After draping her own resting blanket over Yu Xian, Fu Xuan finally let out a quiet sigh of relief. She gazed at the troublesome man before her — the one she had deliberately treated coldly for nearly two years — and muttered under her breath.
"You really are something else…
To mumble everything on your mind while half-conscious…
What am I even supposed to say about you…"
She shook her head slightly, her voice softening.
"I thought you had wronged Qingque… that you harbored improper thoughts toward me.
It seems I misunderstood you, didn't I?
No wonder Qingque — usually the sharpest and most decisive — seems to lose her senses whenever it comes to you…"
Fu Xuan's gaze lingered on Yu Xian's slumped form before she sighed again, heavier this time.
"Those born of the Xianzhou can naturally endure sleepless nights — a day or even ten, if we must.
But you, with your mortal body… why do you keep pushing yourself so hard?"
Her tone faltered, the words catching in her throat.
"If only you'd accept the difference between mortals and the long-lived.
If only you'd admit that some things are beyond your reach…
What could I, or even all of the Luofu, truly do to stop you then?"
She paused, lowering her eyes.
"If it were possible… I would bless you both. But I have seen the future.
For your own good… I must be the one to…"
Her voice broke off. Fu Xuan rubbed her slightly reddened eyes, then gently placed a hand on Yu Xian's back. Through his clothes and the blanket, she could still feel that faint warmth — the warmth of a mortal life.
"Don't go any further… I don't want to…"
Her whisper echoed softly into the quiet room — unsure whether she was speaking to the sleeping Yu Xian or to herself.
In the long night where she alone remained awake, her murmurs dissolved into silence.
Yu Xian, meanwhile, had fallen into a deep sleep. After a full day and night of work, his body could no longer endure the strain. Within minutes, he was completely unconscious — oblivious to Fu Xuan's presence at his side.
But unlike what Fu Xuan imagined, Yu Xian's consciousness stirred again almost immediately — this time, within his dream.
"Phew… time for another simulation? What's the setup this time?"
He stretched lazily, rubbing at his sleepy eyes. There wasn't a trace of panic on his face — clearly, this wasn't his first visit here. He knew exactly where he was.
The Wings of Elation Simulator —
A "gift" from Aha, designed to help Yu Xian on his path toward becoming an Emanator of Abundance.
Each time he slept, the simulator would extract his consciousness and draw him into this dream realm, where he underwent simulated experiences — much like the dreamscapes of Penacony.
At the end of each simulation, he'd receive rewards based on his performance. Unfortunately, unless he reached the perfect ending, the prizes were always disappointing — things like [Fresh Qiongshi Bird Skewers] or [Three Shields]. Nice for a snack with Qingque, maybe, but useless otherwise.
And worse yet, none of these rewards actually enhanced his combat power.
If the simulator was a "game," then Aha's so-called Pleasure Card Simulator was undoubtedly one of the worst.
But—
Yu Xian's eyes suddenly lit up. There was one reason he kept coming back.
The ultimate prize — achieving the perfect ending — would make him an Emanator of Abundance.
If he succeeded, not only would he gain overwhelming power and freedom, but more importantly — he would be freed from the limits of a mortal lifespan. He could finally stand beside Qingque without fear of time, age, or death.
All those barriers between long-life and short-life species — gone. All the sorrow of a fleeting life — erased.
With the divine power of the Merciful Medicus, nothing could part them.
"Lifespan disparity, huh? The Xianzhou say long-life and short-life people shouldn't be together?
Just wait until I become an Emanator — I'll flip that whole world upside down!"
Fueled by that thought, Yu Xian's exhaustion evaporated.
Even though he had barely fallen asleep and would soon have to work again, his spirit burned with renewed energy.
For power.
For Qingque.
He couldn't wait a moment longer.
Realizing he was already within the dream space, he quickly composed himself and began to operate the simulator's glowing interface. Lines of text appeared before his eyes.
> [Wow, it's time for Aha to enjoy some fun again!]
[Masked Fool Yu Xian, welcome to the Wings of Elation Simulator.]
[A new simulation world has been generated. Do you wish to begin?]
"Start, start, start!" Yu Xian shouted, tapping furiously. His fingers blurred as he hammered the screen.
At last, new text appeared:
> [Simulation World: Birth of a Hero]
[Simulation Level: Normal]
[In this simulation, you will inherit your real-world data and participate as yourself.]
[Simulation loading...]
The dream space around him shimmered, colors bleeding into shapes, shapes into familiar outlines.
Gradually, it solidified into a scene he knew all too well.
When the shifting stopped, Yu Xian felt solid ground beneath his feet. The simulator's final message appeared:
> [Loading complete. Do your best to reach the perfect ending.]
The text faded — and Yu Xian blinked in surprise.
He was standing in Chang Le Tian — the very place he'd visited with Qingque on their last day off.
Lanterns glowed overhead, laughter filled the streets, and the air buzzed with festival cheer.
Before he could even process the scene, a slender, pale arm wrapped around his waist.
"Hehehe~ What're you staring at?" came Qingque's teasing voice.
"We finally finished a full day of work — it's time to relax! Why so gloomy? Did Lady Fu dump more tasks on you again?"
She gave him a light tug, grinning.
"Forget about her! Come on! You know what they say — eat, drink, and be merry, for tomorrow we may die! There's a new parlor that just opened, looks even cozier than the last one. Hehe, this time, we're going all out!"
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A/n: While I am a new translator, I have a Patreon! While it may be a bit empty right now both this and the other book on my page has advanced chapters posted on patreon.
patreon.com/deadlygoober