Chapter 4: The Waste's Punch
Word of the Trial Tower spread through the Cangxuan Sect. But as word spread, the story began to change.
"Did you hear? That waste from the Chores Hall made it to the seventh floor."
"The tower must have malfunctioned. No way a mortal could do that."
"Exactly. The elders said he's only at Qi Refining Stage, Layer 1."
"Qi Refining Stage, Layer 1 reaching the seventh floor? If you're going to make up stories, at least make them believable."
"So yeah, definitely a malfunction."
Within three days, the public opinion had shifted from shock to doubt, and from doubt to conclusion—the Trial Tower had malfunctioned.
No one believed a mortal without a spiritual root could clear the seventh floor through actual ability. It was easier to believe the tower had broken. After all, a broken tower made more sense than a mortal turning strong overnight.
Lin Luo paid no attention to the gossip. He went about his routine as usual—chopping wood, carrying water, sweeping the yard—as if nothing had happened.
But he knew something had changed.
Take Ma Biao, for instance.
Before, Ma Biao had been the head of the Chores Hall, barking orders and assigning Lin Luo the heaviest work. Now, he followed Lin Luo around like an eager junior disciple.
"Brother Luo, let me chop this pile. You take a rest."
"Brother Luo, the water vats are full. No need for you to carry any."
"Brother Luo, the dining hall has braised pork today. I saved you a portion."
Lin Luo glanced at him. "You don't have to do this."
"Do what?" Ma Biao played dumb.
"I'm not going to get back at you just because you ordered me around before."
Ma Biao gave an awkward smile. "Brother Luo is magnanimous…"
"But stop calling me Brother Luo," Lin Luo said. "Just Lin Luo is fine."
"Got it, Brother Luo."
"…"
Lin Luo gave up correcting him, picked up the axe, and resumed chopping.
That was when footsteps echoed from the courtyard entrance.
Three people walked in.
Leading them was a young man in a green robe, around twenty years old, with a cold, sharp face. Embroidered on his chest were two characters: "Inner Court." Behind him followed two Outer Court disciples, their expressions arrogant.
"Which one is Lin Luo?" the young man asked.
Ma Biao's face paled. "Senior Brother Zhou? What brings you to the Chores Hall?"
Senior Brother Zhou—Zhou Ming, an Inner Court disciple at the Foundation Establishment Stage, early phase. He had a modest reputation within the Cangxuan Sect. It was said his master was an elder in the War Hall—a formidable cultivator with a notoriously quick temper.
"I asked," Zhou Ming repeated, his tone growing colder, "which one is Lin Luo."
Ma Biao shrank back and pointed at Lin Luo, who was still chopping wood.
Zhou Ming strode over and looked down at him.
"You're the one? The waste who reached the seventh floor?"
Lin Luo didn't look up. "That's me."
"Hah." Zhou Ming let out a cold laugh. "My master said the Trial Tower couldn't have malfunctioned. He sent me to test you myself."
"Test me for what?"
"Your strength." Zhou Ming clasped his hands behind his back. "Stand up. Take one punch from me. If you can take it, I'll believe you. If you can't—a couple of broken bones will be the price for your lies."
The courtyard fell silent.
All the Chores Hall disciples retreated to the corners, not daring to breathe. A Foundation Establishment Stage, early phase cultivator against someone at Qi Refining Stage, Layer 1—this wasn't a spar. This was a beatdown.
Ma Biao's face went white. He tried to speak, but one of the Outer Court disciples behind Zhou Ming shot him a glare, and his mouth snapped shut.
Lin Luo finally set down the axe.
He stood up, turned around, and looked at Zhou Ming.
"You sure about this?"
"What, scared?" Zhou Ming's lips curled into a smirk. "If you're scared, that's fine. Just say out loud, 'I'm a waste and I cheated,' and I'll leave."
Lin Luo looked at him and suddenly smiled.
"Alright. Throw your punch."
He stood his ground, hands in his pockets. No defensive stance.
Zhou Ming frowned. "You're not going to block?"
"No need."
Zhou Ming's expression darkened. He felt insulted.
"Looking for death."
He threw his punch.
Spiritual power from the Foundation Establishment Stage, early phase wrapped around his fist, cutting through the air with a howling wind. It was aimed straight at Lin Luo's chest.
Eighty percent of his strength. Aimed at a waste at Qi Refining Stage, Layer 1. At least three ribs would crack.
The fist slammed into Lin Luo's chest.
Thud.
A dull, heavy sound.
Lin Luo didn't budge.
Crack.
The sound came from Zhou Ming's wrist.
"AHHH—!" Zhou Ming let out a scream, yanking his hand back and stumbling three steps backward, clutching his wrist. His hand hung at a grotesque angle—clearly dislocated.
"You—!"
Zhou Ming's eyes went wide, disbelief flooding his face. He had thrown the punch, but his own wrist had broken?
Lin Luo glanced down at his chest, then back up at Zhou Ming.
"Want to try again?"
The courtyard was dead silent.
Everyone was stunned.
Ma Biao's jaw hung open wide enough to fit an egg. The two Outer Court disciples had faces pale as paper. Zhou Ming clutched his wrist, sweat beading on his forehead, his expression a mixture of shock and fear.
"What… what cultivation stage are you really at?!"
"Qi Refining Stage, Layer 1," Lin Luo said.
"Bullshit! Someone at Qi Refining Stage, Layer 1 can't take eighty percent of my strength!"
"Then what stage do you think I am?"
Zhou Ming opened his mouth but no words came out.
He had probed Lin Luo's aura—it was indeed Qi Refining Stage, Layer 1. But how could someone at Layer 1 withstand an attack from the Foundation Establishment Stage?
Unless… his physical body was far stronger than his cultivation suggested.
But that was impossible. How could someone without a spiritual root train their body?
"Who are you?" Zhou Ming's voice trembled slightly.
"Chores Hall disciple, Lin Luo." Lin Luo picked up his axe again, turned back to the woodpile, and resumed chopping. "If you're done, you should go. I still have work to do."
Zhou Ming stood frozen, his face cycling through shades of pale and red.
One of the Outer Court disciples whispered behind him, "Senior Brother Zhou, maybe we should… head back first?"
Zhou Ming ground his teeth and spun around, storming toward the gate.
At the entrance, he paused and looked back at Lin Luo.
"This isn't over."
Lin Luo didn't even look up. "Whatever you say."
Zhou Ming left.
The courtyard exploded.
"Holy crap! Brother Luo, that was insane!"
"You tanked a punch from the Foundation Establishment Stage?!"
"His wrist just snapped!"
"Brother Luo, are you hiding your real cultivation?!"
Lin Luo ignored them and kept chopping.
But the corner of his mouth quirked up.
His phone buzzed in his pocket.
He pulled it out for a glance—
[Combat detected. Host withstood Foundation Establishment Stage, early phase attack. No damage taken.]
[Assessment: Physical strength has surpassed current cultivation level.]
[Reward: Spirit Stones +50.]
[Hidden Achievement Unlocked: Wolf in Sheep's Clothing · First Revelation.]
[Reward: Random gacha draw x1.]
[Gacha draw in progress… Congratulations! Obtained: R-grade item "Spirit Restoration Elixir" ×3.]
[Spirit Restoration Elixir: Recovers 50% of spiritual power instantly upon consumption. Cooldown: 1 hour.]
Lin Luo tucked the phone back into his pocket and went back to chopping wood.
---
In the afternoon, Wang Hao showed up again.
This time, he wasn't carrying chicken legs. His expression was serious.
"Brother Luo, I heard you beat up Zhou Ming from the Inner Court?"
"I didn't beat him," Lin Luo said. "He hit me. Broke his own wrist."
"Isn't that the same thing!" Wang Hao paced around in agitation. "Do you know who Zhou Ming is? His master is War Hall Elder Zhou Tong! Foundation Establishment Stage, late phase! Short-tempered! Notorious for protecting his own disciples!"
"So?"
"So he's definitely coming after you!"
"Oh."
"'Oh'?!" Wang Hao looked like he was about to lose his mind. "Brother Luo, are you even listening to me?"
"I'm listening." Lin Luo stacked the chopped wood neatly. "If he comes after me, I'll deal with it."
Wang Hao stared at him, falling silent.
After a long moment, he lowered his voice. "Brother Luo… what stage are you really at?"
Lin Luo glanced at him. "You want the truth?"
Wang Hao nodded eagerly.
"Qi Refining Stage, Layer 4."
"…Really?"
"Really."
"Then how did you take Zhou Ming's punch?"
"I've trained in a body-tempering technique. A little."
Wang Hao stared at him for three seconds, then slapped his thigh. "I knew it! You've been hiding something!"
"Keep your voice down." Lin Luo shot him a glare.
Wang Hao clamped a hand over his mouth immediately, dropping to a whisper. "Then why didn't you tell anyone?"
"What would be the point?" Lin Luo countered. "If the whole class knew I had a phone with an immortal cultivation game that makes me stronger just by idling—do you think they'd believe me?"
Wang Hao thought about it. "No. They'd just think you're crazy."
"Exactly. So it's better to say nothing."
"Then why tell me?"
Lin Luo paused for a moment.
"Because you never asked why my phone still had battery."
Wang Hao blinked, then scratched his head. "That, uh… I just figured you had your reasons. You didn't talk about it, so I didn't ask."
"That's why I told you."
Wang Hao grinned, then his expression turned worried again. "But what about Zhou Tong? Foundation Establishment Stage, late phase. Can you handle that?"
Lin Luo thought about it.
He was at Qi Refining Stage, Layer 4 now, with the Nine Cycles Mystic Art at the First Cycle. Tanking a Foundation Establishment Stage, early phase attack was no problem. But Foundation Establishment Stage, late phase…
Probably not.
"Probably not," he admitted.
"Then what are you going to do?"
"Buy time," Lin Luo said. "Buy time until I can."
"How long will that take?"
Lin Luo pulled out his phone and checked.
[Idle Cultivation in progress… Time until breakthrough to Qi Refining Stage, Layer 5: 32 hours.]
[Nine Cycles Mystic Art, Second Cycle unlock condition: Cultivation reaches Foundation Establishment Stage. Current cultivation: Qi Refining Stage, Layer 4.]
Layer 5 would take another 32 hours. Layer 6 would take 64. Foundation Establishment Stage…
He did the math. At least ten days, maybe two weeks.
"About half a month," he said.
"And what do we do until then?"
Lin Luo tucked his phone away and picked up his axe.
"Act."
"Act how?"
"Act like a real waste."
---
As evening fell, a third visitor arrived.
Not Su Xiaoxiao. Not Zhao Tian.
Sect Leader Lu Yuan.
He came alone, without attendants, wearing an ordinary gray robe. He looked like an unremarkable middle-aged scholar.
The Chores Hall disciples dropped to their knees.
"S-Sect Leader?!"
"The Sect Leader came to the Chores Hall?!"
Lu Yuan waved his hand. "Rise. I'm not here for you."
His gaze settled on Lin Luo, who was chopping wood in the corner.
"Lin Luo. Come with me."
Lin Luo set down his axe and followed Lu Yuan out of the Chores Hall.
Lu Yuan led him to a bamboo grove behind the mountain. Wind rustled through the leaves, filling the air with a soft whisper.
"I heard what happened today," Lu Yuan said. "Zhou Ming threw a punch at you. Broke his own wrist."
"Yes."
"Do you know what that means?"
"What?"
"It means your physical body is already stronger than the Foundation Establishment Stage, early phase."
Lin Luo didn't respond.
Lu Yuan turned to face him.
"A mortal without a spiritual root. In three days, you've advanced from Qi Refining Stage, Layer 1 to Layer 4, and your physical body has reached the Foundation Establishment Stage level. Tell me—how did you do it?"
Lin Luo's heart skipped a beat.
Had the Sect Leader seen through his true cultivation?
No—the Disguise Talisman was still working. The Sect Leader had probed him twice and sensed Qi Refining Stage, Layer 1 both times.
But he had figured it out. Not with spiritual power. With his mind.
"Sect Leader, I don't understand what you're saying," Lin Luo said. "I'm at Qi Refining Stage, Layer 1."
Lu Yuan looked at him, then smiled.
"You don't have to admit anything," he said. "I didn't come to interrogate you."
"Then why are you here?"
"To give you some advice."
"What advice?"
"Zhou Tong is extremely protective of his disciples. Zhou Ming will go back and complain, and Zhou Tong will come for you. He won't talk to you the way I am."
"I know."
"You know, and you still hit him?"
"I didn't hit him," Lin Luo corrected. "He hit me."
Lu Yuan shook his head. "In the world of cultivation, right and wrong don't matter. Only strength matters."
He reached into his sleeve and pulled out a jade token, handing it to Lin Luo.
"What's this?"
"Pass for the eighth and ninth floors of the Trial Tower." Lu Yuan said. "You reached the seventh floor, but you didn't go further."
"The eighth floor's light flickered. I couldn't beat it."
"I know. But the fact that you lit up the eighth floor at all says enough." Lu Yuan pressed the token into Lin Luo's hand. "When you're ready, try again. There's something on the ninth floor that might be useful to you."
"What is it?"
Lu Yuan didn't answer.
He turned to leave, then paused after a few steps.
"By the way. In three days, the sect will release the first assignment for the new disciples. By the rules, the Chores Hall has to send someone."
"What's the assignment?"
"Clearing out the demon beasts at Blackwind Ridge." Lu Yuan said. "There's a demon beast at the Foundation Establishment Stage, mid phase there. It's injured quite a few people recently."
Lin Luo's heart sank.
Foundation Establishment Stage, mid phase.
He could tank an early phase attack now. But mid phase…
"Why are you telling me this?"
"Because by the rules, the weakest disciple gets sent to the most dangerous position." Lu Yuan looked at him. "And everyone thinks you're the weakest."
Lin Luo fell silent.
Lu Yuan walked away.
Lin Luo stood alone in the bamboo grove, wind rustling through the stalks around him. He pulled out his phone.
[Idle Cultivation in progress… Time until breakthrough to Qi Refining Stage, Layer 5: 31 hours 15 minutes.]
[Nine Cycles Mystic Art, First Cycle: Completed.]
[Second Cycle: Unlocked upon reaching Foundation Establishment Stage.]
Three days.
He needed to go from Qi Refining Stage, Layer 4 to being able to withstand a Foundation Establishment Stage, mid phase attack.
Was it possible?
Lin Luo glanced at the [Daily Instance Dungeon] button on the game interface.
[Daily Instance Dungeon · Today: Blackwind Ridge Trial (Recommended Level: Foundation Establishment Stage).]
[Clear Rewards: Large EXP + Random Equipment.]
[Enter instance?]
[Yes / No]
Lin Luo stared at the screen for three seconds.
Blackwind Ridge.
The same location as the sect assignment.
He tapped [Yes].
The screen flashed, and the chibi figure appeared in a dark, foreboding valley. Before it stood a massive wolf covered in black fur, its eyes blood-red, drool dripping from its fangs.
[Blackwind Ridge Trial · Stage 1: Blackwind Wolf (Foundation Establishment Stage, early phase).]
Lin Luo took a deep breath.
In reality, he stood in the bamboo grove, eyes closed.
In the game, he moved his character toward the wolf.
"Bring it on."
---
[Idle Cultivation in progress… Time until breakthrough to Qi Refining Stage, Layer 5: 31 hours.]
[Blackwind Ridge Trial · Stage 1 in progress…]
---
(End of Chapter 4)
Current Status
Cultivation: Qi Refining Stage 4
Auto-Cultivation: In Progress (Time until Breakthrough to Qi Refining Stage 5: 31h)
Nine Revolutions Profound Art: First Revolution (Mastered); Second Revolution requires Foundation Establishment to unlock
Attack: ~120 (Estimated: Qi Refining Stage 4 + Nine Revolutions Profound Art bonus)
Defense: Capable of withstanding attacks from early Foundation Establishment stage
HP: ~350 (Estimated)
Spirit Stones: 250
Disguise Talisman: Active (Displayed Stage: Qi Refining Stage 1)
Possessions: Spirit Recovery Pill ×3 (Instantly restores 50% Spiritual Power)
Instance Progress: Blackwind Ridge Trial · Stage 1 in Progress (Blackwind Wolf, Early Foundation Establishment)
Resurrection Cost: 1 Spirit Stone / use