The sun had barely risen when Chen Fan was already outside, stretching beside his vegetable patch. The chickens (or miniature divine beasts, as sect disciples now secretly whispered) clucked contentedly, while the white tiger turned cat snoozed in the shade.
Chen Fan yawned and checked his "task list" in the system:
"Task: Provide water to nearby cultivators. Task completion: pending."
"Water cultivators?" he muttered. "How much water do people even need?" Shrugging, he filled a small clay jar from the stream nearby. The water shimmered faintly as he poured it, but he didn't think much of it.
Meanwhile, in the nearby Lea Sect, disciples were struggling. Their rival, the Raging Fire Sect, had set up a cunning trap in the mountains, blocking the path to a mystical herb garden vital for cultivation breakthroughs.
"Master… there's no way through," Zhao Lin said, clutching his forehead in frustration. "Our cultivation energy just… fizzles. We can't even step inside!"
One of his juniors bowed. "There is… a rumor. Outside the mountains, a young cultivator named Chen Fan has some 'divine water.' They say just a sip can boost your spiritual energy."
Zhao Lin narrowed his eyes. "Divine water? Worth a try. Bring it here."
The disciples arrived at Chen Fan's hut, kneeling as they handed him a small jade box. "Young master Chen Fan… if it's not too much trouble… may we have some water from you?"
Chen Fan blinked. "Uh… sure. I just got it from the stream." He poured a cup of water into the jade box and handed it over.
As soon as Zhao Lin drank, his entire body glowed. His spiritual veins pulsed, and his cultivation surged past several thresholds in moments. Disbelief and awe overtook him: "I… I've… I've broken through!"
Chen Fan scratched his head. "Oh, that's nice… I guess?"
The disciples quickly returned to the sect with the water. The trap set by the Raging Fire Sect proved useless; the surge of spiritual energy from the divine water dissolved the formations in an instant. With that, the Lea Sect easily claimed the herb garden and turned the tide of their cultivation rank.
Later that afternoon, Chen Fan wandered back to the mountain stream to refill his water jar. On a whim, he sketched a quick painting of a swirling river and mountain peaks on a scrap of paper. The white tiger cat sniffed the painting and began purring.
"Cute," Chen Fan muttered. He didn't notice the painting glowing faintly, nor did he realize the spiritual energy he had leaked into it.
Back at the Lea Sect, one of the disciples accidentally set the painting on the sect's main altar. Within seconds, the artwork radiated spiritual energy so strong it revitalized the entire sect. Cultivators who had been stuck at bottleneck levels suddenly soared beyond, gaining techniques and breakthroughs thought impossible.
Zhao Lin stared at the painting in shock: "This… this is… a holy object!"
"Master Chen Fan… he's not just a cultivator. He… he's…" another disciple whispered.
Chen Fan, meanwhile, had returned to his hut, completely oblivious. He yawned, fed his chickens, watered his vegetables, and scratched the sleeping white tiger cat behind its ears.
"Another day of chores done," he said with a satisfied sigh. "System points… what's my total now?"
"Total points gained: 12. Current cultivation: Mortal Realm, Stage 1."
Chen Fan frowned. "That's… it? I helped a whole sect break through and nothing happened to me?"
The system chirped cheerfully:
"User influence exceeds Mortal comprehension. Continue mundane tasks to gain further breakthroughs."
Chen Fan nodded slowly. "Alright, fine. Farming it is."
Little did he know, every cup of water, every stroke of the brush, every casual act of care was reshaping the cultivation world itself.