I’m really happy with your simulator!

More than twenty years have passed since her transmigration, yet Cao Xueyan’s heart for the Dao has never wavered.

This is a world of cultivation. As everyone knows, the realms of cultivators are divided into Qi Refining, Foundation Establishment, Golden Core, Nascent Soul…

Qi Refining grants longevity, Foundation Establishment grants two hundred years of life.

Swallow a Golden Core, and destiny is no longer in Heaven’s hands.

Even if the Nascent Soul perishes, the Dao remains, traversing the heavens and the underworld alike.

In today’s cultivation world, these three sayings are widely spread. Even a lowly Qi Refining cultivator can recite them by heart, taking them as guiding mottos on their path.

In her previous life, Cao Xueyan was bedridden. Her parents exhausted their fortune, yet could not pull her back from the blade of death. She died young.

In this life, she grew up in the small town beneath the gates of the Qingyun Sword Sect. As a child, she personally witnessed those immortal-like figures soaring on swords, carefree and unrestrained! Because of the sect’s proximity, even in a town of mortals, those three sayings were common.

As long as a mortal could draw spiritual energy into their body and step into Qi Refining, they would be free from disease and live longer.

If one could establish a foundation, their lifespan could reach over two hundred years, and they could even fly on swords!

Growing up hearing these legends, Cao Xueyan’s heart yearned endlessly. Her parents naturally did not oppose her cultivation. Thus, at ten years old, she was sent to train in Qingyun Sword Sect. Unfortunately, her talent was mediocre—her spiritual roots were mixed, of water, fire, earth, and wood, all jumbled and impure, barely enough to cultivate at all.

For ten years she trained diligently, day after day. Yet even now, she had only reached the sixth level of Qi Refining. She was just one step away from the late stage, but could never grasp the method.

Meanwhile, her peers—and even her juniors—were already admitted to the Inner Sect, full of spirit and glory. She, however, still lingered in the Outer Sect, her progress pitiful.

The gates of Qingyun Sword Sect spanned the vast Qingyun Mountain range. Mortal towns lay at the base, with fields stretching across the land. Midway up the mountain lay the Outer Sect, home to thousands of disciples, their simple wooden huts scattered like stars.

Above were five peaks, belonging to the Inner Sect. The main peak, Sword Peak, was where the Sect Master cultivated—only direct disciples and elders could approach. The other four peaks specialized in alchemy, formations, artifacts, and talismans.

Back to the present—today, Cao Xueyan once again failed to break through to the seventh level of Qi Refining. Her resources were spent, even her fasting pills consumed. Helpless, she ended her seclusion to find food.

Before Foundation Establishment, cultivators still had to eat.

Outside, the sunlight was bright, yet to Cao Xueyan it felt piercing.

She no longer knew how many times she had failed. Each attempt required months of preparation, draining half a year’s savings, only to end in failure. Truly, words could not express her bitterness.

Elders of the sect had already examined her condition. With four mixed roots, her cultivation was like rowing upstream. If she continued to force breakthroughs, her foundation would one day be damaged, reducing her to worse than her already flawed roots—no different from a mortal, with her lifespan drastically cut short.

Ten years of cultivation, wasted in a single moment.

This was something Cao Xueyan could never accept.

She wanted longevity!

Longevity! Longevity! Longevity!

The obsession rooted in her soul like a heart demon.

“Ding!”

A sudden sound rang out, startling her into drawing her sword.

She looked around—no one was there. Some disciples were nearby, but all were occupied, not paying her any attention.

Could she be possessed?

She shivered. She had heard of cultivators who secluded themselves too long, emerging with weakened spirits, vulnerable to demonic invasion!

But exorcism talismans were expensive. She had just ended her retreat, her purse empty—where could she buy one?

As she was lost in thought, the voice sounded again:

“Congratulations, Host, for surviving twenty years in the cultivation world. Activation conditions met. Cultivation Love Simulator has been initiated!”

So that was it—her golden finger as a transmigrator had finally arrived.

She had never dared to hope for such a thing. Given a second life, she was already grateful and had cultivated tirelessly. But now, she realized she wasn’t without a golden finger—it had just been delayed.

Ah, right—today was indeed her birthday.

It was twenty years ago today that she arrived in this world.

Relieved, Cao Xueyan began studying her golden finger.

Cultivation Love Simulator. It didn’t sound very proper. In her past life, bedridden and idle, she had read plenty of system novels, though simulator systems were less common.

In the next moment, a panel appeared before her eyes, visible only to her:

Host: Cao Xueyan

Realm: Qi Refining Sixth Layer (600/550)

Simulation Attempts: 5

Cultivation Points: 0

So simple?

She muttered softly, yet her heart surged with excitement.

She now had a golden finger!

Qi Refining late stage… no, Foundation Establishment was within reach!

“Do you wish to consume one simulation attempt?”

“Yes!” she confirmed.

“Choose between [Quick Simulation] and [Real Simulation]. Warning: [Real Simulation] is not recommended at this time. Proceed at your own risk.”

“Uh… then Quick Simulation.”

“Simulating… Simulation begins…”

[At age 20, you fail to break through to late Qi Refining again. Disheartened, you apply for an outside mission.]

[You settle in the cultivation marketplace beneath Qingyun Sect.]

[The spiritual energy there is much weaker. Your progress slows.]

[A few years later, the family controlling the market begins extorting cultivators. Many are driven out for failing to pay rent, including you.]

[Homeless, even unable to sleep under bridges, you are robbed of your storage pouch by rogue cultivators.]

[Destitute, you reluctantly enter the brothel, Bliss Pavilion.]

[Because of your identity as a cultivator, you are well received. In a few months, you gain many loyal clients.]

[At age 30, you finally break through to late Qi Refining.]

[One wealthy client congratulates you personally. You share a wonderful night together.]

[She offers to redeem you. Moved, you spend another night with her.]

[At age 40, demonic cultivators invade. Qingyun Sect is the first to fall. The marketplace is attacked.]

[You never receive her redemption. Bliss Pavilion falls to the demons. Countless demonesses take turns with you.]

[Unable to endure, you shatter your heart and dantian, dying in despair.]

[Evaluation: Though mediocre in cultivation and ignored within the sect, you were unexpectedly popular in Bliss Pavilion—even the demonesses lingered. Perhaps you have talent in this path. Consider developing it.]

[Reward: Cultivation Points +50]

…

Silence. Long silence.

This was a future Cao Xueyan had never imagined. She had once considered living as a free rich man outside the sect, enjoying life with her Qi Refining cultivation. Such a life, disease-free and long-lived, was one mortals envied. But whenever she thought this way, her heart was seized by unwillingness.

Longevity was her dream. She would not give it up.

Yet the simulator pointed toward a completely different path—albeit a crooked one.

What did it mean, “talent in that path”?

Was this simulator serious?

Cultivation Love Simulator—did it always steer toward romance?

This… this…

What nonsense!

Nowadays, ruthless cultivation was the mainstream Dao. Within the sect, rarely were there couples who became immortal companions. Everyone competed desperately. Even those with poor talent like her often refused to give up.

Still, the simulator wasn’t without merit. At least now she knew—twenty years later, demonic sects would launch a full invasion. A calamity.

Unfortunately, she died too soon in the simulation to see how it ended.

Did Qingyun Sect survive? If not, what of the other righteous sects?

Though twenty years away, the thought made her tremble.

Looking at the panel, she saw its numbers change:

Host: Cao Xueyan

Realm: Qi Refining Sixth Layer (600/550)

Simulation Attempts: 4

Cultivation Points: 50

One attempt down, but fifty points gained.

Wait—could it be?

Her throat tightened. She tried focusing her will, adding the fifty points to her realm.

The numbers shifted: (700/0).

Her realm advanced to Qi Refining Seventh Layer!

Inside her dantian, a barrier shattered. Spiritual power surged like a spring, flooding her body. The sensation was so exhilarating she nearly collapsed, trembling as she let out a long breath.

She had broken through—to late Qi Refining!

Joy burst forth uncontrollably. Never in her life had she felt such satisfaction.

The fortress-like bottleneck, broken so easily—it was like a dream.

And what had she done?

Just one simulation, and then she invested the points.

This Cultivation Love Simulator truly brought her joy!