Mutated Tao

Chun Xiaoman took out three incense sticks and lit them using a candle.

She swung them to extinguish the fire before kneeling on a cushion. Then, raising the three incense sticks high up onto her head, she started praying to the statue in front of her.

The Heavenly Mater had completely changed. She was now an old lady with a cane, sitting on a conjoined lotus seat with a red dot on her forehead and a smile filled with mercy.

The statue was made of stone, but her devotees had colored it and given the Heavenly Mater some semblance of life.

“Oh great and merciful Heavenly Mater, may the disciples reach the Void Home after death to serve you forever…”

She prayed earnestly before placing the incense sticks into the incense burner and retreated from the hall.

Outside the prayer hall was naturally the large hall of the White Lotus Sect. Chun Xiaoman was covered from head to toe in long black hair, but none of them treated her as an outsider.

In the White Lotus Sect, every member was treated with equal respect, as if they were brothers and sisters. Making fun of someone’s exterior was taboo in the White Lotus Sect.

Chun Xiaoman was also one of the bravest fighters of the White Lotus Sect. She fought on the front lines throughout the war with the Dharma Sect, and her unique appearance had left a strong impression on the other sect members.

When she began learning the techniques of the White Lotus Sect, she didn't give it much thought. She did it because she wanted to help Bai Lingmiao and have the strength to protect Cowheart Village.

However, her attitude changed after leaving the village and joining the White Lotus Sect.

Chun Xiaoman liked it here. It felt more like home to her. She had always doubted herself and thought she was a mistake born into this world. However, she had changed.

It wasn’t just that her siblings and friends were here—she also had faith in the Heavenly Mater now.

Chun Xiaoman had long resolved to work diligently for the White Lotus Sect, forever.

She left the hall and walked towards the alleyway where the White Lotus Sect members lived. While they were poor, they weren’t in shambles.

Even the houses without roofs were appropriately cleaned. No one locked their doors there because no one would steal from one another.

Everyone was kind and treated each other with respect. If anyone needed help, they would just shout, and everyone in the alley would help. It was like a perfect world.

“Sister Xiaoman! Sister Xiaoman!” Several children wearing tattered clothes ran and circled her.

Even though they were beggars, they were still the beggars of the White Lotus Sect. “Sister Xiaoman, where did you go? We didn’t see you for days. We missed you.”

“I just came from Si Qi. It’s very far from here, and my journey got delayed,” Xiaoman explained patiently.

She looked at them and recalled her past self. “Are you hungry? What do you want to eat? Let me get you something.”

The children jumped with glee as they pulled Chun Xiaoman out of the alley. “Wait, let me grab my veil.”

They arrived at the city's eastern section, which was bustling with people. Each child now held a scallion pancake in their hands, happily eating it. Chun Xiaoman scratched the back of the children’s heads and told them to eat slowly.

Since she swore not to get married, she would naturally bear no children. Puppy’s incident with his baby pushed this notion further. Still, she didn’t mind it. Chun Xiaoman would treat the children in the White Lotus Sect as her own. The White Lotus Sect had everything she needed.

She saw one of the children biting on the scallion pancake while staring at a cart filled with several vases.

Chun Xiaoman approached and hugged the child even though the latter was dirty. “What’s wrong? Do you want to eat that? Let me buy it for you.”

The child looked at the eldest beggar before shaking her head. “No need. I just want a pancake.”

“Don’t worry. Even though I donated most of my assets to the White Lotus Sect, I still have enough money to buy some snacks for you all,” Chun XIaoman said, bringing them to the cart.

She stood in front of the cart and addressed the seller, “Hey, what are you selling?”

The skinny man had a plaster on his forehead. He opened one of the jars and showed them its contents. “These are some rare items I bought from the Tianyi Pavilion.”

Chun Xiaoman looked down and saw that the jars contained fruit peels soaked in water. “Fruit peels? Are you sure you didn’t just pick them up from the trash cans in the Tianyi Pavilion? Why are you selling these?”

“Hey, what are you talking about? My friend is working there. He’s responsible for cutting up all sorts of things, and these fruit peels are clean! Ten coins per bunch!”

Chun Xiaoman saw it as a scam. “Ten coins? I could buy a bowl of noodles with that money! Are you insane?”

“Can’t you see that I’m soaking them in sugar water? Also, don’t you know what season it is? These are more expensive than gold because they were planted in a greenhouse.”

“Sister Xiaoman, let’s go. I don’t want to eat them anymore.”

“Sister Xiaoman, let’s go. A single pancake is enough.”

Chun Xiaoman stared at their faces before taking out a piece of fragmented silver.

The skinny vendor was elated as he carried one of the vases down from his cart.

Just then, the eldest beggar walked up and said thoughtfully, “Sister Xiaoman, we don’t want them. These things are too expensive, and we are already fools. We cannot waste your money like this.”

“It’s alright. It’s just some fruit peels.”

Soon enough, the children received the strips of fruit peels. They were really happy, tasting the different types of fruit peels and comparing them to see which was more delicious.

Chun Xiaoman smiled happily when she saw how happy they were. “I always wanted to eat these when I was younger, but my father would only buy them for my brothers. My sister and I could only watch from the side.”

Chun Xiaoman suddenly remembered something and laughed. “That said, my sister and I had to find a way to satisfy our cravings. We would fill two bamboo pieces with watermelon seeds that people spat out. They were delicious once we had dried them.”

However, she felt solemn when she remembered something else.

Her train of thought was interrupted by one of the children. “Sister Xiaoman, have this. This is a watermelon peel. It’s delicious.”

She bit into the peel and felt a sweetness in her heart as she looked at the smiling child. Chun Xiaoman smiled again.

“Sister Xiaoman, try this! This is a persimmon peel!”

As they happily enjoyed these small treats, Chun Xiaoman noticed a group of Lamas. Chun Xiaoman remembered them. They were the mummified Lamas of the Antrabhara Temple.

However, she was confused about why they were headed towards the hall of the White Lotus Sect.

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