Li Fan didn't do much that day.
Aside from swallowing a few fasting pills and rubbing ointment over his battered body, he spent the rest of his time resting and grinding points.
Shortly after noon, his Qi had recovered enough for another round. He activated Stone Palm five more times.
[Stone Palm Technique – Beginner – 89/100]
Then, again in the evening, after another four-hour wait—
[Stone Palm Technique – Beginner – 99/100]
By now, the moon was high in the sky. The flickering flame of the oil lamp cast a dim glow across the wooden walls, highlighting the quiet excitement on Li Fan's face.
Oddly enough, his body felt much better than it had that morning.
He wasn't sure if it was the ointment Wu Jiang had given him… or perhaps a side effect of transmigration. Either way, his recovery was clearly faster than it should have been, and for that, he was grateful.
At this rate, he figured he'd be able to walk around with far less pain by tomorrow evening.
But that was a problem for future Li Fan.
Right now, his focus was on one thing.
[Stone Palm Technique – Beginner – 99/100]
Just one more activation. One final push, and he'd break into the next stage of mastery.
He hesitated.
A flicker of anxiety crept into his chest. What if none of this was real? What if the numbers were just a fluke—an illusion brought on by wishful thinking?
Li Fan inhaled deeply, steadying himself. Once. Twice. Again.
He cleared his mind.
Then, with practiced movements, he brought his hands together and began forming the Stone Palm technique seals.
The Qi surged through his body, coalescing in his palms.
For five minutes, Li Fan held the technique, his hands pulsing faintly with that familiar grey-red glow.
Then it faded.
And the moment it did—his breath caught.
A wave of something new crashed into his mind.
Information.
It wasn't verbal. It wasn't visual either. It was something in between—a deep, immersive knowing that bypassed thought and sank straight into instinct.
In his mind's eye, he saw himself.
Practicing the Stone Palm Technique.
Over and over again.
Hundreds of times.
Each motion more refined.
At the same time, his body reacted.
A rush of warmth spread across his shoulders, down his spine, and into his limbs. His muscles tightened with power. A faint heat lingered in his palms, like the echo of countless repetitions pressed into his flesh.
He felt stronger like he'd actually practiced the technique hundreds more times.
Li Fan already knew what had happened.
But even so, Li Fan couldn't help it—he called out his status, needing to see it with his own eyes.
> [Stone Palm Technique – Small Success – 0/200]
[Exp: 0]
A breath escaped him. Half relief, half disbelief.
It was true.
He had broken through to the next mastery stage.
And the jump wasn't just a title change—it came with real, measurable improvement.
Li Fan flexed his fingers. The skin over his knuckles felt denser. His forearms, firmer. His strikes would hit harder now—and the duration of the technique would likely last longer too.
This wasn't just grinding.
It was transformation..
Li Fan let out a breath, slow and steady, then closed the panel.
The excitement still coursed through him, but now it gave way to something colder. Sharper.
Reflection.
He had confirmed it now—this cheat, or whatever it was, worked. Grinding techniques through repetition gave results.
But he was still on a ticking clock.
Six months.
Six months to jump from Qi Gathering Stage 2 to Stage 5. Three small realms. In a world where cultivation wasn't just about effort, but resources, environment, and talent.
And Li Fan had none of those.
Even the environment wasn't exactly included despite being on sect grounds.
Though he held the title of an outer disciple, the truth was harsher—until one passed the three-year test and reached Qi Gathering Stage 5, they were little more than servants of the sect.
Still… that was better than being a wandering cultivator.
At least they carried the sect's brand, followed its orders, received limited protection, basic techniques, and scraps of resources.
Li Fan turned his eyes to the bottom of the panel again.
[Exp: 0]
This was the part he hadn't tested yet. But if it worked like it did on Earth—if EXP really meant experience points—then he had a good idea of what he needed to do.
He had to Kill something.
It was the oldest rule in every RPG he'd ever played. You wanted EXP? You hunted. You killed.
Problem was… his body. Though his healing was progressing unusually fast, it would be days before he could fight properly again.
And even then, what would he fight?
Not humans. Cultivators were dangerous, cunning, and petty. Picking a fight with one could end his journey before it began.
Not demons, either. Spirit beasts were strong, aggressive, and usually out of his league. He wasn't suicidal.
That left one possibility.
Animals.
It was a gamble, but it might work. If even a weak wild animal gave him a single point of EXP… that would be the breakthrough he needed. A foot in the door.
Unfortunately, the sect didn't keep normal animals.
Only spirit beasts were raised here, and they weren't exactly easy targets.
Which meant—
"I'll have to descend the mountain," Li Fan muttered under his breath.
He couldn't afford to wait aimlessly.
He also had a feeling this EXP was something that could give him the urgent assistance he needed.
Li Fan clenched his fists.
"One more day," he murmured. "By tomorrow evening, I should be able to walk properly. By next tomorrow, at this recovery rate, I should be almost healed."
As for why he wasn't planning to descend the mountain tomorrow—he was simply being cautious.
Soon, Li Fan succumbed to exhaustion and drifted into sleep.
It was his first day in a cultivation world, but he had done his best—and adapted.
And like that, Li Fan's second chance at life began.