Simulated immortality allows me to calculate talent stats.

Blood spurted out, staining your clothes, veins, internal organs, and the excruciating pain in your brain, yet you remained oblivious.

"If once isn't enough, I'll try twice, and if twice isn't enough, I'll try three times..."

Your voice was hoarse, yet it carried an unwavering determination.

[Your attempt to break through your initial strength failed, causing you severe damage. Purchase medicine to recuperate and repair your damaged meridians and internal organs.]

Yan Ming arrived at the door carrying expensive health-preserving medicinal herbs.

Seeing your much older face, I sighed, "Since I've known you, I've never seen you miss a single day of training, but the path of martial arts is as difficult as ascending to heaven without talent..."

As he spoke, he seemed to realize he had overstepped his bounds, stopped talking, and put down the nourishing and restorative medicinal herbs.

Stop in your tracks just before leaving the house.

After hesitating for a while, he still advised, "Your breakthrough failed this time, but you can recover in three to five years. However, if you fail again... you'd better take care of yourself..."

[Yan Ming left, and another person arrived.]

This person's arrival surprised you quite a bit.

Cao Jin, dressed in a deep blue Confucian robe, maintained his ancient and refined appearance, though his imposing presence gradually grew stronger.

"I'm sorry to trouble you, strategist, to come and visit me."

You got up, leaned against the bed, and forced a smile.

Cao Jin gestured for you to refrain from formalities, and seeing your graying hair, sighed softly, "Since your wife's passing, you seem to have no more attachments."

[You chuckled softly: "How could that be? I'm still obsessed with martial arts, which has led me to this state."]

Cao Jin also didn't understand. He thought, with your intelligence and rationality, how could you be unable to make judgments and choices, and still stubbornly cling to your martial arts?

He always respected other people's choices and fates, and didn't offer much advice.

[Putting down the ancient book: "With your aptitude for numerology and calculation, if you had pursued Confucianism, Buddhism, Taoism, or immortality in your early years, you might have achieved remarkable success."]

Having perused numerous books and historical anecdotes, you are no longer completely ignorant of cultivation, and you understand the meaning behind the other person's words.

He chuckled self-deprecatingly, "Martial arts are accessible to all, yet I still face such hardships. How much more so for those transcendent beings like Confucianism, Buddhism, Taoism, and immortals? I simply cannot aspire to their level."

Cao Jin remained silent. Having followed the path of Confucian cultivation, he naturally understood the high barriers to entry for Confucianism, Buddhism, Taoism, and immortality.

After a brief chat and observing your condition, Cao Jin took his leave.

[You can sense that although the other party intends to win you over and seize control of the Demonic Sect's intelligence agency, they also consider you a friend and show some concern for you.]

After the other person left, you looked through the ancient books he had brought.

"It's actually the art of Qimen Dunjia?"

[You peruse ancient texts, where numerous complex and profound numerical sequences intertwine, convert, and manipulate, forming a dazzling array of talismans.]

[With the talent attribute of "extensive knowledge and prodigious memory," you can memorize complex information and perform forced calculations, but you cannot grasp its meaning.]

This is also why "extensive knowledge and strong memory" is blue; it means not only being able to memorize and calculate, but also being able to comprehend.

That would be practically a "heaven-defying comprehension" at the gold level.

[You seem quite interested in this ancient book by Cao Jin; it's something you might use to pass the time while cultivating yourself.]

You've mastered the operational rules and complex formulas, but you lack an understanding of the underlying code; in other words, you need someone to explain the principles to you.

[If mastered, one can truly enter the realm of Qimen Dunjia formations in this ancient text.]

[You memorized the content and techniques, but didn't rush to find someone to learn the underlying principles, because your core focus remains martial arts.]

[Your ambition is a goal you will pursue relentlessly until you die.]

[Fortieth year, age fifty-six.]

[The injuries sustained from the previous breakthrough have healed, but the loss of vital energy and lifespan cannot be reversed.]

You have a vague feeling that you are nearing the end of your life, and perhaps this next attempt will be your last chance, so you're going all in.

[“The ten-year period has ended. Shall we settle our lives and draw our talent attributes?”]

[In the room filled with the strong smell of medicine, you put down the book you were reading.]

Upon hearing the system notification, a glint of light appeared in his cloudy eyes, and he immediately chose to settle the transaction.

[Reclaiming belonging, yet still cherishing the memory; separation by life and death, a boundless sorrow; resolutely shattering the mirror, sacrificing my lifespan, I would gladly exchange this life for a new life.]

[Extracting talent attributes...]

【"Persistence" (Green)】

The long-lost green light lingered in Wen Yu's eyes. Nearly ten years of simulations had brought him life and death, separation and reunion, and severe damage to his aging body.

I can't help but feel grateful that there's a great deal of rationality to detach myself from the influence.

Otherwise, if one experience so many emotions in a single life simulation, it would be difficult to maintain self-awareness in subsequent simulations.

He turned sideways in the coffin, looking at the newly extracted talent attribute ability.

"Perseverance (youth): The time and effort you put in will surely pay off. The more you persist, the more you will be rewarded. Keep going, young man."

While the effects of cyan-level talent attributes aren't exactly overpowered, they are still quite rare.

Wen Yu noticed the word "inevitable".

Investing time and effort will inevitably yield results. Although the exact amount of the results may not be specified, the word "inevitably" can have a surprising effect under certain circumstances.

Because this is purely a mechanism.

[You have completed ten years of calculations and have drawn the "Perseverance" talent attribute.]

[Having recovered from the injuries sustained during your last breakthrough and now in a period of rest, you've decided to attempt another breakthrough.]

[In the secret chamber, you circulate the "Pure Primordial True Scripture." Having learned from your previous failure, you are not in a hurry to break through your mental perception.]

[The first realm of body tempering, nine stages, actually involves passively drawing in the energy of heaven and earth into the body during each standing meditation session, thus tempering the physique.]

Otherwise, how could one develop the strength to wield ten thousand pounds with just ordinary food?

[Completing the ninth stage of Body Tempering signifies that one's entire body is filled with the energy of heaven and earth.]

[By using the Qi-boosting technique to mobilize the body's energy, one can break through the shackles of the brain and open up spiritual perception; this is the method to break through the Qi barrier.]

The last failure stemmed from a mistake in mobilizing the body's energy, which damaged the physical constitution.

[This time, with the "Persistence" talent attribute boosting your abilities, your efforts have yielded results.]

I felt a sudden, powerful jolt in my brain, as if new senses had been unlocked, allowing me to perceive the vast and boundless energy of the universe.

[The spiritual energy of heaven and earth.]

[The shackles of the brain are broken, spiritual energy is sensed, the cultivation technique is activated, and spiritual energy is drawn into the body.]

Warm and vibrant energy seeps into the body, cleansing the physique and flowing into the dantian (lower abdomen).

You held your breath, opened your eyes, and a shimmering light flickered in your cloudy pupils.

This marks the beginning of a state of great power and prestige.

Forty years! A full forty years! Finally, I've stepped into the realm of Supreme Power!

A long-dormant surge of emotion welled up within you, almost making you want to roar to the heavens.

These past few decades have been incredibly difficult.

Aside from the time needed to recover from your severe injuries, you diligently practiced your cultivation every day, regardless of the season.

Even on the second day of the wedding, when my back and legs ached, I didn't slack off or slack off.

[Stepping into this realm of grandeur, you observe yourself and, beneath the exuberant aura, you cannot conceal the fading vitality of an aging lamp.]

"Time is running out."

You rose to your feet, wearing a long, dark blue robe.

"It's time to prepare for the final step."

This was the plan you devised from the very beginning of the simulation.

[This concerns the application of the "Never Die" gold talent attribute.]