The next morning, The outer yard remained shrouded in the pre-dawn gloom, dew clinging heavily to the moss-covered stones. Shen Liang rose from his straw pallet, stretching with a groan that echoed the dry crack of brittle bamboo.
"Another glorious day in paradise," he muttered, staring at the crooked buildings of the Falling Sword Sect. "If paradise had leaky roofs and unpaid meals."
He picked up his broom, but this time, he smiled faintly. The faint golden glow of the Universal Level-Up System window hovered beside his vision:
[Name]: Shen Liang [Age]: 30 [Sect Rank]: Laborer [Cultivation]: Qi Condensation – Stage 1 (0/100 XP) [Physical Strength]: 9 [Dexterity]: 8 [Intelligence]: 11 [Charm]: 6 [System Function]: Every action grants XP. Progress is limitless.
He scanned the data, a slow grin spreading across his face. "So, the act of sweeping is now a method of cultivation, eh?, then grinned.
He began sweeping the courtyard, every stroke steady and full of intent.Swish. Swish.
The system chimed softly.
[You swept the courtyard diligently. +1 XP.][You gathered fallen leaves neatly. +1 XP.][You mumbled sarcastic complaints while working. +1 XP — Creativity Bonus!]
"Hah! Even my sarcasm cultivates now? Finally, a system that understands me."
He swept faster, cleaned faster, and even fixed a broken fence just to test it.
[You repaired the fence. +2 XP.][Qi Condensation (23/100 XP).]
After a grueling half-day spent working with furious, single-minded intent, Shen Liang collapsed beneath the shade of an old tree, his patched robe soaked through but his face split by an undignified, triumphant grin. He opened the system again—
[Cultivation: Qi Condensation – Stage 1 (100/100 XP)] [Level Up Available!]
"Do it," he said.
A surge of warmth exploded in his body. Threads of qi flowed into his dantian, spiraling like a newborn vortex. His breathing steadied, his muscles tightened, and his senses sharpened.
[Congratulations! Cultivation advanced to Qi Condensation – Stage 2.][Reward: +1 Strength, +1 Vitality.]
Shen Liang's eyes widened. He clenched his fist and felt the difference—his power had truly risen.
He surged to his feet, instantly spotting a heavy boulder that three men couldn't typically shift. He wrapped his hands around it and, with a satisfied grunt, hurled it toward the mountain wall. The earth barely had time to shudder.
"Not bad for a guy who used to polish toilets."
He looked toward the distant inner sect mountain where the main disciples trained in sword arts and alchemy. His gaze burned with quiet determination.
"Level 10 sect, huh? Let's see how far I can push this system. I'll sweep my way to the heavens if I must."
By nightfall, he'd discovered even more. Meditating gave double XP. Practicing sword swings with a broken broom gave minor weapon XP. And cooking his own meal…
[You burned your rice. +1 Cooking XP.][New skill unlocked: Beginner Cooking (Lv.1)]
He laughed so hard he nearly choked on the smoke.
That night, lying on his simple straw mat, he whispered to himself,"Every breath, every movement gives XP… Then I'll never stop moving."
As moonlight streamed through the cracked roof, Shen Liang's cultivation base pulsed faintly with light. The forgotten laborer of Falling Sword Sect had just taken his first real step on the path of immortality.
And deep in his mind, the System pulsed again,
[Hidden Quest Unlocked: Rebuild the Falling Sword Sect (0/10 Levels)][Reward: ???]
Shen Liang opened one eye and grinned lazily."Figures. Even the heavens want free labor from me."