The walk to the Sect's training square was usually a torture session for Jiang Fan. It was a two-mile uphill hike on stone steps that left his legs burning.
Today, however, he felt like he was floating.
"Brother Jiang! Slow down! Why are you walking so fast?"
Fatty Wu was wheezing behind him, sweat already soaking through his gray robes.
Jiang Fan paused, glancing at the floating blue screen that only he could see.
[ Alert: User is [WALKING]. ][ Current Status: Active ][ XP Gain: 0 XP/second ]
Jiang Fan frowned. So, moving really does cancel the gains.
He stopped walking and leaned against a tree. Instantly, the notification changed.
[ User is [IDLE]. ][ XP Gain: +1 XP/second ]
"Interesting," Jiang Fan muttered.
It seemed the System rewarded absolute laziness. If he wanted to become an Immortal, he couldn't run, he couldn't train, and he definitely couldn't work. He had to become the most efficient slacker in the history of the universe.
"Brother Jiang!" Fatty Wu finally caught up, bending over to catch his breath. "Are you crazy? Why are we going to the square? Deacon Wang will skin you alive! We should be packing your bags!"
"Relax, Fatty," Jiang Fan said, pushing off the tree. "I just want to see what my score is."
"Score? What score? Zero is a score!"
Jiang Fan didn't reply. He just kept climbing, his mind racing. Stage 3 Qi Condensation. In the Outer Sect, most disciples were stuck at Stage 1. Even the "talents" were only at Stage 2. If he really was at Stage 3, he wasn't just safe—he was elite.
The Outer Sect Training Square was packed.
Thousands of disciples in gray robes stood in neat rows, their heads bowed respectfully. In the center of the square stood a massive obsidian obelisk—the Spirit Testing Stone.
On a raised platform overlooking the square, three Elders sat on golden chairs, drinking tea and looking bored. Beside them stood Deacon Wang, looking like he wanted to murder someone.
"Next! Liu Wei!" the Deacon barked.
A skinny boy ran up to the obelisk and punched it with all his might. The stone glowed faintly.
[ Qi Condensation: Stage 1 ]
"Pass," Deacon Wang grunted. "Barely. Next!"
The line moved slowly. Disciples stepped up, sweated, screamed, and punched the stone. Most got Stage 1. A few unlucky ones got "Mortal" and were dragged away crying by the guards.
Suddenly, a hush fell over the crowd.
A young man with slicked-back hair and a haughty expression stepped forward. He wore a slightly better quality robe than the others.
"It's Zhao Feng," someone whispered. "I heard he stayed awake for three days straight circulating his Qi."
Zhao Feng walked up to the stone. He didn't punch it; he pressed his palm against it and channeled his energy.
HUMMM.
The stone vibrated. A bright yellow light shot up the pillar.
[ Qi Condensation: Stage 2 (Peak) ]
"Excellent!" Deacon Wang actually smiled. "Very close to Stage 3. Zhao Feng, you are rewarded with ten Spirit Stones!"
Zhao Feng bowed, soaking in the admiration of the crowd. "Hard work never betrays the faithful!" he shouted, raising a fist. The crowd cheered.
Jiang Fan, standing at the back of the crowd, stifled a yawn.
'Hard work never betrays the faithful?' Jiang Fan thought. Tell that to my previous boss.
"Hey! You!"
The sharp voice cut through the noise. Deacon Wang had spotted him. The Deacon's face turned purple.
"Jiang Fan! I thought I told you to get lost!"
The crowd parted like the Red Sea, leaving Jiang Fan and Fatty Wu standing alone in the center. Fatty Wu looked like he was about to faint.
Jiang Fan didn't flinch. He walked forward slowly, hands in his pockets.
[ XP Gain: 0... ]Damn, I'm losing XP by walking over there, he thought annoyedly.
"Deacon Wang," Jiang Fan said calmly. "The Sect rules say every disciple has the right to be tested before expulsion. Or are you saying your authority is higher than the Sect Master's rules?"
The square went dead silent. An Outer Disciple talking back to a Deacon? That was a death sentence.
Deacon Wang's eye twitched. He glanced up at the three Elders on the platform. He couldn't break the rules in front of them.
"Fine," Deacon Wang hissed, his voice dripping with venom. "You want to be humiliated publicly? Go ahead. Touch the stone. When it shows 'Stage 0', I will personally throw you off this mountain."
Jiang Fan walked up to the obsidian obelisk.
Up close, the stone hummed with energy. Zhao Feng was still standing nearby, crossing his arms with a sneer. "Don't break your hand, trash."
Jiang Fan sighed. He really wanted to go back to bed. The pillow in his inventory was calling his name.
He didn't take a stance. He didn't channel his Qi. He didn't scream.
He just leaned his shoulder against the stone, like he was waiting for a bus.
"What is he doing?" someone laughed. "Is he napping?"
"I'm just tired," Jiang Fan mumbled.
[ System Alert: Contact with Spirit Stone detected. ][ Action: Discharging Excess Qi... ]
BOOM.
It wasn't a hum. It was a thunderclap.
The obsidian stone didn't just glow; it erupted. A blinding blue pillar of light shot into the sky, piercing the clouds. The wind pressure from the blast knocked Zhao Feng onto his butt.
Deacon Wang's wig nearly flew off.
On the high platform, the three bored Elders shattered their teacups as they stood up in shock.
The light swirled violently inside the stone, climbing higher and higher.
[ Qi Condensation: Stage 1... ][ Stage 2... ][ Stage 3... ]
It didn't stop.
[ Qi Condensation: Stage 3 (Middle Realm) ]
The numbers burned into the air, bright enough to blind anyone looking directly at it.
Jiang Fan blinked. Oh. Stage 3 Middle? I guess the walk over here leveled me up a bit more.
He pulled his shoulder away from the stone. The light faded slowly, leaving a stunned, terrified silence in the square.
Jiang Fan patted the dust off his shoulder. He looked at Deacon Wang, whose jaw was practically touching the floor.
"So," Jiang Fan asked, looking bored. "Did I pass? Or should I go pack my bags?"
[SYSTEM NOTIFICATION]
[ Achievement Unlocked: "First Face Slap" ][ Reward: +500 Idle Points ][ Shop Unlocked. ]
Jiang Fan's eyes lit up. Finally. He could buy some upgrades.
"Y-You..." Deacon Wang stammered, pointing a shaking finger at him. "You cheated! The stone is broken! There is no way a trash like you is Stage 3!"
"Broken?"
One of the Elders from the platform—an old man with a long white beard—vanished. In a blur of motion, he appeared right next to the stone. He placed his hand on it. The stone glowed faintly.
" The stone is functioning perfectly," the Elder said, his voice grave. He turned his sharp gaze toward Jiang Fan. The pressure was immense.
"Disciple," the Elder said. "What is your name?"
"Jiang Fan, Outer Sect."
"Jiang Fan," the Elder stroked his beard. "To reach Stage 3 requires immense dedication. You must have trained in secret every night, sacrificing sleep, sacrificing your health, pouring your blood and sweat into the Dao!"
The crowd murmured in awe. So that's it! He was a hidden genius! He worked harder than anyone!
Fatty Wu was sobbing in the background. "I knew it! Brother Jiang, you suffered so much in silence!"
Jiang Fan looked at the Elder. He looked at the crowd, who were now looking at him with respect and fear.
If he told them he got this strong by sleeping for ten hours, they would probably dissect him to find his secrets.
"Uh... yes," Jiang Fan lied, scratching his head. "So much blood and sweat. Very hard. Can I go now? I need to... go train. In my bed."
The Elder nodded solemnly. "Go. Rest. You have earned it."
Jiang Fan turned and walked away, eager to check the System Shop.
But as he left the square, he felt a cold, sharp gaze on his back. He glanced up toward the Inner Sect balcony.
Sitting in a wheelchair, hovering silently at the edge of the viewing platform, was a girl with silver hair and eyes like ice. She wasn't looking at the stone. She was looking at him.
And she didn't look impressed. She looked suspicious.
[ Alert: Hostile Intent Detected. ]
Jiang Fan shivered. Great. Now I have a stalker.