"Am I really consuming the Power of the Soul while walking in this Endless Void?"
Zhang Chen stood still, his eyes focusing on the specks of light in the darkness, with a hint of confusion in his gaze.
He was becoming increasingly baffled by the Dark World before him, utterly unable to comprehend what this place was.
Logically, this should be his Spiritual World where he practices, constantly strengthening and nurturing his soul. So why did he suddenly fall into darkness and even need to expend the Power of the Soul?
"Such consumption isn’t very fast," Zhang Chen sensed carefully and then decided to continue approaching the light specks.
In this mysterious Dark World, he felt that getting closer to that light speck might reveal the answers he sought.
The darkness stretched endlessly. Zhang Chen had no idea of his walking speed; he just trudged through the darkness, face apathetic.
After an unknown duration of walking, Zhang Chen’s soul gradually grew weary, a wave of drowsiness rising in his mind, like the inevitable sleepiness one feels while traveling by car, truly hard to resist.
As the soul weakened and its energy dwindled, Zhang Chen’s sleepiness became increasingly intense.
"No, I can’t fall asleep here. If I do, there might be serious trouble," Zhang Chen felt a primal intuition arise, warning him that sleeping here could lead to unpredictable events, putting him in danger.
"Hmm? This is my own Spiritual World; how can there be such a premonition? How could there be danger if I sleep in my Spiritual World?" Zhang Chen was baffled by the alarm in his heart.
While pondering, suddenly a shout reverberated through the Dark World, the sound waves overwhelming, as if tearing the universe asunder:
"Zhang Chen, what time is it! You’re still sleeping! Are you ever going to practice!"
Zhang Chen opened his eyes suddenly, feeling a sharp pain in his ears as Xiaodouding glared at him, her small, white hand pinching his ear: "Are you going to train or not? Do you still want to become a master?"
Staring at Chengyu’s fiery eyes, Zhang Chen’s gaze fell on her mouth, where a dried drool mark indicated she had just woken up too.
He glanced at the sky outside; he had only explored the Spiritual World for a brief moment, yet four to five hours had passed outside?
Moreover, a strange sense of fatigue permeated his soul, akin to bearing the weight of a heavy shackle, making him quite uncomfortable.
"Stop pulling, stop pulling, I was just too exhausted after climbing mountains and crossing rivers, accidentally oversleeping," Zhang Chen quickly held the girl’s delicate hand, explaining.
Listening to Zhang Chen’s words, Chengyu examined him from top to bottom, then said, "Your explanation seems reasonable, so I’ll let you off this time. But you mustn’t be lazy in the future. Remember, persistence in Martial Dao leads to mastery. Hard work compensates for deficiencies, that’s the lasting path. After all, someone as exceptionally talented as me is rare in the world."
"Should we have dinner now?" Zhang Chen asked, looking at the sky outside.
"What are you thinking? Ever heard of not eating after noon? Our Daoist Temple only serves breakfast and lunch; there’s no dinner," Chengyu said, rubbing her own belly, which was slightly flat.
"Today, you have to settle your duties. In our Daoist Temple, from the Observatory Master to ordinary disciples, everyone has duties," Chengyu said, her clear eyes fixed on Zhang Chen. "We have eight duties. The first is cleaning the courtyard, which is the easiest. The second is daily cleaning of the temple’s statues, taking care of the temple’s hygiene. The third is cooking in the kitchen. The fourth is guarding, the fifth is farming and reclamation, the sixth is fetching water from the mountain, the seventh is preaching and performing rituals at the foot of the mountain, and the eighth is guarding houses downhill, earning revenue for the temple."
"Forget cleaning the yard; leaves always fall from trees, leaving no time for leisure. The third cooking duty isn’t easy to get into. The fourth duty requires mastering Dark Force. The fifth is too tiring, it leaves no time for practice due to the wind and sun exposure. The seventh and eighth mean you can’t go downhill, so your best option now is the second duty, cleaning the temple’s statues and maintaining cleanliness in the main hall," Chengyu explained expansively.
Zhang Chen was quite satisfied with this job; though cleaning the hall was a bit tiring, it also afforded ample idle time. Moreover, he could slack off, wiping every two or three days without being noticed.
"Our Huangli Temple has 372 halls of various sizes, each person responsible for one. I’ve picked a small one for you, so you can take advantage and slack off when needed. Our designated halls are adjacent, so we can keep each other company," Chengyu said, winking at Zhang Chen.
"You also have to clean the Daoist Temple?" Zhang Chen was stunned upon hearing this.
He looked at Chengyu, who seemed only about five years old; could she even reach the statues’ base?
Upon hearing this, Chengyu moaned, "These are the rules set by the Observatory Master, and I can’t escape them."
"I’ve explained everything. You should practice a few more rounds tonight. I’ll wake you up tomorrow morning. Remember, at the fifth watch, all Daoist Temple disciples need to attend morning classes, so go to bed early tonight, lest you oversleep then."