The envoy left behind a heavy silence.
The mountain returned to its usual quiet, broken only by the soft hum of the Spirit Gathering Formation. Su Ming stared down the path long after the Black Iron Sect disciple disappeared.
"Master…" he said cautiously, "was that really necessary?"
Lin Chen didn't turn around. "Absolutely."
Su Ming hesitated. "But… he looked very angry."
"Good," Lin Chen replied. "If he wasn't angry, that would mean we weren't worth remembering."
Su Ming blinked. "Is… is that a good thing?"
Lin Chen finally turned and smiled. "For a dying sect? It's excellent."
---
That night, Lin Chen sat alone in the main hall, pretending to meditate.
In reality, he was glaring at the system interface.
> Sect Status:
Disciples: 1
Reputation: Noticed
Resources: Critically Low
Enemy Alert: Imminent
"You know," Lin Chen muttered, "most systems give their protagonists some kind of beginner gift. A divine sword. A heaven-defying bloodline. Maybe a ring with an old grandpa inside."
> System Response:
Correction: You have received gifts
Gift List:
– One disciple
– One collapsing sect
– Multiple enemies
Lin Chen stared.
"…You're not funny."
> System:
Disagreement Noted
Lin Chen pinched the bridge of his nose. "I miss Earth."
---
The next morning, Lin Chen gathered Su Ming in the courtyard.
"Today's task," Lin Chen announced, "is training."
Su Ming straightened immediately. "Yes, Master! Sword training? Body refinement?"
"No," Lin Chen said solemnly.
Su Ming leaned forward. "Formation refinement?"
Lin Chen shook his head.
"We're practicing sect master dignity."
Su Ming: "…What?"
Lin Chen cleared his throat and clasped his hands behind his back.
"When enemies arrive," Lin Chen said, "you cannot panic. You must stand tall. Calm. Mysterious. Even if you're terrified inside."
Su Ming frowned. "But Master, aren't you strong now?"
Lin Chen nodded. "Stronger than yesterday."
Su Ming brightened. "Then you're not scared?"
Lin Chen paused.
"…I didn't say that."
Su Ming looked confused.
Lin Chen continued seriously, "The key is this: even if you only have one formation and one disciple, you must act like you have ten thousand."
He demonstrated by narrowing his eyes and speaking in a deep voice.
"'You dare trespass on my sect?'"
Su Ming tried to imitate him.
"Y-you dare trespass on my sect?"
Lin Chen winced. "Less trembling."
They practiced for an hour.
By the end, Su Ming could glare at an imaginary enemy with reasonable menace, while Lin Chen could maintain a straight face without laughing.
> Disciple Confidence Increased
Loyalty: 85 → 88
Sect Resonance: Slightly Improved
Lin Chen felt his cultivation stir faintly.
"…Even this helps?" he muttered.
---
At noon, Su Ming approached carrying a small sack.
"Master," he said proudly, "I found spiritual herbs near the eastern cliff."
Lin Chen opened the sack and inspected the contents.
Low-grade herbs. Slightly wilted. Some clearly chewed by spirit beasts.
"…Did you fight something for these?" Lin Chen asked.
Su Ming scratched his head. "A rabbit."
Lin Chen raised an eyebrow. "A spirit rabbit?"
"No. A very angry normal rabbit."
Lin Chen closed the sack slowly.
"Su Ming."
"Yes, Master?"
"Next time," Lin Chen said seriously, "remember—our sect is poor, not desperate."
Su Ming nodded solemnly. "Understood."
> Sect Resource Gained:
Herbs x7 (Low Quality)
Lin Chen sighed. "I'll take it."
---
That evening, Lin Chen felt a familiar warmth in his dantian.
> Sect Development Bonus Triggered
Minor Infrastructure Completion
Cultivation Progress: Qi Refinement Mid 3 → Late 3
He exhaled, feeling steadier than ever.
Tomorrow, the Black Iron Sect would arrive.
They might laugh. They might threaten. They might attack.
Lin Chen stood at the top of the steps, hands behind his back, robes fluttering in the wind, looking every bit the calm, unfathomable Sect Master.
Inside his head, however, he was thinking:
If this works, I'm a genius.
If it doesn't… I'm running.
Behind him, Su Ming stood tall, sword in hand.
And for the first time in years, the Azure Cloud Sect faced its enemies not with despair—
—but with stubborn confidence, questionable planning, and just a little bit of humor.