Fateful Encounter

Ling Tian awoke with the first light of dawn filtering through the window. He felt a sense of urgency and determination. After his morning training, he decided to set off to the forest to collect the herbs needed for enhancing his talent but out of caution, he first activated the daily free simulation, to ensure that his journey into the forest would not carry any danger, and in the case of dangers, he better be prepared for them.

[Simulation Starting …]

[Year 1: At the age of 16, you decide to venture into the nearby forest, seeking opportunities to enhance your cultivation. After packing essential supplies, you set out early in the morning, determined to change your fate.]

[As you navigate the forest, the dense canopy above casts a cool shade, making the journey more bearable. You move cautiously, aware of the potential dangers. After several hours, you hear the sound of hurried footsteps and labored breathing. Approaching the source, you find an injured man, bleeding heavily and clearly exhausted.]

[The man, recognizing your presence, beckons you closer. "Please... take this," he says, handing you a scroll and a sealed letter. "This is a special cultivation technique. I was pursued for it. In exchange, I beg you to deliver this letter to my family." His eyes plead with you as he coughs, blood staining his lips.]

[You accept the man's offer, taking the scroll and the letter. With a nod, you promise to deliver his message. You watch as he succumbs to his injuries, and then you continue deeper into the forest, feeling the weight of your new responsibility.]

[Year 2: Your exploration leads you to a small clearing where the Azure Leaf, a rare herb with a faint blue glow, grows. You carefully harvest it, recognizing its value for enhancing your physical strength.]

[Year 3: Your following journey takes you to a hidden valley, its entrance concealed by thick undergrowth. The air is rich with spiritual energy, and the environment feels untouched by human presence. In this secluded place, you discover the Heaven's Vein Grass, a legendary herb known for enhancing talent.]

[You consume the Heaven's Vein Grass along with the Azure Leaf. Immediately, a surge of energy courses through your body. The herbs enhance your talent slightly, allowing you to absorb spiritual energy more efficiently. Your cultivation speed increases marginally, and you finally break through to the Muscle Tempering stage.]

[You unfold the scroll given to you by the injured man. It reveals a rare cultivation technique known as "Nine Heavens Primordial Refinement." According to the scroll, this method contains nine layers, each layer accelerating the practitioner's cultivation speed. Perfecting it bestows a special physique known as the Nine Heavens Primordial Body.]

 [Year 4: Training in the hidden valley, you begin practicing the Nine Heavens Primordial Refinement technique. The initial stages are slow, but you notice a gradual increase in your talent. Each layer of the technique is harder than the previous one, but you persevere.]

[Year 10: At 26, you reach the peak of the first layer of the technique. Your talent continues to increase slowly, and you advance to the peak of the Bone Tempering stage.]

[Year 14: At 30, you are still practicing in the secluded valley and have reached the peak of the Blood Tempering Realm. You decide to return to your clan to share your progress and knowledge.]

[Year 15: Upon your return, you find your younger brother has already left the clan for the Fiery Phoenix Sect. The clan welcomes you back, impressed by your advancements.]

[Year 18: At 34, you break through to the second layer of the Nine Heavens Primordial Refinement technique and further enhance your talent.]

[Year 20: At 36, you attempt to break through to the Innate Realm. The process is grueling, but you manage to awaken your Dantian and reach the Awakening Stage of the Innate Realm, extending your lifespan to 200 years. The clan celebrates your success and offers you the position of Supreme Elder, which you accept.]

[Year 40: At 56, you continue practicing the Nine Heavens Primordial Refinement technique. Your cultivation increases steadily and the size of your Dantian increases slowly.]

[Year 54: At 70, your Dantian has reached its limit and you advance to the peak of the Awakening stage of the Innate Realm.

[Year 57: At 73, you begin opening and clearing your first meridian, advancing to the Connection Stage of the Innate Realm.]

[Year 104: At 120, you reach the third layer of the technique, further enhancing your talent. Your cultivation progress accelerates.]

[Year 114: At 130, you clear all your body's meridians and establish a stable connection between your Dantian and them, allowing for a smooth flow of spiritual energy between the Dantian and the rest of your body, and advances to the Integration Stage of the Innate Realm. You start storing and refining spiritual energy within your Dantian.]

[Year 134: At 150, your Dantian is filled with purified spiritual energy, and you reach the peak of the Innate Realm. Your power and control over spiritual energy are unparalleled in your clan and the entire city.]

[Year 139: At 155, a demonic cultivator at the Spiritual Realm descends upon your city. You lead the clan in defending against the threat, but despite your efforts, the power difference is too great. You fall in battle, sacrificing yourself to let some members of your family and clan escape. You are dead.]

[Simulation Complete.]

[Evaluation: The acquisition of the Nine Heavens Primordial Refinement technique and the rare herbs significantly accelerated your cultivation. However, the challenge of facing a demonic cultivator at the Spiritual Realm proved insurmountable. Your perseverance and dedication in the fight left a little bit of the legacy of your clan.]

Ling Tian opened his eyes, absorbing the information from the simulation. The details of the Nine Heavens Primordial Refinement technique and the locations of the Azure Leaf and Heaven's Vein Grass were now clear in his mind.

Ling Tian packed his things and set out towards the forest with renewed determination. After a few hours, he encountered an injured man who handed him a scroll and a letter, pleading for his message to be delivered to his family. Ling Tian accepted the offer, promising to send the letter. He took the scroll and letter, then continued deeper into the forest.

Following the simulation's guidance, he found the Azure Leaf and carefully harvested it. He then navigated to the hidden valley, where he discovered the Heaven's Vein Grass. Consuming both herbs, he felt a surge of energy enhancing his talent. Ling Tian returned to his clan, ready to change his destiny.