[NEW MISSION DETECTED
ACCEPT YUE LING AS YOUR DISCIPLE
DEADLINE: 10 MINUTES
FAILURE: HOST’S DEATH]
“You’ve got to be kidding me, you useless system! NOW YOU’RE EVEN THREATENING ME WITH DEATH?” Zhen thought, already frustrated with the system.
“I can’t even cultivate; how could I possibly accept a disciple? Damn system!” he asked the system in his mind.
[Host, being a master doesn’t always mean having strength. Even though you can’t cultivate, your knowledge on the subject is vast and you can instruct her perfectly. Be optimistic.]
“Thinking about it that way, I do have a vast knowledge of this world and cultivation, after all, I had to learn everything because of the system’s missions.”
“But you’re a cultivator. Why do you want to accept a mortal as your master?” Zhen asked.
“It’s true that master is a mortal, but his knowledge is vast, and I believe I can only reach the top under his guidance. So, please, accept me as your disciple,” Yue said, still kneeling.
“Hmm,” Zhen murmured as he thought. Having a cultivator around might be safer for me until the system decides to give me some way to become stronger, right? But wait…
“Before anything else, when I found you, you were very injured. Judging by the way you were fighting, you were fighting someone, right?” Zhen questioned.
“Yes, master. I was fighting Hei Tian, an elder of the Chaos Sect,” Yue replied.
“Wait… Why exactly were you fighting someone from the Chaos Sect?”
“Master, I am the heir of the Northern Lunar Spirit Clan. With the Dragon Fight approaching, we’ve been fighting internally. Even though it seems peaceful on the outside, we are actually constantly fighting each other. As I am a Golden Core disciple, they probably wanted to incapacitate me from participating in the Dragon Fight. After all, a sect considered weak in the Dragon Fight would open gaps for us to be attacked and for our enemies to form alliances.”
Note: The Dragon Fight is a competition among talented disciples that happens every five years, with the disciples of each generation, to determine a hierarchy among the clans and sects of the dynasty. Even though there is nothing official stating the hierarchy, this tournament serves to show the strength of each sect.
“Wait, wait. You’re from the Lunar Spirit Clan? Then why do you want me as your master? Is that even allowed?” Zhen asked.
“Yes, master, it is allowed as long as the disciple in question hasn’t recognized anyone as their master yet and the chosen master doesn’t hold any grudge or feud against the sect,” Yue said, thinking, Thankfully our sect holds no hostility against such a master, or we would be annihilated. Probably just the paw of the Rou would be enough to throw the whole sect into chaos.
“I see. But won’t that elder from the Chaos Sect come after us?”
“It’s possible, master, but I don’t think it will happen.”
Even if he comes, he would die before even passing through the gate, Yue thought.
“Alright, since you say so, I will accept you as my disciple. However, I will only instruct you in your cultivation since I’m a mortal and can’t teach you much,” Zhen said, still reluctant about the idea of taking her as a disciple.
“Thank you very much, master. I won’t disappoint you,” Yue said, pleased.
Zhen picked up a brush and paper and started writing the Eternal Void Technique for Yue, adding every part he remembered, down to the smallest details.
This technique is not just any technique. Just as there are different types of elements in the world, there are different types of DAOS, and the Void Dao is a bit special. To cultivate it, you need to have great perseverance, as you have to endure entering and exiting the void frequently as a way to collect the energy of the Void Dao for your body and refine it, making it circulate from your meridians to your dantian. It seems simple, but entering and exiting the void is the same as dying and coming back to life; an excruciating pain is felt. Therefore, anyone who cultivates this technique needs to have incredible mental strength. However, after being cultivated, the user can not only swallow small things into the void, but can swallow the whole world, and they can also enter and exit the void at will, being able to reshape it as their cultivation advances.
You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.
“Here, take it,” Zhen extended his arm and handed the technique to Yue, who, upon seeing the technique, was left speechless, not knowing what to say about how incredible that technique was in her eyes. After all, she could merge that technique with her own void technique, making it a technique where, even using a sword, it would be impossible to retaliate after entering the void, and it would greatly boost her cultivation. After all, her void technique did not allow her to enter the void itself to cultivate, only to absorb energy from the void’s breaches.
“T-thank you, master!” Yue said, almost jumping for joy.
Zhen had a proud expression for having accepted and being able to guide his disciple, even though he was initially reluctant.
[DING DING, CONGRATULATIONS ON COMPLETING THE MISSION! YOU HAVE RECEIVED 100 POINTS AND THE ABILITY TO VIEW THE ‘DISCIPLES’ TAB.]
“Huh? What’s this tab, system?” Zhen asked, confused.
[IS THE HOST DEAF? OR IS THERE SOMETHING THAT NEEDS TO BE CURED BY THE SYSTEM?] the system mocked, irritated by the lack of understanding.
“AAH, YOU BASTARD, YOU STILL HAVE THE NERVE TO MOCK ME? DAMN SYSTEM!” Zhen exclaimed, furious.
[SIGH, THE DISCIPLES TAB IS EXACTLY WHAT THE NAME SUGGESTS, HOST. IN IT, YOU WILL BE ABLE TO SEE YOUR DISCIPLES’ STATS THROUGH MORE ACCURATE NUMBERS. WOULD YOU LIKE TO OPEN THE TAB?]
“Open it,” Zhen said, already looking disdainfully at the system.
[DISCIPLES]
[NAME: YUE LING
AGE: 37 YEARS
CULTIVATION: MORTAL (PEAK) (COMPRESSED)
AFFINITY WITH THE HOST: 22%]
“Wait, MORTAL REALM? System, she’s in the Golden Core realm. Isn’t there something wrong here?” Zhen asked, confused.
[NO, HOST. WHAT HAPPENED IS THAT THE SYSTEM COMPRESSED HER CULTIVATION. SINCE YUE LING WAS ABSORBING ENERGY INCORRECTLY AND USING AN INCOMPLETE TECHNIQUE, THE SYSTEM CORRECTED HER FLAWS AND ‘COMPRESSED’ HER CULTIVATION, MAKING HER RETURN TO THE MORTAL REALM.]
“But doesn’t that make her weaker? I don’t think she’ll like knowing this,” Zhen exclaimed.
[NOT EXACTLY, HOST. THE SYSTEM DIDN’T REMOVE THE ENERGY SHE ALREADY HAD; IT ONLY COMPRESSED IT. IN OTHER WORDS, BEFORE BECOMING YOUR DISCIPLE, EVEN THOUGH SHE WAS IN THE GOLDEN CORE REALM, HER ENERGY WAS SO WEAK THAT IT COULDN’T COMPARE TO SOMEONE IN THE REFINEMENT REALM.]
(This is according to the system’s perfect cultivation. Even though Yue is in the mortal realm (peak), someone in the early stages of the Golden Core wouldn’t be her opponent unless they had a perfect cultivation, which is almost impossible, but Zhen doesn’t know that.)
“I see,” Zhen said, when suddenly he had a thought: Wait…?
“OOOH DAMN SYSTEM, COME HERE!” Zhen shouted, already furious.
“YOU CAN ‘COMPRESS’ SOMEONE’S CULTIVATION AND MAKE IT PERFECT, BUT YOU CAN’T HELP ME GET A SPIRIT ROOT??? WHERE THE HELL DOES THAT MAKE SENSE???” Zhen asked, exasperated.
[WHEN DID I SAY I COULDN’T GIVE YOU A SPIRIT ROOT?] the system exclaimed.
“Excuse me, what?” Zhen asked, confused.
[THE USER NEVER ASKED THE SYSTEM IF THEY COULD RECEIVE A SPIRIT ROOT.]
“So you can??” Zhen asked, excited.
[NO.]
“…”
“DAMN SYSTEM, ARE YOU MESSING WITH ME OR WHAT? HOW COME YOU CAN’T???”
[HOST, CALM DOWN. THE SYSTEM WILL GIVE YOU A SPIRIT ROOT AND ALLOW YOU TO CULTIVATE WHEN THE TIME COMES.]
“Ugh, aaahh, fine, fine,” Zhen agreed, disheartened.
“But system, what is this affinity on the panel?” Zhen asked.
[IT IS EXACTLY WHAT IT IS, HOST. SOMETIMES I THINK YOU’RE DUMBER THAN USUAL.] the system mocked again, seeming to enjoy teasing Zhen.
“Tsk, sometimes I think this damn system has a mind of its own. I won’t even bother, just explain it to me,” Zhen said, already irritated with the system.
[IT SHOWS HOW CLOSE YOU ARE TO YOUR DISCIPLES. THE CLOSER YOU ARE, THE MORE BENEFITS YOU WILL RECEIVE FROM THE SYSTEM.]
“And 100% means what? Absolute loyalty?”
[BASICALLY, 100% MEANS THAT YOU WILL BECOME EVERYTHING TO HER, TO THE POINT WHERE SHE WOULD PREFER THE WORLD TO END THAN TO LOSE YOU. BUT FOR THE HOST TO REACH 100%, YOU WOULD HAVE TO TO BECOME PARTNERS.]
"Hmm, and what benefits would we receive?"
[FIGURE IT OUT YOURSELF, HOST.]
"AAAHHH, DAMN SYSTEM!"
Meanwhile, in the Chaos Sect:
"Have you managed to find her?" Hei Tian asked his disciples.
"Not yet, Master. That area is Blue Sky Clan territory. If we make too much noise, we might draw their attention," said the disciple Mo Tianyun (fifth phase of the Golden Core realm).
"Tsk, that doesn’t matter now. We need to find her, no matter the cost."
"Master, why are you so insistent on capturing her? She won’t be a challenge for me," the disciple asked, not understanding his master’s anger.
"You don’t understand. She’s carrying the Chaos Medallion, and we need to retrieve it as soon as possible," Hei Tian said.
Meanwhile, in the Sea Palace, within the Blue Sky Clan, Ling Xueyu and her disciple were preparing to visit their senior, as promised!