Despite offering such a high degree of freedom, "Illusory Realm" is still a game where effort and reward are basically linear.

Xia Ya's ability to play so recklessly is due to his extraordinary gaming experience—not everyone can save the world 176 times.

Most of the clues he used in the early stages were obtained in the mid to late stages. At the level he was at back then, these clues were insignificant—at most, they were Easter eggs and extras, mentioned by those involved as anecdotes, far removed from the time periods when they could have an impact.

After all, a normal system wouldn't consider such melodramatic scenarios as reincarnation and starting over.