Ren Fei awoke with his face pressed into gravel. For a moment, he lay there, wondering why the heavens hadn't finished him off yet. Then he remembered: right, fate apparently liked to toy with him.
The sun barely peeked over the mountains, washing the ruined sect in pale light. Ash hung in the air like it had nowhere else to go. Charred beams jutted out at odd angles, blackened and jagged, looking like the skeleton of some giant beast. Smoke lingered stubbornly, mixing with the faint tang of morning dew.
And then he remembered something worse.
He wasn't alone.
"Master."
Ren Fei groaned. The word hit his ears like a lemon dropped in a wound. He cracked one eye open.
The girl stood over him, arms crossed, expression unimpressed. Same pale robes, same sharp eyes—but now she looked at him like he owed her the world, like he personally ruined her day before he even got out of bed.
"Don't call me that," Ren Fei muttered, trying to sit up. His back protested loudly, cracking like old wood under the strain.
"You're my Sect Master, aren't you?" she asked matter-of-factly.
The system chimed cheerfully.
[Affirmation: You are Sect Master.][Reminder: Sect Masters should not sleep face-down in dirt. Image penalty: –5.]
Ren Fei gritted his teeth. "Shut. Up."
The girl tilted her head. "Who are you talking to?"
"Mosquito," he said quickly.
She narrowed her eyes but didn't argue. Fine. That would do for now.
Ren Fei dragged himself up, leaning heavily on his broken sword. Every movement made his muscles scream. "Listen. I'm not a proper master. The sect is gone. The Azure Sky Sect is just a memory."
The girl's voice was quiet but sharp. "Then why are you still here?"
He froze. No sarcastic answer came. His mouth just… shut. Perfect.
The system jumped in.
[Quest: Train your disciple.][Failure Condition: Disciple leaves or dies.][Reward: Sect Resource Chest (Beginner).]
Ren Fei squinted at the glowing text. "Wait—reward chest?"
The girl blinked. "What chest?"
"Nothing! Shut up!"
They stood in what was left of the courtyard. Charred beams jutted out like broken bones. The training dummy lay on its side, half-melted, leaning at an unsafe angle. Smoke spiraled up from a half-extinguished fire pit. Only distant crows and the occasional clatter of rubble dared to break the silence.
Ren Fei rubbed his temples. "Fine. Lesson one. Swordsmanship."
The girl's eyes lit up. She picked up a stick from the rubble, gripping it like a sword, determined—or maybe just hoping she wouldn't poke herself in the eye.
Ren Fei glanced at his own weapon—a sword so broken it could barely cut fruit. Sect Master of Nothing, indeed.
"First," he began, trying to sound wise, "you must steady your stance. Cultivation begins with your roots. Be firm as the mountain."
The girl planted her feet.
Immediately, the earth beneath her crumbled, and she toppled face-first into the ash.
Ren Fei blinked. "…Good start."
The system chimed.
[Sect Training Progress: 0%.][Commentary: At this rate, disciple will achieve immortality in approximately… never.]
Ren Fei glared at the floating words. "I didn't ask for your commentary!"
The girl spat out a mouthful of dirt, glaring at him. "You're a terrible teacher."
Ren Fei pointed at himself, scandalized. "Excuse me? I am your only teacher. Which means by default, I'm also the best."
She rolled her eyes.
Hours dragged on. The sun climbed higher, baking the ash underfoot and turning his hands and arms gray from soot.
"Again!" Ren Fei barked, trying to mimic the tone of the masters he once respected. He puffed his chest and waved his cracked sword like it was a divine implement.
The girl swung her stick. It slipped from her grip and smacked him square in the shin.
"AH—!" Ren Fei hopped on one foot, clutching his leg. "That's it! You're expelled! Kicked out! The sect is mine again!"
The girl folded her arms. "Then you'll be Sect Master of Zero."
Ren Fei froze. He opened his mouth to retort—then shut it again. "…Tch. Fine. You stay."
The system pulsed smugly.
[Disciple retention successful.][Sect Loyalty: +1.]
Ren Fei's eyelid twitched. "You're enjoying this, aren't you?"
The girl raised a brow. "Are you talking to the mosquito again?"
"Yes. It's a very annoying mosquito," he muttered.
He rubbed his shin, wincing. Every nerve in his body seemed to protest simultaneously. His muscles screamed, his back threatened mutiny, and the early-morning chill made his bones ache. Still, he kept one eye on the girl. She pushed herself to stand, picked up her stick again, and gritted her teeth.
By the time the sky blazed with evening colors, painting the ruined sect in shades of crimson and gold, Ren Fei had collapsed onto a half-burned bench. The girl sat opposite him, clutching her stick, breathing hard but smiling faintly despite her exhaustion.
Ren Fei studied her. For all her clumsiness, she hadn't given up. Even when she fell. Even when she got hurt. Even when he mocked her, she kept pushing.
There was a stubborn fire in her eyes—and it reminded him of the sect he once knew, of the pride and spirit of those he had lost.
The system chimed again.
[Quest Completed: Train your disciple.][Reward Granted: Beginner Sect Resource Chest.]
Ren Fei sat up slowly. A small glowing box materialized in front of him, shimmering with an almost comical sense of importance.
The girl's eyes widened. "What's that?"
Ren Fei cleared his throat, trying to look mysterious. "Sect Master's… secret technique."
She squinted. "…It looks like a box."
Ren Fei ignored her and tapped it. The chest dissolved into light.
[You received: 50 spirit stones, 10 low-grade spirit herbs, 1 Basic Training Manual.]
Ren Fei's jaw dropped. "Wait—it actually works?"
The girl leaned closer, eyes curious. "What is it?"
"Uh." He coughed, clutching the manual to his chest. "Master's divine providence."
The system chimed.
[Lies detected.]
Ren Fei hissed. "Shut up!"
The girl tilted her head. "Mosquito again?"
Ren Fei groaned. "Yes. A very loud mosquito."
He glanced at the fading sunlight, blackened beams casting long shadows. Despite the aches, the bruises, and the humiliation, a spark of something warm settled in his chest. Hope, small and ridiculous, flickered gently as he looked at the manual, the herbs, and the stones.
For the first time since the fall of Azure Sky Sect… he had hope.
Even if it came with a mosquito.
He muttered quietly, "Well, mosquito… let's survive another day."
And the mosquito—loud, judgmental, and entirely imaginary—buzzed in agreement.