Glancing at the ten temporary talents he'd drawn, Sun Qian immediately dismissed the low-tier ones ranked white, yellow, and gray.
Only three talents made it onto his shortlist: Steel Body (Green), Pathological Liar (Green), and Talisman Prodigy (Red).
Steel Body (Green), despite its combat utility, was easily the least valuable in his eyes—and the first to get cut.
Soon, his gaze lingered between Pathological Liar (Green) and Talisman Prodigy (Red), indecision flickering across his face.
There was no denying that Pathological Liar's effect tempted him greatly.
Even ghosts wouldn't buy your lies—but humans would, to a certain extent!
What kind of power was that?
It was practically an alternative form of mind control.
It could bamboozle people into believing just about anything.
For reference, think of that certain failed art student from history.
Who wouldn't be tempted by a talent like this?
If he used it to con members of the mastermind's faction during the simulation, he might even wring out some top-secret intel.
But unfortunately, there was an even stronger, far more suitable talent up for grabs this time: Talisman Prodigy (Red).
This choice wasn't just about his identity as a Talisman Master—it also hinged on a reward he'd earned earlier.
Temporary Talent Level +1 for the next simulation!
If he picked Talisman Prodigy, this red-tier talent would evolve into his first ever purple-tier talent.
A rank just below the mythical golden-tier talents.
Last time, the red-tier talent You Can't See Me had granted him unimaginable advantages.
One could only imagine how game-changing a purple-tier talent would be.
Even so, Sun Qian felt a twinge of reluctance.
If he passed on Pathological Liar now, there was no guarantee he'd ever draw it again in future summons.
「Simulator, is there any way I can keep Pathological Liar?」
After a moment of hesitation, Sun Qian made up his mind and spoke directly to the Villain Simulator.
Ding! The host may pay 5,000 Villain Points to reserve Pathological Liar (Green) and defer its selection to the next simulation.
Sun Qian hesitated for barely a second before agreeing to the simulator's offer.
Fifty hundred Villain Points was no small sum, but the unique potential of this green-tier talent made the cost well worth it.
With Pathological Liar safely reserved, Sun Qian made his final choice for this simulation without delay.
「For this simulation, I choose Talisman Prodigy (Red).」
Ding! Special reward detected. Upgrading temporary talent rank now...Ding! Congratulations to the host for obtaining the temporary purple-tier talent: Talisman Dao Seed.
Talisman Dao Seed (Purple): You are a born Dao Seed of the Talisman Path. Any talisman in your hands will unleash effects that turn decay into miracle.
Talisman Dao Seed!
Sun Qian's eyes blazed with excitement. Just from the description alone, he could tell how overpowered this talent was.
He couldn't wait to see its actual effects in action.
And he wouldn't have to wait long.
Simulation Start!
As the number one playboy of the Imperial Capital, you foiled the assassination plot against you, temporarily easing the pressure on your position. At the same time, you obtained the new purple-tier talent Talisman Dao Seed.
With Talisman Dao Seed awakened, it was like your meridians had been fully unblocked. You pulled out the True Scripture of Talismans and began to study it. The once obscure, mysterious runes now lay completely bare before your eyes, no longer holding any secrets.
You dove headfirst into the world of talismans, poring over the True Scripture of Talismans. You mastered all the fourth-rank talismans recorded in the book—and even improved upon them, making them far more powerful than the original versions.
During this time, Liu Yue, who had been pretending to be asleep, tried repeatedly to seduce you, but you ignored her advances without a second thought.
「Women are nowhere near as fun as talismans.」
The night passed in the blink of an eye. You were utterly immersed in the ocean of knowledge, growing more and more amazed by the profound wisdom of the True Scripture of Talismans' author with every page you turned.
You finished reading the entire scripture cover to cover, only to find that it ended abruptly after recording a single fifth-rank talisman: Fire Dragon Technique. A flicker of regret crossed your mind. On the very last page, you spotted the author's signature: Xuan Fuzi.
Xuan Fuzi. The name meant nothing to you—but judging by the True Scripture of Talismans, his mastery of the Talisman Path must have been unparalleled in the world, far surpassing your own. You made a mental note to seek him out and exchange insights if you ever got the chance.
You began to research the only fifth-rank talisman recorded in the scripture...
...
Even so, Liu Yue refused to give up. She kept trying to tempt you, completely unaware that your reputation as a lecherous playboy was nothing more than a carefully crafted disguise.
Born into a prestigious aristocratic family, you had cultivated a special technique since childhood to preserve your pure yang energy. You had never once broken this vow, and the virgin mark on your arm still remained intact.
...
Suddenly, you felt a surge of heat coursing through your body, as if you were being affected by some kind of external force. But Talisman Dao Seed immediately kicked in, neutralizing the effect without you having to lift a finger.
「So that's what was going on!」
「No wonder I felt so out of character during my first two simulations!」
「So Liu Yue had been secretly using tricks on me this whole time!」
Sun Qian stared at the virgin mark on his wrist, then back at the lines of text scrolling across the simulator interface. It all clicked into place instantly.
Ever since he was a child, the Sun Family's elder had warned him not to break his cultivation vow easily, urging him to maintain his pure yang virgin body at all costs—claiming it would bring him great benefits in the future.
That was why, despite his wild and reckless reputation over the years, he had never crossed that final line.
The only exceptions had been during his first and second simulations.
Coincidentally, those were also the times when his Supreme Emperor Bone had awakened.
The next day, Liu Yue could no longer keep up her pretense of being asleep and was forced to wake up. But before she could even open her mouth to speak, you threw her out of your room without a second glance.
You were far too busy to play games with her right now...
...
You continued to delve deeper into the True Scripture of Talismans...
...
You fully mastered the Fire Dragon Technique—the sole fifth-rank talisman recorded in the scripture.
You officially became a fifth-rank Talisman Master.
「I mastered a fifth-rank talisman and became a fifth-rank Talisman Master this quickly?!」
Sun Qian stared in stunned disbelief.
It seemed he had severely underestimated just how powerful the purple-tier talent Talisman Dao Seed really was.
In the simulation, your proficiency in the Talisman Path had actually surpassed your own cultivation realm.
Your secondary profession had outshone your main one!
Overjoyed at mastering the fifth-rank Fire Dragon Technique, you were about to test it out when there was a knock on your door. Sun Zhong entered and delivered a piece of shocking news.
A mysterious secret realm had suddenly appeared in the coastal waters of the Magic City.