C1 A Poor Man Who Came to Recruit a Disciple

As dawn approached, a man resembling a wandering doctor astride a donkey appeared on the main road to the east of the village.

Upon closer inspection, one would notice the donkey's gaunt frame, a patchwork of old, dull hair mingling with new, shiny strands, giving it a scruffy, diseased appearance.

Despite the donkey's unsightly condition, the doctor leading it was quite the opposite. He was adorned with an elegant Taoist crown and wore a crisp Taoist robe. In one hand, he jingled a gleaming copper bell, and in the other, he grasped a green hemp rope, all the while offering cheerful greetings to the early-rising villagers.

The striking contrast between the finely dressed Taoist priest and his grotesque donkey caught the villagers' eyes, prompting them to gather around and strike up conversations.

"Taoist priest, that donkey of yours must be quite old, huh?" one villager inquired.

With a warm smile, the priest replied, "You have a keen eye, my friend. It's nearly a hundred years old."

He then affectionately stroked the donkey's head, and to everyone's surprise, the donkey responded by lifting its head and snorting proudly, as if it were a noble steed.

"Come now, Taoist priest, you must be jesting with us. A donkey's life spans at most twenty years. How could it possibly live over a century?" the villager asked skeptically.

The Taoist priest merely smiled and remained silent.

His enigmatic smile only deepened the villagers' sense of his profound mystery. Curious, another villager asked, "Taoist priest, where do you practice your cultivation?"

"I reside in the Twin Rage Sect within Green Mountain, not far from here," the priest revealed.

A wave of reverence washed over the villagers. They had not expected this priest to hail from the renowned Immortals Sect. Even those villagers preoccupied with their farming knew that any place associated with "Immortals" was no ordinary sect but a haven for divine beings with mystical powers. This priest's affiliation with such a place elevated his stature immensely.

As the priest and his donkey slowly moved on, the villagers exchanged quick, knowing glances, silently conspiring with a shared understanding.

One dashed to the Village Chief's home, another to the homes of the village elders, a third to the village's family-run private school, and the last approached the Taoist priest.

...

Lee Qingyun sensed the commotion behind him and a triumphant grin spread across his face. His tactic had clearly worked. With the air of a reclusive master, impeccably dressed and exuding righteousness, he was confident these villagers would eagerly offer their children as his disciples.

Humph, this approach was infinitely more effective than shamelessly seeking them out himself.

As Lee Qingyun strolled along, he pondered the potential of the village. It was a large one, entirely populated by the Wang clan, with no less than three thousand souls. Among them, surely he could find another promising apprentice.

This thought brought a pang of sorrow to Lee Qingyun's heart.

Others who had crossed into new realms boasted extraordinary talents, or at least were the offspring of once-mighty Immortals. But he had landed as the young master of a declining sect, orphaned and alone. The sect had crumbled, leaving only himself, a gatekeeper old man, and the aged donkey beneath him.

Nearly a month into this world, Lee Qingyun had grasped its cultivation-based rules. Yet the vastness of this world, its diverse cultures and customs, remained unexplored due to an unexpected mission from a mysterious system.

For Lee Qingyun, who had come to terms with the absurdity of transmigration, accepting the system was no great challenge.

"Sect Development System initiated. Main Mission: Become the most powerful sect in history!"

"First task: Recruit two disciples under sixteen with a minimum three-star rating."

"Deadline: One month."

"Mission Reward: A random sect artifact."

"Failure Penalty: Should you fail the first task, it indicates unsuitability for the system, which will then proceed to terminate the host!"

The system's blunt directives left Lee Qingyun with no words. Outwardly, he appeared as serene as the old donkey he led, but inside, he was as frantic as the villagers hurrying after him.

With only three days left before the mission's deadline, he was as dashing as in his past life, just as healthy, and still able to cultivate immortality. He certainly did not want to die!

Wang Ergou finally caught up with Lee Qingyun, standing to the side and panting heavily.

"Take it easy, Brother Ergou," Lee Qingyun said, channeling his spiritual energy to gently sweep over Wang Ergou, easing his breaths from ragged to steady.

Ergou swallowed hard: "Daoist, your powers are incredible... Hold on! How did you know my name is Ergou?!"

Lee Qingyun offered another enigmatic smile and remained silent.

In Wang Ergou's mind, Lee Qingyun's stature soared to new heights. He'd seen people guess ages, health conditions, and even family situations, but never names! It was like witnessing the work of the immortals!

In reality, Lee Qingyun had simply used the system to check Wang Ergou's potential.

"Name: Wang Ergou

Age: 30

Attributes: Single Spiritual Vein, Root Bone 1, Comprehension 2, Predestined Blessing 1, Heart 7, Total Score: 11

Cultivation: None

Star Rating: Inferior."

This was reportedly just a basic feature of the system. Lee Qingyun chuckled to himself, curious about the system's more advanced capabilities.

Wang Ergou spoke cautiously, "Daoist, my elder brother just asked me to stop you from going too far. The village chief wants to see you soon, to extend his hospitality."

"I'm grateful for the kind offer, but my schedule is quite tight. I'd rather not spend time on such formalities," Lee Qingyun replied, his demeanor still shrouded in mystery.

Wang Ergou's anxiety spiked. "Please, don't get the wrong idea, Daoist. I believe they need your help. My guess is they want to bring the village's eligible children to you, hoping you'll take them as your disciples!"

At this, Lee Qingyun's brow furrowed, and he looked genuinely troubled, as if the villagers' offer to provide him with disciples was a considerable imposition.

Ergou blurted out in desperation, "Daoist Priest... you, you... Please, just wait here. I'll return shortly!"

He took off like a shot after speaking.

It wasn't long before Wang Ergou arrived with a throng of villagers in tow, charging forward en masse, young and old alike, all running.

An elderly man with a white beard was hoisted onto the back of a strapping young man, his goat-like beard bouncing with each hurried step.

Despite the commotion, the elders still managed to lift their heads and call out, "Immortal Elder, please wait! Hear this old man's plea."

Lee Qingyun, seemingly deaf to their cries, turned to walk away.

But as he did, he sensed the old man's urgent lean forward, the young man too slow to catch him, and the elder teetering on the brink of a fall...

With a deep sigh, "Alas..." Lee Qingyun relented.

In an instant, he was at the old man's side, steadying him with a gentle hand.

"Enough, enough! Since fate has brought me to your village, I shall at least take a moment to see your child."

Lee Qingyun, having assisted the old man, stood tall before the crowd, his presence commanding as a gentle breeze caused his sleeves to billow, the very image of an enlightened sage.

The old man, clutching at Lee Qingyun's sleeve, wept like a child, "Immortal Elder, your generosity knows no bounds."

The villagers chimed in with their gratitude:

"Indeed, thank you, Immortal Elder!"

"Thank you for gracing our descendants with your blessings!"

"Our deepest thanks for your great compassion..."

Some even began to kneel in reverence.

Lee Qingyun, exerting a subtle force, kept those attempting to kneel upright. "Please, there's no need for such formalities. Let's proceed to see the child."

"Yes, of course, we mustn't delay the Immortal Elder. Let's head to the schoolhouse to see the child."

"I'll show the way!" Wang Ergou dashed ahead, boasting to his companions, "You see, it was my timely message that made the difference. Had I not spoken well of us to the Taoist Master, he surely would have departed."