The outer sect returned to its usual rhythm the next morning.
Or at least, it tried to.
Lin Feng stepped out of his room as the sun rose above the mountain peaks. The air was crisp, filled with faint spiritual qi drifting lazily through the courtyards. Disciples hurried past him, some heading to morning training, others to chores, all of them pretending not to stare.
They failed.
Lin Feng could feel it—the hesitation in their steps, the way conversations died the moment he walked by.
He ignored it.
Ding.
Walking detected.
Growth detected.
His body warmed faintly.
"So this is what it feels like," Lin Feng thought. "To exist without being overlooked."
He arrived at the outer sect task board. Wooden plaques listed the daily chores assigned to disciples: cleaning training grounds, carrying water, sorting herbs, repairing damaged formations.
Lin Feng reached out and took one at random.
"Herb sorting," he read.
Several nearby disciples blinked.
"That's it?"
"He didn't take an easy one, did he?"
Herb sorting was tedious. Thousands of low-grade medicinal plants had to be categorized manually. It took patience and time, with little visible reward.
Lin Feng walked toward the herb hall.
Ding.
Task accepted.
Growth condition sustained.
Inside the hall, rows of tables were covered in baskets of dried leaves, roots, and stems. A senior disciple glanced at Lin Feng and frowned.
"You know this takes all day, right?" the senior asked.
Lin Feng nodded. "That's fine."
The senior shrugged. "Suit yourself."
Lin Feng sat down and began working.
Pick up herb.
Sort.
Place.
Repeat.
Ding.
Growth detected.
At first, the sensation was subtle. A faint warmth in his fingers, a slight tightening in his forearms. As minutes passed, the warmth spread upward, sinking into his shoulders and spine.
Lin Feng's breathing remained steady.
Pick.
Sort.
Place.
Ding.
Growth detected.
Across the room, other disciples groaned.
"My back is killing me."
"Why is this always assigned?"
"Cultivation would be easier."
Lin Feng continued silently.
After an hour, the senior disciple glanced over—and froze.
Lin Feng's table was nearly clear.
"…How?" the senior muttered.
Lin Feng didn't answer.
Ding.
Sustained repetitive action detected.
Growth efficiency increased.
The system panel flickered briefly in Lin Feng's vision.
Realm: Body Tempering (5/10)
Multiplier: x2
Progress: Rapidly increasing
"So repetitive tasks stack," Lin Feng thought calmly. "Good."
By midday, Lin Feng finished his assignment.
He stood up, stretched lightly, and felt his bones crack softly.
Ding.
Minor growth surge detected.
At the same moment, a pulse of qi rippled through his body.
Crack.
Lin Feng paused.
"…That was fast."
Ding.
Realm breakthrough detected.
Body Tempering advanced to Layer 6.
The senior disciple dropped the basket he was holding.
"…You're kidding me."
Lin Feng looked down at his hands. The skin appeared the same, but beneath it, strength flowed like a calm river. His balance was perfect. His breathing effortless.
He bowed lightly. "I'm finished."
The senior waved him away in a daze.
Lin Feng left the herb hall.
Outside, disciples stared openly now.
"Wasn't he just sorting herbs?"
"Why does his aura feel heavier?"
"He didn't even cultivate!"
Lin Feng walked past them calmly.
Ding.
Walking detected.
Growth detected.
He stopped by the cafeteria and picked up a bowl of simple broth and a steamed bun. He sat alone, eating quietly.
Halfway through the meal—
Ding.
Growth detected.
A faint ripple passed through his body.
Lin Feng paused mid-bite, then continued eating as if nothing happened.
Across the room, a disciple suddenly stood up.
"Did you feel that?"
"Feel what?"
"Like… pressure."
Another whispered, "Isn't Lin Feng eating right now?"
Silence followed.
Lin Feng finished his meal and returned the bowl.
After lunch came free cultivation time.
Most disciples rushed toward the training grounds or cultivation rooms, desperate to make use of every moment.
Lin Feng, however, lay down beneath a shaded pavilion.
He closed his eyes.
Ding.
Rest detected.
Passive growth ongoing.
"…You're joking," Lin Feng thought.
"Confirmed," the system replied. "Recovery states optimize long-term growth."
Lin Feng exhaled slowly.
So even resting made him stronger.
He drifted into a light sleep.
Nearby, two disciples whispered urgently.
"Is he napping?"
"At a time like this?"
"He really doesn't care."
Minutes passed.
Then—
Crack.
A soft sound echoed.
Lin Feng's eyes opened.
Ding.
Growth accumulation threshold reached.
He sat up slowly, rolling his shoulders.
Realm: Body Tempering (6/10)
Status: Stable
"…Cultivating while napping," Lin Feng murmured. "That's convenient."
High above, on a stone platform overlooking the outer sect, Elder Zhao stood silently. His eyes were fixed on Lin Feng.
"He didn't circulate qi," Elder Zhao muttered. "He didn't use a technique."
Yet the aura was undeniable.
"…Unreasonable."
Elder Zhao turned away slowly.
"This can't stay in the outer sect."
That evening, Lin Feng returned to his room.
He sat cross-legged and deliberately cultivated for the first time that day.
The response was immediate.
Ding.
Cultivation detected.
Multiplier x2 applied.
Growth efficiency: Extremely high.
Pain surged—but it was controlled. Familiar. His body accepted the transformation smoothly, adapting faster than ever.
Minutes stretched on.
Crack.
Ding.
Minor realm stabilization complete.
Lin Feng opened his eyes.
Outside, voices echoed.
"Have you heard?"
"He broke through again."
"No way."
"Yes. During chores."
The rumors grew wilder.
By nightfall, the entire outer sect had reached a silent agreement.
Lin Feng was no longer trash.
He was inconvenient.
Far away, Liu Kang crushed a teacup in his hand.
"Body Tempering Layer 6," he said softly.
He smiled.
"Good," Liu Kang continued. "Now it'll hurt more when I break him."
END OF CHAPTER
Author's Note
If you're enjoying the story, please add it to your library and leave a comment. Your support directly affects update speed.
This is a long-form cultivation + system novel focused on calm dominance, elite slice-of-life, and relentless growth. The pace will not slow.
Thank you for reading.