[: 3rd POV :]
Daniel smiled softly as he watched the stars light up in the girl's eyes just before she stepped into the dormitory.
From her worn clothes and fragile frame, it was clear she had lived a life marked by poverty and hardship.
He vowed silently that she would never regret choosing this sect as her new home.
Meanwhile, the moment she was teleported into her room, she was utterly stunned by its sheer luxury and size.
The space was vast, filled with objects she barely recognised or knew how to use.
'Is this really a bedroom?' she wondered in disbelief.
'Is that… a mattress?'
'And… a hot spring?'
With every new discovery, her shock deepened.
Everything before her eyes was the stuff of dreams—especially the hot spring, a warm sanctuary that promised to wash away the grime and filth she'd carried for so long.
She never imagined such a thing could exist inside a room.
Though she had only met Daniel once, an unexpected feeling stirred within her.
Master…
She gazed around her room, a tear slipping quietly down her cheek to the floor.
It all had happened so fast, just within a day.
Looking back on her life's harsh beginnings, emotion overwhelmed her.
At first, she had expected only misery.
But everything changed the moment she received that card.
A deep sense of gratitude bloomed inside her—so powerful, it teetered on the edge between devotion and something more fragile, something dangerously close to obsession.
'I never had the chance to cleanse myself… For Master's sake, I must wash away this filth, so he will never abandon me'
Her past had left her with a deep fear of abandonment, and now, having been saved by him, her feelings swelled beyond reason.
Still, she shed her clothes and stepped into the warm spring.
The instant her body touched the water, a radiant glow enveloped her.
'What is this…? It feels so good…'
Though confused, she welcomed the transformation unfolding within her.
Her skin, ravaged by years of neglect and dirt, began to heal, regaining its youthful glow.
Her hair, matted and coated with grime, was purified by the spring's essence, growing swiftly back to its original length, cascading down her back.
Her malnourishment had yet to fade, but at least now, the dirt that had been consuming her life was washed away, leaving her body cleansed and renewed.
Meanwhile, Daniel waited outside the dormitory for nearly an hour before she finally appeared.
He was taken aback by how much she had changed.
She wore the white disciple robe he had given her earlier, the fabric flowing gently as she approached.
"How do you feel?" Daniel asked, already guessing she had bathed in the spring inside the dormitory.
"Master… I feel better than before," she replied shyly, her voice soft as she addressed him with newfound respect.
Daniel chuckled softly at her earnestness.
"If you think that's the only benefit of joining the sect, you're in for many more surprises."
"Come, follow me. It's time for you to begin cultivating," he said with firm encouragement.
"But Master, I don't know how to cultivate, and I'm not sure I even have the talent," she confessed, her voice tinged with doubt.
She had never cultivated before and was uncertain of the methods.
She had seen countless cultivators—especially women—who seemed far beyond her reach.
Now, given this chance, her confidence wavered.
Poverty had chipped away at her self-esteem for too long.
"Don't worry," Daniel assured her with a gentle smile.
"There's a reason why, if you submit to me, I'll grant you everything you desire."
His kindness made her cheeks flush with warmth.
Together, they entered the sect hall, where he began teaching her the basics of cultivation.
"First, you need to understand the hierarchy of cultivation ranks," Daniel explained.
"It starts from Mortal, then Foundation, Origin, Daybreaker, Transcendence, Ascended, Ancestral, Emperor, Martial Emperor, Saint, Martial Saint, Deva, Half Immortal, and finally, Immortal—the hardest stage of all."
"But before you can start cultivating, the spiritual root matters most," he continued.
"The Grade of Spiritual Root ranges from 1—the lowest—to 10, which is the highest in this world."
"Everyone is born with a spiritual root, and most people have Grade 1."
Daniel looked at her gently.
"You have a Grade 1 Spiritual Root."
"Does that mean I can't cultivate, Master?"
Her eyes filled with tears, fearing she would fail and lose his trust.
"Don't worry," Daniel reassured her.
"Now that you have joined my sect, I promise you three things."
"First, nothing will ever harm you."
"Second, no matter what you desire, I will give it to you."
"And third, you are my treasured disciple."
He paused, looking into her eyes.
"So tell me—what do you truly want?"
She hesitated, then gathered her courage.
"Master… I want to cultivate. I want to change myself and rewrite my destiny."
Her voice trembled with emotion as memories of her past flashed before her.
"Good… since you've asked your master for this, I won't hold back."
He spoke gently, comforting her as tears slipped down her cheeks.
"System, apply all the cards to her."
[: 1 Card of Physique, 1 Card of Bloodline, 1 Card of Spiritual Root, 1 Card of Cultivation Manual, and 1 Card of Cultivation Method have been used on Disciple Cecilia :]
Suddenly, Cecilia's body began to glow with swirling colours, an unfamiliar sensation flooding her senses.
Confused but trusting, she calmed herself as Daniel's reassuring voice echoed in her mind.
"Don't resist the gift I've given you."
"Accept it, and only then can you truly begin the path of cultivation."
With his words as her anchor, Cecilia relaxed her mind and body, opening herself to the transformation unfolding within her.
Meanwhile, Daniel was instantly notified of the changes coursing through his disciple.
Thanks to the bond linking the sect, the disciples, and himself, he had the privilege of sharing in the knowledge and powers granted to them.
This allowed him to guide each disciple precisely, based on their unique bloodline, physique, and other traits.
[: Disciple Cecilia has obtained the Physique of
Primaeval Ice (???) :]
[: Disciple Cecilia has obtained the Bloodline of
Snow Night (???) :]
[: Disciple Cecilia has obtained the Spiritual Root of
Absolute Ice (???) :]
[: Disciple Cecilia has obtained the Cultivation Method of
Cold Incarnator (???) :]
[: Disciple Cecilia has obtained the Cultivation Manual of
Ice Age (???) :]
The gifts wrought profound changes in Cecilia's appearance.
Her hair transformed into the deep hues of the night sky, streaked with dark blue.
Her eyes and lips took on matching shades of icy blue.
Her skin grew paler, almost translucent, and her very presence became the living embodiment of ice itself.