Chapter Five: Simulating Oneself

Only three opportunities remained, and Lin Ze decided to use them all to simulate Su Bailu and himself.

[Collecting character information]

[Host Card: Lin Ze]

[Special Effect: Unable to obtain any rewards]

This was something Lin Ze had long since known; he never intended to extract any fortunes from himself. The host card’s true purpose was much more significant than that.

While only a breath passed in the real world, three months would elapse within the simulator. In other words, if he used his daily attempts to experience a particular cultivation method, he would gain an extra year and three months every day.

And that was just with the first-level simulator; the benefits would only increase in the future.

Though cultivation breakthroughs in the simulation would not reflect on his actual body, what he valued were the insights gained. For instance, even though his physique wouldn’t grow stronger by practicing the Four Seasons Cycle Palm in the simulator, at least he would know precisely how the technique should be executed and avoid all unnecessary detours in his real training.

In this way, he could devise the most perfect method of cultivation.

[Lin Ze: Ordinary Level]

Aptitude: 3

Personality: 10

Status: 1

“Hey, this is too much,” Lin Ze muttered, his expression darkening.

Leaving aside trust and fortune, he had only fourteen points in total?

“Master, the water is ready,” Su Bailu announced, pouring the boiling water into a wooden basin, then adding some cool water. After testing the temperature with her finger, she carried the basin to Lin Ze’s side.

She helped him to a chair and knelt down to help him remove his shoes.

“What are you doing?” Lin Ze looked down. Due to their difference in height, the angle was somewhat awkward, and he couldn’t help but frown.

“I’m going to wash your feet,” Su Bailu replied, looking up in surprise.

“That’s not necessary. Go and rest,” Lin Ze waved her off. What a joke—she revered the old master, not him; taking advantage of her would only shorten his life.

“Oh.” Su Bailu nodded and obediently stood aside.

“No need to attend to me, just go to bed,” Lin Ze insisted, feeling thoroughly uncomfortable under her silent gaze.

For the old master’s sake, he was willing to give Su Bailu a little guidance, but he could never truly regard her as his disciple.

They had only just met and were not yet familiar. He saw this as a mutually beneficial arrangement, nothing more.

“Then I’ll rest first, Master,” Su Bailu replied, seeing his seriousness. She sat on a chair across from him, closed her eyes, and began her breathing exercises.

He had intended for her to sleep in the inner room but thought better of it.

After all, when had a disciple ever slept on a bed while the master took the chair? That would only invite suspicion.

Lin Ze sighed. Forget it—at least she couldn’t see what he was doing.

He opened the panel and continued simulating Su Bailu.

Repeated scenarios quickly lost their appeal, and he couldn’t gain any new insights from Su Bailu’s cultivation.

Although the simulator offered an immersive first-person mode, Lin Ze had no desire to use it; the sensation of becoming someone else was too unsettling. He feared he might unconsciously pick up her delicate mannerisms and gentle smiles.

Some things that suited Su Bailu’s temperament were best not imitated.

Moreover, their aptitudes and physiques were entirely different; what suited her would not necessarily suit him.

He didn’t know how long had passed.

A smiling elder stroked his beard and interrupted Lin Ze’s thoughts:

“Starting tomorrow, you may enter the inner sect for cultivation.”

[Simulation ended]

[Reward Settlement: Foundation Establishment Pill]

Wasting no time, Lin Ze continued the simulation.

Soon, the Foundation Establishment Pills in his pocket grew from one to four; he had used up all his simulation attempts for the day.

He dried his feet with a towel, returned to the bed in the inner room, and gazed at the smooth, green pill in his palm, his breath quickening with excitement.

The value of this thing was beyond measure.

The old master had spent over twenty years wandering the world, growing from a green youth to middle age, yet never scraped together enough for a single Foundation Establishment Pill. Disheartened, he only took on a disciple out of resignation.

At sixty, he was still a mere Qi Refining cultivator.

In the Immortal Cultivation Simulator, Su Bailu, with her sword intent, bested over a hundred outer sect disciples, and her final reward was just a single pill.

Even the wealthy Eastern Yue Immortal Sect only bestowed such precious pills upon their most outstanding disciples. The effects of these rare pills needed no explanation—they could at least increase one’s chances of breaking through by thirty percent.

After a long silence, Lin Ze put the pill back in his pocket and closed his eyes to wait.

His aptitude was abysmal—only three points, according to the simulator.

If an ordinary person needed one pill, he would need at least three; to be safe, he might need seven or eight.

If other cultivators heard this, they would surely feel a deep and overwhelming resentment.

One pill?

Nine out of ten Qi Refining cultivators never even saw one in their lifetime.

They could only use up their life spans, trying again and again—either breaking through or returning to dust.

With seven or eight Foundation Establishment Pills, even a pig should succeed in breaking through.

When night had fully fallen, a new prompt finally appeared on Lin Ze’s panel.

[Today’s simulation attempts have been refreshed]

[Remaining simulation attempts: 5]

...

The Foundation Establishment Pills in his hand had grown from four to six. Lin Ze opened his eyes, a trace of weariness in their depths.

Though time passed much faster in the simulator, three months had truly gone by with each attempt.

In a single night, he had simulated seven times; it almost felt as if he’d aged two years in an instant.

He shook his head, clearing the stray thoughts from his mind.

Lin Ze prepared to continue simulating Su Bailu. Such opportunities were far too rare to let slip by.

Usually, the simulator would not offer just two types of rewards.

As long as you cultivated, you would inevitably acquire things: a pouch of silver, scattered spirit stones, a half-eaten herb—these all counted as fortunes.

Only Su Bailu, quietly comprehending sword intent in the courtyard, became so absorbed in her mysterious state that after three months, there were only two kinds of rewards: Foundation Establishment Pills and sword intent.

Her trust had just reached six points—a moderate level—making it unlikely for him to draw sword intent, so Lin Ze managed to receive the pill every time.

“Three attempts left.”

Lin Ze picked up the rare character card but paused suddenly.

He realized something.

He had forgotten even the most basic breathing technique.

As a fundamental practice akin to a heart method, without it, there was no way to commune with the heavens and earth.

Patting his head, he hurriedly picked up the card bearing his own portrait.

[Ordinary Host Card: Lin Ze]

[Mid-grade Skill Card: Eastern Yue Breathing Technique]

[Begin simulation]

[Simulation duration: three months]

This time, Lin Ze chose the first-person perspective.

Though he couldn’t control the character’s actions, he could fully experience all of “Lin Ze’s” thoughts and insights within the simulator.

A vigorous, middle-aged Daoist sat cross-legged on the bed, set the Foundation Establishment Pill aside, and closed his eyes to begin channeling spiritual energy.

A night passed.

No progress whatsoever.