Morning dew glistened on the worn stones of the sect courtyard. Birds chirped. Hu Daniu snored loudly on the cultivation stone.
Peaceful.
Until a BOOM echoed from the western slope.
"Ziyan!" Li Qingyu shouted, bolting out of the hall. "Did you blow up the soup again!?"
"I don't even cook," she replied flatly, already walking toward the smoke with tea in hand.
As they crested the hill, they found something unexpected: a slender young man, cloaked in tattered green robes, standing amid a crater. Beside him were five shattered dummies, still smoldering.
"...Is that the guy who said he was 'just passing through' yesterday?" Hu Daniu mumbled, wiping drool from his chin.
It was indeed Su Jian — the rogue cultivator who had appeared three days ago looking for shelter and "free noodles." Until now, he had slept in the pig shed, practiced in secret, and insisted he wasn't "sect material."
But now?
Su Jian stood with his long hair flowing in the wind (self-cast wind spell), eyes closed in serenity. A jade flute hung at his waist, and spiritual mist curled around his boots like a scene from a romance drama.
"Spirit-Gathering Burst Shot," he said calmly, brushing dust from his sleeve. "I went easy. These dummies were quite brave."
The chicken hiding behind a tree clucked in agreement.
Li Qingyu blinked. "That was… Peak Qi Gathering technique level. Maybe higher?"
Lu Ziyan narrowed her eyes. "And he sleeps next to pigs."
Su Jian opened one eye. "I find the snorting helps with meditation."
Li Qingyu gave him a bright, cunning smile. "Su Jian, you know… I've been thinking. We've got an inner court, three disciples, a cultivation room, and now a mission board—"
"Is the mission board the one where someone wrote 'Find Better Tea' in blood?"
"That was ketchup. But yes."
He stepped forward with arms open. "Why not make it official? Join our sect, Su Jian. Be our third disciple."
Su Jian raised a brow. "And why would I do that? What do I gain?"
Hu Daniu piped up, "You get to wake up to my morning stretches!"
Everyone stared.
"…That's a negative," Su Jian muttered.
Li Qingyu clasped his hands behind his back and spoke seriously.
"I've seen many cultivators. Arrogant ones, broken ones, even some who cried when spirit beasts ignored them. But you, Su Jian—"
He pointed. Dramatically.
"—You've got the flair. The power. The musical weapon accessory. You're clearly the protagonist of your own spinoff novel."
Su Jian blinked.
> [Ding! Passive Skill Activated: Sect Leader's Persuasion Lv.1]
[Effect: Greatly increases the chance of persuading moody geniuses with tragic backstories.]
Li Qingyu leaned in. "Stay, and I'll give you a dojo to train in. A custom cultivation room. Even… your own teapot."
Su Jian looked away, silent.
Hu Daniu suddenly pulled something from his robe. "Also… I saved your flute when it almost fell in the chicken poop yesterday!"
"…You what!?"
Su Jian rushed over, checking his precious flute for damage. It gleamed cleanly.
He turned away again. "Tch. I suppose… I could give this sect a chance."
Li Qingyu's grin widened.
> [Ding! Third Disciple Successfully Recruited: Su Jian (Elemental Qi User, Flute-Based Cultivation). Potential Grade: A]
[Reward: Dojo Construction Feature Unlocked.]
[New System Quest: Build the Path of Inner Cultivation. Objective: Construct a Training Dojo for Inner Disciples.]
---
Later…
The group sat around a tiny fire pit, chewing spiritual root skewers while the spirit chicken attempted to roast its own worm on a stick.
Li Qingyu stood before them, solemn and proud.
"Ahem. As Sect Leader of the Eternal Radiance Divine Sect, I now formally announce our current disciple lineup!"
He pointed at Hu Daniu. "First Disciple: Hu Daniu!"
Daniu beamed. "Does that come with a badge?"
"No."
He turned to Su Jian. "Third Disciple: Su Jian!"
Su Jian smirked. "You skipped someone."
Li Qingyu turned to Lu Ziyan. She was leaning on her sword, sipping tea.
"What about her?" Su Jian asked.
"Oh, she lives here, insults us, steals tea, and threatens to leave every other day. Not a disciple."
"I'm not joining," Ziyan said quickly. "I just happen to live here and train next to you losers."
> [Ding! New Notification: Unclaimed Disciple Slot – Lin Ziyan. Would you like to assign Disciple Number Two?]
[User Input: DENY]
[Input Rejected. Notification Snoozed for 24 hours.]
Li Qingyu grinned. "And there you have it. Four members strong. Three disciples and one tsundere squatter."
Ziyan chucked a rock at him. He dodged.
---
Later that night…
The courtyard buzzed with excitement. A new wooden sign had been hammered in place.
> Training Dojo – Coming Soon!
Build it and They Will Overcultivate!
The spirit chicken was now wearing a miniature headband labeled "Inner Chick."
Su Jian, seated on a rock, played a haunting tune as spiritual mist coiled around him. Even Hu Daniu's snoring seemed to harmonize with it.
Lu Ziyan sat by the fire. "So what now, Sect Leader?"
Li Qingyu looked to the stars. "Now… we begin Phase Two."
"Which is?"
He turned, eyes blazing.
"Sect Facilities Upgrade Arc."
---