I Have a Cultivation Simulator

["Alright."]

[You accepted the mid-grade spirit stones, a strange feeling welling up inside.]

[A single mid-grade spirit stone was equal to a hundred low-grade spirit stones. Lin Yu handing these over was the equivalent of taking out hundreds of spirit stones.]

[Even for a Foundation Establishment Realm cultivator, this was a windfall. It showed just how highly Lin Yu valued Shen Lingxiu, sparing no expense to win back her favor.]

["Then I'll take my leave."]

[Lin Yu left with a gloomy expression.]

[You watched his retreating back.]

[He was deeply wary of any male cultivator who approached Shen Lingxiu. The entire hope of the Lin family's rise now rested on her.]

[If she were lured away by another male cultivator, Lin Yu would probably want to drop dead.]

[You figured it was because your disguised appearance was simply too ordinary.]

[A round-faced, yellow-bearded middle-aged man who looked slightly greasy. Lin Yu likely assumed Shen Lingxiu would never spare you a second glance.]

[Naturally, you didn't mind at all. If it meant scoring a few free mid-grade spirit stones every time, you were more than happy to chat with him.]

...

[The thirty-fifth year. You were fifty-one. The cave dwelling where you stored the Nine-Turn Cold Spirit Ginseng remained perfectly normal.]

[During this period, you disguised your identity and entered the cave dwelling to check on it, finding the Core Formation Spiritual Item still there.]

[You didn't take it out, still leaving it stored within the cave dwelling.]

[The thirty-sixth year. You were fifty-two. You faintly sensed that your talisman crafting was on the verge of breaking through to the Tier Two level.]

[You attempted to draw a Second-Tier Talisman.]

[Though you still failed in the end, you felt you were already getting close.]

[The thirty-seventh year. You were fifty-three. You finally succeeded in drawing a Second-Tier Talisman.]

[With this, your talisman crafting officially crossed into Tier Two.]

[On the third floor of the pill pavilion, a smile touched your lips as you looked at the Second-Tier Talisman before you, feeling its faint spiritual pressure.]

[Once activated, a Second-Tier Talisman could unleash Foundation Establishment-level might, whether for offense or defense.]

[Compared to the regular methods of the Foundation Establishment Realm, the power triggered by a talisman was an "instant cast."]

[Even in a battle between Foundation Establishment Realm cultivators, an extra crucial Second-Tier Talisman could perhaps be used to reverse the situation.]

[This was also why you had spent your energy studying talisman crafting.]

[You had free time anyway. Even if you hadn't studied talismans, those extra hours wouldn't have yielded any other gains.]

[Now that your alchemy had hit a bottleneck, when it came to cultivation, even a Heavenly Spirit Root cultivator couldn't cultivate endlessly without their body breaking down.]

[Aside from drawing talismans, it was either researching other skills, refining pills, or favoring your maids.]

[Besides, learning another craft meant having another fallback plan.]

[You could never have too many skills.]

[The thirty-eighth year. You were fifty-four. After your talisman crafting reached Tier Two, you once again felt how difficult it was to make progress.]

[In your free time between cultivation sessions, you began to study formations.]

[Formations were even more difficult to master than alchemy or talismans, prompting you to occasionally start actively visiting Shen Lingxiu.]

[Shen Lingxiu was a Tier Two formation master, and a genius among Tier Two formation masters at that. Over the past few decades, you had frequently sought her advice.]

[Inside the pavilion, you and Shen Lingxiu sat facing each other.]

["Alchemist Wang is interested in formations too?" Shen Lingxiu asked, smiling with pursed lips.]

["Just casually studying. My alchemy has hit a bottleneck, so I thought I'd try to gain some insight by branching out," you replied casually.]

[Shen Lingxiu wasn't surprised to hear this.]

[Foundation Establishment Realm cultivators had lifespans of two hundred and forty years. Outside of cultivation, it was perfectly normal to study a few other crafts.]

["By the way, you've been on your own all these years, Alchemist Wang. Haven't you ever thought of finding a Dao companion to produce bloodline descendants?" Shen Lingxiu's bright eyes settled on your face, lingering for a few breaths.]

["I'm used to being carefree. I have no such intentions," you said casually.]

["In truth, even though we cultivators speak of pursuing eternal longevity and everlasting vision, how many can actually achieve immortality? Even True Monarchs only live for a thousand years..."]

[Shen Lingxiu sighed, a trace of melancholy flickering across her face.]

[Shen Lingxiu already had skin like warm jade and a beautiful face. Now, showing this trace of melancholy, she exuded an air that inspired pity.]

["If that's the case, why don't you find a Dao companion, Formation Master Shen? I've noticed Lin Yu has been pursuing you for a long time..."]

[You asked.]

["Lin Yu... hmph..." A trace of coldness appeared on Shen Lingxiu's face.]

["Because of my childhood experiences... I'm extremely cautious about finding a Dao companion. Character is my absolute first priority..."]

[Shen Lingxiu flashed a faint smile, her dimples showing.]

["I see." You nodded slightly.]

[The betrayal of her closest elders had left her with a psychological shadow, making her place more importance on character when it came to choosing a Dao companion.]

[As long as a man's character passed the test, other aspects like appearance or temperament could be overlooked.]

[However, for all these years, the majority of the cultivators Shen Lingxiu interacted with had ulterior motives. They were either after her status as a formation master, or they coveted her looks...]

[Not a single one was reliable.]

[Shen Lingxiu fixed her beautiful eyes on you and suddenly asked, "I wonder what Alchemist Wang thinks of me?"]

["I am not looking for a Dao companion."]

[You naturally knew what Shen Lingxiu meant and turned her down directly.]

[You didn't mind a brief fling, but a Dao companion... was still too much trouble.]

[In this simulation, you planned to cash out and run away in your twilight years. Having a Dao companion right now would just be a burden.]

[You couldn't help but sigh inwardly. Even a greasy exterior couldn't completely mask your outstanding character and temperament.]

[Shen Lingxiu wasn't angry at your refusal. Her words and actions remained appropriate, exuding the scholarly elegance of a lady from a prominent family.]

...

[The thirty-ninth year. You were fifty-five. You learned that many of the cave dwellings and inns in the immortal city had suspended their rentals.]

[Naturally, the cave dwellings and inns that were already rented out were not affected.]

[Drawing from your experience in Wushan Market, you realized that True Person Biyue of Biyue Immortal City might recently be planning to break through. That would explain the adjustments to the immortal city's spiritual energy consumption, prioritizing his own supply.]

[After years of gathering information, you had learned that True Person Biyue was a Master at the Core Formation Middle Stage.]

[If the breakthrough went smoothly, he would step into the Core Formation Late Stage.]

[A Master at the Core Formation Late Stage was also known as a grand Master, carrying the same meaning as a great cultivator of the same realm.]

[The fortieth year. You were fifty-six. You faintly sensed that your cultivation of the Shanhai Art was nearing the Foundation Establishment Fourth Layer Peak.]

[The forty-first year. You were fifty-seven. Upon learning that Shen Lingxiu had stepped into the Foundation Establishment Middle Stage and become a Tier Two Mid-Grade formation master, you actively visited her to offer your congratulations.]

[The forty-second year. You were fifty-eight. Everything was normal at the cave dwelling storing the Nine-Turn Cold Spirit Ginseng.]

[The forty-third year. You were fifty-nine. You cultivated to the Foundation Establishment Fourth Layer Peak.]

[The forty-fourth year. You were sixty. You began attempting to break through.]

[Your breakthrough was successful, stepping into the Foundation Establishment Fifth Layer.]

[You walked out of your secluded cultivation spot and came into the courtyard, your mood relaxed and refreshed.]

[While this wasn't a major realm breakthrough, it still brought you one step closer to the Core Formation Realm.]

[You began sorting through the letters you had received during your seclusion.]

[Opening one letter from the Mortal Zhou Family, a trace of surprise surfaced in your eyes.]

Visit and read more novel to help us update chapter quickly. Thank you so much!