The chilling night passed uneventfully, yet the wait felt agonizing. Never before had Xu Qingxian experienced anything like this.
His nerves were strung so tightly that even the idea of cultivating became impossible. Tension brimmed within him, suffocating and relentless.
He tried to remain focused, to channel his thoughts inward, but in the end, his efforts proved futile.
Realizing there was nothing he could do to ease the oppressive pressure around him, he sighed and reached into his robes, pulling out his phone.
[Transmigration Group Chat – 99+ messages]
The glowing notification flickered against the darkness, casting soft blue hues over his anxious face. For the first time in hours, the tightness in his chest lessened slightly.
"Maybe this will help distract me for a while," he thought, grateful for even the smallest reprieve. He could also use the opportunity to ask a few questions that had been bothering him.
Winter Immortal: That is just how things are over here. A beautiful woman is the greatest luxury one can find.
Lazy Feather: You guys have it rough…
Xu Qingxian skimmed through the bulk of the messages, ignoring the chatter and irrelevant banter, hoping to find something of value.
Seeing nothing of significance, he began to type.
Carefree Immortal: Everyone, is it only the Transmigration Group Chat app that can be installed on our phones?
A sudden silence fell over the group. Xu Qingxian stared at the screen, watching as the dots indicating someone was typing appeared, then vanished, only to reappear again.
Lazy Feather: Should that even be a question? Obviously, the phone is tailored to handle transmigration functions.
Jade Beauty: Huhu, after ignoring my messages for so long, you finally decided to speak up. Was the information I gave you useful?
Xu Qingxian frowned. Should he reply? Would doing so risk exposing that he and Jade Beauty were in the same world? Perhaps something more intricate was unfolding behind the scenes.
Choosing caution, Xu Qingxian decided to read the rest of the messages and respond later.
One Inch Stick: Finally, something interesting to discuss. You all know there are no women here, yet you are talking about women?
Crouching Down and Begging for Mercy: The big bosses in the group should please answer the fellow daoist's question.
Winter Immortal: Well…
The Unfettered One: That
The Unfettered One: Is
The Unfettered One: Wrong
Lazy Feather: Can someone tell me why he is texting like this? Are you trying to build suspense like some author?
One Inch Stick: Same question as the guy above me.
Winter Immortal: Haha, you are lucky. You have just encountered another one of the big bosses in the group. I think he is replying that way because he is in the middle of a duel.
Big Fatty: Hehe, you all better apologize. This big boss is famous for traveling across countless worlds in search of worthy opponents. That is why he rarely speaks here.
Crouching Down and Begging for Mercy: Incredible. He is already exploring the endless worlds.
The chat quickly descended into a flurry of admiration and reverence for The Unfettered One.
The topic veered off course, but it seemed the big boss was determined to share his answer. Still, it was excruciating to read his fragmented messages.
The Unfettered One: When
The Unfettered One: You
…
Xu Qingxian sat motionless, watching as the words came through slowly, one at a time. He waited in silence, his muscles taut and his eyes unmoving.
After more than an hour, the full message finally arrived.
Piecing together the scattered words, Xu Qingxian reached the conclusion the mysterious figure was trying to convey.
"When you reach a certain level of strength and complete enough missions in the group chat, you gain access to other applications. These come at an exorbitant cost, but some are so powerful they rival any golden finger, depending on which ones you choose."
Xu Qingxian's breath caught in his throat. Once again, the Transmigration Group Chat had proven itself anything but ordinary.
He quickly typed another question.
Carefree Immortal: How many system points, or how many missions?
The response came in the same fragmented style. After a while, Xu Qingxian pieced together the answer.
One billion system points.
His eyes widened. That number was absurd. What kind of monstrous concept was a billion points?
Apparently, he was not the only one shocked. The group exploded.
Lazy Feather: It has been confirmed already. I will never reach that number with my current level of laziness.
One Inch Stick: Damn, is this what it means to be a big boss? So overpowered!
Carefree Immortal: I honestly did not expect such a ridiculous number.
Jade Beauty: Well…
Satisfied with the information he had gathered, Xu Qingxian closed his phone and exhaled deeply.
There was still a long journey ahead, but he would walk it one step at a time.
A faint sliver of light crept through the cracks beneath the cold steel door. Xu Qingxian blinked, momentarily stunned.
Morning had arrived without him noticing.
Time truly flies when one is on their phone.
With his mood lightened and his thoughts cleared, Xu Qingxian returned to cultivation.
He was already at the third stage of the Foundation Establishment Realm, and his progress showed no signs of slowing.
His numerous dantians and meridians thrummed with spiritual energy, each one like a river in flood, flowing endlessly.
As he closed his eyes and began to focus, time passed swiftly. Before long, it was time for breakfast.
The stone door creaked open, and a scholarly youth stepped into the frigid palace.
"Young master," Lin Fan said with a soft smile. He, too, had suffered through a restless night filled with uncertainty. Yet now, seeing Xu Qingxian unharmed, he felt that his fears were unnecessary.
He began serving dishes with practiced ease, his smile growing warmer.
"In a good mood today, young master?" he asked while ladling steaming soup into a bowl.
Xu Qingxian nodded faintly, the tension from the night slowly fading.
"I heard the aristocrats were furious this morning," Lin Fan said quietly, his voice laced with concern. "They blame the king for not executing you as promised."
Xu Qingxian's gaze sharpened. A flicker of killing intent passed through his eyes like lightning in a storm.
"That does not matter," he replied calmly, picking up a piece of meat and chewing it slowly. "As long as my father is unwilling to kill me, there is nothing to fear."
Lin Fan hesitated before speaking again.
"Young master, I heard the Profound Dao Sect sent experts into the city to scout for geniuses. I wonder if I will be selected."
"You want to leave me?" Xu Qingxian asked, arching a brow with amusement.
Lin Fan's face turned pale. Cold sweat dotted his forehead as he stammered nervously.
"It is not like that… I… I only wish to pursue the path of immortality."
Xu Qingxian chuckled softly. He understood Lin Fan's desires.
Then, a sudden thought struck him.
What if he became Lin Fan's master?
He could send Lin Fan to explore the world, to hunt terrifying monsters under the guise of training, while he stayed behind enjoying warm meals and watching his attribute points rise steadily.
The thought was more than just appealing.
It was perfect.