I couldn’t sleep tonight; my mind—me—I needed to think.

Yeah, you’ve got it real good now. New fancy clothes, new fancy house, new friends, disciples, and now what? Cultivation—all that power—that will be back to you? What's so hard to think about?

My mind chided. It was true, all that had happened recently, with me and this whole transmigration fiasco. The past few weeks—months?—were difficult, but I had no time to worry about that. I had some interest in my next move, though.

However, despite the ability to regain my power—my cultivation, safety—I felt rather… dull.

I sighed.

It felt as if I was standing below a huge mountain, as if, a sheer and bleak hill stood in the way of reaching my potential. Reaching what I once had. It loomed over me. It towered over me, but I had to do it; I didn't even know why I was doing this. I just felt apathetic, somehow. I already decided what I was going to do—it wasn’t a question. I wanted to cultivate and become strong again. So what if it felt like a mountain?

I lay on the bed, the sheet felt cold and stiff under the heavy robes I wore.

My eyelids felt heavy and puffy—I just didn’t know what to feel. I felt the pressure weighing in, I felt exhausted, more than tired, heavy. Lethargy started to claim me.

And with that thought, the gentle hand of sleep caressed my consciousness, my eyes slipping closed and the heavy burden of today finally being left behind—

A loud pounding and ringing noise was coming from outside my door.

Well, there went my sleep schedule.

I blinked, not fully understanding where or what was going on for a second. The door, what time was it again, had I slept already?

The door opened, and bright light immediately shone from a door from the side of the bed and into my eyes.

A face was illuminated, someone who looked familiar, someone I could vaguely put a name to… oh, it was Master, my teacher, the sect leader, I remembered.

He came into the room and seemed slightly surprised for some reason.

As his mouth opened he quickly regained the authoritative expression he always had. I opened my mouth to speak but no words came out, my body, it appeared foreign to me, as if I was not in control—something else was.

He seemed to pause then his words rolled like a great thundering rock off of a mountain, “Little rascal. If you're up get ready now, for dinner.”

His back was turned and walking away by the time I got a grasp on what he said.

“Right,” my lips moved on their own to form the word but nothing more.

I sat there, un-moving, for another half an incense stick's length—at least, the sky was still blue, as it appeared from the window. I stood up and walked out, and surprisingly Master was still there. He looked at me, sideways, eyes piercing.

He was old but was like the bamboo in the rain, straight and steady, while my knees felt as weak as the paper walls. I stumbled down the hallway, it was hard to think or move right, and even breathing became a chore. Had Master used his intent?

“You are not him, are you?” Master said.

At this, I flinched. Why did I flinch, this body wasn't in my control at the moment. What was this? A dream?

“No,” my voice shook, coming out without me knowing “Master, I-I'm not. I’m m—”

It was as if there was an invisible hand gripping my chest.

“Oh, Ryujin...” Master shook his head and snapped his fingers.

I woke up to find myself shaking. It was dark and the bed felt damp due to my sweat, a sheen of cold sweat coated the skin I could feel. I was shivering. It was probably just a nightmare. Just a nightmare. I shakily breathed out and held my clammy palms together, calming down. I felt something shift near me on the bed. I flinched but it turned out to be Biscuit. She blinked awake and looked at me. I patted her and told her not to mind me before picking her up, holding her until she fell asleep again.

My body felt drained, cold, numb. I sighed.

“Just a nightmare,” I said and rubbed my eyes, trying to make sleep fall on me.

Eventually, I drifted off, sleep returning, although not for long. It didn't even seem as if much time had passed but the day was already on the horizon.

With that, I moved outside to breathe some fresh air and maybe even get some exercise, my feet automatically taking me to a more secluded spot to train in a different area of the yard. I wanted to see if I had it back. I hadn’t even checked my system goddammit. How could I be so careless?

Sitting down, I flipped open my system page to see if there had been any major changes.

Error. Recalibrating at the moment. You cannot view the system panel.

Oh…

I waited for it to recalibrate.

System re-calibrated.

Calibrating Affinities… Error.

Calibrating Constitution… Error.

Calibrating Bloodline… Error.

Affinity selection suspended until Cultivation stabilized.

Constitution selection suspended until Cultivation stabilized.

Bloodline selection suspended until Cultivation stabilized.

Path selection suspended until Cultivation stabilized.

Cultivation path destroyed... readjusting to lower cultivation. Path Formation.

I’d expected that there would be major changes, but there was still a hurdle, it seemed. I had yet to stabilize my cultivation, whatever that would be.

I opened my status panel without waiting any further.

 

 

I read everything and as expected, I still needed to do some work on myself. I sighed at all the suspended features and could only grunt when my eyes fell on all the calibrating happening. Why did this system need all that?

I wondered what kind of Path I would get. Would it be like Ryujin? Or would It be different given I’m a different person? It could be that. I had no clue what it would turn out to be. I had to start imagining what my Vitra would be. Hopefully something badass and strong. I couldn’t get my hopes up too much though.

It would be better if the system listed the Paths I could choose, honestly. Having the liberty to choose whatever I desired would be epic. The same went for the Constitution and Affinities. If I could choose… I could make one hell of a set. With everything. It would be perfect.

I shook my head. I was getting sidetracked. The system had no additions, which was expected, really. I had yet to do much with it, but I hoped it would help me a lot in the future. It had already done something impossible. It had healed me and that was a miracle in and of itself. But I wanted to see what more it had to offer.

Scanning for more changes, my eyes fell on the last option.

It had been [???] before but now… I could see that it had unlocked. I got excited and focused my attention on It. I wondered what it was.

Dual Cultivation? What the fuck?

I was flabbergasted when I found out that it was Dual Cultivation. What type of strange was this? Why would I need that of all things? What the fuck, system?

I immediately opened the details of [Dual Cultivation] but before I could get a read on it, I heard my disciples entering.

They all bowed, “Master!” Renji said. “Thank you for your guidance! Without you, this would have been impossible!”

“Yes, master!” Kai said, although he was slightly injured and needed to recover, he made sure to pay respect. I looked at them.

“It’s… alright.”

“Master, if you don’t mind me asking… who was that?” Kai asked, and I instantly knew who he meant.

I waved away the window in front of me and looked at them all. Biscuit sauntered over and got comfortable on my lap and Noodles slithered up my neck. Biscuit hissed at the snake, prompting a similar response.

Had Noodles gained sentience? Was that possible? I knew it was, my presence, or maybe it was the system, had some peculiar effects on people around me.

“Well, that was Tian Mo,” I said, straightening my back as my hand wandered down to scratch Biscuit. “He is one of the people who killed our Sect Leader.”

Renji and Kai’s eyes widened.

“The Sect Leader is dead?!”

They both shouted in unison.

“Calm down, you two.” I scolded and they lowered their heads. “Yes, he died. He was killed. Right in front of us. And this Tian Mo was one of them—Obsidian Shadow Clan.”

I explained everything. Honestly, it was quite fun watching their expressions shift from one thing to the other. Shock, fear, intrigue, confusion, anger, pride, and so much more. I had no clue that seeing someone’s face could be this interesting.

“So, you understand?” I asked after I was done explaining everything.

“…Yes,” Kai said. “So we’re in a war.”

“Yeah, but don’t worry, your Master has recovered some strength.”

“Really?” They both asked and I also felt Biscuit stirring in my lap.

She looked up at me with big glittering eyes.

“Yeah, well, I need to recover fully, I have just taken a step in the right direction.”

“Meow~” Biscuit meowed, hopping up on my shoulder and started rubbing her cheek with mine. “Meow~!”

“Okay, okay, I get you’re happy, but stop.” I chuckled, rubbing her head and putting her back on the ground.

She settled down comfortably and started wagging her tail, blinking slowly.

“Anyway, war, yes, we’re at war. It is still beginning though, so you’re safe for now, but sooner than later you might have to participate, heck, even lead. As you’re my disciples. I need to make sure you two are ready—”

“Meow!”

“Hissss!”

“—you four, I meant you four.”

I sighed.

“So, I will be training everyone personally, and your cultivation also needs to be faster. I will… look into it. Don’t worry too much.”

“Yes, master!”

“One important thing, you guys need to enter the Treasure Hunts,” I said.

“Treasure Hunts?” Kai asked.

“Yes, you see all the sect's disciples going into the mists. They venture for treasures, and that’s what I want for you to do, as well. It will help not only you but everyone as a whole. Seize any treasure you come across though. For that I'll be soon taking you along with me to train there, to get used to it before the Treasure Hunts being.”

“Yes, master!”

I talked to them about what they had to do going forward and they all listened tentatively.

When I was done with them, they all left, and I returned my attention back to the system.

Dual Cultivation… it can’t be what I think, right? Please, no.