The Xingyun Sect teetered on a misty hill in Qingdong Village, a sleepy nook in the Canglong Empire. Its main hall, a wobbly pavilion with chipped paint and star-cloud carvings gnawed by termites, looked ready to collapse at a sneeze. Yet, under Liang Feng, the Xingjun Laoshi (Star Lord Teacher), this ramshackle sect was a Qingtian Continent hit. Disciples trekked from afar to hear him liken qi to noodle soup, his Core Formation aura hiding his chaos. At 35, his starry robes were wrinkled—ironing was for suckers—and his hair a messy bun, strands stuck to his sweaty brow.
Once, he was Frank Liang, a 40-year-old Chicago IT guy who died mid-Zoom, cursing 60-hour weeks. "Next life, I nap forever," he'd grumbled. The universe laughed. A robotic voice boomed: "Reincarnation activated. Host: Frank Liang. Binding Disciple System. Objective: Live easy, build a family, teach disciples. Perk: 10,000x cashback for 90+ favorability favors. First gift: Xinglu Pendant. Welcome to Qingtian Continent."
Now, Liang Feng led Xingyun Sect by fluke, after a qi mishap wowed elders. The Xinglu Pendant, a silver coin with twinkling constellations, let him zip to Earth, where he visited wife Mei Hua and kids Lily and Tim in Chicago. There, he spun "fantasy novel" tales—last week, Lily asked, "Dad, does your hero fight dragons?" He winked, "Only if they nap too." Mei Hua rolled her eyes, suspicious.
Today, Qingdong glowed in golden sun, air heavy with lotus and rice. Liang Feng lounged in a bamboo chair, sipping spirit tea tasting like instant coffee. The Xinglu Pendant hummed, his ticket to Earth naps. He planned to marry Mei Hua, now studying alchemy in Baishan Town, and his 40 disciples—misfits who loved his spirit fruit snacks—kept the sect buzzing. Life was golden.
The Disciple System pinged: "Task: Teach a qi circulation technique. Reward: Low-Grade Spirit Stone."
"Teach?" Liang Feng groaned. "Can't they watch me nap? That's a skill." The system buzzed: "Laziness detected. Complete or lose a stone."
"Fine, you nag!" He shuffled to the training yard. Zhang Wei, a lanky teen, sparked flames on his robe trying to levitate a pebble. Li Mei yelled at a bamboo dummy, "Respect me, you stick!"
"Zhang Wei, stop barbecuing yourself!" Liang Feng called, flopping on a rock. "Qi's like soup—stir slow. Sit, breathe, be a lazy river."
"A river?" Zhang Wei blinked.
"Yeah, flows chill, gets there," Liang Feng waved, nearly falling. Disciples giggled. Li Mei quipped, "Sect Leader, teaching or comedy?"
"Both! My Dao's multitasking," he grinned, rambling about qi and noodles. Zhang Wei's pebble wobbled up. The system chimed: "Task complete. Reward: One Low-Grade Spirit Stone. Favorability: 92. Cashback: 10,000 spirit stones."
"Ten thousand?" Liang Feng gaped as stones flooded his ring. "System, you hit the jackpot?"
[Realistic Passage: 62 words]
Liang Feng leaned on a rickety fence, gazing at Qingdong's rice paddies shimmering gold. The air carried wet earth, lotus blooms, and a neighbor's smoky stove. A cart rattled by, wheels crunching dirt, while sparrows flitted over the gurgling stream. He bit a squashed rice dumpling, crumbs dropping, savoring its sticky warmth. "Perfect nap weather," he mumbled, stretching lazily.
Mei Hua appeared, her alchemist robes dusted with pollen, red ribbon in her hair. "Running a sect or a snack stall, Feng?" she teased, eyeing his dumpling.
"Why choose?" he grinned, offering half. "Snacks are leadership." Her fingers brushed his, warm, sparking a qi-flutter. "Back from Baishan? Thought you'd brew potions forever."
"Master gave me a break," she said, nibbling. "You're too good at napping, not teaching."
"Harsh!" he clutched his chest. "Disciples adore me. Genius, me!"
"They love your fruit," she smirked. "Work looms if you're not careful."
"Work?" he gasped, flopping against the fence. "I'll retire with you and the kids—easy life!"
Her eyes softened, but a shout from the square interrupted. Armor clinked. Mei Hua frowned, "Cultivators again?"
Liang Feng eyed a nap-tree. "Let Elder Liu handle it."
She grabbed his sleeve. "Lead, Feng!"
The system pinged: "Task: Investigate disturbance. Reward: Basic Qi Sense Manual." He groaned, "You two gang up on me?"
Gray-and-red robes appeared—Tielian Sect cultivators, led by Lan Xue, her icy gaze piercing. "Xingjun Laoshi, we must talk," she said, frost in her voice.
"Forgot a celestial bill?" he whispered to Mei Hua.
She elbowed him. "Focus!"
His lazy days teetered on edge.