"Shape my own destiny, huh? Sounds like a lot of work," Li Yu muttered, leaning back on the rock and letting out another exaggerated sigh. His silver hair caught the sunlight filtering through the cracks in the decrepit roof of what must have once been the sect's grand hall.
He wasn't exactly excited about the idea of being a sect master. Sure, creating universes and traveling dimensions sounded cool, but why bother when all he wanted was to lounge around and enjoy good food? The system clearly didn't know who it was dealing with.
"Alright, System, you want me to rebuild this sect, right? How about this—why don't you rebuild it for me? I'll sit here, supervise, and, you know, maybe provide moral support?" he said, smirking.
System Voice: "Host Li Yu, that is not how the system operates. The rebuilding and recruiting efforts must be initiated and carried out by the host. The system will provide guidance and rewards for progress made."
Li Yu groaned again, picking up a random stick from the ground and twirling it lazily in his hand. "Guidance and rewards, huh? So what's my first 'great and glorious task,' oh mighty system?"
System Voice: "Step One: Recruit a disciple."
Li Yu froze mid-twirl. "A disciple? Like… a kid who's gonna follow me around and call me 'Master'?"
"Correct."
He leaned back and looked at the sky. "This has to be a joke. Why would anyone want to join this place? Look at it—it's basically a pile of rubble!"
System Voice: "It is the host's responsibility to inspire and recruit. Failure to complete this task will result in penalties."
Li Yu sat up straight. "Penalties? What kind of penalties?"
"Penalty Example: Reduction in your access to snacks for a week."
Li Yu's eyes widened in horror. "WHAT?! You wouldn't dare!"
The system remained silent, as if to remind him it absolutely would.
He rubbed his temples again, grumbling under his breath. "Fine, fine… I'll recruit someone. But don't expect me to put in too much effort. I'll just grab the first person I see and call it a day."
Standing up, Li Yu stretched and looked down the broken path leading away from the sect. Somewhere out there, his first disciple was waiting. Probably. Hopefully.
But first… he needed a snack. After all, no great sect master could work on an empty stomach.
Li Yu strolled down the mountain with his usual lackadaisical air, hands tucked behind his head, as if the weight of becoming a sect master didn't faze him in the slightest. After all, recruiting a disciple sounded like a hassle. Surely someone would wander into the sect eventually—did he really have to go looking?
As the overgrown path gave way to dense forest, Li Yu realized something. "Wait… which way is 'down'? This mountain doesn't even have proper signs! What kind of sect doesn't have clear directions for its lazy… uh, prospective disciples?"
Shrugging it off, he continued wandering aimlessly through the trees. Before long, the mountain's cool air turned warm, and the rustling of leaves gave way to the sound of flowing water. Intrigued, Li Yu followed the noise and stumbled upon a serene river cutting through the forest.
Crystal-clear water sparkled under the sunlight, and fish darted about lazily in the shallows. A gentle breeze carried the earthy scent of the forest and the refreshing smell of fresh water. Li Yu's eyes lit up, his earlier complaints forgotten.
"Now this is a great place for a snack!" he exclaimed, plopping down on the riverbank. He leaned over to observe the fish. "You guys look pretty tasty. Guess today's lunch is on you."
Without any fishing tools, Li Yu casually grabbed a sturdy branch nearby. He stripped it of its smaller twigs and vines and fashioned it into a makeshift spear. Holding the primitive tool in his hand, he grinned. "Who needs fancy techniques when you've got raw talent?"
He waded into the cool water, rolling up his sleeves and pants. With his spear poised, he waited, his sharp silver eyes locked on a particularly plump fish.
Seconds passed.
Then minutes.
Li Yu stood in the middle of the river, his silver platinum hair plastered to his forehead from the countless splashes of water. He held his makeshift spear, glaring at the fish that darted around mockingly just out of his reach.
"Alright, you little aquatic devils," he muttered through gritted teeth, "one of you better cooperate, or else…"
The fish, naturally, did not comply. No matter how carefully he positioned his spear or how long he stood still, they seemed to sense his every move and scatter the moment he struck.
Time dragged on. The sun climbed higher, the once-refreshing river now feeling like a lukewarm bath. Li Yu's patience, which wasn't much to begin with, quickly ran dry.
Three hours later, Li Yu stumbled out of the river, dripping wet, his clothes clinging to him in awkward places. His spear was now more of a glorified stick, battered and bent from his repeated failures. He collapsed onto the grassy riverbank, throwing the spear aside dramatically.
"That's it," he groaned, sprawled out on the ground like a defeated warrior. "This world is against me. Even the fish don't respect me. What kind of sect master can't catch a single fish? I should just retire before I even start…"
He stared up at the sky, the sunlight filtering through the canopy of leaves. The gentle rustling of the forest and the sound of the river should have been calming, but all Li Yu felt was a deep, existential hunger.
His stomach growled loudly, as if mocking his incompetence.
"Why am I even doing this?" he mumbled, throwing an arm over his eyes. "I could be napping back at the sect. Or eating something already cooked…"
The breeze cooled his damp clothes, and despite his grumbling, he found himself growing drowsy. Lying there, surrounded by nature, wasn't the worst thing in the world. Maybe this whole "sect master" business wasn't so urgent after all.
His eyelids grew heavy, and before he knew it, he started to drift off to sleep.
Just as he was about to fully surrender to his nap, a faint sound reached his ears. The rustling of leaves. Soft, hesitant footsteps. His instincts stirred, but he remained still, keeping his breathing steady, pretending to be asleep.
Through half-lidded eyes, he saw a small figure emerge from the trees—a boy, thin and frail, clutching a bundle of wild vegetables. The boy's wide, curious eyes darted between Li Yu and the discarded spear nearby.
Li Yu sighed inwardly. What now?