Lin Qiu remained kneeling.
Not because Shen Yuan demanded it—but because he did not know what else to do with the weight that had just settled onto his shoulders. The words Master still echoed in his chest, heavy and unreal.
Shen Yuan watched him for a moment.
Then spoke.
"Stand up."
Lin Qiu froze. "M-Master?"
"Stand," Shen Yuan repeated calmly. "I don't accept disciples who stay on the ground."
Lin Qiu obeyed at once, scrambling to his feet, face flushed with confusion and embarrassment.
Shen Yuan nodded faintly.
Good.
"First Disciple Accepted," the Heavenly Sect Creation System announced."Sect Genesis sequence initiated."
Shen Yuan felt it immediately.
Not a surge of power—but recognition.
Something unseen aligned itself around him, subtle but undeniable, as if the world itself had acknowledged a new structure taking shape.
"Issuing First Disciple Gift Pack."
Lin Qiu felt it too.
A warmth spread through his chest—not burning, not overwhelming, but stabilizing. The ache he had grown used to—the constant sense that his body might fail him at any moment—eased for the first time since he had begun cultivating.
First Disciple Gift Pack – Lin Qiu
"Disciple: Lin Qiu.""Status: Foundation Rebuilding Phase."
1. Customized Cultivation Method: Clear Meridian Root Scripture
Not a manual.
A path.
The method settled gently into Lin Qiu's awareness, perfectly aligned with the circulation he had already been practicing—except now, the gaps were filled, the dangers smoothed, the logic complete.
It did not promise speed.
It promised continuation.
Lin Qiu's breath hitched.
"…This fits," he whispered.
Shen Yuan did not respond.
He already knew.
2. Foundation Protection (Passive)
Lin Qiu's unstable progress locked into place.
Mistakes would still hurt—but they would no longer cripple him permanently. His foundation could now be rebuilt without fear of collapse.
A safety net.
Not a crutch.
3. Disciple Mark (Invisible)
A faint, invisible imprint formed within Lin Qiu's soul—not binding, not controlling.
It did only one thing:
It ensured that no external force could overwrite Shen Yuan's teachings within him.
No sect theft.
No forced inheritance.
No corruption.
The system fell silent.
The gift was complete.
Lin Qiu stood there, stunned, eyes bright with something dangerously close to gratitude.
Shen Yuan cut it off immediately.
"Listen carefully," he said.
Lin Qiu straightened at once.
"This is the first rule of my sect," Shen Yuan continued. "And it applies to everyone—including you."
He met Lin Qiu's eyes.
"You do not cultivate for me."
Lin Qiu blinked.
"You do not cultivate for reputation.""You do not cultivate for revenge.""And you do not cultivate because someone else is watching."
Shen Yuan's voice was calm, but absolute.
"You cultivate because you want to exist correctly."
Lin Qiu swallowed hard.
"Yes, Master."
Shen Yuan nodded.
"Good."
He turned and began walking.
"Pack your things," he added casually. "You're leaving Qinghe City."
Lin Qiu startled. "W-Where are we going?"
Shen Yuan paused.
"Somewhere quiet," he said."Somewhere temporary.""Somewhere that won't interfere while you stabilize."
He glanced back, eyes unreadable.
"The Heavenly Sect won't be built in a city like this."
Lin Qiu clenched his fists.
"…Understood."
"Sect Progress Update," the Heavenly Sect Creation System noted."Current Status: One Founder. One Disciple.""Sect Location: Pending."
Shen Yuan stepped out into the street, Lin Qiu following a pace behind.
The city continued around them, unaware that something fundamental had just begun—not loudly, not publicly, but correctly.
A sect with no name yet.A master with no interest in authority.And a disciple who had learned, the hard way, how to begin again.
This was enough.
For now.