The small, enclosed space of the secret vault quickly filled with smoke. Li Xuan, hunched over a pile of kindling, cursed under his breath. Starting a fire without a Basic Fire Starting Kit was proving to be a monumental exercise in frustration. His fingers ached from trying to rub two sticks together, and the small flame he had managed to coax earlier had stubbornly died.
Qing'er, seated patiently nearby, watched him with wide, curious eyes. Her own cultivation efforts had been remarkably successful; she was now at Body Tempering Realm (Stage 1 - 98% progress), a faint internal glow almost visible to Li Xuan's eyes. Her rapid progress served as both an inspiration and a subtle reminder of his own slightly slower pace. He was at Body Tempering Realm (Stage 1 - 72% progress). He needed to catch up.
"It's harder than it looks on TV," Li Xuan grumbled, wiping sweat from his brow, his face smudged with ash. He finally gave up on the sticks and resorted to a more primitive method: striking two stones together with a piece of dry tinder. After several tries, a spark caught, igniting the tinder, which then painstakingly caught the kindling. A small, smoky fire flickered to life in the improvised hearth he'd made from loose stones.
"Finally!" he muttered, eyes watering from the smoke.
He hung the Basic Cooking Pot over the flames, using a sturdy branch he found. He then retrieved the badger meat from his Sect Inventory. The raw meat, though a victory, didn't look particularly appetizing. He pulled out the small knife that came with the cooking kit and expertly (or as expertly as a gamer could manage) sliced off a few portions. He knew nothing about seasoning, but he threw the meat into the pot with some water, hoping for the best. The aroma of simmering meat, even unseasoned, was intoxicating to their starved senses.
While the meat cooked, Li Xuan began to outline his vision. "Qing'er, we have food for a week. But that's not enough. We need to make this sect self-sufficient. That means growing our own food, finding ways to earn money, and getting more disciples."
Qing'er, mesmerized by the gently bubbling pot, nodded. "More disciples?"
"Yes. A sect isn't a sect with just two people," Li Xuan explained. "And more disciples means more people to help (and more Sect Points for me), then I can focus on getting more powerful manuals to help you cultivate even faster."
Qing'er's eyes widened. "So, if I get strong, the sect gets strong?"
"Exactly!" Li Xuan affirmed, a grin breaking through the grime on his face. "And if the sect gets strong, we can attract more people. We need to make this place look... presentable. Right now, it's a ruin. But if we fix it up, people will see its potential."
The meat was cooked, though it was plain and lacked flavor. Still, it was hot, nourishing, and filled their empty bellies. They ate in companionable silence, the warmth of the fire and the food bringing a sense of comfort to the desolate vault.
After their meal, Li Xuan showed Qing'er the Basic Farming & Gathering Manual through the System's mental projection. "Tomorrow, we focus on clearing that plot of land by the stream. We'll use these tools to till the soil, and then we need seeds. That's our next big problem."
He also thought about the Low-Grade Iron Ore in his inventory. "Once we have the farm started, I'll need to figure out how to use this ore. The Basic Forging & Crafting Manual has instructions for a rudimentary forge. We could make better tools, maybe even something to help us clear the land faster."
His mind raced. He had 0 Sect Points. He needed more.
* Recruiting a disciple: 10 points. He needed to find more people.
* Defeating foes: The badger gave him points. Perhaps more encounters would yield more.
* Sect Development Milestones: This was vague, but likely tied to repairing the sect, growing the farm, or achieving a certain number of disciples.
"We need to find a way to get more Sect Points quickly," Li Xuan mused aloud. "Especially to get those Qi Condensation Breakthrough Pills, and maybe some better cultivation manuals for you and future disciples."
He looked at Qing'er, who was now leaning against the wall, her eyes closed, seemingly already deep in cultivation. Her progress had been astonishing. He knew cultivating with a proper manual, in a dedicated sect environment (even a makeshift one), was far superior to trying to figure it out alone.
Li Xuan sighed. He needed money. He needed more disciples. And he needed a way to attract them. He couldn't just stand at the broken gate and shout invitations. He needed a hook. Something to draw people in.
He thought of the outside world, the common people. What did they need? What would make them seek out a small, unknown sect?
* Protection: From bandits, wild beasts, other cultivators.
* Opportunity: A chance to learn cultivation, escape poverty, or find a better life.
* Resources: Food, medicine, knowledge.
Li Xuan's eyes fell on the newly acquired Basic Cooking Pot. Food. That was a universal need. And the Basic Farming & Gathering Manual could provide a sustainable source. If they had a surplus, they could trade. Or, more ambitiously, use it to attract people.
"Qing'er," he said, gently rousing her. "Tomorrow, while we work on the farm, keep an eye out. For anything. Any sign of a village, a road, even just tracks. We need to know what's out there. And we need to let them know the Falling Leaf Sect is... back."
His mind was already turning, formulating a new, more strategic plan. Instead of waiting for chance encounters, he would create them. Instead of merely surviving, he would start to build. He had a secret weapon in the System, and now, a determined first disciple. The Accidental Sect Leader was about to embark on his first real marketing campaign, even if it started with a single, humble farm plot.