Random Time Travel

The task in the outer mountain finally came to an end in the evening. With a command from Lin Xuefei, all the servant disciples carried their tools one after another and returned to the servant area in an orderly manner, ending a day's labor.

Lin Yuan dragged his tired body back to his residence. The dormitory conditions for servant disciples were simple and a bit crowded. It was normal for several people to share a room. And Lin Yuan's room was a bit "more spacious", with only two people, him and another servant disciple, Meng Xinghe.

Pushing open the door, Lin Yuan immediately smelled a faint scent of sandalwood at the tip of his nose. The furnishings in the room were simple, with a worn-out wooden table, two hard beds, and a small cabinet that was on the verge of falling apart. An oil lamp had already been lit in the room, and the dim yellow light cast swaying shadows on the wall.

As soon as Lin Yuan walked in, he saw Meng Xinghe sitting on his own bed, using a bronze mirror to tidy his hair. His movements were elegant, and his expression carried a bit of arrogance and carelessness. The face reflected in the bronze mirror was handsome and heroic, exuding an air of pride that didn't match the identity of a servant disciple. Lin Yuan recalled the plot in the book. This roommate with the "Overpowered Protagonist" style seemed to be named something like "He".

Meng Xinghe glanced at Lin Yuan, and the corners of his mouth curled up slightly: "Did you finish the task? Look at your dusty appearance. Which senior sister scolded you today?"

Lin Yuan rolled his eyes, casually threw the broom into the corner, and plopped down on his own bed: "Don't mention it. I almost got flattened by a strange beast today, and I was also mocked by the Iceberg Senior Sister."

Meng Xinghe let out a soft laugh, put down the bronze mirror, leaned against the headboard with his hands behind his head, and said: "This is the price you pay for your poor aptitude. Remember, servant disciples are destined to only look up to the core disciples of the sect. Don't dream of becoming an immortal overnight."

Lin Yuan didn't bother to refute. He took out the water pot from the cabinet, poured some water into a broken bowl, and washed his face.

After washing, the bronze bell outside the dormitory suddenly rang, and the dull sound echoed throughout the servant area. Lin Yuan raised his head and looked at Meng Xinghe: "Is it dinner time?"

"Of course. It's still the same old rule today, one bowl of porridge per person." Meng Xinghe stood up from the bed. He was tall and slender, adjusted his clothes, and smiled playfully: "Unfortunately, I have a bit of special treatment and can go to the kitchen to add some extra ingredients."

Looking at Meng Xinghe's superior appearance, Lin Yuan couldn't help but grumble in his heart: "This guy is really not simple. Clearly a servant disciple, yet he always has an unusual aura around him..."

The two of them walked out of the dormitory together and came to the cafeteria for servant disciples. The cafeteria was a simple large room, with a row of long tables in the middle. The servant disciples queued up in turn to receive their meals. Lin Yuan held a bowl of plain porridge, sat in the corner, and listened to the idle chat of the people around him while drinking.

"Have you heard? Recently, a disciple in the outer sect has broken through to the Foundation Establishment stage. It's really enviable..."

"What's the use of being envious? Even those at the Foundation Establishment stage have to work hard. Aren't they still just doing odd jobs for the inner sect disciples!"

"Sigh, when will it be our turn, these servant disciples, to change our fates?"

Lin Yuan listened to the complaints around him with mixed feelings. He looked down at the ring on his hand, and the image of the Black Mist Beast during the day and Lin Xuefei's cold and stern figure flashed through his mind.

"Perhaps, my fate is really different..."

After dinner, Lin Yuan simply washed up and then lay down on the bed to rest. Although his body was tired, his mind was extremely active.

He tossed and turned and couldn't fall asleep. Involuntarily, he raised his right hand and held the simple ring in front of his eyes. The surface of the ring had fine lines, and it seemed to emit a faint warmth.

"What on earth are you? Why did you follow me and travel to this damned place?" Lin Yuan muttered softly.

The ring didn't respond, but he vaguely felt that it seemed to be hiding some secrets.

Just as he was deep in thought, Meng Xinghe suddenly spoke up: "Lin Yuan, I've heard something."

"What is it?" Lin Yuan turned his head and saw Meng Xinghe leaning against the bed, looking at him with a half-smile.

"Those low-level strange beasts in the outer mountain area won't approach us servant disciples for no reason, and they definitely won't target someone specifically." Meng Xinghe said, "Have you been through something special recently... For example, an opportunity?"

Lin Yuan's heart skipped a beat, and he pretended to be calm: "No, I'm just unlucky."

Meng Xinghe smiled softly and didn't say anything more, but the inquiring look in his eyes made Lin Yuan feel nervous.

"This guy seems to know something..." Lin Yuan secretly stayed on guard in his heart.

The night passed without dreams. The next morning, when Lin Yuan opened his eyes, the noisy voices of the servant disciples outside the dormitory had already been heard. A new day had begun. He still had many questions unanswered, but he knew that if he wanted to survive, he had to first learn to gain a foothold in this strange world of cultivating immortals.

"Lin Yuan, hurry up. We have to clean the outer mountain again today." Meng Xinghe lazily urged.

Lin Yuan rubbed his face and stood up: "What a tiring world."

He walked out of the dormitory. Looking at the sunlight shining on the eaves of the servant area, a flash of determination suddenly appeared in his eyes. He said to Meng Xinghe who was walking in front: "Today in the outer mountain, there might be new discoveries. Don't take it lightly." Hearing this, Meng Xinghe paused in his steps, turned his head and looked at Lin Yuan. A trace of surprise flashed in his eyes, as if he didn't expect this usually unremarkable roommate to say such mature words.

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外山任务在傍晚时分终于结束了.随着林雪霏一声令下,所有杂役弟子纷纷扛着工具,有条不紊地返回杂役区,结束了一天的劳作.

林远拖着疲惫的身体回到自己的住所.杂役弟子的宿舍条件简单且略显拥挤,几人一间是常态.而林远这间稍微 "宽敞" 一点,只有两人,他和另一名杂役弟子孟星河.

推开房门,林远的鼻尖立刻嗅到了一股清淡的檀香味.房间里陈设简陋,一张破旧的木桌,两张硬邦邦的床榻,还有一只快散架的小柜子.房间里此时已经点起了一盏油灯,昏黄的光芒在墙壁上投下摇曳的影子.

林远刚走进去,就看到孟星河正坐在自己的床上,拿着一面铜镜整理头发.他动作优雅,神情带着几分自负和漫不经心,铜镜里映出的脸俊朗英气,透着一股与杂役身份不符的傲气.林远回想了一下书中的剧情,这位 "龙傲天" 款式的舍友好像叫什么河来着.

孟星河瞥了林远一眼,嘴角微微勾起:"任务完成了?看你那灰头土脸的样子,今天又被哪个师姐训了?"

林远翻了个白眼,把扫帚随手丢到墙角,一屁股坐到自己的床上:"别提了,今天差点被一只怪兽拍成饼,还被冰山师姐冷嘲热讽了一通."

孟星河轻笑了一声,放下铜镜,双手抱在脑后靠在床板上:"这就是你资质差的代价.记住,杂役弟子注定只能仰望师门的核心弟子,别想着一夜成仙."

林远懒得反驳,拿出柜子里的水壶,倒了一点清水在破碗里,简单洗了把脸.

清洗过后,宿舍外的铜钟忽然响起,沉闷的声音回荡在整个杂役区.林远抬起头,看向孟星河:"晚饭时间到了吧?"

"当然,今天还是老规矩,一人一碗稀粥." 孟星河从床上站起来,长身玉立,整理了下衣衫,笑得玩味:"可惜,我有点特殊待遇,能去膳房多加点料."

林远看着孟星河那副优越感十足的模样,忍不住腹诽:"这家伙果然不简单,明明是个杂役弟子,偏偏总有点不同寻常的气质..."

两人一起走出宿舍,来到杂役弟子的食堂.食堂是个简陋的大屋子,中央摆着一排长桌,杂役弟子们依次排队领取饭食.林远端着一碗清粥,坐到角落里,一边喝一边听周围人的闲聊.

"听说了吗?最近外门有个弟子突破到筑基期了,真让人羡慕啊..."

"羡慕有什么用?筑基期也得拼命干活,还不是给内门弟子打下手!"

"哎,什么时候轮到我们这些杂役弟子能改变命运啊?"

林远听着周围的抱怨,心情复杂.他低头看了看自己手上的戒指,脑海中闪过白天的那头黑雾兽,还有林雪霏冷厉的身影.

"或许,我的命运真的不一样..."

吃过饭后,林远简单洗漱了一番,便躺到床上休息.他的身体虽然疲惫,但脑海却异常活跃.

他翻来覆去睡不着,不由自主地抬起右手,将那枚古朴的戒指举到眼前.戒指的表面有着细密的纹路,似乎散发着一丝隐隐的温暖.

"你到底是什么东西?为什么会跟着我穿越到这个鬼地方?" 林远小声嘀咕.

戒指没有回应,但他隐隐感到,它似乎藏着什么秘密.

正当他沉思时,孟星河突然开口道:"林远,我听说过一件事."

"什么事?" 林远转过头,看到孟星河正靠在床上,目光似笑非笑地看着他.

"外山区域那些低阶异兽,可不会无缘无故接近我们杂役弟子,更不会盯上某个人." 孟星河意味深长地说道,"你最近是不是有什么特别的东西... 比如,机缘?"

林远心里一跳,强装镇定:"没有啊,就是倒霉罢了."

孟星河轻轻一笑,没有再说话,但他眼神中那抹探究意味让林远心头发紧.

"这家伙,好像知道了什么..." 林远在心里暗暗警惕.

一夜无梦.第二天清晨,林远睁开眼时,宿舍外已传来杂役弟子们喧闹的声音.新的一天开始了,他还有许多问题未解,但他知道,想要活下去,他必须先学会在这个陌生的修仙世界立足.

"林远,快点,今天又要清扫外山." 孟星河懒洋洋地催促道.

林远揉了揉脸,站起身来:"真是个累人的世界啊."

他走出宿舍,看着阳光洒在杂役区的屋檐上,突然眼中闪过一丝坚定,朝着走在前面的孟星河说道:"今日外山,说不定会有新的发现,可别掉以轻心." 孟星河闻言,脚步一顿,回头看了林远一眼,眼中闪过一丝诧异,似乎没想到这个平时不起眼的舍友,竟会说出这般话来.