Chapter 1: Fairy, Please Stay!

"Sigh, whatever, I'll just go for it—what's a bit of shame compared to the path of cultivation when you have no resources!"

In the bustling Qingshan Market, Cao Xuan stood on the crowded street, his face twisted with indecision.

Cao Xuan had once been a model nine-to-nine office worker in his previous life. Overtime until the early hours, he was hit by a dump truck, only to wake up in the world of cultivation.

…

In the blink of an eye, two and a half years had passed since Cao Xuan transmigrated to the cultivation realm.

He had thought, being a transmigrator, perhaps he was a natural-born talent for cultivation. Yet after all his efforts, he barely managed to break through to the third level of Qi Refining—a low-tier cultivator at best.

Three days earlier, in the Transmission Hall of Azure Cloud Sect.

“Cao Xuan, there is a rule in Azure Cloud Sect: if you do not reach the fourth level of Qi Refining within three years, you will be expelled from the sect. Take care of yourself!”

The cold words of the Transmission Hall Protector made it clear—cultivation sects were no iron rice bowl. There was always a culling.

“Damn it, with my talent and no resources, even if I never do sect tasks and just cultivate in seclusion every day, I still couldn’t break through to the fourth level within half a year!” Cao Xuan felt a wave of despair. The Cao family he was born into was a family of mortals established by former outer disciples of Azure Cloud Sect after they left the sect.

Usually, they did errands and menial tasks for the sect. As a concubine’s son of the third branch, if not for being the only one of his generation with spiritual roots, he wouldn’t even have qualified as an outer disciple.

“After living another lifetime, I’ve heard that in this world, people can ascend as immortals and shatter the void!”

“Eternal life, traveling the world—how intoxicating that must be!”

Cao Xuan clenched his fists. As someone from Blue Star, becoming a cultivator was already thrilling enough. Now, unable to soar through the skies or traverse the earth, if he were to leave Azure Cloud Sect and return to a mortal life, his path of cultivation severed, how could he accept that?

So he came to Qingshan Market, planning to use his last ten low-grade spirit stones to buy some pills for cultivation.

It was his last-ditch effort; there were still six months left. He couldn’t give up just yet.

Just as he was about to step into the market, his mind suddenly buzzed.

[Ding~ Energy charged. Simp System activating!]

Cao Xuan: ???

“Come on, man!”

Tears welled up in Cao Xuan’s eyes. “So that’s why my spiritual energy always felt a bit off these years. Turns out you’ve been taking a cut!”

He thought, with his four-forged spiritual roots, being accepted as an outer disciple was a stretch, but with three years, he should’ve managed to reach the fourth level and enter the inner ranks. Yet, two and a half years had passed, and he’d barely made it to the third. Half a year wouldn’t be nearly enough to break through again.

The Transmission Hall Protector’s warning was a clear sign: seeing he’d only just broken through, they knew he’d never reach the next stage in time. There were others with similar roots in the outer sect—most of them were already at the late or peak stages of the third level. They might not make it either, but they at least had a chance.

The real message was for him to take the hint and leave early.

Of course, if he insisted on staying, the sect wouldn’t mind letting him linger another six months.

“So, System, what can you do for me?” Cao Xuan mused. Thirty years by the river east, thirty years by the river west—his “Old Medicine Master” had awakened, and it was time to turn the tables. But this so-called [Simp System] made him a little uneasy.

[Ding~ This system is the Simp System, designed to help the host become a qualified simp.]

[As long as the host meets a female cultivator who fulfills the criteria and presents her with a gift, he will receive a corresponding multiplier in rewards, to better serve the female cultivator.]

[The multiplier depends on the specific qualities of the recipient.]

Cao Xuan’s eyes lit up. The system was straightforward: give gifts, get rewards. In the world of cultivation, talent was important, but with enough resources, even that Han fellow became a Celestial Sovereign.

“So it’s an investment rebate system! You should’ve just said so!”

As for the “Simp System” part, Cao Xuan simply overlooked it.

Hadn’t someone in his previous life said, “If you simp for one, you’re a simp; if you simp for a crowd, you’re a wolf warrior!”

If he simped for enough people, who would dare call him a simp?

“Investment returns aren’t simping!”

And so, we arrive at Qingshan Market.

Cao Xuan, who had intended to buy pills, now found himself sizing up suitable female cultivators to “invest” in.

His bold gazes drew unease from those around him. After all, this was a cultivators’ market—not some place for mortal playboys to ogle women.

“One times the return? Too low, they’re just trying to send me away.”

“Damn, this one gets three times? Maybe she’s a real firecracker. Three times seems fair enough!”

“Four times, decent looks but missing something…”

…

As he made his internal assessments, suddenly his eyes lit up. With two quick strides, he hurried forward.

Approaching him was a female cultivator clad in a simple azure dress, long hair cascading over her shoulders. Her hands, fair as jade, wore a bangle; at her waist hung a sachet with a branch of fragrant flowers. She exuded a faint, cool aloofness, standing out among the crowd.

Cao Xuan had seen countless streamers in his previous life, filters or not, he’d grown numb to beauty. But this woman instantly caught his eye.

Since the system wanted him to “invest” in a female cultivator, he might as well choose one pleasing to the eye. Who knew—perhaps there would even be a romance in the future.

Unfortunately, he only had ten low-grade spirit stones left. He’d have to think carefully.

With six months left and his poor aptitude, without resources, he’d have to bid Azure Cloud Sect farewell.

Only by breaking through the fourth level in the three-year assessment could he hope to rise higher.

Cao Xuan knew well—no matter the world, connections matter. Azure Cloud Sect was that circle. Even if he wanted to lie low, he first had to stay in the sect.

These ten spirit stones were capital it would take his entire family a year to earn—trading gold for spirit stones was a one-in-a-thousand deal.

But in the sect, a month’s hard work could earn him ten.

Now, these ten spirit stones were his “startup capital.” With the “Investment Return System,” he would amass resources, marry a beautiful, rich, and talented cultivator, and ascend to the pinnacle of cultivation.

With that thought, determination flashed in his eyes.

In the bustling market, he stepped in front of the female cultivator.

She paused, glanced up at Cao Xuan, saw she didn’t know him, then stepped right to pass by.

Cao Xuan blocked her again. As they met each other’s gaze, he blurted out,

“Um… Excuse me, Fairy, please wait!”