Wang Meng pulled with all his might, but the weed seemed fused to the earth, not moving an inch. Gritting his teeth, he activated his Life Mark and channeled his Original Force. Only then did the weed begin to inch out of the ground, parting from the soil as reluctantly as two lovers in a passionate embrace.
Just before he passed out from the effort, Wang Meng finally succeeded in pulling out the first weed.
A breeze swept by, and the endless field of weeds swayed, rustling as if to mock his futile efforts.
Wang Meng stood as if petrified. 'This field... these weeds... one month?'
'This is gonna kill me!'
'Cultivation... It's just as Hu Jing guessed.' He didn't even know what a Tiger Eagle was, but he might have to ask Zhang Xiaopang for help with his own task. 'How humiliating!' He yanked at his hair, treating it as if it were one of the stubborn weeds.
Not far away, Zhao Lingxuan was doubled over with laughter. Thanks to an Invisibility Talisman and a Silence Talisman, she could have been standing right in front of Wang Meng and the rookie still wouldn't have had a clue.
Zhao Lingxuan laughed until she could barely breathe. 'There really are amusing idiots like this in the world!' That mirror... The mere thought of it sent another suffocating wave of laughter through her.
The Nine Heavens Fire Simurgh at her side couldn't bear to watch any longer. 'How could I have been noticed by such an idiot? Did his eyes really perceive what makes me special?!'
The Nine Heavens Fire Simurgh sighed in resignation, reminding its master that Morning Cultivation was about to begin.
"Little Spirit, you're amazing! You've found a real treasure," Zhao Lingxuan said with a laugh. "By the way, how long do you think he'll last? I bet one day! Because tomorrow, an even bigger 'surprise' is waiting for him."
The Nine Heavens Fire Simurgh shook its head. Zhao Lingxuan licked her pink lips. "Two days? Why?"
"Because he's dumb," the Nine Heavens Fire Simurgh conveyed, tilting its head.
Zhao Lingxuan froze for a second, then broke into another peal of laughter. She had laughed more in these few moments than in the entire past year. Excitedly, she tossed out a short sword and, together with the Fire Simurgh, soared into the air, flying away like a Fairy gliding over the waves.
Meanwhile, Farmer Wang ate some dry rations to recover a bit of stamina. Since he had a Life Mark, his need for food and drink wasn't as demanding as an ordinary person's.
He kept at it, working hard all morning until he was panting with exhaustion. He hadn't slacked off in the slightest. By the time his Elemental Power was completely drained, Wang Meng had managed to pull out twelve weeds.
But instead of diminishing, Wang Meng's fighting spirit burned even brighter. He was filled with an immense sense of gratitude. 'It's usually so hard to fully expend my Elemental Power, but struggling against these weeds that have absorbed so much Elemental Qi drains it incredibly fast. This is the perfect way to practice the Nourishing Essence Technique!'
'I have to hand it to them, the Elders of the Holy Hall are truly brilliant!'
Wang Meng sat cross-legged at the edge of the field and began to cultivate. The moment his Elemental Power recovered, he cheerfully resumed his farm work.
'Pulling weeds isn't the point. The real lesson is to use this as a way to cultivate. The Elders' intentions are truly profound.'
By the end of the day, Wang Meng had successfully dealt with fifty-three weeds. And just like that, his first day was over.
Wang Meng slept soundly. In his dreams, he wiped out all the weeds with a single swing of his sword and stood proudly triumphant over the Holy Hall.
But back in the Spirit Field, on the small patch of land Wang Meng had so painstakingly cleared, new weeds were already beginning to sprout, growing with astonishing speed…
「In Thunderlight Hall」
Four Elders were discussing the new batch of disciples, from which they would select the most outstanding for focused nurturing.
"Among this batch, only Hu Jing's aptitude is decent," Zhao Ya commented.
"Indeed. Otherwise, why would we need to recruit so many? We're just trying our luck," Xu Huang sighed. "Each generation seems worse than the last."
"Old Xu, that doesn't mean you should be bringing in trash at the Second Layer of Life Mark. Our Thunderlight Hall hasn't sunk that low yet," Wang Bodang's voice cut in.
Xu Huang's beard twitched. "The boy has grit. I like that, so I'm giving him a chance. By the way, Zhao Ya, what task did you assign him?"
"To clear one mu of the Spirit Field," Zhao Ya replied with a faint smile. The other Elders shared a knowing look.
Xu Huang was taken aback. "How is that possible? Even someone at the Fifth Layer of Life Mark would stand no chance!"
"Let it go, Old Xu," Wan Jing, who was on very good terms with Xu Huang, tried to reason. "Junior Sister Zhao is doing this for your own good. The minimum requirement is the Third Layer, yet you brought in someone at the Second. If we just let him pass, wouldn't it be a joke? People would say our Thunderlight Hall is desperate for members. Since his aptitude is lacking, let's see if he has the fortune to walk the path of cultivation."
What was the most important thing for cultivation?
Talent? Wrong!
It was fate!
At that very moment, a certain someone who had "understood" the Elders' intentions was still diligently pulling weeds in his dreams…
Zhang Xiaopang was busy asking around for information on the Tiger Eagle. The Third Generation Disciples were quite fond of the sensible fatty and took good care of him. His father was counting on him to bring glory to their ancestors. Coming from a merchant family, he naturally knew how to handle people. He deeply believed that Cultivators, despite their power, were still human. They had emotions and desires, perhaps just more elevated than those of ordinary people.
He too was burning the midnight oil, doing his research. The Tiger Eagle wasn't a Demon Beast, but a wild animal from the Small Thousand World. It was clearly no match for a Cultivator. However, contrary to its name, the creature was extremely small and flew with the speed of a falcon. Even if you managed to spot one, hitting it was another matter entirely.
This was a mixed blessing for Zhang Xiaopang. On one hand, the creature wasn't dangerous, which meant his life was safe. On the other hand, there weren't any to be found near Thunderlight Hall. To catch one, he would have to venture "outside."
And what was "outside"? The Small Thousand World was vast and boundless. Any place not settled by a cultivation sect was the territory of Demon Beasts and Spirit Beasts of every level imaginable—an absolutely dangerous place for a rookie Cultivator.
The first person Zhang Xiaopang thought of was Wang Meng. He wouldn't dare run around out there by himself. Besides, Brother Meng had a real talent for catching birds. But a glance at the dark sky outside told him it was too late; all he could do was head to bed.
Zhang Xiaopang was staying in a first-class room. While far from luxurious, it was clean, tidy, and fully stocked with daily necessities—an upgrade he had secured with two bottles of fine wine.
Despite his shabby surroundings, with the sky for his blanket and the earth for his bed, Wang Meng slept soundly. He was just that exhausted. He dreamed he was pulling weeds again when suddenly the ground cracked open and he fell through. Below him was a seemingly bottomless Abyss, but just then, a crimson light caught him and broke his fall.
Just then, Zhang Xiaopang's unique wake-up call rang in his ears.
"Brother Meng, Brother Meng, where are you…"
Zhang Xiaopang was distraught. He'd actually managed to get up early for once, only to find Wang Meng's place was this remote. The only thatched hut had collapsed. 'Don't tell me he was carried off by a Demon Beast!'
The more he thought about it, the more urgent his calls became.
Wang Meng finally couldn't stand it anymore and leaped up from a pile of straw. "Zhang Xiaopang, what's with all the ghostly wailing so early in the morning!"
Seeing Wang Meng safe and sound, Zhang Xiaopang's chubby face bloomed into a smile as wide as a flower. "Brother Meng, it's not early! What kind of training is this?"
Zhang Xiaopang pointed to the sun overhead. His idea of an "early start" was clearly relative; by the time he'd found his way here, it was already late in the morning.
Wang Meng brushed the straw from his clothes, startled as well. 'What time is it?' He was usually awake long before this.
"Shouldn't you be out hunting your Tiger Eagle? What are you doing here?"
Zhang Xiaopang couldn't help but fuss. "This is no place for a person to live! Besides, you're right on the edge of the Thunderfire Hall's territory. It's dangerous! How about I pull some strings and get you a new place?"