Chapter Ten: System, Mission Accomplished

Upon hearing that only six people would be kept, the eyes of the young women ignited with intense fervor. Knowing that Su Yun and Su Fei had already secured two spots, only four remained. The competition among the remaining eight was fierce.

"Young Master, not only can I sing, but I am also skilled in massage. I guarantee to make you feel completely relaxed..." a woman in a goose-yellow dress said coquettishly, her voice cloying and sweet.

"Young Master, please choose me. I... I... I will certainly satisfy you..." Another, dressed in pink gauze, made an even more daring suggestion. With a blushing face, she cast a flirtatious glance at Lin Fan, the implication clear.

Lin Fan raised a hand, pressing it down slightly. The noisy scene fell silent at once, and all eyes turned to him.

"Just a moment ago, none of you wanted to stay, and now you are all fighting for the chance," Lin Fan said, his tone laced with amusement. "As a penalty, after you demonstrate your talents, those who win the right to stay must each pay six spirit stones to purchase a 'Breakthrough Pill'."

Six spirit stones! For these low-level cultivators, it was not a small sum. However, in exchange for a chance to breakthrough, it was well worth it! Envious gazes immediately fell upon Su Yun and Su Fei, who were already attending to Lin Fan.

"Very well, let us begin," Lin Fan said.

"I will sing for you first, Young Master!" the girl in the blue dress volunteered, producing an exquisite pipa from her storage pouch. Her slender fingers plucked the strings, producing a crisp, melodic sound. Lin Fan closed his eyes, listening quietly. The music reminded him of the "Song of the Pipa" he had read in his past life. The girl played with grace, her fingers dancing across the strings—sometimes fast like rain, sometimes soft like a whisper, with notes falling like pearls onto a jade plate.

When the song ended, the lingering melody seemed to echo in the room. Lin Fan opened his eyes, a hint of appreciation in his gaze. "Excellent. You may stay."

Following this, the other women stepped forward to showcase their talents, from graceful dances to melodious flute playing. Lin Fan enjoyed the meal immensely, savoring the food while appreciating the performances, feeling quite content.

Eventually, Lin Fan selected the four who were most pleasing to his eyes. All four were beautiful and had excellent temperaments, and their talents left him quite satisfied. Their cultivation levels were low—the highest at the third level of Qi Refining, and the lowest at the second. The Su family was merely an ordinary cultivation clan; they would never send core disciples to serve others.

Lin Fan collected twenty-four spirit stones from them and handed each a "Breakthrough Pill." He then used his system to help them break through their cultivation bottlenecks one by one. With this, Lin Fan had helped nine people breakthrough, leaving only one more to complete his task.

The four remaining women, who had been eliminated, stood dejected and pale, having missed their golden opportunity. Lin Fan looked at them, a faint smile playing on his lips. "Meeting me is a matter of fate. Very well, I have one last 'Breakthrough Pill' left. If you want it, offer me something you consider your most precious treasure in exchange."

Hearing this, the eyes of the four women lit up as if they had found a lifeline.

"Young Master, I have a century-old 'Purple Lingzhi,' a relic left by my father. Please, look..." a woman in a pale blue dress said, hurriedly producing an exquisite jade box from her pouch. When opened, a rich herbal fragrance filled the air.

"Young Master, I... I have a piece of 'Cold Jade.' I don't know its use, but it must be valuable..." another in a goose-yellow dress added, her voice trembling.

The third woman gritted her teeth and pulled a yellowed scroll of animal skin from her bosom: "Young Master, this is a cultivation technique left by my mother. It is much better than ordinary ones."

Lin Fan did not actually care for their treasures; he had no interest in cold jade or spirit mushrooms. However, the cultivation technique piqued his interest. After all, once the system task was complete, he would receive a feedback boost and gain cultivation himself. At that point, a deep understanding of cultivation would be crucial.

"Bring the technique here for me to see!" Bai Xiyue moved gracefully, took the scroll, and handed it to Lin Fan. He unfolded it slowly. The scroll was densely packed with tiny, fly-headed characters. They were different from the script of his original world, but having inherited the memories of the original owner of this body, he could read them easily.

"Everlasting Spring Technique!" Lin Fan scanned it quickly. Though he was a novice at cultivation, this was exactly what he needed. "I will take this one." He rolled up the animal skin and tucked it into his robes.

"Thank you, Young Master! Thank you!" The woman was overjoyed, her voice trembling with gratitude.

"Take the pill now, and then you may leave!" The woman took the "Breakthrough Pill" and swallowed it without hesitation.

"System, help her breakthrough!"

[Ding! Consumed three years of lifespan to help Su Yun break through the second-level Qi Refining bottleneck!]
[Host's remaining lifespan: 123 years.]
[Ding! System task completed!]
[Life-for-Cultivation System version 1.1 loading...]
[System loaded. Feedback function enabled!]
[Su Xingyue is cultivating, cultivation +1]
[Su Xingyue is cultivating, cultivation +1]
...

A series of notifications echoed in his mind. Lin Fan felt something surge into his body, rushing through his meridians and stretching them out. It was slightly painful, but mostly refreshing. He later realized this was spiritual energy tempering and expanding his meridians. He could clearly feel his own cultivation rising, little by little. Though the increments were small, they were real.

"Finally finished!" Lin Fan let out a long breath, a weight lifted from his heart. The system task was complete; he no longer had to fear being erased. Now, as long as he stayed low-profile, his cultivation would steadily improve. Once his cultivation surpassed Su Xingyue's, the accursed Soul-Locking Spell could be easily broken.

Then... he would be free as a fish in the sea or a bird in the sky! He had no intention of being trapped in this small courtyard forever. Lin Fan calculated his plans in secret, keeping his face calm and composed.