In the town of Huling, beneath a market for cultivators, a bruised and swollen Xu Changxing gazed at the lower-grade spirit stones emitting a gentle glow, his eyes filled with dilemma.
Having traversed nearly a decade ago, he had grown from a little kid into a half-grown youth. In these years, he managed to accumulate enough spirit stones by selling herbs in the market, exchanging them for a basic Qi Refinement technique.
However, due to a lack of spirit stones for assistance, he had practiced for several years and only reached the initial stage of Qi Refinement. Just a few days ago, his luck seemed to turn around when he encountered a nouveau riche.
A young master from somewhere bought all his herbs for twenty lower-grade spirit stones. Xu Changxing thought his fortune had arrived, hoping to advance his cultivation with these spirit stones.
To his surprise, this news reached the tyrant Gao Teng. The bully directly approached him, demanding sixteen lower-grade spirit stones.
Luckily, Xu Changxing had hidden the spirit stones in advance, avoiding being robbed. However, Gao Teng was relentless, threatening that if Xu Changxing didn't produce the sixteen spirit stones within three days, he would disappear from the market.
Caught in a dilemma of whether to risk it all, escaping with the spirit stones, or enduring humiliation and handing them over to Gao Teng, Xu Changxing found himself in a huge dilemma.
Just as he hesitated, a crisp voice suddenly sounded in his consciousness. "Ding, detecting the host in an indecisive situation, activating the Life Simulation System."
"A system, there's actually a system!" Xu Changxing was almost moved to tears.
Reading through the information that appeared in his mind, he understood the system's function. This Life Simulation System could simulate his future life at the cost of points, and rewards would be based on his experiences. Points could be obtained by recharging with spirit stones.
Without hesitation, Xu Changxing grabbed a lower-grade spirit stone and silently said, "Recharge!"
The spiritual energy in the spirit stone quickly drained, turning into powder, and the system gained a point. Suppressing his excitement, Xu Changxing continued, "Activate simulation!"
As his words fell, lines of text appeared in his consciousness.
[Day 1, without hesitation, you absorbed a lower-grade spirit stone, feeling the increase in strength. Unable to resist, you absorbed a second one.]
[Day 2, you absorbed two more lower-grade spirit stones.]
[Day 3, just as you were about to cultivate with lower-grade spirit stones, Gao Teng suddenly barged in and took them away. Fortunately, you had hidden ten lower-grade spirit stones in advance, preserving the remaining Fortunately, you had hidden ten lower-grade spirit stones in advance, preserving the remaining ones. Gao Teng brutally beat you, threatening that if you dared to use his spirit stones for cultivation again, he would send you to the Yin Corpse Sect to be turned into a puppet.
[Day 4, you only dared to secretly cultivate at night, planning to leave immediately after breaking through the realm.]
[Day 5, you finally broke through the realm, becoming a Qi Refinement second level cultivator. That night, you quietly left, intending to wander the world with the remaining spirit stones.]
Unexpectedly, Gao Teng's henchmen had been waiting outside the market, anticipating you bringing the spirit stones out. Unable to conceal your traces, you were surrounded by Gao Teng's men. Despite your desperate resistance, Gao Teng easily subdued you. Enraged to find only four spirit stones, Gao Teng sold you to another outer disciple of the Yin Corpse Sect.
[Day 7, you were turned into a puppet by the Yin Corpse Sect, and you died.]
"..." Xu Changxing looked at the lines of text appearing in his mind, his face alternating between pale and green. Because he had indeed considered such an action at that time. However, this ending was truly unacceptable.
While he was still in shock, more lines of text appeared in his consciousness.
[Simulation Complete]
[Evaluation: You chose to follow your heart but lacked the strength to resist, so you died.]
[Based on the simulation results, you can choose one of the following rewards.]
[1. View simulation life's image data in the first-person perspective.]
[2. Qi Refinement second level cultivation.]
Xu Changxing had no desire to witness how he became a puppet, so he directly chose "2." In the next moment, a warm stream flowed into his dantian.
Silently and swiftly, he had broken through the current realm, becoming a Qi Refinement second level cultivator. Xu Changxing felt the changes in his body, and a joyous expression appeared on his face.
The introduction of this system turned out to be true. He could genuinely bring his cultivation from the simulation into reality! After the excitement, Xu Changxing grabbed two more lower-grade spirit stones and muttered, "Recharge!"
Since his cultivation had reached Qi Refinement second level, the required points for this simulation doubled to 2. After recharging the points, Xu Changxing once again initiated the simulation.
[Day 1, after seeing the outcome of resisting, you chose to follow your heart and voluntarily handed over the sixteen spirit stones to Gao Teng. Gao Teng praised your understanding and took you as his lackey.]
[Day 2, you continued to set up a stall in the market. However, news of you becoming Gao Teng's lackey spread, and other vendors started to resist you. Unwilling to explain, you silently earned spirit stones and practiced.]
[...]
[Day 16, you had good luck and sold another six lower-grade spirit stones. Since you were now Gao Teng's lackey, you only needed to hand over four lower-grade spirit stones as protection money. After paying the fee, you continued to cultivate.]
[Day 43, your cultivation finally broke through again, reaching the Qi Refinement third level.]