Youth must be seized early, for how can one remain young forever Chapter Fifty-five: Menial Affairs

Xuanyang Sect, residence of the registered disciples.

Within a courtyard spanning several yards, Chen Lin sat quietly in a small room.

His legs were crossed, eyes tightly shut, breathing in a steady rhythm as he practiced his cultivation technique, focusing on meditation and controlled breathing.

Not long after—

Chen Lin exhaled slowly, opened his eyes, and ended a complete cycle of cultivation. He rolled his aching shoulders, his gaze tinged with disappointment.

“It’s been over a year now, and I still haven’t sensed any spiritual energy. Even speeding up my practice, as Immortal Bai advised, hasn’t helped. Am I truly without any talent…”

He sighed, lifting a hand to his brow, closing his eyes again, bitterness filling his heart.

It had been a year and eight months since he joined the sect, and he had been cultivating with the Scorching Sun Technique for over a year. Yet, he had never once felt spiritual energy enter his body, and each day his confidence ebbed away.

“They say Immortal Bai mastered the basics in just a month, yet here I am…” Chen Lin’s heart grew heavy, his thoughts drifting to Bai Qingzhou, whom he hadn’t seen for quite some time.

“Chen Lin! Damn it, you’re so slow, time to go!” Suddenly, a loud shout interrupted his musings.

Recognizing the voice, Chen Lin didn’t bother to reply. He pushed aside his gloom, stood up, and walked to open his door.

Outside stood a boy of about thirteen or fourteen, sturdy and dark-skinned, his face full of impatience as he glared at Chen Lin.

“What are you looking at? Move!” the boy barked.

“Fan Tianhe, why are you yelling so loud?” Chen Lin shot him a cold glance.

“I came to call you out of kindness! And you complain about my voice!” Fan Tianhe roared back.

Chen Lin ignored him, stepping past Fan Tianhe, who blocked the doorway. “Noisy.”

“Hmph! If I didn’t have things to do today, I’d give you a beating!” Fan Tianhe spun around, jabbing a finger toward the back of Chen Lin’s head in annoyance.

“Go ahead, then,” Chen Lin replied coolly without looking back.

Fan Tianhe quickened his stride to walk beside him, grumbling, “You think I won’t? I’ll beat you to death tomorrow!”

“Oh, I see,” Chen Lin answered indifferently, unfazed by Fan Tianhe’s threats.

After more than a year, Chen Lin had come to understand Fan Tianhe’s temperament—straightforward to a fault, hot-tempered, and rough in speech.

He remembered when they’d first arrived, the two had been assigned to the same courtyard. Their personalities clashed, and they argued daily, often leading to fights. Though Chen Lin had learned martial arts and trained regularly, making him a match for most peers, Fan Tianhe was also well-trained from a young age by a renowned martial artist and proved a worthy adversary. They fought evenly, each claiming victories in turn.

Despite frequent scuffles, living under the same roof for so long had worn away any animosity, leaving them with a bond forged through rivalry.

Seeing Chen Lin’s indifference, Fan Tianhe took it in stride. After a while, he changed the subject, grinning, “So, what chores did you pick this time?”

“Deliveries,” Chen Lin replied succinctly.

“Pah!” Fan Tianhe scoffed. “Lame! Deliveries are nothing. The best jobs are the ones that let you go down the mountain. You get to visit the mortal world—so much more fun!”

“If you want to go back to the mundane world so badly, why pursue immortality at all?” Chen Lin retorted.

“What do you know!”

As registered disciples, they were required to perform various chores each month—fetching water, chopping wood, going to town for supplies, cleaning, deliveries, weeding, and so on. Dozens of disciples rotated through these tasks, their assignments changing every month. Today was rotation day, and they were headed to the registered disciples’ hall for their new assignments.

Chatting idly, the two soon reached their destination.

The small hall was already crowded, dozens of disciples of varying ages standing in orderly rows. At the head stood a young man, his bearing stern as he surveyed the assembly.

This was Xi Tong, the steward in charge of the registered disciples.

Upon seeing the immortal master, both Chen Lin and Fan Tianhe fell silent, finding a quiet spot to stand.

Soon, all the disciples had arrived.

Once everyone was present, Xi Tong took out a list, glanced at the crowd, and announced, “Today we reorganize the chores. Everyone must fulfill their duties diligently and avoid mistakes or delays! Here are the specific assignments…”

Xi Tong began reading out each person’s responsibilities. Before long, Chen Lin heard his own name.

“Chen Lin, you are tasked with supplying firewood to the five immortals in the northern quarter.”

Chen Lin lowered his head slightly, surprised to be assigned woodcutting—the most exhausting task.

“…That concludes this month’s assignments. Is everyone clear?” Xi Tong finished.

“We understand!” The dozens of disciples responded with cupped fists.

Xi Tong nodded, said no more, and summoned a Cloudrider Talisman, flying out of the hall.

With Xi Tong gone, the disciples began to whisper among themselves.

Friends started to compare their assignments. Fan Tianhe nudged Chen Lin in the side, grinning, “You got woodcutting again? Planning to hire someone in town?”

He was in good spirits; his assignment was to purchase supplies in town, so he was free to enjoy himself off the mountain.

“Yes, I don’t want to waste time on such things,” Chen Lin replied matter-of-factly.

At the foot of Xuanyang Sect’s mountain lay a small town where many laborers and the families of immortal masters resided. After years of growth, the town now had several thousand inhabitants.

“You spend all your monthly stipend hiring workers—aren’t you ever going to save anything?” Fan Tianhe asked.

“No need,” Chen Lin replied simply.

Each month, registered disciples received a stipend in gold and silver. Most saved theirs, but Chen Lin never cared for such things, always hiring help for his chores.

This time was no exception.

“Suit yourself. I’m off!” Fan Tianhe shrugged and left.

The two parted ways. Chen Lin strolled toward the town below, joined by a few other disciples with similar intentions.

Chen Lin was usually aloof, rarely socializing. Even after more than a year in the sect, he remained distant from most of his peers, so no one approached him for conversation.

He preferred the solitude.

The town wasn’t far; after about half an hour’s walk, its outskirts came into view.

The area was dotted with farmlands and scattered homes for livestock. Many farmers worked in the fields, while children played along the country roads. Seeing the disciples approach, the children watched from afar, their eyes full of envy.

Chen Lin walked on impassively.

“Chen Lin!” a girl’s voice called out.

He turned to see a tall, resolute-looking young woman hurrying toward him.

He knew her well—she was Wen Lan, the only female among their batch of disciples.

Kind-hearted by nature, Wen Lan often intervened whenever Chen Lin and Fan Tianhe fought. Over time, she and Chen Lin grew familiar.

“What brings you here?” Chen Lin’s tone softened unusually for her.

Due to her family’s poverty, Wen Lan sent her stipend home each month and did all her chores herself, never hiring help.

“This time I was assigned to tend Immortal Yao’s medicinal fields. I’m here to buy some seeds,” Wen Lan explained with a smile.

“Let’s head to town together, then,” Chen Lin offered.

“Mm.”

They chatted as they walked, soon reaching the town.

With different destinations, they parted ways; Chen Lin headed for the town center.

There, several robust-looking farmers were already waiting. Spotting Chen Lin, they rushed over, eager to be chosen.

“Immortal master! Pick me, I’m strong!”

“Me too!”

“I can do it as well!”

Having lived here for years, the townsfolk knew this was the day when immortal masters came to hire laborers. Many arrived early, hoping to be selected.

The jobs were highly sought after for several reasons.

First, the pay was generous—a month’s wages from an immortal master could feed a family for years.

Second, working on the mountain meant drinking from the spiritual spring, which strengthened the body and prolonged life.

Third, the tasks themselves were usually simple, just requiring honest labor.

Thus, everyone vied for the opportunity.

Chen Lin surveyed the hopeful crowd and picked five sturdy-looking farmers.

“You five,” he said calmly.

Those chosen fell to their knees in gratitude, some of their wives weeping for joy from afar, knowing their families would be provided for at least two years.

After a short while, the five farmers gathered their belongings, bid their families farewell, and followed Chen Lin out of town.

Chen Lin led the way in silence, the five nervous villagers trailing behind, quietly speculating about the tasks ahead.

As they walked—

A sharp sound suddenly pierced the sky.

All six looked up in unison.

A square talisman shot overhead at great speed, carrying a young man of eighteen or nineteen with a longsword strapped to his back.

Chen Lin’s eyes lit up—it was Immortal Bai!

Before he could greet him, the talisman banked and swooped toward them.

The five farmers, terrified, knelt and bowed.

Bai Qingzhou soon hovered before Chen Lin atop the floating Cloudrider Talisman, smiling warmly.

Chen Lin’s face brightened. He cupped his fists in salute, “Immortal Bai!”

Since becoming a registered disciple, he hadn’t seen Bai Qingzhou in a long time.

“Chen Lin, what are you up to? Who are these people?” Bai Qingzhou asked with a smile.

“Reporting to Immortal Bai, I was assigned the firewood task this month, so I came to town to hire help, leaving myself more time to cultivate,” Chen Lin answered honestly.

“Good, that’s as it should be,” Bai Qingzhou nodded approvingly. “Cultivation must always come first.”

At the mention of cultivation, Chen Lin felt a pang of bitterness. He said quietly, “But my talent is poor. I haven’t grasped the basics in over a year…”

Bai Qingzhou raised a hand, stopping him. “Be patient. As the saying goes: If you give up, even rotten wood cannot be carved; persevere, and even metal and stone can be shaped. All things require persistence. Only with unyielding determination can you ascend the path to immortality. Believe in yourself—you can do it, understand?”

Chen Lin nodded heavily.

“I’m off to settle in the Immortal Market, and don’t know when I’ll return,” Bai Qingzhou said, taking a jade token from his robe and handing it to Chen Lin. “Here’s a little trinket I picked up there. It seems to hold some spiritual energy—take it, perhaps it’ll bring you luck.”

“Thank you, Immortal Bai,” Chen Lin said, accepting the jade with sincere gratitude.

“Good! I’ll be off, then!”

With a soft laugh, Bai Qingzhou rose into the air on his talisman, his figure soaring swiftly until it vanished into the horizon.

Watching Bai Qingzhou’s departure, Chen Lin’s gaze grew resolute. He gripped the pure green jade tightly in his hand, silent and determined…