Lin Chen woke up optimistic.
This was his first mistake.
The sun was gentle.
The sect was quiet.
No thunder.
No glowing vegetables.
"See?" Lin Chen said to himself. "Normal."
> System Notification:
Daily Sect Report:
– Disciples: Training
– Formations: Stable
– Spirit Crops: Behaving
– Heaven: Watching (Passively)
"…Define passively," Lin Chen muttered.
---
Morning training proceeded smoothly.
Su Ming practiced sword forms with focus.
Li Yue guided the new disciples through breathing techniques.
Zhao Feng… tried.
Little Green stayed firmly planted in the soil with a sign:
REFORMED
Lin Chen watched suspiciously.
Too suspiciously.
---
Just before noon, a messenger bird arrived.
Lin Chen caught it mid-air.
The jade slip glowed.
> Message:
"To Sect Master Lin Chen—
We humbly request permission to observe your sect's agricultural methods.
Signed, Green Valley Sect."
Lin Chen squinted.
"…They named themselves Green Valley?"
Zhao Feng whispered, "Master, that feels targeted."
---
Before Lin Chen could respond, a second bird arrived.
Then a third.
Then a fourth.
By the time lunch came, Lin Chen was holding a stack of jade slips.
Requests included:
"Exchange disciples for farming knowledge"
"Temporary radish visitation"
"Marriage alliance (radish optional)"
Lin Chen dropped the last one.
"…Absolutely not."
---
The system chimed helpfully.
> New Sect Interaction Options Unlocked:
– Sect Exchange
– Trade Agreements
– Cultural Exchange (Why?)
Lin Chen sighed.
"We're becoming a tourist attraction."
---
The real disaster struck in the afternoon.
Zhao Feng burst into the main hall.
"MASTER! EMERGENCY!"
Lin Chen jumped up. "Heaven?"
"No!"
"Good."
"The radish is missing."
Lin Chen froze.
"…What."
---
They sprinted to the farm.
Little Green's spot was empty.
Only a sign remained:
FIELD TRIP
Lin Chen felt his soul leave his body.
"FIELD TRIP WHERE?!"
---
Moments later, a scream echoed from the mountain path.
They rushed over—
To find Little Green surrounded by outer disciples.
The radish had rolled downhill.
Accidentally.
Into town.
It stood proudly in the marketplace, glowing softly.
A crowd had gathered.
Someone shouted, "IT'S THE RADISH SAGE!"
Someone else yelled, "BOW!"
A merchant was already selling Radish Sage Replicas.
Lin Chen arrived just in time to see a child bow and immediately break through to Body Tempering 3.
Lin Chen collapsed.
> System Alert:
Faith-Based Cultivation Detected
Risk: High
Recommendation: Stop This Immediately
---
Lin Chen shoved his way forward and grabbed Little Green.
"YOU," he hissed, "ARE GROUNDED."
The radish held up a sign:
I JUST ROLLED
Lin Chen carried it away under his arm like contraband.
The crowd wailed.
"Heavenly One, don't go!"
Thunder rumbled faintly.
Lin Chen looked up.
"No."
The thunder stopped.
---
Back at the sect, Lin Chen placed Little Green back in the soil and erected a barrier.
> New Restriction Established:
Mascot Movement: Locked
Little Green sighed and flipped its sign over:
I WILL REFLECT
Lin Chen slumped into a chair.
"This," he said weakly, "was supposed to be a normal day."
Su Ming bowed. "Master, the sect's influence spreads naturally."
Zhao Feng added, "Like roots."
Lin Chen glared.
The system chimed one final time.
> Sect Influence Expanded:
Region Awareness: +1
Title Earned: 'The Sect That Must Be Explained'
Lin Chen stared at the ceiling.
"Tomorrow," he said,
"we lock the gates."
Little Green raised its sign:
UNDERSTANDABLE
And somewhere far away, Heaven sighed—
because explaining this sect was becoming very difficult.