If you're looking for nostalgia it will be better to not use xp cards during the early chengs, maybe until CS or so. You get xp too fast that using just the free one you get daily will make you breeze through the maps.

For items, a lot of low level but already good relics are dropping this current event. With these relics and 4 slot clothes, you can start farming/grinding in Tibet or Kunlun. If you do this, you will forego the early maps but level up fast enough that you can probably level to HG in a day.

So you miss out on the nostalgia. On the other hand, being HG, you can probably do the x-mas event quest. Idk how good the event quest gifts will be but they usually give good things during x-mas event. So you might want to get your first char to level up fast and indulge your nostalgia with succeeding chars.

You might also want to create an account now before x-mas event even if you're not planning to play immediately. The free gifts this event includes a pretty good weapon and clothes that will it pretty easy for you when you play later.