Star Phoenix, Red Hair and Red Eyes!

"Fifth Sister Xinghuang! Come on, I want to see the gap between us for myself!"

"Xingluo, Seventh Brother, I've already broken through to Qi Refining Seventh Layer. Are you sure you still want to spar?"

"Of course!"

"Very well, Seventh Brother, brace yourself. Your Fifth Sister Xinghuang won't go easy on you!"

The two struck simultaneously, fist meeting palm. The outcome was predictable—Mu Xinghuang defeated Mu Xingluo in just two moves, with ease.

This result naturally didn't surprise Mu Xingqi.

Right now, Seventh Brother Mu Xingluo's cultivation was probably only around Qi Refining Fifth Layer. It wouldn't be until two years later that his seventh brother would break through to Qi Refining Seventh Layer.

As for Fifth Sister Mu Xinghuang, she had already reached Qi Refining Seventh Layer. The gap between them was too vast. If Mu Xinghuang wanted, she might not even need two moves—a single strike could take Mu Xingluo down.

That was the chasm of cultivation, as deep as a ravine!

When Mu Xingqi quietly drew closer, he saw Mu Xinghuang raise a hand to brush a stray strand of hair from her cheek. Beneath her rounded forehead, long lashes fluttered like tiny fans, revealing those deep rose-red eyes.

Their color was eerily like the sacred amulets enshrined in a shrine—so clear they could reflect the curtain of rain, yet veiled in a hazy mist, as if she hadn't yet fully seen the shape of this world.

Her cheeks bore a faint blush, and her lips were pressed into a soft curve, like jelly just taken out of the fridge, carrying a cool sweetness.

Mu Xingqi was startled to realize that his fifth sister looked a lot like someone from his past life.

Uesugi Erii!

"No way?" Mu Xingqi was a bit shocked, because the resemblance was too strong.

The same soft, glossy dark red hair, reaching down to her knees, falling naturally like smooth noodles in clear soup—this rare hair color made her stand out strikingly in a crowd.

The same rounded forehead, paired with long eyelashes, and deep rose-red eyes sparkling like gems.

If she were to wear a red-and-white shrine maiden outfit, she would practically be Uesugi Erii herself!

But his fifth sister was dressed in a plain white robe, her temperament more sunny and innocent.

"You are?" Mu Xinghuang also noticed the young boy staring dumbly at her.

"I'm Mu Xingqi. Greetings, Fifth Sister! And greetings, Seventh Brother!" Mu Xingqi greeted them both in turn.

"Ninth Brother?" Seventh Brother Mu Xingluo was the first to react. In his memory, there really was a Ninth Brother, who had apparently just awakened his spiritual root not long ago.

He'd never had the chance to meet him.

Mu Xinghuang was still a bit dazed. When did she get another Ninth Brother?

But she often traveled outside, so not knowing about this Ninth Brother was normal. He'd probably just awakened his spiritual root recently.

With a smile, she reached out and patted Mu Xingqi's shoulder. "So you're Xingqi, Ninth Brother, right?"

"Your Fifth Sister is always out traveling, so I didn't even know our clan had gained another Ninth Brother..."

Mu Xinghuang's somewhat straightforward personality was different from the Uesugi Erii Mu Xingqi had imagined.

After a bit of casual chat, the three parted ways.

Mu Xingqi grew closer to his Seventh Brother Mu Xingluo and Fifth Sister Mu Xinghuang.

Next, Mu Xingqi went to the Finance Hall and exchanged his Yellow Grade Mid Rank Qi Gathering Pills for spirit stones.

He obtained twenty-one spirit stones—three pills in total, seven stones each.

Returning to his own room, Mu Xingqi couldn't help but summon the Simulator.

"Simulator, activate!"

It had been nearly two months since his last simulation, and he could hardly wait any longer.

He couldn't afford to wait—whether it was the Wang Family's attack in the third year or the eerie blood palm that would later appear, both hung like a sword over his head.

They left him no room for slack.

He fed ten spirit stones into the Simulator.

[Simulation Points: 20]

"Only enough for one simulation." Mu Xingqi felt a twinge of regret.

"Begin simulation!"

[Simulator starting up]

[Detected that the talent from the last simulation has not been saved. Would you like to move the simulation talent "Simulated Memory (Blue)" into the talent slot?]

[Remaining talent slots: 0]

"Yes!"

Simulated Memory was a cheat-like ability, akin to reincarnation. It was the key to breaking his current predicament.

[Detected that remaining talent slots are 0. Would you like to delete "Spiritual Energy Affinity (Green)"?]

"Yes!"

[Deletion successful!]

[Talent Slot: Simulated Memory]

[Remaining Talent Slots: 0]

[Simulation Starting]

[Deducting 30 Simulation Points]

[Insufficient Remaining Simulation Points]

[Simulation Terminated]

"?"

"Six!"

"Wasn't it 20 Simulation Points before? How did it suddenly become 30?"

"Damn system, you're jacking up the price on me, aren't you!"

Speechless as he was, Mu Xingqi could only fork over another ten Spirit Stones to make up the difference. Thankfully, he'd earned twenty-one Spirit Stones from selling pills earlier.

Combined with the ten Simulation Points he had left, he barely scraped together thirty.

But he had no choice—right now, the system was his only way to break the deadlock.

[Deducting 30 Simulation Points]

[Simulator Starting]

[Randomly Drawing Simulation Talent...]

[Drawing Simulation Talent: Brave Advance.]

[Congratulations! Obtained White Simulation Talent: Brave Advance]

[Brave Advance (White): You will not regard the difficulties on your path forward. Fearless, unshakable, you press ahead without being daunted by obstacles.]

"Another White Talent, as expected..."

The Blue Talent last time felt like hitting pity. With this stingy system of his, he'd only seen a Green Simulation Talent once, let alone a Blue one.

Unless his ancestors' graves shot out smoke.

"Forget it, White is White. At least this Brave Advance isn't a negative talent—way better than that Love for the Male or Timid as a Mouse from before..." Mu Xingqi consoled himself helplessly.

He turned his gaze back to the simulation panel.

[At dawn, you spring out of bed like a shot!]

[You had a nightmare last night.]

[You dreamed of your own future!]

[And your family will be destroyed in three years by an eerie blood palm!]

[That eerie blood palm tears through your Family Grand Array as easily as crushing an eggshell!]

[You witness with your own eyes your Grandfather being casually smacked into a mist of blood by the palm!]

[Your parents follow right after.]

[Then Fourth Brother, Seventh Brother, Mu Xinger...]

[Next, you die!]

[You force down the shock in your heart, muttering over and over, "This isn't real... it can't be..."]

[A nameless courage deep within gradually steadies you.]

[You begin to analyze the cause and effect.]

[But you still have no clue about that eerie blood palm.]

[You gradually accept the truth, but you refuse to bow to fate.]

["I'll decide for myself whether I'm a demon or an immortal—my fate is mine to command, not heaven's!" You don't know why you blurted out such a chuunibyou line.]

[But it does give you some courage.]

[The next day, you arrive at the Pill Hall and see your mother and Mu Xinger.]

[With the memories of three years later, you hit it off with Mu Xinger, and your relationship grows familiar.]

[But your purpose in coming to the Pill Hall isn't to flirt—it's to see your mother.]

[You probe your mother about the eerie blood palm, trying to find a breakthrough.]

[Unfortunately, your mother knows nothing either.]

[You return empty-handed.]

[The next day, you go to find your father.]

[The result...]