Simulated immortality allows me to calculate talent stats.

After arranging for the villagers to leave, you did not linger in the village. Under the cover of night, your figure moved like a firefly, your movements concealed, heading towards Golden Scale City.

You left the bandit leader's horse with the villagers; you can sell it in the county town for a considerable sum of money.

Three days later, you will arrive at Jinlin City, the capital of Xilong County.

The towering city walls separated the city from the countryside; the prosperous scene revealed the last rays of a dynasty in its twilight years.

[First year, age seventeen]

With your exceptional knowledge and memory, you re-enter the Yan Family Chamber of Commerce seeking employment and quickly gain recognition, leading to a promotion and raise.

[Simultaneously utilizing the "Succubus Body" and "Intelligence Master" talents, he established a firm belief, gathered a group of loyal subordinates, and had them discover the whereabouts of Pang Hai and Xu Hui.]

You didn't make contact, fearing it would disrupt the original trajectory and cause the two of you to miss your chance.

I've rented the courtyard next to the tofu stall again, and I practice my spiritual disciplines daily.

[To reach the pinnacle of power, one must break through the twelve regular meridians and the eight extraordinary meridians. For someone of your mediocre talent, this will be a long and arduous process.]

You hope to draw a talent affix that changes your attributes.

[The following year, at eighteen years old.]

[In the cold of winter, fine snow fell like cotton wool. The owner of the tofu stall had changed; it was now a beautiful and refined young woman, around sixteen years old, dignified and gentle.]

The tofu pudding even tastes better now.

[You patronize their place daily, becoming familiar with their faces, all in anticipation of Pang Hai and Xu Hui's arrival.]

Meanwhile, through daily practice of the *Pure Primordial True Scripture*, he finally opened the first meridian.

[At dawn, the thin mist condensed into frost.]

You, dressed in a dark blue long gown, sit in front of a tofu stall, while the tofu seller toils at the stall, her hands red with cold.

"A bowl of tofu pudding, no..."

"Not salty, not sweet, not spicy, I know that."

The tofu seller set down her bowl of plain tofu pudding, smiling gently, "Young master, you do this every day, how could you not remember?"

You smiled and said, "Thank you, Miss Zuo."

Having helped the other party multiple times, you've learned their name: the neighbors call them "Mr. Zuo," but their given name is unknown. Asking about it prematurely would be seen as frivolous.

While enjoying plain tofu pudding, you use your keen observation skills, a hallmark of an "intelligence master," to scan your surroundings and spot two figures.

Peeking out, they eyed the tofu stall with longing, inhaling the fragrant aroma of soybeans.

You beckoned: "Come here, it's my treat."

As if yesterday were repeating itself, Pang Hai and Xu Hui came and sat down, each ordering a sweet bowl and a savory bowl, thus beginning their debate between the North and South.

Looking at the two boys before you, though their eyes each possess a distinct character, it's still hard to imagine that, more than ten years later, they would raise an army and sweep across Jiangnan.

They were respectfully addressed as the Young Marshal and the Young Master, and were collectively known as two heroes.

[Later, he seized control of Jingzhou and Yuzhou, established the State of Chu, and Pang Hai ascended to the throne of King of Chu, looking down upon the south of the Yangtze River. Xu Hui was enfeoffed as a marquis and appointed prime minister, holding the military seal and the seal of office.]

At this moment, the two are still arguing about whether sweet or savory tofu pudding is the more authentic way.

You place the money down, exactly as in the last simulation, no more, no less, and then get up and leave.

"Huizi, this brother is really kind; he even left us some money."

"From now on, repay even the smallest kindness with the greatest gratitude."

"Of course! I'm going to be the Grand Marshal, and you'll be my strategist and prime minister!"

You didn't go far; after turning the corner, you disappeared into the shadows of the alley, unnoticed by ordinary passersby.

[Based on the previous simulation, a few days after their chance encounter today, the two disappeared, and soon after, the tofu stall closed down.]

Therefore, to avoid missing an opportunity, you've decided to fully utilize your "intelligence master" abilities for covert surveillance from today onward, without letting your guard down for even a second.

After finishing their tofu pudding, the two paid the bill and left happily with their remaining money.

[Upon arriving in the slums, I saw elderly people and orphans, barely clothed and starving, surrounded by freezing snow.]

Pang Hai's smile vanished as he touched the silver in his pocket.

With a smirk, he asked, "Huizi, do you dare to go fishing in the river again this winter?"

Xu Hui, who had supported his partner since childhood, knew exactly what his companion was thinking. He scoffed, "I'm afraid you wouldn't dare."

"Let's see who catches the most!"

After speaking, Pang Hai turned and walked towards the market. He spent all his money and bought a large pile of hot flatbreads and dried food, which he distributed to the elderly and orphans.

Some able-bodied men tried to snatch it, but were frightened away by Pang Hai's fierce, tiger-like gaze.

You follow behind them, calmly observing their actions. It seems they'll have to rely on fishing in the icy river for the rest of their lives.

[Through following them for the next few days, you gradually discover the special connection between the two.]

Even a healthy adult male, with abundant energy and blood, wouldn't dare to go fishing in the river every day in the dead of winter, dressed only in thin clothes to keep warm.

[But Pang Hai and Xu Hui, once out of the river, would shiver for a while before regaining their rosy complexion; though they appeared thin, their blood and energy flowed freely.]

Indeed, even with great opportunities, without extraordinary talent, it's difficult to become a top-tier expert capable of traversing the void within just ten years.

On the sixth day of their pursuit, Pang Hai and Xu Hui did not fish, but instead headed into the mountains to look for prey to hide in for the winter.

Suddenly, they spotted a snow cat and chased it deep into the mountains.

You are like a firefly, drifting in the shadows, each flash of light disappearing into a blind spot.

[Follow the two deeper into the mountains.]

"Huh? When did this crack appear here?"

Pang Hai suddenly stopped, looking at the wide crack in the cliff face ahead, a crack that seemed to connect heaven and earth, cleaving the entire mountain in two, its cut as smooth as a mirror.

Without much thought, he chased the snow cat into the crevice. Xu Hui couldn't stop him in time and had no choice but to follow.

[After the two entered, your image appeared.]

[Frowning, he looked up at the crack, which was clearly not natural. Upon closer inspection, he could even sense the "Sword Charm - Celestial Immortal" inscription between his brows resonating.]

This was formed from an incredibly terrifying sword strike.

The speculation that arises in your mind amazes you, yet you step into the crack without hesitation.

[At first, the path was wide enough, then it gradually expanded until, except for a sliver of light in the sky, the sides were completely dark and unknown, and its vastness could not be seen.]

Fortunately, you have the "Intelligence Master," who allows you to pinpoint the locations of Pang Hai and Xu Hui even in this dark and complex environment.

[Until the last ray of light in the sky disappeared, you entered a vast space.]

A magnificent, almost divine palace sits before you, its eighteen bronze pillars seemingly reaching for the sky, adorned with intricate patterns.

Both depict scenes of bloody battlefields, clashing swords and galloping horses, fierce battles and bloodshed, and the devastation of life.

Pang Hai and Xu Hui were equally stunned by the scene before them. They moved forward cautiously, their eyes gleaming with cunning.

[Far from being afraid, they actually hoped this was an opportunity, a chance for them to turn their lives around.]

Hidden behind a bronze pillar, you follow the two men forward. Finally, a magnificent bronze gate appears before you.