I Live Forever With My Proficiency

Chapter 1: The Proficiency Panel Arrives

Azure Cloud Domain, Cloud Link City, Ning Mansion.

Dongfang Weixi.

Chen Ping lay on a hard wooden bed, hands behind his head, staring blankly at the water droplets falling from the eaves through the window. Despite the winter having just passed, there was still a lingering chill in the air.

It was still not fully bright outside, but he couldn't fall asleep.

He was not from this world.

In his previous life, he was just an ordinary otaku. He never expected that after staying up all night playing a game and falling asleep in extreme exhaustion, he would wake up in this new world.

This was a world where everyone pursued cultivation, with numerous sects and rampant demons.

Danger was everywhere.

Everything was low-grade, except for cultivation.

Fortunately.

The original owner of his body was a cultivator.

Unfortunately.

He was already twenty-two years old and still only at the first level of Qi Refining. Such aptitude had long caused the major sects to close their doors and windows to him.

He was a late bloomer, already crushed on the beach.

Because of this, as a pitiful independent cultivator, he became a servant in Ning Mansion a few years ago, hoping to obtain some cultivation resources.

He had no family or connections in this world, all alone. Although his cultivation level was a bit low, wealthy households still liked having such servants. If something happened, they could just bury him in a hole and be done with it, without having to pay compensation or hold a funeral, without any further troubles.

Fortunately, there weren't many tasks for cultivator servants. They usually did odd jobs and only occasionally had to complete dangerous tasks that only Qi Refining cultivators could handle.

But there was no future in this.

With such meager resources, he could never achieve immortality through cultivation.

He would never reach Foundation Building in this lifetime.

At this moment.

"Everyone, wake up, wake up. Wang Steward has notified us to gather in the outer hall. Fellow Daoists, hurry up and don't delay." A rough knocking sound interrupted Chen Ping's thoughts.

The snoring sounds inside the room stopped abruptly, followed by the rustling sound of people getting up.

This was one of the courtyards where the servants lived, with individual rooms but no soundproofing arrays. There were six or seven people sleeping inside, and not to mention the various sounds that continued throughout the night, just the sour stench in the air that even cleansing charms couldn't dispel was enough to make one sick.

As for whether there were six or seven people sleeping, Chen Ping couldn't remember, because the high mortality rate caused the number of people to fluctuate frequently. It could be seven people today and six people tomorrow.

"This damn life, when will it end?"

Outer hall.

More than ten people listened to Wang Steward's arrangements for today's tasks.

Cultivators were not valued in Cloud Link City, so they had to do odd jobs as well.

Hundreds of miles away from Cloud Link City was the famous Azure Cloud Sect. Cloud Link City was a satellite city under the jurisdiction of Azure Cloud Sect, and this city was different from mortal cities.

There were mortals here, but there were more cultivators, either aspiring to enter Azure Cloud Sect or independent cultivators who had been eliminated by the sect.

The number of cultivators here was as numerous as the university students in Chen Ping's previous life's capital city.

With so many, naturally they were not valued.

"Not many tasks today, some of you will go to the pharmacy for assistance."

"Li Fugui, you will accompany Young Master Seventeen to practice swordsmanship today."

"Zhang Da'er, get ready. Wang Team is planning a hunting operation, go help out."

"..."

After the first group of tasks was announced, as he didn't see his good friend, a cultivator asked:

"Wang Steward, I heard that the hunting team led by Captain Liu returned last night, but why didn't I see Fellow Daoist Xiao Fan?"

Wang Steward lowered his head and continued to look at the roster.

"Wang Steward..." That Fellow Daoist thought Wang Steward hadn't heard.

Wang Steward looked up and interrupted:

"The hunting team led by Captain Liu did indeed return last night, but unfortunately, there were heavy casualties. Two cultivators died, and Fellow Daoist Xiao Fan was among them."

The words carried a hint of "unfortunately," but the tone was casual.

As if death was a common occurrence.

Chen Ping's heart skipped a beat.

Another one died.

Every once in a while, a Qi Refining stage cultivator servant would die due to various tasks. It had become the norm, and everyone seemed numb, confident that the next one to die wouldn't be themselves.

They were all gamblers of life.

The money from being a servant wasn't easy to earn.

The danger level was too high.

Chen Ping felt a desire to retreat in his heart.

"Chen Ping, Ding Liu, you two are not allowed to take leave and go out these two days. There is a very important task in three days, so prepare yourselves and conserve your energy."

"For these three days, help with the beast taming in the mansion."

Chen Ping received the task and didn't chat with the others. He went to the kitchen courtyard with his colleagues to work.

What should I do next, pondering in my heart?

I can't just keep being a servant here, can I?

Many tasks are too dangerous, and there's no choice in tasks. Maybe one day I'll die a tragic death.

But how can I make a choice?

The closest to Cloud Link City is the lofty Azure Cloud Sect, but his age and cultivation level have long determined that this path is not feasible. Azure Cloud Sect never accepts disciples above the age of twenty in the Qi Refining stage.

Besides that, Chen Ping really doesn't know what other cities exist outside of Cloud Link City, which surpasses his knowledge.

Nor can he go out.

The endless forest outside the city is not something a Qi Refining stage cultivator like him can venture into.

How do Independent Cultivators make a living in Cloud Link City?

Lost in thought, Chen Ping quickly arrived at the kitchen courtyard, retracting his thoughts. What came into view was a huge Demonic Beast.

A Rank One Demonic Beast.

No wonder two Qi Refining stage cultivators died. Rank One Demonic Beasts are on par with human Qi Refining in terms of realm, but they have large bodies, naturally tough skin, inherent aggressiveness, and far greater combat power than human cultivators of the same level.

Usually, even more than ten early Qi Refining stage cultivators attacking a Rank One Demonic Beast might not be able to take it down.

It's fortunate that only two died this time.

"With such a big Demonic Beast, it will keep us busy for three days." A colleague said.

Chen Ping smiled and said, "That's good, at least we don't have to go out and take risks."

The colleague was taken aback and said, "I've never seen you so concerned about your life before. How can you earn resources if you don't go out on missions?"

Chen Ping smiled and didn't say anything.

Although missions outside were dangerous, all cultivators were eager to do them.

Because the income was high.

The resources and rewards for servants were also distributed according to their labor.

Chen Ping didn't say anything more and began to dissect the Demonic Beast. This was his task for the next three days.

Suddenly.

As he made a cut, a light curtain appeared in front of him. He instinctively reached out to grab it, but his hand grabbed nothing.

The panel was a semi-transparent light shadow.

The panel was very simple, just like the game panels in the future, with only a few lines of bold text on it:

[Name: Chen Ping.]

[Lifespan: 22/71.]

[Cultivation: Qi Refining (First Layer): 25/100.]

[Cultivation Technique: Evergreen Technique (Introductory): 16/100.]

[Spell: Micro-Wind Nine Swords (First Style): 218/1000.]

[Skill: Dissection (Introductory): 761/1000.]

Chen Ping was overjoyed.

This.

Is a Goldfinger?

How wonderful.

Chen Ping snapped back to reality and quickly accepted the existence of the Goldfinger.

After all, he had transmigrated, so what's impossible about having a game panel?

It's just that this lifespan...

Seventy-one years.

It hasn't even reached the average lifespan in the future.

Chen Ping laughed at himself and continued to explore the panel.

After multiple attempts, he finally understood.

The panel doesn't exist all the time, but can be summoned at will by his thoughts. The panel appears when he thinks about it.

The panel has no other functions, no hidden copies or extensions.

The panel cannot converse.

Cannot communicate.

There is a section of text below the panel that explains the appearance of the font, which allows Chen Ping to understand the attributes of the panel.

"This is a proficiency panel. As long as the same skill is repeatedly practiced, it can be continuously improved."

Thinking of this, Chen Ping increased the speed of his dissection.

Sure enough.

The numbers changed.

Seeing the constantly jumping +1, +1, +1 on the panel, Chen Ping couldn't help but laugh.

Coach.

I want to cultivate immortality.

(End of this chapter)