The rooster crowed at dawn, its voice sharp and annoying as always. Morning mist clung to the quiet village of Qinghe, nestled between rolling hills and lush bamboo groves. Smoke had yet to rise from chimneys. Chickens clucked sleepily. The world was still drowsy.
Inside a modest wooden hut, Lin Wei stirred.
His body stretched instinctively under the woven blanket, legs extending like a lazy cat. He yawned, sat up, and scratched the back of his head. His long, black hair was messy, but his eyes were clear.
Just another peaceful day in the village.
Or so he thought.
Ding!
[Passive Cultivation System Activated. Welcome, Host.]
[Sleeping: +1 Stamina]
[Stretching: +1 Flexibility]
[System Calibration Complete. Enjoy Your Life. Strength Will Follow.]
Lin Wei blinked.
"What…?" he muttered aloud, looking around. His small room contained a bamboo bed, a cracked window, and a shelf of hand-carved wooden bowls. Same old place. Nothing strange.
Except that voice.
Ding!
[Speaking: +1 Charisma]
[Questioning Reality: +1 Wisdom]
His brows furrowed. "What the hell is this? Is someone messing with me?"
Still no one around. The door creaked in the wind.
His heart beat a little faster—not in fear, but from a strange, almost ticklish energy running through his limbs.
It wasn't painful. It felt… good.
By the time Lin Wei got dressed and stepped outside, the mist had begun to clear. He could hear old Auntie Nuan sweeping her porch three houses down. Birds chirped on the trees. Someone was already chopping firewood.
Lin Wei took a deep breath.
The air smelled cleaner than usual.
Ding!
[Breathing Deeply: +1 Lung Capacity]
[Early Riser: +1 Discipline]
[System Advice: You're off to a great start, Host.]
He stared at the sky. "...So I get stronger for doing normal things?"
No answer. Just the rustling of bamboo leaves.
"Morning, Lin Wei!"
A loud voice snapped him back to earth. It was Old Man Liu, the village herbalist, already walking with a basket of freshly picked mushrooms.
"Morning," Lin Wei nodded politely.
Ding!
[Polite Greeting: +1 Reputation]
He glanced around as more villagers began stirring. The village wasn't large—maybe thirty or so families. Mostly farmers, traders, and a retired cultivator who ran the local forge. Lin Wei had lived here all his life. An orphan taken in by the kind but poor Uncle Jian, who passed away two winters ago.
Since then, he'd lived alone. Worked odd jobs. Fetched water. Helped around. He never stood out.
Until today.
He walked to the well with his wooden bucket, like usual. Drew up the water with a practiced pull. His arms tensed.
Ding!
[Drawing Water: +1 Strength]
[Muscle Tension Recorded: +1 Muscle Efficiency]
"Hah…" Lin Wei chuckled under his breath. "This is absurd."
He carried the bucket back, feeling strangely energetic. He was sure his legs were a bit lighter. His grip firmer. His senses sharper.
It was subtle—but it was real.
He began cooking breakfast, chopping vegetables, lighting a fire, boiling rice. The smells soon filled the hut.
Ding!
[Fire Handling: +1 Fire Resistance]
[Chopping: +1 Dexterity]
[Cooking: +1 Vitality]
[Balanced Meal: +1 Constitution]
[System Update: Host is now stronger than 32% of villagers.]
He nearly dropped the spoon.
"Already?!"
Lin Wei hadn't even broken a sweat. He'd just… done chores.
Could this be real cultivation?
After breakfast, he sat outside on a small wooden stool. Sunlight streamed down, warm and golden. A few kids ran by, giggling and chasing each other. A pair of old men argued over the price of a fish.
Lin Wei watched the clouds drift by, his bowl still in hand.
Ding!
[Sitting in the Sun: +1 Natural Energy Absorption]
[Mind at Peace: +1 Willpower]
[You have reached Level 2. Passive Growth is accelerating.]
He blinked.
Level 2?
Like in a game?
He quickly muttered under his breath, "Status."
And to his surprise, a translucent blue panel hovered in the corner of his vision:
[Lin Wei – Passive Cultivator]
Level: 2
Strength: 8
Agility: 9
Vitality: 10
Wisdom: 7
Willpower: 8
Reputation: Neutral
Growth Rate: +5% / day
Cultivation Realm: None
Traits:
– Hidden Potential: Your body adapts without effort.
– Karmic Flow: Good deeds may influence fate.
– Low Profile: Others underestimate you naturally.
He swallowed.
No wonder he felt different. These weren't just numbers. They were real.
"Hey! Lin Wei!"
A familiar voice called out. It was Mei Lan, his childhood friend, carrying a basket of herbs.
"You free today?" she smiled. "We need help picking redleaf roots for the healer. I told Granny Tu you'd say yes."
Lin Wei stood and smiled back. "I guess I don't get a choice?"
"Nope!"
Ding!
[Agreeing to Help: +1 Karma]
[Interaction with Female: +1 Charm]
[Smile Returned: +1 Emotional Intelligence]
They walked into the forest trails together. The path was shaded, full of birdsong and wildflowers. Mei Lan talked about her brother's upcoming wedding, while Lin Wei mostly listened.
He wasn't paying attention to her words.
He was paying attention to everything else—the wind in the trees, the feeling in his muscles, the System's constant flow of data behind his mind.
Ding!
[Walking Side-by-Side: +1 Affinity]
[Forest Exposure: +1 Nature Resistance]
[Learning Herbal Names: +1 Knowledge]
"This system… is dangerous," he thought. "If I keep living like this, day by day, I'll eventually surpass everyone. And no one will even notice…"
Later that afternoon, as the sun began to dip, Lin Wei returned home and washed up. He fed the chickens, swept the floor, and repaired a crack in his roof.
The system continued to chime.
Ding!
[You have reached Level 3.]
[Physical Stats Boosted by 10%]
[You are now stronger than 64% of Qinghe Village residents.]
That number again.
Every day, he was rising. But no one knew.
And that was exactly what scared him.
That night, lying in bed under the dim glow of moonlight, Lin Wei stared at the ceiling.
"If I stay here too long… someone's going to notice," he whispered. "I'll get too strong. Too fast. And I won't be able to explain it."
He remembered stories.
Of cultivators taken away by greedy sects. Of strange talents disappearing overnight. Of monsters in human skin.
"I need to prepare."
A plan began to form in his mind.
He would stay for now. Grow quietly. Help where needed. Enjoy the peace.
But once his power reached a point too obvious to hide… he'd leave. Disappear. Start again somewhere else.
New name. New life. Same system.
And maybe, just maybe—he'd live the fullest life possible.
A peaceful traveler.
A hidden powerhouse.
Ding!
[Day 1 Complete. Passive Growth Recorded.]
[Progress: 0.02% toward Immortal Realm.]
[Next Milestone: Hidden Trait Unlock at Level 5]
Lin Wei closed his eyes, letting the warmth of the system lull him to sleep.
He smiled.
"Let's see how far I can go by doing nothing at all."