A Brief Life

"Ah—"

Shen Yi jolted awake, drenched in cold sweat.

"Whew—thankfully, it was only a dream."

He comforted himself, picked up his cup to take a huge gulp and calm his nerves, but his hand froze halfway.

"The furniture and layout here are completely different from my home!"

In his memories, he should have been in a brightly lit modern society. Yet as he looked at the thatched roof, the flickering oil lamp indoors, and the worn ancient-style furnishings, Shen Yi suddenly understood: he had transmigrated.

Immortal Cultivation Simulator (Beta) has finished loading. Would you like to activate it?

A voice rang out in his mind, interrupting Shen Yi's thoughts.

"Immortal cultivation? A simulator?"

Hearing the prompt in his mind, Shen Yi fell into a brief daze.

While he was dazed, streams of information flooded into his mind, making his already unsettled heart pound even harder.

Spiritual energy was reviving, and the Golden Age of the cultivation world was about to arrive. Countless Hidden Families of cultivators were returning to the world, while major powers rushed to seize the initiative by establishing Immortal Dao Academies, founding sects, and recruiting disciples far and wide.

For a time, entering an immortal sect, studying to attain the Dao, and seeking enlightenment became the most common pursuit of this era.

"Having accomplished nothing in my previous life, I'll cultivate and attain the Dao in this one, becoming a supreme Immortal King!"

As a trendsetter of modern society, Shen Yi had been steeped in cultivation culture, and excitement surged through him.

I don't want to keep living this garbage life for another second.

"Activate!"

He could already foresee his future self becoming a supreme Immortal King, looking down upon the world in proud splendor, free and unfettered.

Simulation activated. Remaining simulations available today: 9

Year One: You were admitted to Ninghai Immortal Dao Academy. Because you were utterly unprepared, your entrance examination results were a complete mess, and you were assessed as having Rank D Aptitude.

Year Two: You gave up on yourself and skipped class all day. One day, while climbing over a wall to skip class, you were discovered by the Hall of Enforcement. In your panic, you accidentally lost your footing and fell. Unfortunately, your head hit the ground first. You died.

"Th-this isn't right, is it? Who's trying to set me up today?"

Shen Yi was completely dumbfounded. What happened to looking down on the mortal world and stirring the winds and clouds? How had it ended before it even began?

"There must be some mistake somewhere. Again!"

Shen Yi chose to activate the simulation once more.

Year One: You were admitted to Ninghai Immortal Dao Academy. Because you were utterly unprepared, your entrance examination results were a complete mess, and you were assessed as having Rank D Aptitude.

Year Two: You gave up on yourself and skipped class all day. One day, while climbing over a wall to skip class, you were discovered by the Hall of Enforcement. In your panic, you accidentally lost your footing and fell. Unfortunately, your head hit the ground first. You died.

The simulation process was exactly the same, not a single word different. Shen Yi still refused to believe it and activated another simulation.

...You died.

...Died.

Shen Yi got a little carried away, convinced that the simulator was not polished enough. The third time, the fourth time, all the way through the sixth simulation, the result remained the same.

Life truly was full of unexpected turns.

He felt somewhat discouraged. Could his path after transmigration really be so brief and miserable?

"Wait, maybe there's still a turning point. Every simulation says I was assessed as Rank D because I was completely unprepared. If I spend three to five years studying hard for the exams before taking the academy test, I can't possibly still be Rank D, right?"

His gaze fell on a neat stack of books on the desk. He brushed away the dust, and just as he was about to pick one up and study it, a folded sheet of paper in the corner of the desk caught his attention.

"New student Shen Yi has passed the physique examination. The entrance assessment is hereby scheduled for noon one month from now. Do not miss it—Ninghai Immortal Dao Academy."

This Immortal Academy was rather interesting. It actually demanded well-rounded development in both body and mind.

But when exactly was one month from now? Shen Yi clutched his head and racked his brains, suddenly feeling like he was about to go mad. The one month from now written on the paper was clearly today!

It was already three quarters into the Hour of the Rat.

Sharpening a spear at the last minute might not make it fast, but it would still make it shine. Shen Yi suddenly felt as if he had returned to the night before an exam in his previous life—pulling an all-nighter and learning an entire semester's worth of material overnight, then perfectly reaching the passing line.

With that thought, he no longer hesitated. He grabbed a book and buried his head in reading.

Second by second, time slipped away. Shen Yi closed the book and checked the time. Only half an hour had passed.

"This Comprehensive Encyclopedia of the Immortal Realm took half an hour to read, fifteen minutes ahead of schedule."

He had intended to switch to another book and continue reading, but Shen Yi suddenly thought of something and activated the seventh simulation in his consciousness.

Year One: You were admitted to Ninghai Immortal Dao Academy. Because your preparation was insufficient, your entrance assessment results were a complete mess, and you were assessed as having Rank D Aptitude.

...You died.

"Wait, there's a change!"

Shen Yi delightedly discovered that this time, the words in his mind no longer said "utterly unprepared," but "insufficient preparation."

"It looks like if I read a few more books, I'll be able to pass the assessment. Maybe I can even escape the tragedy of dying in my second year."

As he spoke, Shen Yi picked up a copy of General Treatise on the Path to Immortality and immersed himself in reading once more.

At a quarter past the Hour of the Ox, Shen Yi activated the eighth simulation.

Year One: You were admitted to Ninghai Immortal Dao Academy. Because your preparation was lacking, your entrance examination results were less than ideal, and you were assessed as having Rank D Aptitude.

...You died.

"There's another change!"

Shen Yi cried out. What delighted him even more was that the contents of the two books he had just read were imprinted in his mind word for word.

"Could it be that transmigration has invisibly changed my memory talent? Is this photographic memory?"

By now, all drowsiness had vanished from Shen Yi. As if he had discovered a new continent, he grabbed another book and began reading intently.

"This book reads more like a story. No wonder it has become a new classic of cultivation literature. Who dares claim invincibility? Who dares call themselves undefeated? I just wonder whether that Red-Haired Omen will truly appear in this world."

"Activate the ninth simulation!"

Year One: You were admitted to Ninghai Immortal Dao Academy. Because you were well prepared, your entrance examination results were just enough to pass, and you were assessed as having Rank C Aptitude.

Year Two: Your aptitude was insufficient, and the cultivation resources allocated by the academy were limited. You failed to achieve Qi Condensation, and because you could not afford the exorbitant tuition fees, the academy sent you to mine Spirit Stones.

Year Three: While mining Spirit Stones, you unfortunately encountered a collapse of the mineral vein. You died.

Shen Yi's face darkened. He had finally escaped the misfortune of dying in his second year, only to die in a mining accident in his third.

"Not enough, still not enough. If I want to achieve Qi Condensation and break through to the Qi Condensation Realm, then since the resources from Rank C Aptitude aren't enough, I'll reach Grade B, then Grade A. In any case, I need to secure the most resources possible!"

Shen Yi's eyes were bloodshot as he entered a frenzied state, his fingertips flipping through the pages at lightning speed.

At a quarter past the Hour of the Dragon, Shen Yi finally began to feel tired. Looking at the thick pile of books before him, he suddenly felt a sense of accomplishment.

Though he desperately wanted to simulate again and get the result sooner, Shen Yi ultimately held himself back. This was his final simulation opportunity for today.

"According to my calculations, as long as I finish this final book, I'll definitely be assessed as having Grade A Aptitude. With greater resource support, achieving Qi Condensation shouldn't be a problem."

Shen Yi lowered his head and slowly opened the final book in his hands.