Mini World Game Console

December 21st, a day that several years ago was recognized by the world as the day it would end, was now just an ordinary Friday, albeit a bit cold. In the more than ten days since uploading his game record, Ren Suo had focused on cultivation, except for taking some time out to learn how to knit a scarf. He cultivated very diligently. His accumulated Lunar Phase Energy could attest to this: 48 points.

One point of Lunar Phase Energy requires three hours of sleep, meaning 48 points equated to 144 hours of sleep. In other words, during these 12 days, from the 9th to the 21st, he averaged 12 hours of sleep a day—twice as much as an average modern college student, and three times that of a legendary programmer. Even compared to a one-year-old baby, Ren Suo held his own.

Of course, for Ren Suo, 12 hours of sleep was equivalent to 12 hours of diligent cultivation. Even with the low efficiency of his "Lazy Diligence's Body," such an accumulation of time could forcefully stack up progress. However, due to issues with his talent, Ren Suo's cultivation growth was still very slow. Despite his frenzied all-night cultivation sessions, pushing himself to the point of exhaustion with extreme diligence, he was only at the third turn with 4% progress, still a long, long way from the fourth transformation.

But Ren Suo didn't sleep merely for cultivation. Mainly, he didn't have much else to do these days. After waking up, he would have to face the reality of, What ridiculous paper do I have to submit to the Tactical Bureau this month? It was better to get some good sleep and cultivate while accumulating Lunar Phase Energy, hoping to draw a miracle like "Instant Godhood," "Rebirth in Kindergarten," or "Live Another Five Hundred Years." Then, he could live a life of luxury and indulgence.

Today, Ren Suo couldn't continue sleeping, not only because he had to start writing this month's paper for the Tactical Bureau but also because his parents were coming tonight. Yes, his parents were visiting the Heavenly Lotus Academy.

They initially hadn't wanted to come. But after Ren Suo's persistent requests and his WeChat bombardment of his mom for over ten days—his mom being too embarrassed to delete him as a contact—they finally agreed. They would come to Lianjiang City and spend the Winter Solstice with him and his sister.

Ren Suo's stated reason for inviting them was to have a family reunion for Winter Solstice, which certainly wasn't the real one. If Ren Suo truly wished for that, he would have taken Ren Xingmei home to celebrate. The real reason was this: after clearing "Night of the Hunt," Ren Suo's "Rippling Spring Sounds" had successfully recharged, granting him a full 20 minutes of summoning time.

Therefore, Ren Suo immediately thought about summoning the Kitchen Girl into reality. He couldn't forget her delectable Desire-based dishes: they could purify the soul, improve talent, strengthen awakened spells, enhance physical condition, and were incredibly delicious. The sooner he could enjoy them, the better; there was no discount for waiting.

Using the "Ghost Walk" feature from "Midnight Walker," the Kitchen Girl had already collected hundreds of thousands of units of Desire from all over the world. A single "1.0 Delicacy" only required ten thousand units of Desire, and a "2.0 Delicacy" only one hundred thousand. Thus, Ren Suo could definitely summon her to prepare a sumptuous feast. However, while the Kitchen Girl had accumulated enough Desire, Ren Suo's summoning time was limited.

Based on his gaming experience, the Kitchen Girl needed a certain amount of time to cook. Therefore, 20 minutes of summoning time might only be enough for her to prepare one meal. And Ren Suo wanted to invite quite a few people.

Firstly, his sister and parents; they were a must. Secondly, his close friends with whom he had Bonds—Dong Chengling, Qiao Muyi, Little Jiu, Gu Yueyan, and Lin Xianyu—couldn't be left out. The stronger they became, the more Treasure Box Keys Ren Suo would get, and their increased strength would also enhance his Bond Abilities. Oh, right, Li Dan and Bai Ji as well.

Lastly, there were those somewhat connected to Ren Suo whom he wasn't particularly keen on inviting: Yu Kuangtu and Zhao Huo. For these two, Ren Suo decided to casually ask them two hours before the meal. If they were willing to come, Ren Suo would consider it his misfortune; if they declined, it would be their loss.

With so many people to invite, if Ren Suo chose to repeatedly summon the Kitchen Girl, all his summoning time would undoubtedly be spent, which would be excessively wasteful. Moreover, Ren Suo still wanted to play 5-star and 6-star games in the future. Not saving some summoning time as a trump card would inevitably lead to the humiliating achievement of "First Clear Failure."

The clever Ren Suo, of course, promptly came up with the best solution: handle everything at once and gather everyone for a single meal. Wouldn't that solve the problem?

However, Ren Suo's parents were usually very busy. His mother was one thing, but his father was a senior high mathematics teacher at a key provincial high school. He had to return to school for classes on Saturdays and spend Sundays preparing lesson plans, grading papers, and designing the next week's tests. He was even busier than his third-year students and simply had no time to come to Lianjiang. After much persuasion from Ren Suo, and his mother's pillow talk, they finally agreed to take the high-speed rail to Lianjiang right after class on Friday. They would stay one night, have a few meals with Ren Suo and the others, and then head back to Baiyun the next evening.

But that was for the evening. After lunch, Ren Suo sat in front of his computer, browsing the nonsensical news on the internal network and mulling over what kind of paper to write to placate the Tactical Bureau. While he was engrossed in a report titled "Red Clothing Female Ghost Falls in Love with a Man, Becoming a Duo of Ghost-hunting Lovers," his phone suddenly rang.

"Just as I'm about to tear..."

Ren Suo glanced at the caller ID, slightly surprised. "Hello? Vice Principal?"

Vice Principal Yuan Chu's voice came from the phone, tinged with reprimand, "Ren Suo, why haven't you arrived yet?"

"Haven't arrived... arrived where?"

"The battle training ground," Yuan Chu said. "You're supposed to be the on-site Healing Cultivator today. Have you forgotten?"

"Didn't I already go yesterday?" Ren Suo asked in surprise. "Is this overtime? But you're supposed to notify us in advance for overtime, you know."

"It's not overtime, it's a shift change!" Yuan Chu explained. "The battle training ground wasn't open yesterday. Even if you didn't see the notification in the teaching system, you definitely would have seen the notice on the gate when you arrived, right? The training ground's opening time was moved from yesterday to today."

Ren Suo blinked. He opened the teaching system, which he hadn't logged into for dozens of days, and saw that among the eighteen new notifications, the top one indeed informed him that the battle training scheduled for the 20th had been moved to the 21st.

He recalled that yesterday he had summoned a clone at 100% strength and sent it to the training ground. After that, he had started sleeping and cultivating, completely unaware that his clone had been standing outside the training ground in the cold wind for over an hour.

To think I let my clone waste over an hour of its life for nothing! Clone, I'm so sorry! Especially since there's still a scarf half-knitted! I was also so close to the Platinum Rank! And the laundry has piled up for two days!

Ren Suo sighed inwardly and said, "I'm on my way now."

"Alright, hurry up. And dress a bit more stylishly; we have guests at the academy."

Ren Suo was slightly taken aback. What does the academy having guests have to do with me? Do they want me to entertain them? Even if they did, they could just get Bai Ji to do it... And if they don't like Bai Ji's idol type, there's always Zhao Huo, the traditional, burly type.

Although these were his thoughts, Ren Suo still dressed neatly, put on his hat, hung his headphones around his neck, styled his hair with clay, and gathered his skill props before heading out.

Late December in Lianjiang meant no snow, no rain, and no sun—just a dry cold. The chill wind felt like a strong man desperately tearing at your clothes and pressing his icy hands against your body. Although a Third-turn Cultivator wasn't afraid of the cold, as Ren Suo walked along the academy path, he still wished Zhao Huo would appear beside him so he could shove his hands down Zhao Huo's collar for warmth.

Upon entering the battle training ground, Ren Suo noticed that not only were all the first-year students present, but all the cultivation teachers from the university faculty were also there. A makeshift spectator area had even been set up at the edge of the training ground, where teachers and students sat, apparently not intending to go down and join any activities.

Yuan Chu and Bai Ji were waiting at the entrance. They sighed in relief when they saw Ren Suo arrive and asked him to take a seat in the spectator area.

Gu Yueyan, Lin Xianyu, and Ren Xingmei were sitting with Dong Chengling and Zhao Huo. The students sat in the second row, and the teachers in the first. Seeing an empty seat next to Zhao Huo, Ren Suo walked over.

However, Zhao Huo very consciously moved into that empty seat and patted the spot where he had just been sitting. "Here, sit down."

Ren Suo gave Zhao Huo a curious look. Why is this old fox suddenly being so considerate? Did he warm the seat specifically for me? Still, it feels a bit gross, considering Zhao Huo's butt warmed it.

Ren Suo didn't say anything and accepted Zhao Huo's gesture, sitting down between Zhao Huo and Dong Chengling.

Dong Chengling, beside him, blew warm air onto her palms and asked with a smile, "Are your hands cold?"

"Not cold," Ren Suo said, simultaneously slipping his hand inside the collar of Zhao Huo's shirt. He always felt like something was missing if he didn't pull this mischievous, self-serving prank in winter.

Zhao Huo shot Ren Suo a disdainful look. But after glancing at Dong Chengling, he didn't dare retaliate. Besides, the battle training ground was quite warm, and he had been sitting inside for a while, so his hands were already warm. He simply shrugged, dislodging Ren Suo's hand, and silently cursed, Can't you see Dong Chengling looking at you? Put your hand on her side!

Ren Suo glanced at the surrounding teachers and students. "Why are we all sitting here? Shouldn't you guys be down there doing things that violate criminal law or public safety regulations? Like, you know, chopping people up or blowing up buildings?"

Behind them, Lin Xianyu, who had been looking at her phone, lifted her head. "Big Brother Ren, don't you know?"

Ren Suo looked bewildered. Is there something I don't know again?

"The Sky Capital Strategic Bureau sent combat specialists to spar with the Third-turn Cultivators of the Lian River Countermeasure Bureau to finalize the Third-turn Combat Power Rankings," Lin Xianyu said, turning her phone screen for Ren Suo to see. "We're here as spectators to watch the Tactical Cultivators spar."

The phone screen displayed the official website of the Tactical Bureau, showing a list titled "Third-turn Combat Power Rankings." The person ranked first was Chen Liao, from the Yellow River Troops.

As Lin Xianyu spoke, a regretful expression crossed her face. "It's a pity the academy said no recording or live broadcasting is allowed. Anyone caught doing so will be expelled immediately. Otherwise, I could have live-streamed their battles, maybe even become a minor internet celebrity and make big money. Who needs cultivation then..."

Lin Xianyu's words jogged Ren Suo's memory. He had indeed seen it on the internal network. This combat power list was jointly established by the Tactical System and the military system. The Third-turn Cultivators from the Yellow River and Yangtze River Troops had already determined their rankings through sparring matches.

The Tactical System, however, was rooted nationwide, with its members too dispersed. Moreover, Third-turn Cultivators held significant positions everywhere. Summoning all of them to Sky Capital for ranking spars simultaneously was not feasible, as it might give Demons and Ghosts a chance to cause trouble. Therefore, the Sky Capital Strategic Bureau dispatched combat units to the ten major cities to compete with the local Tactical Cultivators and determine their power rankings.

The list Lin Xianyu held was an old one, featuring only cultivators from the Sky Capital Strategic Bureau and the military system, with fewer than 30 names. The real-time list Ren Suo had seen on the internal network had already been updated to 50 people.

Combat power rankings, a common feature in the supernatural world, were finally emerging. Perhaps they would later be renamed something like the "Dragon Tiger List," "Mortal List," or "Storm List."

As for why this list was being introduced, Ren Suo had read the detailed reasons in an article on the internal network. Primarily, it was because countries like the Federation and the European Union had also released their own combat power rankings. Mysterious Country had always preferred to hide its strength, rarely showing off unless it was absolutely certain of being number one in the world. But with other nations publishing their lists and letting their citizens know how many powerful Transcendent beings they possessed, Mysterious Country naturally couldn't afford to lag behind.

Moreover, the combat power list offered numerous benefits, the most important being the fame and fortune it brought to the listed cultivators. Achieving fame overnight could make one known throughout the land. For example, Chen Liao, currently number one on the combat power list, could undoubtedly earn a fortune if he were to write a motivational book, draw a manga, or even take on advertising endorsements—such was the power of fame.

However, this list was state-sanctioned, and entry was limited to cultivators in the civil service and military systems. Therefore, the only way to get on the list and become famous was to become a state-registered cultivator. The country had never slacked in its efforts to recruit Transcendent individuals. One sentence from the article had left a deep impression on Ren Suo: "As long as the most talented and gifted Transcendent beings in the nation become part of our country's strength, we will surely lead the world at this historic turning point of spiritual energy revival!"

Furthermore, with the list, the deterrent power of the ranked cultivators would greatly increase. After all, the reputation of Third-turn Cultivators was mostly confined to tactical circles. Now that everyone knew you were a formidable Third-turn Cultivator, petty thieves might just kneel and surrender upon seeing you. As for the safety of those on the list, there was no need to worry—those listed were at least Third-turn Cultivators. Among them, even someone like Ren Suo was a Superman-like existence, capable of effortlessly dominating ordinary people.

Ren Suo also understood why the list's minimum cultivation level was set at the third turn: if even someone like him, with the help of a game console, progressed so slowly, it was genuinely difficult for ordinary people to break through to the third turn. There weren't enough Fourth-Stage Cultivators, and besides, Fourth-Stage Cultivators were considered national secret assets and naturally had to be kept hidden. Throwing out these Third-turn Cultivators to show off and impress was sufficient.

"But what does the Tactical Bureau's sparring have to do with the academy?" Ren Suo asked, somewhat puzzled.

Ren Xingmei replied, "Sparring needs a venue, and isn't the academy's battle training ground the best combat location in Lianjiang?"

Dong Chengling added, "Also, if academy teachers want to get on the list, they can apply to challenge members of the Sky Capital Strategic Bureau. Regardless of victory or defeat, it's an excellent opportunity for experience."

Ren Suo glanced at Dong Chengling. "Are you participating?"

"If I participated, it would just be bullying them," Dong Chengling said with a smile. As a Fourth-Stage Cultivator, the mere aura she exuded could hinder the movements of Third-turn Cultivators; defeating them would be child's play for her.

Ren Suo looked at Zhao Huo. Zhao Huo tapped his right foot, kicked the staff at his feet up into his hand, and gave it a flourish, expressing his intentions through action. He then asked, "What about you?"

"I'm here as a Healing Cultivator today. It would be troublesome if I ran out of spiritual energy and couldn't heal," Ren Suo said earnestly. "Let's talk about it next time. I'll use my strongest form to climb the ranks when the opportunity arises."

Although everyone knew Ren Suo had defeated Zhao Huo before, they could understand his reluctance to challenge for a spot on the list—not everyone craved fame.

Ren Suo suddenly remembered something. "By the way, Zhao Huo, aren't you going to Tokyo in a few days for that... what's it called?"

"Winter Comic," Zhao Huo said. "Yes, why? I'm going to Tokyo after Christmas."

Ren Suo asked, "Who are you going with?"

"Huh? The three of us are going: me, Xiao Meng, and Sun Shu," Zhao Huo replied.

"Going to Tokyo?" Lin Xianyu immediately leaned in. "Could you buy some things for me?"

Ren Xingmei also chimed in, "I have things I want to buy too! Teacher Zhao, I'll send you a list later!"

Ren Suo glanced at Zhao Huo, whose face clearly screamed "What a hassle," an odd expression on Ren Suo's own face.

Although he's still missing a fiancée, there are two women in 'you guys'... Looks like I'll be eating your condemned man's meal soon.

Ren Suo turned his head and asked Gu Yueyan, "Are you not feeling well today?" As he spoke, he flicked a Healing Wind towards the dazed Gu Yueyan. Just now, when Lin Xianyu made her slacker comment, Gu Yueyan hadn't chided her, which made Ren Suo wonder if Gu Yueyan was sick.

Gu Yueyan, snapping back to her senses, felt the warm Healing Wind envelop her. She pursed her lips and shook her head slightly. "I'm fine."

Dong Chengling asked, "Yueyan, Xianyu, Xingmei, tomorrow is Winter Solstice. Are you having dinner with us?"

Zhao Huo glanced at them, a peculiar expression on his face.

You two are already using 'we' to refer to yourselves? Looks like I'll be attending your wedding banquet soon.

"Speaking of Winter Solstice," Ren Suo clapped his hands and said, "Cheng Ling, my parents—"

Suddenly, the entrance became noisy. A large group of cultivators wearing tactical vests entered the battle training ground. Ren Suo and the others looked up at the sound and saw familiar faces like Qiao Muyi, Yu Kuangtu, and Li Dan, as well as other unfamiliar individuals who were clearly Tactical Cultivators with extraordinary auras.

"Eh?" Zhao Huo suddenly made a strange sound. Ren Suo glanced at him, then looked closely at the newcomers. There are no unfamiliar beauties, so why did his playboy radar go off?

"What are you surprised about?"

"I saw two familiar faces," Zhao Huo said, stroking his chin. "The son is one thing, but for him to also become a Transcendent and even join the Sky Capital Strategic Bureau..."

"Which familiar faces?" Ren Suo double-checked. Could it be that some of the handsome men among the Sky Capital Tactical Cultivators are new additions to Zhao Huo's harem?

"That middle-aged man," Zhao Huo pointed to the tactical cultivator at the very front, who was exchanging pleasantries with Yuan Chu and Bai Ji. "He's very strong."

"Your relative?"

"Not my relative. Didn't I tell you before? After I mastered my martial arts, I challenged experts from various schools across Mysterious Country and remained undefeated. Among them were some old fossils who were just occupying space, but there were also older generation masters with unique skills."

Zhao Huo continued, "I was only undefeated among the younger generation; it was harder to say with the older generation. Although I was young and strong, there were formidable experts in their prime among the older generation too. However, seeing the decline of martial arts in their time and that their successors couldn't compare to me, they couldn't be bothered to compete."

"That man is one of the older generation powerhouses from Lian Province. He trained under Divine Spear Li, is an inheritor of ancestral Bajiquan, and is skilled with a great spear. He apparently served in the army in his youth and was even a top soldier, known as 'South Spear' Gu Wenyi. The Tactical Cultivator behind him, who's more handsome than you, is his son. He once lost to me by a single move. What was his name again..."

At this point, Zhao Huo paused, then said with some uncertainty, "I think it was... Gu Yuexuan?"

Ren Suo was also observing the visitors from Sky Capital. Unexpectedly, the burly middle-aged man chatting with Yuan Chu suddenly looked up towards the spectator seats. His gaze, sharp as a blade, locked onto Ren Suo with unnerving precision, making Ren Suo startle. Why are you glaring at me? It's not like I was the one who beat your son.