The valley was calm.
Too calm.
Birds chirped politely.
Clouds drifted in symmetrical formation.
Cabbages hummed in spiritual harmony.
Disciples polished stones until they reflected their insecurities.
Dustwind had survived:
• Three Great Sects
• Dozens of pilgrims
• A breakthrough rogue cultivator
• A failed sect raid
• Miyu sweeping the weather away
Morale was high.
Anxiety was higher.
Jin Haru whispered to Lin Ruyin,
"Do you think today will be normal?"
Lin Ruyin shook her head.
"Normal doesn't exist here anymore."
Behind them, a cabbage ascended into the Qi Condensation realm.
They ignored it.
---
⭐ 1. THE SYSTEM MALFUNCTIONS (AGAIN)
Inside her room, Miyu hugged her pillow and stared at the ceiling.
"…Bored."
The system chimed instantly.
> [DETECTED EMOTIONAL STATE: MILD BOREDOM]
> [INITIATING DISTRACTION MODULE]
Miyu blinked.
"…Distraction?"
A soft hum filled the room.
> [CALCULATING ACTIVITIES FOR HOST…]
> [WARNING: ALL ACTIVITIES RESULT IN WORLD-ALTERING CONSEQUENCES]
> [RECOMMENDATION: HOST SHOULD REMAIN STILL]
Miyu closed her eyes.
"…But fluffy pillow."
The system trembled.
> [UPGRADE REQUEST DETECTED: PILLOW]
> [UPGRADING—]
> [WARNING: HOST POWER RESONANCE TOO STRONG]
> [SYSTEM CANNOT CONTAIN THE PURIFICATION LEVEL]
> [REBOOTING—]
A blinding flash filled the room.
WHOOM—
The pillow expanded into:
> ✦ DIVINE CLOUD-HEART PILLOW ✦
Floats on command.
Purifies sleep.
Generates calming air.
Might erase nightmares by destroying them physically.
The system rebooted with a panicked chime.
> [REBOOT COMPLETE]
> [NEW ERROR: HOST POWER EXCEEDS SAFE PARAMETERS]
Miyu hugged the upgraded pillow.
"…Soft."
Outside, the sect fainted in sequence, one by one, as a wave of comfort qi hit them.
---
⭐ 2. THE DISCIPLES TRY TO MAKE SENSE OF LIFE
Lin Ruyin touched her chest.
"My heart feels… purified."
Jin Haru stared at the glowing sky.
"Did something ascend again?"
Gu Wenhai wiped tears.
"I believe… the Ancestor has upgraded her pillow."
Lin Ruyin collapsed.
"She upgrades reality by accident!"
Rogue cultivator Yang Ming (the new disciple Miyu accidentally ascended) knelt reverently.
"This sect… is heaven disguised as a cabbage farm."
Minn took notes calmly.
"Begin research: the pillow-based reality phenomenon."
---
⭐ 3. HEAVENLY OFFICIALS TAKE NOTICE
Far above in the celestial bureaucracy…
A clerk reading divine fluctuation reports froze.
"Um… Supervisor? There's an unauthorized purification spike."
The Supervisor frowned.
"Where?"
"Uhh… Dustwind Valley."
The entire hall fell silent.
One official whispered nervously,
"That's the place where the three sects fled last week…"
Another muttered,
"And the rumor of the child who rewrites techniques…"
The Supervisor grabbed the report.
"Purity level… this high? Who authorized this?"
The clerk trembled.
"N-No one."
The Supervisor stood quickly.
"Collect all reports. Forward to Upper Heavens."
Everyone bowed in fear.
Somewhere, a single cloud cracked.
---
⭐ 4. THE STERILITY IMMORTAL TWITCHES AGAIN
Inside a sterile white dimension…
A calm, cold voice muttered:
"…This aura again."
He waved a hand.
A screen formed showing Dustwind Valley glowing like a polished jewel.
"That brat reincarnated. She dares disrupt my domain of order once more?"
His eye twitched violently.
"If she thinks she can surpass me again—"
Lightning crackled behind him as he vanished toward the mortal realm.
The heavens shuddered.
---
⭐ 5. DUSTWIND PREPARES FOR… SOMETHING
That afternoon, Gu Wenhai gathered all disciples.
"Everyone! We must strengthen our defenses!"
Jin Haru raised a hand.
"From what?"
Gu Wenhai whispered grimly,
"Everything."
The disciples nodded.
Lin Ruyin saluted.
"If the Ancestor is attracting attention, then Dustwind must be worthy."
Yang Ming puffed his chest.
"I will guard the cabbages with my life!"
Minn continued documenting phenomena.
Lucina reorganized the sect rules (there were now 78 regulations against dust).
Jin Haru looked toward Miyu's room nervously.
"Do you think… she knows what she's doing?"
Lin Ruyin answered honestly.
"…Absolutely not."
---
⭐ 6. MIYU, STILL UNAWARE
Miyu lay down on her upgraded pillow.
The air shimmered in colors unseen by mortals.
The room glowed faintly.
A cabbage nearby evolved again.
She closed her eyes.
"…Sleep."
A gentle purification wave rippled outward.
The ground healed.
Spiritual veins strengthened.
All disciples felt refreshed.
A crow sitting in a tree ascended and flew away screaming.
Gu Wenhai bowed toward her door.
"A blessing… every nap…"
Jin Haru wiped tears.
"We must protect her… from everything… including herself."
Dustwind shone like a newborn star.
And in the distance…
A shadow approached.
END OF CHAPTER 9