22: Chapter 22 White Entry - Unwavering Heart

[Simulation Duration: 28 years, 7 months, 22 days.]

[Cause of Death: Killed by Grandmaster Stage guards.]

[Settlement Comments: The host demonstrated exceptional Martial Arts Prodigy and long-term survival wisdom, achieving multiple Breakthroughs under conditions of extreme resource scarcity — self-created Martial Skills, trained Disciples, and deeply cultivated Martial Arts. Regrettably, meridian damage caused the Martial Arts upper limit to be locked at Post-Heaven Peak, resulting in an insurmountable gap in strength between you and your enemy. The final assassination attempt was tactically meaningless, but on the level of willpower, it is rated as "Unyielding".]

[Overall Rating: B-]

[Settlement Rewards are as follows —]

[Reward 1: Complete retention of simulation memories — all 28 years and 7 months of memories.]

[Reward 2: Complete Azure Sky Heart Method and cultivation experience, Frost Moon Sword Technique (Self-created · Perfection), Youlong Step (Perfection), Iron Eagle Claw (Perfection), Snake Step (Perfection), Wind-Splitting Saber Technique (Perfection), Disguise techniques, etc., as well as related Martial Arts understanding and knowledge.]

[Reward 3: Post-Heaven Peak Martial Arts cultivation.]

[Reward 4: Random Trait draw chance × 1.]

[Note: You may forfeit all rewards except Reward 4 in exchange for another Random Trait draw chance × 1.]

"It seems cultivation is settled based on the cultivation level at the time of death."

Lin Shuangwan had a moment of realization in her heart, and she did not hesitate.

"Claim all."

Although the improvement from Houtian Late Stage to Post-Heaven Peak was not a qualitative leap, the feeling of fullness of True Qi in her Meridians was significantly stronger.

A massive amount of Martial Skill muscle memory flooded in. Her body instinctively trembled slightly, and her hands unconsciously made a few sword technique gestures.

After a few dozen breaths, the infusion ended.

Lin Shuangwan moved her wrists, feeling the changes within her body.

Post-Heaven Peak.

Compared to the last time when she jumped directly from a Mortal to Houtian Late Stage, this improvement was indeed not very large.

But the muscle memory of those Martial Skills and the understanding of the Perfection Realm were real, tangible things.

Twenty-seven years of cultivation memories were directly infused into her, including the subtle sensations of True Qi running through every meridian, the realizations during every Breakthrough in Realm, and her own profound understanding of the compatibility between the Azure Sky Heart Method and her own Physique.

These things could not be measured by numerical values, but Lin Shuangwan knew their value far exceeded a small Realm or two of cultivation improvement.

And there was the "Frost Moon Sword Technique".

This sword technique, which she created herself in the simulation, fused the essence of five Martial Arts.

Now, the complete operational logic of the sword technique and the changes in Qi for every stance were engraved in her instincts.

Lin Shuangwan clenched her fist and then relaxed it.

Not enough.

Far from enough.

Wei Feisen was at the Great Grandmaster Stage and had two Grandmaster guards by his side, while she was at Post-Heaven Peak.

Between them lay three major Realms: Innate, Grandmaster, and Great Grandmaster.

This gap could not be bridged by Martial Skills.

She closed her eyes, calmed herself for a moment, and then opened them.

"Start Trait draw."

The mirror surface flickered, and a white light appeared.

[Congratulations to the host for obtaining the white Trait — Steadfast Heart]

[Steadfast Heart: Slightly increases the firmness of willpower, slightly increases the stability of the Dao Heart.]

Lin Shuangwan looked at this Trait and pondered for a moment.

A white Trait, the lowest Rank.

The effect was indeed mediocre; "slightly" and "minimal" sounded pitiful, but the words "Dao Heart" caught her attention.

This term... did not sound like a Martial Arts term.

She temporarily pushed this thought aside and began to consider a more urgent problem — the Trait slots.

She currently had three Trait slots, and those already equipped were: Fleet-Footed (White), Eidetic Memory (Blue), and Martial Arts Prodigy (Blue).

All three slots were full.

If she wanted to equip "Steadfast Heart", she had to swap one out.

Lin Shuangwan weighed her options repeatedly.

Eidetic Memory could absolutely not be swapped out. This Trait was her core ability for learning Cultivation Techniques and memorizing secret texts; without it, her efficiency would drop by at least half.

Martial Arts Prodigy could also not be swapped out; this Trait was equivalent to a permanent cultivation accelerator, and what she lacked most right now was cultivation speed.

That left only Fleet-Footed.

The effect of this white Trait was to increase movement speed. It had some practicality, but among the three Traits, it was indeed the weakest.

"Replace Fleet-Footed, equip Steadfast Heart."

A white light flashed, and the Trait slots refreshed.

Eidetic Memory (Blue), Martial Arts Prodigy (Blue), Steadfast Heart (White).

The moment the replacement was completed, Lin Shuangwan felt something deep in her mind sink slightly, like an anchor dropping to the bottom of the water.

She couldn't say there was a very obvious change, but there was a faint sense of certainty in her heart.

She did not linger on this feeling for too long.

Because she had discovered a bigger problem: the three Trait slots were now completely full.

In the future, every simulation settlement might yield new Traits, but with insufficient slots, she wouldn't be able to equip good ones when they arrived.

Later on, if she drew a Purple or even Gold Trait, she would have to painfully swap out beneficial Traits. Wasn't that just robbing Peter to pay Paul?

Lin Shuangwan pondered at the mirror for a while and tentatively asked: "Can the Trait slots be expanded?"

A line of text appeared on the mirror surface.

[For every Rank the host's cultivation increases, the Trait slots will simultaneously increase by one.]

Lin Shuangwan raised an eyebrow.

Increase by one Rank?

"I broke through to Houtian, why didn't it increase?"

Another line of text appeared on the mirror.

[Martial Arts cultivation is not counted in Rank assessment.]

Lin Shuangwan's fingers paused in mid-air.

Martial Arts cultivation is not counted in Rank assessment.

This sentence contained too much information.

She touched her smooth, delicate chin.

If Martial Arts did not count as a "Rank", then what did?

The word "Dao Heart" had appeared in the System's Trait effects.

Dao Heart—that was a term only Immortal Cultivators would use in storybooks.

Legends she had heard since childhood flashed rapidly through her mind — Immortals flying on swords, summoning wind and rain, moving mountains and filling seas.

"So, does Immortal Cultivation really exist in this world?" she asked.

The mirror did not respond.

Lin Shuangwan was not surprised.

But she already had a judgment in her heart.

Before, she was only guessing, but now she could be certain that above Martial Arts, there must be a higher-level power System.

The "Rank" mentioned by the System likely referred to the threshold of crossing from a Mortal into that level.

The end of Martial Arts is the Earthly Immortal.

So — first walk the path of Martial Arts to the end, break through to Earthly Immortal, and then go search for Immortal destiny.

The path was clear.

Lin Shuangwan took a deep breath, leaned against the wall, and closed her eyes to rest for a moment.

Then, she pressed the simulation button.

The mirror lit up for a moment, and her consciousness fell into darkness.

The images before her eyes also began to flow.

[Third simulation begins.]

[You are sixteen years old, Post-Heaven Peak.]

[It is late at night; you are sitting in the cell, listening to the sound of the wind outside the window.]

[You do not rush to move.]

[First, clear your thoughts.]

[You cannot stay in Yunjin City; there is no need to overthink this. Wei Feisen's informants are all over the city. As long as you reveal your identity, you won't even be able to get out of the city gates. Seek refuge with your cousin Zhou Mingyue? That won't work either. The Black Tiger Gang's wanted posters will soon be plastered all over the surrounding prefectures and counties; going there will only implicate her.]

[Then there is only one path left.]

[Go into the mountains.]

[In the last simulation, you lived on Daliang Mountain for nearly three years. You could draw the terrain of that mountain with your eyes closed. Which stream is drinkable, which mountain hollow shelters from the wind, which location is the territory of the Little King—it is all in your mind.]

[But before that, you need money.]

[You escape from the prison cell.]

[Half a quarter of an hour later, you appear outside the courtyard wall of Lin Datong's house.]