Lin Chen learned a painful truth that morning:
If you don't set rules early, a radish will set them for you.
He stood before the assembled disciples, holding a freshly carved wooden board.
"From today onward," Lin Chen announced, "Azure Cloud Sect will operate under clear rules."
The disciples nodded seriously.
Little Green nodded harder.
Lin Chen read aloud:
Rule One:
The Sect Master is the highest authority.
Little Green clapped.
"…With leaves," Zhao Feng whispered.
---
Rule Two:
No disciple is allowed to worship farm produce.
A cough rippled through the crowd.
One of the new disciples slowly lowered a radish-shaped pendant.
---
Rule Three:
Spirit crops are not elders, ancestors, or reincarnated immortals.
Little Green crossed its root-arms.
Lin Chen pointed at it. "Especially you."
The radish sighed dramatically.
---
Just as Lin Chen was regaining confidence, the system chimed.
> Emergency Sect Event:
Incident Type: Internal
Location: Training Field
Severity: Embarrassing
Lin Chen's eye twitched.
"Explain," he said.
---
They arrived to chaos.
Two disciples were arguing loudly.
"I swear the radish taught me a breathing technique!"
"That's impossible! It just hummed at me!"
Little Green stood between them, holding a stick and drawing circles in the dirt.
Lin Chen froze.
"…Why does it know formations?"
> System Analysis:
Spirit Crop Absorption Rate: Abnormal
Learning Source: Ambient Sect Aura
Conclusion: It's picking things up
Lin Chen exhaled slowly.
"So it's a sponge."
The radish nodded proudly.
---
To prevent further disasters, Lin Chen called an Emergency Sect Meeting.
Everyone sat in a circle.
Little Green sat in the middle on a cushion.
Lin Chen pointed. "You. Speak."
The radish puffed up.
"Rustle… rustle…"
Zhao Feng nodded seriously. "It says it just wants to help."
Lin Chen stared at Zhao Feng. "Since when do you speak radish?"
"…Since this morning."
Lin Chen pinched the bridge of his nose.
---
After three hours of discussion, negotiations, and one accidental breakthrough caused by breathing too deeply near the radish—
> New Sect Role Assigned:
Little Green
Title: Spirit Agriculture Assistant
Authority: Farm Only
Teaching Permission: None
Public Appearances: Limited
Little Green bowed respectfully.
Lin Chen collapsed into his chair.
"I should've stayed dead," he muttered.
---
That night, Lin Chen cultivated quietly.
The sect aura flowed smoothly.
The disciples were focused.
The radish slept… allegedly.
> Cultivation Progress:
Qi Refinement Late 6 → Peak 6
Lin Chen opened his eyes, surprised.
"…It's working too well."
From outside, Zhao Feng whispered urgently.
"Master! The radish is glowing again!"
Lin Chen shot to his feet.
"I knew it. What now?!"
They rushed to the farm.
Little Green stood under the moonlight, glowing softly.
The surrounding vegetables bowed.
Lin Chen stared.
"…No."
> System Alert:
Secondary Awakening Imminent
Probability: High
Suggested Action:
– Intervene
– Accept Fate
Lin Chen looked up at the heavens.
"Is this what you meant by rebuilding a sect?" he demanded.
The wind rustled.
The radish glowed brighter.
And far away, a powerful cultivator sneezed—
for reasons that would soon become very relevant.
To be continued…