Cultivation Online

“Alright, enough chattering. Follow me. I will show you around the Bamboo Forest first,” said Senior Zhou a few moments later.

The group began following Senior Zhou around the Bamboo Garden. They started from the nearest facility, the cafeteria.

“This is your dining area. It will only be opened two times a day for breakfast and dinner. In addition to studying your cultivation technique, everyone here will have a weekly quota to fill, and if you fail to meet your quota, you will be punished.”

“What sort of quota?” someone asked.

“What do you think?” Senior Zhou replied with a faint smirk. “You’re no different from servants in your current position, so you’ll naturally do what servants do—from chopping and collecting bamboo to gathering water. That’s the quota you’ll be fulfilling.”

Although it sounded tedious and pointless, nobody there really paid any mind to the quota since they were confident they would earn the qualification to leave his Bamboo Garden very soon, with many of them aiming to become a cultivator in less than a day.

The next area Senior Zhou brought them was the Bamboo Stream, where the servants go to wash their clothes.

“You’ll be washing your clothes here,” Senior Zhou continued, his tone nonchalant. “If you’re still hungry even after visiting the cafeteria, you can catch your own food a little further upstream, where fish are available.”

The participants stared at him, utterly dumbfounded. The thought of washing their own clothes was unthinkable. Most of them had servants who handled such mundane tasks, and others simply bought new clothes, discarding the old ones whenever they got dirty.

As cultivators, none of them could imagine stooping to such laborious tasks.

However, once again, they quickly reassured themselves, believing they would regain their cultivation within a day. With this confidence, they dismissed the need to concern themselves with such menial tasks.

Right next to the Bamboo Stream stood the training hall, a modest structure where the servants would go to train their bodies.

However, the training conducted here was far from the rigorous cultivation regimens the participants were accustomed to. Instead, it consisted of basic exercises designed for mortals, intended solely to strengthen the body without the aid of spiritual energy or cultivation techniques.

To the participants, this hall seemed almost laughable, a stark contrast to the grand training grounds they were used to as cultivators.

“The training hall is open all day. Cultivation is not all about spiritual energy. You also need to strengthen your body—the foundation,” Senior Zhou spoke with a profound expression on his face.

A few minutes later, they arrived at a spacious area filled with neatly stacked piles of bamboo. The scent of freshly cut wood lingered in the air, mingling with the rustle of leaves from the surrounding forest.

“This is where you’ll hand over your quota,” Senior Zhou said, gesturing to the piles. “Once you’ve fulfilled your quota, head to that building over there for confirmation.”

He pointed to a modest structure nearby, its simple design blending seamlessly with the surroundings.

Senior Zhou continued the tour of the Bamboo Garden, a process that stretched nearly the entire day. By the time they finished, the sun was already dipping below the horizon, casting long shadows over the Bamboo Garden.

At the very end, he brought the group to their living quarters and said, “The men’s living quarters are to the right, and the women’s living quarters are to the left. Although you’ll be working and training with each other, you are strictly prohibited from entering each other’s living quarters.”

“This will conclude the tour. Once I dismiss you, go ahead and pick your living quarters. They’re all the same, so don’t waste time looking for the best or most spacious one. Once you’ve chosen, write your name on the door and take your keys.”

“As for your cultivation technique, you’ll find it inside your living quarter. You are only given one for free, so try not to lose it.”

He paused, his gaze sweeping over the group to ensure they were paying attention.

“Tomorrow at sunrise, everyone will gather here. If you fail to show up, you will be considered to have deserted, which is punishable by death. If you have any questions, save them for tomorrow.”

With that, he gestured for the group to disperse before turning around and quickly disappearing from the place.

While most people left to secure their living quarters, some stayed behind to chat with each other.

“Yua—Young Master.” A familiar voice called out to Yuan, who stayed behind.

Yuan turned around to see a beautiful young lady approaching him.

“Yingying,” he smiled after seeing her pretty face.

“Let’s go somewhere more private.”

He pointed at an empty area in the distance.

Lan Yingying nodded and followed him.

Once alone, Yuan asked, “How are you feeling?”

“Very weird. With my cultivation and powers gone, it doesn’t feel like I am in my own body,” she said.

“Can you transform?” Yuan asked.

“No,” she shook her head. “I also cannot feel our connection despite being beside each other. It’s almost as if our connection no longer exists.”

“I also cannot feel Feng Feng or the others’ presence despite entering the Immortal Monastery with them. I have a feeling these bodies were created solely for the trial, and our real bodies are elsewhere,” Yuan explained as he looked at his palm.

“What should we do now?” Lan Yingying asked after digesting the situation.

“The goal of this trial is still unclear, but if we take the Ancient Immortal’s words at face value, we should just follow the flow and act like we’re really servants trying to join the Immortal Monastery.”

“So learn the cultivation technique and become a cultivator?”

Yuan nodded.

“About that… will I even be able to cultivate a cultivation technique meant for humans properly?” Lan Yingying wore an uncertain expression on her face. “I’m sure it’ll work out. I doubt the Ancient Immortal would’ve allowed you and the other beasts to enter if it was impossible for you to progress,” Yuan reassured her.

“If you say so,” Lan Yingying nodded, no longer feeling worried.