Su Xiaohei quickly flipped down from the tree and hurried over to the approaching figure, bowing respectfully.
“Disciple Su Xiaohei greets Master. May Master’s immortal path flourish, and may the Golden Core be within reach!”
A figure clad in blue stood quietly.
Her long, jet-black hair was tied high atop her head with a wooden hairpin.
A few strands fell over her forehead, brushing gently down her chest.
She was slender and graceful, her skin smooth and delicate like polished jade.
Her eyes sparkled with a lively light, though her expression carried a touch of calm indifference.
It was none other than Su Bai, whose cultivation had recently deepened even further.
“Enough. Don’t waste your breath on these empty pleasantries,” Su Bai said with a gentle wave of her hand.
“Yes, Master,” Su Xiaohei replied respectfully, straightening up.
“You still don’t want to go down the mountain?”
“No, I don’t.”
“Why not?”
“Master, this disciple is naturally dull-witted, lazy, and fond of good food. I truly can’t endure the hardships of cultivation. Besides…” Su Xiaohei leaned in with a flattering grin.
“Master, you’re bound to become a Golden Core cultivator in the future—living for centuries. With your protection, why would I need to work hard?”
Su Bai scolded with a laugh, “You little rascal!”
“But I’m just telling the truth!”
“You sure know how to talk,” Su Bai said as she gently ruffled his hair.
“If you can’t endure the pain of cultivation, then go ahead and enjoy life while you can.”
“Being with you, Mother, is already the greatest happiness in the world for me.”
“Such a sweet talker.”
“Hehehe~”
Su Bai sighed softly.
Lately, she had come to terms with it—if this little pet of hers wanted to lie flat, then so be it.
After all, he was just a pet NPC in a simulator.
Just twenty years of nurturing—nothing more.
Let him do as he pleases.
She was the man with the simulator.
‘Destined to become a Dao-integrated Immortal Lord and a true Eternal Immortal!’
With that thought, Su Bai narrowed her eyes slightly.
“Have you taken a liking to any female cultivators?”
“Huh?” Su Xiaohei froze.
Then, almost instinctively, he glanced at the storybook hidden inside his robe.
His cheeks flushed slightly as he shook his head vigorously.
“N-No… no, I haven’t. Why are you asking that, Mother?”
“Of course, it’s about your marriage.”
“Ah?!”
Su Xiaohei looked as if he’d just heard the most shocking news in the world.
He stumbled back several steps in alarm.
Seeing her little pet react this way, Su Bai realized she may have been too hasty.
She reached out and gently patted his head to comfort him.
“It’s fine if you haven’t. Take your time. If you meet someone you truly like, I’ll personally go ask for her hand in marriage on your behalf.”
“Ma…Mother, y-y-you… what are you trying to do?” Su Xiaohei stammered, panic written all over his face.
“Of course I’m trying to find a wife for my dear Xiaohei,” Su Bai replied.
Seeing her little pet trembling like that, she figured he must have spent so long on the mountain that he didn’t understand love between men and women, and had been frightened by her sudden matchmaking.
So, she softened her voice and patiently explained: “Qi Refining cultivators live about a hundred years. Foundation Establishment gives you two hundred. With your aptitude, even if I pile resources on you, you’ll probably top out at Foundation Establishment. I, on the other hand, will become a Golden Core cultivator—my lifespan will be over a thousand years.”
“I’m not some cold stone. Of course, I want companionship. If I get you married now and you start a family, establish a clan—”
“Two hundred years from now, when your time is up, I’ll just quietly… ahem, move to the outer regions and found my own cultivation clan.”
“Once I break through to the Golden Core, I’ll have at least a thousand years. With someone like you, I could raise five more! If I’m lucky, maybe one of them will even reach the Golden Core too.”
“Hahaha.”
Su Bai deliberately ended with a joke, trying to keep the topic from becoming too heavy.
However, for Su Xiaohei—who had just been joking around—a sudden chill ran down his spine.
A wave of fear surged in his heart for no apparent reason.
‘He could still raise five more.’
‘He could still raise five more.’
‘He could still raise five more…’
Those words echoed in his ears like a curse, circling endlessly, refusing to fade.
‘Five more?’
‘Five more.’
‘Five more!’
To his master, was he really just one of them? Just one more? And to his mother, wasn’t he someone special? Wasn’t he…
“Master… Mother,” Su Xiaohei forced himself to look up.
She was half a head taller than him, slender and elegant, with a face so beautiful it could bring down nations—an aloof and stunning beauty.
He squeezed out a smile.
“If I died… would you forget me, Mother?”
When he said this, there was even a hint of pleading in his voice.
At that moment, his heart was filled with an uncontrollable fear.
He wasn’t afraid of death—but he was terrified of being forgotten.
He was Su Xiaohei, the baby his mother had picked up and raised.
He wasn’t that afraid of dying.
In fact, for the world, he should have died long ago.
It was only because of Su Bai that he lived.
Every extra day he lived was already a gift.
But what he feared was being forgotten—forgotten by his master, by his mother, by Su Bai.
***
Su Bai, hearing that question from his little pet, actually frowned for once.
He thought about it seriously, then gave a small nod and said, “That is possible.”
“Time has a mysterious power. It flows endlessly and acts upon all things equally. A Golden Core has a lifespan of a thousand years… and perhaps, my cultivation journey won’t end at the Golden Core. If I reach the Nascent Soul stage, I could live two thousand years. That would make my life span two-fifths of some ancient civilizations. At that point, what would anything matter to me? Perhaps… I might even…”
Su Bai’s words trailed off into the distance, and Su Xiaohei was left in a daze.
His eyes dimmed completely.
But then, something seemed to click in his mind.
His gaze lit up again, and his energy returned in full force!
“Master!”
“Hmm?”
Only now did Su Bai snap back to reality, realizing he had zoned out.
He lowered his head slightly and met the sparkling black eyes of his little pet.
But this time, there was something different in those eyes—something new.
“I’m going to cultivate!”
“And Mother, don’t forget to reimburse me for the last two years’ worth of cultivation resources!!”
Before Su Bai could even respond, Su Xiaohei shot off like a streak of light, disappearing into the sky without a trace.
Su Bai: ???
‘Wasn’t he the one who’s been slacking off for the past two years?’
‘And now he’s suddenly eager to cultivate?’
‘Could he have been… emotionally triggered?’
***
[Your little pet’s strange behavior catches your attention, but you don’t dwell on it too much. You chalk it up to him caving under the pressure of being nagged to marry.]
[You click your tongue in amusement. As expected, no matter the world, being pushed into marriage is always a nightmare for the person involved. Your little pet must be feeling exactly like you did when your mom kept nagging you to get a girlfriend.]
[You return to your cave abode and continue studying the Golden Core inheritance.]
[As mentioned before, there are three main conditions for forming a core: reaching Peak Foundation Establishment, obtaining a core-forming technique, and comprehending the laws of nature.]
[You’ve already met the first two conditions. The only thing left is to comprehend a natural law.]
[The inheritance in your hands comes from a cultivator who had mastered both Earth and Wood attributes. He left behind his insights into both, which you can use for reference.]
[Time flies, and in the blink of an eye, another three years pass. During this period, you spend most of your time in seclusion, studying the insights left in the Golden Core inheritance. You occasionally go out to take a break and balance work with rest.]
[During this time, you hear rumors of your little pet challenging the top ten geniuses within the sect—winning every time and basking in glory. He even took first place in an inter-sect secret realm competition, earning you considerable honor.]
[Year 46 of the simulation: you exit seclusion once again. This time, you have successfully comprehended the Wood Element to a basic level. Technically, you are now ready to form your core.]
[But you suppress the urge.]
[A single-element core is too crude for someone like you. Your goal is a Five-Element Core!]
[Gold, Wood, Water, Fire, Earth—this Five-Element Core, also known as the Core of the Five Phases. Once formed, the elements cycle endlessly, generating and sustaining one another, giving you an inexhaustible supply of spiritual energy.]
[You’re not trying to suppress your combat power. Rather, it was during a casual chat with other Peak Foundation Establishment cultivators that you learned a valuable piece of information: the more laws you comprehend before core formation, the brighter your future path to the Nascent Soul will be.]
[Of course, this doesn’t apply to some geniuses who focus on mastering a single law to its peak, walking a path of singular dominance.]
***
One day, after spending several months outside to relax, you prepare to return to your cave for more closed-door cultivation.
Just as you’re about to leave, you receive a message from within the sect.
You glance at it and let out a soft sigh.
[A storm is coming.]
Premium Chapter
Login to buy access to this Chapter.