The next morning, as the first rays of sunlight filtered through the window, Rajan blinked awake. A translucent blue screen appeared before him.
> Daily Mission:
1. Hold Horse Stance for 20 minutes (Proper posture mandatory — time won't count otherwise)
2. Sit in static posture under direct moonlight or sunlight, maintain steady breath and closed eyes for 1 hour
3. Remain completely silent for 15 minutes, observing the nature and environment around you
Rajan rubbed his eyes, letting a grin stretch across his face.
"Well, looks like my mission arrived. Hmm... not as hard as I thought," he chuckled.
"But I won't just complete them. I'll outdo them."
He first began with his usual routine—110 push-ups and pull-ups. It burned his muscles, but he pushed through with practiced effort. Then came the Horse Stance. He dropped into position, legs wide, knees bent, arms extended forward.
Seconds passed like minutes.
Minutes felt like hours.
But he persisted.
His thighs trembled, sweat poured down his forehead, and sharp pain stabbed through his legs. Yet, he clenched his teeth and maintained perfect posture, refusing to let it falter even for a second.
After pushing far beyond the required twenty minutes, he collapsed briefly, panting, before moving on.
---
Now came the task of silence.
He sat cross-legged beneath a tree, letting the world around him wash over his senses. No words, no thoughts—only awareness.
At first, the stillness was eerie. But soon, he heard it all—
The gentle chirping of birds.
The rhythmic sound of wind through the leaves.
A distant trickle of water.
A leaf falling.
His own heartbeat.
Time felt... stretched.
He thought he had sat for over an hour.
But when he finally opened his eyes, only thirty minutes had passed.
---
Still, he moved on to the final task—meditation under direct sunlight.
He removed his upper robe, allowing the morning light to touch his skin. Sitting still, his back straight and posture calm, he began to breathe in rhythm.
Inhale…
Exhale…
Guide the warmth of the sun through the flow of his breath.
Through his chest. Down his spine. Out through his limbs.
He imagined golden light flowing through his body.
Energy pooling deep within, resonating gently with every cell.
Though it felt like hours, only one had passed.
He had completed the mission—and more.
---
Suddenly, a ding echoed in his mind.
> Detected that the Daily Mission has been Completed.
System has opened the privilege to see the cultivation progress of the Cultivation Realm.
Rajan's eyes widened.
"Wait—cultivation progress? I can actually see it?"
Excited, he looked at the screen and shouted,
"System! I want to see my cultivation progress!"
> Fetching Current Cultivation Progress…