Bearing the blue sky

Chapter 329 New Simulation: Tribulation Transcending!

The moment Zhu Ge finished speaking, the way he held the stick changed very subtly.

It wasn't an adjustment to the finger or wrist techniques, but rather a shift of the entire body's center of gravity less than an inch backward.

That slight shift was almost imperceptible, but for Yunyin, who was standing opposite him, it was right within his sensitive range of perception.

"Oh?" Yunyin's gaze lingered on Zhuge's shoulder for a moment, as if confirming the direction and magnitude of the deviation.

Zhu Ge didn't give him more time to confirm.

He took a step forward, shorter than any he had ever taken before, but the moment he landed, his body seemed to be propelled forward by an invisible force, moving with an almost irrational acceleration.

The tip of the Purgatory Star Staff emitted a very short buzzing sound as it passed through the air, like the lingering echo of a taut string being plucked.

Yunyin's body had already begun to deflect before the buzzing sound arrived.

His left shoulder slumped, his right knee bent slightly, and his center of gravity shifted slightly in the direction of the approaching force, like a leaf on the water sensing the direction of the next ripple.

But his prediction had already failed before he even arrived.

Just before the staff was about to touch him, Zhu Ge slightly lowered his wrist.

The speed at which it was moving forward decreased within a very short distance.

The originally smooth momentum seemed to encounter an invisible buffer, and the speed was cut off halfway, and then accelerated again at a different angle.

Yunyin's block had already deviated from the direction of the first speed, but that speed had changed before it arrived.

When the edge of his palm touched the stick, the force was lighter than expected, and the deflection was greater than anticipated.

As the force slid along the edge of his palm, it was not smoothly dissipated into the clouds as before, but left a residual force that deviated, like a shallow mark left on the surface of a stone washed by water.

Yunyin took a half step back, and when his foot landed back on the clouds, the clouds below briefly dipped before returning to their flat state.

His gaze lingered on Zhu Ge's stick for a moment before returning to Zhu Ge's face.

"Was that the final gesture you mentioned just now?" Yunyin's face was full of astonishment.

"Yes." Zhu Ge nodded: "Switch between fast and slow rhythms to make the opponent's predictions fall short."

"Brother Zhu's intention to reach the end is incredibly powerful." Yun Yin flexed his wrists. "Your switching speed is faster than at the beginning, and the intervals in between are also shorter than before."

Zhu Ge nodded.

The two exchanged ideas and were quite satisfied with each other.

After a moment, Zhu Ge finished his comprehension and then cupped his hands in greeting, saying, "Brother Yun, to be honest, may I stay at your sect for the night this time?"

Need a place to stay?

Yunyin raised an eyebrow: "Brother Zhu means—"

"I'll rest for a bit, and then head straight to Shengjing," Zhu Ge said with a smile. "I just want to rest for a few days."

"Alright." Yunyin nodded, then immediately summoned someone: "Mr. Zixia, please escort Brother Zhu and the others to the Red Mist Pavilion!"

The old man who had just led Zhu Ge and the others up the mountain reappeared.

"Thank you." Zhu Ge cupped his hands in thanks, and then followed the old man named Mr. Zixia toward the so-called Red Mist Pavilion.

In fact, Zhu Ge's visit and decision to stay this time was not just about catching up and making friends.

There's an even more important reason: the next simulation is coming soon.

Sometimes, Zhu Ge even forgets that she has a survival-of-the-fittest simulator.

After all, his simulator can't do "Deep Blue skill point allocation".

However, when it comes to using the various features of the simulator, Zhu Ge is still very grateful that he has this cheat code.

However, this simulator also has its advantages, namely that all his power so far has come from his own cultivation, rather than from adding points.

His solid foundation is the core reason why he can take on challenges beyond his level.

"Master, this place is so beautiful!" Liu Jianjian was overjoyed to arrive at the Red Mist Pavilion.

Zhu Ge then composed herself and looked around.

Hongwu Pavilion is located on the eastern side of Yunxiazong Mountain. It is suspended in the air on three sides, with only one side connected to the mountain.

The entire pavilion was built of a dark red wood, the wood’s grain was fine and dense and it shone with a warm luster in the twilight, as if it had been soaked in clouds for many years and the surface had formed a patina-like texture.

The main building of the attic is not large, consisting of about three main rooms and two side rooms.

But its terrace is exceptionally spacious, extending from the front of the attic and suspended above the clouds, like a springboard carefully placed on the edge of the sea of ​​clouds.

The terrace railings are low, only knee-high, and made of the same dark red wood, their surface smoothed by wind and rain, giving them a warm, aged feel.

Standing on the edge of the terrace and looking down, the clouds below are moving slowly, as if an invisible river is flowing beneath them.

The color of the clouds gradually changed from crimson in the foreground to pale pink in the distance, and further away they merged into the grayish-purple light of the twilight, forming a halo without clear boundaries.

Liu Jianjian circled the terrace, then squatted down at the edge, reaching out to touch the wisps of cloud seeping in through the gaps in the railing, just like she had done on the corridor before: "This place is even prettier than the previous platform. The previous platform was flat, but this one is suspended outside, making it feel like standing on the bow of a ship."

"It's really nice." Zhu Ge stood next to her, not in a hurry to go into the room, but leaned against the wooden pillar at the edge of the terrace, letting her eyes adjust to the light of the sky that was transitioning into night.

"You can release those companions," Zhu Ge said with a smile. "This beautiful scenery is rare indeed."

Liu Jianjian paused for a moment, then her eyes lit up: "Is it alright? After all, this is someone else's sect—"

"I have obtained Yunyin's consent," Zhu Ge said with a smile. "As long as the buildings are not damaged and the cultivation of other disciples is not disturbed, it is permissible."

"

Without further hesitation, Liu Jianjian stood up and retreated to the center of the terrace, giving the figures emerging from her hair enough space to land.

Her hair was the first to change, each strand sticking up slightly, as if being pulled upwards by some unseen force.

Tiny specks of light shone from the ends of her hair. These specks were of different colors, some pale blue, some silvery white, and some amber, like shattered stars lit up in the twilight.

"Wow, I'm out again!"

"Hooray! That's great! I've been holding it in for so long!"

"Master, is this the wonderful place you were talking about? It really is!"

Among the figures that emerged one after another were giant pythons, their bodies entirely crimson and their scales shimmering with tiny sparks of fire.

There are hedgehogs covered in sharp spines, slowly unfolding like a giant spiky ball, and golden giant eagles whose wings still appear exceptionally broad even when folded.

There were stick insects with slender bodies and covered with bronze-colored shells, as well as smaller, differently shaped second-realm demonic beasts.

They slipped out from between the willow's delicate hair, each figure landing with a faint, eerie glow of a different color.

The lights intertwined in the twilight, enriching the originally dim skylight on the terrace, like a colorful scroll being slowly unfurled.

"This place is great!" Dao Xia was the last to come out.

When it landed, its six legs were evenly spread apart, and it stood steadily on the edge of the terrace. It looked around first, and then made a faint metallic scraping sound, like when it stretches: "The humidity is just right, and the temperature is just right. It's much better than the cave I stayed in last time."

"You're so picky, I won't let you out next time." Liu Jianjian rolled her eyes.

Before them, the monsters found their own spots to squat or lie down, filling the entire terrace to the brim.

Snow wolves, black bears, hedgehogs, and giant pythons crouched on the dark red wooden planks, a golden giant eagle stood on the railing, and stick insects stood against the outer wall of the attic, like a fixed bronze pillar.

Most of the monsters were quiet, after all, Liu Jianjian had warned them before they were released.

But some were also exchanging quiet conversations, like a group of travelers who had been taken to a new place and needed to make sure the environment was safe before they could relax. Their voices were low and fragmented, blending with the sound of the clouds moving in the distance.

Liu Jianjian squatted down next to the snow wolf, reached out and rubbed the back of its ear, her gaze passing over the edge of the terrace and landing on the slowly drifting clouds: "The clouds here are different from the clouds over there. They are darker and brighter, as if someone put a layer of glowing stuff inside them when it was getting dark."

"That's not light," Zhu Ge said with a smile. "It's spiritual energy. The spiritual energy of the Yunxia Sect's earth veins gathers inside the mountain and slowly seeps out through those reinforced cloud layers."

"After sunset, the concentration of spiritual energy in the clouds is higher than during the day, which creates this faint glowing effect."

This place is indeed a rare and blessed land.

This is the grandeur and profound foundation of a major sect, something his Six Paths Palace cannot compare to.

"No wonder they were quieter than I expected," Liu Jianjian said. "They sensed me coming in."

The snow wolf then turned its head and let out a soft howl at Liu Jianjian before turning its gaze back to the sea of ​​clouds.

After the monsters on the terrace gradually settled down, the hushed conversations slowly subsided.

A small, second-realm deer demon lay down next to a second-realm fox demon, its chin resting on its front paws, quietly watching the distant sky gradually darken.

"I don't even realize I have so many subordinates." Liu Jianjian stood up and walked back to Zhu Ge's side, sitting down on the edge of the terrace with her legs dangling above the clouds.

As the wispy clouds drifted past her feet, they would occasionally swirl up a small patch of crimson mist, like petals carried high by the wind, floating in mid-air before slowly falling back to the surface of the clouds.

"They rarely stay together so quietly," Liu Jianjian remarked. "Usually when they're in my hair, they talk to each other, but they don't all look in the same direction like this."

"Because the environment here makes them feel safe." Zhu Ge smiled. "Outside, they need to be constantly vigilant, but here, they don't."

"However, you should definitely let everyone out more often for walks and activities."

"Hmm." Liu Jianjian pulled her legs back and sat cross-legged, quietly watching the sky slowly darkening in the distance for a while, then suddenly asked, "Master, do you think there are similar cloud formations over in Shengjing?"

"No." Zhu Ge shook her head.

He didn't know if it was true or not.

But he knew what Liu Jianjian meant.

Once you arrive in Shengjing, you'll never have the chance to leisurely enjoy the scenery again.

Liu Jianjian nodded and didn't ask any more questions.

As dusk fell completely, the monsters on the terrace gradually found more comfortable spots.

Snow wolves and black bears leaned against the railing, while a golden giant eagle folded its wings and perched on the roof of the attic. The second-realm demon beasts huddled together at the edge of the terrace, like a flock of sheep that had been driven together.

The stars in the sky are peeking out from the gaps at the edge of the clouds, one after another.

As the starlight passed through the crimson clouds, it was tinged with a very faint warm color, as if it were wrapped in a thin layer of amber, exuding a bright yet soft texture.

Zhu Ge also entered the simulation period.

Name: Zhu Ge

Lifespan: 283 year

【Trait: Fallen Scales (Passive)】

[Inventory: Kunpeng, Spider, Stealth]

Zhu Ge glanced at her attributes and traits; the Fallen Scale was still in use and did not consume her lifespan.

The other traits, on the other hand, are simply left in the inventory.

[Survival of the Fittest Simulator Now Open!]

The theme of this strengths and weaknesses simulation is: Tribulation Transcending.

[Number of simulation attempts remaining: 16]

[Would you like to begin this simulation?]

Yes or No

Tribulation Transcending?

What does this mean?

Zhu Ge frowned slightly.

He could understand the themes of the previous times, but he didn't understand them at all this time!

However, the sixteen simulation opportunities also indicate that this simulation is by no means simple.

However, Zhu Ge is not afraid.

Even if there is no unique trait, even if it is a common trait, it still has its own use.

For example, he has always been very good at using the [Stealth] trait.

"Start simulation!"

With a thought, Zhu Ge immediately began the simulation.

You became a banyan branch, just fallen and sprouting new roots.

Your roots grow freely downwards in the damp soil, drawing nutrients and water.

The moment the banyan tree's roots sank into the soil, Zhu Ge felt a completely different way of being than before.

There are no eyes, no ears, no clear boundaries between touch and smell, only a continuous and uniform perception.

It felt like being enveloped in something damp and slightly warm, with signals of the same intensity coming from all directions.

The sensation was vague yet persistent, like a layer of repeatedly soaked fabric clinging to the surface, slowly seeping deeper over time.

"This time it's a physical simulation?!"

Zhu Ge was deeply shaken.

Previous simulations were all similar to stream of consciousness simulations.

It's like playing word games in your head.

But this time, it was real; he became a simulation of a banyan tree!

This is what a simulator should be like—he felt his roots extending downwards, passing through the soft humus layer, encountering fine gravel, then bypassing them and continuing downwards. Even when he encountered a more compact clay layer, he didn't stop, but continued to advance at a slower pace.

It's a wonderful feeling.

The kind of propulsion is not like active movement, but more like a guided process that extends continuously along the path of least resistance.

Like a drop of water slowly flowing down a sloping surface, it doesn't need to choose a direction; it just needs to keep moving forward along the existing slope.

Your roots have come into contact with underground water veins. The water is clear and cool, with a slightly astringent mineral taste.

Your roots penetrate that watercourse and continue to burrow deeper into the soil.

You feel a slight tremor at the tip of the first leaf; that's the wind.

You haven't grown enough leaves to sense the full flow of the wind, but that slight tremor makes you realize you are growing.

Your choice is—

First, prioritize sending roots downwards to find deeper groundwater and nutrients.

Second, prioritize upward growth to allow the leaves to receive more sunlight and wind.