As your martial arts rapidly improved, you grew increasingly dissatisfied with the Inner Force of low-level martial artists and craved greater power.
Because you had been capturing martial artists across the northern lands on a massive scale, their numbers in the north had gradually dwindled, forcing you to consider new strategies.
You decided to cultivate a batch of high-quality "ingredients." In your eyes, martial artists were no longer simply martial artists; they had become vital resources on your path of cultivation.
You began taking in orphans and teaching them a Daoist Technique to cultivate. This technique nurtured body and temperament, producing gentle, pure Inner Force, but in your eyes, the power these orphans cultivated was merely delicious "food."
A bold idea gradually took root in your mind: after unifying the world, you would turn everyone under heaven into materials and food for your cultivation... You even believed that one day, your strength might reach the level of immortals.
As time passed, you became increasingly cold-blooded and insane, willing to do anything to grow stronger.
Yun Ming's eye twitched uncontrollably.
Calling him a villain was already putting it nicely. He was simply inhuman.
On the light screen.
Inside a deep mountain pit, several hundred orphans huddled together, sitting cross-legged on the ground with extreme caution. Their eyes were filled with fear and unease, as though they were constantly awaiting some unknown punishment.
Several burly men stood around them bare-chested, looking vicious as they gripped horsewhips in their hands. Their gazes were cold and sharp, as if they were ready at any moment to severely punish any disobedience.
Before the orphans stood a middle-aged Taoist Priest in robes, carrying himself with an immortal air. He patiently taught the children to read and write, his voice gentle yet firm as he tried to bring them a trace of comfort and warmth.
Every day, the Taoist Priest tested the children on their literacy.
Once he discovered poor results, the burly men would swing their whips without hesitation, lashing the children viciously without the slightest mercy.
If they failed for seven consecutive days, they would be ruthlessly taken away. No one knew where they would be brought.
After teaching them literacy, the Taoist Priest began teaching the children how to cultivate.
Following the Taoist Priest's instructions, they diligently cultivated their Inner Force, hoping to improve their strength.
As time passed, Simulation Yun Ming arrived at the mountain pit.
He raised a hand and grasped at empty air. A stream of purple energy surged forth, and the remaining hundred-plus children were immediately lifted into the air.
Their little faces twisted in pain as blue streams of energy emerged from their bodies and flowed into Simulation Yun Ming.
Watching this, Simulation Yun Ming revealed a satisfied smile and mused, "As expected, the Inner Force cultivated by children is purer and stronger than that of adults. Though their Inner Force is not deep, its quality far surpasses that of grown men. Perhaps it is because the younger they are, the more Innate Qi they possess."
After pondering for a while, Simulation Yun Ming decided that in the future, he would separate the children according to age so he could better make use of their Inner Force.
He said indifferently to the burly men and the Taoist Priest kneeling before him, "Separate them by age from now on."
The Taoist Priest hurriedly nodded in agreement, not daring to show the slightest negligence.
Then the Taoist Priest said in a low voice, "My lord, these children can no longer cultivate. Their bodies have already been damaged, and their vitality has been harmed."
Simulation Yun Ming listened to the Taoist Priest's report expressionlessly before slowly saying, "As long as they can still farm, that is enough. There is no need to worry about anything else."
The Taoist Priest repeatedly nodded in agreement.
You were extremely satisfied with this experiment, feeling that you had discovered a whole new world.
In reality.
"Why do I feel like I've become some demonic tyrant?" Yun Ming said, his eye twitching.
He had never expected his simulated self to come up with such a horrifying idea.
Teach people martial arts, then harvest their Inner Force.
Just like raising pigs.
Should he call himself a genius, or what?
"People outside are probably cursing me out already, aren't they?" Yun Ming did not even dare imagine what the viewers watching the livestream thought.
"."
"Isn't this just growing leeks and harvesting leeks?" Zhao Xin cried out in shock. "But these are children. This is just too..."
Zhao Xin found himself unable to say it aloud.
Qi Lin's delicate brows were tightly furrowed, her face alternating between green and purple as she said indignantly, "He simply doesn't see people as people. He treats human lives like grass! How can he do this?"
Qiang Wei wore an icy expression as she said coldly, "To increase his own power and satisfy his selfish desires, he truly will stop at nothing. If this guy were standing before me, I would smash his skull with my own hands and let him taste pain."
Cheng Yaowen frowned deeply, lost in thought. "With his cultivation method, his strength will likely rise rapidly and become increasingly terrifying. Before long, he may become the strongest person under heaven. Judging by his conduct, he is practically a textbook villain boss."
"I can't help wondering whether the story told by this light screen is some cliché tale of a boss's rise, only for him to be defeated by the righteous side in the end. From humble beginnings to the peak, then falling from that peak and shattering into pieces."
Lei Na ate potato chips as she watched the events unfolding in the sky. Shaking her head, she said, "That kind of story is too boring. If righteousness defeats evil in the end, then it should at least have dual protagonists. I think it's more likely that he will successfully reach the top, crush all his enemies, and put on a grand show where victory itself becomes righteous and glorious."
Upon hearing that, Qiang Wei could not help glaring at Lei Na. "Your values are twisted!"
Lei Na did not care. She sneered and continued watching the sky with her chin held high. "It's just a show. Why are you all taking it so seriously? Do you really have to make such a big deal out of it?"
"Who wants to watch this garbage show? This light screen is all over the world, its origins are mysterious, and we cannot detect it at all. With such terrifying methods and abilities, maybe everything in it is real," Qiang Wei said seriously.
"There are all kinds of dark things in this universe. Are you going to punish them all with your thoughts?" Lei Na asked impatiently. "Can't you just enjoy the show?"
"You—"
You stayed indoors, devoting yourself wholeheartedly to cultivation.
Then one day, you received a Secret Letter from Yuan Tiangang informing you that the time had come to eliminate your adoptive father.
Yun Ming could no longer hold it in and complained, "Can you stop calling him my adoptive father every other sentence? I don't even have an adoptive father. That's the simulation, not me."
The words "adoptive father" immediately made him think of Lu Bu, of jackals, wolves, tigers, and leopards, and of the thrall who served three surnames.
The system kept saying "you" this and "you" that, as if it were deliberately implying something. It made it hard for him to keep a straight face.
Honestly, while his simulated self was not as brave yet foolish as Lu Bu, he truly did possess the heart of a jackal and wolf.
And after taking an adoptive father, he was now going to become a most filial son.
It was starting to have the flavor of a thrall who served three surnames.
Before you continue