Douluo Dalu (Soul Land): Villain Life Simulator

At the top of Jialing Pass, an intrinsic metamorphosis was occurring within Su Cheng.

The colossal energy formation, after an initial phase of fierce expansion, quickly contracted and folded back into his body, driving a profound awakening of his bloodline.

Though the people surrounding him noticed the lack of energy fluctuations, they didn't seem overly concerned.

After all, past experiences had already proven that Su Cheng always managed to stir up quite the commotion.

And every time such incidents occurred, his strength would take a significant leap forward.

At this moment, Su Cheng, who stood motionless in their sight, was fully immersed in the profound transformations happening within his body.

The flowing blood seemed to gradually vaporize, coating his bloodline and soul with layers of brilliance. Su Cheng could feel it—his very essence of life was undergoing an extraordinary ascension.

Deep within his soul, the once-distinct yellow, blue, and red colors, which had been extremely stable, were now joined by a layer of colorless energy that began stirring dynamic changes. The hues became richer and more vibrant.

These three colors intertwined, and in an instant, they gave birth to endless energy transformations, dazzlingly beautiful.

'So this is the foundation of energy and its initial evolution in a transcendent world,' Su Cheng realized.

The solid earth, the gentle water, the fierce fire, the free wind…

Though only four elements evolved in this way, the boundless power they gradually gave rise to was enough to leave anyone in awe.

"No… something's not right…"

Su Cheng suddenly frowned.

There were definitely more than these four energies; something was missing.

Even though this transformation had already surpassed his comprehension, an instinct told him something crucial was absent.

When his soul strength reached an almost terrifying level that shocked even himself, Su Cheng's expression suddenly changed.

He realized something.

It couldn't stop!

With his current true power and physical level, he couldn't accommodate such immense soul strength!

Logically, such an issue shouldn't have occurred.

The true power he currently used was completely different from the innate power he had once developed.

This new power, formed under unique circumstances, was perfectly suited to his cultivation path. The various forces seamlessly transformed into one another without any hindrance, naturally maintaining a stable balance. There was no need for him to regulate it intentionally.

Yet the problem lay in the fact that this time, his advancement wasn't achieved through his own abilities.

Previously, whether it was breaking into the divine realm, surpassing the barrier of a second-tier god, or recently ascending to the first-tier divine level, it had all been achieved through his own understanding and cultivation.

However, this bloodline awakening, driven by the interplay of earth, water, wind, and fire, had completely surpassed his understanding.

"This is troublesome…"

Su Cheng frowned internally.

He finally realized where he was lacking.

His power was expanding infinitely, but he lacked the foundational stability and space to accommodate it.

Though the unique elemental attributes he had gained from people like Bibi Dong had catalyzed his energy's evolution, the absolute disparity in cognitive understanding made it impossible for him to control these forces with just his true power.

If considered individually, not even Qian Renxue, the strongest among them, could match him. But when these elements combined, creating the profound reactions unfolding now, the energy expanded a thousandfold, completely overwhelming his original strength.

More importantly, he couldn't comprehend the essence of these transformations, let alone stop them.

After a long time, Su Cheng felt as though his consciousness had pierced through a thick barrier. His perception and vision instantly became crystal clear, as if he had entered a brand-new world. Every energy fluctuation he observed was as clear as day.

What once required his full effort to achieve could now be done effortlessly by simply adjusting the elemental distributions and patterns before him.

However…

When Su Cheng looked down, he saw another "himself" standing on the broken walls of Jialing Pass with closed eyes.

This body was brimming with vitality, yet it exuded an overwhelming aura of death. In simpler terms, it resembled a vegetative state.

In stark contrast to his physical form was his soul, which had broken free from the constraints of his flesh and hovered in mid-air like a tangible entity. It might now be more accurate to call it an energy form.

This new body, entirely composed of soul and energy, looked no different from a real person, apart from the divine brilliance radiating from it.

As the residual energy detached from his physical body and gradually dissipated, it turned into light particles that merged with the heavens and earth.

Su Cheng could distinctly sense that his very being had undergone a fundamental transformation on a level far beyond ordinary gods. He felt like a true "deity," even experiencing an illusion of being able to control all things.

But he knew full well this state wouldn't last long. And that supposed mastery over all things? It was nothing more than an illusion.

In truth, he couldn't even prevent the constant energy dissipation from his body. Otherwise, the glowing energy radiating from him wouldn't have been escaping.

Su Cheng confirmed he had definitely surpassed the first-tier divine level. Whether he had reached the rank of a god-king, though, he couldn't say.

Moreover, he was far from reaching his limit.

In the coming day, his strength would continue to grow stronger and stronger, until all his potential was exhausted, and his bloodline was completely drained.

The four unique elemental forces acted as catalysts in this process.

His soul power kept expanding, growing stronger with every passing second, endlessly surging upward as boundless energy erupted from within.

If given enough time, he might reach unimaginable heights.

Unfortunately, there wasn't enough time.

Su Cheng could clearly sense his life force rapidly diminishing. With every increase in strength, the speed of its depletion would only accelerate.

Using the powerful computational abilities of his Trajectory Demon Eye, he quickly calculated how much longer his vast life force would last at its current rate of depletion.

One day.

His life force, far greater than that of a first-tier god, could only sustain him for one day in the midst of this terrifying energy reaction.

Of course, paying such a steep price wasn't without its merits. Through this process, he would ascend to an unprecedented realm and witness sights no one had ever seen before.

Just like how ordinary experts burned their life force to gain power, Su Cheng was consuming his potential to achieve a qualitative leap in strength. The efficiency, however, was leagues apart.

If Qian Renxue's method of burning divine power to enhance strength was akin to a steam engine, then Su Cheng's current state was a nuclear reactor. The conversion rates weren't even comparable.

This was undoubtedly an excellent opportunity. Experiencing such overwhelming power in this simulated world was well worth the price, as the insights he gained would greatly benefit his future cultivation.

Yet Su Cheng couldn't bring himself to feel happy.

He had planned to stay longer in this world.

This was his final simulation, and he had hoped to take this opportunity to accomplish more.

Su Cheng sighed inwardly. Knowledge and experience, while not substitutes for power, are the foundations of all strength. When an ignorant child wields an invincible divine weapon, it's highly likely they'll hurt themselves before they can strike their enemy.

And that was exactly his situation now. He was utterly helpless against the transformations taking place.

Despite over a century of accumulated knowledge from previous simulations and his insights from a prior life, his understanding remained shallow compared to the energy reactions now occurring within his soul.

Even with the help of the Trajectory Eye—a supercomputer capable of simulation and deduction—he could barely grasp a fraction of its mysteries.

Meanwhile, below him, Qian Renxue and the others stared at the other "him" in mid-air with astonishment.

"What… what is this?"

Su Cheng landed, scratching his head with some frustration as he explained, "Your powers are extraordinary. I used the energy I obtained from you to stimulate my bloodline, but once it started, I couldn't stop it."

"…"

The group exchanged confused looks. After a moment, Bibi Dong hesitated before asking, "What do you mean by 'couldn't stop'?"

"I mean that my potential has been fully activated, and this process seems irreversible—at least, it's beyond my ability to stop. When potential is fully unlocked, the result is that I'll keep growing stronger until I die. And it's happening very quickly. I only have one day left."

"One day?!"

The group cried out in unison.

For powerhouses of their level, their vitality could be considered bottomless. Under normal circumstances, even if they were to burn their life force, it would be impossible to exhaust it in just a single day. Especially since Su Cheng's strength was clearly far superior to theirs.

At the very least, the battle that had unfolded high in the sky earlier had far exceeded their expectations.

Su Yue furrowed her brows tightly, staring at Su Cheng with a look of utter bewilderment.

What confused her even more was why Bibi Dong and the others—who had seemingly been very close to Su Cheng earlier—appeared so relaxed. Although they showed signs of surprise, there was none of the tension one might expect in the face of life-and-death partings.

"Hm, my current situation is rather unique," Su Cheng said. "It's not as simple as burning life force. It's a deeper kind of energy reaction. Ha... you could call it a full-scale, inside-out self-destruction."

"What can we do to leave this world?" one of them asked.

"You don't need to do anything. Once I finish here, we'll all be able to leave together," Su Cheng replied calmly.

"So, you're saying that as long as you die, we'll be able to leave? How can you be so sure?" Qian Renxue asked, giving Su Cheng a suspicious look.

She felt something wasn't quite right. Somehow, she sensed that Su Cheng knew far more about this world than any of them did.

Su Cheng, still composed, responded, "My current power likely exceeds what you can comprehend. Just by intuition, I can make this judgment. If you ever reach my level, you'll understand."

It wasn't a lie.

At this moment, Su Cheng truly possessed an astonishingly keen intuition, even to the point of glimpsing fragments of future events. If this ability were developed to its extreme, it might be what is referred to as "omniscience and omnipotence."

Of course, Su Cheng was still far from that level. However, he had a very clear understanding of the simulated situation before them.

Meanwhile, Ah Yin and Zhu Zhuqing exchanged a glance and then subtly curled their lips, neither agreeing nor disagreeing.

"What exactly are you all talking about?!"

Su Yue clenched her teeth and questioned, her voice heavy as if trying to suppress an intense emotion about to erupt.

She didn't know why she felt so agitated. Perhaps it was because of Su Cheng's mention of having only "one day" left, or perhaps it was due to the peculiar dynamic between them.

"When you say 'leaving this world,' what exactly do you mean?" Su Yue stared intently at Su Cheng, her amethyst-like eyes shimmering faintly.

At first, she thought Su Cheng was referring to returning to another world. But then she realized something was amiss—Bibi Dong, Qian Renxue, and the others were clearly native to the Douluo Continent. How could they share Su Cheng's circumstances?

Su Cheng turned to meet her gaze and hesitated for a moment before speaking. "The situation here is quite complicated. My original plan was to finish my battle with the God of Asura and confirm whether the results aligned with my expectations before explaining everything to you in detail. But now, there isn't enough time. I have to use my remaining day to make a trip to the Divine Realm."

"…" Su Yue opened her mouth, wanting to ask numerous questions but not knowing where to start.

By nature, she was not someone who yielded easily.

In the end, she simply muttered, "So, everything you told me before doesn't count anymore, does it?"

At this moment, Su Yue felt a sense of discomfort.

She had believed that she and Su Cheng were like-minded companions. As a soul beast who had stepped into the human world, she assumed that Su Cheng, as an outsider to this realm, was equally out of place in the Douluo Continent. They were supposed to rely on each other, sharing a common goal.

But now she realized that wasn't the case.

First, there was Bibi Dong from Spirit Hall, then Ah Yin, and now the inexplicable transformations in Zhu Zhuqing and Qian Renxue.

It turned out that she was the only one who had been truly alone all along.

"How could it not count?" Su Cheng smiled, patting her shoulder. "This is just the beginning. When you wake up, you'll understand."

"What do you mean by 'wake up'?" Su Yue asked, puzzled.

"Just like what happened to them earlier," Su Cheng said, glancing at Qian Renxue and the others.

Meeting his gaze, Qian Renxue snorted coldly and gave them both a sharp look. "What's going on between you two? I haven't even asked yet—how did you meet?"

"Comrades," Su Cheng replied briefly. "It's a long story. I'll explain after all of this is over."

Seeing Su Yue's confused expression, Su Cheng didn't elaborate further. Instead, he said, "Let's not waste any time. I'll help you adjust your cultivation state—it might be greatly beneficial to you in the future."

The assistance Su Cheng mentioned referred to what the Silver Dragon King in this simulation could gain.

In the real world, her dragon god bloodline would be far less accessible. Thus, her journey of transformation and cultivation would be much more arduous.

However, with Su Cheng's guidance, things could be different.

At Su Cheng's current level, his perspective was so elevated that helping someone like Su Yue was effortless.

In an instant, an extraordinary surge of spiritual energy flooded into Su Yue, permeating every corner of her meridians and forcibly adjusting her energy pathways.

Su Cheng's movements were so fast that Su Yue only realized what had happened after he had begun. Her face flushed red with embarrassment.

Though it was merely an adjustment to her energy flow, the sensation felt undeniably strange.

"Remember the energy pathways I demonstrated to you. Use them to adjust your bloodline and master your elemental control in the future…"