Chapter Three – The Rebirth Begins
Ryan stood before the dilapidated main hall, gazing at the rubble and cracked pillars. This sect was merely a shadow of what it once was, but he had no intention of leaving it in such a state.
A notification appeared before him:
> [Quest: Rebuild the Main Hall]
[Reward: 50 Evolution Points – Unlock General Sect Management Feature]
He looked over at Ling Xiao, who was watching the scene with anticipation, then exhaled slowly.
"Alright, let's begin."
Opening the system menu, he noticed a new option that had appeared after completing the previous mission:
> [Rebuild the Hall – Cost: 50 Evolution Points]
As soon as he confirmed it, the ground trembled slightly, and a transparent blue light emerged from beneath, swirling around the ruins. The scattered stones moved as if pulled by an invisible force. Broken pillars reassembled, and ancient engravings faded by time regained their glow, radiating a mysterious golden light.
The collapsed roof slowly rose and returned to its place, as if time itself was reversing. A soft humming filled the air, as if the sect was reclaiming its long-lost glory.
When the restoration was complete, Ryan stood before the renewed hall. It was no longer a ruined shell, but a grand structure with golden doors etched with intricate symbols, and pillars inscribed with ancient tales of the Heavenly Sect's past. The place pulsed with life once more.
Another notification appeared:
> [Heavenly Sect's Legacy Discovered]
[Heavenly Archive Feature Activated]
When Ryan tapped on the notification, a window opened, displaying a list of ancient scrolls and hidden cultivation techniques. Some were locked, requiring specific conditions to unlock, but their presence alone confirmed that the Heavenly Sect was far from ordinary in the past.
Among the old files was one with a cryptic title:
"The Fall of the Last Leader."
Raising an eyebrow, Ryan opened the file, but found the pages distorted, as if obscured by a powerful force. He could only read a few lines:
> "When the time came… I had no choice. The Shadow Force was advancing… The Heavenly Sect couldn't be allowed to fall completely… So I hid…"
Before he could read more, the text vanished, replaced by another notification:
> [Information Blocked – Requires Sect Level Upgrade]
"Why does the fall of the sect feel tied to a dangerous secret? Is there something I've yet to uncover?" Ryan muttered, his brows furrowing.
Then a new window appeared:
▪ Sect General Management
> Members: 1/100
Buildings: Main Hall (Level 1)
Resources: 0
Sect Legacy: [Locked – Requires Further Development]
At that moment, an unexpected alert popped up:
> [Potential Disciple Found!]
[Location: Outside Sect Borders]
[Status: In Trouble!]
"Already?" Ryan followed the alert to find a young man in torn clothes, surrounded by three rough-looking men wielding rusty weapons.
"Give us everything you have, or you'll regret it!"
The young man stepped back, but his eyes remained sharp despite his exhaustion, as if his will had not broken. "Even in weakness, his gaze was steady—as if he hadn't given up hope."
That caught Ryan's interest. He stepped forward and said calmly:
"That's enough."
The bandits turned to him with sneers.
"And who might you be?"
Ryan smirked coldly. "Leader of the Heavenly Sect."
One of them laughed mockingly. "The Heavenly Sect? That extinct sect? What a joke."
But before he could mock further, Ling Xiao moved. His feet slammed against the ground as he shot forward like an arrow, using his secret technique to enhance his speed.
Whoosh! Bam!
His fist struck one of the men below the ribs, making him writhe in pain and collapse to his knees, gasping for air.
"What the—?!" one of the bandits cried out in disbelief.
But there was no time for surprise. The second attacker lunged at Ling Xiao with a sword.
Ryan, observing the fight, moved with quiet precision. In a flash, he sidestepped the strike, grabbed the man's wrist tightly, and punched him hard in the chest.
Boom!
The impact echoed. The attacker stumbled back two meters, panting heavily.
The last bandit, realizing they weren't easy prey, turned to flee. But before he could, Ling Xiao leapt high and landed in front of him, delivering a swift kick to his knee that dropped him instantly.
After taking a series of quick and unexpected hits, the bandits ran off, shouting threats:
"We'll tell our master about you… you won't be safe!"
Ryan showed no concern, but made a mental note of the warning. He noticed a strange tattoo on one of the bandit's necks—a black blade entwined by a snake.
"The Blade of Darkness?" he muttered. The name wasn't unfamiliar, but he hadn't expected to encounter them this soon.
Ling Xiao eyed the tattoo warily. "This is bad. The Blade of Darkness aren't just common thugs. They're…"
He paused, then continued in a low voice: "Assassin mercenaries tied to a greater organization… Maybe even the reason the sect fell."
Ryan didn't respond, but he could feel things were beginning to escalate.
The wounded young man, who had watched the battle unfold, breathed heavily, eyes shimmering with awe and gratitude.
"You… you're not like the other sects."
Ryan smiled. "That's right. We're different. Now… do you want to join us?"
A notification appeared:
> [New Follower Found!]
[Would you like to recruit this person?]
"What's your name?"
The young man hesitated, then said, "Feng Chen."
> [Feng Chen Recruited.]
[Current Members: 2/100]
Suddenly, another notification popped up:
▪ [Unusual Talent Discovered!]
Ryan glanced at the new information with interest:
> ▪ Feng Chen – Rare Talent (Pure Energy Body)
🌀 Can absorb natural energy at double the normal rate and progress in cultivation at an incredible pace.
Ryan smiled fa
intly. "Now this is a surprise…"
— End of Chapter Three —
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