[Knifing-Simulation System initialized. Begin?]
"Yes."
--+--
[Random traits generated. Please select three trait talents to begin the simulation.]
[Nourishing Dew (⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐): You can travel further on the Path of Abundance than most. Perhaps, you may even gain an audience with That Being.]
[Silver Tongue (⭐⭐): 'The capital has its masters of vocal mimicry...' Ahem. Your skill with words is exceptional. Who knows what other uses this talent might have?]
[Jailbait Protagonist (⭐⭐⭐): Girls younger than you will hold a significant amount of goodwill towards you.]
[Sword Heart (⭐⭐⭐⭐): A sword is a weapon. Swordplay is the art of killing. No matter how prettily you dress it up, that fact remains. You understand this deeply. On the path of the sword, you possess a innate, exceptional talent.]
[Cougar Bait (⭐⭐⭐): Women are like fine wine, growing more mellow with age. Women older than you will find you considerably more appealing.]
--+--
Bai Heng: "...."
Every time, he felt the urge to curse.
But did you really give me any choice, system?
He sighed, feeling the weariness settle deeper in his heart.
This batch of random traits did include a 5-star and a 4-star. Judging by their descriptions, both offered substantial potential benefits.
First, Nourishing Dew.
While Yaoshi never refuses anyone, gaining an audience with an Aeon is typically a privilege reserved for Emanators. This trait could offer Bai Heng immense developmental potential.
As for Sword Heart.
Similar to Nourishing Dew, it was a potential-focused trait, one that could greatly expand his capacity for growth within the simulation.
Objectively speaking, there was no problem with choosing these two; they were almost the default selections.
Bai Heng could already picture it: himself as a holy knight, capable of both healing and smiting.
But the remaining traits?
Are you sure these didn't wander over from the other kind of simulation next door?...
Muttering complaints internally, Bai Heng made his choice.
"Select [Nourishing Dew], [Sword Heart], and [Silver Tongue]. Begin the simulation."
--+--
[Ding! Traits selected. Loading simulation....]
[Simulation loaded successfully.....]
[Transferring consciousness. Generating corresponding scenario.]
--+--
Compared to the dizziness that accompanied his entry into the previous two simulations, the process this time was noticeably much more comfortable.
It was like soaking in a warm hot spring, every cell in his body relaxing into a state of pleasant ease.
[Star Calendar 7352. You were born on the Xianzhou Luofu.]
[However, for reasons unknown, though both your parents were outworlders and short-life species, you were born with a congenital deficiency. The light that is normal to others remains elusive to you, something you can scarcely perceive.]
[Regarding this, your parents tried many methods, but a congenital deficiency is not an illness. It is a curse left behind from the Xianzhou's past entanglement with the Abundance. Simple medicine cannot reverse it.]
[Your childhood was spent in darkness, but your spirit was not diminished by it. You remained as innocent and cheerful as any ordinary child, finding reasons to laugh.]
[At the age of 13, having known only darkness, you gained your first concept of color and witnessed a scene you would never forget.]
[On that night, you saw an existence at the edge of the starry sea. It spread its arms, freely stretching its sinuous, beautiful form, joints extending as if performing a cosmic dance. Its hair was like golden-white feathers of a magpie, slowly blooming amidst the celestial expanse.]
[You set foot upon the Path of Abundance.]
[This did not significantly impact your life. The Xianzhou does not persecute those who walk the Path of Abundance; the bows of their vengeance hunt the unscrupulous Abundance Emanators, the bloodthirsty Borisin and Wingweavers, and that accursed Mara-Struck. As for benevolent individuals who walk the Path of Abundance, they are not shunned.]
[Due to your long association with medicine and your accomplishments on the Path of Abundance, you entered the Alchemy Commission at 18, becoming a healer.]
[That same year, a major battle erupted on the front lines against the Abundance Emanators. In no time, the Alchemy Commission was filled with the wounded.]
[Two years later, the front-line conflict concluded with a victory for the Luofu Xianzhou. Your skills were prominently displayed, and despite being a short-life species and only twenty years old, you were appointed Chief Alchemist of the Alchemy Commission.]
[With the war over, life gradually returned to normal, and the Luofu welcomed a long-awaited peace. Then, on a softly sunlit afternoon, your division of the Alchemy Commission received a rare visitor: a wounded individual.]
[Because of your deficiency, you could not see the visitor's appearance. You only knew that when she entered, the air carried a faint trace of blood and a distinct chill.]
"Currently, I am the only one here in this division. If you do not mind the proprieties concerning a male healer, I can tend to your wound. If you are concerned... I can only send for a female healer."
Gazing towards the doorway, Bai Heng, his eyes covered by a white silk blindfold, spoke slowly.
"You are a healer. Gender distinctions hold no meaning in your practice. Moreover, you bear the congenital deficiency; why would I mind?"
"What I find curious, however, is this: Chief Alchemist, since you have this deficiency, how did you know I am a woman?"
The voice was as he expected, laced with a cold elegance, enough to drop the temperature in the room by a few degrees.
"I merely made the judgment based on scent."
"Oh? And what is the reasoning behind that?" The cool tone held a note of puzzlement.
Bai Heng smiled. "Every person carries a unique scent, though most are unaware of it."
"Some carry a scent rich and thick like earth and sediment—these are mostly men. Some have a scent sweet and pure, fresh and clear—these are mostly children."
"As for you, miss..."
"Your scent has the depth of cedarwood, yet it's mingled with a chilling bloodiness. I imagine you have endured many heavy things in the past."
As if her past had been neatly pinpointed, the tall, slender figure parted her lips slightly, but ultimately said nothing.
--+--
Stelle: 「Is he not just taking advantage of his blindness to flirt with her, and getting away with it?」
March 7th: 「Wait... Before we share our views, can I ask a question?」
March 7th: 「Like, shouldn't we first express shock at the images being shown, then get all excited? Have we already skipped that step entirely now?」
Stelle: 「Oh! How exciting!」
March 7th: 「Facepalm.JPG. You really don't have to be so perfuntory...」
Kiana: 「Meh~ You'll get used to it. We've already sat through the first two stories, after all~」
Lumine: 「So, is no one going to comment on Mr. Bai Heng's appearance this time? The blindfold, the innate sickly vibe... if only he had a wheelchair too! That would hit all my buttons! Hard!」
Paimon: 「I remember your taste didn't lean towards the 'broken beauty' type... what have you been through....」
Fu Xuan: 「Jing Yuan, General. It seems this story involves an acquaintance of yours.」
Jing Yuan: 「To see my mentor again through this screen... does stir complex emotions within me.」
Fu Xuan: 「As they say, 'seeing the object makes one think of the person.' General, you must watch this story with discretion. If you were to fall to Mara because of it, it would be a great loss for the Luofu.」
Jing Yuan: 「Haha, I appreciate your concern, Master Diviner. If such a thing were to happen, the heavy responsibility for the Luofu would then fall upon your shoulders.」
--+--
Indeed. While the simulated Bai Heng, due to his deficiency, did not know the identity of his visitor, the audience watching saw the figure with ice-blue hair in the Alchemy Commission room clearly.
It was none other than... the former Sword Champion of the Luofu—Jingliu.
Meanwhile, the simulation continued.
In the scene, Jingliu gently pulled aside the blood-stained clothing at her right shoulder, revealing a pale, elegant shoulder and neck, marred by a bloody wound.
However, due to his deficiency, Bai Heng was unfortunately unable to appreciate this sight.
Placing his fingers gently around the wound on the woman before him, Bai Heng could clearly feel the coldness of her skin seeping into his fingertips.
A moment later, a gentle Abundance energy slowly emanated from his hands, healing the wound substantially in a short breath.
Having done this, he finally spoke:
"Though, it is strange. There have been no battles on the Luofu recently. How did you come by this injury, miss?"
"Sustained during sparring. I thank the Chief Alchemist for his concern." Jingliu's tone was cool and polite.
"Sparring? Then I presume you are aiming for the position of Sword Champion?"
With the Sword Championship contention imminent, many Cloud Knights were eager to try their luck. Hearing 'sparring,' Bai Heng naturally made the connection.
The ice-blue figure gave a slight nod and a soft "Mm," offering a response.
"While I don't wish to discourage you, if you ask me, you might as well give up on that idea."
"Why?"
"Have you heard the name Jingliu of Cangcheng?"
Hearing her own name spoken by another in this context caused Jingliu to pause momentarily.
But for some reason, as if guided by a ghost, she shook her head and said:
"I have not. The Chief Alchemist knows of her?"
"One could say every Cloud Knight on the Luofu knows of her." Bai Heng chuckled.
"Some say her beauty can topple cities, some say her blade is sharp beyond compare, that none can stand against it. Others say she is arrogant, stubborn, and lacking in manners, while some say that is simply her nature."
"Opinions about this woman vary widely, but there is one point everyone agrees on."
"Her swordsmanship—currently, no one on the Luofu is her match."
Jingliu had heard such statements many times, but this was the first time she was listening to an evaluation of herself, in person, from someone else's mouth.
"And what about the Chief Alchemist? What is your opinion of her?"
For some reason, Jingliu found herself wanting to know this answer.
Bai Heng was slightly taken aback, then smiled.
"Me?"
"I simply think she is pitiful."
--+--
T/N: While I am an inexperienced Translator, I have a Patreon! While it may seem empty as of now, webnovel will get 2 Chapters Every Day, and advanced chapters will be uploaded on Patreon.
It may not seem worth it now, but maybe in the future. Who knows!
[email protected]/AspenTL
If you guys wanna check it out.