Lin Chen declared it officially:
Azure Cloud Sect Recruitment Day.
This decision was based on three things:
1. The sect now had stable land.
2. Heaven had politely asked them to stop doing "things."
3. They desperately needed more people to share the workload.
Mostly number three.
---
A wooden sign was placed at the mountain gate:
AZURE CLOUD SECT
Now Recruiting
Benefits Include:
– Safe cultivation
– Food that probably won't ascend
– A very reasonable Sect Master
Lin Chen nodded in approval.
Little Green added a smaller sign underneath:
FREE RADISH SAMPLES
Lin Chen sighed. "We discussed this."
---
The first visitors arrived cautiously.
A pair of wandering cultivators squinted at the gate.
"…Is this the sect with the living dirt?"
"Yes," Lin Chen replied honestly.
They turned around and left.
"Fair," Lin Chen muttered.
---
Then something unexpected happened.
A young girl with no spiritual roots stepped onto the mountain path.
The ground hummed.
The Spirit Root Pavilion glowed softly.
The air aligned.
> System Alert:
Latent Compatibility Detected
Affinity: Stewardship
Rank: Rare
Lin Chen straightened.
"…Huh."
---
The girl blinked. "Is this… a sect?"
"Yes," Lin Chen said gently. "Do you want to cultivate?"
She hesitated. "I just want a place that won't throw me away."
The mountain answered before Lin Chen could.
A breeze formed a path.
The dirt settled protectively.
Little Green held up a sign:
APPROVED
Lin Chen swallowed.
"…Welcome to Azure Cloud Sect."
---
By sunset, three more arrived.
Not geniuses.
Not prodigies.
But all shared one thing:
The land liked them.
> Sect Growth Update:
Disciples: 1 → 5
Sect Stability: +15%
Lin Chen's Cultivation: Breakthrough Imminent
Lin Chen froze.
"…Wait. I didn't cultivate."
The system replied calmly.
> Progress Through Prosperity.
Lin Chen laughed helplessly.
"So this is how it works."
---
That night, Lin Chen broke through in his sleep.
No thunder.
No lightning.
Just a deep, steady click, like a foundation locking into place.
---
Little Green stood guard, holding a sign all night:
QUIET
MASTER UPGRADING
The pavilion dimmed its glow.
The mountain watched.
Heaven pretended not to notice.
---
In the morning, Lin Chen opened his eyes.
Stronger.
Calmer.
Heavier—like someone trusted him with weight.
He stepped outside.
The disciples bowed.
The land responded.
And Lin Chen realized:
Azure Cloud Sect had done something unprecedented.
It had become a place that accepted those the world rejected.
And the world—
slowly, reluctantly—
was beginning to accept it in return.