Xiao Ruoching opened her eyes, staring blankly at everything before her.
Rage, wreckage—and a brawny man charging at her with a large cleaver. From this angle, she could see the large yellow teeth in his gaping mouth.
"HAHAHA, Miss Xiao! Go to hell!"
What... what's going on?
Suddenly, the charging man's eyes bulged. He looked down at the sword that had pierced through his chest from behind. Then, with difficulty, he turned to look at the young man who had appeared out of nowhere and spat out a mouthful of blood. "You... you have no honor."
And then he died.
Xiao Ruoching's eyes widened as she watched this scene unfold, her gaze fixed on the young man who held the sword in one hand. He wore a white robe with a Crane Cloak, his feet shod in cloud-patterned shoes. His long, unbound hair was casually gathered at the back with a white silk ribbon. A white jade Sword Box was slung at his waist, his hand resting on the hilt. A radiant glow, like a special effect, illuminated his refined and handsome features. His eyes curved into a smile, and his soft voice, carrying a hint of warmth, reached Xiao Ruoching's ears, "Would you like to become my disciple?"
Su Bei was not from this world. More precisely, his soul was not.
Back on Blue Star, Su Bei had been studying in a library, working hard for his future as a corporate drone. An overfull bladder led to a nerve regulation malfunction, and coupled with his low tolerance for such discomfort, he opened his eyes to find himself in this world.
Then, he awakened a system called The Highest Ten Thousand Fold Feedback for Discipleship. As the name suggested, as long as he took on disciples, their cultivation would yield him up to a ten thousand times feedback in benefits.
Taking disciples really is a wonderful thing! Su Bei was overjoyed; the system was incredibly user-friendly. For someone like him, who was thoroughly committed to a philosophy of achieving maximum comfort with minimal effort, it couldn't be more accommodating. Why cultivate? Wasn't it just to be able to lie around for an extra few hundred or thousand years?
So, Su Bei began the long and tedious path of searching for disciples. Since the system currently only allowed him to take two, if he wanted to enjoy the most comfortable life of leisure in the future... he would certainly need to find a female disciple with excellent talent and a sturdy physique, orphaned, beset by deep hatred, with flowing black hair and bright teeth, wearing stockings... Ahem.
Hm? Why not take on male disciples? Could a male disciple give him a gentle, soft shoulder massage while he slept? Could a male disciple bring him a cup of tea in the morning, cover his face shyly, and sweetly say, 'Master, please have some tea'? Could a male disciple wear stockings and walk into his room...?
Su Bei soared through the sky and burrowed through the earth. Finally, in a place called the Xiao Family Courtyard, he found this woman who seemed to be surrounded by a halo, as if the words "Heaven's Favored Daughter" were imprinted on her face.
And that's when the previous scene unfolded.
Su Bei subtly transformed the surrounding Spiritual Energy into a soft golden light, which highlighted his own divine, Immortal-like aura as he gazed calmly at the woman before him.
Even in the midst of such a disaster that had left her family decimated, her raven-black hair still fluttered in the wind. Her lips glistened like jade, her nose was delicate as a young lotus root, and her eyebrows were as light and slender as wisps of smoke.
However... Why do those large eyes looking at me seem to be filled with confusion? And anger? Wait, why is there also hatred?
Four words summed it up: her expression was complicated.
Su Bei pondered this deeply. Hm! That expression probably isn't directed at me. After all, her family has been annihilated; it would be strange if she didn't feel some hatred and anger, right?
Xiao Ruoching took a deep breath, looking at the refined man before her, her eyes filled with infinite fury and complexity. Only now did she finally understand why she was here. She had actually been reborn, reincarnated! Back to the exact moment this man took her as his disciple!
A trace of imperceptible scorn touched the corners of Xiao Ruoching's mouth. Heh, he acted the same way in my past life! He saved me at my most desperate moment! Then, after I became his disciple and viewed him as my everything, he was my entire world! Yet, it wasn't until he personally killed me that I naively understood. The reason he took me on as a disciple, devotedly nurtured me, that gentleness... It was all to obtain my physique! My Innate Taoist Body!
A deep glint was hidden in Xiao Ruoching's eyes. This lifetime, I *must* have my revenge! After all, I know this man's talent isn't very strong. He's currently only at the Divinity Transformation Realm. As long as I use my past life's experience and cultivate tirelessly, day and night... Then, in the upcoming Grand Competition of Myriad Sects in the Twenty-One Provinces, I'll take first place and get the Yin-Yang Fish that can conceal cultivation! Then I can definitely surpass Su Bei before he kills me! And then, I'll kill him!
Looking at the hand Su Bei extended to her, his attractive, curved lips, his smiling eyes, Xiao Ruoching buried the deep-seated hatred in her heart and slowly reached out her own hand. Grasping Su Bei's large hand, and gazing at his indifferent expression, she said softly, "I am willing."
Only by getting close to him, by becoming his disciple, will I have the chance to acquire a great amount of cultivation resources!
Su Bei saw the surprise in the woman's eyes and smiled smugly to himself. My efforts to learn the immortal art augmented by dazzling brilliance weren't in vain. I hadn't expected my first attempt at recruiting a disciple to go so smoothly. But something isn't quite right about this. The conversation I'd imagined should have gone like this:
"Would you like to become my disciple?"
"Can being your disciple avenge my family?"
"Yes."
"Can being your disciple make me superior to others?"
"Yes."
"Being your disciple..."
"Yes to all."
"I am willing!"
Where were the intermediate steps? This disciple I've taken is a bit different, isn't she? Could it be because she's somewhat aloof? After all, everyone has a different personality. Yes, that must be it.
"From now on, you are a new disciple of the Sword Sect," Su Bei announced. "I am the Fifth Elder of the Sword Sect, your Master, Su Bei!"
Su Bei's eyebrows lifted slightly, and then he calmly looked at the female disciple before him. He saw white clouds and dark, hound-like forms drift slowly among them. Wild geese cried out in a long, V-shaped procession. The leader cried out as it passed, leaving only a fleeting, graceful shadow in the sky. Dappled light from the pine branches on either side showered down, casting specks and beams that slowly shifted across his elegant white Crane Cloak.
"Master above, your disciple Xiao Ruoching pays her respects." Xiao Ruoching kneeled gently, her voice soft and clear, like a gentle breeze in the forest.
"Mm," Su Bei nodded in satisfaction. She might be aloof, but she clearly respects her master and holds the Dao in high esteem. This was a disciple guided by the system; her cultivation talent must be absolutely top-tier! But... how can I make her cultivate day and night?
"DING!"
"Congratulations to the Host for successfully recruiting a disciple!"
"You've received your First Disciple Omnipotent Ten-Pull Lottery Ticket!"
"Would you like to start the lottery?"
Su Bei looked at the dazzling array of rewards before him, eager to start drawing.
"DING!"
"Congratulations Host, you've obtained: an ordinary Foundation Establishment Pill, an ordinary Vitality Cultivation Pill, an ordinary Hemostatic Powder, a common but deadly poison..."
?? Is this it? Su Bei frowned as he looked at these extremely trashy rewards.
Suddenly, a flash of light, and Su Bei felt a refreshing wave wash over his entire body.
"Congratulations to the Host for receiving the legendary reward, the title: Child of Destiny!"
"DING! Congratulations Host, your luck value has reached its maximum!"
Su Bei let out a long sigh. Then, looking at Xiao Ruoching, who was sitting quietly on the flying sword, apparently lost in thought, he murmured, Hmm, this one is too aloof. The next disciple must have a temperament that complements hers!
...