this was the only garden in the residence, and it was usually quite lively. Gardeners, passing servants, the master of the household, Magistrate Li, and his family often appeared there.

From listening to these people chat, he learned quite a few things.

First, wanted posters for him had already covered the streets and alleys of Tongyang County. They had even been posted in the surrounding villages and towns, large and small.

Next was his identity in this world. He turned out to be the son of a wealthy merchant—but not the legitimate son. He was merely an illegitimate son born to a concubine.

The wealthy merchant was named Zheng Zhoushan and was a native of Tongyang County.

He did not know whether Zheng Zhoushan had offended someone or had truly done something, but he had somehow been saddled with the crime of treason and collaborating with the enemy.

That was a grave crime punishable by confiscation of property and extermination of the entire clan.

As the merchant's illegitimate son, his predecessor had known nothing about it, yet he had still been implicated and sentenced to execution after the autumn harvest.

Now that the time for execution after autumn had already passed, presumably everyone connected to his predecessor had been put to death.

Finally, there were his [Simulation Points]. After slowly increasing over the past twenty-odd days, their total had reached nine two days ago. He was only one point short of starting another simulation.

As for his strength, since he had no cultivation technique to practice, his internal energy had barely increased. He also did not dare cultivate recklessly, lest something go wrong.

Of course, although he could not improve his realm without a cultivation technique, he had figured out many moves for mobilizing his internal energy, raising his actual combat strength to another level.

Today, he would be able to obtain that final Simulation Point and gather enough for a Low Martial World simulation.

Time flowed like water. Before he knew it, as the hour reached midnight, the total number of [Simulation Points] on Zheng Qian's panel increased by one again.

"Phew! I finally have enough. I wonder which world I'll enter this time?"

Looking at the ten [Simulation Points] he had finally managed to gather, Zheng Qian's eyes lit up.

Then, without hesitation, he silently said in his heart, "Start simulation!"

[Beep! Ten Simulation Points consumed. Simulation commencing! Randomly selecting a Low Martial World...]

[Beep! World selection complete. The host will enter The Smiling, Proud Wanderer world!]

"The Smiling, Proud Wanderer?!"

Hearing the notification in his mind, Zheng Qian froze for a moment. Then his eyes immediately shone brightly.

This was a world that had been extremely popular in his previous life, and he knew it practically inside and out.

Dongfang Bubai's Sunflower Manual, Ren Woxing's Star Absorbing Great Method, Feng Qingyang and Linghu Chong's Dugu Nine Swords...

There were also the Violet Twilight Divine Skill, Bixie Swordplay, and Yi Jin Jing...

All those famous divine techniques and martial arts, the turbulent situation of the martial world, the grudges and entanglements...

Every scene was etched deeply in Zheng Qian's memory.

Just as he was sorting through the plot, the simulator's notification sounded in his mind again:

[Beep! World loading complete. Because this is the host's first Low Martial World simulation, you have received one free chance to draw a green talent. Beginning talent draw! Drawing talent...]

[Beep! Talent draw complete. Congratulations, host, you have obtained the green talent [One Chance to Simplify a Precelestial-Level Cultivation Technique or Martial Art].

With this talent, the host can simplify any cultivation technique or martial art of the Precelestial level or below, thereby accelerating the speed of mastery.

(Note: This is a one-use talent. Whether it is used during the simulation or in reality, it will disappear after being used once. Please use it carefully.)]

[Choose whether to select this talent or give up?]

"One Chance to Simplify a Precelestial-Level Cultivation Technique or Martial Art? There are talents like this too? This..." Looking at the talent he had drawn, Zheng Qian's eyes narrowed, and he muttered in disbelief.

He had not expected the simulator to be capable of granting him such a strange and powerful talent.

As for the fact that this talent could only be used once, that was no concern. As long as it could make him stronger, it was worthwhile.

Of course, since he had only one chance, he had to carefully choose a powerful cultivation technique or martial art.

And in the entire world of The Smiling, Proud Wanderer, there were not many techniques or martial arts that caught his eye: Dugu Nine Swords, Violet Twilight Divine Skill, Yi Jin Jing, Star Absorbing Great Method, Cold Ice True Qi, Tai Chi Swordplay, and so on.

As for the Sunflower Manual and Bixie Swordplay, which could be mastered quickly, he would not choose either of them, even in the simulation.

After all, once the simulation ended, he would definitely choose cultivation. Who knew whether the internal energy cultivated through those two techniques would make him explode?

"Yes, I choose this talent." Without the slightest hesitation, Zheng Qian confirmed his choice.

[Beep! Talent loaded successfully. Simulation commencing...]

With the sound of a mechanical notification, a pale-blue screen immediately appeared in front of Zheng Qian.

Then, rows of black text began to appear on the screen.

[Year One: You were born into the family of a farmer in the Huashan region of Shaanxi, within the world of The Smiling, Proud Wanderer.

Your father was overjoyed at your arrival. Though uneducated, he had even spent ten copper coins to ask a passing scholar to give you a name: Tao Jun.]