Before the players arrived in this world, inside a modest and silent room lit only by the faint glow of a spirit stone, Han Wuqing sat cross-legged atop his bed. His gaze pierced through the air before him, focused and unblinking. In the stillness... a mechanical voice echoed in his mind.
[Activation: Karma Seal System... Connecting to the Collective Consciousness... Synchronization complete.]
[Karma Seal System Explanation]
[Every action—good or bad—leaves a trace on the flow of Heaven and Earth. Ordinary cultivators spend thousands of years refining karma into power—if they don't burn up from negative karma first. Karma is abstract energy. But within this system, it is refined, measured, sealed, and crystallized into pure power that directly enhances cultivation.
This system gathers Karma from meaningful actions performed by disciples: slaying beasts, completing quests, crafting pills, even building the sect itself.
The karma gathered is automatically converted into spiritual energy, directly funneled into the user's body—raising cultivation levels without the need for long meditation. As the Seal Holder, the Host receives a small portion of karma generated by active disciples, as well as True Karma—a system-given reward for providing techniques, quests, cultivation paths, and the sect itself.
However, the system cannot be tricked. Empty missions with no real value or risk will yield no Karma.
The system evaluates merit, difficulty, and true impact.]
Raising his hand, a golden circular interface appeared—covered in glowing symbols, numbers, and flowing lines of karma like an invisible web.
Active Disciples:
Total Karma (EXP) Accumulated:
Host EXP: 8122 / 9000 (Level Up Threshold)
True Karma Distributed:
Han Wuqing narrowed his eyes.
"I can't hand out meaningless quests…" he murmured.
This Karma System—while it looked like an EXP bar to the disciples—was far stricter in its mechanisms.
"Every quest must hold value… must contribute to the world's balance. If I try to cheat the system—say, by asking them to collect worthless stones just to farm numbers—no Karma will be granted. The system rejects it. It truly feels like a living entity, guarding its own sense of justice."
A small grin tugged at his lips.
"Heh... this is the most 'game-like' EXP system ever. But also the fairest. No spam. No cheap grinding. It measures meaning."
He chuckled.
"All I need to do is sit back and let the disciples work for me."
He lifted his hand again, bringing up the karma chart.
"This is the exclusive right of a Karma Seal Holder. I provide the path... and in return, part of their journey becomes my power."
A simple principle:
"He who paves the road... receives part of every step taken upon it."
"This isn't exploitation—it's an invisible contract between master and disciple."
---
That night, satisfied with the EXP flow, Han Wuqing could barely wait for tomorrow.
---
Back to the present—within the Main Sect Hall, at the center of the room stood a mission board. When players approached it, a system panel would open up, listing quests they could undertake:
[Slay beasts at the sect's forest border.]
Common beasts: Stone Beetles, One-Horned Rabbits, Fang-Toothed Jungle Fowl, Mist Valley Qi Frogs, Green Mist Serpents. (Repeatable)
[Collect spiritual herbs.]
Grade 1–2 Plants: Three-Leaf Spirit Grass, Warm Mist Root, Dawn Violet Leaf, Softstone Mushroom.
---
When Han Wuqing arrived at the entrance to the Main Hall, the crowd of players—who had been waiting at a distance—immediately rushed forward like bees to nectar.
"Are you the main NPC!?"
"Yo, can you unlock rare quests, bro?"
"Wait—are you a GM in disguise!?"
"Is there a cute junior sister we can marry here?!"
Voices overlapped, ranging from excited to utterly ridiculous. Some players even activated their selfie cams, posing next to Han Wuqing like he was a celebrity cutout.
Han Wuqing stood calmly at the stone steps of the Sect Hall. His black robes swayed gently in the highland wind, carrying the scent of dew and spiritual soil. Despite the barrage of voices from every direction—asking for quests, begging for waifus, and even demanding gacha hints—his expression didn't twitch in the slightest.
Then came a silence.
A beat passed—almost sacred.
Han Wuqing stepped forward.
His voice was low and steady, yet each word echoed clearly:
"The path of cultivation is not a playground. If you're here chasing illusions of beauty or gambling for luck, you'd best turn back before your Qi loses direction... and your lives are wasted in vain."
His gaze swept across the players. The once-rowdy crowd fell still. Some felt like they were being scolded by a headmaster. Others became more convinced—this had to be part of an important quest.
He continued, voice deepening like the echo of an ancient cave:
"And remember this well—the sect you stand in was built with blood and willpower. Before the Main Hall, you stand under the eyes of our ancestors, long slumbering. Do not act foolishly. Do not be disrespectful."
"Show proper reverence to the Sect Master, Han Wuqing. If you stain his name with ignorance and disgrace…"
"Then your soul will never return to the Hall of Rebirth. Your spiritual consciousness will be erased from the cycle of reincarnation—gone, like nameless dust."
The atmosphere turned cold—eerily so. Even those who knew this was just a game felt chills rise along their arms. Whether it was due to the incredibly immersive effects, or Han Wuqing's eyes that seemed to pierce straight through their digital souls—they shivered.
"Wait… does that mean we'll get banned?!"
"Yo, do NPCs have GM powers now?! That's insane!"
"First time I've respected an NPC... and I'm scared."
"Tch... why so serious? It's just a game."
But the moment he said that, the skies rumbled faintly. The thin Qi mist surrounding the hall thickened—and a system warning chimed:
[Warning: Disrespecting the Sect and its Founder will affect your Karma]
[If Karma reaches -100, your access to this world will be revoked (BANNED)]
[Current Karma: -10]
Some players dropped to their knees instinctively.
Others awkwardly followed, half-bowing, unsure whether this was a cutscene or a genuine ritual.
"F-Forgive this disciple's rudeness, Sect Master…"
Another mumbled, palm on chest like a confused tourist at a temple:
"Respect, Sect Master! P-please don't delete our spiritual consciousness…"
One player whispered to his friend:
"Dude… is this still part of the tutorial?"
"Honestly? I have no idea…"
Amid nervous laughter and embarrassed apologies, a new feeling crept in: awe. Not just from the special effects or dramatic flair—but from Han Wuqing himself.
This NPC…
felt alive.