"Thanks, Fanfan," Xue Qiang said softly.
"It's me who should be thanking you, Qinqin. If it weren't for your help back then, I wouldn't even have the chance to cultivate," Feng Fan replied with sincerity.
Xue Qiang tilted her head, her curiosity piqued. "Speaking of which, you used to write cultivation novels, didn't you? Isn't all of this starting to feel a little too similar to those stories?"
"Not too similar, they are exactly the same! This was my thought when we arrived here. Who would say a world like that existed, isn't this amazing?" He said, excitement evident in his eyes.
Xue Qiang couldn't help but chuckle at Feng Fan's enthusiasm. "That's right, but it's such a shame your talent for cultivation is so… bad."
Feng Fan's excitement deflated instantly, replaced by a pitiful look of despair. "Ugh, Qinqin, could you at least sugarcoat it a little? The truth hits harder than a punch to the face…"
Xue Qiang let out a heartfelt laugh, the first genuine one since she had arrived. Her radiant smile was so captivating that, for a moment, Feng Fan completely forgot this girl might have a few screws loose.
"Sorry, Fanfan," she said warmly, her voice carrying gentleness. "I just wanted you to know that even if you can't cultivate and become stronger, I'll always be here to protect you."
Feng Fan couldn't help but joke. "With such a beautiful future immortal guarding me, what do I have to fear? Alright, I'll be shameless and accept your protection. Please, oh dazzling beauty, protect your humble prince!"
Xue Qiang's cheeks turned rosy at his playful words, but her smile grew even brighter. "Then it's a promise. No one will dare harm you as long as I'm here!"
'And if they dare, I'll kill their entire clan…' she thought, unaware that Feng Fan could hear her inner monologue.
A cold shiver ran down his spine. 'Damn it, this girl is adapting to a Xianxia setting way too fast! She's already jumping straight to clan extermination over the slightest grievance!'
He forced a strained smile, trying to keep things light. "Qinqin, let's aim for peace and harmony, okay?"
Xue Qiang tilted her head, her expression sweet yet unreadable. "Of course, Fanfan. Peace and harmony… as long as no one dares to harm you."
Feng Fan gulped, silently vowing never to upset her. Ever.
—
The next day, just as the first rays of sunlight broke over the horizon, a knock sounded on Feng Fan's door.
"I'm coming," he called out groggily, shaking off the remnants of sleep.
Opening the door, he was greeted by a disciple clad in plain gray robes. Feng Fan immediately recognized the attire—it belonged to the sect's menial disciples, individuals with low talent who worked here in exchange for basic cultivation manuals and occasional guidance.
The disciple gave a polite nod. "Senior Brother Feng, I'm here to deliver your breakfast and a message from Elder Jia."
Menial disciples were required to address true disciples as Senior, regardless of the latter's strength or age. In the sect's hierarchy, position always outweighed personal attributes.
Of course, position would only be useful with the correspondent strength. Usually, both walked in union. It was just Feng Fan's case that was a little unique.
"Thank you," Feng Fan replied, accepting the food tray. "And the message?"
"Elder Jia has requested your presence in the main hall this morning to discuss your cultivation resources. He'll also give guidance for all people from your world about the cultivation world."
"Understood. I'll head over after breakfast," he said, maintaining a neutral expression.
The disciple bowed slightly before walking away, leaving Feng Fan to ponder what lay ahead.
Feng Fan finished his breakfast and made his way to the main hall the disciple had mentioned. It was the same location where they had first been summoned to this world, so arriving there was no issue for him.
As he strolled through the stone roads of the White Crow Sect's main peak, his black robe, adorned with the emblem of a white crow, swayed with each step.
The previous day, all newcomers had been provided with five traditional Chinese-style robes by the menial disciples.
Feng Fan stepped into the main hall and immediately noticed he was the last to arrive. The others were already gathered, their eyes briefly turning toward him.
"Took you long enough, trash Feng," sneered Gong Long, his voice dripping with disdain. "How does someone with the weakest talent also manage to be the least diligent?"
'This Gong Long just got here and is already playing the part of a third-rate villain. What a fool,' Feng Fan thought, shaking his head in disbelief.
Feng Fan paid him no mind and casually moved to stand beside Xue Qiang. "Good morning, Qinqin," he greeted her warmly.
"Morning, Fanfan," she replied with a gentle smile.
This brief exchange was like a dagger to Gong Long's pride, his jealousy flaring instantly. His fists clenched, and his expression darkened as he resisted the urge to strike Feng Fan on the spot.
"Alright, since everyone is here, let's get started," Elder Jia interjected, his commanding tone cutting through the tension.
"First off, let me tell you all about the qi cultivation realms, from lowest to highest: Qi Gathering, Foundation Establishment, Golden Core Formation, Nascent Soul, Spirit Severing, Dao Seeking, Return To Void, Transcending Tribulation, and finally, Immortal Ascension. Each realm is further divided into 9 sub-stages, from 1st to 9th."
One of Feng Fan's classmates, Cao Zhu, raised his hand and asked with curiosity, "Elder Jia, which is the strongest realm within the White Crow Sect?"
Elder Jia smiled faintly, clearly having anticipated the question. "The pinnacle of strength in our sect is Dao Seeking Realm cultivators"
Elder Jia continued. "Most of them reside in the Ancestors' Grounds. Their focus is on breaking through to the next realm before their lifespans reach their natural limit."
At this point, a girl standing beside Huang Xue raised her hand. She was Song Shu, one of Huang Xue's only friends in the class. "Elder Jia, how long does a cultivator live? You mentioned yesterday that we could become immortals. What does that truly mean?"
"A human lifespan is usually around eighty years old," he explained. "One can only be called immortal if they break through past the Immortal Ascension Realm, but I don't know even which realm that would be. We only call them 'immortals'."
"For other realms, starting from the Foundation Establishment, it would increase your lifespan to 200 years at the Foundation Establishment, 500 years at the Golden Core Formation, 1,000 years at the Nascent Soul, 3,000 years at the Spirit Severing, 10,000 years at the Dao Seeking, 50,000 at the Return To Void, 300,000 years at the Transcending Tribulation and a million years at the Immortal Ascension."
The crowd gasped in unison. A million years of lifespan? The sheer magnitude of such a concept left their minds in awe.
To put it into perspective, all of human history on Earth, from the Stone Age to the present, was only about triple that time! Could a person could live almost as long as the entire human history?
Elder Jia observed the crowd's excitement with quiet satisfaction. This was precisely the reaction he had aimed for. The idea of immortality had a near-universal allure, igniting a spark of ambition and wonder in the hearts of most humans.