While Lady Butterfly was on her way to the Sword Sect, and Little Mortal was on his way back to the inn,
Rose asked the followers to return for an urgent matter.
"Tell everyone that we need to provide a condition so the Sect Master can train us faster.
My grandmother said that because the Sect Master doesn't have any spirit roots, he can't see that you guys have already fully recovered to continue with the training.
But you can feel it yourselves, like me, that just this one single training session made us all completely different!
We're all full of energy now, so let's use it.
Aren't you going to work on the farms tomorrow morning?
Let's do it now before the sky gets dark, and I'll try to ask the Sect Master to train us more than once each day—if it's possible and there's no harm for us!"
Then she looked at them with pleading eyes.
"I hope you guys can accept my request.
It will be a big favor to me and my grandmother!"
The team leaders didn't even think or discuss it.
"Lady Rose, what are you saying?
Such a small request isn't any favor!"
"He's right. We've even seen you grow up like our own children, and you've been our support more than anyone in the sect all these years. It's just a small matter."
"Thank you, everyone!
Let's get to work, then."
And the farmlands were soon filled with people. Those who had left came back after hearing the news and joined the rest.
The most interesting thing today was the older people—those with hunched backs, missing teeth, and various physical ailments common to the elderly.
Surprisingly, they were all standing straight now and walking like normal people.
Somewhere at the start of the training, while doing some stretching moves, they were forced to stand straight.
They even heard some bones making cracking sounds in their backs, as if they were breaking—
then healing, then cracking again, and healing again.
But because they couldn't talk at that point,
No one could cry, scream, or show their pain.
And after the training was over, they rolled on the ground from the pain, like the rest, but their posture didn't return to how it was before.
Even new teeth were growing in their mouths!
If they weren't sure whether this was a miracle or not, seeing the blind and deaf followers still able to see and hear—even though the Little Sect Master wasn't around—gave them reason to believe this little "evil" was indeed creating miracles!
Either way, a group of living agricultural machines
started working with unlimited energy in the farmlands, ignoring the miracles.
A certain old manager, who saw another weird effect from this uninvited guest, influenced their minds to ignore the elephant in the room for now.
What kind of chaos would erupt if word got out that there was someone here who could casually cure any bodily imperfection just by training you once?
The entire cultivation world would rush here with their sick people...
...
Outer Sect City.
Little Mortal came back to the inn and sat on his backpack, waiting for the rest to arrive.
More than half an hour later, Luna arrived.
She had run all the way here from the training ground.
She couldn't believe it at first, but the energy inside her body was unlimited!
So she kept running to see when her energy would run out—but it never happened, even by the time she returned.
The reason for her coming back was Rose.
She had asked her not to leave their boss alone and, if he wanted dinner, to make something for him.
Now, he was the most important person for her grandmother.
Seeing her come in, Little Mortal asked,
"Hello, Manager Luna. Where are the rest?"
Luna repeated what Rose had told her:
"Sect Master, your followers are trying to surprise you with something tomorrow, and Assistant Rose is helping them."
Little Mortal jumped up in shock.
"How is that possible? A surprise… for me?"
Luna nodded and was about to make it more believable, but she saw him suddenly frown and look outside the window.
"Sect Master, did something happen?"
"Hmm? Oh, nothing. I just heard a loud 'DANG!'
Like a bell sound!"
Luna sighed in relief.
"Oh, the Sect Master is calling the elders to gather for a meeting."
Little Mortal rolled his eyes.
"When did I call anybody for a meeting!?"
Luna was confused for a moment, then understood.
"Not you, Sect Master.
I mean the sect's 'Sect Master.'"
"Oh, I thought you were talking about me."
But he suddenly paused, his eyes widening in surprise.
"Eeeh! My teacher is out of seclusion?"
And before Luna could understand what was happening, she saw him already running out of the inn—with the backpack on his back and his recommendation letter in hand!
When he reached the door, he came to a stop.
"Oh, I almost forgot!
Where is the meeting hall?"
Luna answered without thinking.
"I once heard it's at the top of the highest mountain peak in the sect territory."
"Alright, goodbye for now, Manager Luna!
I'm off to meet Teacher and become his official disciple!"
Then, with a whistle, the tricycle appeared.
He jumped on it and rode away while shouting,
"You lazy Sword God, wait for me!"
Hearing his last sentence, Luna stood there in confusion.
She knew what he meant by becoming the Sect Master's official disciple, but what did he mean by Sword God?
The Sect Master was the Snow Goddess… not the Sword God…
While confused, the little boy had already vanished, weaving through buildings until the path behind him was blocked...
Luna felt something wasn't right.
It was a simple sentence, and if it had been a normal child, she would've thought he'd said it wrong.
But nothing was normal about this kid!
Luna suddenly remembered his complaint to the Sect Master—the list he'd made. She had been in it, too, at the beginning.
"Now that I think about it, what he was going to complain about wasn't anything wrong in demonic sects, but in righteous sects, things like that are unacceptable!"
Luna gasped.
"Is it possible that he thinks this is the Sword Sect?
If that's the case, wouldn't Rose's mother be in danger when he finds out she isn't the teacher he's looking for?"
Luna's heart sank!
She drew on the unlimited energy from her spirit creatine and ran back toward the gathering place to tell Rose what had just happened.
She still didn't know how the Sword God had given him a recommendation letter from himself to be his own disciple, but it was better not to risk it!
...
Demoness Sect – Inner Sect
Near the highest mountain peak of the sect,
where the meeting hall was located,
A young lady in a white robe stood at the beginning of the mountain path.
She was Snow White, the only disciple of the Sect Master, the Snow Goddess.
She was here to welcome the elders, as usual.
She did this every time as the Sect Master's sole disciple.
While waiting for the elders to arrive, she suddenly heard a child's voice beside her.
"Junior Sister, do you know where the meeting hall for the elders is?"
At first, her heart skipped a beat.
'Who is it? When did he get so close to me?'
But at the same time, she felt confused.
'Junior Sister? I'm the eldest disciple of the sect.
Who would call me Junior?'
Curious, she looked down and saw a little brat on a tricycle, with a big backpack on his back,
looking at her so arrogantly that if she didn't know better, she'd have thought he owned the sect and was truly her senior brother!
While shocked, she noticed his black robe and furrowed her brow.
He even had wristbands and a headband, which meant most of the people in his family had been killed.
'So that's why he's so arrogant at such a young age.
He's one of those black robes that can't be touched…'
Understanding the truth, she pointed up the road and said,
"That way."
She didn't like them and didn't want to interact with them at all, so she answered curtly and looked behind him.
Who had brought this kid here?
Was it that old trash from the Law Enforcement Hall?
He was the only elder who was one of them as well.
But no one appeared.
She looked down again to ask the kid what he was doing here—but to her shock, the little brat was already gone!
She looked behind her, but he wasn't on the road either...
"Where did he go?
How could he appear and disappear with that big backpack without me noticing?"
...
Sect's Meeting Hall
At that moment, a lady with white hair and eyes, wearing a white robe similar to Snow White's (but with additional patterns), sat in the main seat at the round table.
She was the Sect Master of the Demoness Sect—the Snow Goddess.
Right now, she was lost in thought about her daughter being kidnapped, the suspicious masked men, and what they were after.
After sealing one of them with the Sword God, to their surprise,
They discovered an extra restriction on the guy—one even they couldn't bypass to extract information!
Who was behind all this? And who had taken care of the other two?
But without her realizing it, her thoughts kept being pulled away from the matter.
Deep in contemplation, she heard a knock on the hall's large door.
She thought to herself,
'Who is so polite as to knock before entering?'
And said,
"Please, come in."
Then she saw the door open,
And a little three-year-old boy walked in with a big backpack on his back.
Puzzled, she studied him more carefully to see if she recognized him—and noticed the oversized black robe with red patterns he was wearing.
'Who let this little kid out of the house?
And what's the deal with his robe?
Which one of those annoying old men had a kid at such an age?'
Seeing the headband and wristbands, the Snow Goddess frowned.
'His family members are already dead?'
Annoyed, she watched as the little boy approached the round table and started looking around.
When he reached the chair beside her,
He picked it up and moved it aside.
Seeing him lift the chair, the Snow Goddess was surprised!
She was amazed by this kid's strength—lifting such a heavy stone chair so easily.
After that, he placed his backpack where the chair had been.
The Snow Goddess, watching him act as if he owned the place, was speechless.
'Is this kid crazy?
Why did he move the chair that belonged to the old trash?'
The little boy turned to her, cupped his hands, bowed slightly, and said,
"Greetings, Fellow Daoist."
Then he stared at her, as if waiting for her to return the greeting.
So she nodded and said,
"Greetings."
The little boy then climbed onto the backpack under her suspicious gaze and sat there quietly.
'Having both a headband and wristbands means he's lost most of his family—parents included. But I don't know of any black robes dying after that deal 300 years ago.
So how does a three-year-old show up with both parents already dead?
It doesn't make sense!'
With just one glance, the Snow Goddess was sure this kid was probably an imposter.
To test whether he'd just put on the headband for fun or if it was real, she asked,
"That's a nice robe you have. Where did you get it?"
The little boy smiled.
"When I was coming here to meet my teacher, I saw a guy with this robe flying by, and I liked the design, so I made one for myself.
Cool, huh?"
Snow Goddess: "..."
'You liked the design, so you made one for yourself?'
"The chair you moved—do you know whose chair it was?"
The little boy rolled his eyes at her.
"I can read! The name was written on the back."
Indeed, Law Enforcement Hall Master was carved behind the chair.
The Snow Goddess continued,
"What if he comes in now?
I know him—he might beat you up for disrespecting him like this."
The little boy chuckled.
"He's not coming.
It should be fine if I sit here for at least one day—until the Sect Master chooses a new Law Enforcement Hall Master."
The Snow Goddess frowned.
'What is this kid saying? How does he know that old trash isn't coming? Was he sent here by him?'
She was about to ask who the teacher he was looking for was, but the door opened, and the fiery-haired Elder Sun entered.
The two were about to greet each other, but someone else was faster.
"Oh, Elder Sun! Hello!"
Elder Sun saw a little boy waving at him and was confused at first.
'Who is this kid?'
But then he remembered him.
Seeing him beside the Sect Master, he assumed this was the kid who'd called himself Sect Master and was supposed to become the Snow Goddess's disciple.
He thought to himself,
'So the Sect Master brought him here to introduce him to us elders today?'
He waved back and, with a smile, said,
"Ho ho, if it isn't the Little Sect Master! Hello, hello!"
Then he bowed to the Snow Goddess and sat in his chair to the left of Little Mortal.
The Snow Goddess's eyes widened.
'Little Sect Master?
Is he the next Sect Master?
When did I choose him to succeed me?'
Elder Sun suddenly felt the hall's temperature drop.
He glanced at the Snow Goddess in puzzlement.
'What is she doing?
I didn't even talk to her—why is she already angry?'
Before he could figure it out, a sound came from outside.
When Little Mortal heard it, he got excited and started patting Elder Sun's shoulder (since his chair was beside him), saying,
"Did you hear that, Elder Sun?
That's the legendary Cold Snort!
A big shot is coming!"
Seeing his excitement, Elder Sun said,
"That's our Supreme Elder. She always does that before entering."
Hearing this, Little Mortal jumped down from the backpack and started running around the table.
Under the confused gazes of Elder Sun and the Snow Goddess, when he reached the chair to the Sect Master's right—the one labeled Supreme Elder—he suddenly stopped, as if he'd found his target.
A moment later, a woman with purple eyes and pink hair came in.
Elder Sun bowed without raising his head.
He didn't dare to look at this charming lady for too long.
When she arrived beside Snow Goddess, and they were ready to greet each other, someone else was faster.
Supreme Elder saw her chair moving a little away from the table while a little boy's voice came from behind it:
"If it isn't our favorite Supreme Elder.
With your arrival, you brought light to our humble abode.
Please, sit."
While sitting down, the Supreme Elder wondered, Who is this polite boy who called the meeting hall a 'humble abode' and welcomed her in this manner?
A moment later, she saw a little boy climbing up the big backpack beside Elder Sun.
Looking at his robe, the headband, and the wristbands, she thought for a moment, and a knowing smile appeared on her face.
'Oh, so this sister of mine took a little brat—without any family left—from those special sect members to raise as her disciple. Then, when he's strong enough, he'll be on the frontlines to deal with that group of black robes.
There's no problem if they kill each other.
But whose kid is he?
I don't remember anyone dying recently.'
While she was smiling at Little Mortal, Sword Goddess's heart sank seeing her like this...
It was as if the Supreme Leader was looking at someone with a promising future!
As if she were eyeing the next sect master!
She couldn't believe her trusted sister was on the rebellion team too!
At the same time, the future sect master was eyeing the purple-eyed lady with pink hair suspiciously.
Then, he suddenly gasped, his eyes widening in shock.
Elder Sun gave a knowing look and nodded.
He thought, 'Even a little boy can't resist her charm.'
But Little Mortal suddenly smiled and said to her,
"So, you changed sides, huh? ... Smart decision."
Then he nodded in approval, like a senior acknowledging his junior's life-changing choice.
While the Supreme Elder was puzzled—What is this kid talking about?—Sword Goddess felt her heart break at that moment.
She saw the little boy gasp, but Elder Sun nodded at him, as if to say, "Yes, you guessed right!"
And then he seemed to understand something and told her old friend—the one she'd always thought of as a sister—'So you changed sides.'
As if saying, Welcome to the rebellion!
She felt a dagger plunge into her heart...
The temperature in the hall suddenly dropped even further.
Elder Sun grew more puzzled.
He thought, 'Why is she getting mad before we even start the meeting?
Wait... Now that I think about it, could it be because of the outer sect city?
Did her experiment fail there?
Or did those immortals do something?'
Meanwhile, the Supreme Elder smiled at Sword Goddess and nodded.
She was trying to say she fully supported the plan to raise this kid and unleash him to kill all the black robes.
She even noticed the Law Enforcement Hall Master's chair had been set aside, replaced by this little boy.
She understood: the fight was on from this moment onward.
They just needed to wait for that old trash to arrive, and then the show would begin.
But when Snow Goddess saw her smiling with such confidence, she felt even worse.
She thought, 'They planned this rebellion so perfectly that they believe nothing can stop them?
So confident?'
The temperature in the hall plummeted again.
Elder Sun looked at her first, then at the little boy, as if saying,
'Can't you see there's a child here? Are you going to freeze him?'
But to his—and the Supreme Elder's—surprise, the little boy sat there as if he didn't feel a thing.
The Supreme Elder and Snow Goddess attempted to convey a spiritual message to each other, but surprisingly, they were unable to do so.
The Supreme Elder had meant to say, 'Don't get so excited—control yourself.'
Snow Goddess had wanted to ask, 'After so many years of friendship, why betray me?'
But it didn't matter how many times they tried; no spiritual message could be sent.
The Supreme Elder assumed Snow Goddess had done this as a safety measure, to prevent leaks.
Snow Goddess, however, thought, 'They mean to kill me here, without even letting me call for help.'
Once again, the temperature dropped.
White mist now curled from Elder Sun's mouth with every breath.
Now he knew something was wrong today... Really wrong.
The Sect Master was growing angrier for no reason...
As tension thickened in the hall, two more people entered.
An elderly man with a simple, honest face, and a middle-aged woman who seemed relaxed and oddly cheerful, both in elder robes.
The moment they stepped in, both felt the urge to turn around and leave.
'What's going on here?
We didn't do anything, right?
The meeting hasn't even started, and she's already this angry?
Did that old trash do something again?'
But before they could retreat, the Sect Master commanded,
"Sit."
They gulped and obeyed, taking their seats without protest.
Little Mortal glanced at Elder Sun and asked,
"Elder Sun, who are these two elders?"
Elder Sun—amazed by the child's cold resistance—coughed and said,
"The lady is the storehouse manager, and the gentleman beside her oversees the sect library."
Little Mortal nodded and added,
"And they're never at work."
The Supreme Elder nearly laughed but caught herself just in time.
Snow Goddess said nothing, only shooting him a sharp glance.
The two targeted elders were speechless.
'Who is this kid? Why's he targeting us?
Do we even know you?
And why are you sitting where the Law Enforcement Hall Master should be?'
But seeing his black robe—and the Sect Master's silence—they held their tongues.
'Forget it.'
They waited, but neither Elder Iron nor that old trash appeared.
Finally, they glanced at Snow Goddess, thinking,
'It's already freezing—can we start?'
Snow Goddess, tired of waiting to see if more rebels would show, announced,
"Let's begin the meeting."
But before anyone else could speak, the little boy interjected,
"Aren't we waiting for the Sect Master to arrive?"
Hearing him, Elder Sun remembered: this child had never met his teacher. He'd only had a recommendation letter for her, but she'd been in seclusion all this time.
Was the Sect Master playing a joke on him?
As he tried to gesture subtly toward the woman beside them, the others were baffled.
She's right beside you—are you blind?
The Snow Goddess looked at him and thought to herself,
'So that's how it is?
I'm curious how these weaklings wanted to rebel with just this number!
But it turns out that old trash is behind all of this?
He put a little kid in his place because he thinks he's the sect master now?
Does he think this child can piss me off enough to attack him, get punished by Heaven, and then come to take me down?
If he wants to play like this, then I'll play with him!
Let's see if he can make me attack this brat!'
So she smiled coldly and said,
"We can start without him. He is not coming now."
While the elders were confused by what she meant by 'he,' the Little Sect Master, hearing her say he wasn't coming, suddenly became angry.
"I came all the way here to give him my recommendation letter! How can he be so lazy and not come?
If he isn't coming, why did he ring that stupid bell?
No wonder this sect's management is so poor!
Even the sect master isn't coming to work!
Let's close it for good.
A bunch of lazy old people gathered on a mountain and calling it a sect?
How about we call it a 'retirement camp'?"
Seeing the little boy suddenly snap, the elders' jaws dropped!
The Supreme Elder's smile froze!
The Snow Goddess's eyes widened in shock...
She had really lost her temper for a moment and was about to kick this kid out of the hall, but stopped herself in time!
She thought to herself,
'This kid is really good at making me angry enough to attack him!
Good job, old trash! Good job! You trained him well!'
But she calmed herself down and said,
"What recommendation letter? Maybe I can help you."
The little angry boy jumped down from his backpack, took out a letter, and gave it to her with both hands respectfully.
The Snow Goddess didn't understand what the deal was with this kid—he was angry and rude to her and the whole sect one moment, and polite the next...
She took the letter and opened it.
When the letter was opened, all of them felt, for a moment, something sharp against their necks.
But the feeling disappeared as fast as it appeared.
Astonished by the sword aura—and how another sword aura in her body, left by her husband, resonated with it—the Snow Goddess read the letter aloud for everyone to hear:
"I, your master, recommend Fellow Daoist Mortal, with the Daoist name 'Sect Master,' to you, Sect Master of the Sword Sect, the current 'Sword God,' as your disciple. I hope you can support him on the path to becoming our (this part is secret to you).
Signed by Former Sword God..."
When she finished reading, everyone was speechless.
Sword God's master?
Sword Sect?
Current Sword God?
The Snow Goddess looked at the little boy and asked,
"Are you the 'Sect Master' in this letter?"
The Little Sect Master nodded and showed her his sect token with his Daoist name on it.
When they saw the 'Sect Master' name on it, they all looked at the Snow Goddess, who didn't know what to think.
'I feel there are so many misunderstandings here that need to be clarified...'
After a brief silence, she took out her own token.
When the crowd saw the real sect master token, they looked at Elder Sun.
He was responsible for accepting new disciples, issuing them tokens, and later adding their Daoist names.
Elder Sun was as confused as they were.
He just remembered giving the boy a blank token—where did the name on it come from?
The Snow Goddess asked,
"Where did you get this token from?"
Little Mortal pointed at Elder Sun.
"And who engraved the 'Sect Master' name on it?"
"Myself. As I said, I can read, so I naturally can write too."
The elders started scratching their heads, not knowing what was going on.
How could you write that name on your token when there's already someone with a similar name? Just because you know how to write?
"Forget about that. Do you know where you are?"
"Sword Sect. Where else?"
They turned to Elder Sun again, their eyes screaming:
'What in the world is this kid doing in our sect with our sect robe and Sect Master token if he's looking for the Sword Sect with a recommendation letter from the previous Sword God, huh?'
Elder Sun gulped and said,
"The first time I saw him, he already had this robe on.
And about that letter... I opened it a little, and when I felt the sword aura inside, I thought..."
He didn't continue, but the rest understood—there had been a misunderstanding.
He thought the sword aura belonged to the Sword God (the Snow Goddess's husband), so he didn't dare open it fully.
The Snow Goddess asked the little boy,
"Why do you think this is the Sword Sect and not the Demoness Sect?"
The little boy rolled his eyes,
"Are you new here?"
The Snow Goddess just closed her eyes and rubbed her temples.
The Supreme Elder was secretly giggling while covering her mouth.
The elders were baffled by this kid's way of speaking!
Is the Sect Master new to her own sect?
Seeing her silence, the Little Sect Master confirmed she was indeed new here, so he continued,
"Look, do you see that snowy mountain range over there?"
The Snow Goddess looked outside the window and nodded.
"The one who gave me the letter said that's the Demoness Sect, and the mountain range without snow—with the statue of the guy with a sword at the beginning of its road—leads to the Sword Sect."
The Supreme Elder stopped laughing and looked outside.
The elders slapped their foreheads.
So that's why this kid thought this was the Sword Sect...
Then they all looked at the Snow Goddess.
She was the one responsible for all of this.
Seeing everyone staring at her, the Snow Goddess felt embarrassed.
But at this moment, she was happy—because she realized there had been no rebellion, and she'd been overthinking everything.
The room temperature returned to normal.
Then, in a good mood, she said,
"I am the sect master here. Look, this is my Sect Master token."
The Little Sect Master looked at the token, then at the lady, then at the statue outside...
Then he turned to the rest of the people and said,
"Is it just me, or does this lady not match that Sect Master statue outside?"
The elders kept their silence.
But the Supreme Elder giggled and said,
"I wonder why?"
Little Mortal suddenly gasped!
His eyes widened in shock as he pointed at the Snow Goddess and shouted,
"You're the boss from the Demoness Stronghold!"
Then he slapped his own forehead and screamed in sadness.
"Oh no! You guys already took over the Sword Sect!
How is this possible?
Teacher, you died an unjust death before I could even meet you!"
He kneeled on the ground, 'tears' streaming from his eyes...
The Supreme Elder couldn't control herself anymore and started laughing.
The rest looked at the ceiling and didn't dare even to breathe.
This crazy kid had just called their sect a stronghold and the Snow Goddess boss...