Lin Feng left Broken-Soul Peak early in the morning with ghost child floating behind him and the Chained Woman gliding silently at his side. Their presence twisted the mountain fog as they passed.
Anyone else would look like a funeral procession.
Lin Feng looked like he was going grocery shopping.
The ghost child practiced stabbing air with its splinter sword.
The Chained Woman's chains dragged softly, leaving faint scratches in the dirt.
None of this bothered Lin Feng.
The system chimed as he reached the foot of the mountain.
[SYSTEM]
Note: Presence of ghosts will cause "unnecessary public reactions."
Recommendation: Proceed with confidence.
Lin Feng nodded.
"Exactly."
The ghosts nodded too, not understanding but loyal anyway.
They walked toward Orchid City.
---
The city gates were crowded—traders, cultivators, families escorting children for Recruitment Day.
Everything was normal…
…until Lin Feng stepped forward.
The guard on the left froze mid-sentence.
The guard on the right dropped his spear.
A woman screamed.
A merchant fell backwards into his own fruit cart.
The ghost child floated past the gates happily.
The Chained Woman glided in with her chains scraping stone.
A terrified guard stuttered,
"G-G-GHOSTS! Ghosts behind that man! Somebody alert the—!"
Lin Feng raised one hand politely.
"Relax. They're with me."
The guards stared at him as if he just claimed to own a hurricane.
One guard pointed shakily.
"T-They're not attacking?"
"No," Lin Feng said calmly. "They're well-behaved. Better than most humans."
People around them backed away instantly, forming an open circle.
Parents pulled their children close.
Vendors hid behind their stalls.
Lin Feng walked in casually as if nothing unusual was happening.
Ghost child floated proudly behind him.
The Chained Woman's chains made the ground tremble.
A young cultivator whispered, "He tamed ghosts…?"
Another replied, "Or the ghosts tamed him…"
Someone else murmured, "Is he… alive?"
Lin Feng pretended not to hear any of it.
---
Inside the Cultivation Guild, the atmosphere was even worse.
The moment Lin Feng stepped through the door, a clerk screamed and dove under his desk.
Another clerk tried to stand but toppled over a chair.
Several elders leapt onto tables.
One man fainted instantly.
Lin Feng approached the counter calmly.
"I would like to register my sect."
A trembling clerk peeked over the counter.
"S-S-Sir… ghosts are n-not allowed—"
"They're emotional support spirits," Lin Feng said.
The clerk didn't know whether to argue or run.
Finally, with shaking hands, he held out the registration form.
"Name… of your… sect…"
"Horizon Sect."
The clerk blinked twice.
"…Never heard of it."
"It was forgotten," Lin Feng said casually. "I revived it."
The clerk stamped the form quickly just to make him leave.
[SYSTEM]
Sect Registration Complete
Recruitment Permission Unlocked
When Lin Feng turned to leave, half the guild dropped their weapons in relief.
---
The Recruitment Plaza was enormous, filled with youth lining up for talent testing.
Sect banners flew proudly in the wind: Azure Cloud Pavilion, Twin River Hall, Sword Valley Sect, and more.
He walked to an empty corner and set down his crooked table.
Ghost child placed a stone on top of it to make it look "official."
The Chained Woman remained behind him like a terrifying statue.
Immediately, people stared.
"Is that a ghost…?"
"There are TWO!"
"That man is insane!"
"Where is he from?"
"What sect does he even belong to?"
Lin Feng took out a piece of cloth and wrote three words in big bold strokes:
HORIZON SECT
(Broken-Soul Peak)
The moment he hung it behind him, the entire area fell silent.
A few disciples screamed.
Two elders choked on their tea.
One young man dropped to his knees.
A father dragged his son away so fast the boy slid like a sack of rice.
Someone muttered,
"He's recruiting disciples… from that mountain?"
"Isn't that place cursed?"
"Who would join?!"
Lin Feng smiled lightly.
"Anyone with excellent survival instincts."
No one approached his booth.
Even passing children took a wide detour around him.
Perfect.
Lin Feng leaned back in his chair, completely relaxed.
The day had only just begun.
And the chaos was only waiting for the first brave soul to walk up.
---