“Eh? You say that too, my dad told me the same thing.” Little George said in surprise while wincing in pain as he put on the servant’s robe.

　　Bathed in the morning sun, Ethan Brooks and Little George walked out of their quarters, beginning their wood-chopping life at the menial labor division of the Kaoshan Sect.

　　Each person had to chop ten logs a day. Outside the northern district’s menial labor area stretched endless barren hills, densely covered with trees. Though the trees weren’t thick, they grew so close together that you couldn’t see the end—at a glance, it looked like a sea of forest.

　　Carrying the axes issued by the menial labor division, Ethan Brooks rubbed his shoulder; his whole arm was already numb and aching. The axe was heavy, and Little George was also panting for breath. The two of them climbed the barren hill, found their assigned area, and soon the sound of chopping echoed as they kept hacking at the trees.

　　“My dad is a landlord, and I’ll be a landlord too. I’m not cut out for menial labor…” Little George said with a miserable face, swinging his axe.

　　“These immortals are really strange. They have magic—do they really need to make fires? Why do they have us chopping wood…”

　　Compared to Little George’s grumbling, Ethan Brooks was already too exhausted to speak, sweat pouring down like rain. He had grown up poor in Yunjie County, rarely eating meat, so he was thin and not very strong. After just half a stick of incense’s time, he was already leaning against a half-chopped tree, gasping for air.

　　As for Little George, though he was also trembling from exhaustion, he still kept chopping and muttering with a miserable face. Clearly, even though he was younger, he was physically stronger than Ethan Brooks.

　　Ethan Brooks shook his head with a bitter smile. Taking advantage of the break, he took out the Qi Condensation scroll and read it again, silently trying to sense the spiritual energy between heaven and earth as described.

　　Time passed like this, and soon it was dusk. Ethan Brooks had only managed to chop two logs that day, while Little George had chopped a full eight. Together, it was enough to feed one person. After discussing, Little George went to get food, and the two of them shared it in their quarters before collapsing into sleep from exhaustion.

　　Not until Little George’s snores once again filled the room did Ethan Brooks struggle to get up. Determination shone in his eyes as he endured hunger and fatigue, picked up the Qi Condensation scroll, and read it silently.

　　“When I was studying before, I often memorized books until dawn. I’ve long since gotten used to being hungry. This kind of life, though tiring, is at least a way out. I, Ethan Brooks, refuse to believe that if I failed the imperial exams, I can’t succeed in cultivation here at the sect.” Ethan Brooks’s eyes grew more determined and resolute as he lowered his head to contemplate.

　　Deep into the night, Ethan Brooks didn’t know when he fell asleep. It seemed that even in his dreams, his mind was filled with sensing the spiritual energy of heaven and earth. At dawn, he was awakened by the sound of the bell. When he opened his eyes, they were bloodshot. Gritting his teeth, he got up and, together with the still energetic Little George, continued chopping wood.

　　One day, two days, three days… until two months had passed. Over these two months, Ethan Brooks gradually managed to chop four logs a day, but he spent most of his time trying to sense spiritual energy. The bloodshot look in his eyes grew more pronounced. Until one evening, as Ethan Brooks was resting and meditating, suddenly his body trembled. He abruptly felt a wave of numbness in his limbs, as if an invisible breath was gathering from within his flesh and blood.

　　Immediately after, a trace of spiritual power appeared in his body. Though it vanished in a flash, Ethan Brooks opened his eyes in excitement. His exhaustion was swept away, and much of the bloodshot look in his eyes faded. His body trembled as he clutched the Qi Condensation scroll tightly. For the past month, he had eaten little, slept little, and spent all his time—except for chopping wood—trying to sense spiritual energy. At this moment, he finally saw results, and his spirits soared.

　　Time flew by, and another two months passed. Now it was already August, the height of summer, and the scorching sun radiated waves of heat.

　　“Draw Qi into the body, let it flow throughout, open the meridians, and resonate with heaven and earth.” At noon, deep in the mountains within the Kaoshan Sect’s territory, Ethan Brooks was tending a campfire with one hand and holding the Qi Condensation scroll booklet with the other, reading it carefully.

　　After a stick of incense’s time, he closed his eyes and quietly sensed the gentle breath within his body. This breath had appeared more than two months ago and was treasured by Ethan Brooks. Now, it was clearly much denser than before. Following the incantation and method in the Qi Condensation scroll, he kept circulating the breath throughout his body as he meditated.

　　Before long, Ethan Brooks opened his eyes. In the distance, a chubby figure was running quickly through the forest, carrying a large axe.

　　“How is it, how’s it going?” Little George panted, still as chubby as ever, but clearly stronger. He hurried over and spoke anxiously.

　　“I still can’t circulate it through my whole body, but I’m confident that in another week, I’ll reach the first level of Qi Condensation.” A confident light shone in Ethan Brooks’s eyes as he smiled.

　　“I was asking about the chicken.” Little George licked his lips and looked at the campfire.

　　“It should be about done.” Ethan Brooks licked his lips too, picked up a stick to poke the fire, and Little George immediately grabbed his axe and dug out the wild chicken that had been buried in the earth and was now fully cooked.

　　The aroma filled the air, and the two of them each took half, devouring it ravenously.

　　“Good thing you’ve been able to catch wild chickens ever since you gained spiritual energy, or else we’d have starved to death. Just thinking about those first two months feels like a nightmare…” Little George said, his mouth greasy, habitually flattering Ethan Brooks.