Simulated immortality allows me to calculate talent stats.

Xu Kun held his head high with pride, his tail wagging even more enthusiastically, as if seeking praise.

The hand that was about to slap you gently fell, stroking your fluffy head.

[His eyes held a hint of doubt.]

"Chen Chao has no cultivation? How could he have no cultivation?"

[Xu Kun shook his head, escaping your clutches.]

[The two front paws are spread out in a human-like manner.]

"Meow~ I don't know either."

[If your shattered eyes could pierce through space, you would witness the diligently performing duties of the Yangzhou Prefect at the head of his office.]

[Her appearance is not much different from what I saw in the last simulation.]

[Though their cultivation levels and auras differed, they were like two completely different people.]

Chen Chao, clad in golden armor, scaled the high walls of Yangzhou and launched a rebellion.

[They have already entered the realm of celestial beings.]

[Later, when you met him and Xiang Che at the Shuzhou pass, you broke free from the shackles of heaven and earth and entered the Eighth Realm of Breaking Through the Void.]

If things had continued as they were, he would only be a few years away from rebelling.

How could someone rise from an ordinary person with no cultivation to a celestial being in just a few years?

[Later, he even rivaled Xiang Che, reaching the eighth realm of Void Breakthrough?]

If such a terrifying talent truly exists.

[He has probably long since become like another old Taoist priest, breaking free from the constraints of the cultivation system and forging his own unique path.]

[Don't even mention becoming a pawn of the Holy Sect.]

Even the most powerful monks had to turn around and depend on him.

Your thoughts raced, and you quickly found the key point.

[The rule that celestial beings cannot remain in the mortal realm is the rule of the tripartite division of power between human and celestial beings, but there are different ways to temporarily escape this rule.]

[Fortune, destiny, fate, and items that possess a certain status.]

[As in the previous simulation, Pang Hai and Xu Hui initially relied on the calamities of war to attain a state of transcendence and remain in the mortal realm.]

[Later, the state of Chu was established, thus avoiding the calamities of war.]

[Then they turned to relying on luck.]

[Because the two inherited the tomb of the God of War, they belonged to the pinnacle of existence among celestial beings, and the Chu Kingdom's fortune could not support them.]

This allowed Xu Hui to comprehend the purity of a clear mirror, and to entrust the shackles of his mind to the heavens.

[Suppressing his cultivation level to the half-step Celestial Realm.]

This also sowed the seeds for the later onset of inner demons and the eventual downfall of the Chu Kingdom.

[Like Wei Zhi, who relies on the fate of being a femme fatale, but clearly, this fate is frighteningly tainted and terrifyingly powerful, and also has great limitations.]

[So you're guessing why Wei Zhi is so deeply involved with the Great Cang royal family.]

Even when a situation was created for her that could have shaken the imperial power, she remained unmoved and resisted the temptation of imperial authority.

As for items that possess a position.

[That is the Sword of Destiny, inlaid with fragments of the Emperor's Jade Seal.]

[Xiang Che relied on his remaining existence to later possess the fortunes of the Qi state.]

[And Chen Chao was reckless...]

Your first encounter with him was during the fierce battle of Xiangyang. At that time, your perspective was limited, and you had not yet obtained the Eye of the Broken Mirror.

Therefore, no unusual phenomena can be observed.

By the time of the second tripartite meeting, you had already grasped the essence of "Predicting the Enemy" and possessed the ability to see through illusions.

Therefore, he noticed the arrogant dragon-python phenomenon.

It's not simply about fate or destiny.

[Instead, it possesses both qualities, and uses the destiny of the Wu Kingdom as its vehicle to present the astonishing phenomenon of a dragon and python devouring everything.]

[Chen Chao's current state.]

[He has no destiny, no fixed fate, and his luck is all dependent on his status as governor, belonging to the Great Cang Dynasty.]

[They don't even have any cultivation level.]

[In the next few short years, they will be able to ascend to the realm of celestial beings, and later even integrate destiny, fate, and fortune.]

Such an unconventional style of doing things.

[It immediately reminds you of one person.]

[Your newly recognized senior sister, Yu Ji.]

Given this research fanatic's personality and keen intellect, it doesn't seem so inconceivable that he could find forbidden methods to achieve this plan.

There is another important factor, in particular.

That is the cooperation with the Western Regions, and the foundation of the late emperor that Yin Qian controls.

[Xu Kun noticed the familiar glint in your eyes and knew you had organized the clues.]

"Meow~, big brother, how about we get our hands on it and start examining it?"

His eyes glowed a deep green, and he could see that while the state's defenses could briefly resist the celestial beings, they would find it difficult to prevent his infiltration.

【"No."】

You shook your head, grabbed him by the back of the neck, and gracefully rose, leaving the prefectural area.

"Meow? Big brother, are we leaving already? Aren't we going to continue our research and delve deeper into the secrets of the Demonic Sect?"

You gently pat his head.

"What demonic sect? It's the Holy Sect!"

【"Meow~ Meow? Meow!"】

Xu Kun immediately realized what significant thing you had accomplished while he was away.

"Meow! Big brother, what have you done again! Tell me quickly!"

You stopped at the top floor of a pavilion, released him to the ground, his black robe fluttering, and stood with his hands behind his back.

"Now standing before you is..."

"It is Zhenwu Mountain, the Celestial Master's Mansion, a direct disciple of the Celestial Master, and a contemporary Daoist successor."

Xu Kun shook his head in confusion; he knew that.

【"as well as……"】

【"Meow!?"】

Upon hearing there was more to come, Xu Kun's cat ears perked up.

"Junior brother of the Holy Sect Master, Executive Vice Sect Master of the Holy Sect, in charge of the Heavenly Sacrifice, his power is equal to that of the Sect Master."

Xu Kun's eerie green eyes gradually widened, finally staring wide open.

[“The Demonic Sect Master’s junior brother? The Demonic Sect’s deputy sect leader? Meow? Big brother, are you serious?”]

You gently kick his chubby butt.

"It's the Holy Ancestor! You need to correct your biased views and stereotypes from now on."

【"Meow~~~"】

[Xu Kun's drawn-out meow sound still showed disbelief.]

"Meow~ Big brother, kick me again, let's see if I'm dreaming."

You comply with his request and launch a flying kick.

The black cat, almost as fat as a ball, traced a perfect arc and disappeared into the horizon.

A faint "Meow! It's real..." can be heard from the sky, gradually fading into the distance.

You stand silently on the rooftop, waiting a moment.

Xu Kun ran back quickly, then stopped abruptly, head held high.

"Meow! Big brother, from now on, the Demon...Holy Sect! Aren't we in charge! Doing whatever we want! We can do whatever we want!"

"It should be... about right..."

You're not entirely sure.

[You have a lot of authority, but the project that senior student is researching also makes you anxious.]

With her undisguised 'betrayal of her master' gaze, you truly couldn't predict what this senior sister would do.

"Let's leave things at that for now with the Holy Sect. I have something I need your help with testing, and I also need to clarify something."

Xu Kun's eyes were filled with admiration and trust.

Whatever you say, he just nods and meows.

[Back at the inn where we stayed.]

[Having been persuaded by her more open-minded future self, the young woman Shang Qingdai had composed herself and began to peruse ancient texts on divination and numerology.]

You gracefully landed inside the house.

"I have a question for you."

["After Gong Si took over as the sect leader of the Holy Sect, where did your master go?"]