Heaven rewards diligence: Survive until you reach immortality in the newbie village!

Time slips away quietly amidst busyness and trivialities, and a month has passed in the blink of an eye.

Life in Matongli Village remained peaceful, and the commotion caused by the Immortal Sect's recruitment of disciples had long since subsided into occasional topics of conversation among the villagers during their leisure time.

Chen Mo's life became more intense and regular.

Like a diligent worker bee, he shuttles through every corner of the village, making his cause of helping others flourish.

That afternoon, he had just finished harvesting the last row of wheat for Uncle Black Ox's family at the east end of the village.

Uncle Black Ox, true to his name, had dark skin and a robust build like an old ox. He was wiping sweat from his face with a towel, looking at the neatly stacked haystacks, and grinned.

"Xiao Mo, we really owe you a lot this time!"

"Your aunt is pregnant, and I'm clumsy. If it weren't for you, I don't know when we'd harvest those seven or eight acres of wheat! Don't leave tonight, have your aunt stew a chicken, and we'll have a couple of drinks!"

Chen Mo smiled warmly and waved his hand.

"Uncle Black Ox, you're too kind. My parents passed away early, and if it weren't for the help from the uncles and aunts in the village, I would have starved to death long ago. This little favor is nothing."

As soon as the words were spoken, a familiar system notification appeared at the edge of the field of vision:

Daily Task: Assist with the Autumn Harvest (Completed)

[Task Rewards: 1200 experience points, slightly increased farming experience, and +5 favorability with the Black Bull family.]

[Ding! Accumulated experience has reached a critical point!]

[Congratulations, host, on breaking through to the sixth level of the Qi Refining stage!]

[Breakthrough Reward: 10 Low-grade Spirit Stones, 1 copy of "Gengjin Sword Qi Technique (Qi Refining Chapter)"]

Breakthrough!

Chen Mo was slightly pleased, but his expression remained unchanged as he continued talking to Uncle Black Bull.

Reaching the sixth level of Qi Refining is far beyond expectations, especially considering the scarcity of spiritual energy in this village. This breakthrough is achieved quickly thanks to daily tasks and the solid effects of the "Dragon Returning to Origin Technique".

The Gengjin Sword Qi Technique... sounds like an offensive spell, which makes up for his current lack of direct attack methods. Although he can't use it for the time being, it's always good to master it first.

After politely declining Uncle Black Bull's invitation to stay for dinner, Chen Mo slung his small cloth bag over his shoulder and headed towards Doctor Li's house.

The bag contained a few medicinal herbs that I had picked on the mountain that morning.

Since agreeing to study medicine under Doctor Li that day, Chen Mo's life has had another fixed routine.

Li Langzhong, whose real name was Li Yunhe, was indeed a medical fanatic. He devoted half his life to studying medicine and never married. Seeing that Chen Mo was exceptionally talented, he taught him with extra care.

Chen Mo was happy with this, as his experience bar for [Basic Identification (Herbal)] was steadily increasing.

More importantly, through this master-apprentice relationship, he can legitimately access many trivial matters related to health and disease in the village, thereby triggering more diverse tasks.

As we approached Doctor Li's house, a semi-transparent light blue box suddenly appeared before our eyes without warning, its edges shimmering with subtle spiritual light.

[Note: The social subsystem "Yuan Shi Lu" has been activated.]

[Function Description: Allows you to view basic information and relationship status of beings with whom you have established connections. Good and evil arise from the heart; karma will reveal itself.]

Chen Mo paused slightly, surprised.

Social subsystem?

This is the first new feature module to appear in the system in its eighteen-year history.

He had a slight thought and tried to call out to it in his mind.

In an instant, a clearer, book-like interface unfolded before his eyes.

The pages are not physical, but seem to be composed of light and shadow, divided into left and right columns.

The left side appears to be the section for close friends, while the right side is the section for casual acquaintances.

At this moment, the list of acquaintances is sparsely filled with some familiar portraits and names, mostly from villagers.

He looked curiously at the name of the village chief, Wang Laoshuan.

Name: Wang Laoshuan

Race: Human

[Position: Village Chief of Matongli Village]

[Status: Healthy, with slight lumbar muscle strain]

[Relationship: Treated as a nephew/niece (Affection level 85)]

[Recent events: Yesterday, my wife nagged me for half the night because there was some unknown wildflower petal stuck to my collar.]

[Note: A favorability rating of 60 or above is considered friendly, 80 or above is considered close, and 90 or above is considered a best friend.]

Chen Mo was speechless.

This feature... is quite interesting.

Not only can you see basic information, but you can also see your recent experiences?

Wang Laoshuan's experience is truly relatable.

He continued browsing. Grandma Sun's favorability rating was as high as 92, just as the system had previously indicated, she was considered a close relative.

Li Langzhong's favorability rating has also reached 88, and he is marked as a promising successor.

Most villagers' favorability rating is between 70 and 85, which shows that he has managed his public persona quite successfully over the past eighteen years.

My gaze shifted to the duckweed railing.

There are far fewer names here, only three, and the names are not in the white or light green of the "Friends" section, but in a dull gray.

Name: Yun Yi (Master Xuanming)

Status: Unknown

[Relationship: A brief encounter, the gift of jade leaves a lasting connection (Relevance: Extremely low)]

Name: Zhou Han

Status: Unknown

[Relationship: Indifferent, slightly dismissive (Relevance: Extremely low)]

Name: Xiu'er (Lin Xiu'er)

[Status: Cultivating]

[Relationship: The older brother next door whom I miss (Relationship level: Low)]

[Recent Encounters: Seven days ago, he successfully guided Qi into his body, officially entering the first level of the Qi Refining stage. Due to his Water Spirit Heavenly Vein, he is highly regarded by his master.]

Xiuer has already reached the first level of Qi Refining?

Chen Mo was slightly surprised, but then understood. With the Heavenly Spiritual Root and the resources of the Immortal Sect, this speed was not surprising.

This map of karmic connections can even display partial information about people thousands of miles away with whom they have only a superficial connection. Although it is blurry, it is already quite amazing.

It seems that the lower the correlation, the less information is available.

Gray names likely indicate an unclear or extremely distant relationship, and that the relationship is not hostile.

So... what if there are people with whom there is hostility or a negative relationship?

As if sensing his thoughts, the book's interface rippled slightly.

Below the "Pingzong" column, another area, darker in color and bordered with dark red patterns, vaguely appears, but it is currently empty.

Chen Mo seemed to understand something.

This is probably similar to a blacklist or watchlist function, which only appears when a certain negative association is actually triggered.

Unable to find out anything further for the time being, Chen Mo regained his composure and pushed open the gate to Li Langzhong's courtyard.

A faint scent of herbs wafted through the courtyard. Doctor Li was sorting herbs under the eaves; a smile spread across his face as he saw him enter.

"You're here? You're here early today. I came to take a look at these 'lantern grass' plants. How are they? When is the best time to harvest them for their medicinal properties?"

Chen Mo put down the cloth bundle, stepped forward to examine it carefully, and then replied:

"The veins of the leaves have already shown pale golden lines, and they feel slightly warm to the touch, which is when the medicinal effect is at its peak. However, it is best to pick them with the roots on the morning of tomorrow at the hour of Mao (5-7 AM), when the morning dew has just dried and the yang energy is not yet strong, and then dry them in the shade to preserve their calming and tranquilizing effects to the greatest extent."

Doctor Li clapped his hands in praise:

"Excellent! Absolutely accurate!"

"Xiao Mo, with your talent, it would be a waste not to study medicine. I see that you have thoroughly mastered 'Elementary Identification of Herbs' and 'A Brief Explanation of Meridians,' so today I will begin to teach you the basics of acupuncture point identification and needle insertion."

"But before that, could you go to the back room and move those earthenware jars in the corner out to dry? There are some damp medicinal herbs inside that need to be treated."

[Sect Mission: Assist in handling damp medicinal herbs]

[Task Requirements: Move the three earthenware jars in the back room to the sun, carefully pour out the medicinal herbs, remove the moldy parts, and spread the rest out to dry.]

[Task Rewards: Experience +500, Basic Pharmacology Proficiency +50, Li Lang's Medical Skill Inheritance Progress +1%.]

A new task notification popped up. Chen Mo readily agreed and headed towards the back room.

He preferred tasks that allowed him to gain experience and skill proficiency while also advancing his sect's progress.

They moved the earthenware jar out and carefully processed the medicinal herbs, their movements skillful and efficient.

Sunlight streamed into the courtyard, and the herbs drying in the sun emitted a mixed aroma of plants.

Li Langzhong pointed out the details of processing certain medicinal materials, and Chen Mo listened attentively, asking questions from time to time.

Just as he was processing the second jar of medicinal herbs, the Encounter Chart suddenly flickered slightly on its own, and a new, brightly colored message popped up in the Encounter section:

[Your close friend, Physician Li (Li Yunhe), has triggered a special state of mind: His mantle has been passed on, his long-cherished wish is within reach, and he is overjoyed. His recognition of the host's medical talent has greatly increased, and his willingness to impart his skills has reached its peak.]

Immediately afterwards, the system's main notification sound rang out:

[Ding! Detected that the willingness of the key figure [Li Langzhong] to impart knowledge has reached the threshold, the hidden quest series "Warm Spring in the Medical World" is now open!]

[Phase 1: Laying a Solid Foundation (In Progress)]

[Task Requirements: Within three months, raise your [Basic Pharmacology] skill to Lv.7 and independently and successfully process more than ten common medicinal materials.]

[Stage Rewards: 5000 Experience Points, 1 copy of "Qing Nang Zhen Jue (Fragment - Basic)", and access to Li Langzhong's Treasured "Notes on Effective Prescriptions".]

[Upcoming Stages: The second stage, "Initial Demonstration," requires independently diagnosing and successfully treating three common ailments among villagers. The final stage, "Reputation as a Healer," requires formal recognition from Dr. Li, granting the ability to practice independently. Completing all stages will earn a special professional title and generous rewards.]

Chen Mo was startled.

Series of missions!

Moreover, it is directly related to the inheritance of medical skills!

The rewards also looked extremely generous, especially the "Qingnang Acupuncture Manual" and "Experienced Prescriptions Notes," which were definitely good things that could improve his actual abilities.

Most importantly, this mission perfectly aligned with his plan to leverage Li Langzhong's identity to engage with more villagers!

His hands became more steady and delicate when handling medicinal herbs, and his eyes became more focused.

Seeing this, Physician Li nodded secretly, feeling that the more he looked at his apprentice, the more pleasing he became, and he taught him even more diligently.

As the sun set, Chen Mo finally left Li Langzhong's house.

Instead of going directly back to his courtyard, he took a detour to the low hill behind the village.

The place was deserted, and he planned to test his newly improved cultivation level and the "Gengjin Sword Qi Manual".

Finding a secluded, shady mountain hollow, Chen Mo held his breath and focused his mind, circulating his spiritual power according to the "Returning Dragon to Origin Technique," feeling the five-colored vortex brought by the sixth level of Qi Refining, which was more solid than before.

He then focused his attention on studying the Qi Refining Chapter of the "Gengjin Sword Qi Technique".

The technique is not complicated; its main purpose is to highly condense the metal-type spiritual energy within the body and release it as a sharp aura.

For him, who possessed a pseudo-spiritual root of the Five Elements and primarily cultivated the "Returning Dragon to Origin Technique," metal-type spiritual power was only a part of the Five Elements.

While not as sharp and pure as a single metal spiritual root, the "Dragon Returning to Origin Technique" compensates for many disadvantages by enhancing the purity of spiritual power and possessing a soul strength far exceeding that of others of the same level.

After trying for about half an hour, he pointed his fingers like a sword and lightly pointed at a blue stone three zhang away.

A pale golden, foot-long, and slightly blurry sword aura shot out with a "whoosh," leaving a faint white mark on the surface of the bluestone, and pebbles fell down in a flurry.

Its power... is barely passable.

It should be fine for ambushing or dealing with ordinary wild beasts, but it might not be enough to deal with low-level cultivators who are on guard.

Moreover, it consumes a lot of energy; with his current spiritual power, he can probably only unleash three or four attacks at full strength.

Chen Mo shook his head, but was not discouraged.

This is only a preliminary grasp; as cultivation level and proficiency increase, its power will naturally increase.

More importantly, he finally had a conventional attack method that wasn't a trump card.

Satisfied, Chen Mo patted the dust off his hands and looked up at the sky.

As dusk settled, wisps of smoke rose from the direction of the village.

It's time to go back.

Tomorrow, I'll continue fetching water, chopping wood, studying medicine, and cultivating the land. I'll also try to figure out how to use the new features of the Affinity Map to help the villagers and trigger tasks more efficiently.

He walked briskly down the mountain, his figure gradually blending into the deepening twilight and the warm glow of countless lights.

The road to immortality is long; diligence is the boat.