On the mist-shrouded Sword Peak of the Vermilion Bird Sect, two figures ascended the stone steps that spiraled around the jagged cliff face. One was tall and composed, a senior disciple whose gaze held the weight of years of training. The other was a young man with tousled hair and a sluggish gait Meng Tao.
They arrived at the gate of the main hall, an ancient structure carved into the mountain, emanating a quiet but imposing aura. Before Meng Tao could knock, a calm and cold voice drifted from within.
"Come in."
Meng Tao pushed open the gate and stepped into the vast hall. At the far end, seated on a jade throne beneath a mural of phoenixes and flame, was a woman clad in pristine white Taoist robes. Her eyes were closed, and an air of serenity surrounded her like a veil.
She looked no older than thirty, but her true age was a closely guarded secret. In truth, Li Yao, his master, had lived over five centuries. Despite her serene appearance, she was a cultivator who had long reached the Transformation Realm, standing at the pinnacle of power in the sect.
Meng Tao bowed respectfully. "Disciple greets Master."
Li Yao's eyes opened slowly, a glint of disappointment already in them. With a faint sweep of her spiritual sense, she checked her disciple's cultivation.
Qi Gathering – Level 5.
Her eyes twitched.
A moment of silence passed.
And then, like a volcano long held back, she erupted.
"Brat! What new excuse do you have this time?"
Her voice echoed through the hall like a whip cracking through silence.
"It's been five years since you entered this sect. I've poured countless resources into your cultivation! Pills, techniques, spirit stones anything you wanted, you got! But you—" she paused, fuming, "you're still at Qi Gathering Level 5! Don't you feel even a shred of shame?!"
Meng Tao scratched his head awkwardly.
Li Yao continued, her voice rising with every word. "Your ancestor my junior brother had less talent than you! He reached the peak of Qi Gathering on his own, without half the resources I gave you. He ventured into secret realms, clawed his way through life-and-death trials to build his foundation!"
She pointed at him, eyes filled with fury. "And you? You've done nothing but sleep and laze around like a pig in a spiritual field! If I had given the same resources to my junior brother, he'd have formed his Core by now!"
Meng Tao raised a hand lazily and smiled. "Master, you simply don't understand. I'm a dragon among men. How can I be compared to common mortals? I'm walking my own Dao."
Li Yao's eyes twitched violently.
"Which dragon stays at Qi Gathering Level 5 for five whole years?!"
Meng Tao opened his mouth but stopped. He had no response.
"Ahem," he coughed lightly. "Just wait, Master. I shall soar above the nine heavens and become the strongest!"
Li Yao's glare sharpened. "How? By sleeping?!"
Meng Tao nodded sincerely.
She stared at him in silence for a long second. Then, sighing heavily, she muttered, "It's my fault I spoiled you."
Suddenly,
[Ding! Host's unwavering commitment to his Dao has been acknowledged. Reward granted: Supreme Concealment Technique Conceals cultivation from beings up to five realms above the host.]
Just as Meng Tao grinned in joy at the notification, Li Yao's voice thundered again.
"Meng Tao! Are you even listening to me?!"
He looked up. "Yes, Master."
Her voice was strained with frustration. "How much more time do you intend to waste?"
Meng Tao straightened, his expression solemn and dramatic. "Master, I shall never abandon my Dao. No matter what happens, I will walk my path to the end!"
"Good heavens!" Li Yao clutched her chest as if she might keel over. "Fine, go! If I look at your face a moment longer, I'll die of anger!"
"Then I shall take my leave!" Meng Tao declared proudly. "Every second is precious when walking the Dao!"
With a swing of her sleeve, the gates of the main hall burst open and Meng Tao was unceremoniously thrown out.
He tumbled across the stone courtyard, but instead of rage or embarrassment, his face broke into a grin.
'Even Master, who's in the Transformation Realm, couldn't see through me now. This concealment technique is divine!'
Dusting himself off, he opened his system panel. During the lecture, he hadn't had time to check the notifications.
[Ding! Host has successfully proven his Dao before his master. Additional reward granted: Supreme Curse Book.]
Meng Tao blinked. "System, what's this new book?"
[Ding! Welcome to the Invincible Lazy System! Our purpose: Help host become invincible by doing nothing. Why fight on the battlefield for three days and three nights like a fool? With the Supreme Curse Book, just curse your enemies to death. No effort required.]
Meng Tao's eyes sparkled. "Good guy, System maybe you're not so useless after all!"