The snow had begun to fall harder by the time Lin Xiaoyu and I reached the mountain path.
Cold wind whipped across the cliffs, carrying loose flakes in swirling spirals around us. The climb back to the sect was steep, narrow, and more dangerous than I remembered.
Or maybe it just looked more dangerous because I now had my first disciple walking beside me.
My first disciple.
I still couldn't believe it.
Just yesterday—well, technically in another life—I had been worrying about deadlines, bosses, and instant noodles.
Now I was leading a sect.
A sect with exactly two people.
Progress.
Xiaoyu trudged through the snow with a bored expression, hands tucked into her torn sleeves.
"This place better be worth it."
I glanced at her.
"Have a little faith in your sect leader."
She snorted.
"The sect gate was literally broken when I first saw it."
"…It has character."
"It has structural issues."
I coughed awkwardly and kept walking.
The mountain air grew colder as we climbed.
Then, through the falling snow, the restored gate came into view.
The black plaque gleamed faintly under the grey sky.
ALL-HAIL SOVEREIGN SECT
Xiaoyu stopped.
Her golden eyes widened slightly.
"…You actually fixed it."
I crossed my arms and gave her my best wise-sect-master look.
"Of course."
In reality, it had been the repair charm.
But details weren't important.
She stepped through the gate slowly.
Her eyes moved across the courtyard.
The broken statues.
The cracked flagstones.
The half-collapsed outer wall.
The leaning main hall.
Then she looked at me.
"…This is worse than I imagined."
I almost tripped on my own robe.
"Oi!"
She pointed toward a hole in the roof where snow was literally falling into the main hall.
"Your sect is anything literally snowing indoors."
I looked up.
"…Natural ventilation."
She stared.
Then burst out laughing.
For the first time, it wasn't mocking.
It was genuine.
Bright.
Unexpected.
For a moment, the ruined sect didn't feel quite so empty.
The system screen appeared before me.
NEW DISCIPLE STATUS UPDATED
Name: Lin XiaoyuRealm: MortalBloodline: Ancient Dragon Bloodline (Dormant)Loyalty: 20Mood: Hungry + skeptical
I nearly laughed at the mood status.
"System, do you seriously track emotions too?"
[Host mood currently: pretending to be cool while internally panicking.]
I clenched my jaw.
"Unnecessary."
Xiaoyu tilted her head.
"Talking to ghosts?"
"…Something like that."
She shrugged.
Honestly, I was beginning to suspect she could accept backwards as long as food was involved.
Speaking of which—
I opened the pouch of spirit stones and handed her two ordinary meat buns I had bought from the market on the way back.
Her eyes lit up.
For the first time, she looked like an actual fourteen-year-old.
"Not bad, Sect Leader."
I smirked.
"See? Already worth joining."
She took a huge bite and spoke with a full mouth.
"Still a trash sect, though."
I pretended not to hear that.
Instead, I focused on the system reward from recruiting her.
The Dragon Body Cultivation Manual floated in my inventory panel.
This was the real reason I had rushed back.
If her bloodline awakened—
Our sect would finally have a real powerhouse in the making.
I selected the manual.
A crimson jade scroll materialised in my hands.
The surface pulsed with faint golden patterns shaped like dragon scales.
Even holding it made the air around us feel warmer.
Xiaoyu paused mid-bite.
"What's that?"
I turned toward her dramatically.
"Your future."
She blinked.
"That sounds suspiciously cult-like."
"…We are literally a sect."
"Fair point."
I handed her the scroll.
The moment her fingers touched it—
BOOM!
A burst of golden light erupted.
The entire courtyard shook.
A shockwave blasted snow off the rooftops.
The scroll dissolved into streams of light and entered her body.
Xiaoyu staggered backward.
Her eyes widened.
"W-What is happening?!"
The system screen flashed red.
BLOODLINE RESONANCE DETECTED
Ancient Dragon Bloodline awakening: 3%... 8%... 15%
Oh hell.
This was happening much faster than expected.
The wind intensified.
Snow spiralled around her like a storm.
Golden light seeped through the cracks of her clenched fists.
Her breathing became ragged.
"It hurts…"
Her voice trembled.
I immediately stepped closer.
"Sit down!"
She dropped to her knees in the middle of the courtyard.
The snow around her began melting.
Steam rose from the ground.
Golden veins of light spread across her arms like molten patterns.
The system rapidly displayed instructions.
EMERGENCY GUIDANCE
The host must stabilize disciple's awakening
Recommended action: circulate spiritual energy
I froze.
"…I don't have spiritual energy."
The screen paused.
Then—
[Correction: minimal sect authority can be used.]
Right.
Sect authority.
I still barely understood what that meant, but this wasn't the time to hesitate.
I placed my hand on Xiaoyu's shoulder.
Instantly, a violent surge of heat blasted through me.
It felt like touching molten metal.
I gritted my teeth.
Golden energy raced through her body.
Above her head, a faint dragon-shaped silhouette began to form.
The air vibrated with an ancient pressure.
The ruined bell at the gate rang violently.
DONG!
DONG!
DONG!
The sky darkened.
Thunder rolled above the mountain.
Far away, hidden within clouds, something seemed to stir.
Xiaoyu suddenly screamed.
"AAAH!"
The golden glow in her eyes intensified.
Her pupils narrowed into dragon-like slits.
For a split second, I saw not a girl—
But a beast.
A creature born of ancient blood and primordial flame.
The system chimed.
BLOODLINE AWAKENING: 42%
Still rising.
Too fast.
The snow around us had completely melted.
Cracks spread through the courtyard stones.
Xiaoyu clenched her fists and looked up at me.
Her voice was strained.
"Make it stop!"
I leant closer and cleaned. "No."
Her eyes widened.
"This pain is your strength waking up."
The words came out instinctively.
I didn't even know where the confidence came from.
"Endure it."
The dragon silhouette above her roared silently.
Golden light erupted skyward.
BOOOOM!
A pillar of light shot through the clouds.
The heavens responded immediately.
Lightning split the sky.
For a moment, the entire mountain peak was bathed in gold.
Then—
Everything went silent.
The storm stopped.
The wind ceased.
Snowflakes drifted softly again.
Xiaoyu collapsed forward.
I caught her before she hit the ground.
Her body was burning hot.
The system screen stabilised.
BLOODLINE AWAKENING COMPLETE
Ancient Dragon Bloodline: 50% awakened
Realm: Body Tempering 1st Layer
Potential growth increased
I exhaled slowly.
Success.
She had crossed into cultivation.
Officially.
My first disciple was now a real cultivator.
And I, the talentless sect leader, still remained a glorified mortal with a snarky system.
Wonderful.
A few moments later, Xiaoyu stirred.
Her golden eyes slowly opened.
But now they were different.
Sharper.
Brighter.
There was a faint golden glow hidden within them.
She blinked.
She then looked down at her hands.
A small flame-like aura flickered across her fingertips.
Her eyes widened.
"I…"
She clenched her fist.
The aura burst slightly more strongly.
"…I can feel something."
I smiled.
"That's spiritual energy."
She looked up at me.
A slow grin spread across her face.
"I'm a cultivator?"
"Yes."
Her grin widened.
Then immediately turned smug.
"So technically I'm stronger than you now."
I coughed.
"…That is not the point."
She stood up and stretched.
The movement was lighter.
More fluid.
Even her presence felt stronger.
The bloodline had already begun changing her.
Then suddenly—
The system screen flashed urgently.
WARNING
The nearby sect has detected dragon aura
Estimated arrival time: 1 day
I froze.
Of course.
Power never came without consequences.
Some nearby sect had sensed the awakening.
And in cultivation stories, that only meant one thing.
Trouble.
Xiaoyu noticed my expression.
"What happened?"
I looked toward the mountain path below.
A slow grin spread across my face.
"Looks like our sect's first visitors are coming."
She cracked her knuckles.
"Good."
Her golden eyes gleamed with excitement.
"I was getting bored."
I laughed.
This girl was definitely trouble.
And I was starting to enjoy it.
Author's Thoughts