Chapter 3

Chapter 3: First Simulation! Six-Star Potential, Tag Plunderer!

When Zhao Jin came to again, it was already noon of the following day.

Not only had the Guardian King's Manor's physicians arrived, but even the Qian Emperor, upon hearing that he had passed out from excessive indulgence, had dispatched an imperial physician.

Only, the Qian Emperor likely did not know what had truly transpired between Zhao Jin and his daughter.

Otherwise, given the extent of the Qian Emperor's doting on Xiao Yue-huang, it would not have been an imperial physician who came—but the Iron Blood Guard.

After the examination came back clear and everyone had departed one by one—

You deliberately called over your personal handmaid, Zhu Xiang, and gave her a good scolding.

"Excessive indulgence." "Died in bed."

Was that not ruining his reputation?!

This lord has a face to preserve!

Even if he truly had died in bed, she should not have screamed and shouted and let the whole world know!

Zhu Xiang aggrievedly bobbed her head.

After giving her a thorough tongue-lashing, Zhao Jin waved her away.

Immediately after, Zhao Jin opened the Merit Simulator.

【Ding—Anti……Merit Simulator evolution complete!】

"Anti-Merit Simulator, what on earth? System, don't tell me you just let something slip?"

Zhao Jin's face stiffened.

【Name has been corrected. Please pay no mind to such details.】

【I will now introduce the Host to the new functions of Simulator 2.0.】

【In the previous version of the Simulator, after each simulation ended, the Host could only select 1 to 2 rewards from a handful of options.】

【After evolution, when a simulation ends, the Host will be able to inherit all rewards!】

This genuinely brightened Zhao Jin's eyes.

He had always had trouble making choices.

Only children made choices—he had always wanted everything.

The new function after the Simulator's evolution had effectively cured his choice anxiety.

However, Zhao Jin had been born a good-for-nothing.

How to step onto the path of cultivation was the very first problem he faced.

At that moment, the Simulator continued popping up messages.

【Furthermore, each time before a simulation, the system will draw a Talent Tag.】

【Talent Tags come in 7 colors—White, Green, Blue, Purple, Orange, Gold, and Red—corresponding respectively to the 7 Grades: Mortal Grade, Spirit Grade, Earth Grade, Heaven Grade, Sacred Grade, Emperor Grade, and Immortal Grade.】

Zhao Jin was somewhat taken aback reading this.

The rankings of these Talent Tags were exactly the same as the technique grades used in Great Qian.

Only, within Great Qian, techniques went no higher than Heaven Grade. Sacred Grade, Emperor Grade, and Immortal Grade were things he had never even heard of.

【Each Talent Tag is further divided into 1 through 7 Stars according to growth potential.】

【After evolution, when drawing Talent Tags, White Mortal Grade Talent Tags will no longer appear. The minimum grade is now Green Spirit Grade, and the minimum growth potential is 3 Stars.】

Zhao Jin's eyes lit up.

In other words, many Talent Tags could still grow.

This was a major windfall.

【The Host still has 1 free simulation opportunity.】

【Do you wish to begin the simulation immediately?】

Zhao Jin, as if possessed, said without hesitation: "Yes!"

【Ding—commencing first Merit Simulation.】

【Drawing Talent Tag……】

【Due to the Host being influenced by the residual fortune of the future Female Emperor, congratulations—the Host's luck has erupted! You have drawn a Six-Star Green Talent Tag: Tag Plunderer!】

【Tag Plunderer (Six-Star Green): You may plunder Talent Tags from others onto yourself. Currently, you may additionally plunder 2 White Tags and 1 Green Tag.】

【Note: This Tag has Six-Star potential and can grow to Gold Emperor Grade at maximum. It may be advanced through cultivation and Merit Points.】

"This tag is something else!"

Zhao Jin was immediately delighted.

Didn't that mean that in the future, whatever tag he wanted, he could simply plunder it for himself?

If he ever came across an exceptional tag, he wouldn't miss it by walking past.

This had opened an entirely new path to accumulating Talent Tags.

And it was Six-Star on top of that—it could keep growing.

For every simulation, this would undoubtedly be a tremendous asset.

This Xiao Yue-huang—first she had caused the Simulator to evolve, and now she had given Zhao Jin an exceptional tag. She truly was his lucky star!

【You are the sole grandson of Zhao Shi-zhong, Guardian King of Great Qian—notorious throughout the capital as a pampered young master of the third generation, overbearing and unbridled, with no one daring to provoke you.】

【With Zhao Shi-zhong currently fighting at the front lines, your standing is as stable as a mountain.】

【On the first day, the future Female Emperor Xiao Yue-huang comes to your door, wishing to dissolve the marriage engagement.】

【Xiao Yue-huang is ranked first on the Red Beauty Rankings. A great beauty like this—you have no intention of letting her go.】

【Only after a night of passion together do you reluctantly give your word.】

【However, the marriage contract is in your grandfather Zhao Shi-zhong's possession. Whether the engagement is truly dissolved will still require negotiation between Zhao Shi-zhong and the imperial household.】

【But Xiao Yue-huang does not seem bothered in the slightest—as if so long as you agree, she can handle everything else on her own.】

【You shall wait and see whether she has suffered both her purity and her engagement, or whether she truly has that ability.】

【That afternoon, the Minister of Revenue Wang Er-he brings along his black-eyed, swollen-faced unfilial son Wang Rong and comes personally to your door to offer an apology.】

【You see—you beat Wang Er-he's son, yet the father and son must still come to your door to apologize.】

【You take a glance at the gifts Wang Er-he has brought—worth a full tens of thousands of taels of silver—yet you are deeply dissatisfied: Is this pittance meant to send off a beggar?】

"Was I really that arrogant?"

Zhao Jin rubbed his chin, thoroughly taken aback.

He got along well with people on ordinary days and was not this overbearing, surely?

This simulation must not have been realistic enough—it had only brought out his bad side and failed to show any of the good.

Or perhaps it was Wang Er-he's poor attitude that had made the simulated version of himself deliberately make things difficult.

In any case, he was definitely not in the wrong.

【Wang Er-he's expression faltered. He quickly put on a flattering smile and said: "There is more to come."】

【True enough—before long, several more large crates were carried into the Guardian King's Manor.】

【Only then do you give a nod, wave your hand, and dismiss your guests.】

【However, you fail to notice—as Wang Er-he turns to leave, a flash of dark scheming crosses his face.】

"Well well well—this old schemer is still not convinced."

You are somewhat surprised.

Come to think of it, it makes sense.

Wang Er-he is the Minister of Revenue, overseeing the court's taxation and financial expenditures. In ordinary times he wields great authority, accustomed to receiving others' flattery and fawning.

Who could have imagined he would still be humiliated by a junior like this?

But there was nothing to be done—whose grandfather was the Guardian King?

Great Qian could do without a Minister of Revenue, but it could not do without a Guardian King.

Without one, who would hold back the barbarians at the border?

Let him seethe all he liked.

There were plenty of people who despised you—and yet here you were, living just fine all the same.

【On the second day, you do not, unusually, go to the Intoxicating Fragrance House for amusement.】

【You now carry a Six-Star Talent Tag: Tag Plunderer.】

【You can plunder 2 White Tags and 1 Green Tag.】

【Not hunting down a few exceptional tags for yourself would leave you feeling unbearable.】

【What you urgently desire right now is a tag that would allow you to cultivate.】

【Over the next 7 days, under the guise of recruiting bodyguards, you have 1 gifted youth after another brought before you.】

【Regrettably, none of them carry a tag that satisfies you.】

【Some have decent tags, but their potential is too low—anything below 4 Stars and you will not spare them a second glance.】

【Some have decent potential, but the tags are exceedingly obscure.】

【For instance, the weasel-faced youth now before you carries a 4-Star Tag: Depraved.】

【Depraved (White, 4-Star): Possessing this tag, you will become vile and depraved.】