The sun hadn't even fully committed to rising before I gathered my five "esteemed" disciples. With our Sect Elder currently locked in a room sweating through a cultivation bottleneck, I was the one holding the reins.
"Listen up," I told them, trying to look more profound than I felt. "Go down to the town. Tell everyone—and I mean everyone—that the sect is recruiting. Talent? Doesn't matter. If they have a pulse and two legs, bring 'em in."
My disciples looked at me like I'd finally lost my mind, but they obeyed. By noon, the mountain path didn't look like a path anymore; it looked like a literal flood of humanity. Since we weren't doing those tedious 'talent tests' involving glowing stones or ancient mirrors, the line moved fast. By sunset, we had 4,000 new mouths to feed.
I'd already paid the local builders a mountain of gold to erect an outer sect complex capable of holding 10,000 people. As the moon rose, I looked out over the sea of confused faces.
"Rest up!" I bellowed. "Training starts tomorrow. Try not to trip over each other."
The "Pig" Incident
The next morning, I handed out healing pills like they were candy. Our training room was high-tech but small—only 200 at a time.
"The rest of you? Meditate!" I commanded. "Or at least sit still and look spiritual."
I sent my core five back down to find more recruits, but they returned with more than just peasants. A group of cultivators in matching, overly tight robes marched up the path, led by an elder whose face was stuck in a permanent scowl.
"Iron Fist Sect is here!" the elder roared. "You're stealing our talent! You can't even raise 10,000 pigs, let alone 10,000 cultivators! Shut your gates or prepare for a beating!"
I stepped forward, leaning against a pillar. "If you're so good at raising pigs, what are you doing here? The livestock market is three towns over. We're busy raising legends, not bacon."
The Elder turned a lovely shade of purple. "Disciples! Flatten them!"
Five of his inner-sect 'elites' lunged at my disciple, Xuan Lu. They rained down blows, fists glowing with spiritual energy. Xuan Lu just stood there, looking bored. He didn't even move an inch. When they finally stopped to catch their breath, Xuan Lu sighed, wound up a single punch, and sent all five of them flying into the horizon.
The Iron Fist Elder, a Peak Core Formation expert, realized his goons were useless and stepped up himself. I didn't even blink. "All five of you—take him."
My disciples moved in a synchronized blur. The Elder tried to strike, but he might as well have been swinging at smoke. They dismantled his defense in seconds. Seeing their 'mighty' leader face-planted in the dirt, the Iron Fist Sect retreated faster than they'd arrived.
The spectacle worked wonders for marketing. By nightfall, we hit the magic number: 10,000 disciples.
The Golden Awakening
[Ding! Mission Successful. Reward: 1 System Slot, 5000 Points.]
I retreated to my room, ignoring the chaos outside. I opened the System Shop and scrolled past "Legendary Swords" and "Forbidden Manuals" until I saw it: The Guardian Beast Egg. I bought one, registered it in my new slot, and finally got some sleep.
The next morning, the courtyard was packed. 10,000 people stared at me.
"You are the future of this sect!" I shouted, feeling the drama of the moment. "Today, I awaken what is hidden within you. Sit!"
I whispered to the system: Mass Awakening. Now.
Suddenly, 10,000 golden pillars of light erupted from the earth, piercing the clouds. The air hummed with raw power. As the light faded, the "talentless" crowd gasped—they could feel spiritual Qi flowing through their veins for the first time.
I called my five senior disciples forward and produced five shimmering eggs. "Pour your blood on these. These are your Guardian Pets. Treat them well."
Then, I turned back to the crowd. "A year from now, we hold a competition. The top five will become Inner Disciples and receive their own eggs. Now... CULTIVATE!"
The crowd roared in excitement, but my triumph was short-lived. A blue screen flickered in front of my eyes:
[New Mission: Cultivate all 10,000 disciples to the Core Formation Realm.]
[Failure: Host Death.]
[Reward: Cultivation increase by two Major Realms & Divine Grade Spiritual Vein.]
I stared at the 10,000 beginners currently struggling to sit in a lotus position.
"System," I whispered, "can I change my mind about the pigs?"