The cold wind howled through the towering pine trees of Azure Cloud Sect, carrying with it the faint scent of spiritual herbs and the sharp, mocking laughter of young cultivators.
In the most remote corner of the outer sect's training ground, a thin young man in a tattered gray disciple robe was pressed hard against the rough stone wall. His face was pale, his lips cracked, and a bright red footprint was stamped firmly on his chest, making him cough up a mouthful of bitter blood.
This was Lin Mo, the most useless outer disciple in the entire Azure Cloud Sect.
"Trash is trash. Even after three years of cultivation, you're still stuck at the first level of Qi Refining. You're a disgrace to our sect!"
A tall, arrogant young man in a clean blue robe stood in front of him, his eyes filled with undisguised contempt. He was Zhao Hai, an outer sect disciple with decent talent, already at the fifth level of Qi Refining. He was also the one who had been bullying Lin Mo endlessly for months.
Beside Zhao Hai, two other disciples snickered, their eyes full of mockery.
"Senior Brother Zhao, why waste your breath on this good-for-nothing? He can't even absorb the tiniest bit of spiritual energy. His spiritual root is broken! He should just roll back to his mortal village and farm!"
"Yeah! The sect wastes low-grade spirit stones on him every month. It's a complete waste!"
Zhao Hai sneered, and suddenly reached out, snatching a withered spiritual grass from Lin Mo's trembling hand. It was the only spirit grass Lin Mo had managed to pick after half a day of hard work in the sect's herb garden—his only hope for barely maintaining his cultivation.
"This low-grade Spirit Gathering Grass is wasted on you," Zhao Hai said, crushing the grass into dust between his fingers without hesitation. "From today on, hand over all your monthly resources. Or I'll break your useless limbs and throw you out of the sect!"
Lin Mo's eyes trembled with anger and despair.
He had joined Azure Cloud Sect three years ago, full of hope to walk the path of immortality, to avenge his destroyed family, and to protect the people he cared about. But he was born with a broken pseudo-spiritual root, a root that could barely absorb spiritual energy. For three years, he had worked harder than anyone else, yet he remained at the first level of Qi Refining—the lowest level of cultivation.
In the world of cultivators, the strong preyed on the weak. Useless talent meant endless humiliation.
Every day, he was bullied, his resources stolen, his dignity trampled on. Just yesterday, the outer sect elder had even warned him: if he could not break through to the second level of Qi Refining within ten days, he would be expelled from the sect forever.
Expulsion meant death in the dangerous mortal world outside.
"Give… give me back my spirit grass…" Lin Mo whispered, his voice weak but full of unwillingness.
Zhao Hai's expression turned colder. He raised his foot again and kicked Lin Mo hard in the abdomen.
"Bold trash! How dare you talk back to me?!"
Boom!
Lin Mo's body flew backward like a broken sack, slamming heavily onto the stone ground. His bones ached as if they were shattering, and his vision began to blur. Blood spilled from the corner of his mouth, dyeing the gray robe dark red.
The pain was unbearable, but the despair in his heart was even worse.
Is this really the end?
Did I come to the sect just to be humiliated and then die like a dog?
I don't accept it! I absolutely don't accept it!
In his fading consciousness, Lin Mo's heart roared with endless resentment and longing. He did not want to be trash. He did not want to be bullied. He wanted power—unmatched power that could make everyone kneel before him!
At that moment—
[Ding!]
A clear, cold, mechanical sound suddenly exploded in Lin Mo's mind, echoing like thunder in the empty sky.
Lin Mo's body jolted violently. His blurred eyes suddenly widened, filled with shock and confusion.
What… what was that sound?
[Detected host's strong will to survive and pursue immortality.]
[Steady Immortal System is now activating…]
[Activation successful! Binding to host: Lin Mo.]
[Welcome to the Steady Immortal System—The safer you act, the stronger you become!]
A glowing, transparent blue panel suddenly appeared in front of Lin Mo's eyes, visible only to him.
——————————
Host: Lin Mo
Cultivation Base: 1st Level of Qi Refining (0/100)
Spiritual Root: Broken Pseudo-Spiritual Root (Can be repaired with Steady Points)
Steady Points: 0
Skills: None
System Store: Locked (Unlocked at 100 Steady Points)
Current Status: Seriously Injured
——————————
System?!
Lin Mo's heart trembled violently, and an unprecedented ecstasy flooded his entire body.
As a disciple of the cultivation sect, he had heard legends of heavenly treasures and mysterious opportunities. But he never imagined that he would obtain such an incredible thing—a system that could help him cultivate!
The Steady Immortal System… The safer I act, the stronger I become?
Before Lin Mo could fully digest the information, the cold system voice sounded again.
[First Mission Triggered: Survive and Remain Steady]
Mission Content: Do not fight back against Zhao Hai's provocation. Endure the humiliation and leave quietly. Do not reveal any abnormal strength.]
Mission Reward: 100 Steady Points, Instant Healing, Direct Breakthrough to 3rd Level of Qi Refining, Basic Body-Tempering Technique.]
Failure Punishment: System self-destructs, host dies immediately.]
Lin Mo's pupils contracted sharply.
Fight back? He wanted nothing more than to jump up and tear Zhao Hai into pieces right now. But the system's failure punishment was death—he could not afford to gamble.
More importantly, the mission reward was too tempting: healing, breakthrough, and a real cultivation technique!
This was his only chance to change his fate.
Taking a deep breath, Lin Mo forcibly suppressed the boiling killing intent in his heart. He lowered his head, his body trembling slightly as if he was scared out of his wits. He looked even more weak and useless than before.
This sudden change made Zhao Hai and the other two disciples pause slightly.
"Hmph, you're smart enough to know fear," Zhao Hai said with a cold snort, thinking that Lin Mo had finally been scared into submission. "Get out of my sight! If I see you again today, I'll break your other leg!"
Lin Mo did not say a word. He struggled to stand up, his body staggering, and limped away from the training ground without looking back.
His back looked miserable and pathetic, as if he had completely given up resistance.
No one saw that under his lowered eyelids, a pair of dark, deep eyes had already lost all timidity. Instead, they were filled with cold determination and a faint, terrifying light.
Zhao Hai, all of you who humiliated me…
Just wait.
Today's shame, I will repay it a hundredfold, a thousandfold in the future.
But not now.
I must be steady.
I must hide.
I must become strong silently.
This is the rule of the Steady Immortal System.
This is my path to immortality.
As Lin Mo slowly disappeared into the distance, the mocking laughter behind him gradually faded away.
And in his mind, the system's clear voice sounded again.
[Mission Completed!]
[Rewards are now being distributed…]
Warm, pure spiritual energy suddenly flooded every corner of Lin Mo's body, instantly repairing all his injuries. The broken bones, the cracked meridians, and the exhausted spirit—all recovered in an instant!
At the same time, his cultivation base, which had been stuck for three years, suddenly soared!
1st Level of Qi Refining…
2nd Level of Qi Refining…
3rd Level of Qi Refining!
A powerful, long-lost feeling of strength surged through his body.
Lin Mo stopped in his tracks, clenching his fists tightly. A faint smile finally appeared on his pale face.
From this day forward,
The trash disciple of Azure Cloud Sect is dead.
A silent, steady, and invincible immortal is about to rise!
[To be continued]