Dawn's pale light filtered through the mist as Master and disciple climbed the winding stone path toward the pavilion's entrance, their footsteps echoing softly in the morning stillness. They had just returned from the market district, another necessary but humbling trip to sell what remained of their sect's dwindling treasures.
"Master," Chen Haoran ventured, his voice carrying the weight of barely contained worry, "will we need to sell more yellow-grade artifacts just to put food on the table today?"
The young man—barely past his fourteenth year—cut an impressive figure despite his troubled expression. His sleek black hair caught the morning light, and his dark brown eyes held flecks of gold that seemed to shimmer when the angle was just right. The dark blue robes he wore, embroidered with golden and scarlet dragons, spoke of better days when the Heavenly Stars Immortal Pavilion commanded respect rather than pity.
His master paused, shoulders sagging slightly beneath the burden of leadership. Though shorter than his disciple by nearly a head, with a slight hunchback, the old man's presence commanded attention. Silver-grey hair fell to his shoulders, framing a weathered face dominated by ocean-blue eyes that held depths of wisdom earned through decades of cultivation and hardship. His beard, meticulously maintained despite their circumstances, reached just past his collarbone.
"I'm afraid that's our reality for now, Chen Haoran," the master replied, his voice carrying a deep frustrated regret. "With only the four of us remaining in the entire sect—you, your junior brother and sister, and myself—we have little choice. Until your cultivation advances enough to challenge other sects, or until fortune smiles upon us with new members, we must make do with what we have."
The words struck Chen Haoran like a physical blow. He heard both disappointment and expectation in his master's tone, a challenge wrapped in honest assessment. Stopping mid-stride, he bowed deeply toward his master's retreating back, though the old man continued walking as if he hadn't noticed.
'I will train harder and much more diligently today!', Chen Haoran vowed silently, his hands clenching into fists. 'I won't let our sect die on my watch.'
Though his master gave no outward sign of acknowledgment, the corner of his mouth curved upward in the faintest smile of satisfaction. The boy's determination, even in the face of such dire circumstances, reminded him of one of the reasons why he had chosen Chen Haoran as his disciple in the first place.
They approached the circular transitional gate—known as the Moon Gate for its perfect round opening framed in white stone that curved around the entire sect structure. Beyond it lay the inner courtyards and core of the pavilion, the true heart of what remained of their once-mighty pavilion.
Chen Haoran stepped forward and placed his palm against the smooth stone beside the gate. Closing his eyes, he channeled his primal Qi through his meridians and into his hand. The energy flowed like warm honey through his palm and into the ancient formation carved into the gate's architecture, causing the sleeve of his robes to slightly stir.
Slowly, with the grinding sound of stone against stone, the massive doors began to part. Intricate array formations glowed briefly with soft blue light as they recognized the familiar Qi signature, confirming Chen Haoran's status as a registered sect member.
The security formation was one of the few things that still functioned perfectly after all these years. Created by their sect's founder, it required a drop of blood to be placed into the array's core during the registration process, permanently marking the individual's Qi signature. Only those whose blood-essence had been recorded could pass through to the inner courtyards where the sect's most precious resources and private quarters were housed.
As the gates swung fully open, revealing the misty courtyards beyond, the Master and Disciple duo walked in at a neither fast nor slow pace.
The master and Chen Haoran made their way deeper into the inner courtyards, their footsteps echoing against the worn stone pathways. The morning mist clung close to the vine-etched walls.
They approached the separate residential quarters—a practical arrangement that maintained proper decorum between male and female disciples, even in their drastically reduced numbers.
The old master's patience, already worn thin by their current financial struggles, finally snapped.
"SHEN RUI! MEI LING!" His voice thundered across the courtyard like the roar of an angry beast, causing nearby birds to scatter in terror. "GET UP THIS INSTANT!"
The effect was immediate. Within moments, two small figures burst from their respective quarters, stumbling over themselves in their haste. They dropped to their knees in perfect kowtow positions before their master, their foreheads pressed firmly to the cold stone.
The first was a boy of perhaps twelve years, his short-cropped blonde hair still tousled from sleep. His grey eyes were wide with alarm as he tried to steady his breathing. His brown and light green robes, hastily thrown on, hung askew on his slight frame.
Beside him knelt a girl no older than ten, her long brown hair cascading around her shoulders like a waterfall. Her dark brown eyes darted nervously between her master and the ground. Her pink and purple robes—the top slightly cropped in the fashion preferred by young female cultivators—were wrinkled from her deep sleep.
"Stand," the master commanded through gritted teeth, his weathered face twisted in a disapproving frown.
"Yes, Master," they chorused mournfully, rising with carefully practiced grace.
The old man released a long, exasperated breath that seemed to carry the weight of years. "Shen Rui, Mei Ling—you must conduct yourselves with greater diligence. This master grows older with each passing day, and I cannot constantly hover over you like a nursemaid. Learn from your senior brother's example."
Both junior disciples bowed deeply, their voices ringing with renewed determination. "Yes, Master!"
Chen Haoran couldn't suppress his smugness. He rubbed a finger beneath his nose with an insufferably proud grin, practically radiating self-satisfaction.
The master's sharp gaze immediately fixed on him, and the grin instantly vanished as if it had never existed.
Shen Rui and Mei Ling pressed their hands to their mouths, shoulders trembling as they fought to contain their laughter.
"What am I to do with you three?" the master muttered, though a small smile tugged at the corners of his mouth. Despite everything, these children were all he had left of his life's work. "Let us Head to the inner courtyard training grounds. Practice your cultivation techniques—and I expect to see genuine progress today."
...
Approximately seventy meters away, deep within the inner courtyard, Liu Feng had heard every word of the exchange with crystal clarity. Whether this was due to his supernatural tree existence or simply because cultivators possessed naturally powerful voices, he couldn't be sure. What he did know was that the system had placed him directly in their path.
However, given the fact that he was able to perfectly understand them although he was in a different world did not escape his notice. The language that they had spoken was basic Chinese, with only a few words being incomprehensible.
'System,' he thought urgently, 'they probably won't notice me, right? I'm just a tree among dozens of other plants.'
[DING!]
[Calculating probability... Analysis complete. There is a 68.899% chance that at least one of them possesses sufficient Spiritual Awareness to detect the Host's Divine Qi signature.]
Liu Feng's leaves rustled with panic. 'Can I hide it somehow?'
[Negative Host.]
'WHAT?!' Liu Feng's mental voice exploded with indignation. 'This is your fault! You said the Heavenly Stars Immortal Pavilion was abandoned!'
Suddenly, the system began emitting a cacophony of beeping, chiming, and whirring sounds that made Liu Feng's consciousness ache.
[RECALIBRATING... ERROR DETECTED... REASSESSING LOCAL CONDITIONS...]
'Oh wonderful,' Liu Feng thought sarcastically. 'Not only am I now a tree, but I'm stuck with a defective system.'
[RECALIBRATION COMPLETE. The System apologizes for the data inconsistency. Initial scans failed to detect low-level life signatures due to their minimal Qi emissions. As compensation for this error, the Host has been granted one Random Reward.]
Liu Feng's anger evaporated instantly, replaced by excitement. 'What kind of reward?'
[DING!]
[The Host has acquired the SSS-Grade Skill: Universal Communication!]
[Skill Description: A Passive ability allowing the Host to comprehend all forms of written and spoken communication throughout the universe. Additionally, the Host may communicate with any intelligent life form by expending Growth Points.]
Liu Feng's metaphorical eyebrows rose in appreciation. An SSS-grade skill? This might actually balance out the Growth Point cost issue.
'System, could you perhaps make more mistakes? This reward function of the system seems quite generous—'
[Negative, Host.]
Was it his imagination, or had the system's tone carried a hint of attitude?
Before he could dwell on it further, voices grew louder as the master and his three disciples entered the inner courtyard. Just as they came into view, the system chimed once more.
[DING!]
[Prerequisite Task Triggered: Tame the Sect Patriarch and His Three Disciples!]
[Task Completion Reward: Unlock System Function - Gift Shop!]
At this System notification, Liu Feng mentally raised an intrigued eyebrow.