A Teacher by Example, Reduced to the Hehuan Sect

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Zhan Lingyan was a mighty cultivator at the Tribulation Transcendence stage. When she tried to ascend, her inner demons took hold, and she died beneath the ninth level of heavenly tribulation.

Reborn, she finds herself in the body of a useless master whose meridians have been completely destroyed. It seems she has been handed one of those crowd-pleasing redemption stories.

Her sect is the infamous Hehuan Sect, a depraved and vulgar presence among the immortal sects.

Her disciples are few and far between: she has only four, and every last one of them is a little tyrant.

Her eldest disciple, Shen Fuyao, is all smiles to your face and disloyal behind your back, always out for profit.

Her second disciple, Xie Huazhao, bullies her fellow disciples and is always spoiling for a fight.

Her third disciple, Shi Hanyu, is cold and indifferent, and likes to coast along.

Her fourth disciple, Lou Wangshu, is vicious by nature and never lets a slight go unanswered.

And internal strife isn't all she has to worry about. There are outside threats, too.

The original owner’s meridians were shattered, leaving her a useless wreck. No one respects this sorry excuse for a peak, and they are constantly bullied by the other peaks, barely keeping their heads above water.

She is barred from morning meetings and denied her stipend, mocked in public, and grievously injured in sparring by an elder from another peak, who then humiliates her without restraint.

The original owner died on the peak. Her disciples glanced at her indifferently and didn't even bother to collect her body.

Zhan Lingyan: “...”

Unbelievable. What a rotten start.

Then the voice of the Heavenly Dao rang out:

“Fellow Daoist, work hard to reform them. Once you succeed, you can ascend on the spot!”

The mighty cultivator at the Tribulation Transcendence stage coldly surveyed her useless disciples below, then the fellow sect members watching hungrily from outside

Reform them? Zhan Lingyan had never done anything like that.

But she had served as head of the Immortal Alliance and as a grand elder. She had then presided over the sect for eight hundred years, weathering every storm, and become a revered guardian ancestor.

She also knew a bit of magic and martial arts, knowledge still tucked away in her mind.

Sect Rule Number One: She would teach them what it meant to respect their master.

Sect Rule Number Two: She would teach the entire sect what true abuse of power looked like.

*

After a few reforms, their peak became the main peak. The Hehuan Sect took down its old sign and became a thoroughly respectable sect, setting off on the path to greater glory.

The eldest became gentle and considerate, the second polite and friendly, the third thoughtful and attentive, and the fourth sweet and innocent.

Zhan Lingyan was very pleased with her results.

There was just one thing she couldn't quite understand. Before their reform, every one of her disciples had been a stubborn hardhead who would rather die than yield.

Now, one scolding from her could leave them crying for half the night, even though they were all grown up.

Some even knelt outside her door and wept, looking terribly remorseful, so sensitive they seemed close to breaking their hearts.

Had she overcorrected a little?

After careful thought, Zhan Lingyan decided to ease up on the restrictions she placed on them.

Later, a third sect rule was added

Do not covet your elders.

Do not defy your superiors.

PS: Cool, aloof, and celibate.

Also: gentle and cunning / domineering and dazzling / reserved and quiet / coquettish yandere.

[No group-sex scenes, and the protagonist will never sleep with multiple people at the same time!!!]

[The female protagonist is devoted to the Dao. No cheating.]

[Content warnings]

1. Not a pure-love story.

2. The relationships within the sect are complicated, and neither heart nor body is devoted to one person.

3. Includes coercive romance.

4. Characters have flaws. Bad women and bad kids ahead.

5. The characters' values do not represent the author's.

6. Includes niche kinks.

(October 15, 2024)

Theme: Face setbacks with courage and keep striving. Never give up easily.