Little Mortal tapped his glasses.
"Okay, enough wasting time.
Let me see... Hmmm... You should be done with blood analysis by now.
Categorize my followers' blood analysis by spirit roots and blood type first."
After looking at the data that appeared on a screen in front of him, he said in surprise,
"Wait a minute... These people's DNA is rotating counter-clockwise? It's the opposite of normal humans.
Shouldn't that be the reason—or one of the reasons—for them being able to absorb spiritual energy?"
After some time,
"Oh, interesting. There are traces left behind of all roots in everyone. It's just that some of them are dominant, and that's why they only activate one root most of the time after awakening."
Then he took out some books from his backpack and started reading them randomly.
"Based on what it says in these books that I found in the library, humans with a 'wood spirit root' can be similar to plants in some ways.
If that's the case, they should be able to photosynthesize, too.
Wouldn't that be revolutionary if everyone could use solar power as a source of energy?"
He himself gasped in shock.
Lady Butterfly, who was secretly listening, wondered if he was talking nonsense or if there was a possibility.
He then tapped the glasses again and said,
"See if there is a cultivation technique for absorbing solar power."
"Oh, there are some of them!
If I can give people the ability to absorb solar power, then I can complete one more condition from the Guardian Test.
But I need it to be combined with the fire spirit root because I know those with a fire root can show lots of resistance to heat.
If they want to absorb energy from the sun but don't have any heat resistance, then what's the use of it?"
Lady Butterfly heard another keyword!
'Guardian Test.'
Then she thought of herself being in the Guardian Special Force and connected the dots.
'So there's a "Guardian" position somewhere that he's going through a test to obtain?
But just one of the conditions for it requires a significant change like this?'
Little Mortal pondered,
"So, what I should do now is feed these people something that changes whatever their dominant spirit root is to fire and wood.
This way, when their spirit root is awakened, they only need to learn the technique for absorbing solar power, and they're good to go.
But we need to find out what supplements they should eat to activate the spirit root.
Suppose that happens, and everyone gains the ability to absorb solar power. In that case, a big part of 'world hunger' is going to be fixed in the future for humans, and it will naturally affect other creatures too because a crazy race won't go around all day to hunt and eat them."
He scratched his head.
"But is it possible to awaken whatever spirit root you want? Did other sects try it before?
Who should I ask about it?"
Little Mortal looked around, and his eyes locked onto Lady Butterfly first.
Lady Butterfly didn't wait for him and said,
"I've never heard anything about changing spirit roots.
If you have a dominant one, that's what you awaken in the end.
I only remember some rumors here and there about people trying it but never having any results."
Hearing her, Little Mortal nodded.
"Alright, let me ask someone who might know more about it."
And he took out his Guardian Token and started talking to it.
"This is Sect Master speaking. Mr. Scholar, do you hear me? Over."
....
In the Forbidden Jungle, inside the restricted area.
Scholar, who was meditating, suddenly saw a token jump out of his storage ring and drop into his hand.
Then the little monster's voice came out.
So he hurriedly answered,
"Greetings, Sect Master. I can hear you. Is everything okay? Did you reach your destination without a problem?"
The voice sounded again:
"Mr. Scholar, I already arrived at the sect, gathered my followers, and found a good place for my temporary headquarters.
So don't worry. Over."
Scholar, who heard him saying 'over' at the end of his sentence, said,
"Sect Master, do you need my help for anything? Over."
He wasn't surprised by him getting followers and finding a headquarters.
With Sword God's recommendation letter, it was as expected.
"Mr. Scholar, I need some information about any experience on changing people's spirit roots from dominant to other spirit roots before awakening."
And then, the two started talking about the topic.
It turned out there were some experiments long ago,
But because the result wasn't what they wanted, it was forgotten.
Only the 'Scholar' of each generation had the data of these outdated experiments.
After some discussion, Little Mortal said,
"So you can't change it, but if you strengthen it after the dominant root is awakened, you can use some not-too-complicated and straightforward techniques related to the strengthened root?
That's enough then.
All of these techniques for absorbing sunlight are just for beginners."
"Thank you for your time, Mr. Scholar. If there's nothing else, I'm out. Over."
Scholar thought a little and said,
"Sect Master, we ate the candy you gave us. Now it's stuck on our cheeks, and not only that, we can't comprehend the Dao anymore either. Is there a problem?
Should we be worried? Over."
Little Mortal, who almost laughed, stopped himself.
"I'll explain to you later. Don't worry, and don't waste your time on that Dao thing. Over."
And the conversation ended.
Lady Butterfly, who kept her silence the whole time, asked,
"Sect Master, may I ask who that was?
His voice seems familiar to me."
She was too familiar with the voice.
This voice was extremely famous in the cultivation world.
Scholar—the Emperor's advisor and the man with the most influence in the cultivation world—who gave lectures here and there occasionally.
That's why his voice was easy to recognize.
"It was your colleague, Mr. Scholar.
He boasted about knowing a lot, so he was the best option to discuss this matter with.
Lady Butterfly didn't know what to say.
She knew this man was one of the big shots of their world who had suddenly disappeared with others.
He was famous for gathering and spreading information everywhere, and he just contacted him like that?
And they're on the same team now? Didn't he ascend to the Immortal World?
"Sect Master, is he in the Immortal World right now?"
Little Mortal snorted.
"What Immortal World?
He's stuck in the jungle with the rest of your colleagues."
She raised her eyebrow in shock and asked,
"Which jungle do you mean?"
Little Mortal, who seemed a little impatient now because she kept bothering him, said,
"The one with Mr. Tiger and Madam Turtle.
What do you guys call it? Forbidden Jungle?"
Lady Butterfly's hair stood on end after suddenly hearing the name.
She thought,
'Mr. Tiger should be the "White Tiger King," and Madam Turtle is the "Wise Turtle," right?
And Scholar is trapped there with others?
Who are the "others"? Don't tell me the rest of the disappeared big shots are all over there, too?'
"Last question, Sect Master, and I won't bother you after that."
Little Mortal gave her an annoyed side glance but nodded in the end.
So she asked,
"Are they trapped there by the Wise Turtle and the White Tiger?"
But she saw him looking at her like she'd asked something stupid.
"Madam Turtle and Mr. Tiger are your colleagues, too. Why would they do that?
The other members, including Mr. Scholar, are being trapped by that old man.
But it's temporary, so don't worry."
Lady Butterfly, who was wondering what old man he was talking about, heard him mumbling to himself,
"If you were this powerful before, and he wasn't so weak now, you'd be in the same place as them."
Then, while chuckling, he went back to his research.
Lady Butterfly was speechless.
She now understood why he had asked her before:
"Why are you out?"
Anyone with a certain level of power would be trapped somewhere in the forbidden jungle.
'Why?'
On the side, Little Mortal started talking to himself:
"Okay, next is the problem with the downfall of spiritual energy.
My followers can't break through the butter-neck without enough spiritual energy.
And for this, I can't count on that old man—he's already out of the picture.
So, for my followers' shortage of spiritual energy, I should make a pill from the formulas that I gathered."
Lady Butterfly was more confused now.
'Is this old man the same as the one who trapped the big shots?
He's on our side, too?
One teammate trapped a bunch of other teammates?
Aaah, never mind, I don't understand what's going on…'
A while later, Little Mortal—as if he'd found what he needed to do—stood up and declared:
"Okay, research team, this is the plan.
1. Analyze all the pills and ingredients that can strengthen wood and fire spirit roots.
After that, test them on our blood samples.
We need a liquid substance that shows an effect in every blood type and strengthens their fire and wood roots so they can learn the necessary techniques for absorbing solar power.
Don't forget—the genes of these people should change. This way, the next generation won't need to think about finding any drugs to strengthen their wood and fire roots.
And don't worry about the resources for it. We can take care of it with our 'pot.' Just making a little of it is enough.
2. We need a 'supplement powder' for followers' 14 or 15 days of training to make their bodies strong enough for the day we activate their primary roots and the process after that.
With so many changes in their bodies from the liquid substances we're going to inject, they might die on that day from the pressure of their spirit roots awakening, since two other roots are going to join the awakening.
So, we need them to be strong enough for that day.
3. We need a pill to assist them when the time for the final spirit root activation arrives.
Find the formula and the ingredients, and I'll ask 'Grandma' to make it for us later."
Listening to him, Lady Butterfly understood every word he was saying, but she didn't know how it was going to work.
'You want to awaken ten thousand spirit roots altogether?
In this era?
How much resource is needed for that?
What do you mean your 'pot' can take care of it?
Are you talking about the same pot that just hit you?
And is the grandma who's supposed to make the pill the same one I know?
What kind of 'big-shot collection' is trapped there?'
At this moment, Luna and Rose arrived with one dish of food.
On the plate, there was only some cooked rice and one small fruit.
When they saw the scene in front of them, a hint of shock appeared on their faces.
Books, raw materials, and treasures were scattered on the ground around the little boy.
Then, they saw him clap his hands, and suddenly, a bunch of laboratory equipment jumped out of his backpack.
His glasses flew away and joined their colleagues.
All the books and other stuff on the ground were cleared out—some went back into the backpack, while the others flew after the glasses to be used.
After that, more materials, herbs, and ingredients came out.
Lady Butterfly, who recognized most of them, just watched the scene blankly.
'Did he rob the sect storehouse?'
Soon, a bunch of ancient-looking books with high-class names came out too…
'Okay, so he robbed the sect library on his way to the storehouse, too. That's why both of those tokens were with him…'
Little Mortal, now in his lab coat, joined the fun and started moving here and there in this chaotic-looking scene.
After around half an hour, the glasses suddenly started flashing with red light.
He put the glasses on, furrowed his eyebrows after a moment, and turned to Lady Butterfly, saying:
"Lady Butterfly, what is 'power grass'?
It wasn't in the storehouse ingredients!"
Lady Butterfly thought for a moment and said:
"Oh, it's that grass.
It's not in the sect storehouse because of the one who cultivates it.
It's special, so even sect members need to beg the owner for some of it, and he mostly pretends not to have it and uses it for himself…"
"He pretends not to have it, and people need to beg for it?
Oh, I get it.
It's an illegal drug with only one drug dealer selling it in the sect!
Looks like someone doesn't want to share his stuff…
But where is the seller?"
Lady Butterfly was confused.
What illegal drug? What drug dealer? What is he talking about?
"It belongs to the Body Refinement Elder in the mountain beside the storehouse—'Elder Iron.'
Should I go get it for you?"
Little Mortal shook his head,
"It's not a suitable job for a lady like yourself to go there.
Mr. Morleone can handle it."
Then he smelled something and turned around.
"Oh, the food is ready!
Little Pot, come here!
Big Guy, table, and chairs.
Don't forget plates for everyone."
Before Lady Butterfly could ask who this Mr. Morleone was, in the blink of an eye, a table with four chairs and four plates appeared, complete with spoons and forks beside them.
Little Mortal ran to Luna, and the pot—which now looked more like a frying pan—flew after him.
Then he jumped up, took the plate from Luna's hand, and emptied it into the pot.
After all of this, he ran to the table and sat on one of the chairs like a polite little boy ready for his food.
The pot hovered in the air, trembling slightly.
Then it moved toward the table and emptied itself onto the first plate.
The same food that had been poured into it came out—some spirit rice and a fruit.
The ladies were puzzled.
What was the point of the same thing coming out again?
But then they saw it move to the next plate.
It poured the same food onto the second plate… then the third… and finally, the plate in front of Little Mortal!
Luna just stared blankly.
She was tired of the things that had happened today.
Nothing was normal around this kid.
Rose was the first to go to the table and sit down.
She asked:
"Sect Master, your pot is so magical. What else can it copy?
Is there a limit?"
Lady Butterfly mentally applauded her granddaughter.
She had been thinking the same question.
She signaled to Luna, and the two sat down with them.
Little Mortal looked at his assistant and said:
"Anything consumable can be copied, and the limit of it is…"
Then he stopped talking, as if he didn't know the answer either.
After scratching his head for a while, he shrugged.
"How should I know? I'm just a child."
For the first time, the three ladies felt that this little boy really was just a child.
Little Mortal, unable to wait any longer, put his palms together as if praying, closed his eyes, and said:
"I wish blessings for those who prepared it and those who serve it, and may we be ever mindful of those who go hungry tonight."
Then he picked up his spoon and fork and stared at Lady Butterfly.
Lady Butterfly—who didn't remember the last time she'd heard someone pray before food—felt his gaze and understood the meaning behind it.
'You're the elder here. We're waiting for you to start so we can too.'
So she smiled and began eating while thinking:
'Monster or not, now he's just a ki—'
But before her thought could finish, she saw blue mist seeping from the little boy's nose and mouth.
Every time he put a spoonful of rice into his mouth, blue mist escaped shortly after…
'What is this creature…?'