A Sect-Building Plan for the Cultivation World

[Coming soon: The Dragon's Department Store, a Western fantasy story about running a business. Blurb at the end]

When staying at home, Ju Keshi was a gaming streamer who moonlighted as a fortune-telling scammer.

One moment he was running a stall on an overpass, and the next, with a bang, he was flung into the cultivation world. Bound to a sect management System, he became the hapless sect master of a rundown sect.

Faced with a sect in shambles and disciples with pockets emptier than their faces, Ju Keshi rolled up his sleeves and opened the management panel.

He was a top streamer, for heaven's sake. How could a game defeat him?

It was only a business simulation game. How could he possibly fail to beat it?

The Age of Dharma Decline has arrived. Spiritual energy is fading, and the Six Realms have been severed from one another.

The great sects have taken control of the spiritual veins and fight over resources. Peace has vanished from the world, and cultivators live in constant fear, unable to focus on their cultivation and comprehend the 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, and Nascent Soul cultivators are as common as dogs. Spiritual energy is so abundant that a passing cultivator might drown in it.

Its meals improve the efficiency of spiritual energy absorption. Its back-mountain training grounds yield top-grade materials. Rare medicinal herbs grow at random in its herb garden...

A points-based supermarket selling fizzy drinks? Never heard of it.

An internet cafe where you can play games? Never heard of it.

And what are these spirit trees, communication jade tablets, and supersonic missiles?

A passing cultivator: "What are all these things?"

At first, they scoffed, assuming it was just another no-name sect trying to trick people into enrolling.

But before long, even the big shots of the cultivation world were flocking to this legendary sect as if they had gone mad.

The Gu Matriarch of the secluded forest, who had not appeared in public for ages, announced she would teach there.

The pure and immaculate holy lotus Buddha's son moved into the sect.

Even the most eccentric artifact cultivator was willing to leave his home behind and settle here for good.

And the reason these powerful figures were willing to come was the sect master, who never showed his face and acted in the strangest ways.

Countless cultivators made inquiries from every direction, hoping to find a way to join this mysterious sect.

Unfortunately, the sect master's intentions were impossible to guess. He only recruited disciples during the entrance competition. At other times, he accepted only those who were fated to join.

Even beggars made the cut.

The cultivators stared at these lucky beggars and sighed in frustration.

How annoying. Why couldn't they have that kind of luck?

Ju Keshi, who could only draw disciples from a gacha machine: "..."

How annoying. Why did he draw another beggar?

The powerful figures who had been tricked into teaching at the sect: "..."

Where the hell are you finding so many beggars?!

It is said that, aside from the sect master's personal disciples, no one in the sect has ever seen his true face.

Some say his cultivation is so formidable that he is halfway to ascension, able to level mountains and seas with a single sword strike.

Others say he is noble and righteous, with a great heart, and cares nothing for money or worldly possessions.

But only Yan Jinchao knows what his master is really like.

"You were a little off with that sword flourish today. You'll waste three more breaths' worth of spiritual energy than usual," Ju Keshi said, hands tucked in his sleeves.

"Master, we don't need to worry about losing just a few breaths' worth of spiritual energy anymore."

"You don't understand, my disciple. What we're doing now is called finding new sources and cutting waste. We need to increase the concentration of spiritual energy while making sure every bit of it is used efficiently... It's not because I'm stingy. It's..."

Yan Jinchao sighed helplessly. "Master, what's for dinner tonight?"

Ju Keshi, who had been lecturing earnestly moments ago, cleared his throat, the corners of his eyes lifting.

"Roasted sea-fire mushrooms."

Whether they were ordinary people of the mortal world or wraiths of the Nether Demon Realm, merfolk far away in the Misty Sea or winged folk high above the sky, all longed for the golden letter shimmering with dazzling colors.

Legend said it arrived quietly in the dead of night. Others said it appeared in a flash when the sun was high in the sky.

"Y-you... what's that in your hand?!"

The ragged child's eyes flickered. "It's an admission notice from the Sui Nian Tower!"

A shameless, stingy sect master who is a con artist in the martial world, the shou x a by-the-book, respectable old-timer of an official who gradually turns into a scheming fox, the gong

1v1, both leads are sexually inexperienced, happy ending

Nurture trope √ Master and disciple, younger gong √ Secret identities √ Others mistake their identities √

Sui Nian Tower Branch Campus Expansion Plan:

Spirit Realm (√)

Shanhai Realm

Nether Demon Realm

Misty Sea

Cultivation Realm

Reading Guide:

1. Both leads are beautiful. This is a 1v1 couple, no breakups, no switching roles, no tragic ending. No ship-policing.

2. The shou has several secret identities. Since he took on those identities, they are bound to be exposed.

Coming soon: The Dragon's Department Store. Please add it to your reading list!

A general store opened in Zici Town, at the edge of the continent.

Some say the shelves are lined with potions from the High Tower Witch,

and the curtain strung with gold ornaments is a masterpiece by a dwarf craftsman.

And what's more... the owner of the store is the greediest dragon in legend, the one who loves gold above all else.

A dragon?

The townsfolk crowded together on the blue bricks, craning their necks to peer through the broken 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, hiding behind their backs a fairy tale about a dragon and a princess.

Later, the general store became a small shop, then slowly expanded like a slime until it had grown into a department store.

More and more adventurers came to Zici Town.

Some wore the long robes of divine messengers, some rode rainbow-colored winged horses, and some wore golden crowns.

The townsfolk of Zici Town approached curiously and asked with care, "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 the companion branches of elves."

Pointing to the brilliantly shining sign, they smiled.

"If you can imagine it, this place has it."

One mild spring afternoon, the dragon listened to the instructions of something calling itself a System and dragged a box of glittering jewels to open the door of a general store in Zici Town.

Every day after that, the dragon opened the rickety little wooden door and displayed countless rare treasures on the shelves.

"Welcome to the Shining Mall! We sell anything you can imagine."

"What can I get for you?"

Customers rushed in, jostling to get to different departments.

The dragon blinked, then poked the feathers of an angel working as a cashier.

"It's so busy. I'll leave it to you."

The archangel, who had never done a day's work in his life, met the dragon's gaze and nodded slightly.

The dragon happily turned away, then abruptly turned back.

His sly gaze slid over the angel.

"By the way, have I ever told you... your eyes look like gold?"

A cheerful, money-loving, dim-witted, illiterate dragon with incredible luck, the shou x a jinxed, world-weary, food-loving archangel cashier, the gong

1v1, both leads are sexually inexperienced, happy ending

Business management √ Western fantasy √ Odd couple √

Come join the Dragon Lord as he builds a commercial empire (or so he thinks).

Reading Guide:

1. Beautiful gong, adorable shou. No ship-breaking, role-switching, ship-policing, or self-insert fantasies. This couple is locked in a 1v1 relationship, and I've destroyed the key on the spot. Anyone who tries to ruin their relationship will become the dragon's dinner (angry).

2. A bit of an ensemble cast. Every employee at the mall has a special skill.

3. The shou is genuinely illiterate. You can't expect a dragon to be both well-behaved and well-read! Not knowing how to read doesn't make him stupid or bad.

4. I must reiterate that the gong is beautiful, a pseudo-saintly type of beautiful gong. If that's not your thing, please don't come in and then scold me.

Theme: Reject racial discrimination and build a better world together