With the help of the system, Li Taixing ensured that the firewood he chopped was varied in shape and size while still meeting the necessary requirements. This relieved him of any concerns about his task being questioned.
As a result, Li Taixing swiftly completed his assigned workload. He returned to the Sect and headed straight to the supply office managed by Cai Yin, the Fifth Elder. Upon arrival, he found Cai Yin absent but noted the presence of two deacons—Cai Tongsheng on the left and Li Bingchang on the right.
Cai Tongsheng, who was somewhat rotund and related to Cai Yin, glanced at Li Taixing but chose to ignore him. Li Bingchang, slender and attentive, stood up and addressed Li Taixing. "I am Deacon Li. What brings you here today?"
"I'm here to hand in my completed task," Li Taixing replied.
"Hand in your task?" Li Bingchang asked, puzzled.
"Yes, I've completed today's task," Li Taixing confirmed. He then revealed twenty bundles of firewood—his allotted amount for the day.
Cai Tongsheng's curiosity was piqued, especially upon noticing Li Taixing's spatial ring. "You've got a Najie," he remarked, his interest evidently aroused.
Li Bingchang examined the twenty bundles of firewood. Finding everything in order, he said, "Very well. Follow me."
"Okay," Li Taixing responded.
Li Bingchang led Li Taixing to the material warehouse and offered a piece of advice. "It's better to avoid using Najie in the future. It could lead to unnecessary trouble."
"Understood, Deacon Li," Li Taixing replied, though he noted that many disciples used Najie without issue. He realized that being a newcomer, it was wise to stay discreet to avoid unnecessary attention.
Upon delivering the firewood, Li Bingchang recorded the completion. "For today's task, you've earned 10 contribution points."
Li Taixing, eager to maximize his rewards, asked, "Is there any additional reward for exceeding the standard?"
Bingchang Li thought for a moment. "For every 20% excess, you earn 1 extra contribution point. The maximum excess allowed is 200%, which means you could earn up to 10 additional points, totaling 20 points."
Li Taixing nodded, determined to make the most of his efforts. He decided to chop another batch of firewood to capitalize on the opportunity.
Li Taixing returned to his task and, using his spatial ring to expedite the process, soon accumulated another twenty bundles of firewood. When he presented this second batch, Li Bingchang, though initially discouraging the use of Najie, acknowledged Li Taixing's impressive output.
"Impressive. You've really gone above and beyond," Li Bingchang said, noting the extra contribution points.
Li Taixing smiled, pleased with the result. With his accumulated 20 contribution points, he calculated that 10 points could cover three meals a day, and since he didn't need meals, he had an excess of 20 points.
He explored the exchange options and found that medicinal pills required 1,000 contribution points. Given that exceeding the daily task allowed him to accumulate extra points, he realized that achieving his goals would require significant effort. To acquire high-quality pills, he'd need around 50 days if he consistently exceeded the standard.
After completing his tasks, Li Taixing returned to the dormitory at lunch time. Lu Tong and Sun Bohu were exhausted and sprawled out on their beds.
"I'm beat," Lu Tong groaned, his back sore from chopping firewood all morning. He lay on the bed, barely able to move.
Sun Bohu was similarly worn out, his shoulders aching from the heavy lifting. "I don't think I can train this afternoon. My shoulders feel like they're on fire."
Li Taixing chuckled at their complaints. "Everyone has their struggles. You're not alone."
Lu Tong and Sun Bohu looked at Li Taixing with curiosity. "Aren't you tired, Li Dage?"
"Not particularly," Li Taixing replied, his stamina bolstered by his enhanced physique and spatial ring.
Both Lu Tong and Sun Bohu gazed at him enviously. Li Taixing considered offering them spatial rings to ease their burdens but recalled Deacon Li's advice and decided against it for now. His enhanced physique from thousands of bone-forging pills gave him an edge, while Lu Tong and Sun Bohu, though talented, lacked the same level of conditioning.
Xiong Hu and his brothers arrived just then, visibly fatigued. "Ugh, we had to hold a horse stance all morning. My legs feel like jelly," Xiong Hu grumbled.
Seeing Li Taixing, the three brothers greeted him. "Hello, Boss."
Li Taixing, feeling generous, pulled out a watermelon from his spatial bag. "Since everyone's tired, let's have some watermelon."
Their eyes lit up at the sight of the fruit. "Thank you, Boss!"
As they enjoyed the watermelon, Lu Tong declared, "From now on, I'll call you Boss. You've earned it!"
Sun Bohu nodded in agreement. "Me too, Boss."
Li Taixing grinned. "I'm glad to hear that. I'll make sure to look after you all."
"Don't forget to send some to Qingyao and Yueniang," Li Taixing added, reminding Lu Tong to share with Lu Qingyao and Li Yueniang, who were likely exhausted as well.
After the break, the group exchanged experiences from their respective tasks. Time flew by as they shared stories and insights, and soon it was time for the afternoon training session.
Li Taixing, Lu Tong, and Sun Bohu headed to the square for their training, while Xiong Hu and his brothers continued with their tasks. Li Taixing observed that cultivating immortality was far from the glamorous image he had once imagined; it was a grueling and demanding process.
As he trained, Li Taixing reflected on his experiences and resolved to continue pushing his limits. The challenges ahead were daunting, but he was determined to excel and achieve his goals within the Xuantian Sect.