Chapter 2

  Heart-Stitching Art (II)

  I have always been somewhat versed in the art of depression, having first succumbed to its wild ways when I was sixteen.

  However, there had to be another word for this, this incessant feeling pressing against my chest, like there's an elephant stomping on it. There were just shy of three or four hundred kids situated atop the plaza, and for the past hour, not only had none of them selected me... they didn't even look at me.

  I was a ghost!

  A damnable, flesh-and-blood ghost!

  Aii, I know that my (body's) reputation was in the gutter, but wasn't this too much? Do I have to go out of the sect myself and chart the slums looking for some gullible, desolate kid to join under me?

  No, no, no, it's still too early--there were still around forty kids that have yet to choose a Master and I just need one of them, just ONE, to be stupid enough to ignore the rumors. I just need one, and the future would be—well, it'd be better than it would be without one, that was for certain.

  I took in a deep breath and closely looked at the remaining ones, trying to plaster on the kindest, most benevolent, giving, and masterful face I could; whether it came off that way or just like some old guy was making a stupid face... I didn't know.

  "I, Gu Bei, choose Elder Swordlight for my Master!" A boy stepped forward and knelt in front of the Elder right beside me, an old man with long hair and a beard and a wrinkled face. Why?! The guy looks two breaths away from dead!

  "Ho ho ho, welcome. Stand beside your brothers and sisters."

  "Yes, Master!"

  I's and Aye's continued between the Disciples and Elders... sans me. I was alone. So, so, so alone that I nearly started crying. Would my journey end before it even began? I mean, it's unlikely that the system would kick dirt if I failed the first quest, but still... even if I'm not a superstitious person, wouldn't that be cursed or something?

  I watched as the crowd of Disciples thinned out... until there was just one left. Since I wasn't allowed to goad the Disciples, just like all other Elders, I had to stay silent and just watch.

  Perhaps the most depressing part, if at all possible, wasn't even that I was alone—but that nobody was mocking me. Nobody was even looking at me, as though I were a ghost. I can only sigh to the heavens and get down to undoing this godawful reputation as quickly as possible.

  That being said--

  Strange murmurs interrupted my moaning session, and I finally felt some eyes on me; they were strange and wrong, but at least it confirmed that I wasn't actually a ghost.

  "I, Long Tao, choose Elder Lu Qi for my Master!"

  ...

  Wait, that's me! Lu Qi is my name!

  The author's narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

  Shuffling my eyes down at the plaza, I saw a thirteen-year-old kid bowing semi-respectfully. His words elicited shock and awe, of sorts, both within and without me. It was marvelous, indeed, that there was a moron stupid enough to choose me! Thus--

  "I accept!" Before other Elders could warn him and reprimand him, I accepted. Which, well... elicited yet another wave of shock and awe, perhaps even more than when the boy requested it.

  I kind of missed being treated as a ghost, to be honest. Nonetheless, seeing as I finally had a disciple, it was high time I inspected him. Truthfully, I don't care whether he was the most worthless nobody with zero talent; for saving me the embarrassment of not unlocking my system, I would treat him as my son 'till I no longer could.

  [--Creator's Eyes used]

  [Target: Long Tao]

  [Age: 13]

  [Talent: Jade(+) (Mortal -> Earth -> Sky -> Heaven -> Jade -> ???)]

  [Traits (Common, Rare, Epic, Legendary, ???)]

  [Heavenly Chosen (Legendary) -- as someone chosen by the Heavens, he will always get favorable outcomes no matter what]

  [Reincarnator (???) -- the original body was taken over by a mythological cultivator from 10,000 years ago, Divine Blade]

  [Apathy (Common) -- countless years had waned his mind, and he finds it difficult to care much about anything]

  [Arrogant (Legendary) -- he will never submit to anyone, even unto death]

  [Sword Heart (Epic) -- possesses an embryo of a Sword Heart, one of the most important parts of becoming a Sword Cultivator]

  [Sword Embryo (Epic) -- instead of a common dantian, has a Sword Embryo; cultivation techniques and martial arts severely restricted]

  [Heart-Poison Curse (???) -- the curse from his past life persists, making it seem as though he is a waste without talents]

  [...]

  [Assessing suitability...]

  [...]

  [Special Heavenly(+) Root Discovered: once-in-a-generation talent with potential to become a Celestial if properly grown. Currently severely weakened due to the Curse]

  [Recommended: due to the Curse, it is recommended to teach him a Holy Heart Sutra method, preferably with sword leanings. Depending on the quality, it may take up to three years to dispel the Curse]

  [Final assessment: a remarkable talent with a unique constitution and special fate, whose end point is impossible to determine. Final cultivation realm: incalculable; depends on too many factors.]

  [...]

  [Congratulations, Host, for taking in a disciple!]

  [You have been rewarded 1 Creation Point]

  [Creation Points: expending Creation Points allows you to create unique Methods and Arts, reconstruct the incomplete ones, fix the existing ones, or completely understand them. Earn Creation Points every time you complete a System Task, the first time your Disciples reach the major realms, any time you accomplish a great thing, or ???]

  [...]

  [Recommendation: due to this being Host's first day, it is recommended that you spend the earned Creation Point on creating a Special Art to combat the Heart-Poison Curse. Despite the latter being incomparably difficult to remove, we believe in you!]

  [Good luck!]

  ...

  Hm.

  Hmm.

  Hmmmmmmmmm.

  Mother, am I seeing that right? Has my desperation caused me to start seeing things that aren't there? No, that's not quite right--

  "Are you certain, young boy? Even if you aren't particularly talented, taking in a Master is still a rather heavy thing." Tsk, shut up, you old fart! He's already discipled himself to me! Why are you butting in?

  "I'm certain, Elder," the boy replied rather calmly. Well, of course he did; he likely chose me because he'd get all the resources without needing to do much, and likely because he just didn't care who became his 'Master'. He's an old monster who knows about eight billion things more than me, so how could I possibly be a Master? No, wait! I have a system! There's a chance! "I hope you will accept my wishes."

  "... very well," it was the Sect Master that spoke. "This concludes this year's Selection Ritual. All disciples, follow your Masters to your new peaks. May the Heavens bless you and grant you luck on the path of immortality!"

  As everyone scurried off in excitement, I, too, stood up, one Disciple in tow. The boy wasn't even looking at me—nor was he looking at anyone in particular, to be fair. The system didn't tell me how 'long ago' the boy reincarnated; however, as these stories went, it likely wasn't too long ago, as everyone seemed absolutely convinced that the boy's talents were nonexistent.

  "Follow me," I urged, descending the platform and rounding it, going toward the rear of the Sect, following the memories.

  "Hm," was the only response I got.