Chapter 2: Idle Cultivation While Chopping Wood
The Cangxuan Sect was a thousand miles away from the transmigration point. Elder Xuanqing summoned his flying sword, taking a few people on each sword as they traveled through the air.
Lin Luo was assigned to Xuanqing's own sword. The sword was about three feet wide, easily accommodating three or four people. Zhao Tian stood at the very front, his clothes billowing, his long hair flowing, looking every bit the protagonist of a xianxia drama. Su Xiaoxiao stood in the middle, the wind catching her long hair and revealing her delicate profile.
Lin Luo crouched at the very back.
More precisely, he was squatting at the tail end of the sword, gripping the blade with both hands like a sloth hanging from a branch. The wind roared past his ears, mountains and rivers blurred beneath them, and he squinted as if suffering from sword-sickness.
"Lin Luo, you okay?" Wang Hao, standing on a broader flying sword beside him, had a face pale with nervousness but was still trying hard to keep his balance.
"I'm fine." Lin Luo's voice was muffled. "Just a bit sleepy."
"Didn't you sleep all night?"
"I don't sleep well in new places."
"...You can have trouble sleeping even on a barren mountain?"
Lin Luo didn't reply.
He hadn't actually slept. Or rather, his body was sleeping, but his consciousness was on his phone.
The phone was hidden up his sleeve, screen brightness turned down to the minimum, visible only to himself. On the game interface, the chibi figure was still quietly meditating, the progress bar above its head having reached the three-quarter mark.
[Idle Cultivation in progress… Time until breakthrough to Qi Refining Stage, Layer 2: 1 hour 12 minutes]
Lin Luo glanced at it, stuffed the phone back, and continued crouching.
On the sword ahead, Elder Xuanqing was speaking to Zhao Tian with a face full of affection: "Zhao Tian, your talent is peerless, but do not become arrogant. The path of immortal cultivation values a solid foundation above all. Once we reach the sect, this old man will personally explain the cultivation techniques to you—"
"Thank you, Elder." Zhao Tian nodded slightly, his gaze sweeping back to Lin Luo crouching at the sword's tail. He frowned briefly.
He seemed about to say something, but ultimately just shook his head and turned back.
Su Xiaoxiao was also looking at Lin Luo. Standing in the middle of the sword, the wind blowing her long hair, her expression was thoughtful. Her best friend beside her nudged her: "Xiaoxiao, what are you looking at?"
"Nothing." Su Xiaoxiao withdrew her gaze.
But the strange feeling in her heart grew stronger.
Lin Luo was too calm.
Fifty-two classmates transmigrated to a completely unfamiliar world, told they could cultivate immortality—some were excited, some nervous, some scared, some ambitious. Only Lin Luo, from start to finish, showed no emotional fluctuation.
It was as if… he had known this would happen.
Or maybe, he knew something others didn't.
They arrived at the Cangxuan Sect.
Lin Luo's legs were a bit weak when he jumped off the flying sword. Not from a fear of heights, but from crouching too long.
Before him was a massive mountain gate, two stone pillars soaring into the clouds, engraved with the characters "Cang Xuan" in bold, vigorous strokes, faint golden light shimmering around them. Behind the gate stretched a continuous complex of buildings—pavilions, towers, winding corridors—and amid the swirling mist, figures could be vaguely seen practicing swordsmanship, meditating, or refining elixirs.
"Impressive, right?" Wang Hao sidled up, eyes sparkling. "This is where we'll be cultivating immortality!"
"Yeah." Lin Luo nodded, pulling out his phone to check.
[Time until breakthrough to Qi Refining Stage, Layer 2: 8 minutes]
He silently stuffed it back.
A row of people already stood before the mountain gate—elders and deacons of the Cangxuan Sect. At the front was a middle-aged man in a purple robe, his demeanor refined and elegant, but his eyes sharp as knives.
"Sect Leader." Xuanqing stepped forward, respectfully bowing. "This batch from the mortal realm consists of fifty-two individuals, with excellent aptitude. Among them, one possesses a Heavenly Spiritual Root and Innate Sword Body, one has an Ancient War Physique, one has a Heavenly Phoenix Bloodline…"
As he introduced each one, the purple-robed man's eyes brightened progressively. When he heard "Heavenly Spiritual Root + Innate Sword Body," he stood up abruptly.
"Where?"
Zhao Tian stepped forward, bowing with neither arrogance nor subservience: "Junior Zhao Tian greets the Sect Leader."
The purple-robed man—Lu Yuan, Sect Leader of the Cangxuan Sect—studied him for three seconds, then burst into laughter: "Good! Good! Good!" He said "good" three times in a row. "Heavenly Spiritual Root, Innate Sword Body—a rare find in a millennium! From today onward, you are my personal disciple!"
A murmur rippled through the crowd.
Personal disciple—a position taught directly by the Sect Leader. While other disciples worried about entering the inner or outer courts, Zhao Tian had leaped straight to the top.
Zhao Tian's expression remained calm as he bowed again: "Thank you, Sect Leader."
Next came the allocation process.
Zhang Wei, with his Ancient War Physique, was claimed by the War Hall Elder. Su Xiaoxiao, with her Heavenly Phoenix Bloodline, was taken by the Peak Master of the Pill Peak. Chen Yutong, with her photographic memory, was taken by the Array Hall. Wang Hao, with his Glutton's Stomach, was spotted by the Head of the Dining Hall—"Give this kid to me, I'll make sure he's well-fed and plump!"
One by one, everyone was assigned to a suitable place.
Finally, only Lin Luo remained.
"What about this one?" Lu Yuan glanced at Lin Luo.
Xuanqing sighed: "A mortal. No spiritual root. Below standard."
A brief silence fell before the mountain gate.
Lu Yuan's expression shifted from anticipation to disappointment. He waved his hand dismissively. "Send him to the Chores Hall."
"Yes, sir." A middle-aged man in a gray robe stepped forward, glancing at Lin Luo with a blank expression. "Follow me."
Lin Luo followed the gray-robed man.
Behind him, whispers arose—
"That's so rough. He's the only one from the whole class going to the Chores Hall."
"A mortal, not even a spiritual root. Just surviving is an achievement."
"If I were him, I'd have lost it."
"But his mentality is surprisingly good. He's been squatting and sleeping the whole time."
Lin Luo didn't look back.
His phone buzzed in his pocket.
[Idle Cultivation complete! Breakthrough successful!]
[Current cultivation: Qi Refining Stage, Layer 2]
A warm current surged from his chest, spreading through his body. It was faint, but definitely there. Lin Luo felt himself grow a bit stronger, his reactions a bit quicker, even his breathing felt smoother.
He glanced at the game interface—
[Character: Lin Luo (Player)]
[Cultivation: Qi Refining Stage, Layer 2 ↑]
[Attack Power: 5 → 12]
[Defense Power: 3 → 8]
[HP: 100 → 150]
[Spirit Stones: 0]
[Idle cultivation automatically started. Time until breakthrough to Qi Refining Stage, Layer 3: 12 hours]
The corner of Lin Luo's mouth quirked up briefly before he suppressed it.
The Chores Hall was located on the backside of the mountain gate, in a corner that never saw sunlight. The courtyard wasn't large, piled high with firewood, water vats, and various odds and ends. A dozen or so disciples in gray robes were busy working. They looked up when they saw the gray-robed man bringing in a newcomer.
"A new arrival." The gray-robed man pointed to a pile of firewood in the corner of the yard. "Chop three hundred catties of wood daily, carry fifty buckets of water, sweep the yard three times. No work, no food. The living quarters are in the back. Find an empty one yourself."
With that, he left.
A dozen or so Chores Hall disciples stared at Lin Luo, their expressions a mix of curiosity and sympathy.
"Another poor soul."
"He looks new. A fresh disciple?"
"What fresh disciple? Just a worthless mortal with no spiritual root, can only come here."
"Tsk, tsk. Poor guy."
A tall, burly Chores Hall disciple stepped out, looking Lin Luo up and down. "Hey, newcomer, what's your name?"
"Lin Luo."
"I'm Ma Biao, the head here." He pointed toward the woodshed. "Today's wood isn't chopped yet. You go do it."
Someone nearby whispered, "Brother Ma, that pile is a three-person day's workload…"
Ma Biao shot a glare, and the speaker immediately fell silent.
Lin Luo looked at the woodshed—a pile of wood stacked like a small mountain, an axe tossed aside.
He walked over and picked up the axe.
It was heavier than he expected, but for a body at Qi Refining Stage, Layer 2, it wasn't much. He raised the axe and swung.
Crack.
The wood split cleanly.
Ma Biao snorted. "Not bad. Keep going."
Lin Luo continued. One axe swing per log, neither fast nor slow, a steady rhythm.
But one of his hands remained in his pocket, fingers touching his phone.
On the phone screen, the chibi figure sat in automatic meditation. The progress bar inched forward second by second.
Chopping wood while idling. Carrying water while idling. Sweeping the yard while idling.
Others cultivated; he idled.
Others meditated; he idled.
Others sparred; he idled.
But in the game, his cultivation rose layer by layer.
By evening, Lin Luo sat at the woodshed entrance and checked his phone.
[Time until breakthrough to Qi Refining Stage, Layer 3: 8 hours]
He checked his Spirit Stones balance: 0.
He opened the Shop: [Disguise Talisman: 100 Spirit Stones].
He tapped the ad button: [Watch ad, get 10 Spirit Stones. 30 seconds.]
Lin Luo looked around. The Chores Hall disciples had gone to eat; the courtyard was empty.
He tapped the ad.
A video popped up—a promotion for an immortal cultivation game: "One slash, 999 damage! Equipment drops everywhere!"
Lin Luo watched the 30 seconds with a blank expression.
[Spirit Stones +10.]
He tapped again.
Another ad. This time, a catchy brainwashing tune.
30 seconds.
[Spirit Stones +10.]
He continued. Facial cleanser ads, immortal cultivation novel promotions, cultivation mobile games, cultivation courses, cultivation…
When the tenth ad ended—
[Spirit Stones: 100.]
[Purchase Disguise Talisman?]
[Yes / No]
Lin Luo tapped [Yes].
[Disguise Talisman purchased. Upon use, disguises cultivation aura. Customizable display level.]
Lin Luo thought for a moment and set the displayed level to: Qi Refining Stage, Layer 1.
An invisible force enveloped him and then dissipated. He felt his aura covered by a thin membrane, like being veiled by gauze.
He stood up and tried circulating the spiritual energy within him—the Qi Refining Stage, Layer 2 energy flowed through his meridians, but from the outside, it felt like Qi Refining Stage, Layer 1.
Perfect.
Lin Luo stuffed the phone back in his pocket and headed to the dining hall.
At the dining hall, Zhao Tian sat at the front, surrounded by a group of new disciples seeking cultivation advice. Su Xiaoxiao ate quietly in a corner, though boys constantly pretended to walk past her. Wang Hao had five bowls stacked before him, devouring food like a madman.
Lin Luo found a corner with his bowl and sat down.
No one noticed him.
He ate in silence, the phone in his pocket idling quietly.
[Idle Cultivation in progress… Time until breakthrough to Qi Refining Stage, Layer 3: 7 hours 42 minutes]
That night, Lin Luo lay on the hard plank bed in the Chores Hall, staring at his phone screen.
[Time until breakthrough to Qi Refining Stage, Layer 3: 15 minutes]
He turned over, pulling the blanket over his head. The faint glow of the phone screen lit up the space under the covers.
[10 minutes.]
[5 minutes.]
[1 minute.]
[Idle Cultivation complete! Breakthrough successful!]
[Current cultivation: Qi Refining Stage, Layer 3]
A surge of warmth, stronger than before, flooded his body. Lin Luo felt a faint itch in his bones, his muscles tightening, even his vision sharpening slightly.
He tapped open the status panel—
[Character: Lin Luo (Player)]
[Cultivation: Qi Refining Stage, Layer 3 ↑]
[Attack Power: 12 → 25]
[Defense Power: 8 → 18]
[HP: 150 → 220]
[Spirit Stones: 0]
[Idle cultivation automatically started. Time until breakthrough to Qi Refining Stage, Layer 4: 24 hours]
Lin Luo stared at "24 hours" for a few seconds.
The breakthrough time was doubling. From Layer 1 to Layer 2 took 6 hours, Layer 2 to Layer 3 took 12 hours, Layer 3 to Layer 4 would take 24 hours. Following this pattern, Layer 4 to Layer 5 would take two days, Layer 5 to Layer 6 four days…
But this also meant that without doing anything, just sleeping, he could keep breaking through.
Meanwhile, his classmates meditating in cultivation chambers might still be struggling at Qi Refining Stage, Layer 1 after three days.
Lin Luo turned off his phone and closed his eyes.
A smile on his lips, he fell asleep.
---
(End of Chapter 2)
Current Status
Cultivation: Qi Refining Stage 3
Auto-Cultivation: In Progress (Time until Breakthrough to Qi Refining Stage 4: 24h)
Attack: 25
Defense: 18
HP: 220/220
Spirit Stones: 0
Disguise Talisman: Active (Displayed Stage: Qi Refining Stage 1)
Resurrection Cost: 1 Spirit Stone / use