Han Ye didn't move for a long time. The wind whistled through the holes in Loki's Sect Hall, carrying the scent of dry grass and old dust.
Loki's hand was still extended. His muscles were starting to cramp.
Rina! He's not moving! Is he dead? Did i kill him with my cringey speech? If he doesn't take my hand in three seconds, I'm going to look like a complete idiot standing here in the wind!
[Rina: Host, please stay still. He is currently experiencing an 'Emotional Awakening.' Also, if you retract your hand now, your 'Coolness' points will drop to negative levels. Just pretend you are a statue. A very, very handsome statue]
Finally, Han Ye's trembling hand reached out. His fingers were scarred and dirty, but as they brushed against Loki's palm, the boy felt a strange warmth—a hum of energy he hadn't felt since his clan destroyed his meridians.
"I...I have nothing," Han Ye whispered, his voice cracking. "I am a blind dog. A waste. Why would a Master like you want me?"
Loki pulled the boy up with a firm tug. He leaned in close, his voice dripping to a mysterious whisper. "Because Han Ye... the world sees with its eyes, and the world is blind. I don't need your eyes. I need your heart. Do you want to see the world again? Not with those useless orbs, but with the very fabric of the Heavens themselves?"
Holy crap, that sounded so cool! I should write that down. Rina, did yiu record that?!
[Rina: Recorded. Saved under the folder 'Loki's Top Tier Bullsh*t']
Han Ye's breath hitched. He felt as if a bolt of lightning had hit his soul. To see with the heart! To perceive the Heavens? He had spent years crying over his lost sight, but this Master... this Master saw his blindness as an advantage!
With a thud, Han Ye dropped to his knees. He pressed his forehead against the dirt in a perfect kowtow.
"Disciple Han Ye... greets the Sect Master! My life is yours!"
[Ding! Mission Accomplished: Recruit the First Misfit!]
[Reward: 100 System Points!]
[New Passive Skills Unlock: 'Grandmaster's Bullsh*t'—Your lies now have a 10% chance of manifesting as a temporary 'Spiritual Phenomenon']
[Bonus Reward: Beginner's Gift Box (Sword Path)]
Loki felt a rush of warmth through his body. He wasn't exactly Strong yet, but he felt... taller.
"Rise, my disciple," Loki said, patting the boy's shoulder. "Today, the Cloud-Step Sect has two members. Tomorrow... we have the world."
The first night in the sect was... depressing.
Loki sat on a broken stool, watching Han Ye sleep on a pile of straw. The boy was clutching his wooden stick even in his sleep.
"Okay, Rina. Open the Beginner's Gift Box. If it's another pair of socks, I'm deleting you."
[Rina: Opening... Congratulations! You have recieved: 'The Asura's Blind Perception ' (Divine Grade Sword Technique—Volume 1)]
Loki's eyes lit up. "Divine Grade?! That's the highest, right?"
[Rina: Correct. However, as the Host is currently a 'Noob' with zero cultivation, you cannot learn it. You can only 'Transfer' it to a disciple]
"Fine. How do i teach it? Do i give him a book? He's blind, remember?"
[Rina: You must guide him. Just... make something up. The System will handle the energy transfer as long as you look convincing]
The next morning, the sun rose over the ruins. Loki stood in the center of the "yard" (a patch of dirt eith weeds). Hab Ye stood before him, head bowed.
"Han Ye," Loki said, his voice deep and solemn. "Today, i will teach you your first lesson. Forget everything you know about swords. A sword is not a metal. A sword is a thought."
What am i even saying? I sounds like a fortune cookie.
"Master, i am listening," Han Ye said, his grip on the stick tightening.
Loki walked behind him. "Close your eyes. Tell ne, what do you hear?"
"The wind... the rustle of the leaves... yiur breathing, Master."
"Wrong!" Loki shouted, making both of them jump. "You hear the heartbeat of the world! Reach out with your spirit. Point your stick... there!"
Loki pointed randomly at a dead tree ten meters away.
[Rina: Initiating 'Grandmaster's Bullsh*t' Passive... Spiritual Phenomenon Triggered!]
Suddenly, the air around Loki began to hum. A faint, golden light flickered around his fingertip. To Han Ye, who couldn't see the ligh but could feel the sudden, suffocating pressure, it felt like the God of Swords was standing behind him.
"Strike!" Loki commanded.
Han Ye lunged. He didn't know why, but he followed Loki's voice. He swung the wooden stick at the dead tree.
CRACK!
The wooden stick didn't hit the tree. A blade of invisible wind flew from the branch, slicing the dead tree clean in half. The top half of the trunk slid off and crashed into the dirt.
Han Ye stood frozen. His hands were vibrating. "I... I did that? With a stick?"
Loki stared at the severed tree. His jaw almost hit the floor. I was just pointing at a bird! It actually worked?!
[Rina: Ding! Transfer Successful. Han Ye has learned the first move of 'Asura's Blind Perceptions']
[Disciple's Cultivation increased: Level 1 Body Refining!]
[Shared Reward: Host's Cultivation increased: Level 1 Body Refining!]
Loki felt a sudden surge of strength in his muscles. His senses sharpened. Ge wasn't a "Fake" anymore—he was officially a cultivator!
He quickly regained his composure, tucking his hands into his sleeves. "Hmph. Not bad. But you were 0.01 inches off. Do it again. Ten thousand times."
Han Ye's eyes went wide under his bandage. He knelt instantly. "Thank you, Master! I will not fail you!"
Loki turned away to hide his trembling hands. "Ten thousand times! I hope he doesn't realize I have no idea how he did that."
[Rina: Host, stop posing. Your Level 1 Qi is leaking through your pants. It's embarrassing.]