Chapter 45 - 38: Eldest Senior Brother, Are You Incapable of Understanding Human Speech?

Lin Qingfeng led the disciples over and clapped his hands.

"Let’s begin."

The disciples he had brought along began to approach Su Ling’er, gradually surrounding her.

Su Ling’er watched this unfold.

’Has Eldest Senior Brother finally grown a conscience?’

’Did he finally find some people to help me?’

However, the group eventually stopped. They didn’t come over to lend a hand or help lighten her load as she had expected.

’Wait, what are they doing?’

’Are they not here to help me? Are they going to refine me on the spot?!’

At a signal from Lin Qingfeng, the dozen or so disciples quickly fanned out.

The brawny senior brother at the front took a magical banner from his storage pouch.

With a SWISH, it unfurled. A slogan was written across its surface in flamboyant calligraphy:

[Unyielding Dao Heart, Unceasing Struggle! The Future Light of the Guixi Sect—Su Ling’er!]

Su Ling’er: "?"

Before she could even react, the other disciples began their own "cheering" activities.

Luminous stones, emitting a soft glow, materialized in their hands.

They held the luminous stones in their palms, raising them high. The stones pulsed in time with the characters on the magical banner. Then, gathering strength from their Dantians, they pumped their fists and roared:

"A Dao Heart of iron, to temper the true self!"

The other dozen or so disciples also began to shout at the top of their lungs:

"Go, Junior Sister—!!!"

"Junior Sister, break out of your cocoon and become a butterfly!!"

"Water the path of the Dao with your sweat!"

"Hang in there! We believe in you!!"

"Hone your immortal heart with labor!!"

"You can do it!!!"

"Su Ling’er! Su Ling’er! Bravely climb the immortal path, never give up!!!"

As they shouted, the luminous stones in their hands flickered on and off, their light weaving together.

The stones seemed to have other uses, too. As they flickered, they wove together to form a brilliant sea of stars.

One disciple even produced a giant drum, taller than a man. Its surface shimmered with a mysterious luster—clearly, it was also a Magical Artifact.

Others took out jade flutes and chime bells. Someone even summoned their flying sword, which began to circle and dance in the air, its light intermingling with flashes of lightning.

Then, they began performing some sort of bizarre footwork that Su Ling’er couldn’t comprehend at all.

The dozen or so of them would sometimes cross their arms over their chests.

Other times, they would punch forward.

Then they would wave the glowing stones in their hands, tracing patterns in the air.

They chanted and shouted unintelligible slogans, each movement seemingly filled with power.

They were even perfectly synchronized with the beat of the war drums and celestial music, creating a small festival of light and sound.

"Like the wind upon the hill, Junior Sister must be stronger still!"

"One, two, three, four, five, this waiting’s so hard on our lives!"

"Junior Sister, fly free and high, your senior brothers are always nearby!"

"If you don’t give up, we won’t abandon you!"

Another female disciple performed a Technique, and lotus petals began to rain down from the sky.

They landed on Su Ling’er’s hair, her shoulders, and... the patch of ground she had just swept clean.

Su Ling’er: "..."

Su Ling’er’s expression froze solid.

She slowly turned her stiff neck to look at the brightly glowing magical banner, listen to the deafening war drums, and feel the gusts of wind stirred up by the crowd as they waved their luminous stones.

But when she saw the female disciple add countless more petals to the ground she had almost finished cleaning, she finally snapped.

’What in the world are they doing?! Are they trying to cause trouble?!’

’Please, I’m about to die of exhaustion! It’s bad enough you’re not helping, but can you at least not make things worse?!’

’You think I don’t have enough leaves to sweep, so you just had to sprinkle some petals on the ground to increase my workload, is that it?!’

She even saw those unhinged maniacs playing some bizarre game, creating a "wave" with shockwaves of Spiritual Power.

Ripples of Spiritual Power radiated out from them. The sight might have been beautiful, but what were they even doing?!

’Cheering me on?’

’I’ll cheer my ass!’

’They really are Evil Cultivators! Demonic Evil Cultivators!!!!’

’What kind of heroes just run their mouths?’

’If you have time to mess with Magical Artifacts and wave around glowing stones, can’t you use those nimble hands of yours to help me sweep some leaves?!’

’You’re over there banging drums, playing music, and making flowers with your Sword Control! Can’t even one of you spare a moment to help me carry some water?!’

’And you!’

’The one scattering the flowers!’

’Did you think I wasn’t sweating enough? Or that the sight of me sweeping wasn’t picturesque enough? You just had to add some petals to go with the fallen leaves, didn’t you?’

’And you figured adding more would make it look even prettier, is that it?!’

’And all of you!’

’Got so much Spiritual Power you don’t know what to do with it?’

’Having fun with those Spiritual Power shockwaves, are you?’

’Why don’t you use one of those shockwaves to fill up these water vats for me?!’

’You bunch of monsters...’

’This is psychological torture!’

’This is psychological torture!!!!!’

She was trembling with rage, her chest heaving. She almost couldn’t catch her breath and nearly fainted.

Amidst the enthusiastic cheers and performances, a familiar figure appeared before her once more, hands clasped behind his back and a proud expression on his face.

His black robes swayed in the wind. It was her Eldest Senior Brother, Lin Qingfeng.

Su Ling’er glared at him, her eyes promising to skin him alive. She forced a twisted smile through gritted teeth.

"Eldest... Senior... Brother... what is all this?"

"I’m not tired. I feel... I don’t really need any of this."

Her Eldest Senior Brother, however, just waved his hand dismissively.

"Junior Sister, no need to be so polite. This is what I, as your Eldest Senior Brother, should do.

You must be terribly bored with this tedious, repetitive labor, right?

I took the liberty of finding you a support group to help you work even harder to complete your sect duties!

Remember, a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. Now, hurry up and get back to it!"

"We will be watching you the whole time!"

Her twisted smile fixed on her Eldest Senior Brother.

"Eldest Senior Brother... I’ll get right on it... Can you please... send them back?"

"Junior Sister, really, don’t mind them."

Her Eldest Senior Brother waved his hand again.

"This is all part of my duty. You just focus on your work. I’ve got your back."

"Eldest Senior Brother... I really... really... *really*... don’t need this..."

Su Ling’er said with a smile that was more of a grimace.

But Lin Qingfeng just looked at his junior sister with an approving expression.

’Look at that. My little Junior Sister is so moved by this surprise she’s at a loss for words.’

’And she’s still being so polite about it. What a well-mannered girl.’

Lin Qingfeng patted her shoulder affectionately.

"Just put your mind at ease!"

"Although I can’t help you with the actual work, I can at least provide this moral support."

"Don’t refuse. If you keep being so polite, I’m going to get angry."

"Do you see them? The fallen leaves on the ground! They’re calling to you! Go on, go sweep them!"

Immediately after, another chant rose from behind them: "Sweep away the dust in your heart, fill the spring of your Dao!"

Su Ling’er stared at the mastermind behind it all, at the Eldest Senior Brother standing before her, and screamed internally!

’Didn’t I say I don’t need this?!’

’I’m begging you, get this pack of hyperactive monkeys away from me!’

’Eldest Senior Brother, are you incapable of understanding human speech?!’

’Moral support?!’

’Is this how you people "help" someone?’

’This is psychological warfare!’

’A spiritual attack!’

’You’re banging gongs and drums in my ears, dancing around in front of me, and throwing trash on the ground I just swept clean. You call that *helping*?’

’You’re clearly trying to make me suffer a cultivation deviation and explode on the spot, aren’t you?!’

’You’re a demon in human skin!’

’A despicable, shameless heretic!’

’Look at that smug look on your face! You think you’re so clever, don’t you?’

’Does playing me like a fiddle give you a great sense of accomplishment?!’

’If you weren’t constantly monitoring me like some lingering spirit, forcing me to do these endless, pointless chores, would I be exhausted to the point of looking like this?!’

She suddenly felt...

Perhaps... it wasn’t them who were insane...

...but her?