Chapter 91 - 83: Easy Pickings

"That’s not necessary, First Senior Brother. I can handle it."

Su Ling’er quickly replied.

Just then, a message from Su Ling’er entered his mind.

[Su Ling’er: Be careful! That’s the First Senior Brother of the Guixi Sect, Lin Qingfeng. He’s an unpredictable demon who treats human life as if it’s worthless!]

[Su Ling’er: Whatever you do, don’t defy him. Be extremely careful with your words and actions, or the consequences could be...]

In an instant, the excruciating pain of being endlessly beaten by a thousand phantom hammers seemed to return to the depths of her consciousness.

And that was while she was protected by the *True Understanding of Ten Thousand Transformations Returning to the Origin*! If it were an ordinary, uncultivated mortal... Su Ling’er didn’t dare to imagine it.

If it were someone who hadn’t cultivated...

[Su Ling’er: ...a fate worse than death.]

Wang Xiedi’s heart shuddered. He quickly composed himself and, adopting the deferential manner of a junior, respectfully cupped his hands toward Lin Qingfeng.

After some perfunctory pleasantries, he explained that he was a disciple who had come, drawn by the sect’s reputation, to formally request membership.

Lin Qingfeng smiled and nodded, feeling quite pleased with himself.

’Hmph. It seems that even though our Guixi Sect keeps to itself, our reputation precedes us. Little Junior Sister has only been here a short while, and already another disciple has shown up to join.’

Su Ling’er glanced at the new junior brother. Just as she expected, her words had stunned him.

Su Ling’er noticed his body stiffen for a moment, followed by the terror he desperately tried to conceal.

’He successfully fooled the demon!’

Su Ling’er breathed a small sigh of relief.

’Given his performance, perhaps... he could become an ally?’

Meanwhile, Lin Qingfeng sized up Wang Xiedi and asked,

"And what should I call you, Junior Brother?"

’Here it comes!’

’The demon sect’s interrogation!’

Su Ling’er’s heart was in her throat again.

She saw Wang Xiedi’s lips twitch, as if he were about to invent a fake name.

[Su Ling’er: Don’t use a fake name! Mr. Qian of the Knowledge Hall can tell whether you’re giving your real name or a fake one! If they expose you on the spot, your fate will be even more horrific!]

Wang Xiedi was stunned. ’The demon sect has such Divine Techniques?’

’Thank goodness Senior Sister warned me, otherwise I would have fallen for that demon’s trick!’

’Now I owe Senior Sister again.’

He took a deep breath and gave Lin Qingfeng a low bow.

"Reporting to you, First Senior Brother. My surname is Wang, and my name is Xiedi. You may simply call me Wang Xiedi."

"Wang Xiedi... Wang Xie-di... Mr. Wa?"

Lin Qingfeng murmured the name to himself, and then his brow furrowed.

’Wait!’

’Mr. Wa?!’

’Is this another one of those thirsty players who can’t think straight the moment they see a girl?’

’I just kicked out that old Daoist who was probably from the Dawa Sect, and now they’re trying to send another one to infiltrate my supreme immortal sect?’

’They’re just trying to ruin our sect’s reputation! Making us look like some kind of perverted, thirsty fan club!’

’Damn it!’

He immediately scanned the man, relaxing only after confirming he was, in fact, a native NPC.

Lin Qingfeng let out a long sigh of relief.

’He could have been called anything, but it had to be ’Mr. Wa’...’

’Whatever. In any case, he’s the second native NPC to join our sect. He’s a cornerstone for our growth and development. That’s worth celebrating.’

’Although the name isn’t very auspicious, on the path of the Great Dao, one shouldn’t get hung up on such details.’

’Grinding NPC contribution is faster, anyway. And it means Little Junior Sister won’t be the only one doing all the work.’

At these thoughts, the turmoil in his heart gradually subsided, and a gentle smile returned to his face.

"Haha, so you’re Mr. Wa!

Coming to our Guixi Sect—you’ve absolutely come to the right place!

If you seek the Dao and the path to immortality, you must join our Guixi Sect. This is a universal truth!"

"Our Guixi Sect is an ancient immortal sect with a profound heritage. By joining us, you have obtained an unparalleled karmic opportunity!"

He pointed to Su Ling’er beside him and started his sales pitch,

"Take a look!

Take a look at Miss Su here, next to you.

She was once just a mortal disciple with terrible innate talent. But after just a few days of our sect’s ’tutelage,’ she has already reached Foundation Establishment!"

This shocked Wang Xiedi to his core. ’A Pseudo Spirit Root can actually reach the Foundation Establishment Realm?!’

The First Senior Brother uttered the word ’tutelage’ so casually, but to Su Ling’er, it was like a clap of thunder.

’That wasn’t tutelage!’

’It was clearly inhumane torture!’

Su Ling’er felt Wang Xiedi’s shocked gaze on her, and then a confused message entered her mind.

[Wang Xiedi: Senior Sister! You’ve already reached Foundation Establishment? Don’t tell me... did you really throw in your lot with a demon sect just to improve your cultivation?]

The misunderstanding sent a pang of pain through Su Ling’er’s heart, but she couldn’t refute it.

She could only send back the truth of what she had endured.

[Su Ling’er: I have reached Foundation Establishment. They used some heretical art to forcibly raise my level. They even... sacrificed the life of one of their own to do it.]

[Wang Xiedi: Senior Sister, you must have had your reasons.]

[Su Ling’er: They tied me to a Forging Platform and beat me repeatedly with giant hammers, forcing me to cultivate the *Sword Refining Skill*. They say that at the final stage, the cultivator becomes an Immortal Sword for someone else to wield.]

[Wang Xiedi: I knew it! So that’s what’s happening!]

[Wang Xiedi: But... why would a disciple from a demon sect sacrifice his life to help you reach Foundation Establishment? If they’re investing so much in you, does that mean they’re plotting something huge?]

[Su Ling’er: I don’t know... He just jumped right into the cauldron. He looked at me and said things like, ’You will definitely reach Foundation Establishment,’ and ’Don’t let my sacrifice be for nothing...’]

[Su Ling’er: I didn’t even know him! I can barely remember what he looked like! But one thing is for sure: their existence is a massive threat to all righteous sects and the entire world!]

[Wang Xiedi: Could it be... that senior brother from the demon sect fell for you at first sight? Or perhaps you’d shown him some great kindness, so he was willing to sacrifice everything for you?!]

[Wang Xiedi: So there are still people of principle even in a demon sect. Senior Sister, you were kind to me and looked after me in the outer sect. As a man of integrity, if you ever need anything, I...]

[Su Ling’er: There’s no need for that, Junior Brother. Calm down! It’s natural for fellow disciples of the righteous path to look after each other. It doesn’t require you to repay me with your life!]

[Wang Xiedi: Senior Sister, you don’t have to refuse!!]

[Su Ling’er: ...]

’Is there... something seriously wrong with his head?’

’No.’

’That’s not right.’

Su Ling’er suddenly recalled those demon sect disciples... the ones who lined up to jump into medicinal cauldrons, or begged with tears in their eyes to be used as materials for forging swords...

Their mindset, the fanatical ’I’m sacrificing myself for the sect’ expression on their faces... wasn’t it identical to Wang Xiedi’s at this very moment?!

Su Ling’er’s heart suddenly sank.

’It’s over.’

’Mr. Wang’s Dao heart... it must have been corrupted by the Demonic Qi here.’

’He’s already started thinking like a demon to understand their actions!’

’It looks like my only hope is that the "Heart-Connected Fruit" in his hand can be used to contact the Sect Leader as soon as possible.’

Otherwise, not just she, but this new junior brother too, would sooner or later become one of these madmen.

...

Not far away, Yan Buliu, lounging under a tree, witnessed the scene.

’The little junior sister was designated by the Artifact Refining Pavilion to cultivate the *Sword Refining Skill*.’

’If I make a move on her, Shi Gandang and the First Senior Brother will definitely come after me.’

’But... this new junior brother, on the other hand...’