Heaven's Blessing (Gold-tier): You have been blessed by the unseen forces of fate. Good fortune shall follow you always, evil spirits and curses shall be repelled, and you shall be favored by luck in all your endeavors.
「Heaven's Blessing! A gold-tier talent!」
Sun Qian's eyes widened in shock, instantly tuning out every other talent on the list as his gaze locked onto the final option, wreathed in brilliant golden light.
A gold-tier legend—from a single ten-draw gacha?!
Could it be that he was the legendary luckiest of the lucky?!!
「I choose Heaven's Blessing!」
Before Heaven's Blessing had appeared, he might've hesitated, weighing the merits of the other red-tier talents.
But the moment this gold-tier talent—one tied to the very threads of fate and fortune—showed up, Sun Qian didn't hesitate for a second.
This talent was clearly off the charts, practically the Chosen One's own destiny in a bottle.
*Ding! Congratulations to the host for acquiring the temporary gold-tier talent: Heaven's Blessing*
*Initiating the sixth simulation...*
Sun Qian sheathed the Soul Devouring Demon Blade, then sat cross-legged before the broken stone statue, entering a meditative state as if completely defenseless.
The Ruins' unique properties made it a place no one dared to trespass lightly—it was as safe a haven as any.
Of course, he hadn't forgotten about a certain Chosen One lurking nearby.
If Ye Fan dared to sneak up and attack him while he meditated, Sun Qian would be more than happy to give him a nasty surprise.
「With a gold-tier talent right out the gate this time, I can't wait to see what kind of den of dragons and tigers the imperial capital really is.」
.....
「AAAAH! Why?! Why is that damned bastard here?! Why did he steal my destined opportunity before I could get it!」
Hidden behind a crumbling wall in the mist, the one-armed Ye Fan was shrouded in a dim soul flame that masked his presence completely, making him all but invisible.
He ground his teeth, staring daggers at Sun Qian, who sat meditating with his eyes closed, looking utterly unguarded. He wanted nothing more than to skin him alive and tear his tendons out.
Just as Sun Qian had guessed, the Chosen One Ye Fan had indeed snuck into the Mysterious Secret Realm ahead of him—but limited by his strength, he'd had to proceed slowly and cautiously.
When he'd seen Sun Qian charge in like a storm, cutting down everything in his path, Ye Fan had hurried to follow—only to be too late.
His opportunity had been stolen.
「Master! You said no one else knew about this treasure!」
Ye Fan's voice, laced with resentment, echoed in his mind as he communicated with the remnant soul of the old man inside him—but there was no reply.
It was almost as if the mysterious soul fragment was just as baffled as he was, trying to figure out what had gone wrong.
Suddenly, Ye Fan's eyes lit up, a devious idea popping into his head.
「Master! That bastard thinks this place is safe! He's meditating with his guard down! If I strike now, launching a surprise attack—I'll have the upper hand! I can crush him, leave him half-dead, and humiliate him to my heart's content...」
As Ye Fan got lost in his delusions of having the advantage, a weary, exasperated old voice suddenly echoed in his head.
「You'll die...」
Whoosh!
Ye Fan's face fell, his excitement doused by a bucket of cold water.
.....
「I refuse to believe it.」
Outside the Ruins, Liu Yue seemed to make up her mind, planting her feet firmly on the ground and resolving not to leave.
Sigh.
Looks like this journey's gonna be a long and arduous one.
...
Simulation Initiated!
As the number one playboy of the imperial capital, you have uncovered your true identity—and now you begin to lay your plans, preparing to head north to the imperial capital and stir up absolute chaos.
To this end, you ventured into the Mysterious Secret Realm ahead of schedule, seizing the Nine Steps to the Heavens and gaining the unseen favor of Heaven's Blessing...
Taking advantage of the realm's distorted time flow, you began to cultivate the Azure Emperor's Longevity Scripture in earnest...
You consumed precious elixirs and activated your Supreme Imperial Bone, accelerating your cultivation progress by leaps and bounds...
Ten days later: You broke through to the sixth layer of the Azure Emperor's Longevity Scripture. Your cultivation base advanced to the Sixth Realm—Transcendent.
Your body and soul underwent a transformation, ascending to the Transcendent domain. Your Azure Emperor Vitality Qi surged twentyfold, and your lifespan increased by another five hundred years...
....
Twenty days later: Your cultivation improved further, reaching Rank 4 Transcendent. From the Azure Emperor's Longevity Scripture, you gained a new ability—you can now *forcibly siphon spiritual energy from others' bodies* to replenish your own.
You realize this ability can counteract the side effects of the Nine Steps to the Heavens, and your heart fills with joy...
....
Thirty days later: You break through to Rank 6 Transcendent...
....
Forty days later: You successfully advance to Rank 8 Transcendent, facing zero bottlenecks or obstacles in your cultivation...
Throughout this entire time, not a single soul dared to disturb you...
Meanwhile, four days have passed in the outside world. Today is the day the Ghost Physician Venerable arrives in the Demon Capital...
「Time's up. Time to set the plan in motion.」 You stop cultivating, even though you're itching to keep going—but the plan comes first.
If you delay a few more days, the Sun family will be all but destroyed—and that's the last thing you want for your scheme.
For one thing, you still hold genuine affection for the Sun family. For another, their fall won't just cost you valuable allies—it'll also make the remaining loyalists your father left behind hesitate, even fear, to rally to your cause.
All things considered—the Sun family cannot be allowed to fall. They are your banner.
「Too bad Ye Fan's such a slippery weasel. Still hasn't shown his face.」
You sigh in disappointment, then rise to your feet and walk out of the Ruins—only to find Liu Yue waiting right outside, standing guard like a sentinel.
Thanks to your previous simulation, you already know her background well enough. She belongs to a hidden faction called the Misty Rain Sword Pavilion.
This secret organization consists entirely of women—all from prestigious backgrounds, with identities ranging from rogue cultivators to noble matriarchs to wealthy business tycoons. They're all ambitious to a fault, masters of opportunism who thrive on profiting from chaos with minimal risk.
The so-called Liu family of the Demon Capital? They're nothing more than a puppet clan controlled by the Pavilion.
Just as Yang Hong said—they're nothing but opportunists, always looking to bet on the winning horse for the biggest payout...
Though to be fair, this group of opportunists boasts formidable power and an extensive network of connections.
Rumor has it that some of their members even have ties to high-ranking nobles in the Qianyuan Imperial Palace...
To win these people over, to make them bet everything on you and swear allegiance—kind words and gentle persuasion will get you nowhere.
「Sun Qian, you...」 Liu Yue steps forward to block your path, opening her mouth to speak—but you cut her off mid-sentence.
「Go tell your bosses this: I'm heading back to the imperial capital to kick up some chaos, spill some blood, and maybe even fight for that throne. Right now, I'm short a few lackeys to order around. He who hesitates is lost when it comes to hedging bets. If they wait too long, by the time I rally my father's old subordinates, they won't even qualify to be my dogs.」