Ding!
"The Systems Binding was successful, and for your patience, a Novice Pack has been issued."
"Hiss!"
Lei Ming took a sharp breath.
Instantly, countless memories were forcibly inserted into his head, filled with information about the system and how to use it.
"The Spirit Enlightenment System, by consuming Enlightenment Points, I can convert anything into a 'spirit'."
"Spirits will always be loyal to the owner of the system!"
"They can also share their power with the Spirit Master as well as lend their abilities for a short period of time."
This was too overpowered!
Lei Ming shook his head after he finished reading the description. He finally understood why the system had him check in at so many different spiritual places.
"This was well worth the eighteen-year wait!"
"But what should I be enlightening first?"
As Lei Ming pondered about this, a set of footsteps could be heard rapidly approaching his location.
"What are you doing snooping around my room!" A loud, high-pitched voice was heard, and following it, a young female cultivator.
Witnessing her march around the corner, Lei Ming shuddered in fear. After registering with the sect, he had become an outer sect disciple, of which there were thousands. He didn't know whose room he had encroached on, but it sounded as if their status was much higher than his.
"This isn't room 966?", Lei Ming questioned, trying his best to appear lost.
"Room 966? The male dorms are on the other side of the mountain, you idiot! You bastard, you were probably trying to find some girls to peep on." The female cultivator seethed, hurling insults at Lei Ming.
"I, Bai Yuelin, have never seen a more unscrupulous outer sect disciple as you. Tell me, where is your family from, so my Bai Clan can exterminate them!"
Lei Ming's face paled. Even though he had now joined the sect, he still cared about his mortal parents left behind in Black Wind Village.
"Miss, I swear I got lost. I just registered today and I struggle with directions so I accidentally wandered over and intruded on your residence."
Lei Ming hoped his story was believable, or else he might even be killed soon!
His eyes darted around the room, hoping to find something that might help his case.
They came to rest on a book, tucked away under a pillow, yet not fully hidden. The cover was barely visible, and he was able to make out what appeared to be a man, holding another man in his lap, whilst caressing his face.
…
'So she enjoys these types of novels', he thought to himself, chuckling on the inside.
"Bastard what are you looking at!" Bai Yuelin, whose face had turned red as a tomato, quickly rushed over and threw the book behind her bed.
"I saw nothing!"
Lei Ming quickly raised his hands in a gesture of innocence.
"But…if Senior Sister enjoys a particular 'genre' of novels, perhaps I can help you." Lei Ming offered hesitantly.
As a transmigrator and someone who indulged in an unhealthy amount of web novels in his previous life, Lei Ming had witnessed firsthand the popularity of BL novels.
He had been gifted a golden opportunity to get himself out of this predicament!
Now the only thing he had to do was convince Bai Yuelin to let him off.
"You? Help me? How?" She was taken aback, expecting him to ridicule her for reading such gratuitous works. Yet, not only did not not do that, he even offered his assistance?
"What if I told you I knew the author of that book, 'Embers of the Moonlit Lotus', personally? I could help you get in touch with them!"
Sensing a shift in the tense mood, Lei Ming eagerly offered up a solution.
He was also hiding an important secret. The author of 'Embers of the Moonlit Lotus', was actually him!
As the young master of the Lei family in Black Wind Village, he had to uphold an image of decency. However, in order to fund his journey to check in at the innumerable Spiritual Lands he resorted to writing these BL novels under a pseudonym.
To his surprise, his first novel, 'Embers of the Moonlit Lotus', was a massive success, thus allowing him to finish his check-ins ahead of his initial predictions.
Bai Yuelin looked at him suspiciously, wondering how this random outer sect disciple just so happened to know the author of her favorite series.
"How can I be sure you aren't pulling a fast one on me? Am I supposed to blindly take the word of some random disciple I caught spying?!"
Lei Ming smiled slightly, a spark of confidence returning to his eyes. "Senior Sister, I understand your skepticism," he said, reaching into his robe with a slow, deliberate movement. "But… what if I had something that could prove my claim?"
Bai Yuelin's eyes narrowed, watching his every move. "What could you possibly have that would convince me?"
With a flourish, Lei Ming pulled out a small, worn-out manuscript from within his robe. The edges of the papers were frayed, and the ink slightly faded, as if it had been read and reread countless times. "This," he began, holding the manuscript up for her to see, "is the original draft of 'Embers of the Moonlit Lotus'. The very first version, before it was ever published."
Bai Yuelin gasped, her skepticism wavering. "No one but the author would have this," she murmured, almost to herself. Her eyes darted between Lei Ming's face and the manuscript. "But… how did you get your hands on it?"
Lei Ming chuckled softly, a mischievous glint in his eyes. "Let's just say the author and I have… a very close connection. In fact, there are even scenes in this draft that never made it into the final version. Take a look at page seven," he suggested, opening the manuscript to the specified page and holding it out toward her.
Bai Yuelin hesitated for a moment before snatching the manuscript from his hands, flipping to the indicated page with an eager yet trembling hand.
As she read, her eyes widened, her mouth dropping open slightly in awe. "These… these scenes," she whispered, her cheeks flushed with excitement, "I've never seen these before… They're… even more…!"
She looked up at him, her expression caught between disbelief and exhilaration. "You… you're really close to the author, aren't you?"
Lei Ming gave a cryptic smile and nodded. "Closer than you might think, Senior Sister."
Bai Yuelin's suspicion seemed to dissolve completely, replaced by sheer delight. "This is incredible! Can you… can you really introduce me to them? Could I… could I ask them about the sequels, or maybe even get an early draft?"
Lei Ming, realizing he had her in the palm of his hand, smirked.
"That can certainly be arranged, however, I need you to do a few things for me."
Bai Yuelin, who could barely hold back, swore "If it's within my capabilities, I swear of my Bai Clan's honor I will do it to the best of my abilities." With her hand raised as if to signify her commitment, Bai Yuelin practically agreed before anything was laid out.
Relieved his plan worked, and amazed at his sheer luck, Lei Ming listed out a few minor things he hoped she could help him out with.
"Junior Brother, regarding your first two needs, those can be met easily. However, I'll need more time to consider your third one, as it will require power beyond my abilities currently."
Bai Yuelin frowned slightly, hoping her inability to complete what Lei Ming wished wouldn't affect his willingness to help her out.
Sigh.
Lei Ming, not wanting to push his luck too far, only asked for a weapon and a suitable cultivation technique for an outer sect disciple.
He also did not know the full extent of the Bai Clans' influence, the only information he knew about them was that they were one of four family clans supporting the Emperor of the Great Mu Dynasty.
Lei Ming was barely at the first level of Qi Refining, achieved by spending an exorbitant amount of money on a Marrow Cleansing pill that helped him advance. Now, he lacked a suitable technique that would allow him to progress.
The sect provided each outer sect disciple with one upon reaching their registration, however, they were sent to the rooms of each new disciple and Lei Ming had yet to make it to his room.
As for his third wish, it was something he had overheard in an inn on his travels. He didn't have anything else that needed help, so he thought asking Bai Yuelin would work.
"It's okay Senior Sister, when you get a chance can you send the other two things I asked for over to room 966 when you get a chance?"
Lei Ming asked politely.
After coming down from her initial burst of excitement, Bai Yuelin reverted back to her cold, aloof stare and waved at him, "Sure, sure. I'll make sure that you get them in a few days. Now shoo, before someone else sees you in the girl's dormitory and gets the wrong idea!"
Bowing, Lei Ming expressed his gratitude, "Thank you for your help Senior Sister, I'll be on my way now."
Lei Ming hurried out the same way he came in. The crowd had already dispersed as their senior brother Li Haoran had escorted the other disciples away to their dorms.
'That was a close one,' Lei Ming thought to himself, 'I have to be more conscious of my surroundings next time!'
Ding!
Hearing the systems notification, Lei Ming glanced up at the '1' next to his mailbox.
Remembering the alert from when the system bonded earlier about some 'Novice Pack' Lei Ming began to get excited and rubbed his hands together.
'Wait, let's open this when I make it to my room.'
Lei Ming, with a sense of haste, rushed to the other side of the mountain where the male outer sect dormitories were, eager to open the system's first gift.