Kai and Shen Yu stood before the door of the Sect Master's quarters. They exchanged a brief glance before Kai raised his hand to knock.

A moment passed before a voice called out from within.

"Enter."

The door swung open silently, revealing a spacious room adorned with elegant furnishings. At the far end, a figure stood facing the window, hands clasped behind his back.

Dramatic pose, check, Kai thought wryly. Now all we need is some ominous background music.

As they approached, the Sect Master turned to face them. A smile spread across his face, but something about it made Kai's skin crawl.

That's... not a real smile, Kai realized. It looks forced. Creepy, even.

Pushing the thought aside, Kai bowed low. "Greetings, Master.”

"Welcome, my new disciples," the Sect Master said. "I trust you're settling in well?"

"Yes, Master," Shen Yu replied. "The accommodations are more than satisfactory."

Kai nodded in agreement. "We're very grateful for your generosity, Master."

The Sect Master waved a hand dismissively. "Think nothing of it. You are my disciples now, after all. It's only right that you're treated accordingly."

He gestured for them to sit on the cushions arranged before a low table. As they settled themselves, the Sect Master took a seat opposite them.

"Now," he began, "I'm sure you're curious about your new status as my disciples. I currently have three other disciples. The youngest, Wang Lin, is twenty years old and is currently in the sect. You'll meet him soon enough."

Kai leaned forward slightly, his interest piqued. "And the others, Master?"

The Sect Master's smile turned slightly forced. "Ah, yes. Your senior brother and sister. I'm afraid you won't be meeting them for quite some time. They're... busy with important tasks."

Something in the Sect Master's tone made Kai wonder if there was more to that story, but he knew better than to pry.

"But enough about them," the Sect Master continued. "Today is about you two. We must complete the master-disciple tea ceremony to formalize our relationship."

He clapped his hands, and servants appeared carrying trays laden with a tea set and various implements. As they set up the ceremony, the Sect Master began to explain.

"The ceremony symbolizes the bond between master and disciple. The sharing of tea represents the sharing of knowledge and wisdom. The warmth of the tea signifies the warmth of guidance and protection a master provides."

Interesting, Kai mused. I wonder if this will have any effect on my system. New skill, maybe?

The ceremony itself was surprisingly simple. Once the servants had left, the Sect Master brewed the tea using water infused with spiritual energy. He then poured it into three cups - one for himself and one for each of his new disciples.

"Drink," he instructed. "And as you do, focus on the connection forming between us."

Kai lifted the cup to his lips, inhaling the fragrant steam. As he sipped the tea, he felt a warmth spreading through his body. It was more than just the heat of the liquid - there was a spiritual component to it, a sense of connection forming.

A notification popped up in his vision:

Master-Disciple Bond Formed!

You are now officially recognized as a disciple of Sect Master Luo Qiang.

Effects:

* Increased learning speed for techniques taught by your master

* Ability to sense your master's general location and well-being

* ???

Huh, Kai thought. That's actually pretty useful. I wonder what that last effect is, though. Usually, when games hide effects like that, it's either something really good or really bad.

Once the ceremony was complete, the Sect Master had them sit down again. His expression turned serious as he regarded them.

"Now," he said, "I'd like to hear about your cultivation plans. What path do you intend to follow? Kai, let's start with you."

Kai paused, considering his answer carefully. None of my plans are really a secret, he decided. Might as well be honest.

"I'd like to focus on lightning techniques, Master," Kai said. "I feel a strong affinity for lightning, and I believe it suits my style."

The Sect Master nodded approvingly. "A good choice. Lightning techniques can be powerful indeed. But tell me, do you have any interest in particular fields of cultivation? Alchemy, perhaps? Or artifact refinement?"

Kai thought about this for a moment. He had put some thought into this before.

In most isekai stories, the protagonist would probably go for alchemy. It's a classic choice - create your own power-ups, sell them for resources, that kind of thing. But...

Kai realized that alchemy didn't really suit his style. He wasn't particularly interested in spending hours grinding ingredients and experimenting with formulas. It seemed too time-consuming and finicky for his tastes.

The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.

No, he thought, I need something that plays to my strengths. Something strategic, something that can give me an edge in various situations.

Suddenly, an idea struck him. "Actually," Kai said, "I'm quite interested in formations."

The Sect Master's eyebrows rose slightly. "Oh? That's an unusual choice. What draws you to formations?"

"From what I've read, they can be used for defense, offense, traps, even enhancing cultivation. It's like... like setting up the perfect strategy before a battle even begins."

As he spoke, Kai's mind raced with possibilities. Trap formations to catch enemies off guard. Defensive formations to protect a base. Formations that can alter the environment or manipulate qi flow. The potential is incredible.

"Plus," Kai added, "I've always been good at recognizing patterns and solving puzzles. I think that might translate well to understanding and creating formations."

From the corner of his eye, Kai noticed Shen Yu's eyes narrow imperceptibly at the mention of formations. The expression vanished as quickly as it had appeared.

Interesting. Does Shen Yu have some history with formations? Or maybe he sees it as a threat somehow?

The Sect Master nodded slowly, a thoughtful expression on his face. "A well-reasoned choice," he said. "We have a Nascent Soul elder who is a master of formations. Elder Han. I'll arrange for you to meet with him soon."

Kai bowed his head slightly. "Thank you, Sect Master."

Luo Qiang then turned his attention to Shen Yu. "And what about you, Shen Yu? What are your cultivation plans?"

Shen Yu's face remained blank as he spoke. "I am interested in learning both the wind and lightning techniques of the Azure Sky Sect."

The Sect Master's eyebrows rose. "Both? That's quite ambitious. It would be better to focus on one element first. Mastering two simultaneously would be extremely difficult."

"I am confident in my ability to learn both," Shen Yu replied bluntly.

Luo Qiang paused for a moment, then let out a small sigh. It was clear he thought Shen Yu was overestimating himself. "Very well," he said. "Making your own mistakes now will teach you valuable lessons for the future."

Ouch, Kai thought. That's a polite way of saying 'you're going to fail, but at least you'll learn from it.'

"Is there anything else you're interested in studying?" the Sect Master asked Shen Yu.

Shen Yu shook his head. "No, Sect Master. I wish to focus solely on cultivation techniques for now."

The Sect Master nodded, though Kai thought he detected a hint of disappointment in the old man's eyes.

Shen Yu's really going all-in on the stoic warrior trope, Kai thought.

"I see," Luo Qiang said. He reached into his robes and pulled out two scrolls, handing one to each of them. "These contain the first level of the Azure Sky Sect's lightning legacy technique. The other eight levels will be given to you one at a time as you progress."

Kai unrolled his scroll, eager to see what it contained. As he began to read, a system notification appeared:

New technique available: Azure Sky Legacy Lightning Technique (Level 1)

Would you like to learn this technique?

[Yes] [No]

Not yet, Kai thought quickly. If I absorb the scroll now, it'll disappear. That would be... awkward to explain.

"Thank you, Master," Kai said, carefully tucking the scroll away.

The Sect Master nodded. "Study it well. Shen Yu, we'll see how you progress with this before I give you the wind technique."

The Sect Master then reached into his robes once more and pulled out two small rings. He tossed one to each of them. "These are storage rings," he explained. "They contain a pocket dimension where you can store items. These particular rings should be sufficient until you reach the Nascent Soul realm."

Kai caught the ring, examining it curiously. I already have an inventory system, he thought, but I guess this will help keep up appearances.

"Thank you, Sect Master," Kai said, slipping the ring onto his finger.

"Now then," Luo Qiang said, his gaze settling on Shen Yu. "You are dismissed, Shen Yu. Go to your quarters and begin studying the lightning technique. I'll send someone to fetch you later for our first lesson."

Shen Yu stood, bowed to the Sect Master, and then left the room without a word.

What could the Sect Master want to talk about in private? Kai wondered. I hope I haven't done anything to arouse suspicion.

As the door closed behind Shen Yu, the Sect Master turned his full attention to Kai. His gaze seemed to intensify, making Kai feel as if he was being examined under a microscope.

"Kai," Luo Qiang said, his voice taking on a more serious tone, "there's something I'd like to discuss."