Mount Turtleback was the kind of place even bandits avoided. The trees were brittle, the animals too skinny to hunt, and the wind howled like a widow who'd lost everything.
And nestled at the foot of this miserable mountain was the so-called Eternal Radiance Divine Sect—though the word Divine on its gate had faded so badly it now read Eternal Raisin Sect. The gate itself was crooked, hanging on by one rusted hinge. One good kick and it'd probably fall.
Inside this humble ruin sat a young man in pristine white robes, sipping tea from a chipped bowl. His name was Li Qingyu, and his expression was the smug kind that made people want to punch him—despite the fact that he had no disciples, no money, and no clue how cultivation actually worked.
Not yet, anyway.
"System," he called lazily, holding up his teacup. "This tastes like boiled regret. Got any spiritual spring water upgrades?"
A soft chime rang in his head.
[Ding! Host must first complete Sect Upgrade Task: Recruit 3 Disciples. Current count: 0.]
Li Qingyu groaned and leaned back against the rotting pillar. "So you mean I've got a whole sect and I'm the only person in it?"
[Ding! Affirmative. You are currently Founder, Grand Elder, Master Chef, and Janitor.]
"…Fantastic. Do I at least get a starter pack?"
[Ding! Starter Pack received: 1x Cleaning Broom (Spirit-Infused), 1x Sect Sign Repair Token, 10x Basic Cultivation Pills.]
From thin air, a broom materialized next to him. It sparkled with faint spiritual light.
Li Qingyu stared at it. "My golden finger… is a broom."
The broom leaned upright on its own and swept a patch of dust off the ground.
"Oh no. It's sentient."
---
Li Qingyu was not originally of this world. In his past life, he had been a software developer in modern Earth, crushed under deadlines, instant noodles, and office politics. Then one night, he passed out at his desk and woke up here—inside the body of a cultivator who had tragically exploded during a misfire of his own technique.
The old Li Qingyu had founded this sect with dreams of greatness. Unfortunately, he was talented in only two things: naming sects and dying prematurely.
Now, the new Li Qingyu inherited this mess—and with it, a system that promised to make him the greatest sect leader in history.
If he could get three disciples, that is.
---
Later that afternoon, Li Qingyu sat outside the sect gate with a hand-painted sign that read:
"Now Recruiting: Cultivation Training, Housing, Meals, and Occasional Enlightenment."
"Requirements: Must Breathe. No Killing Intent Within First Interview Preferred."
Most people passing the dirt road ignored him. A few even laughed.
"Hey, old man," a snot-nosed village brat jeered. "You training pigs in there?"
Li Qingyu blinked. "I wasn't, but… hmm. Could work."
The boy narrowed his eyes. "You're weird."
"So is destiny. What's your name, kid?"
"Hu Daniu," the boy said proudly, puffing out his chest. "I'm gonna join the Iron Wall Sect when I'm older!"
Li Qingyu gave a slow nod. "You like punching things?"
"Yeah!"
"Eating meat?"
"Yeah!!"
"Want free food and a sword?"
The boy paused. "...Yes?"
Li Qingyu beamed. "Congratulations, Hu Daniu. You've just passed the Eternal Radiance Divine Sect's entrance exam."
"Huh?! I didn't do anything!"
"And yet you impressed me with your potential," Li Qingyu said, placing a firm hand on the boy's shoulder. "Such a simple mind. Such clarity of purpose. You're perfect."
The boy looked confused. Then he saw the gleam of a real sword—albeit a very rusty one—on Li Qingyu's hip.
"Do I get one of those?"
Li Qingyu patted him on the head. "In time. First, let me show you the courtyard. It's… rustic."
---
[Ding! 1st Disciple Acquired: Hu Daniu (Potential Rating: C+). Rewards unlocked.]
[Rewards: 10 Sect Points, 1x Low-Grade Sword Manual, 1x Sect Nameplate Token.]
Li Qingyu smiled. "System, is it weird that I feel proud of abducting a child?"
[Ding! Host's morality status is: Technically Legal (With Guardian Consent).]
Li Qingyu blinked. "Wait, what guardian?"
From the road, an elderly man approached, waving a walking stick.
"Hey! You there!" he shouted. "That's my grandson!"
Li Qingyu turned with a serene smile. "Ah, senior. I have taken young Daniu under my wing. He will be the pride of your lineage."
The old man blinked. "...Are you feeding him?"
"Yes."
"Are you beating him?"
"Only emotionally."
"Alright then. Try not to get him killed."
And just like that, the Eternal Radiance Divine Sect gained its first official disciple.
---
That night, Li Qingyu gathered what little resources he had. He gave Daniu a cultivation pillow, a set of slightly too-large robes, and the system-issued Low-Grade Sword Manual, titled "Stab Things With Passion."
The boy stared at the manual. "This… this is amazing."
Li Qingyu raised an eyebrow. "Can you read?"
"No!"
"Perfect."
---
As the boy snored away in the disciples' hut—which was actually a converted storage shed—Li Qingyu sat under the stars, the wind tugging at his robe.
He looked at the mountain. At the broken gate. At the moon.
"System," he whispered, "Can I really make this place into a top sect?"
[Ding! Affirmative. Probability of success: 0.2%. Estimated time: 974 years.]
Li Qingyu sipped his tea and sighed.
"Well then. Better get started."