By sunrise, Dustwind Hidden Valley Sect was spotless.
Not "clean."
Not "tidy."
Spot. Less.
Even the morning mist had politely arranged itself into symmetrical swirls.
Gu Wenhai stepped outside and inhaled deeply.
"It… smells like hope."
Jin Haru nodded solemnly while polishing a pebble.
"It smells like floor sanitizer, Sect Master."
Lin Ruyin carried a basket of perfectly geometric cabbages.
"Our crops are glowing. Again."
Meanwhile, Miyu sat in the courtyard, hugging her pillow, quietly watching a squirrel try to enter the sect. The squirrel made eye contact with her, squeaked in terror, and ran away sparkling.
"…Clean," she whispered.
The squirrel reached the mountain in tears of gratitude.
---
⭐ 1. RUMORS SPREAD TOO FAST
Down in the nearby town of Stonebrook, taverns buzzed with chatter.
"I heard Dustwind has a tiny immortal guarding them!"
"No, no, I heard she defeated three great sects with a yawn!"
"You're both wrong—my cousin's friend's aunt's neighbor said the girl cleans the land by accident!"
People nodded seriously.
One man whispered, "They say she can erase impurities."
Another leaned forward.
"They say her sneeze caused a mini earthquake."
At a corner table, a wandering scholar adjusted his glasses.
"Incorrect. She is cultivating a technique 10 realms above mortal comprehension. The Sun One may have reincarnated."
Everyone stared.
The scholar cleared his throat. "…Probably."
By noon, the rumors had evolved into:
• "Dustwind found a divine child."
• "The child cleans corruption with a wave."
• "Three sects fled screaming."
• "Dustwind is now a holy land."
• "Do not bring dirt near Dustwind."
Every merchant, cultivator, and busybody suddenly had the same idea:
"Let's go see."
---
⭐ 2. THE FIRST PILGRIMS ARRIVE
Dustwind's front gate rattled.
Jin Haru jumped. "Intruders?!"
But instead, a long line of villagers stood outside, holding baskets.
One bowed.
"Please accept these offerings…"
Another bowed harder.
"We heard an immortal child lives here. Please bless my rice."
A third knelt entirely.
"My grandmother sneezes weird. Can your ancestor purify her nose?"
Gu Wenhai nearly fainted from the attention.
Lin Ruyin whispered, "Sect Master… we're becoming famous…"
Jin Haru panicked.
"What do we do?! We're not a charity! We're barely a sect!"
Minn calmly appeared with a scroll.
"According to the new administrative structure, greeting pilgrims falls under Article 4: Public Presentation of Cleanliness."
Lucina tightened her gloves.
"I'll handle it."
She stepped forward and greeted the crowd with absolute seriousness.
"Welcome to Dustwind. Please remove your shoes and sins before entering."
The villagers nodded reverently.
---
⭐ 3. THE SYSTEM REMINDS MIYU SHE'S STILL MIYU
Meanwhile, Miyu poked at the ground where she noticed… a speck.
A single grain of dirt.
"…"
She gently lowered her pillow and tapped it with her foot.
The system chimed.
> [HOST IMPURITY DETECTED]
> [INITIATING MINOR PURIFICATION PULSE]
A soft wave rippled outward.
Grass straightened.
The ground smoothed.
The air purified.
A nearby disciple's acne cleared.
A cabbage ascended two stages.
Minn, watching from afar, whispered, "This… this girl is not mortal."
Gu Wenhai fell to his knees again. He was getting very fast at it.
---
⭐ 4. THE SNEAKY SCOUTS
Later that afternoon, three cloaked figures approached from the forest.
Jin Haru gulped. "These aren't villagers…"
Lin Ruyin read the badges embroidered inside their cloaks and gasped.
"They're scouts from the nearby sects! They want to confirm the rumors!"
Gu Wenhai trembled. "W-We just rebuilt the gate, please—no conflict—"
Before anyone could act, Miyu walked by, dragging her pillow on the ground.
Her sleepy eyes focused on their cloaks.
They were dusty.
She blinked.
"…Dirty."
The scouts froze.
The last thing they saw was a small hand lifting lazily.
WHOOMPH—
A gentle purification wave swept past, like a soft breeze.
Their cloaks turned white.
Their faces shined.
Their hair straightened.
Their teeth sparkled.
Their spiritual impurities vanished.
The scouts collapsed in fear and reverence.
"W-We'll report back… t-that Dustwind is not to be offended!!"
"NOT EVER!!"
They ran away, panicking, glowing like divine lanterns.
---
⭐ 5. THE WORLD BEGINS TO TREMBLE
By evening, three letters reached three powerful places.
To the Iron Mountain Sect:
**"The Dustwind child purifies qi. Avoid conflict."**
To Flowing Feather Valley:
**"Your scouts returned sparkling. Recommend caution."**
To Storm Blade Pavilion:
**"Your prodigy now glows. Something is wrong with Dustwind."**
The sect masters all responded differently:
Bronze Fist punched a rock out of stress.
Lian Yue poured herself tea with trembling hands.
Han Yijun muttered, "Impossible…"
Yet none dared approach.
---
⭐ 6. A HIGHER BEING TWITCHES
Far above the mortal realm…
In a sterile white void…
A powerful figure opened one eye.
His eyebrow twitched.
"Something… is cleaning in my domain…"
He stretched a hand into the air and felt faint, pure ripples.
"…Impossible. This purity… I recognize it."
His lip curled.
"That brat reincarnated?"
The Sterility Immortal sat up fully, fury simmering.
"If she thinks she can purify MY realm again—she's mistaken."
He vanished in a streak of white light.
The heavens trembled.
---
⭐ 7. BACK IN DUSTWIND
Miyu curled up on a clean mat.
She yawned softly.
"…Sleepy."
Gu Wenhai rushed to place a warm blanket over her.
Jin Haru dimmed the lanterns.
Lin Ruyin closed the windows.
Minn took notes for bedtime protocols.
Lucina shushed a bird.
The moment Miyu closed her eyes, the whole valley went quiet.
Then—
The disciples whispered in awe:
"Our ancestor's nap… cleansed the world once more…"
Gu Wenhai bowed.
"No dirt shall remain… as long as she rests."