ăGuixi Sect. The main gate.ă
Outside, the dead silence of a land forsaken by heaven and earth remained. Not a single blade of grass grew upon the scorched earth.
Led by Dong Changsheng and Li Chunfeng, the twelve undercover disciples of mediocre talent entered the sectâs gate, their hearts surging with turbulent emotions.
One disciple couldnât help but look back at the scorched land, then turn to face the paradise before them. The color drained from his face.
The companion beside him gulped, his Adamâs apple bobbing.
The same thought occurred to both of them.
â...Did they drain the life force of an entire mountain for this?â
This thought sent shockwaves through the group.
A terrified glance, an unconscious tightening of a hand on a sword hiltâtheir shared horror was communicated without a word.
The group held their breath, daring not to make a single rash move.
They understood that now that they were inside the sectâs gate, their every move was likely being watched.
The Sect Leader of Qingxu Temple had already branded Guixi Sect in their minds, and now, the stark contrast between the inside and the outside only solidified that impression.
Since they had entered the gate, they were probably already under observation. Someone would surely come to receive them soon.
Sure enough, before long, a red figure came soaring on a sword from the depths of the Immortal Realm.
The newcomer wore a red robe and stood upon a plain, unremarkable Wooden Sword. Her posture was graceful, and a sense of familiarity washed over the disciples.
When she was close enough for them to see her face, they were horrified.
âIs that... Miss Su?â
âAnd is she using Sword Flight?â
âSword Flight... Isnât that a skill only Cultivators at the Foundation Establishment Stage possess?â
âMiss Su has already reached Foundation Establishment?!â
âHow is that possible?!â
âDoesnât she have a Pseudo Spirit Root?â
This fact struck a bitter chord with those among them who also had a Pseudo Spirit Root.
âWeâre just like her! We all have Pseudo Spirit Roots! The Sect Leader himself said we had no hope of reaching Foundation Establishment in this lifetime!â
âHow long has she been in this demonic sect? And sheâs already at Foundation Establishment?!â
However, what truly terrified them wasnât that someone with a Pseudo Spirit Root had broken through in their Cultivation, but the aura she exuded.
To their senses, although Su Lingâerâs Spiritual Qi was predominant, she was also wreathed in three distinct and malevolent auras!
The auras of death, ghosts, and corpses!
Cold, putrid, and venomous...
One could never become tainted by such auras unless they had long practiced Demonic Evil Skills and kept the company of lingering souls and the dead.
Simply fighting or coming into contact with ordinary evil creatures would not be enough to stain someone like this.
Could it be that their fellow discipleâthe one who, despite her mediocre talent, had once possessed such a pure heart for the Daoâhad truly fallen into the demonic path?
[Disciple A]: Itâs over... Has Miss Su betrayed us? Those three evil auras canât be faked!
[Disciple B]: This is ironclad proof! She must have made a deal with the fiend of this place, trading something for the chance to reach Foundation Establishment with a Pseudo Spirit Root! The demonic sect helped her, so she willingly fell from grace!
[Disciple C]: Thatâs why she went silent and stopped replying to the Sect Leaderâs messages! And she even dragged Wang Xiedi down with her! Have they both forgotten the Sect Leaderâs kindness and Mr. Dongâs teachings?!
At the same time, a trace of bitterness and jealousy stirred in the hearts of some disciples.
âAfter all, we all started on the same line with Pseudo Spirit Roots. Why did *you* get to reach Foundation Establishment?â
Itâs one thing to see your senior sister suffer, but itâs another to see her suddenly soaring in a flying boat...
[Disciple E]: Speaking of which... Arenât we just walking right into a trap? Looking at Miss Suâs aura, what if sheâs planning to use us as materials to cultivate her auras of death, ghosts, and corpses?!
Dong Changsheng heard the disciplesâ discussion and, fuming, quickly sent a stern mental message:
[Dong Changsheng]: What is there to panic about?! The wicked may be feared by men, but they are not feared by Heaven; the good may be deceived by men, but they are not deceived by Heaven! We are fellow disciples with Miss Su and should trust each other. How can you jump to conclusions based on a mere aura? Have you all forgotten what I taught you? I would rather be wronged by others than be the one to wrong them!
His words were spoken with such righteousness, it was as if a beacon of the righteous path had shone down upon this demonic land.
[Disciple A]: But Mr. Dong, if Miss Su has really become an Evil Cultivator, all she needs is a single thought, and none of us twelve will leave this place alive today!
âThatâs right, what if we actually die...â
âSigh. Then again, the Spiritual Qi here is so abundant, and opportunities are everywhere. Miss Su is just a weak young woman. Faced with such a dazzling world, itâs possible she couldnât control herself and was led astray.â
But Dong Changsheng believed that after years of guidance from himself and the Sect Leader, Miss Su would never be so heartless!
Meanwhile, as Su Lingâer flew closer on her sword, she also got a clear look at her fellow disciples.
âThis is...???â
âThe Sect Leader... he sent so many fellow disciples to support me this time?â
âSurely we wonât have another... situation... like the one with Wang Xiedi, right?â
Her gaze came to rest on two people in particular.
One had thick eyebrows and large eyes. He was tall and burly, with somewhat rough features and hair combed back meticulously, giving him a very capable appearance.
It was none other than the highly respected Mr. Dong, Dong Changsheng.
She herself had followed Mr. Dongâs theories on success, working diligently in the outer sect without complaint, which ultimately led to the Sect Leader entrusting her with this important mission!
The other man had long, slightly messy hair and a thick, full beard. If not for his Daoist robes, he might have been mistaken for a vagrant on the street.
He looked unusually old for his age and had a pair of distinct, fish-like eyes. This was Li Chunfeng, known to the outer sect disciples as "Feng"!
âMr. Dong and Mr. Li!â
âTheyâre here!â
âThis means thereâs real hope this time!!!â
âWith these two senior brothers here, weâll surely be able to get the intelligence on this demonic den out!â
âFinally, Iâm not fighting alone anymore!â
Su Lingâer subconsciously ignored the incident-prone Wang Xiedi!
However, when this hopeful smile of hers fell upon the eyes of the twelve undercover disciples, it made their hearts stop and a chill run down their spines!
âItâs over!â
âShe smiled!â
âShe saw us and gave that... that satisfied smile you see when youâve found top-quality materials!â
âShe really has... fallen completely!â