Chapter 1: Mysterious Game
Kyushu Immortal Alliance, Jiangnan City
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[Killing a low-ranking demon insect, you have gained +0.1 experience points.]
[Killing a low-ranking demon insect, you have gained +0.1 experience points.]
[Killing a mid-ranking demon insect, you have gained +0.5 experience points.]
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Su Chen's fingers moved swiftly across his phone screen as he controlled his character, slashing through waves of demon insects that threatened his spiritual field. The rhythmic sound of extermination echoed in his mind, punctuated by the steady accumulation of experience points. At the same time, he maneuvered his character to wield a sickle, efficiently harvesting the mature spiritual rice swaying in the moonlit breeze.
Minutes later, the last stalk fell, and he stored the harvested rice in his inventory. Just then, the in-game sky darkened, signaling the transition of time in the game world.
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[Congratulations! You have completed the 1st novice mission: Planting and harvesting mature spiritual rice (200/200 jin).]
[You have gained 1,000 experience points.]
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"Finally," Su Chen exhaled, leaning back. "Twenty days in reality, two hundred days in the game world... and the first novice mission is complete."
His gaze lingered on the 1,000 experience points credited to his character's account, a small yet crucial step toward his long-term goal. He did a quick mental calculation.
"If I keep up this pace, I should be able to reach the Foundation Establishment realm within a year. Even if not, at least the seventh or eighth level of Qi Gathering should be easy to attain."
That level of cultivation would be enough for him to confidently apply to one of the four major Taoist academies in the Kyushu Immortal Alliance during next year's entrance exams.
This game, *Cultivation of Immortality*, had appeared on his phone twenty days ago—mysteriously, without any downloads or notifications. Initially, he dismissed it as another idle cultivation simulator. However, everything changed the moment he realized that his in-game progress affected his real body.
Since then, he had treated the game with the utmost seriousness.
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[Character Panel]
[Name: Su Chen]
[Identity: Jiangnan No. 1 High School Student (Servant Disciple of Qingyun Sect)]
[Spiritual Root: Low-grade Mixed (Gold, Wood, Water, Fire, Earth)]
[Cultivation: Level 2 of Qi Gathering Stage (2150/10,000)]
[Cultivation Method: Five Elements Qi Gathering Technique]
[Skills: Rainfall Technique (Small Success, 25/100); Sharpness Technique (Small Success, 15/100); Five Elements Basic Talisman Technique (Entry Level, 60/100)]
[Remaining Experience Points: 1,050]
[2nd Novice Mission: Raise cultivation to the fourth level of Qi Gathering and become an outer sect disciple of Qingyun Sect (Incomplete)]
[Task Rewards: 2,000 Experience Points, Spiritual Root Qualification +1]
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Su Chen's eyes gleamed as he studied the reward.
"Improving my spiritual root?" His heart pounded. "This game can even enhance my aptitude?!"
He clenched his fist. His current aptitude was a tragedy. Ten years ago, an accident had damaged his once-promising spiritual roots, reducing his potential to the lowest tier. According to his homeroom teacher, individuals with low-grade spiritual roots had an abysmal chance—one in a thousand—of reaching ninth-grade Foundation Establishment, let alone the near-impossible Earth-grade.
And Heaven-grade? Even top-tier geniuses struggled to attain it.
"If I want to build an Earth-grade or even Heaven-grade foundation, I must elevate my spiritual root from low-grade to top-grade."
But completing the novice mission would only improve it to middle grade—not nearly enough. He needed a better plan.
"Before I finish the mission, I should find a way to boost my aptitude further."
An idea struck him. He quickly navigated to the Jiangnan No. 1 High School Treasure Pavilion app.
Jiangnan No. 1 High School was an elite training institution, supported by the Kyushu Immortal Alliance. Its Treasure Pavilion housed numerous cultivation techniques, spells, and artifacts, all purchasable using school credits. Many of these items were inaccessible to ordinary cultivators.
After browsing for a few minutes, Su Chen's eyes locked onto something interesting.
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[Purple Cloud Divine Light Technique]
[Effect 1: Improves the user's aptitude.]
[Effect 2: Grants Purple Cloud Divine Light body protection.]
[Effect 3: Unlocks Purple Cloud Divine Fire (Condition: Perfection).]
[Practice Requirement: Virgin body.]
[Price: 100 credits.]
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His brows furrowed. A technique that could improve aptitude and grant divine protection? For only 100 credits?
Something wasn't right.
Curious, he scrolled down to check the student reviews.
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[Student No. 1:] Don't buy this technique—it's a scam. The description is misleading.
[Student No. 2:] I regret ignoring senior students' advice. You can only practice it for 10 minutes a day when the purple clouds rise. Also, it's only for boys.
[Student No. 3:] If you insist on learning this technique, be prepared to remain single for decades or give up halfway. Even then, you might not master it.
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Su Chen let out a small chuckle. No wonder it was so cheap. The technique had severe restrictions: a mere 10-minute practice window per day, and it required maintaining one's virginity. Few students would be willing to make such sacrifices.
However, to him, these drawbacks were insignificant.
"Ten minutes a day?" He smirked. "That's only for normal students."
With the game's time dilation, every real-world day translated to ten days in-game. This meant he could practice for 110 minutes daily instead of just ten. And if push came to shove, he could invest experience points to accelerate mastery.
"This technique is perfect for me."
Without hesitation, Su Chen made the purchase. Moments later, the Purple Cloud Divine Light Technique's practice method appeared in his student email. After scanning through the contents, his game character panel was updated.
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[Purple Cloud Divine Light Technique: Entry Level (1/200)]
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Only 200 experience points were required to reach the Small Success level. Without hesitation, Su Chen allocated the points.
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[You have consumed 200 experience points. Your Purple Cloud Divine Light Technique has been upgraded to Small Success Level.]
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A faint golden light flickered around his character, signifying the technique's initial activation. Su Chen's lips curled into a smile.
With this, his path to greater heights had truly begun.
(End of Chapter)