Cultivation Simulator: Starting From The Empress' Palace

The curved silver hook in the night sky cast down infinite clear radiance.

Moonlight filtered through the treetops, leaving twinkling fragments of jade on the ground.

In the Hengduan Mountain Range, few people were around, and from time to time, the roars of beasts could be heard from a distance. In a small forest campsite, a bonfire was sending sparks skyward, illuminating the entire campsite brightly.

Five women surrounded the fire. Among them, four occasionally glanced at Chen Mo, who was talking with Jin Wu.

”Brother Jin, are you also going to participate in the Shenxiao Sect’s disciple assessment?” Chen Mo asked.

Jin Wu shook his head and said, ”There is a strict age restriction for the Shenxiao Sect’s recruitment. Participants cannot be over forty and must have reached the Foundation Establishment Realm, but I am already one hundred and ninety years old.”

”Brother Jin... you’re one hundred and ninety?” Chen Mo was slightly surprised, as Jin Wu’s appearance didn’t reveal his true age at all.

”I’m slightly better off. Wang Wen and Wuhua are both over two hundred. Our trip is to escort two young ladies to the Shenxiao Sect. Once they pass the assessment, we will return to the family immediately,” Jin Wu said, then asked Chen Mo another question.

”Twenty-four.” There was nothing to hide about his age, Chen Mo answered.

”Then Brother Chen must have extraordinary roots to reach such a realm at this age.” Jin Wu couldn’t discern Chen Mo’s realm, which left only two possibilities: either Chen Mo was stronger than himself, or he used some secret technique or magical artifact for concealment.

Jin Wu ruled out the first possibility since he was already at the Foundation Establishment Perfection. If Chen Mo were stronger, he would be at the Golden Core Realm.

Reaching the Golden Core Realm at such an age is possible, but someone with such talent would be participating in assessments for the top ten Immortal Sects and wouldn’t come to the Shenxiao Sect.

After all, compared to the Shenxiao Sect, the ten Immortal Sects are clearly the best choice.

Despite this, Jin Wu had no intention of coveting Chen Mo’s secret techniques or treasures.

The other’s strength might not be superior to his own, but their background was definitely stronger than the Nangong Family he served.

Furthermore, Chen Mo dared to bring three women here, indicating he had some backing.

Jin Wu, having lived for almost two hundred years, could recognize this much.

Thus, Jin Wu treated them warmly.

No matter what, Chen Mo and the others wouldn’t hold him back; traveling together could actually reduce risks.

”Brother Chen, I don’t dare to be called that. Just call me by my name, nothing extraordinary about my roots, just good luck.” After learning that Jin Wu was one hundred and ninety, Chen Mo didn’t dare respond to being called Brother Chen.

”Then I’ll take the liberty to call you little brother.” Jin Wu said.

Chen Mo nodded.

That night, Jin Wu talked a lot.

But he didn’t mention anything about the Nangong Family, only his own affairs and the reason for the beast tide outbreak.

His talent was dull, his family ordinary, his father a gambler who ignored him, and his mother ran off with a hunter in his childhood. Fortunately, the Nangong Family took him in, taught him cultivation and literacy.

The Nangong Family treated him well, and he understood gratitude, diligently serving the Nangong Family for over a hundred years. He had long considered himself a part of the Nangong Family.

He vowed to safely escort the two young ladies to the Shenxiao Sect.

Chen Mo asked why they didn’t use the Teleportation Array.

Jin Wu replied, ”In the cities of Central Province, there are no teleportation arrays leading to the Shenxiao Sect, although there are teleportation points built by the Shenxiao Sect in various cities. So to go to the Shenxiao Sect, you have to either take a spiritual boat or travel on foot, as the sect’s domain prohibits outsiders from flying.”

”By the way, Brother Jin, have you heard of Zhao Fujin?” Although Chi Xuzi told him about this, Chen Mo thought it would be good to cross-verify.

”Of course, who in the five states of the Beiming Domain hasn’t heard of Zhao Fujin? It’s said she was brought back from the Land of Punishment by Vice Sect Leader Xuan Yuan of the Shenxiao Sect. She possesses a Supreme Immortal Body and reached the Golden Core Realm before twenty. Recently, she even got into the Golden Core List, though just at the end, no one dares to underestimate her.”

”The Golden Core List?” Chen Mo had read about this in the booklet given by Chi Xuzi. In Primordial Heaven, once one reaches the Foundation Establishment Realm, there is a list for each level, such as the Golden Core List, Nascent Soul List, Divinity Transformation List, etc.

”Each list only includes one hundred people, so those who make it are among the top-tier of that level. Zhao Fujin had just broken through to the Golden Core Realm and managed to get into the Golden Core List. One can imagine how talented and powerful she is,” Jin Wu said.

”She has become so strong already?” Within Chen Mo’s heart, emotions surged like a turbulent sea.

”What? Little Brother Chen, do you know her?”

”No... tell me, who’s the first on the Foundation Establishment List?” Chen Mo asked.

”It’s Feng Qing from the Celestial Heart Sect, half-step Golden Core, with a Seven-Aperture Exquisite Heart. It’s said that all ten Immortal Sects have already extended offers to him,” Jin Wu said.

”Hmm? Since the Celestial Heart Sect is a branch of the former Daoism, apart from joining the Daoist Alliance, can they still join other Immortal Sects?” Chen Mo was puzzled.

”Little Brother Chen, you might not know. Daoism advocates going with the flow, following one’s heart without forcing. After Daoism disbanded, all its branches inherited this trait, never restricting disciples from joining other sects afterward. Instead, it’s forbidden to report their sect’s name after causing trouble,” Jin Wu said with a light laugh.

Chen Mo also chuckled, recalling what Master Puti said to Sun Wukong in Journey to the West.

...

The night passed.

The next day, they set off early.

”Master, I noticed that Nangong Yue keeps glancing at you.” Xiao Jiu’s senses were sharp, transmitting through a Spirit Seal to Chen Mo.

Chen Mo knew it should be related to the reward.

”Ignore it,” Chen Mo transmitted back, then turned to say, ”Since there’s a Great Demon breaking through in the Ten Thousand Beast Gorge, let’s detour around it for safety.”

The Inner Core was already obtained, and they couldn’t transport the corpses of the two Great Demons, so there was no need to take further risks.

”But detouring will take more time,” Wuhua said.

”It’s better to err on the side of caution. When a Great Demon breaks through, there will surely be protective demon beasts nearby. If we come close, we’ll definitely be seen as enemies. It’s better to avoid unnecessary trouble,” Jin Wu said, glancing at Nangong Xue.

”The Shenxiao Sect’s assessment lasts three months, and not even a month has passed yet, so there is no rush. Better to be safe,” Nangong Xue advised, being cautious of the many demon beasts in the Hengduan Mountain Range.

The group decided to take a detour.

This time, Chen Mo deliberately took a longer path to avoid being attacked again by the Tiger Demon’s subordinates.

By the second day,

The ground suddenly shook. The clear sky was instantly covered by dark clouds, and an oppressive atmosphere enveloped the entire Ten Thousand Beast Gorge, which even Chen Mo and the others could sense from afar.

”The Tiger Demon is about to break through!” Jin Wu murmured.

Once succeeded in transforming the core to a nascent soul, the lifespan would surge by three thousand years.