The village square of Qingdong buzzed like a kicked beehive as Liang Feng trudged toward the Tielian Sect cultivators, Mei Hua's iron grip on his sleeve keeping him from bolting. Lan Xue, their leader, stood ramrod straight, her gray-and-red robes pristine, her face a mask of icy disdain. Her Qi Condensation aura felt like a cold slap, contrasting Liang Feng's crumpled starry robes and the Xinglu Pendant glowing faintly at his chest. Behind her, a dozen disciples glared, hands on sword hilts, as if he'd insulted their tea.
"Xingjun Laoshi," Lan Xue began, her voice cutting like a frost blade, "your sect's reputation precedes you. Yet, your… methods are a disgrace to the Dao."
Liang Feng blinked, scratching his head. "Disgrace? I taught a kid to levitate a pebble today. That's progress!"
"Progress?" Lan Xue's eyebrow arched. "You compared qi to soup and napped mid-lesson. The Tielian Sect demands discipline. Join us, or we'll enforce it."
Mei Hua elbowed him. "Say something smart, Feng."
"Uh… soup is disciplined?" he offered, grinning weakly. The Tielian disciples groaned, and Lan Xue's glare could've frozen a dragon. "Look, I'm flattered, but Xingyun's my mess. I like it messy."
Lan Xue stepped closer, her aura pressing down. "Your sect is a joke. The Canglong Empire faces threats—demonic beasts stir in the north. You'll train with us or face consequences."
"Demonic beasts?" Liang Feng chuckled.
"Send Elder Liu. I've got dumplings to eat." The Disciple System pinged: "Task: Resolve Tielian Sect conflict. Reward: Mid-Grade Spirit Stone." He groaned. "System, you're as bad as her!"
Mei Hua whispered, "Stop joking, idiot. They're serious."
"Fine," he sighed, turning to Lan Xue. "How about a deal? I'll… train a bit if you lighten up. Deal?"
Lan Xue's lips thinned. "A trial. One week. Prove your worth, or Xingyun dissolves into Tielian."
"Dissolves?" Liang Feng yelped. "My nap spot's sacred!" His disciples, peeking from behind trees, gasped. Zhang Wei whispered to Li Mei, "Sect Leader's doomed."
Back at the sect hall, Liang Feng slumped into his bamboo chair, Mei Hua glaring. "You agreed to what?"
"A week of training," he mumbled. "She's scarier than my old boss. System, help me!"
"Task update: Train disciples. Favorability with Lan Xue: 30. Cashback unavailable." Liang Feng groaned. "Thirty? She hates my guts!"
Liang Feng slumped by the sect's rickety fence, Qingdong's rice paddies glowing orange at dusk. The air smelled of damp earth and roasting chestnuts from a nearby stall. A cart rattled past, wheels crunching gravel, while crickets chirped over the stream's murmur. He sipped cold tea, its bitter edge mirroring his mood. "One week," he sighed, dreading Lan Xue's wrath.
Lan Xue marched in, uninvited, with a scroll. "Training begins tomorrow. Dawn. No excuses." She unfurled it—pages of drills, chants, and a ban on snacks. Liang Feng's eyes widened. "Dawn? No snacks? That's torture!"
"Torture builds character," she snapped.
"Your disciples will join. Zhang Wei, front and center."
Zhang Wei stumbled forward, bowing. "Y-Yes, Senior Lan?"
"Qi circulation, now," she ordered. Zhang Wei flailed, sparking his robe again. Liang Feng laughed, "See? He's a natural barbecue!"
Lan Xue's glare silenced him. "You'll supervise. Failure means Tielian takes over."
"Over my dead body!" Liang Feng stood, striking a dramatic pose—then tripped over his chair. Disciples snickered. Mei Hua facepalmed. "Feng, you're hopeless."
Undeterred, Liang Feng rallied his troops.
"Okay, team, we'll out-lazy them. Zhang Wei, nap while circulating. Li Mei, argue with dummies—quietly. I'll… strategize." He flopped back, the Xinglu Pendant glowing. Maybe a quick Earth trip for moral support?
That night, back in Chicago, he regaled Mei Hua with, "My hero's facing a strict general!"
She smirked, "Sounds like you need a plan, not a nap." Lily added, "Fight the general, Dad!" Tim cheered, "With noodles!"
Back in Qingdong, Lan Xue's drills loomed. Liang Feng muttered, "Power, huh? Maybe I need it… but first, a snack." His lazy days were crumbling, and the road to strength began—reluctantly.