How to Cultivate a Game

"Quintessence was filled with mystery. It could replicate resurrection, allowed me amazing powers with a thought, and also somehow manifested my dream of creating a game… At the rate I was going, it was only a matter of time until I turned the whole world into a game... which sounded anarchistic."

Saying these words, I thought to myself that my System was too much. It was too OP! 

But I must not get too full of myself. I have to be humble. There was the Heaven's Game, the mystery of quintessence, and the many secrets the cultivation world was hiding.

After a long time of idle thinking, I decided that I had to do something. I pushed the many curious thoughts in my mind deep into the rabbit hole, "It was time I take it up a notch and invest."

I was not counting the days, but definitely, almost two months have passed. With 4 quintessence a day, my balance easily reached a new all-time high.

[Name: Fu Shi

Quintessence: 249

Players: 4/10]

I felt the need to capitalize on my player population. I had to be wise in choosing my players since the slots were limited. Preferably, I wanted someone good in combat who could give me extra quintessence through their own hunting.

But as I said, I just could not leave my cave. I have the responsibility of respawning my players. I was not keen on stopping them from dying (for now), since that would be detrimental to their growth.

Nee Chen in particular was speedily approaching Bi Yuan's level because of his faith in the system's resurrection.

"How could I go on my recruitment campaign?"

Maybe if I were a baldy psychic telepath with a Cerebro, I could recruit the people I needed for my player empire. I rejected my wishful thinking immediately. Using my mind directly to contact recruits was very dangerous considering the mysterious means of cultivators.

I brainstormed inwardly and narrowed my options.

That left me with two choices— it was either I create a clone-ability through the system or build a puppet that could represent me. Through my System, I should be able to create a clone ability. Similarly, with my quintessence, I could just elevate the 'worth' of raw materials, and through my system, edit a Game Avatar through a puppet.

Since special abilities were more costly and most often had restrictions, I'd like to have a puppet instead. The idea of having a new superpower was enticing, but performance-wise, it would pale in comparison to a puppet.

I recalled my Light Saber. It was only recently that I have experimented with it. Though I only spent 20 quintessence on that thing, I felt that its worth was at least 40 quintessence.

I thought it was because of the materials I used— which was the lightning rod that was originally a rare metal essence that was then imbued with the pure lightning tribulation energy… It was a monstrously incredible raw material just by the lightning tribulation energy alone.

Then, as a result, the final product ended like that—an overpowered sci-fi Light Saber.

Simply put, I could save my quintessence points if I had the suitable materials. Instead of creating a superpower through the system, It was better to create an item. I tested my item creation ability by refining Nee Chen's sword. I also refined a few pills and medicines that were empowered by quintessence.

I recalled Nee Chen who was clearly reluctant when I told him that I wanted to refine his sword. Only through my eloquence did I convince the guy. The end result didn't fall behind my expectations. And then I recalled Bi Yuan who was very reluctant to eat my pills... I kind of had to forcibly push the pills into the little bunny's throat.

I exited my meditative state and returned to the further insides of my Cave Abode where most of my treasures were hidden. My cave abode was simplistic. It was literally just the inside of a cave randomly decorated with plain furniture and random spatial chests.

"Hmmm… Where was it? If I remembered correctly, it was supposed to be here…" Just beside the chest where my treasures were stashed, was a bigger chest filled with various rare materials. "I was excited; it was like creating a game avatar."

To create an avatar, I would first need a blueprint. For now, I wouldn't bother myself with the outer appearance. I used my Mind's Eyes to refer to my own insides as a basis. I saw my own skeleton, the blood vessels, my inside organs, and everything!

With a floating quill using my telekinesis, I started drawing on the parchment. As a Game Designer, I prided myself on creating art resources. That was why I was pretty confident in my drawing skills.

What I was doing however was not simply art, but was closer to science. Specifically, this was the world's counterpart of robot building. I was technically using most of old Fu Chi's cultivation knowledge on drawing in the blueprint.

"Hmmm... Not bad."

 

Dragon Bones, Kirin's Eyes, Songful Pearl, Phoenix Ash, Stardust, Ether Steel, and Shadow Fog…

These were all top-grade treasures that even Perfect Immortals would covet. With these treasures, it should work. Worst case scenario, the cost would go up in proportion to how luxurious the materials were…

But meh…

It would be fine. I felt that quintessence was more of a catalyst, an immaculate driving force of the universe, and it was the system that was doing all the work. This made quintessence a non-sentient force giving me all the confidence I needed that it was close to impossible for freaky shitty accidents to happen unlike what occurred in the plots of mad scientists giving life to their own creation.

Totally normal.

The system? Convenient!

Quintessence? Powerful!

Now, the question was… should I make it into a male or a female?

I always had a penchant for Western fantasy. It was my bad luck I got transmigrated into this cultivation world, but anyway~

An edgy knight in black armor sounded great to me. But I was tempted… If it were a blondie in a Victorian dress, wouldn't that be nice eye candy? Ugh… Somehow, I felt disgusted at myself. I would be controlling the puppet avatar as if it were another body after all… And it is clear as day, I was not keen on trying a gender-bender ride…

But if it were back in my past life, I would definitely not have second thoughts if I wanted my avatar to be a female. Wait, wasn't that a kind of gender-bender ride of its own?

Aaaargh! Enough with the weird thoughts!!

I would just have a handsome baldy! I could think of what to role-play later.

I arranged my materials according to their weight. The system would take care of the rest.

Ping! -180 quintessence.