"Ding... Countdown over. Do you want to start the second life of cultivation?"
Hearing the prompt of the system, Zhu Youji instructed Liu He, "I'm going into seclusion for cultivation now. If there's anything, we'll talk tomorrow. Don't disturb me."
"Yes, Young Master!" Liu He respectfully replied.
Zhu Youji entered the room and sat on the bed, silently saying, "Start!"
---
[Life Restart Simulator]
[This lousy life is not worth living for another second!]
[Please choose the martial talents to retain?]
---
[Absorption Technique], [Vajra Body Defending Divine Skill], [Infernal Three Blades]
Zhu Youji looked at these three martial skills, hesitated for a moment, and chose [Absorption Technique]. The reason was simple; he was already familiar with the Infernal Three Blades technique, and it had a demonic nature that even the talented sixteen-year-old boy fell victim to. Choosing it again would likely lead to a similar outcome.
[Vajra Body Defending Divine Skill] was too difficult to cultivate. Even the genius Gu Santong took nineteen years to transform for the first time. This skill required accumulated talent, and there wasn't much point in simulating the details. Moreover, Zhu Youji already possessed the Absorption Technique, so there was no need to simulate the specifics.
[Absorption Technique] was undoubtedly the most suitable.
[Ten consecutive draws begin...]
In the next moment, ten splendid cards adorned with special patterns floated out, lined up in front of Zhu Youji. Radiant and colorful, each card emitted a unique martial aura, seemingly hiding some special power.
Unlike the last time, the first white card was directly replaced by the dazzling [Absorption Technique] card. As the radiance gradually dissipated, the ten cards revealed their appearances, accompanied by the system's prompt.
[Ten consecutive draws as follows...]
[Inner Power: Absorption Technique]
[Talent: Natural Sword Master]
[Personality: Cunning as a Fox]
[Lightfoot Skill: Eight-Step Toad-Chasing]
[Inner Power: Goddess Kung Fu]
[Palm Technique: Ironsand Palm]
[Military Strategy: Sunzi War Technique]
[Talent: Average Aptitude]
[Special: Slash Emotions, Prove Dao] (Lifelong celibacy, cultivating the Ruthless Dao!)
[Special: Born as Female] (Choosing this option, you are born as a female.)
Zhu Youji looked at the refreshed ten cards, contemplated briefly, and silently said, "Choose [Absorption Technique], [Eight-Step Toad-Chasing], and [Slash Emotions, Prove Dao]."
"Ding... The selection of initial talents and martial skills is complete. The second life of cultivation begins."
"Talent and techniques confirmed... [Absorption Technique], [Eight-Step Toad-Chasing], [Slash Emotions, Prove Dao]..."
"Cultivation life initiated..."
[Age 0: You were born, a boy, and your family was delighted!]
[Age 1: You lived in a poor family, the youngest child. Your elder brother's plan to get married was postponed due to your birth.]
[Age 2: You gradually learned to speak, filled with curiosity about the world.]
[Age 3: You began to understand the family situation, started helping with household chores, and your elder brother got married.]
...
[Age 5: In this year, a locust plague occurred, causing a sharp decline in harvests. Family expenses reduced, and relief funds from the court were embezzled by officials. Your family was on the brink of starvation.]
...
[Age 7: While playing by the small river, you accidentally discovered a corpse. On the corpse, you found martial arts manuals for Absorption Technique and Eight-Step Toad-Chasing, along with some silver and jewels. You hid the manuals, gave the silver to your family, and improved their situation.]
...
[Age 9: With the improvement of the disaster, your meals gradually improved. Remembering the two manuals, you requested to go to school. Your family agreed.]
[Age 10: After learning to read, you gradually mastered Eight-Step Toad-Chasing and Absorption Technique. Smart as you were, you didn't reveal your martial skills but secretly practiced, continuously enhancing your physique and internal energy.]
[Age 11: Through cultivation, your body became stronger. Even your older brother, several years your senior, found you stronger. You became skilled in farming.]
...
[Age 15: In this year, soldiers disguised as bandits massacred the entire village. Thanks to your martial skills, you narrowly escaped. Your family was destroyed. Filled with anger, you chose revenge.]
[Age 16: You infiltrated the military camp, using Absorption Technique to drain several soldiers. Unfortunately outnumbered, you barely escaped. You became a fugitive wanted nationwide.]
...
[Age 20: Over the past four years, you've been evading capture while practicing martial arts. Your enemy's official position has risen, becoming one of the ten generals. Your chances of revenge diminish.]
[Age 21: You fell in love. After years of killing and seeking revenge, you, who thought you wouldn't fall for anyone, fell for her.]
[Age 22: You prepared to get married. On the night before the wedding, the magistrate's son forcibly took her away. Despite your rescue attempt, you were too late. She chose to preserve her innocence and took her own life. In a fit of madness, you massacred the entire magistrate's family, setting foot on the Ruthless Dao.]
...
[Age 25: You diligently practiced, crazily absorbing others' internal energy. Your mind held no other thoughts; everything was for revenge. Your martial skills improved.]
...
[Age 28: You finally reached the peak of ninth grade. On this day, you infiltrated the enemy's home in the capital. Taking advantage of everyone's unpreparedness, you killed your enemy, finally achieving revenge.]
[Age 29: Your actions angered the emperor. Eastern Depot, Imperial Guard, and Dragon Heights dispatched numerous experts to hunt you down. Killing and escaping, you slew 108 internal experts. From then on, you dominated the martial world!]
[Age 30: Your knowledge of Absorption Technique was exposed. Zhu Wushi personally intervened and killed you at the pinnacle of Kunlun. You died!]
"The second life of cultivation ends, reward settlement begins..."
In an instant, various chaotic memories surfaced before Zhu Youji's eyes- one by one.
An ordinary start, a somewhat happy childhood, a nightmare night, a life of revenge...
Memories of killing, painful memories, memories of absorbing others' techniques, memories of arduous cultivation, and the final battle with Zhu Wushi- all imprinted in Zhu Youji's mind.
He experienced enlightenment again.
With the infusion of memories and input of martial experience, the three types of inner power within Zhu Youji automatically began to operate, and his cultivation gradually began to improve.
Unlike last time, Zhu Youji didn't sit in meditation for cultivation. Instead, he automatically stood up, flickering from one corner of the room to another.
Another flicker.
He appeared on the other side.
Next, Zhu Youji's steps were extremely mysterious, and afterimages of his figure flashed in the room, filling the entire space.
"Eight-Step Toad-Chasing."
After three incense sticks burned, Zhu Youji suddenly opened his eyes. All his figures converged, and the qinggong, Eight-Step Toad-Chasing, also reached Great Achievement.
Zhu Youji's eyes were ice-cold and indifferent, transcending worldly emotions. He harbored no desires, and the former nobility in his demeanor gradually converged. He appeared like a transcendent figure who had liberated himself from mundane affairs.
[Martial Arts Level Up, Martial Arts: sixth grade lower to seventh grade lower]
The Ruthless Dao!
"Is this the insight of the Ruthless Dao?" A gleam of light flashed in Zhu Youji's eyes. The imposing aura gradually disappeared, and he returned to his usual appearance. However, upon closer inspection, a subtle difference could be sensed.
Insight?
Something countless martial artists in the martial world yearned for!
Attaining enlightenment in the ninth grade was the key to obtaining the insight. Once the insight was achieved, one could step into the Grandmaster realm. To return from acquired state to innate state, one had to find the path to the future.
In the first life of cultivation, the sixteen-year-old youth failed to grasp the method, making it difficult to advance to Grandmaster. The lack of the insight and the complexity of his skills hindered his progress. In this life, though late in enlightenment, the experience of the world's ups and downs, coupled with a solid foundation, allowed him to reach the pinnacle of the ninth grade, just a step away from Grandmaster. If not for Zhu Wushi's intervention, he could have easily become the Grandmaster.
"Zhu Wushi?"
Fragments of memories were vividly recalled. Zhu Youji furrowed his brows, reminiscing about that one-sided massacre. Without reaching Grandmaster, one remained as insignificant as an ant. Moreover, there were distinctions among Grandmasters, and the Grandmaster from his first set of memories was evidently weaker.
Zhu Wushi, as the elder brother of the Great Ming Dynasty emperor, and wielding the Absorption Technique, drained the internal energy of countless experts, possessing peak internal cultivation. Additionally, Zhu Wushi mastered four profound techniques: Absorption Technique, Star Attraction Skill, Qiankun Grand Transportation, and Pure Yang Finger. In just a few moves, he killed Zhu Youji in the second simulated life.
"Indeed, facing this ambitious imperial uncle, I must plan ahead!" Zhu Youji squinted his eyes and murmured.
"Ding, the second life of cultivation ends. The next simulated life will begin in five days..."
"The host can re-select martial arts or talent inheritances, or keep the original talent and martial arts. The host can retain a limited number of martial arts (1/1)..."
After a brief contemplation, Zhu Youji left the room.
"Young Master!" A eunuch respectfully spoke.
Hearing the eunuch's voice, Liu He and another eunuch came out of another room.
"Young Master."
"There's a place I want to visit," Zhu Youji said with a simple instruction.
"Yes!" Liu He responded respectfully.
Thus, Zhu Youji and his companions left Mooncome Inn, heading towards the north of the city.