Life-Burning Simulation, Remaining Lifespan: 999 Years

[Current Origin: 255; Conversion: 2.55x]

"It increased by five points, from 2.5 to 2.55. Does this multiplier refer to the cultivation speed?"

"I just don't know what the cultivation speed of others is." After waving his hand to dismiss the maid, Qin Wangchuan sat in place and pondered.

2.55x—this number is by no means heaven-defying. Some Sacred Bodies with cultivation bonuses might far exceed this figure.

But don't forget, this is just the beginning.

As long as it can increase, if it's two times now, in the future it could be five times, ten times, a hundred times!

"System, what is this 'Simulation Count'?"

Before his rebirth, Qin Wangchuan had read simulation novels, but he didn't know if the simulation of this Foolish System was the same as what he had in mind.

[Once per day, consume Simulation Count and a certain amount of lifespan to simulate and deduce the host's future.]

[After each simulation, you may choose one of the following three items to inherit:]

1: Lifespan

2: Cultivation Technique Insights

3: Origin

[Note: As a trash-tier host, your most precious asset right now is your lifespan. Spend your life to become stronger until you achieve a counter-attack! (Spending life carries risks; please act within your means.)]

It even has a reminder in parentheses; how thoughtful.

Qin Wangchuan glanced at the lifespan cost on the system interface, and the next moment, he suddenly burst into a laugh.

[First simulation, lifespan cost: 30 years.]

[Host's remaining lifespan: 999 years.]

Although it's true that a trash-tier physique requires spending life, does it really take him for a piece of trash?

How could a Longevity Immortal Body have a mere 999 years of lifespan?

Even drinking a single drop of his blood could grant a lower-realm cultivator a thousand years of life.

Of course, that is assuming they could withstand it.

It is obvious that this broken system can only display up to three digits.

"I have no need for lifespan. Origin is quite good, and if the Cultivation Technique Insights are of the Emperor Rank, that would be nice too."

Qin Wangchuan didn't rush to be happy.

This broken system was riddled with oddities. If you called it trash, it could reward you with Source Essence.

If you called it powerful, it was clearly a case of it binding to the wrong person and then refusing to admit its mistake.

With my constitution, becoming an Immortal Emperor is a sure thing. I just don't know if I can touch the realm above that.

Without further delay, he immediately chose to start the simulation.

[Simulation starting.]

[Year 0]

You are born in Qixia Town, an inconspicuous town on the outskirts of the Qin Clan's territory within the Ten Directions Immortal Court.

On the night of your birth, the celestial phenomena shifted slightly. Five infants were born in the town at the same time:

? The blacksmith's twins

? The grain shopkeeper's youngest son

? The beggar woman's daughter

? The madwoman's daughter (you)

[Year 1]

You are born blind.

The midwife, helping your delirious mother, names you Ye Jianwei.

[Simulation paused.]

Qin Wangchuan: "Wait a second?! System! Who the hell is this?"

[It is the host.]

???

After a long silence, he pointed at [Ye Jianwei] on the light screen and demanded, "Read these three characters out loud and tell me what they say."

[The system does not have the authority to view the simulation content.]

Qin Wangchuan: "This isn't me at all! This is a person named Ye Jianwei!"

Her name has three characters, and my name has three characters, so I = her.

Logical!

System, you are truly sick in the head!

Taking a deep breath, he wanted to see just how ridiculous this lousy system could get.

[Simulation continues.]

[Year 2]

You have gained consciousness. Though you cannot see, you are exceptionally sensitive to spiritual energy.

When your deranged mother has moments of clarity, she holds you and mutters, "Seeing the subtle to know the manifest... seeing the subtle to know the manifest..."

[Year 3]

Through the stories of those around you, you learn the reason for your mother's madness:

She was once a top courtesan who sold her talents but not her body. After being deceived and abandoned by a young master of the Ye Clan, she became deranged and never recovered.

[Year 4]

This year, a new emperor ascends the throne of the Central Province Dynasty.

While caring for your deranged mother, you do odd jobs for the neighbors to supplement the household income, fantasizing about earning enough money to move into a house that doesn't leak when it rains.

[Year 5]

Your mother goes out to the street, attempting to block the Ye Clan's carriage, and is struck.

On a rainy night, your mother breathes her last.

Before she dies, she suddenly regains her clarity, clutching your hand as she says:

"Jianwei... you won't be able to survive on your own. Rather than suffering in this world, you might as well come with me."

Although you want to follow your mother, you cannot allow her body to be left exposed in the wilderness.

You attempt to sell yourself to pay for her burial, but because you are blind, no one is willing to buy.

Just as you are losing all hope, a mysterious person passes by, hands you a tattered jade slip, and says indifferently:

"Some things cannot be obtained through charity. Blind one, learn the zither."

--You obtain a broken zither and a fragment of the Nine Heavens Zither Emperor Sutra.

[Year 6]

You begin to cultivate.

Following the methods in the Emperor Sutra, you successfully step into the first realm: the Five Extremes Realm.

[Year 7]

Qixia Town was attacked by Demonic Beasts.

The blacksmith's twins were swallowed alive.

The grain shopkeeper's youngest son was rescued by a cultivator from the Qin Clan.

The beggar woman's daughter went missing.

Because you heard the commotion early and hid, you survived by sheer luck.

[Year 8]

You progressed steadily and broke through to the second realm.

At this time, you discovered that your hearing had become increasingly sensitive; you could even hear the sound of mice scurrying in their burrows.

[Year 9]

When Qixia Town was being rebuilt, the tavern was short-staffed.

Seeing that you could play the zither, they hired you as a laborer, and you finally had a place where you could practice your music.

[Year 10]

One day, while you were practicing a zither melody in the tavern's backyard, you accidentally overheard some passing cultivators chatting:

"Have you heard? Two people with guts of steel from the Qin Clan—Qin Xuan and Cao Xiangwen—actually dared to collude with outsiders and defect from the Qin Clan after stealing a secret treasure. Now we're in for a good show!"

You thought to yourself that none of these big clans were any good, and continued to pluck the strings.

[Simulation Paused]

"Wait, defected from the Qin Clan?" Qin Wangchuan looked at these lines and began to ponder:

"The new emperor of the Central Province Dynasty ascended to the throne in the fourth year, which was the year before last. That means Ye Jianwei is the same age as me; we are both five years old this year."

"And the defection happens at age ten."

"Although this simulation isn't of my own future, I can still use it to glimpse a corner of what is to come and learn about certain events."

Having reached this point, Qin Wangchuan already had a plan.

The traitors certainly could not be let off, but there was no need to rush right now.

[Simulation Resumed]

[Year 15]

You broke through to the third realm, the Spirit Platform Realm. Your zither music can now captivate the soul.

One day, a drunken cultivator took a fancy to your beauty and attempted to force you into marriage. After being rejected, he flew into a rage and tried to ambush you under the cover of night.

With a flick of your fingertip, the sound of your zither shattered his soul.

[Year 16]

As your zither skills improved day by day, you managed to save up a small amount of money.

Your once frail body filled out, revealing a stunning appearance.

The number of times you were harassed increased daily.

Your disgust for men grew, and you began to think it was time to leave this town.

[Year 18]

On the surface, you are a blind street performer.

In reality, you have already broken through to the Fourth Realm, the Spirit Path Realm, and the killing intent in your music has solidified into substance.

[Year 19]

You infiltrated the Ye Clan and killed the Ye Clan Young Master while he was surrounded by his wives and concubines, avenging your mother.

At the same time, you learned that the Ye Clan in Qixia Town was merely a minor branch.

You were placed on a joint bounty for your capture by the branches of the Ye Clan.

[Year 20]

You left Qixia Town and began traveling under the identity of the Blind Zither Master.

Because no one believed a blind person could cultivate, you were able to hide your true identity.

[Year 30]

You broke through to the Fifth Realm, the Spirit Sea Realm, and your zither music could now manifest as sword qi.

You began to travel to various places in search of the subsequent volumes of the Nine Heavens Zither Emperor Sutra while evading the Ye Clan's pursuit.

That same year, you learned that the Zither Emperor Tomb was opening and decided to head there.

[Year 55]

You broke through to the Sixth Realm.

When the Emperor Tomb opened, you saw the Ten Great Imperial Clans for the first time, and the most dazzling among them was surrounded by others like stars around the moon.

You learned of their origin: they were from the Qin Clan of the imperial families.

Even the Ye Clan was nothing more than a village bumpkin in the eyes of the Imperial Clans.

His name—Qin Wangchuan.

To think I could encounter myself? Qin Wangchuan rubbed his chin, regretting that he didn't know his own cultivation realm at that time.

[Year 56]

The Qin Clan Divine Son, Qin Wangchuan, swept through the Imperial Tomb, seizing every opportunity within.

However, you also gained a bountiful harvest—you found the complete Nine Heavens Zither Emperor Sutra.

"Divine Son? It seems quite a lot has happened over these past few decades."

[Year 80]

You slashed the head of a branch family of the Ye Clan, believing the grudge to be settled.

Stronger experts began to hunt you down.

[Year 150]

You took the risk to break through to the Eighth Realm, killing all your pursuers in one fell swoop.

You began to cultivate in seclusion.

[Year 248]

You broke through to the Ninth Realm, and your zither techniques reached perfection.

To release your restless loneliness, you founded the Heavenly Zither Pavilion and began accepting disciples on a large scale.

[Year 411]

The Heavenly Zither Pavilion became a formidable power.

You remained hidden behind the scenes, and the world only knew the Pavilion Master as a mysterious blind zitherist.

[Year 1700]

You broke through to the Twelfth Realm, attempting to attain the Dao through the zither.

[Year 8650]

You broke through to the Twenty-Second Realm and attained the Imperial Throne.

The sound of your zither suppressed the heavens and earth for eternity; later generations honored you with the title—Zither Emperor.

"To be able to cultivate into a Heavenly Emperor, that is truly rare." Qin Wangchuan nodded as he watched, but the simulation did not seem to be over yet.

[Year]

The world gradually forgot your deeds.

But when you reappeared, you had already ascended to the Twenty-Third Realm, the Heavenly Emperor Realm.

You became the first Heavenly Emperor in history without the support of a family clan.

[Simulation Conclusion]

Final Achievement: Zither Heavenly Emperor (Attained the Dao through the zither, suppressing the heavens with sound)

Survival Time: Unknown

Ending: You entered the Dao through the zither, becoming a generation's Zither Emperor, transcendent and detached, indifferent to worldly affairs.

Qin Wangchuan looked at this record and remained silent for a long time.

"To think she would become a Heavenly Emperor..." he whispered. "This isn't something that can be achieved by luck alone. According to the Ancestor, it requires the right time, the right place, and the right people—not one can be missing."

"Since I know she will become a Heavenly Emperor in the future, wouldn't I be invincible if I took her under my wing now?"