Guixi Sect.
Inside his cave residence, Lin Qingfeng was lying on a Cold Jade Bed.
Last night, he had personally supervisedâeven lending a hand with Shi Gandangâto help his junior sister cultivate the Sword Refining Skill and reach the Foundation Establishment Realm.
âJade isnât useful until itâs carved.â
âLittle sister, you canât blame your big brother for this.â
âMy junior sister has a resilient Dao heart, but her physical constitution and Spirit Root are abysmal. Yet, her willpower and Dao heart are exceptionally firm.â
âOnly through a thousand trials can she be reborn.â
âNow that sheâs reached Foundation Establishment, she can take on more responsibility for the grand project of building up the sect!â
As her Eldest Disciple Brother, he was truly pouring his heart and soul into her development!
Just then, a screen of light unfolded before his eyes.
[Task: Guide]
[Description: A new soul wishes to join the Guixi Sect. Please have Eldest Disciple Brother Lin Qingfeng go to receive them, or dispatch a disciple to do so.]
[Aptitude: Four-Element Pseudo Spirit Root (Metal, Wood, Fire, Earth). Prospects on the path of immortality are grim. Qualifications: Dull. Constitution: Lowest grade.]
[Reward: +100 Sect Contribution Points.]
âAnother "lowest grade"?â
Lin Qingfengâs brow twitched, but then smoothed out.
âMaybe this one is like Su Lingâer, with exceptionally firm willpower and a strong Dao heart?â
Now, Su Lingâer was no longer Ameng.
âAs a Foundation Establishment Cultivator, itâs time she got a taste of her responsibility as a pillar of the sect.â
âGuiding new arrivals is the first step.â
âThat way, she can become a true guide for the sect in the future, making it convenient for a busy man like myself to delegate.â
Lin Qingfeng tapped the screen of light, and a Sound Transmission Talisman transformed into a paper crane, flying out of the cave residence.
His own figure flickered and vanished into the sectâs clouds and mist.
âI need to train sect guides. There canât just be these two NPCs, right? If I have to do everything myself, a busy man like me wonât have the spare time.â
âBesides, my junior sisterâs comprehension and her way of speaking make her the perfect candidate for this position!â
âIn the future, if any other NPCs come to join the sect, I might not have to deal with them at all. I can just leave it all to my junior sister.â
...
In the thatched hut.
Although Su Lingâer had reached Foundation Establishment, and her body had become much strongerâwith some other wonderful uses, it seemedâshe felt little joy in her heart.
She had achieved the Foundation Establishment sheâd always dreamed of, but she had done it by taking someone elseâs life.
âThis isnât the Foundation Establishment I wanted!â
âI donât want my success to be built on someone elseâs life!â
And that person... he had thrown himself into the medicinal broth without a second thought, sacrificing himself for her...
His words, "You will definitely succeed in reaching Foundation Establishment," still echoed in her ears.
Su Lingâer didnât understand. Why?
âWhy would he go to such lengths for the demonic sect and for me?â
âWhat value do I even have to this demonic sect? Why would they really sacrifice a fellow discipleâs life for me?â
âWouldnât it have taken more resources to raise that disciple than me, someone who just joined a few days ago?â
And she... she could barely even recall what the person who sacrificed himself looked like.
âDoes this count as... being forced to cultivate a demonic technique?â
And now, she had finally taken the first step toward becoming a sword in her Eldest Disciple Brotherâs hand.
She didnât know when she would truly become that sword.
âPerhaps when I cultivate to a higher realm and can transform my body into an Immortal Sword...â
âOr perhaps when Eldest Disciple Brother gets tired of me and decides to make me lose myself forever, turning me into a sharp blade in his hand for slaughtering the masses...â
âI have to find a way to break free before that happens!!!â
âI canât just sit here and wait for death!â
Just then, a paper crane slipped through the crack in the door, hovered in front of her, and transformed into a Sound Transmission Talisman.
[Miss Su, come to the sect gate at once.]
[A new disciple is joining today. You will be responsible for receiving them.]
Su Lingâer stared at the Sound Transmission Talisman with hollow, listless eyes.
âAnother poor soul tricked into this pit of fire in pursuit of the immortal path?â
âOr is it someone with no affinity for the immortal path, who can only hope for a shortcut in cultivation?â
âOr maybe, a born villain who has always longed for the demonic path so they can slaughter the masses?â
Su Lingâer grumbled internally but finally rose slowly and put on the red robes she always wore.
Then she started walking toward the sect gate.
When she got near the gate, she saw a disciple lying under a pagoda tree.
It was Yan Buliu, the one who stole the elderâs socks.
âIs this thieving disciple always so idle?â
She didnât give it much more thought and continued toward the sect gate.
...
At the sect gate, Wang Xiedi excitedly watched the arrival of the Miss Su he had been longing for.
He repeatedly wiped the Heart-Protecting Mirror on his chest and straightened his robes, trying his best to make a good impression on Miss Su.
Miss Su drew closer step by step. He felt that her aura seemed a bit stronger.
âMiss Su got stronger here?â
âAnd she came to receive me personally!â
Wang Xiediâs heart pounded.
âSheâs coming over!â
âDonât be afraid, Miss Su, Iâm here!â
âI brought the Heart-Connected Fruit the Sect Leader gave me! Iâll definitely get you out of here safely!â
Su Lingâer walked up to the sect gate and looked sluggishly at the boy before her.
âThis is the new disciple Eldest Disciple Brother mentioned?â
âWhy is he staring at me with such a burning gaze?â
âDo I know him well?â
âCould it be that heâs taken with my beauty?â
âSo blatant right after we meet. Heâs shameless. No wonder he wants to join this demonic sect!â
Just as Su Lingâer was mentally labeling him a "lecherous fiend," a voice transmitted directly into her ear.
[Wang Xiedi: Miss Su, itâs me, Wang Xiedi! The Sect Leader sent me to help you!]
âWang Xiedi?â
âWho was that again?â
âIs there someone with that name at Qingxu Temple?â
âWait... I think...â
Her gaze finally landed on the boyâs chest, on the Heart-Protecting Mirror that had been polished so bright it was almost blinding.
â!!!â
âOh, I remember now!â
âI think there really was someone like that at Qingxu Temple.â
âThe Sect Leader sent a disciple at the second level of Qi Refining over...â
âSomehow I feel like he wonât be much help...â
âI know the Sect Leader wouldnât want to part with a high-cultivation disciple... but this is a bit too...â
âOh well, itâs better than nothing.â
Seeing the change in Su Lingâerâs expression, Wang Xiedi knew she must have remembered him.
âMiss Su really does remember me!â
âThis is great!â
[Wang Xiedi: Miss Su, the Sect Leader gave me a treasure, a Heart-Connected Fruit. Thereâll be no problem this time for sure!]
[Wang Xiedi: Weâll definitely be able to bring information about this place back and escape this den of demons!]
The two of them stood there, communicating rapidly with their Divine Senses.
From the shadows, Lin Qingfeng frowned slightly.
âWhatâs going on?â
âWhy are those two just standing there?â
âHaving a staring contest?â
âDid the module freeze while loading because a new NPC was added?â
He shook off these thoughts. To ensure the mission proceeded smoothly, and to stop his junior sister from slacking off, he decided to intervene personally.
The next moment, his figure abruptly appeared behind Su Lingâer.
SLAP!
A hand landed on Su Lingâerâs shoulder.
"Miss Su."
Su Lingâer trembled, and the blood in her veins seemed to freeze solid.
âEldest Disciple Brother popped up behind me again!â
âI knew it!â
âI knew this task wouldnât be so simple!â
âEldest Disciple Brother is definitely monitoring me at all times!â
"Miss Su, why havenât you received him yet?"
Lin Qingfengâs voice rang out abruptly from behind her. Dressed in black robes, he stood with his hands clasped behind his back.
"Could it be that you donât know what to say?"
"How about from now on, I prepare some lines for you?"