Fast forwarding to the present, deep inside the Wistman Forest, there stood a white building—yes, a white building! Someone with a questionable sense of humor thought painting a sect's center white was perfect. Cough, moving on...
Inside this building resided the laziest sect master in history: Zhuang Ming Yue. She finally had the sect she wanted, but to understand how this came to be, let's rewind a bit...
Flashback:
After hearing complaints that made her cry inwardly, Ming Yue finally convinced the orphans that she was not like those nobles. She told them she was no longer noble, had run away because she hated her noble family, and wished she was never born into it.
She explained that she had built a sect simply because she wanted people to be part of it. She possessed a cultivation technique and promised to swear an oath to safeguard them and never abandon them.
In this world, oaths are taken very seriously. Breaking an oath can halt one's cultivation or even obliterate their soul. The people knew this well, as crossing one's fingers while promising wouldn't help.
When Ming Yue proposed swearing an oath, the orphans were skeptical, recalling that nobles often swore and broke promises. She then shared her knowledge of heavenly oaths—oaths invoking heavenly power that cannot be broken.
She had learned of these heavenly oaths during her escape while seeking worldly knowledge. She swore such an oath herself and had the orphans do the same, binding them with heavenly power that would manifest once cultivation began.
Because only she could read the martial art manual she took from the treasury, Ming Yue painstakingly translated it for the orphans so they could memorize it. It was a hassle, as being a sect master was far from easy.
She offered both male and female orphans the choice to become cultivation partners—paired to cultivate together and eventually become Taoist couples. She warned them to choose wisely, as partners were for life and faithlessness would harm their cultivation.
With half choosing partners and the rest opting to cultivate alone, she finally named and registered the sect as The Sun and Moon Sect.
Though small, the sect had an important upcoming event: a tournament held every ten years where sects and kingdoms competed. The winner could choose allegiance to one of the three largest empires or select rewards from the host empire.
Ming Yue understood this tournament was also a way for the empires to attract talented martial artists and boost their economies.
Back in the present, Ming Yue lay on a canopy-covered bed, peacefully dreaming of defeating Morpheus, the god of dreams, in a card game. Suddenly, her dream world began shaking and crumbling.
She awoke to find someone shaking her awake. Though annoyed, she knew exactly who it was.
It had been nearly ten years since the orphans swore their oaths. Much had changed: the sect had become close-knit, and the disciples worshiped her fervently—something she hadn't intended but accepted.
New members were hard to come by, as acceptance was strict—only orphans with the right personality, character, and talent were allowed. This kept the sect small, which suited her lazy lifestyle.
To support the sect, Ming Yue opened a tea house and restaurant in town, managed by disciples who also kept troublemakers away. This served as a second source of income.
The primary income came from a low to medium-grade spirit stone mine she accidentally discovered on a walk. She thanked her transmigration luck for this valuable gift.
Because of their resources, the upcoming tournament was not critical; as long as they placed in the top hundred, they would receive compensation in spirit stones and reputation—both of which they cared little for.
Known as the "lazy squad," they preferred to stay strong without chasing fame.
As Ming Yue lay in bed ignoring the people shaking her, two beautiful twin girls stood beside her, vying to serve as her personal maids—a coveted position banned to men.
The sect members took care of everything for their lazy master, only disturbing her when absolutely necessary, which made Ming Yue very happy.
The twins, unable to force her awake due to their code of conduct, felt helpless but hopeful as Ming Yue finally opened her eyes and sat up. Her long silver-pink hair cascaded like a waterfall over the bed.
They smiled in relief and helped her dress after she recited a cleansing spell.