◎ Fastest Cultivation Secret Manual ◎
Amidst majestic mountains and rivers, white clouds swirl, and celestial melodies drift.
Zhao Keran was brought by an outer disciple from the Clearwater Sect to the lodging area for miscellaneous disciples—a collection of scattered wooden houses in front of a lush and spiritual field.
Some houses are spaced apart, while others are tightly adjoined to the walls.
The latter are mostly temporary new houses constructed due to the increased number of miscellaneous disciples required with the expansion of the outer spiritual field.
“You arrived last, and most of the outer rooms are already taken. Only Junior Sister Lin’s room has an available bed,” Senior Brother Xu coughed lightly, and his gentle expression seemed somewhat apologetic.
Zhao Keran was surprised; after all, the Clearwater Sect is a well-known sect within the Eastern Realm.
Each year, numerous aspiring disciples came seeking enlightenment, but those selected are required to start as miscellaneous disciples to temper their character.
In theory, a senior brother in charge of the miscellaneous disciples would oversee at least hundreds of people, and in most other sects, such a position would come with a certain degree of arrogance.
However, she didn’t expect Senior Brother Xu to be so amiable.
“What’s wrong with sharing a room with a senior sister? Even my cousin, who possesses exceptional talent, had to share a room with another when he sought enlightenment at the neighboring Mountain and Sea Sect,” Zhao Keran thought to herself.
Zhao Keran quickly smiled and tightened the small azure bundle on her body, her traveling luggage.
“Thank you for your kindness, Senior Brother. Please just tell me the specific location, and I’ll go there myself.”
Senior Brother Xu was slender, wearing a mist-gray Daoist robe, and carrying two crossed peach wood swords on his back. Upon hearing her words, a fleeting expression of relief appeared on his gentle face.
“That’s good then.”
“Huh?” Zhao Keran was taken aback.
Did Senior Brother Xu just express genuine relief?
Senior Brother Xu coughed and clasped his hands behind his back. “Junior Sister Zhao, Junior Sister Lin’s room is right in the middle of your line of sight. I have other matters to attend to, so I’ll take my leave.”
Before Zhao Keran could react, Senior Brother Xu was already ten steps away.
Why does it feel like the senior brother was trying to escape?
Zhao Keran opened her mouth, but could only hear Senior Brother Xu’s faint and distant voice, “Remember to tell Junior Sister Lin that you are the new disciple assigned to share the room with her…”
Zhao Keran: “???”
Something doesn’t seem quite right.
Assigned to share a room with her? Were there previous roommates?
Oh, it seems that this Senior Sister Lin has been practicing in the outer sect for many years and has shared her room with numerous new disciples before.
As Zhao Keran realized this, she tightened her bundle. She plans to present some locally produced spiritual silkworm silk from her hometown as a gift to this senior sister. Hopefully, that will help establish a good relationship.
Soon, lost in thought, she unknowingly arrived at a junction in the small path amidst the hundred-acre spiritual field.
She thought it would take some time, but unexpectedly, she found the right place in an instant.
The junction housed a dozen or so small houses, artfully arranged.
However, there was one room with a striking yellow paper pasted on its door.
【Outer Sect Room Number 99】
The characters were vibrant and occupied at least one-third of the wooden door.
It seemed as if they were afraid that someone might not notice it.
Senior Sister Lin was so gentle. Was she afraid that the new miscellaneous disciple, Zhao Keran, could not find her lodging?
Zhao Keran’s heart warmed, but soon, she became a bit nervous.
As soon as her hand touched the shabby wooden door of the small house, a peculiar pattern emerged from deep within the creaking door, slowly revealing itself.
Lines of characters appeared, floating in mid-air.
[Read carefully before knocking on the door.]
Zhao Keran widened her eyes.
Is this a talisman or a formation?
[1. This is Lin Shuang’s residence. If you need to find other disciples or inquire about directions, please check the “Accommodation List and General Map for Outer Sect Disciples” in the bamboo basket on the left side of the door.]
Zhao Keran: “!”
[2. If you have inquiries about miscellaneous tasks, please take out the Communication Stone from the bamboo basket on the right side of the door—press ‘2’ to contact Senior Brother Xu Rui, the steward, for inquiries.]
Zhao Keran: “…!”
Was that the same Senior Brother Xu who had brought her here earlier?
Wait, she seemed to understand why Senior Brother Xu “ran away” just now.
[3. If you have inquiries about cultivation…]
[4. If you have inquiries about meals…]
[5. If you have inquiries about clothing…]
Zhao Keran stood dumbfounded.
What’s going on? Is this a disciple’s lodging?
Or is it some kind of Outer Sect guidance center?
[7. If none of the above, look for Lin Shuang herself. For non-urgent matters, visit during noon.]
[For extremely urgent matters—please enter.]
The word “noon” was in bold and highlighted in yellow, as if they were afraid that someone would miss it and disturb it at the wrong time.
Lin Senior Sister seems to be a very serious and diligent cultivator.
Zhao Keran felt a bit of admiration. After straightening her clothes, she gathered some courage and knocked on the door, “Senior Sister Lin, I’m the new… ”
As long as she worked hard like her Senior Sister, they should get along well, right?
But before she could finish speaking, she froze.
As the door opened, she saw two wooden beds placed against the wall, and in the middle was a strange, soft, horizontally-patterned floral chair.
A faint silhouette was deeply embedded in at least four or five layers of soft cotton cushions on the floral chair.
There was something dark like black algae smeared on her face, and her long black hair fell smoothly. A silver claw-shaped object was constantly rubbing against her head.
The bright phoenix eyes between the black algae revealed an air of intelligence as they gazed at the wooden rack hanging around the snow-white neck—a spread-out picture album.
The title on the cover was quite eye-catching—”The Golden Carp Sect Leader Becomes the Darling of the Group.”
Inside the room, the voice of an excited storyteller could be heard.
“The immortal beauty was captivated by his three parts desolation, three parts sorrow, and four parts despondences…”
It was currently the most popular “Immortal Beauty Meets Poor Scholar” novella in the mortal bookshops.
Zhao Keran: “…???”
Her small bundle fell to the ground.
A folded and wrinkled talisman paper floated up from the ground and turned into a white lion-dog. It gently picked up her small package and held it to her.
“Visitor, it’s Lin Shuang’s entertainment schedule right now. There is about one-third of an incense stick’s time left.”
Zhao Keran was stupefied.
W-What is this?
In her confusion, Zhao Keran immediately thought of what Senior Brother Xu had said from ten steps away.
“Junior Sister, remember to tell Lin Shuang as soon as possible that you are the new disciple assigned to live with her…”
Ah.
So Senior Brother already anticipated this?
“Senior, Senior Sister… I’m the new disciple sharing the room with you… Zhao Keran…”
Zhao Keran stammered, bowing nervously to the lion-dog talisman in front of her.
“Ah, so you’re my roommate.”
“Is communicating with a roommate considered interrupting the entertainment tomato timer?”
Zhao Keran spoke to the white paper dog, and suddenly, she heard a gentle voice, like a trickle flowing from a mountain stream, soft and low, as if it was carried to her ears by the wind outside the house.
If she stepped back half a step, she wouldn’t be able to hear clearly.
“Junior Sister Zhao.”
Zhao Keran raised her head and was captivated by the beautiful face that had somehow removed the black algae.
Her snow-white skin was as translucent as silk from a silkworm, flawless.
A pair of phoenix eyes were bright and gentle, captivating her mind, and making her forget everything else.
Could this really be a miscellaneous disciple?
In a daze, Zhao Keran saw Senior Sister Lin rise from the deeply embedded soft cushion and walk to her.
With a flip of her slender hand, a small wooden plaque appears.
—”Research Discussion on the Fastest Cultivation Methods.”
“Junior Sister, no need to thank me. Alright, it’s almost time for my rejuvenating nap. Goodnight.”
“!”
In the early morning of the first Chen, the bells and drums of the Outer Sect of the Clearwater Sect solemnly sounded, and the cranes cried.
It was time for the miscellaneous disciples to begin their duties.
After organizing her package, Zhao Keran looked at Senior Sister Lin, who was still sweetly dozing off with earplugs.
Isn’t Senior Sister going?
Or do they have different shift times?
She had wanted to stay up late and read the “Research Discussion on the Fastest Cultivation Methods” that Senior Sister had given her, but she was too tired after a day of travel and hadn’t finished reading all the 1,236 pages.
In the section about the preferences of outer sect disciples, it mentioned that Senior Brother Xu Rui had hell-level OCD. Although the phrasing was strange, she quickly caught the main point—Senior Brother Xu hated it when disciples were late or slacking during duty times.
Zhao Keran looked at Senior Sister Lin’s peaceful sleeping face and hesitated, walking to her bed. She wanted to wake her up but was blocked by the soundproofing formation set up by the lion-dog talisman.
Helplessly, she could only walk lightly, following the hurried crowd to the Bell Tower.
She was considering whether she should ask for leave on behalf of her senior sister—
“Oh, you’re talking about Lin Shuang… Well, you don’t need to worry about her.” Senior Brother Xu Rui, with his peach wood sword on his back, was dressed neatly. His ink-black hair was tied neatly in his crown, just as described in the “Summary of Senior Brother Xu Rui.”
However, when Lin Shuang was mentioned, his expression became slightly complicated.
“By the way, Zhao Junior Sister, since it’s your first day, take it easy. Today, you’ll only do 70% of the tasks. You’ll be responsible for taking care of the ten acres of Lingzi grass in the east, watering, and pest control.”
Zhao Keran quickly agreed.
“And then, fill up the hundred water tanks in the kitchen, clean the two rooms of the Bell Tower, feed the time-telling immortal crane, and clean its cage…”
“…”
So many tasks!
She almost couldn’t remember them all!
Zhao Keran’s eyes were filled with shock.
Do miscellaneous disciples of the Clearwater Sect usually have to do so much work?
Will there be any time left for cultivation?
At night, after finishing all the tasks, Zhao Keran felt exhausted. Her body was shrouded in darkness, and above her head were countless stars. When she returned to her wooden house, she was like the automatic response lion-dog talisman at the door, wanting to lie on the ground and catch her breath.
Even though she only did seventy percent of the miscellaneous tasks, she was busy the entire day.
Senior Sister Lin Shuang, probably hadn’t returned yet since she left later in the day, right?
Feeling hungry, Zhao Keran couldn’t even summon the strength to walk to the Outer Sect dining hall. However, she noticed a bright light coming from inside the small hut.
Puzzled, she pushed open the wooden door and was stunned.
The room was not only lit up, but the two beds were tidier than in the morning, the floor was spotless, and the windows were clean.
The food on the small wooden table was fragrant and warm, and the spiritual tea had been brewed and was ready to drink.
Moreover, on the basin rack beside her small bed, there was a basin of clear face-washing water.
As she turned her head in surprise, she saw Senior Sister Lin in the room, sitting cross-legged on the bed with her eyes closed, forming hand seals.
“Ding, Xiao Ai reminder, one incense stick’s worth of cultivation has been completed.”
The lion-dog talisman spoke up.
Lin Shuang immediately opened her phoenix eyes.
The lion-dog talisman said, “Congratulations, Master, you have completed thirty-six small cycles of cultivation today, finishing your cultivation tomato timer.”
What!?
Zhao Keran almost choked on her spirit tea.
Thirty-six small cycles of cultivation would take at least four hours.
“You’ve finished everything for today.”
With a joyful sigh, Lin Shuang suddenly stepped on her embroidered shoes and pounced onto her strange and soft long seat, sinking into it deeply.
With a flick of her slender hand, she took out the booklet “The Golden Carp Sect Leader Becomes the Darling of the Group.”
“Oh, Junior Sister Zhao is back? Eat first. The foot bathwater is under the bed.”
Senior Sister is such a kind person, sob.
Wait a minute.
Zhao Keran suddenly realized something and couldn’t believe it, “S-Senior Sister, did you finish all the miscellaneous tasks and cultivation?”
“Mm.”
“And did you do all these things in the room?”
“No.”
Zhao Keran breathed a sigh of relief.
That’s what I thought. After doing all the miscellaneous tasks and cultivation, how could she still have the energy to do so much?
Then, Lin Shuang raised her eyes and added, “Xiao Ai poured the foot bathwater.”
Only the foot-washing water was done by Xiao Ai…
“!!!”
So much work in one day—
How did you do it, Senior Sister?
Wait, Zhao Keran hurriedly walked to her bed and took out the “Research Discussion on the Fastest Cultivation Methods” from under the pillow!
Author’s Note:
Lin Shuang: On the first day, Junior Sister, I taught you the ultimate skill.
“Record of Zhao Keran, 134th Generation Sect Master of the Clearwater Sect, Part 1”: Unfortunately, I didn’t know back then. If given another chance, I would tell myself to open it faster.
