Also known as: "Wait, I Started a Sect War with Dumplings?"
Wei Long was staring at a piece of stone.
The spiral etched into it was identical to the one shown in his vision. Not similar. Not coincidental.
Identical.
The girl — dusty shoes, nervous hands — watched him like a pilgrim unsure if she'd reached the right shrine or accidentally walked into a tea shop.
"I… I'm sorry," she whispered. "She told me you'd help."
Wei Long looked up, confused. "Who's 'she'?"
"My mother."
"Where is she?"
The girl hesitated.
"…She died twelve years ago."
Wei Long raised an eyebrow. "So… she told you to find me before I became famous?"
The girl nodded.
Wei Long rubbed his temple. "Right. Of course. Time-traveling dead parents. We're overdue."
That night, the girl led them to an abandoned shrine deep in the forest, swallowed by roots and forgotten wind.
There, on the faded altar, lay a perfectly preserved scroll. Written in looping calligraphy none of them recognized, except the very last line:
"The Second Spiral shall rise where the First was lost."
And under it:
Wei Long— Catalyst or Catastrophe.
Lin Qian stared at Wei Long. "You're in an ancient prophecy."
Wei Long squinted. "Can I opt out?"
Before she could answer, a voice echoed across the shrine.
"You cannot."
Everyone turned.
A translucent woman stood at the far end — glowing faintly, holding a cooking spoon.
The girl gasped. "Mother?"
Wei Long stepped back. "Is she holding… a ladle?"
The spirit nodded.
"I was the First One. I walked the Spiral Path. My every mistake became someone else's miracle. Until the heavens grew scared. Until they took everything."
Wei Long swallowed. "You're saying… my luck… is your inheritance?"
She smiled gently.
"No, child. Your confusion is."
Everyone blinked.
Wei Long pointed at himself. "You're saying I'm the reincarnation of cosmic misunderstanding?"
"Yes."
Lin Qian muttered, "This explains so much."
The spirit faded, but not before whispering:
"They will come for you now. The Orders. The Prophets. The Sects of Reason and the Monks of Control. They cannot allow a Spiral to complete itself again."
Wei Long blinked.
"…I was literally making dumplings this morning."
The shrine cracked open.
From every corner of the land, messengers raced.
The Sect of Pure Reason declared Wei Long a threat to universal balance.
The Temple of Cosmic Rhythm claimed he was their long-lost Grandmaster.
The School of Harmonious Silence tried to assassinate him but tripped over a goose.
The House of Lawful Blade demanded he present his "License for Miraculous Incidents."
And so, within a day, seven sects, two cults, and three confused delivery men were marching toward Mount Chaos.
All because Wei Long had… boiled something too perfectly.
Back at the mountain…
Wei Long sat quietly, sipping tea.
Lin Qian and Duan Fei were packing emergency bags.
"Master," Lin Qian said, "we may need to flee. Or fight. Or hide."
Wei Long looked up.
"No."
She froze. "No?"
Wei Long stood.
"This time… I'm not running. I'm not tripping. I'm not 'accidentally' solving anything."
He clenched his fist, and qi swirled with purpose.
"I'm going to protect this mountain. These people. These dumplings."
A long pause.
Then he added:
"…Okay, mostly the dumplings."
To be continued…