A Taste of Reality and the Path Ahead

Mingqian watched helplessly as his reward turned into a piece of cake.

Fragrant, soft and sweet cake.

If it had been paired with a maiden’s white stockings, and those fragrant, soft jade feet… that would have been even better.

But there was none.

It was just an ordinary, even somewhat ugly cake.

From this alone, he could easily tell that the cake’s creator was absolutely a novice.

Had he possessed the resources from the ring, he could have effortlessly become a moderately accomplished ability user.

Yet now, though he had regained his wood element affinity, all cultivation had to start anew.

Having brought back no cultivation from the simulated world, could he truly live this life?

A man who doesn’t strive will only become a woman’s mere thrall!

Moreover, if it had been some mysterious cake that could boost his level with a single bite, that would have been one thing.

“According to the label, this is just a bad-tasting cake.”

There was nothing special about it.

Was this right? Was this truly right?

Why would such a thing appear on the reward list? It was far too strange.

Furthermore, this peculiar experimental product, whose creation remained unknown…

‘Someone can cultivate to become an Immortal Emperor by eating, and so can I!’

Without a massive appetite, he might as well forget it.

Alas.

It was merely a lack of resources; Mingqian believed that with his talent, he could certainly make himself great again.

Compared to having nothing at all, he now possessed wood element magic, and having taught Aile so many spells, he had, through immersion, become thoroughly familiar with magic books himself, ensuring he would achieve something.

[Rewards distributed]

He drew a deep breath, and a familiar sensation coursed through his body.

The so-called wood element represented an affinity with the earth.

This element, perhaps, would prove quite convenient here.

As for the other reward…

He looked at the cake that had materialized in his hand.

The cake’s shape was unsightly, far from appealing; one glance was enough to tell it had been made by someone utterly inexperienced.

The base seemed to have been forcibly held together by something, and its overall form bore a striking resemblance to the last cake he had ever made.

Perhaps this was… something someone had made in his memory.

“It’s just a pity Aile said that cake wasn’t delicious.”

Mingqian sighed softly, slowly bringing the cake to his mouth, tasting the cream, then the cake base.

It was indeed terrible.

“However…”

Remembering that this might be someone’s heartfelt gesture, he finished the entire cake.

Next, he tried to check his attributes.

[Wood Element: LV1]

The levels from the simulation seemed to manifest here as skills.

[Hidden quest completed, rewards now being issued]

[Please check]

?

Hidden quest?

When had he completed a hidden quest?

Still, he would set that aside for now.

He looked at the anklets binding his feet.

With his wood element still at Level 1, he couldn’t escape yet.

However…

Mingqian closed his eyes, sensing the long-lost magic within him. Wood element magic excelled at creation and manipulation, but…

Within wood magic, there existed an intermediate spell called “Crafting.” Duplicating the key to these shackles would be as easy as turning his hand.

But not yet…

The only regret this time was failing to gain levels in the simulated world.

Even the system hadn’t bestowed his levels upon him as a reward.

What happened to his solo leveling, as promised!

Fortunately, it wasn’t a total loss; he had still gained something.

He could sense faint magical energy in the air, confirming that this world of spiritual energy revival bore similarities to his simulated world.

There, his cultivation method was nothing more than…

Eh?

How exactly did he cultivate?

Taking pills, using items, taking more pills, using secret treasures…

When encountering enemies, he would simply send his personal maid, raised since childhood, to dispatch them with a single sword stroke.

When facing political rivals, they would be made to vanish by the princess before he even had to lift a finger.

What was his own value?

Mingqian’s cultivation, if described in a novel, would be utterly unorthodox.

He was more akin to a villain who would utter wicked remarks to magical girls.

The evil duke who, after defeating magical girls, would taint them with his own colors…

“Ha!”

“I… did I truly possess no talent whatsoever?”

He suddenly recalled that he had once been a good-for-nothing who hadn’t awakened any abilities.

And a good-for-nothing whose childhood friend had stolen his girlfriend…

For him, the simulated world had been the kindest world.

“I should have known not to die.”

He finally repented.

Mingqian took a deep breath, circulating the magic within his body. He wanted to first test the abilities of Level 1 wood magic.

Similar to the simulated world, it seemed that as skill levels increased, the available spells would also expand.

As for now, he still seemed limited to spells like Wood Wall…

He looked at the protruding wooden wall beside him.

However, he still had his cheat.

“Hehe… hehehehe…”

Thanks to the simulator, he had finally found a way to break free.

Now, he not only saw the possibility of escape but also a method to turn the tables and become the master.

Since the simulated time differed from reality, as long as he furiously activated the simulator, he would one day achieve invincibility in this world.

Not only would his life be completely transformed, but from this point forward, he would ascend to the pinnacle of life, fulfilling all men’s dreams and then…!

His body suddenly trembled violently, and a bone-chilling coldness interrupted his thoughts.

He decided not to mention that particular word; it always sent a shiver down his spine.

He closed his eyes once more, gazing into the world bathed in golden light.

[Simulation Count: 0]

[Next Simulation Time: Cooling down, greater than 10000 days]

“What kind of game is this?”

It appeared that waiting for the simulator to naturally cool down was almost impossible.

[Otherworldly items can provide acceleration]

The small text below indicated this.

“Otherworldly items? Things that don’t exist in this world… meaning…”

“No leads yet…”

Mingqian shook his head. It seemed the system wasn’t entirely ruthless; while it had cut off his path to unlimited simulations, it had opened another window for him.

He would keep that in mind for now; his immediate priority was to raise the level of his wood magic.

He was truly anxious. Facing Bai Wanting, who was like a wolf or a tiger, he urgently needed a way out.

As a true man, how could he endure such humiliation?

Just thinking about her stepping on him with those small feet encased in white stockings, just thinking about her looking at him with eyes that regarded him as mere fodder…

The sound of him swallowing echoed, betraying his resolve.

No! Where had his thoughts wandered?

However, the arrival of wood element magic had slightly calmed his agitated mind.

No need to rush; he would patiently await his opportunity.

Compared to those ability users who had already mastered their powers, he might not be their match yet, but one day.

He would surely carve out his own path in this world.

He pondered, beginning to meditate, but his recently returned mind was still not entirely clear.

After all, he had endured pain beyond what ordinary people could bear, truly experiencing death once.

And it had been a tragic death, cursed. After confirming his current situation, he was genuinely exhausted.

“Eh? I seem to have forgotten something…”

He racked his brain, thinking it might just be a misconception.

“Never mind, all things are difficult at the start. First, I’ll get some good sleep!”

He closed his eyes, slowly drifting into slumber.