The new year has arrived.
The melting snow, faintly cold, is the final struggle of winter.
As they say, the new year brings new beginnings. On the first day of the new year, people usually greet the fresh future with renewed spirits and better attitudes.
But when Xu Xi woke up, he felt unusually sluggish and stiff.
A heavy sense of oppression weighed on his chest, as if pressed down by something for a while.
His forehead still carried the lingering warmth of something gently pressing against it.
"Was it Mo Li?"
Xu Xi speculated.
After some consideration.
He had long been used to his sister's personality, so this didn't bother him much.
"Still, I need to talk to her. Every time I wake up like this, I feel so numb," Xu Xi shook his head, got out of bed, and recalled the strange dream he had last night.
It was an odd, chaotic, and nonsensical dream.
It was a world of pure red and white.
Colors had lost their meaning.
Sometimes the scene was entirely white, and other times, it was drowned in crimson.
Stars dotted the space, tiny but heavy, drifting and surging between the entangled red and white.
"What a strange dream..."
Xu Xi sat by the window.
The rising sun cast soft, warm rays through the glass window, gently falling on Xu Xi's face.
In the quiet, Xu Xi pondered, his brow slightly furrowed.
The last time he had such a bizarre dream was in the autumn, and it involved his sister battling a witch.
This dream was even more abstract.
It directly became two streams of light.
"I have no idea what that means," Xu Xi eventually gave up on thinking about it.
People have countless dreams in their lifetime. If one were to analyze each one, it would be too much trouble.
"Click—"
After washing up, Xu Xi opened his door and walked towards the kitchen.
Krisha was already waiting there, standing at the corner of the corridor, posture proper, dressed in a long gown, her upper body hidden in shadow, her expression calm.
"Good morning, Teacher."
The witch offered a flat greeting.
"Good morning, Krisha."
Xu Xi walked forward, responding to the witch while greeting the others.
There were his sister, Xu Moli, who had returned from the Boundary Ruins, and Wu Yingxue, the princess, who had come back from the outskirts.
Xu Xi ate the breakfast prepared by the witch.
Following his earlier thoughts, he gently criticized Xu Moli for her nighttime antics, telling her not to sneak into his room again.
Xu Moli's expression was a mix of embarrassment and confusion.
Wu Yingxue looked like she had discovered something new.
Krisha's expression remained the same as usual.
"Teacher, would you like an extra egg?" she blinked, looking at Xu Xi's empty plate.
"No, you sit down and eat too," Xu Xi gently gestured, indicating for Krisha to join them. As he did, he faintly heard a sound from his room.
It was the sound of objects being moved.
Clear, delicate, evenly matched.
Thus, the first day of the new year began with a slightly awkward breakfast, accompanied by the rustling of the display cabinet, guiding time towards an even brighter tomorrow.
When Xu Xi finished breakfast and returned to his room.
He saw the order of items in his display cabinet was:
Magic Wand, Paper Flower, Candy Jar.
Xu Xi couldn't help but smile, but considering the "Candy Jar's" feelings, he restrained himself.
...
Time flows like fine sand, quietly filling gaps, leaving deep imprints without notice.
Wu Yingxue's arrival didn't change the courtyard much.
She was an energetic person, always on the move.
Often shuttling between the courtyard and the outskirts of Yanshan City.
Or, when extremely bored, she would puncture one Boundary Ruin after another.
When she was tired, the princess would cling to Xu Xi, asking him to cook something delicious for her.
Occasionally, Xu Moli, disgusted by the behavior of the Princess, would challenge her to a "friendly" duel with her sword. But more often, Xu Moli focused on defeating Jie Xu and being with Xu Xi.
Krisha was special.
She neither sought excitement nor voiced opinions.
She simply stayed in the courtyard, taking care of Xu Xi's ever-growing Dragon Blood Grass. When Xu Xi was training, she managed everything in the courtyard.
Including collecting blood from the Red Dragon, receiving gifts from the people of Qingniu Town, and creating an elemental-rich environment for Xu Xi's training.
She was reliable.
She was satisfying.
Krisha had never disappointed Xu Xi.
In the blink of an eye, time had reached summer.
Sunlight danced with green leaves, heat waves mixed with the sound of wind, dappled light fell from above, igniting the unique passion of summer.
Through his own hard work and the benefits of three supreme cards, Xu Xi had undergone months of intense training.
When he finally emerged from the training room, his eyes sparkled, a sign of his spiritual energy manifesting.
"Saint Domain pinnacle..."
"Finally, I've achieved it."
Xu Xi's face showed a mix of emotions as he walked on the golden, slightly hot floor.
Ever since the second simulation ended.
He had inherited the realm of a Saint Domain Magister.
However, the gap between the Saint Domain and becoming a deity was like the divide between heaven and earth, nearly insurmountable.
Luckily, Xu Xi was in a special situation.
The Saint Domain he inherited from the simulation was already at the peak of mortal strength. Combined with Krisha updating his "benefits," making it easier for Xu Xi to comprehend laws.
The combination of these factors, multiplied by his adventures, allowed Xu Xi to glimpse the dawn of becoming a god in less than a year.
"It's about right."
"I can feel it, there's just a thin barrier left to cross before I can ignite the divine fire."
"As long as I'm willing, I can do it anytime and start the ascension ceremony."
Sunlight shimmered, the summer heat was intense.
The noisy chirping of cicadas echoed in his ears.
Xu Xi walked through the corridor, the light and shadow shifting around him, heading towards the courtyard, his face contemplative.
"In the supreme crown, there's a power Krisha gave me."
"It can bypass all restrictions and ensure a 100% success in becoming a true god."
"Still, it's always better to be cautious."
"Before the ascension, I'll take a break and rest up, then hit the divine fire in one go."
Thinking this.
A smile appeared on Xu Xi's face.
Anticipation, excitement, eagerness... various emotions flashed quickly.
Eternal life and divine ascension are the dreams of countless supernatural beings, and now, Xu Xi was about to achieve one of them.
It was precisely because he was about to ascend the divine ranks.
That Xu Xi had not performed another simulation for a long time.
Compared to unknown benefits from a new simulation, Xu Xi was more eager to ascend to godhood, thereby promoting his cultivation and martial arts, achieving a trifecta in essence, energy, and spirit.
"My life has been like treading on thin ice, cultivation hasn't been easy."
Xu Xi sighed.
He walked leisurely, and after a while, arrived at a shady corner of the courtyard.
The rocking chair swayed in the breeze, above it was a green vine-woven awning, just enough to block the blazing sun, carving out a cool spot in the courtyard.
Xu Xi sat in the rocking chair, closed his eyes, and slowly lay down.
The summer heat was intense.
Heat waves brushed past.
The treetops swayed, rustling.
Xu Xi enjoyed this tranquility, emptied his mind, and listened to the sounds of nature.
As he listened, he also caught the sounds from outside, pedestrians passing by the courtyard, discussing the most popular supernatural topics.
"Cultivation is the strongest!"
"Nonsense, it's magic, understand the nobility of mages!"
"Stop, martial arts reigns supreme!"