The former Alex, for all his strength, had never seemed like the type to thrive as a teacher.
For a brief moment, Alex wondered if he'd end up the same.
"I'll make sure to ask her next time," he muttered.
Shaking the thought away, he stepped into his cave.
Moments later, he was seated in a lotus position.
A soft golden glow lit up his eyes as a panel appeared before him.
[Status]
[Mission]
[Store]
[Inventory]
"So it's more than just a cashback system?!" Alex muttered in surprise.
When he first transmigrated and the system revealed itself, it had only provided the most basic explanation of its function.
But "basic" didn't mean that was all it could do.
This was the first time Alex had taken a serious look at it.
Starting from the top, he selected the first option—Status—and was immediately presented with two more.
[Personal]
[Disciple]
The options were fairly straightforward.
While he wasn't exactly sure what Status entailed, he had a rough idea.
As for the options.
Personal clearly referred to himself, and Disciple seemed self-explanatory.
Alex selected Personal first.
[Name: Alex Fang]
[Realm: Mid Nascent Stage]
[Affiliation: Demonic Dragon Sect]
[Cultivation Technique: Fire Emerald Dragon Technique]
[Bloodline: Mortal]
[Physique: Mortal]
[Talent: Bone Root (8), Comprehension (10), Will (8), Fortune (6)]
Alex stared at the information laid out before him, processing each line carefully.
At a glance, it was clear the panel described him.
A condensed summary of his identity.
Mid Nascent Stage…
In the Azure Serpent Region, that was considered top-tier strength.
Few could claim to stand at this level.
His affiliation came.
Then his cultivation technique.
But what followed made his expression shift slightly.
Bloodline: Mortal. Physique: Mortal.
He couldn't help but shake his head.
His bloodline carried nothing extraordinary but this was fine.
Not all great cultivators were born with golden blood. Some carved their path with nothing but grit.
His physique was the same—plain, human. No elemental body, no forged constitution. Just flesh and bone.
This was fine too.
In the cultivation world, there was an old saying:
"Only by becoming an immortal does one shed the title of mortal."
The meaning was simple.
Immortals didn't die—not in the conventional sense.
Mortals, no matter how strong, had limits.
Even Nascent Stage cultivators like him weren't exempt. Their time still ticked away.
Then, Alex's gaze settled on the talents.
Bone Root.
A common term in the cultivation world.
It referred to one's physical foundation—often tied to the more well-known Spirit Root. It represented the base from which all cultivation grew.
Next was Comprehension—a term Alex was also familiar with. In cultivation, it usually indicated one's ability to grasp techniques, laws, and the mysteries of the world.
Many cultivators might be born with mediocre roots or bodies, but with exceptional comprehension, they could still rise to the peak.
Then came Will.
It likely represented mental resilience. In many cases, willpower could prove more valuable than one's spirit root. It helped cultivators endure painful breakthroughs, resist mental attacks, and persist where others faltered.
After all, what use were natural gifts if one didn't have the courage or tenacity to overcome the unimaginable struggles cultivation demanded?
Lastly, there was Fortune.
Alex figured it referred to luck.
In the cultivation world, luck was often considered a hidden strength. Some called it fate. A single fortunate encounter could change everything. The right treasure, the right master, or the right opportunity—it could mean the difference between greatness and obscurity.
However, Alex had no way of knowing whether his luck—or any of his talents—were considered high or low.
Just as the thought crossed his mind, a string of information suddenly flowed into his head.
"Ohh, so that's how it is," he murmured.
The system, as always, remained silent—but it had its ways of communicating.
Talents were graded from 1 to 10.
1–2: Inferior
3–4: Low
5–6: Average
7–8: Above Average
9–10: Exceptional
These numbers weren't just for show. They served a deeper purpose—the system used them to determine the qualifications of a disciple.
Alex's thoughts drifted back to a notification he'd seen hours earlier.
Now it made sense. The system had mentioned reducing qualifications—and now he understood why.
To qualify as a disciple under him, one needed a total talent score of 30 or above out of 40.
That was the realm of geniuses—the only type of people the system was willing to invest in.
It wasn't alive, couldn't speak—but through the information it shared, Alex began to see its logic.
He did a quick calculation.
"Altogether, my talent points add up to 32. According to the system... I'm a genius?"
He didn't feel proud.
Instead, he simply nodded in acknowledgment.
The system's judgment aligned with how the world viewed him—he was considered a prodigy. Breaking through to the Nascent Stage at 50 years old was no small feat.
But then a realization hit.
His expression twisted slightly.
"Wait a minute…"
If the system required that level of talent for a disciple—didn't that mean any cultivator he brought in had to be just as gifted as him?
A genius capable of reaching Nascent Stage before 50?
Even Alex, with all his calm and cultivation, felt a headache coming on.
With a deep breath, he closed the [Personal] tab and moved on to the next.
In the second Status option, the Disciple option, was another option.
But it was only one which Alex found understandable after seeing what if was.
[Evelyn Stone]
"So that's her name."
Alex was happy he didn't have to ask his disciple for her name.
As for explaining how he knew it without asking?
That was up for his disciple to give herself an explanation.
Without hesitation Alex turned to see the status of his first disciple and why the system tagged it as reduced qualification.
It seems he had also failed to get a reward, something he didn't understand yet, thanks to this.
However Alex immediately got his doubts all cleared up the moment he saw Evelyn talents.
[Name: Evelyn Stone]
[Realm: Body Tempering Stage Level 4]
[Affiliation: Demonic Dragon Sect]
[Cultivation Technique: Iron Tempering Technique]
[Bloodline: Mortal]
[Physique: Mortal]
[Talent: Bone Root (3), Comprehension (4), Will (3), Fortune (10)]
For a moment, Alex nearly let out a curse before catching himself and taking a deep breath.
Aside from Fortune, which sat at the maximum value, Evelyn's other talents—the ones that truly mattered and could be assessed by any cultivator—added up to a measly ten.
Ten. Out of thirty.
If she hadn't been his first disciple... if she hadn't been the reason he was still alive, he might've actually shouted.
He clenched his jaw, calming himself again.
"Well... at least her fortune is high."
Alex couldn't help but wonder if that was the very reason she became his disciple in the first place. If so, fate truly worked in mysterious ways.
"Even if the rest of her talents are lacking, maybe the system can help improve them," he muttered. "Will, though... that one's hard to change."
A faint frown lingered on his face before it gradually eased.
He let out a soft sigh.
Regardless of her talent, she was his first disciple. He'd already made the decision to guide and protect her, even before seeing her status.
If anything, this just meant she'd need a little more care than most.