Tyler woke up to birdsong, distant thunder, and the faint scent of roasting roots.
For a brief moment, he thought he was back in his trailer, dreaming again. But then he sat up, winced at the pain in his back from sleeping on the floor, and saw the Spirit Kush field glowing in the morning light.
Right. Fantasy world. Cultivation sect. Deadly disciples turned stoner roommates.
He stood, stretched, and stepped outside the hut.
Grubroot was already up, hammering a new stone fence into place with his fists. Each strike shook the earth, sending vibrations up Tyler's spine.
Calmleaf sat cross-legged at the edge of the valley, eyes closed, drawing energy from the rising sun. He hadn't moved in what looked like hours, surrounded by a quiet hum of spiritual energy.
Sparkwind was hanging upside down from a tree limb, scribbling notes onto a scroll that sparked every few seconds. Occasionally he'd mutter "No, no, too much volatility," and throw the scroll into the air, where it burst into harmless light before he'd start again.
Tyler shook his head and chuckled. "Well, the boys are busy."
The system pinged.
[Daily Sect Tasks Available.]
[Sect Focus Options: 1. Cultivation Drills 2. Herbal Research 3. Infrastructure Development]
He selected 2. Herbal Research without hesitation. The weed came first.
[Task Initiated: Analyze Spirit Kush Properties.]
[Assign a Disciple? Recommended: Calmleaf.]
Tyler tapped Calmleaf's name on the menu, and the cultivator's eyes opened as if on cue.
"I am summoned," he said, rising to his feet.
Tyler grinned. "I need you to figure out what makes the Spirit Kush tick. Try not to inhale too much."
Calmleaf gave a slow bow. "Every breath is a meditation."
"Right… well, meditate with a microscope, or something."
While Calmleaf moved toward the field with a bundle of strange jade instruments, Tyler pulled up the system's sect screen.
Verdant Leaf Sect - Status Report
Rank: E
Spirit Herb Plot: 1 (High-Grade Spirit Kush)
Disciples: 3
Facilities: Basic Hut, Formation Shield, Stone Fence, Lightning Tool Bench
Contribution Points: 45
New Milestone: Develop Cultivation Curriculum
"Cultivation Curriculum?" Tyler muttered. "What do I look like, a professor?"
Still, he opened the menu and saw a simple goal: design at least one Sect Technique to share with disciples.
Underneath, a flashing tip:
"Teach what you know. The path of the master begins with the first puff."
Tyler squinted. "Teach what I know…?" He lit a leftover bit of Spirit Kush, took a long inhale, and stared at the horizon.
What did he know?
Back home, he'd been a decent grower, had a knack for plant care, and was pretty good at staying mellow under pressure. And—he had smoked a lot of weed. Different strains. Different forms. He'd studied the culture. The philosophy.
Maybe that counted for something here.
The smoke swirled around him. His mind drifted.
Ideas bloomed.
New Sect Technique Created!
Name: Cloud Mind Breathing TechniqueType: FoundationalEffect: Calms the mind, smooths Qi flow, increases spiritual receptivity.Flavor Text: "Like taking a deep breath after a long hit."
Disciples may now cultivate using Cloud Mind Breathing.
He hit "Share with Sect."
A burst of green mist rose from the ground, coiling into three tendrils that darted off—one to each disciple.
Sparkwind let out a whoop. "Yes! Finally something to balance out the chaos formations."
Grubroot blinked slowly. "I feel... floaty."
Calmleaf simply gave a quiet nod, already sliding into the new breathing rhythm.
The system dinged.
[+20 Sect Contribution for Cultivation Technique Shared.][Sect Reputation Increased: +Minor Local Rumor (Eastern Ridge Villages)]
"Nice," Tyler said, then immediately paused. "Wait—what was that last bit?"
He tapped the notification. A tiny map flickered open, showing dots on the surrounding area. Several small dots glowed near the edge of the valley.
Eastern Ridge Villages – Distance: 12 liRumor: A peaceful valley where even the maddest cultivator finds clarity.
He raised an eyebrow. "Word spreads fast."
"Master!" Sparkwind shouted from above. "Permission to test a Spirit Kush lightning channeler?"
Tyler looked up. Sparkwind was holding what looked like a thundercloud trapped in a crystal bong.
"Is it stable?"
"Define stable!"
"That's a no."
Sparkwind sighed. "Back to the drawing scroll."
Tyler turned to Calmleaf, who had just returned from the field holding a pouch of dried leaves and a tightly coiled scroll.
"These herbs," Calmleaf said quietly, "are unlike any I've encountered. They do not simply channel Qi—they guide it. The more one meditates with it, the more their spiritual flow synchronizes with the environment. It teaches the body peace."
"That's... poetic," Tyler said.
Calmleaf tilted his head. "It is weed."
Tyler burst out laughing. "Damn right it is."
The system pinged again.
[New Feature Unlocked: Meditation Grove]
[Designate an area within your territory to enhance disciple cultivation.]
He selected a patch beneath a broad, flowering tree by the river, not far from the Spirit Kush field.
The air shimmered as jade-colored grass grew in a circle, and glowing moss spread like a carpet. Soft wind chimes appeared on their own, chiming in time with the flow of Qi.
The three disciples, one by one, wandered toward the grove and sat.
Even Sparkwind, for once, was quiet.
Tyler sat nearby, cross-legged. He breathed in the rich, herby air, let the scent sink into his lungs, and matched the rhythm of the wind.
Time passed.
Minutes? Hours?
He wasn't sure.
But something deep inside began to settle. The constant background noise of his mind—the distractions, the overthinking, the little doubts—dimmed.
For a moment, everything was still.
[You have entered a Deep Meditation State.][Passive Skill Gained: Spirit Sync – Slightly improves synchronization with natural Qi flows.]
When he opened his eyes again, the sun was dipping low.
Grubroot was stacking polished stones into a quiet monument at the grove's edge.
Sparkwind was stringing together copper leaves into a wind-powered Qi sensor that whirred softly.
Calmleaf sat motionless, but his breathing echoed like a drumbeat in Tyler's chest.
The sect wasn't just functional now. It was alive.
Back at the hut, the system offered a reward.
[Daily Sect Growth Achieved.]
[You have earned: 1x Spiritual Soil Upgrade Token]
[Apply to any field to increase growth speed and quality.]
Tyler didn't hesitate. He walked to the Spirit Kush field and activated the token.
The soil shimmered gold. Roots stirred.
The plants grew slightly taller, their glow deeper, richer.
New tendrils sprouted tiny, translucent buds. The scent grew sharper—like mountain wind through wet earth.
Tyler grinned. "You're gonna be the holy grail of cultivation, aren't you?"
From behind him, Calmleaf spoke, "With a field like this, even a mortal could reach enlightenment."
Grubroot stomped up. "We should train."
Sparkwind appeared next to him, cheeks smudged with soot. "Or build a sparring ring that also cooks dumplings using redirected flame Qi."
Tyler blinked. "That... actually sounds amazing."
By nightfall, they had constructed a small training circle beside the meditation grove, ringed with stones and lit by hanging Spirit Herb lanterns. The lanterns didn't just give off light—they gave off vibes.
Soft music seemed to hum through the air. Every breath carried warmth. Tyler lit another Joint of Enlightenment and passed it around.
Grubroot inhaled once and said nothing for ten minutes.
Sparkwind inhaled and invented three new footwork techniques and forgot all of them immediately.
Calmleaf simply bowed and whispered, "Perfect harmony."
The night settled deep around them.
Tyler looked at his three disciples, then up at the stars. He wasn't a genius cultivator. He wasn't a martial master or ancient soul reborn.
He was just a dude who knew good weed when he saw it.
And apparently, that was enough.