Fang Han originally intended to press on and use his qi sense to generate internal energy.
But after glancing around, he could only give up for now.
Cultivation requires a stable and safe environment.
This ruined temple was tolerable during the day, but at night—being isolated in the mountains—wild beasts and venomous creatures were bound to roam. Not an ideal place to linger.
He stood and patted the dust off his clothes, then looked at what he was wearing.
Modern casualwear…
He touched his cropped hair and sighed slightly.
“I’m going to draw attention for a while again…”
As mentioned before, Fang Han had physically transmigrated to this world.
Coming from modern society, naturally he wasn’t dressed in ancient attire.
His first year here, many mistook him for a monk who had just left the temple.
It was mildly troubling—but in the face of what felt like reliving life with total clarity, these were trivial matters.
He walked out of the ruined temple. It was now late afternoon. In the distance, he could faintly make out signs of life in a nearby village.
Fang Han inhaled the fresh mountain air deeply, the corner of his lips lifting slightly.
“Let’s head into Linshui County to get settled first…”
Seizing the early hour, Fang Han didn’t delay and began descending the mountain.
“But before that, I should stop by Lijia Village and borrow some clothes.”
In these times, his outfit would be seen as bizarre. If he didn’t change into appropriate attire, the city guards might question him. It’d be hard to get anything done.
But thanks to his Life Simulation experience, Fang Han was more than familiar with the process.
He had wandered extensively before. And he’d spent half a lifetime in Linshui County—he knew the place like the back of his hand.
This mountain was about twenty li⁽¹⁾ from Linshui County, surrounded by several villages. The closest one was Lijia Village at the mountain’s base.
In the simulation, he had also taken this route.
Back then, unfamiliar with everything, he had been confused and anxious.
Now, it felt easy and natural.
After about half an hour, Fang Han reached Lijia Village.
His strange clothing and short haircut drew surprise and caution from the villagers.
Word quickly spread, and the village elder of the Li family came over, stroking his beard while examining Fang Han.
Though aged, the elder was shrewd. This newcomer might be oddly dressed and clean-shaven, but he was tall, handsome, and carried himself with grace—not your average farmer.
No one with skin that fair and uncalloused came from plowing fields.
And though the clothing was unfamiliar, the fabric looked fine. Perhaps it was expensive attire the elder simply didn’t recognize.
So he didn’t dare act rude.
Fang Han’s eyes flickered with recognition when he saw the elder.
He remembered this man.
Back when he’d been most lost and confused, he had received kindness here.
Later, when he got his footing in the county, he made sure to repay that kindness.
But after he set off on his journey, contact faded.
By the time he returned in later years, the elder had already passed away.
From the simulation’s timeline, it had been decades since they last met.
Now, seeing him again stirred a subtle emotion—like reuniting with someone long gone.
Strange,
Fang Han mused.
It’s been decades, and I still remember this so vividly?
But this wasn’t the time for sentiment. He stepped forward, cupped his hands, and said respectfully:
“Sir, my name is Fang Han. I’m passing through and intend to settle in Linshui County. But since it’s getting late… might I stay the night in your village?”
The old village chief chuckled. “Not a problem, not a problem… Judging from your looks, are you perhaps a monk who left the order?”
Fang Han didn’t deny it. He smiled and replied, “It’s been about two months since I left. I reckon I’ll need another year or so before I blend in better.”
There wasn’t any good way to explain his situation, so he just played along.
The elder laughed, chatted a bit more, and gradually lowered his guard. He invited Fang Han to his home and offered him some food.
Thanks to good harvests in recent years, the family wasn’t destitute—they had spare grain.
“Sorry we don’t have anything fancy out here in the countryside to treat a guest.”
“Please, this is more than enough.”
They talked for a while. The elder found Fang Han polite and humble, which further reassured him. He told his son to prepare a room for Fang Han to spend the night.
That evening—
Fang Han lay on a simple bed, unconcerned by the modest surroundings.
He closed his eyes and began studying the
Life Simulator
.
He focused particularly on the
Attribute Panel
, reading it over and over.
Compared to the
Martial Arts
section, the
Medicine
section was much simpler.
Martial Arts
:
“Health-Nourishing Technique” (Perfected)
“With-the-Wind Swordplay” (Advanced)
“Taizu Long Fist” (Intermediate)
Spiritual Essence
: 1/1
Medicine
: Mastery
Spiritual Essence
: 0/0
“Mastery-level medicine…”
Fang Han furrowed his brows, pondering.
The
Medicine
category also had realm classifications, specifically:
Novice
,
Proficient
,
Master
,
Grandmaster
These represented one’s medical attainment.
And while it might seem unimpressive to only reach “Mastery” after decades of study—
It wasn’t.
Because
Medicine
encompassed an enormous system with countless fields!
This level of “Mastery” carried serious weight.
Medical knowledge included:
Looking, listening, asking, and feeling the pulse
(
wàng wén wèn qiè
⁽²⁾)
Five Elements theory
(
wǔ xíng
) in internal medicine
Orthopedics for injuries
Acupuncture and massage therapy
Pharmacology and herbal formulation
Each of these was an intricate discipline requiring intensive study and clinical experience to build skill.
Only after integrating all of them could one manifest the full
Medicine
ability.
Moreover, the Life Simulator evaluated
overall competence
, not just excellence in a single domain.
If you had a glaring weakness, it affected your whole rating.
So to reach
Mastery
meant Fang Han was already quite formidable.
By contrast…
His
Martial Arts
panel had only three sub-skills—tragically meager.
“Wait a minute!”
Fang Han’s eyes widened.
Why does the Medicine section skip all the detailed sub-skills, but Martial Arts lists them out?
And if Medicine had realm divisions…
Does that mean Martial Arts has the same kind of overarching classification?
Just as the thought formed, new information surfaced in his mind, offering the answer.
Fang Han’s expression turned a bit odd.
Not because the answer was unexpected—quite the opposite.
He was spot on.
Both
Martial Arts
and
Medicine
shared the same overarching realm structure.
The reason one displayed detailed skills and the other didn’t?
It was tied to his subconscious preferences.
In other words—
He placed more importance on
Martial Arts
, so the simulator made that section more detailed.
Medicine
, though equally valid, was displayed more simply.
Of course, if he wished, he could view Medicine’s breakdown in full.
It all followed his intent.
Just as that idea surfaced, the Medicine panel rippled and then expanded:
Medicine
(Mastery):
“Looking, Listening, Asking, Pulse” – Advanced
“Five Internal Elements” – Intermediate
“Bone Setting for Injuries” – Intermediate
“Acupuncture and Massage” – Intermediate
“Herbal Theory & Pharmacology” – Intermediate
…
The list kept going.
Fang Han’s brow twitched at how long it was.
Pleased yet overwhelmed, he quickly restored the simple view.
After all, he had specialized in medicine for half a lifetime. His
Medicine
section was
huge
.
He exhaled deeply.
In truth, if he had to rely on anything right now—it was this.
Medicine
was his true backbone.
“No matter the time or place, this is something I can always rely on.”
As for
Martial Arts
…
Right now, he wasn’t even officially at the “Novice” stage.
That’s why no realm level was shown.
(Note: Summary of the Attribute Panel System)
Realm classifications for major skill branches (e.g., Martial Arts, Medicine) follow this hierarchy:
Novice (初学)
Proficient (精通)
Master (大师)
Grandmaster (宗师)
Within each category, sub-skills (e.g., “With-the-Wind Swordplay,” “Pulse Diagnosis”) follow this progression:
Beginner (入门)
Intermediate (小成)
Advanced (大成)
Perfected (圆满)
The combination of all sub-skills contributes to the overall realm classification.