Alex didn't let his disciple's poor talent weigh on him for long.
Pushing the thought aside, he returned his focus to the system panel.
[Status]
[Mission]
[Store]
[Inventory]
With Status already explored, the next option on the list was Mission.
He tapped it without hesitation.
What he didn't expect, however, was the strange sense of déjà vu that struck him a second later.
[Personal]
[Disciple]
A wry smile tugged at his lips.
With a hint of curiosity, he selected Personal, knowing it would be about him.
The panel shifted immediately.
[Personal Mission]
[Start a Legacy]
Mission Type: Master Mission
A great Master is defined by the brilliance of their disciples. As one seeking to leave behind a legacy, how can you be without them?
Objective: Recruit and formally accept 4 disciples
Progress: 1 / 4 (25%)
Time Limit: 10 Years
Reward: Varies based on completion speed
Failure Penalty: Mission Function will be locked for 10 years
Alex's lips twitched slightly.
It didn't take much to understand what the Mission tab was about—complete tasks assigned by the system and receive rewards in return.
What stood out, however, was that these rewards were separate from the usual cashback mechanism. That meant they could be anything.
But it wasn't the existence of the mission system that caught Alex off guard—it was the mission's content.
Recruit and formally accept four disciples.
If it were as simple as pulling a few people off the street and calling them disciples, he would've been thrilled. Unfortunately, things weren't that easy.
For a disciple to be recognized by the system, they had to possess talent on par with his own—or better.
Alex wasn't being arrogant. He simply understood reality: talents like his didn't show up every day.
'What I don't know is whether that penalty will really affect me…'
The time limit was ten years, but unless he stumbled across a miracle—and judging by his Fortune stat, that wasn't likely—he wasn't confident.
"I can only try my best," he muttered.
Shaking the thought away, he continued reading.
It turned out the disciple recruitment mission wasn't the only one listed under his personal missions.
There was another—one that was truly personal.
[Transcend the Mortal Shell]
Mission Type: Advancement Mission
The Nascent Stage is not the end—it is but the cocoon.
Objective: Perfect the Nascent Realm.
Time Limit: 50 Years
Reward:
One Soul-Grade Cultivation Technique
+1 to Comprehension and Will
Failure Penalty:
Cannot attempt breakthrough again for 100 years
Alex's lips twitched.
Why did it feel like each mission was worse than the last?
Still, he couldn't deny that the reward for this one was incredibly tempting.
A Soul-grade cultivation technique?
That alone was worth coveting.
Such a technique could guide a cultivator with enough talent all the way to the Soul Formation Realm—the peak of power in this region.
In contrast, Alex's current technique was merely a Top-grade Nascent Technique, barely enough to carry him to the peak of the Nascent Stage.
Even if his talent could push him further, talent without the proper foundation was like a blade without a whetstone—limited.
Then there was the second reward.
+1 to Comprehension and Will.
"Wait… natural talent can be improved?" Alex murmured.
Technically, it was possible. Cultivators could enhance their innate gifts through rare treasures, secret arts, or fortuitous encounters.
But for the system to treat it like a stat increase in a game?
"And isn't ten the maximum?" Alex frowned.
His Comprehension was already maxed out at ten—at least according to the system.
No further explanation was given, though, which only deepened the mystery.
"I guess I'll have to figure that out myself," Alex muttered.
Despite the weight of the mission, he couldn't deny its appeal.
Still, he had more pressing concerns—like actually completing his first mission.
Thankfully, aside from these two, there didn't seem to be any others for now.
His first impression of the mission system was… mixed.
With a quiet sigh, he turned his attention away from his Personal Mission tab and selected Disciple Mission instead.
The interface shifted once more.
[Evelyn Stone]
He tapped on her name.
The screen rippled, and a new mission window emerged beneath Evelyn's name.
[Disciple Mission: Evelyn Stone]
Mission Type: Foundation Support
Even a dull ember, under the right conditions, may one day blaze into fire.
Objective: Help Evelyn reach the Foundation Establishment Realm.
Time Limit: 5 Years
Reward: Unlock Custom Guidance Feature
Failure Penalty: Decreased Disciple Potential (Permanent)
Alex raised an eyebrow.
Cultivation began with Body Tempering, followed by Qi Condensation, then Foundation Establishment, Core Formation, Nascent Soul, and beyond.
Five years to push Evelyn from the Qi Condensation realm to Foundation Establishment was a tight window especially given her natural talent.
However, the reward didn't seem…..bad?
"What's this Guidance Feature?" he muttered, trying to tap the words, but nothing expanded.
"Locked, huh. Figures."
Still, he could make some educated guesses. Anything labeled "custom guidance" likely had to do with more personalized cultivation advice or techniques.
What made his expression turn serious, though, was the penalty.
Decreased disciple potential. Permanently.
That was no joke.
Evelyn's talent was already incredibly poor.
Any reduction would only make it worse.