[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-simulated-to-reality-i-once-looked-down-upon-ten":3,"chapter-simulated-to-reality-i-once-looked-down-upon-ten-simulated-to-reality-i-once-looked-down-upon-ten-chapter-660":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","Simulated to Reality: I Once Looked Down Upon Ten Thousand Ages?",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},2347675,4587,"Chapter 660","simulated-to-reality-i-once-looked-down-upon-ten-chapter-660",660,"\u003Cp>The third floor of Yaoxian Tower.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hong’er, why must you go to such lengths?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Grandmater Xie, overcome with grief, her aged face streaked with tears, supported Xie Hong with one hand, weeping uncontrollably.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xie Hong’s expression was calm, his words resolute: “Mother, now that our family faces this calamity, how can I stand aside?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lady Zhao, pale-faced, eyes brimming with tears like pear blossoms in the rain, pleaded sorrowfully: “Master, if you leave, what will become of us, your orphaned wife and children?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xie Hong turned away decisively: “I am merely going to the academy to study; Mother and Lady Zhao need not worry excessively.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Upon hearing this, Grandmater Xie could not suppress her sorrow: “Will you even return from this journey to the academy?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xie Hong comforted her: “My second brother will return to Bianjing soon; Mother, rest easy.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Beside them, Lady Yuan, though feigning sorrow, could not hide the joy in her eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The reason is this!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just now, news arrived from the Great Qi army, and the third floor trembled with shock.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xie Ling, on the western frontier, took advantage of the Qunfang Banquet to crush the Great Sui forces in Zhuya County.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In a single battle, he slew one hundred thousand enemies and reclaimed lost territory.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Overjoyed, Minister Su immediately restored Xie Ling’s title—Marquis of Dingyuan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>An imperial decree ordered his return to the capital by the start of the year.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Upon hearing this news, the nine great families on the third floor all wore complex expressions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Some were stunned, others delighted, each face different.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet even as joy surged, the Mirror Surveillance Office submitted a secret report: the Xie family had conspired with the Three True Ones Sect.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A catastrophe following great fortune.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only when Xie Hong ascended to the fourth floor did the matter subside.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Minister Su has ordered the Xie family to let the matter drop, no further inquiry.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Third Master then invited Xie Hong to enroll in the academy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>All nine great families knew: though called “enrollment,” it was in truth a form of imprisonment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Xie family could only have one brother active in court at a time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now that Xie Ling returns, Xie Hong must vanish.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hence the joy on Lady Zhao’s face.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Third Master descended the stairs; Xie Hong followed him away.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lady Zhao, eyes wet with tears, watched Xie Hong’s retreating figure, her heart filled with reluctance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Grandmater Xie gently patted Lady Zhao’s shoulder to comfort her, then her gaze turned cold:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“All this disaster stems from that wretch.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“He brought misfortune upon our household and dragged Hong’er into it. The Minister and the Third Master were magnanimous enough to overlook it—but the Xie family will not.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lady Zhao of the Second Courtyard added: “Mother, you must stand up for us.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That young master of the main courtyard has made our master suffer terribly.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With that, Lady Zhao burst into tears.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Grandmater Xie’s gaze turned to Lady Yuan of the main courtyard.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lady Yuan quickly spoke: “Grandmater, though Xie Guan is a disciple of the main courtyard, his mother was a lowly servant, and he was never properly educated—he is no true Xie family member.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“This matter rests entirely in your hands, Grandmater!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One Xie Guan could not possibly be shielded by Lady Yuan; today she had finally seen clearly: though Xie Hong had long been absent from court, Great Qi still held him in high esteem—Minister Su and the Third Master alike revered him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Back when Xie Ling served in the military and Xie Hong managed the household and cared for their elderly mother, Lady Yuan had always felt wary whenever she recalled those days.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Grandmater Xie said coldly: “After tomorrow, Xie Guan will be taken in as a son-in-law by the Li family; his household registration will be transferred to the Ministry of Personnel. He will be erased from the Xie family rolls and branded as a commoner of low status.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lady Zhao’s eyes filled with confusion and resentment: “Grandmater, why not simply expel Xie Guan from the Xie Fu? Why make him a son-in-law? Isn’t that letting him off too easily?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lady Yuan smiled faintly, her tone laced with deeper meaning: “Sister, don’t fret too much. Had this happened yesterday, it would have been fine—just expel him outright. But today, Xie Guan stole the spotlight at the Qunfang Banquet, his poetry stunned everyone; his name is already known. If we expel him now, people will say the Xie family cannot tolerate talent, and we’ll earn the reputation of jealous shrews.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lady Zhao glanced around and indeed saw many still whispering about Xie Guan’s poetry, their eyes filled with admiration.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her heart sank; she knew Lady Yuan spoke truth. To expel Xie Guan now would not only damage the Xie family’s reputation but invite further criticism.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Moreover, the Xie family could never publicly reveal Xie Guan’s collusion with the Three True Ones Sect.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After all, the matter ran too deep; one misstep could ignite a fire that would consume the entire Xie family.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though the main courtyard and second courtyard were constantly at odds, they shared the same fate: prosperity or ruin together.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lady Zhao gritted her teeth, furious: “He’s a bastard! Why should he get away with this? Xie Renfeng has studied tirelessly for years, neglecting sleep and meals—how is the world so unjust!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lady Yuan gently patted Lady Zhao’s hand, her tone soft yet soothing: “Sister, don’t rush. Xie Guan may have his moment now, but he’s still a bastard—no real threat. No matter how he flails, it’s just a fleeting bloom.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lady Zhao’s expression eased slightly, yet her eyes still burned with resentment: “But I can’t swallow this humiliation! How can a lowly wretch like him strut about so proudly?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lady Yuan smiled faintly, whispering: “Sister, this cannot be rushed. Xie Guan is in the spotlight now—we must bide our time. Once the frenzy passes, we’ll deal with him slowly.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Grandmater Xie lowered her eyelids, gripping her deer-head cane tightly, her knuckles whitening with force.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Do not let this wretch sully the Xie family’s thousand-year honor.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lady Zhao drew a deep breath, forcing down her rage, and nodded: “Grandmater and Sister are right—I was too hasty.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lady Yuan’s lips curved upward, a gleam of triumph in her eyes, her voice soothing: “Sister, rest easy. After the Qunfang Banquet, when Xie Guan enters the Li family as a son-in-law, he will have no further ties to the Xie family. We’ve already arranged matters with them—they’ll delay the wedding, refuse to acknowledge him, and make him suffer the ultimate disgrace.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She paused, her voice sinking lower, colder: “As a son-in-law, he has no right to sit the imperial exams, no path to office. Once he leaves the Xie family, we’ll have our ways to deal with him—let him share the fate of his lowly mother.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing this, Lady Zhao’s expression lightened slightly, a cruel glint flashing in her eyes: “Then I leave it entirely to Sister’s judgment.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lady Yuan’s smile deepened, as if she had reclaimed her status as the true mistress.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With Xie Hong invited into the academy and Xie Ling returning to the capital to regain his title, she felt she had once again seized control of the Xie family’s fate.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As for Xie Guan’s life or death—who cared?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>～\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>～\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Sixth brother, the Qunfang Banquet is over—the rankings of the courtesans have been announced.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Prince Chen Feng turned from the window and asked slowly, “You backed Gongsun Niangzi in the top three—why aren’t you pleased? Today you made a fortune anyway.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Prince Chen Ting did not answer immediately.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His gaze was fixed on the troops outside the Qunfang Banquet, his expression cold as ice.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shen Yin, Tu Mo Si, Xuan Jing Si, and the Imperial Guards—all forces that rarely appeared together—now surrounded the Qunfang Banquet completely.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Beneath the lantern light, the once-bustling atmosphere of the Qunfang Banquet had turned oppressive.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chen Ting let out a cold smile, raised his eyes to Chen Feng, and spoke in a low, mocking tone: “How absurd.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I, a prince with deep roots in the military, didn’t even know today’s Qunfang Banquet would turn out like this.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Upon hearing this, Chen Feng’s expression darkened slightly, a flash of coldness in his eyes: “Su Xiang’s actions are truly chilling.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It seems Su Xiang has never trusted the Chen family.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chen Ting said nothing, but looked up toward the heavens, recalling the scene just moments ago—the Second Master cleaving open Tianmen, with strange omens erupting and heaven and earth trembling.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He murmured softly, his voice tinged with longing and resentment: “I am simply too weak. If I had the Second Master’s power, why would I need any schemes?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Let them have all their power and schemes—I’ll just punch forward. Who dares stand in my way?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chen Feng smiled faintly, unmoved, his tone calm and pragmatic: “But how many such divine figures exist in this world, like the Second Master? I, Chen Feng, cannot achieve it, nor can I seek it.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I only love this land and its beauties. Ascension is something one cannot force.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Precisely because these great ones are obsessed with ascension, we are free to maneuver and scheme for control of this world.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chen Ting suddenly remembered something: “What do you think of Xie Guan? He’s descended to the fourth floor—he escaped with his life.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chen Feng’s face showed hesitation. After a moment’s thought, he said slowly: “Xie Guan is no ordinary man. He survived the deadly ascent to the fourth floor and composed poetry of extraordinary brilliance—but he remains… a threat.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If someone stirs up trouble and brings Xie Guan into their household, it’s like inviting fire to burn them alive.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chen Ting laughed: “Since Second Brother won’t take Xie Guan under his wing, then I’ll take his life.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Prince Chen Feng frowned: “Why must you kill him?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chen Ting said coolly: “The Xie family wants him dead—I’m merely doing them a favor. Now that the Dingyuan Marquis has returned, the Xie family has a pillar of heaven; add to that Master Hong, and they rank among the top of the Nine Surnames. Why should we offend them over a mere bastard son?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He paused, his gaze cold: “Xie Guan may be famous today, but a few poems are like floating weeds—what can they truly do?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Besides, the two ladies of the Xie household—Yuan and Zhao—have already drawn the ire of three of the Nine Surnames. He’s just a bastard; if he causes trouble, let him fly into the flame himself.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chen Feng frowned slightly, still uncertain inside.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He recalled the painting Xie Guan had created at the Qunfang Banquet—“Cloud and Mist Dragon Head”—though it lacked the final dot to awaken the dragon, it carried uncanny power.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And those words: “The dragon appears in the field—a small test of the butcher’s knife.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chen Feng still felt a pang of regret—he had wanted to bring Xie Guan into his household as a cultured guest, even as a trusted confidant.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He pondered again and again, a growing irritation rising within him—he felt he had lost something vital.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chen Feng asked: “What do you plan to do with him?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chen Ting sneered: “A bastard like him doesn’t deserve my scheming.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chen Feng understood at once.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chen Ting meant no elaborate plan—just a quiet, unseen strike to eliminate Xie Guan. Simple, brutal, yet often most effective.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chen Feng stared silently at the poem in his hand—the one Xie Guan wrote for Yaoxian Tower: “Above, the jade capital of heaven, twelve towers, five cities. The immortal touches my crown, ties my hair, grants me eternal life.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Each line a pearl, the imagery transcendent—as if standing in a celestial realm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chen Feng shook his head, sighing: Xie Guan truly was gifted—what a pity…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chen Ting’s gaze, complex and heavy, turned toward the base of Yaoxian Tower—where troops stood in formation, a chilling aura spreading.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yaoxian Tower was encircled on all sides; no one was permitted to leave.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chen Ting knew that Xie Guan’s fate was already sealed, unchangeable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even he could not change it!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As the esteemed sixth prince of Da Qi, he could not control his own destiny, let alone this mere Xie Guan!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At that moment!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Footsteps echoed from the fourth floor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>All looked up to see the Third Master descending slowly, accompanied by Xie Hong and a group of academy students.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Those on the second floor bowed respectfully; even Chen Ting and Chen Feng, the two princes, dared not be negligent, each bowing deeply.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The academy members descended to the first floor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A commotion at the entrance of Yaoxian Tower drew everyone’s attention.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chen Ting and Chen Feng turned to see several Confucian scholars at the first-floor entrance, each holding a long sword or carrying a sword scabbard, their faces filled with grief.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One of them, wearing a tall scholar’s cap, was the very man Chen Ting had seen earlier on the black donkey before the Cultivation Building.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His expression was hollow, his demeanor lost, his voice trembling as he reported to the Third Master: “Third Master, the Master is gone! We… we failed to protect him!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Third Master’s gaze swept over the scholars, a complex light flickering in his eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He gently rolled up his sleeve; an invisible force lifted them to their feet, and he said solemnly, “Why grieve? Master Yu’an ascended this realm, fulfilling the Master’s lifelong wish. You should rejoice for him.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The tall-capped scholar’s tears flowed more freely, his voice choked: “But… but the Master… we’ll never see him again!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Third Master gently patted his shoulder in comfort.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“With your Master’s talent, to be trapped in this realm would be the true tragedy. You should be glad for him.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Parting is not death. Perhaps we shall meet again.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing this, the scholars still grieved, but their emotions had slightly calmed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One of them reported: “Third Master, after the Master unleashed that sword strike, the Cultivation Building—once so stable—collapsed shortly after.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At these words, the high officials and the Nine Surnames on Yaoxian Tower all wore expressions of disbelief.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Cultivation Building had stood for a thousand years—the very place where the Master cultivated his nature and studied the classics—how could it collapse so suddenly!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Third Master’s gaze grew grave. “Did you find any other objects on the fifth floor of the Cultivation Building?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After a moment’s thought, they replied: “We found only two low white beds and a wooden table amid the rubble—nothing else!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Nothing else?” The Third Master murmured.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xie Hong stood nearby; though his eyes showed no surprise, deep concern could not be hidden.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The tall-capped scholar’s expression was solemn, as if he held back words—but hesitated.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing this, the Third Master swept his sleeve; the academy members, including Xie Hong, were instantly transported before the now-collapsed Cultivation Building.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The academy members were not startled—this was the Great Master’s “Xiaoyao You” technique. The Third Master had also mastered it, though not as effortlessly as the Great Master; he could only use it within the boundaries of Bianjing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only then did the tall-capped scholar whisper: “Third Master, we found some inscriptions on the wooden table in the Cultivation Building.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Third Master flashed forward, appearing before the partially ruined table.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Once, a broken sword had rested upon it; now, only faint, newly carved characters remained—clearly written by fingers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Written upon the table!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“In five years, blood will wash away the past.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Third Master stared at the characters, drew a deep breath—he knew them too well. They were the Master’s handwriting.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Beneath them, another line carried a chilling tone:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Kill Xie Guan!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>(End of Chapter)\u003C\u002Fp>",2608,"2026-06-21T01:33:03.787Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","5ae87a7be0d9af9ce993fcff6168067088d7e4595cd54c706b01e918f678c053","simulated-to-reality-i-once-looked-down-upon-ten-chapter-661","simulated-to-reality-i-once-looked-down-upon-ten-chapter-659",728,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fsimulated-to-reality-i-once-looked-down-upon-ten-cover.jpg"]