Lin Chen discovered the problem the next morning.
There was a line.
A very real, very long line.
He stood at the top of the mountain steps, blinking slowly as a dozen unfamiliar faces looked back up at him. Some were young, some older, some clearly cultivators, others… clearly optimistic.
"Master," Su Ming whispered urgently, "they've been standing there since dawn."
Lin Chen rubbed his eyes. "Why?"
Su Ming hesitated. "They're here to join."
Lin Chen felt a sharp pain in his chest.
Not from cultivation backlash.
From dread.
> Sect Status Update:
External Interest: Surging
Resources: Insufficient
Food: Just Recovered
Suggested Action: Controlled Recruitment
Lin Chen sighed.
"So buying rice really did boost reputation."
---
The first in line stepped forward—a burly man with a confident grin.
"I heard this sect's master scares Black Iron disciples with a single finger," he said. "I wish to learn that technique."
Lin Chen nodded. "That technique requires many years of training."
The man bowed eagerly. "I have patience!"
Lin Chen added, "And excellent eyesight."
The man blinked. "…What?"
"You must see danger before it happens," Lin Chen said gravely.
The man nodded solemnly and stepped aside to train his eyesight.
> Candidate Confused: Successfully
---
Next was a thin youth.
"I heard this sect gives free food," he whispered.
Lin Chen smiled kindly. "We give food to disciples who contribute."
The youth nodded. "I can contribute eating."
Lin Chen gestured politely toward the mountain path.
"Your contribution is complete."
---
By noon, Lin Chen had rejected eight people, confused three, and accidentally recruited one.
He stared at the system interface.
> Disciples: 3 → 4
Warning: Resource Strain Increasing
Lin Chen exhaled.
"Alright," he muttered. "Time for standards."
---
He gathered everyone—including the hopefuls—and stood in front of the main hall.
"Azure Cloud Sect does not accept disciples lightly," Lin Chen announced. "You must pass three tests."
The crowd straightened.
"The first test," Lin Chen said, "is patience."
He turned and went back inside.
The door closed.
Silence.
Zhao Feng whispered from behind him, "Master… how long are you going to leave them there?"
Lin Chen leaned back against the throne.
"Until lunch."
> Patience Test: Ongoing
---
When Lin Chen returned an hour later, half the crowd was gone.
The remaining few looked significantly more respectful.
Lin Chen nodded approvingly.
"Second test," he said, "is humility."
He pointed at the courtyard.
"Clean."
The candidates stared.
"…Everything?" one asked.
Lin Chen smiled. "Especially the places you think are already clean."
Su Ming watched with admiration. "Master is wise."
Li Yue whispered, "And efficient."
Zhao Feng nodded. "And cheap."
---
By sunset, only two candidates remained—both exhausted, both respectful.
Lin Chen looked at the system.
> Recruitment Success Probability: High
He nodded.
"Welcome to Azure Cloud Sect."
> New Disciples Acquired:
Disciples: 4 → 6
Sect Resonance: Increased
A warm surge passed through Lin Chen.
> Cultivation Progress: Qi Refinement Late 4 → Peak 4
He smiled faintly.
Rumors may exaggerate, he thought, but they do excellent recruitment work.
As night fell, Zhao Feng counted the rice again.
"…Master," he said nervously, "with this many people, we're back to three days of food."
Lin Chen closed his eyes.
"…Tomorrow," he said, "we plant."
Outside the sect, rumors continued to spread.
Inside—
Azure Cloud Sect prepared to farm.