Hey! I’ll open a simulator for you

Cao Xueyan ate while thinking about the simulator.

She had just run a quick simulation, and her panel had gained another 80 cultivation points.

The simulation still ended twenty years later, the year when demonic cultivators invaded when she was forty.

But why did she gain more points this time?

After thinking it through, Cao Xueyan believed it was because in this run she had broken through to the eighth layer of Qi Refining.

Since her cultivation realm advanced, the simulator granted more points.

Yet when she glanced at her panel, her heart sank.

To reach the eighth layer in reality, she needed a total of 700 points.

And she had barely saved up one-tenth of that.

What worried her most was the number of simulations left.

The Cultivation Love Simulator gave no explanations, so she had no idea how to earn more attempts.

The initial five attempts had already dropped to three.

Unless each of those three yielded more than 200 points, breaking through would remain a distant dream.

At this thought, Cao Xueyan grew restless and uneasy.

Such was human nature—once you gained something, you wished for more.

After finishing the vegetable porridge, she washed her pot and dishes.

She tidied the fire pit, swept the ashes into the corner, and used them to nourish the weeds there.

When she finally looked up, she noticed the sky at the horizon had already turned faintly yellow.

She realized with a start that time had passed—days in seclusion had made her forget it entirely.

As night fell, it would not be proper to disturb the sect’s steward unless there was urgent business.

With that in mind, Cao Xueyan straightened her clothes, locked her door, and headed toward the steward’s hall.

Sect stewards usually stayed in the hall.

Most were high-level Qi Refining cultivators who, due to their age, had no hope of Foundation Establishment.

Thus they took on this position, handling disputes, disciplining disciples, and enforcing sect orders.

If an outer disciple broke through to late-stage Qi Refining, they became eligible to apply for the Inner Sect.

The disciple would report to the steward, who in turn would inform the elders.

If the elders approved, the disciple could officially enter the Inner Sect and choose a peak to join.

As she climbed higher up the mountain, the shabby wooden huts of disciples grew fewer.

Eventually, a long staircase of over a hundred stone steps appeared before her.

Ascending step by step, she soon saw the steward’s hall of the outer sect.

Fortunately, dusk had not yet deepened.

Several disciples lit the lanterns at the gate.

Seeing her arrive, weary from travel, they bowed and asked, “Senior Sister, what brings you to the steward’s hall?”

Cao Xueyan returned the salute.

“I just emerged from seclusion and gained an insight, breaking through to late-stage Qi Refining. I have come to report. May I ask which steward is on duty today?”

The gate disciples exchanged surprised looks.

This beautiful senior sister had truly reached late-stage Qi Refining.

They were astonished.

“Remarkable! Truly remarkable! Congratulations, Senior Sister!” they said, flattering her quickly.

Not daring to delay her, they stepped aside.

“Today Steward Song is on duty. He has just finished his meal and is drinking tea in the main hall. Please, Senior Sister, go inside.”

Cao Xueyan nodded and walked in with calm steps.

Behind her, the gate disciples gathered to whisper.

“She’s incredible. That late-stage Qi Refining barrier has trapped so many, yet she broke through already.”

“Next time we see her, she may already be an Inner Sect disciple. When will my cultivation ever reach that level?”

“But honestly, she looks unfamiliar. I feel I’ve seen her, but I have no impression.”

“You know nothing. That is the mark of a true cultivator—modest, reserved, and tranquil. Only such a mindset can touch the Dao. Look at those flashy types always boasting of their speed. Has a single one of them broken through yet?”

At this, their faces shone with admiration.

But remembering their unfinished chores, they sighed and bent back to work.

If others caught them slacking, they might lose spirit stones at month’s end.

Being a cultivator was not easy.

Meanwhile, Cao Xueyan crossed the courtyard of the steward’s hall and stopped before the main chamber.

A moment later, a steady, resonant voice called from within, “Who is outside the hall?”

Bowing, Cao Xueyan replied, “Disciple Cao Xueyan. During cultivation I gained an insight and broke through to late-stage Qi Refining. I have come to report.”

The words had barely fallen when a breeze of spiritual energy swept around her.

A broad-shouldered steward with a kindly smile appeared before her.

It was Steward Song, the man on duty today.

He placed his plump hand lightly on the back of hers, sensing her energy.

His smile grew brighter.

“Indeed. Your aura is steady, with no signs of instability. You even waited to consolidate before reporting. Most disciples these days are too impatient, like mortals chasing gains. Few remain as calm as you.”

With hands clasped behind his back, he continued, “According to sect rules, any outer disciple who reaches late-stage Qi Refining may apply to join the Inner Sect. I assume this is why you have come.”

“Yes,” Cao Xueyan said.

Only then did she realize—by breaking through with cultivation points from the simulator, her realm was astonishingly stable.

Though it had just happened, it felt as if she had broken through days ago.

So the simulator had this hidden advantage as well.

It truly was her golden finger!

“This matter I will report to the elders tonight,” Steward Song said.

“But since you are here, I cannot let you leave empty-handed.”

He patted his storage pouch, producing several fine porcelain bottles.

“Junior Sister Cao, these are Nourishing Qi Pills and Hundred Herb Pills. Both are very useful for cultivation. Take them. Do not refuse—this is my token of goodwill.”

Cao Xueyan hesitated, but as he pressed the bottles into her hands, she could not decline.

As the saying went, gifts from elders must be accepted.

She tucked the pills into her storage pouch and thanked him repeatedly.

Steward Song waved it off.

“No matter. These pills are insignificant to me. But you—so young and already at late-stage Qi Refining—you still have hope of Foundation Establishment within a century.”

“I am far from that,” Cao Xueyan quickly replied.

Such praise she did not dare accept.

Without her golden finger, without the simulator, she might have needed years more to reach this level.

This was not talent but borrowed strength.

She reminded herself to remain humble.

Her attitude pleased Steward Song greatly.

He even considered speaking favorably of her when reporting to the elders.

After leaving the steward’s hall, Cao Xueyan felt a weight lift from her heart.

Now all she had to do was wait for word.

Back at her shabby hut, she looked around and sighed.

“How many owners have you had? Yet even I must soon leave you.”

She had heard Inner Sect disciples lived in caves.

Though she had never seen one, they surely surpassed these leaky huts.

At least, in storms, the roof would not drip.

More importantly, cave dwellings were built atop spirit-gathering arrays.

The density of spiritual energy there was several times higher.

Cao Xueyan could already picture her future life in the Inner Sect.

Hmm… perhaps she should run another simulation.