Xiang Yu stared at the system notification with widened eyes. This was only the second time the system had actively appeared before him without being summoned. The last occurrence had blessed him with the OP Fusion function. Now, another opportunity presented itself.
Two choices, each promising different rewards. The first option, "Upgrade an existing system function," immediately captured his attention. After all, the daily experience doubling wasn't the system's core purpose but merely one of its functions. What might happen if he upgraded it? Would his experience points triple daily? Quadruple? The possibilities made his heart race with anticipation.
Eagerly, he selected the upgrade option, only for his excitement to crash against harsh reality:
[Upgrade System Function]
[Double Exp: (0/100000000000...)]
[Fusion: (0/1)]
The string of zeros stretched beyond comprehension—he couldn't even see where the requirement number ended. A sigh escaped his lips, though not entirely from disappointment. Deep down, he'd expected this. Something as powerful as his experience doubling couldn't possibly be enhanced without extraordinary requirements.
His gaze shifted to the Fusion function. Though tempted to upgrade it, rational thought prevailed. The current version worked perfectly fine, and while he aspired to eventually fuse bloodlines, that goal remained distant as he wanted to wait until they were strong enough and then fuse them for a better result.
Besides, his dragon and phoenix bloodlines were fundamental opposites—attempting to merge them now would be catastrophic without finding some method to reconcile their conflicting natures. Better to wait until they grew stronger and then search for a solution to their incompatibility.
With the first option eliminated, only one remained: "Unlock a new system function." The system had never failed him before—each gift had proven invaluable to his survival. Why would this be any different?
Decision made, Xiang Yu selected the second option. No dramatic effects accompanied the selection—no flashing lights or rumbling sensations. The new function simply materialized in his status screen:
[System Function: Double Exp (Cooldown: 24hrs); Fusion; Battle Simulation]
...
As usual, the moment the new system function appeared in his status screen, information flowed into Xiang Yu's mind, revealing its true nature and capabilities. As always, the system did not disappoint him. The Battle Simulation function was exactly what it sounded like. No! In fact, it was much more than that.
This remarkable feature would allow him to simulate combat scenarios without limitation, granting him the freedom to adjust opponent's cultivation levels and techniques. The most extraordinary aspect was that these simulations would occur in an alternate spacetime, compressing what might be hours of battle experience into a single second of real-world time.
Any injuries—whether physical or psychological—sustained during these simulations would remain confined to that pocket dimension, leaving his actual body completely unaffected when he returned to reality.
Xiang Yu's eyes gleamed with appreciation as he absorbed the details. The system had, once again, provided exactly what he needed most. Despite his rapid advancement in cultivation, his practical combat experience remained woefully inadequate. This function addressed that vulnerability perfectly.
Of course, even this remarkable gift came with certain restrictions. The simulation could only incorporate opponents that had been properly scanned by the system, and its current scanning range extended to merely one mile in radius. Still, this limitation offered an unexpected benefit—he would no longer need his Appraisal ability to identify cultivators playing the pig, as the system would automatically detect and record everything about them, down to their most closely-guarded techniques.
Another constraint was the simulation's fidelity to reality. He couldn't arbitrarily enhance an opponent beyond their innate potential. If he scanned a Qi Gathering disciple whose talent ceiling stopped at the Golden Core realm, the simulation would refuse to project them as an Immortal, regardless of his wishes.
Despite these restrictions, Xiang Yu felt nothing but satisfaction. The Battle Simulation function resolved his most pressing concern: how to properly train his palm techniques and the others without wasting his professions' time.
When he attempted to activate the function immediately, he discovered yet another limitation—he couldn't enter the simulation alone. The system required at least one opponent to establish the training environment.
Xiang Yu tried scanning for potential candidates but found nothing. This wasn't surprising—it was the middle of the night, and most cultivators would be meditating in their chambers. His master and martial aunt were beyond the one-mile scanning radius, making them inaccessible for simulation purposes.
He briefly considered venturing out, he didn't need to find them, as long as he was close enough, they would be scanned. But after some thought, he dismissed the idea. Having just given his master that special pill, he had no desire to encounter whatever aftermath might have resulted. He decided to give his master some privacy for now.
Just as he resigned himself to postponing his first simulation until morning, the function suddenly activated, displaying information about two unexpected subjects: 𝒻𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘸ℯ𝒷𝘯𝘰𝑣ℯ𝑙.𝘤𝑜𝘮
[Name: Liu Meiling]
[Realm: Body: 12th Layer; Spirit: Golden Core Peak; Mind: Level 4]
[Species: Human]
[Spiritual Root: Superior-Grade Water]
[Enlightenment: High]
[Techniques: ...]
[Scriptures: ...]
...
[Name: Wang Xiuying]
[Realm: Body: 10th Layer; Spirit: Foundation Establishment 2nd Layer]
[Species: Half-Beast]
[Physique: Winter Curse Saint Body]
[Bloodline: Qilin (Half-Blood)]
[Spiritual Root: Superior-Grade Ice]
[Enlightenment: Superior]
[Techniques: ...]
[Scriptures: ...]
...
Xiang Yu's heart nearly leaped from his chest when he registered the "Golden Core Peak" cultivation level displayed before him. Were they truly under attack so soon after Li Yao's departure? His muscles tensed instinctively, preparing for immediate escape in case something happened.
Yet within moments, the two cultivators vanished from his detection range. Xiang Yu blinked in confusion, wondering if the system had malfunctioned. Before he could investigate further, the information reappeared, only to disappear again moments later. This peculiar pattern repeated several times, creating a blinking effect that initially made no sense.
Drawing a calming breath, Xiang Yu forced himself to analyze the situation rationally. The simultaneous appearance and disappearance of both cultivators, despite their vastly different cultivation levels, suggested they were traveling together. Given their rapid movements in and out of his detection range, they likely weren't on foot.
"A flying vessel," he murmured to himself, piecing together the evidence. "They must be circling the sect perimeter, occasionally entering my detection radius before moving beyond it again."
His first instinct was to extend his qi sense to gather more information, but wisdom quickly overrode curiosity. If he released his spiritual perception, a Golden Core cultivator would almost certainly detect his probe—potentially revealing his position and alerting them to his awareness of their presence.
A cautious smile tugged at Xiang Yu's lips as he considered the situation. While their purpose remained unknown, they hadn't yet triggered the defensive formations surrounding the sect. Whatever their objective, they seemed content with reconnaissance for now. Most importantly, their cultivation details had already been captured by his system, which meant...
"Perfect test subjects," he whispered, anticipation replacing his earlier alarm.
With a thought, Xiang Yu activated the system interface and made his selection:
[Battle Simulation]
[Target: Liu Meiling]
...
The moment Xiang Yu made his selection, he felt the space around him shift. The familiar confines of the spirit vein vanished, replaced by an endless platform that stretched into infinity.
Before he could fully process his new surroundings, his senses started flaring as he felt an incoming attack. Something cut through the air mere inches from his face, and his sword materialized in his hands the moment he willed it.
He quickly raised his sword to block the incoming attack. Metal clashing against metal in a deafening ring. The impact sent shockwaves through his arms, every muscle in his body screaming as overwhelming force pushed against his hastily raised defense.
"Timeout!" he tried to shout, but his opponent didn't pause for even a heartbeat. The attacks came faster, each strike more vicious than the last.
Xiang Yu barely had time to understand what was happening. His body screamed in protest as he threw himself sideways, rolling away just as another devastating slash carved through the space where his head had been. The opponent's sword struck the platform with so much force yet the platform remained relatively unharmed.
This simulation really showed no mercy. No countdown. No preparation time. You entered, and the battle began immediately. The opponents were programmed to kill—negotiation was impossible, compromise unthinkable. They fought with a singular purpose: elimination of their target.
Gritting his teeth, Xiang Yu pushed himself up, putting some distance between himself and his relentless opponent. His breath came in ragged gasps, his muscles already protesting from the brief exchange. The golden core cultivator stood motionless at a distance, yet Xiang Yu could sense the predatory intent radiating from their form.
Then they moved.
The speed was absolutely overwhelming. Xiang Yu could barely track the movement with his eyes as Liu Meiling blurred across the platform. He desperately raised his sword to meet her assault.
Clang!
Clang!
The impacts came in rapid succession, each blow feeling like it might shatter his bones. His arms trembled uncontrollably, the force behind each strike far beyond anything he had experienced before.
One strike. Two. Three. His muscles gave out after just a few desperate blocks. The next attack slipped past his failing defense, and cold steel bit deep. Pain exploded through his body as the blade found its mark. Everything went dark.
Xiang Yu's eyes snapped open in the real world, his chest heaving as if he'd just run a marathon. His body was completely intact, yet the sensations of death still lingered in his mind. He checked the system clock. Only one second had passed.
He had been completely destroyed by the peak Golden Core cultivator, barely lasting a minute before being overwhelmed by the sheer difference in power. The realism of the simulation was staggering—every sensation, every pain, every desperate moment of the battle felt absolutely real. Yet here he stood, unmarked and unharmed, as if the battle had never happened. It was really incredible.
After some deliberation, he decided to give it another shot. He activated the Battle Simulation function again. This time, he entered new parameters, adjusting the opponent's strength to peak Core Formation instead. Maybe he had been too ambitious starting with a peak Golden Core opponent.
This time, the battle lasted longer—almost three minutes before the inevitable end. The power difference was more manageable, but the vast gap in technique and experience proved insurmountable. When he lowered the opponent to early Core Formation, the tide turned dramatically. Xiang Yu found himself overwhelming the enemy, destroying them within seconds of the battle's start.
But this only happened when he attacked instantly after the battle started, without giving her a chance to use her technique. When he allowed her to use her techniques, he would lose, though not without putting up a good fight.
Examining Liu Meiling's complete skill set, he finally understood why she was so overpowered. Three high-level sword techniques—one at Perfect mastery, two at Great Completion. The disparity in their skills was staggering. No wonder she had dominated him so easily.
For variety, he tried switching to the second cultivator—Wang Xiuying. But she proved even easier to defeat in their base confrontation. Her Foundation Establishment cultivation couldn't compete with his strength. It seemed she wasn't the overpowered genius he had thought she was. He switched back to Liu Meiling, finding her a more appropriate training partner for his current level.
After multiple simulated battles, he was able to notice some patterns which he used to finally quantify his abilities. His pure physical strength matched that of an early Core Formation cultivator. Enhanced with qi reinforcement, he barely reached mid-level Core Formation capability. Adding his technique mastery and regenerative abilities, he could firmly claim middle stage Core Formation combat power.
The assessment left him dissatisfied. "Still too weak," he thought. Still, having a concrete measure of his abilities was valuable, even if the numbers didn't satisfy him.
For training purposes, he modified the simulation settings, matching Liu Meiling to peak stage Core Formation but limiting her techniques to mirror his own. Without her superior sword mastery, their battles stretched to nearly an hour—though Xiang Yu still found himself on the losing end more often than not, undone by the raw power advantage she maintained.
After several more runs, a troubling realization struck him. His techniques weren't improving as quickly as he had hoped. Initially, he had imagined using this function to rapidly farm experience, potentially spending subjective days in battle while mere seconds passed in reality. But something was wrong.
The pattern became clear after additional testing. Every time he returned to his physical body, all injuries reset. Not just healed—completely erased, as if they had never existed. His body returned to its exact state from before entering the simulation. And with his body reset...
"The experience points are resetting too," he concluded with disappointment.
Still, it wasn't all bad. While physical gains might reset, mental development persisted. Insights gained, techniques observed, combat instincts honed—all of these remained etched in his consciousness. The simulation might not be the infinite experience farm he had initially imagined, but its value for tactical learning was undeniable.
As he contemplated his discoveries, something shifted in his perception. The two cultivators who had been flickering in and out of his detection range suddenly stopped their erratic movement. Instead of passing through his scanning radius, they now remained stationary within its bounds. No longer blinking in and out—they were simply... there.
Had they discovered something? Or worse—had they discovered him?
...
"Sister Mei Mei, why are we going around in circles? It's making me dizzy," Xiuying complained as she emerged from one of the chambers deeper within the flying treasure. Her delicate features scrunched up in confusion, clearly disoriented from their repetitive flight pattern.
Elder Liu's eyebrow twitched in irritation. "It's Elder Liu! Also, weren't you asleep? Why did you suddenly come out? Go back and rest," she responded curtly, though her tone softened somewhat when she noticed the girl's drowsy state.
"It's okay, Xiuying is not sleepy anymore. I'll keep Sister Mei Mei company," the girl insisted, padding over to sit beside Elder Liu despite her protests. Her bare feet made soft sounds against the wooden floor of the treasure vessel.
"It's cold," Elder Liu observed, immediately noticing the girl's thin white sleeping robes that offered minimal protection against the night air. Without hesitation, she reached into her spatial ring and produced a thick winter jacket. "Here, take this."
"It's okay, I'm used to the cold," Xiuying said dismissively, raising her small hands to push the jacket away. But the moment her bare skin touched the fabric, frost rapidly spread from her fingertips. In the span of a heartbeat, intricate ice crystals raced across the jacket's surface, transforming it into a solid block of ice.
"Ah, Mei Mei, are you okay?" Xiuying called out in alarm, her eyes widening at what she'd done. "I'm so sorry, I took off my gloves when I went to sleep and forgot to put them back on!"
"I'm alright," Elder Liu reassured her, though she grimaced as she pulled her hand free from the ice block with a sharp crack. The frozen jacket shattered into countless crystalline shards that clinked against the floor. She flexed her fingers experimentally, noting the deep chill that had seeped into her bones. "It's getting stronger," she thought to herself.
"Xiuying..." Elder Liu began, but was interrupted by a booming voice that penetrated into their vehicle.
"Identify yourselves! If you don't identify yourselves in the next ten seconds, we will attack!"
Elder Liu's expression hardened instantly. "Stay here," she commanded, already moving toward the vessel's exit. She opened the door and leaped out into the open air, her cultivation allowing her to hover effortlessly.
"Liu Meiling of the Righteous Alliance seeks an audience!" she declared, cupping her fists in formal greeting. But only silence answered her announcement.
Frustration bubbled within her as she contemplated the sect's behavior. They had kept her vessel circling all night, not responding to her signals at all. Now they were ignoring her proper introduction as well. If it weren't for those dangerous formations she could sense surrounding the sect she would have stormed inside demanding an explanation.
After what felt like an eternity, movement stirred within the sect's boundaries. A figure stepped through the shimmering barrier of the formation—Elder Huang, who hurriedly adjusted her hair and dress as she approached. Internally, she cursed her disheveled state, thinking how her senior brother's earlier enthusiasm had made her completely forget about guard duty. Producing a small mirror from her sleeve, she quickly checked that no obvious traces of their previous battle remained visible.
Satisfied with her appearance, Elder Huang floated up to match Liu Meiling's elevation. "I greet the fellow daoist from the Righteous Alliance," she said formally, cupping her hands. "But I'm afraid I'll have to disappoint fellow daoist..."
...