The night passed without further disturbance, but Lin Chen did not sleep.
He sat cross-legged inside the main hall, faint moonlight filtering through the cracked roof as the system interface hovered before his eyes.
> Sect Core Building Stability: 71%
Hidden Sect Node: Locked
Requirement: 80% Stability
"Just short," Lin Chen muttered.
His cultivation base was weak—Qi Refinement, First Layer. In this world, even outer sect disciples of minor factions could crush him with ease. If the Black Iron Sect came early, he would be nothing more than a figurehead to be erased.
"System," Lin Chen said softly, "what's the fastest way for a Sect Master to grow stronger?"
The interface pulsed.
> Answer: Develop the sect
Note: Sect Masters gain cultivation through Sect Resonance
Current Resonance Level: Extremely Low
Lin Chen raised an eyebrow. "Sect Resonance?"
A new panel unfolded.
> Sect Resonance:
The Sect Master's cultivation is linked to the growth, stability, and influence of their sect.
– Infrastructure improvements grant passive cultivation progress
– Disciple loyalty and growth amplify resonance
– Unlocking sect nodes provides direct breakthroughs
Lin Chen's breathing quickened.
"So I don't just cultivate alone," he murmured. "I cultivate through the sect."
That changed everything.
---
At dawn, Su Ming arrived carrying a bundle of wooden planks.
"Master," he said, slightly out of breath, "I found more intact beams near the old outer wall."
"Good timing," Lin Chen replied, standing. "We're going to finish stabilizing the main hall today."
They worked without pause. Lin Chen guided the layout, reinforcing load-bearing points based on what the system highlighted for him. When Su Ming placed the final beam into position, a faint pulse rippled through the hall.
The air grew heavier—denser.
> Main Hall Stability: 81%
Condition Met
Hidden Sect Node Unlocking…
The stone floor beneath the central altar rumbled.
With a grinding sound, ancient runes lit up one by one, and a circular slab slowly sank into the ground, revealing a staircase spiraling into darkness.
Su Ming staggered back. "M-Master! The hall—!"
"It's fine," Lin Chen said, though his heart was racing. "This is a blessing, not a disaster."
The system chimed again.
> Hidden Sect Node Unlocked: Sect Foundation Spring
Description: A low-grade spiritual vein node that nourishes the sect and its master
Effect:
– Sect Resonance +200%
– Sect Master passive cultivation enabled
The moment Lin Chen stepped onto the stairs, warmth surged through his body.
His dantian trembled.
> Cultivation Progress: Qi Refinement 1 → 2
Status: Breakthrough Successful
Lin Chen gasped as spiritual energy flooded his meridians, smoother and purer than anything he had ever felt. The sensation was nothing like the painful, solitary cultivation methods described in the memories he'd inherited.
This felt… natural.
He laughed quietly.
"So this is how a Sect Master cultivates."
---
The underground chamber was small but pristine. At its center bubbled a clear spring glowing faintly with spiritual light. Crystalline patterns lined the walls, each one resonating with the sect's ancient legacy.
"This is…" Su Ming whispered, eyes shining. "I never knew the sect had something like this."
"Neither did most people," Lin Chen said. "That's why we're still alive."
He placed a hand over the spring.
> Sect Foundation Spring Linked
Master-Disciple Cultivation Boost Activated
Shared Efficiency: 30%
Another wave of energy surged outward.
Su Ming stiffened, then dropped to his knees.
"Master—my cultivation—!"
> Disciple Breakthrough Detected
Su Ming: Body Tempering 7 → 8
Loyalty: 75 → 85
Lin Chen felt it immediately.
The moment Su Ming broke through, his own cultivation surged in response.
> Sect Resonance Feedback:
Cultivation Progress: Qi Refinement 2 → Peak 2
Lin Chen's eyes widened.
"One disciple… and it already feeds back this much?"
The implications were staggering.
If one disciple's growth could push him this far, what about ten? A hundred?
A true sect wasn't just power—it was multiplication.
---
By midday, the main hall stood firm, subtly changed. The air around it was thicker with spiritual energy, and even the broken stones seemed more orderly, more alive.
> Emergency Task Completed
Reward Granted:
– Basic Sect Master Cultivation Manual
– Random Sect Facility Blueprint: Spirit Gathering Formation (Low Grade)
Lin Chen opened the manual. Unlike ordinary cultivation techniques, this one described how to align one's cultivation with the sect's pulse—how to draw strength not from isolation, but from structure, order, and belief.
"This world cultivates alone," Lin Chen murmured. "But I'll cultivate a system."
Su Ming looked at him with growing reverence.
"Master," he said carefully, "if the Black Iron Sect comes… can we fight them now?"
Lin Chen closed the manual and smiled—calm, confident, and utterly unlike the man who'd woken up in a ruin the day before.
"No," he said honestly.
Then his smile sharpened.
"But now… we can survive them."
Deep beneath the mountain, the Sect Foundation Spring continued to flow.
And with every stone repaired, every disciple nurtured, and every belief restored, Lin Chen's cultivation climbed—step by step—alongside the rebirth of the Azure Cloud Sect.