Cultivation Simulator: Starting From The Empress' Palace

Zhao Ji couldn’t help but sigh, then asked about the fading of the bamboo in the Celestial Forest Garden.

”The life of man is the gathering of qi; when gathered, there is life, when dispersed, there is death.

The bamboo is the same; the dragon qi beneath the Celestial Forest Garden has dispersed. I, in my humble capacity, can only slow its fading but cannot turn the tide,” Lin Su Ya said calmly.

Upon hearing this, Zhao Ji furrowed his brows, lost in thought, and after a long while, he finally asked, ”State Preceptor, do you think Han Er’s prophecy is true?”

Lin Su Ya knew of Han Er.

He once said, ”As long as the bamboo remains, the Great Song remains; if the bamboo falls, the Great Song falls.”

”Success is in man, planning is in heaven. A prophecy can be trusted but not fully,” Lin Su Ya slowly replied, for destiny can indeed change.

Zhao Ji looked deeply mournful, understanding the meaning behind Lin Su Ya’s words.

Yet, despite having done everything, reality was not unfolding in his favor.

He established imperial examinations and opened canals, each move benefiting the people.

Yet the common folk dared to revolt against him.

Trouble in the Southwest, chaos in Nanyang.

And the main force of the Rebel Army is still in Western Shu.

All these matters left him utterly exhausted.

After a long time, he stood up, staring into Lin Su Ya’s eyes, his voice unexpectedly tender, ”State Preceptor, would you intervene if the Great Song were on the brink of destruction?”

Lin Su Ya shook her head.

Such a reaction from Lin Su Ya should be intolerable for the emperor.

But Zhao Ji was not angry; after all, making her the State Preceptor was merely a partnership from the start.

Moreover, even if Zhao Ji were truly angry, he could do nothing to Lin Su Ya.

To put it bluntly, Lin Su Ya moved in and out of the Imperial City as if it were an unguarded realm.

Zhao Ji let out a bitter laugh, ”State Preceptor, is your tribulation approaching?”

Lin Su Ya did not speak.

Zhao Ji continued, ”In this world, does the Celestial Tribulation truly exist?”

Lin Su Ya nodded, ”It does.”

Seeing Lin Su Ya’s calm expression, Zhao Ji closed his eyes.

High positions and great wealth for her all these years, yet they never moved her.

”Enough.”

Zhao Ji opened his eyes and softly said, ”State Preceptor, I am weary.”

Lin Su Ya nodded, and in the next moment, her figure vanished from Taihe Palace.

Shortly after she left Taihe Palace.

A figure quickly approached Zhao Ji, bent over, and whispered, ”Your Majesty, the Crown Prince has gone to see Chen Hong.”

...

After meeting Crown Prince Zhao Chong, Chen Mo went to the Infantry Department to ingratiate himself.

And Zhao Chong’s intention in seeing him was nothing more than to win him over.

Offering money and people alike.

To this, Chen Mo accepted all of it.

The money wasn’t much, ten thousand taels of gold.

The people were two dancing girls.

It’s mainly about the sentiment.

But Chen Mo guaranteed that within three days, Zhao Chong would surely regret privately meeting with him today.

Perhaps then, Zhao Chong would even try to distance himself from him.

Upon arriving at the Infantry Department, the cooldown timer for the Cultivation Simulator had finished, and Chen Mo began to simulate.

Without surprise, these ten days of simulation failed to make a breakthrough to First Grade Martial Artist.

Chen Mo chose ten days’ worth of Heart Method experience.

He had reached the Heart Method Realm and was heading towards the Celestial Realm.

It was now the thirtieth day of the great turmoil.

The matter of him being a Fake Eunuch had not yet been exposed, indicating that everything was being delayed.

If nothing unexpected happened, Zhao Ji’s breakthrough to First Grade Martial Artist on the fiftieth day of the great turmoil should also be delayed.

However, Chen Mo didn’t dare to gamble.

Within the next twenty days, he must break through to First Grade Martial Artist.

[Today’s simulation attempts are used up.]

[Cooldown period of 24 hours, next simulation will cost 64,000 taels. Advance recharge is available.]

The system’s prompt dampened Chen Mo’s mood somewhat.

...

Night fell.

Because he wanted to consult Lin Su Ya about breaking through to First Grade Martial Artist, Chen Mo, after having dinner at the Chen Mansion, carried the token Lin Su Ya had given him that day and made his way to the Imperial Palace.

Meanwhile, as Chen Mo entered the palace.

Zhao Fujin, for the first time, found herself troubled by her attire.

In the past, Zhao Fujin was quite casual about her appearance.

At night practice, she would simply change into a tight robe and apply light makeup.

But at this moment, Zhao Fujin was trying on one dress after another.

Zhao Fujin put on a pink dress and spun around in front of the Copper Mirror, then asked Zhao Jiang Ning, who was sitting on the bamboo mat, ”Big sister, does it look good?”

Zhao Jiang Ning nodded; Zhao Fujin, naturally beautiful, looked good in anything, but she frowned, ”Fujin, with such a long dress, won’t it get in the way when you’re practicing?”

In her impression, training should be done in simpler attire.

That pink dress was so long it trailed on the ground, sure to cause some restriction.

”Then I’ll change to another one.”

Perhaps fearing her mentor’s words, Zhao Fujin hid behind the screen to change again.

After getting Zhao Jiang Ning’s approval, she lingered in front of the dressing table for a while before rushing off to Shenxiao Temple.

Watching Zhao Fujin’s departing figure, Zhao Jiang Ning couldn’t help but rub her forehead, ”Hopeless.”

...

When Chen Mo saw Zhao Fujin again, he couldn’t help but be momentarily stunned.

Her long and slender figure was shapely and graceful. As the evening breeze blew, her clothes rustled. She wore a low-cut white long dress underneath a layer of silk-like white gauze.

Moonlight illuminated her face, with long eyelashes, a dainty pink nose, and dewy cherry lips.

Seeing Chen Mo, her hands nervously found their place behind her back, her ten fingers intertwined, revealing a maiden’s bashfulness, her rosy lips gently parting as she said, ”Junior Brother, it’s... been a while.”

”It’s been a while, Senior Sister. Miss me?” Unlike Zhao Fujin’s restraint, Chen Mo, seeing the temple was empty, immediately joked.

Zhao Fujin lightly nodded, then with a blushing face said, ”Junior Brother, about that day, it was my fault. I misunderstood you. I apologize, I’m sorry.”

”What matter?”

Chen Mo was puzzled.

”It’s just...”

”You’ve arrived.”

Zhao Fujin hadn’t finished speaking when a figure appeared before them.

Wearing a Daoist robe and holding a Duster, her hair long, smooth, and glossy, casually tied up in a bun, with a few strands hanging beside her ears, she emanated an indefinable freedom.

Chen Mo’s eyes tightened, even though he was already a Second-Grade Martial Artist, he still didn’t notice when Lin Su Ya had arrived.

”Master.”

”State Preceptor.”

Zhao Fujin and Chen Mo bowed with cupped hands.

Lin Su Ya nodded, then quickly struck, reaching for Chen Mo’s wrist.

But what she grasped was only a remnant shadow of Chen Mo.

His real body was already three meters away.

This was a dodge Chen Mo couldn’t do.

”Shifting Form and Position,” Zhao Fujin’s gaze flickered, showing a surprised expression.

Lin Su Ya was also somewhat surprised, her figure flickered once again, appearing behind Chen Mo.

In truth, he could have dodged again but chose not to.

Lin Su Ya grabbed Chen Mo’s wrist, sensing it, and in a moment, her expression showed astonishment akin to seeing a celestial being.

Even she couldn’t maintain her composure at this moment.