A Sect-Building Plan for the Cultivation World

[Pre-release: The Dragon’s Department Store, a Western fantasy business novel. Blurb at the very end] Ju Keshí is a gaming streamer who moonlights as a fortune-telling fraud. One moment he’s running a stall on an overpass; the next, a loud bang sends him flying into the cultivation world, where he’s bound to a sect management System and made the hapless sect leader of a rundown sect. Faced with a sect in shambles and disciples whose pockets are emptier than their faces, Ju Keshi rolls up his sleeves and opens the management panel. He’s a top streamer, for crying out loud. How could a game defeat him? It’s just a management sim. There’s no way he can’t beat it, right? In the Age of Declining Dharma, spiritual energy has waned and the six realms have been divided. The major sects occupy spiritual ley lines and fight over resources. The world is no longer at peace, and cultivators live in constant fear, unable to settle their minds and focus on cultivating or comprehending immortal arts. At this time, an extremely mysterious sect suddenly appeared in the spirit realm. They say Golden Core cultivators are everywhere in this sect, Nascent Soul cultivators are as common as dogs, and spiritual energy is so abundant it could drown any cultivator who happened to pass by. Here, the meals boost the efficiency of spiritual energy absorption, the training grounds in the back hills yield top-grade materials, and rare medicinal herbs sprout at random in the herb garden... Fizzy drinks from the points supermarket? Never heard of them. An internet cafe where you can play games? Never heard of it. And then there are these things: the elven mother tree, communication jade tablets, and supersonic missiles. Passing cultivators: “What in the world are these things?” At first, they looked down on it, thinking it was just another no-name sect’s recruitment scam. But who could have guessed that even the big shots of the cultivation world would pour into this legendary sect as if they’d gone mad? The Gu woman of the secluded forest, who had not appeared in public for years, announced she would teach there. The pure and immaculate Holy Lotus Buddhist Scion joined the sect. Even the eccentric top-ranked weapon cultivator was willing to leave his old home and stay here. And the reason these powerful figures were willing to come was the sect leader, who never showed his face and acted in the strangest ways. Countless cultivators made inquiries from every angle, trying to find a way to join this mysterious sect. Unfortunately, the sect leader was impossible to read. He recruited students only during the sect’s entrance competition. At other times, he accepted only those who were fated to join. He’d even take in beggars. The cultivators stared at the lucky beggar and sighed in frustration. Damn it, why couldn’t they have that kind of luck? Ju Keshi, who could only draw disciples from a gacha machine: “...” Damn it, why did I draw another beggar? The powerful cultivators who’d been tricked into teaching at the sect: “...” Where the hell are you finding so many beggars?! Word has it that apart from the sect leader’s personal disciples, no one in the sect has ever seen his true appearance. Some say his cultivation is unfathomably high, just half a step from ascension, and that a single sword strike from him could flatten mountains and seas. Others say he is noble and selfless, with the greater good at heart, and cares nothing for money or worldly possessions. But only Yan Jinchao knows what his master is really like. “You angled your sword flourish slightly wrong today. You’ll waste three breaths’ worth of spiritual energy compared to usual.” Ju Keshi stood with his hands tucked into his sleeves. “Master, we don’t need to worry about such a small loss of spiritual energy anymore.” “My disciple, you don’t understand. What we’re doing now is increasing our sources while reducing our expenses. We need to raise the concentration of spiritual energy and make sure every bit of it is used efficiently... It’s not because I’m stingy. It’s...” Yan Jinchao sighed helplessly. “Master, what are we having for dinner tonight?” Ju Keshi, who had just been lecturing earnestly, gave a light cough, the corners of his eyes lifting. “Grilled sea-flame mushrooms.” From the common folk of the mortal world to the wraiths of the Nether-Demon Realm, from the merfolk far away in the Misty Sea to the winged folk above the firmament, everyone longed for that splendid golden letter. They say it arrives silently in the dead of night; others say it appears in a flash when the sun reaches high in the sky. “Y-you... what’s that in your hand?!” The child in tattered clothes blinked. “It’s an admissions notice from Sui Nian Tower!” Irreverent, penny-pinching sect leader bottom x morally upright, buttoned-up old-timer top who gradually turns into a scheming fox 1v1, both virgins, happy ending Raising a disciple √ Master-disciple, younger top √ Secret identities √ Misunderstandings that make people think they’re right √ Sui Nian Tower branch campus construction plan: Spirit Realm Mountain-Sea Realm Nether-Demon Realm Misty Sea Cultivation Realm Reader’s guide: 1. Beautiful top and bottom. The couple is 1v1, no splitting them up, no switching roles, no tragic ending. No ship policing. 2. The bottom has several secret identities. Since he’s wearing disguises, of course they’ll be exposed. Pre-release: The Dragon’s Department Store. Please add it to your collection. A general store opened in Zici Town, on the edge of the continent. Some say the store’s counter is covered with potions made by the tower witches, and its curtain, adorned with gold ornaments, is the proud work of dwarf craftsmen. And what’s more... the owner of the general store is the greediest dragon in legend, the one who loves gold more than anything. A dragon? The townsfolk crowded together on the blue bricks, craning their necks to peer through the battered wooden door. A young man with long, curly red hair was changing his earrings. “Hello?” the young man said hesitantly. “Can I help you with anything, sir?” The townsfolk smiled awkwardly, unsure what to do, and hid the fairy tale about dragons and princesses behind their backs. Later, the general store became a little shop, then slowly expanded like a slime until it grew into a department store. More and more adventurers came to Zici Town. Some wore the long robes of divine envoys, some rode multicolored winged horses, and some wore golden crowns. The townsfolk of Zici Town curiously gathered around and asked cautiously, “Why have you come here?” The adventurers grinned. “This place has the God of Wine’s finest liquor, pearls from the deep sea, angel feathers, and branches bonded to elves.” Pointing to the dazzling golden sign, they smiled and said, “If you can imagine it, you can find it here.” On a mild spring afternoon, the dragon listened to instructions from something calling itself the “System” and dragged a box of glittering jewels into Zici Town, where he opened the door of a general store. Every day after that, the dragon would push open the shabby little wooden door and display countless rare treasures on the shelves. “Welcome to the Shining Mall! We sell anything you can imagine.” “Can I help you find something?” Customers surged inside, scrambling to rush toward different departments. The dragon blinked, then poked the feathers of an angel working as a cashier. “There are so many people. I’ll leave them to you.” The archangel, who had never done a day’s work in his life, gazed at a certain dragon and nodded slightly. The dragon turned away happily, then suddenly looked back. His gaze slyly swept over the angel. “By the way, have I ever told you... your eyes look a lot like gold?” Cheerful, money-loving, adorably clueless, illiterate but incredibly lucky dragon bottom x unlucky, world-weary foodie archangel cashier top 1v1, both virgins, happy ending Running a business √ Western fantasy √ A pair like the scatterbrained one and the grumpy one √ Come join the great dragon in running his commercial empire (ahem). Reader’s guide: 1. Beautiful top and adorable bottom. No splitting them up, switching roles, ship policing, or reader-insert fantasies. This couple is absolutely locked together, and I’ve destroyed the key on the spot. Anyone who ruins their relationship will become the dragon’s dinner (angry). 2. A little ensemble cast; every mall employee has a special skill. 3. The bottom is genuinely illiterate. You can’t expect a dragon to be both obedient and good at studying! Not being able to study doesn’t make someone stupid or bad. 4. It bears repeating that the top is beautiful, with a faux-saintly vibe. If beautiful tops aren’t your thing, please don’t come in and yell at me. Theme: Reject racial discrimination and build a better world together