Morning light slowly spread across the outer yard.
A thin layer of mist lingered in the air, making the already quiet environment feel even more isolated.
Inside a small, worn-out room, Ye Feng slowly opened his eyes.
For a brief moment, everything felt different.
His breathing was steady.
His mind was clear.
And most importantly—his body felt… lighter.
He sat there in silence, carefully sensing the changes within himself.
"It's real…"
Last night wasn't a dream.
The system… was real.
The warmth that had surged into his body after completing the mission had not disappeared. Instead, it had settled deep within him, subtly strengthening his entire being.
Although the improvement was small, it was undeniable.
Compared to before, when even controlling a strand of spiritual energy felt impossible, now he could at least maintain a fragile balance.
Ye Feng slowly raised his hand and clenched his fist.
A faint sense of strength gathered in his palm.
Not powerful.
But no longer empty.
"This is only the beginning…"
His eyes narrowed slightly, a trace of determination flashing within them.
At that moment—
A familiar interface appeared once again in his mind.
[Daily Mission Refreshed]
Task: Cultivate for 2 hours continuously
Reward: +2 Cultivation Points
Ye Feng looked at the mission, his heartbeat quickening slightly.
"Two hours… and double the reward."
Without hesitation, he adjusted his posture and sat cross-legged once more.
He closed his eyes.
This time, his movements were more natural.
More confident.
He began to circulate the basic cultivation technique again.
At first, the spiritual energy that entered his body still carried traces of instability.
It twisted and collided within his meridians, as if unwilling to be controlled.
But soon—
The system's influence took effect.
Like an invisible hand guiding everything, the chaotic energy gradually calmed.
It slowed.
It aligned.
It began to move in a consistent flow.
Ye Feng's breathing deepened.
His entire body entered a quiet, focused rhythm.
Minutes passed.
Then half an hour.
Then one full hour.
Sweat slowly formed on his forehead, but he did not move.
Instead, he concentrated even harder.
Every time the energy tried to break free, he pulled it back.
Every time it became unstable, he forced it into alignment.
It was difficult.
But it was no longer impossible.
Time continued to pass.
Outside, the sun rose higher into the sky.
The outer yard gradually became livelier, with distant voices and footsteps echoing faintly.
But none of it reached Ye Feng.
At this moment, his entire world was focused inward.
Another hour passed.
Finally—
[Mission Complete]
[Reward granted: +2 Cultivation Points]
The notification appeared clearly in his mind.
Immediately after, a stronger surge of energy flooded into his body.
It was far more intense than the previous one.
Warm.
Powerful.
And pure.
Ye Feng's body trembled slightly as the energy spread through every part of him.
His muscles tightened.
His meridians expanded slightly under the pressure.
Even his senses seemed sharper.
He could hear distant sounds more clearly.
He could feel the air brushing against his skin.
Everything had changed—just a little.
But that "little" was the difference between nothing… and something.
Ye Feng slowly opened his eyes.
A sharp glint flashed across them.
"This…"
He exhaled slowly.
"This is real progress."
For the first time since arriving in this world, he felt a sense of control over his own future.
Before this, everything had been decided for him.
His talent.
His status.
His fate.
All of it had been determined the moment his five-element roots were revealed.
But now—
There was a path.
A path that belonged to him.
Ye Feng stood up.
His movements were smoother than before.
More stable.
He stepped outside the small room.
The sunlight fell onto his face, warm but not overwhelming.
He squinted slightly, then slowly relaxed.
Around him, the outer yard was already active.
Several disciples were carrying water, chopping wood, or performing basic tasks.
When they noticed him, some of them paused.
Their gazes were filled with the same familiar expressions.
Mockery.
Disdain.
Indifference.
"Hey, look. It's the five-element trash."
"Didn't he get kicked out of the training hall?"
"Why is he still trying? What's the point?"
Their voices were not loud.
But they were not quiet either.
Just enough for him to hear.
Just enough to provoke a reaction.
But Ye Feng did not respond.
Not this time.
He simply walked forward calmly, as if he hadn't heard anything at all.
However—
Something was different.
The way he walked.
The way he carried himself.
There was no longer hesitation.
No longer weakness.
Only quiet composure.
One of the disciples frowned slightly.
"…Did you notice that?"
"Notice what?"
"He feels… different."
The others laughed.
"Different? He's still trash."
"Maybe he's just pretending."
"Yeah, acting tough won't change