Choosing Rewards, Two Rewards, System Upgrade

[This simulation has ended. Duration: 135 years.]

[Final realm]: Qi Refining Perfection (Ninth Limit-Breaking) (Dao Foundation collapsed, all cultivation lost)

[Evaluation]: [You glimpsed the road ahead in desperate straits, broke through nine limits with world-shaking brilliance, and forged an unsurpassed foundation.]

[Yet you ultimately fell to the mastermind's killing blow delivered through your bloodline, your Dao extinguished and your body destroyed in the Land of Prophecy.]

[Though defeated, you earned glory. Your resolve stood proven, and your path held promise.]

[You may retain one of the following]:

[One]: Cultivation realm at the time of death ([Qi Refining Perfection Ninth Limit-Breaking])

[Two]: Life Experience and Talent at the time of death (including Talent:

[Twice the Results with Half the Effort] (blue), [Eye of Illusion] (blue), [Wish Echo] (purple), [Ascension] (blue))

[Three]: Items carried at the time of death ([Damaged Spacetime Token], [Supreme Limitless Dharma Seal])

In the Real World, Chen Fan carefully examined the rewards from this simulation.

By both reason and sentiment, [Option Two: Life Experience and Talent] should have been his first choice.

That [Purple Talent: Wish Echo] could directly grant him whatever he needed most,

and [Blue Talent: Ascension] held boundless potential. Although it was a one-time use, as long as he retained it in reality without using it,

he could theoretically draw and use it in every simulation. Given enough time, a full set of Purple Talents was not impossible.

Although the [Cultivation realm] and those two [Items] with their heaven-defying effects were also immensely tempting, the reality was that he could choose only one.

After weighing his options, the [Talent], which offered the greatest boost to his potential and brought limitless possibilities, was undoubtedly the best choice.

Just as he focused his mind and prepared to select Option Two—

[Ding! Detected that the host did not select a simulation reward after the previous simulation. That selection has therefore been carried over to this simulation. You may select two rewards from this simulation!]

The system notification rang out like heavenly music.

Chen Fan froze for a moment, then immense delight flooded his face! "There's a perk like that?!"

He had assumed that forfeiting his previous selection meant the reward was automatically lost. He had never imagined the Simulator had such an accumulation mechanism!

After the joy came the happy dilemma of choosing. Since he had already settled on Option Two (Talent),

all that remained was to choose between [Option One: cultivation realm] and [Option Three: items].

He began to think it over seriously:

Choosing the cultivation realm:

It meant directly gaining the terrifying strength of [Qi Refining Perfection Ninth Limit-Breaking].

This was the fruit of nearly two hundred years spent by his [Simulation avatar], enduring countless stretches of tedious cultivation and crises of life and death.

He knew all too well how difficult cultivation was.

Gaining it directly would save him an enormous amount of time and immediately give him formidable power to protect himself.

Besides, if he did not choose it, his [Simulation avatar] would probably curse him to death.

He could even imagine what his [Simulated Clone] would say in the next [Simulation] if he did not choose the [Cultivation realm].

"Main body, damn you! You didn't choose the cultivation? I..."

Although those might merely be his [Simulation avatar]'s thoughts at the time, it would be different once he became the [Simulation avatar]. Then he really would be lifting a rock only to smash his own foot.

Choosing the items would grant him the [Damaged Spacetime Token] and the [Supreme Limitless Dharma Seal].

These two Supreme Treasures had heaven-defying functions, but the [Spacetime Token] needed charging, while the abilities unlocked by the [Supreme Limitless Dharma Seal] depended on his realm.

While his own strength remained low, their usefulness would be relatively limited. They might even invite disaster, for possessing a precious treasure could itself become a crime.

He could still obtain these two [Supreme Treasures] in the real world through careful planning. After all, judging by how things stood, he was undoubtedly on Chen Qingyan's side.

When the time came, surely revealing his identity and borrowing the [Supreme Limitless Dharma Seal] would not be asking too much?!

As for the [Spacetime Token], even if he had already reached [Qi Refining Perfection Ninth Limit-Breaking], he would still amount to little before a [Nascent Soul True Lord],

so he would probably still receive it after using [Purple Talent: Wish Echo].

Moreover, judging by the information he had gained during his second connection to the [Future] in the simulation, his "present" was only a thousand years removed from Mo Wuyou's [Starry Sky Era].

That meant the span of time was not as unimaginably vast as he had thought, leaving relatively more room for change.

"Since the change in my Destiny trajectory has already drawn the attention of a [Nascent Soul True Lord],

as the saying goes, the barefoot need not fear those wearing shoes. I can't stop eating forever just because I'm afraid of choking, and never improve my strength.

The [Nascent Soul True Lord] never intervened directly in the simulation, which means I still have room to maneuver in the short term."

“More importantly,” a shrewd gleam flashed in Chen Fan's eyes,

"if I can directly gain the cultivation of [Qi Refining Perfection, Ninth Limit-Breaking], my [Rank] will rise enormously, and the Simulator will very likely upgrade along with it!

Then it will probably unlock new functions, or even... allow me to draw [Purple Talents] directly!"

At that thought, he hesitated no longer.

Select [One]: cultivation realm at the time of death (Qi Refining Perfection Ninth Limit-Breaking)!

Select [Two]: Life Experience and Talent at the time of death!

The instant he made his selections, vast, boundless cultivation surged into every limb and bone of Chen Fan's body like a river bursting through its banks!

At the same time, a hundred and thirty-five years of simulation memories, cultivation insights, and the imprints of those powerful Talents merged into his Sea of Consciousness and his essence.

He could clearly feel earth-shattering changes taking place in his body,

his level of existence soaring rapidly. It was a sense of power far beyond ordinary [Qi Refining Perfection], one that even faintly touched upon the mysteries of Foundation Establishment!

And at the very instant his cultivation stabilized and his breakthrough was complete—

[Ding! Detected an increase in the host's realm rank. System upgrade commencing...]

[Ding! System upgrading...]

[Ding! System upgrade complete!]

[Ding! The Talent Pool's draw function has unlocked [Purple Talent]! In addition, [Talent draws] will now provide five Talents at once for you to choose from!]

[Ding! To celebrate the upgrade, the first simulation after this upgrade is guaranteed to draw at least one [Purple Talent]!]

[Ding! Multiple Talent selection unlocked! After drawing five Talents, you may select two of them to bring into the simulation!]

[Ding! Talent Pool quality increased! Future draws will no longer include low-grade Talents (white, green). The minimum quality is now [Blue Talent]!]

A string of system notifications rang out in Chen Fan's mind, like the most beautiful music of the Immortals.

"Just as I thought!" Chen Fan suppressed the surging excitement brought on by his skyrocketing cultivation, his eyes gleaming,

"After I broke through a major realm, the Simulator really did upgrade along with me!"

Although it was slightly disappointing that no entirely new system modules had been unlocked, the contents of this upgrade were already exciting enough!

Purple Talent draws unlocked! The first simulation is guaranteed a Purple Talent! Two Talents selectable at once!

This guaranteed a strong starting point, greatly improving the flexibility of his simulations and the strength of his opening position.

A minimum of Blue Heaven Talent! That meant bidding a final farewell to the transitional period of white and green Talents and starting with useful Talents right away.

After all, to him, [Blue Heaven Talents] were already "tasteless to eat, yet a pity to throw away."

Take the [Eye of Illusion] from this simulation, for example. It had barely been useful at all.

It could only give him a rough look at the [Spacetime Token]'s charging progress. Most of the rest of the time, it served little purpose.

He needed a little time to adjust to his skyrocketing cultivation. Then he could begin a brand-new Seventh Simulation with Purple Heaven Talents!

He now had a relatively clear understanding of his situation. Since he had already chosen the [Cultivation realm] and drawn the attention of those [Nascent Soul True Lords],

his only option was to keep simulating, simulating, and simulating again!

Until he could break through the shackles and leap free of this game of chess.