Chapter 144 - 136: He Just Wanted to Cultivate Too Much

"This is the Asking Dao Ladder of our Guixi Immortal Sect."

"This is the Asking Dao Ladder of our Guixi... Immortal Sect."

Everyone looked in the direction she was pointing, and they were all instantly, utterly stunned by the sight before them.

A stairway of white jade rose from the ground, extending straight up until it vanished into the vast sea of clouds, its end out of sight.

It was like a celestial path connecting the mortal world to the immortal realm—sacred and solitary. A glorious, divine power emanated from the stairway, making everyone standing beneath it feel their own insignificance to their very core.

Seeing their utterly stunned expressions, Su Ling’er chose that moment to speak to them telepathically, igniting a spark of hope.

[Su Ling’er]: This ladder doesn’t test your Cultivation or your Spirit Root. It only asks about your true heart. I once climbed a hundred steps on this very ladder and broke through to the peak of Qi Refining in a single go. You might find some great opportunity here.

Her words sent shockwaves through the hearts of the undercover disciples!

’It doesn’t care about Spirit Root?! It only tests your heart?!’

They, whose path to immortality was declared hopeless due to their Pseudo Spirit Roots, felt their eyes blaze with an unprecedented light!

This was especially true for Li Chunfeng. A raging fire, the ambition to ascend to the heavens, ignited in his bulging eyes!

’Miss Su went from the third layer of Qi Refining to the peak of Qi Refining just by climbing this ladder. What about me?’

’Could a mortal like me, someone who can’t cultivate, also use this ladder to knock open the gates to the path of cultivation?!’

Under Su Ling’er’s guidance, the group paid the fee to climb the ladder to the perpetually poker-faced Mr. Qian, their hearts a mix of excitement and trepidation.

However, just as Su Ling’er was paying the fee, she caught something out of the corner of her eye, and her expression instantly froze.

She saw that not far from the Asking Dao Ladder, a large round table had appeared out of nowhere!

Seated at the table were none other than her First Senior Brother, Lin Qingfeng, along with Shi Gandang and a whole group of the sect’s core disciples!

Each of them was perched on a small stool, the table laden with sunflower seeds, watermelon, and Spirit Fruits. With their legs crossed, they were all staring over with the gleeful, carefree air of people watching a circus act!

Seeing Su Ling’er leading the newcomers over, Lin Qingfeng even waved at her very enthusiastically.

"Hey, Ling’er! You finally brought them over? Hurry up and let them give it a try, we’ve been waiting forever!"

Su Ling’er’s heart dropped, and her mind went completely blank.

’Wait... First Senior Brother... weren’t you just secretly watching me from afar?!’

’How did you get over here?!’

’When did you arrive?!’

’You just came here to watch the show, didn’t you!!!’

She instinctively snapped her head around, looking toward the spot where she remembered the black-robed figure had been tailing her.

But... the spot was completely empty. Not even a shadow remained!

’You sure got here fast!!!’

’You must have run over here ages ago to grab a good seat for the show, didn’t you?!’

The undercover disciples were also baffled. ’What is going on?’

’Are we... really getting this much attention?’

’We’re just new disciples climbing the Asking Dao Ladder. Why has it attracted so many other disciples to gather around and watch the show?’

Just then, Su Ling’er’s anxious telepathic message entered their minds.

[Su Ling’er]: That’s the First Senior Brother! All of you, be careful! He kills without batting an eye. Whatever you do, don’t defy him!

[Su Ling’er]: And listen up, this Asking Dao Ladder triggers a Heart Demon Illusion Realm! To make matters worse, the First Senior Brother has a purple crystal that lets him peer into other people’s Heart Demon Illusion Realms! When you’re in the illusion, you must protect your true selves and not reveal anything about Qingxu Temple, or we’re all dead!

The message clicked. A chill ran down their spines as they instantly understood everything.

’So that’s how it is!’

’So they’ve been hiding such a malicious trick like the Heart-Reading Skill all along!’

’Is this how they screen new disciples to see if any spies have infiltrated their ranks?!’

In an instant, they also figured out another matter that had been troubling them.

After several disciples exchanged glances, a terrifying thought formed in their minds at the same time.

’Could it be... Miss Su... she... because of this...’

’Maybe Miss Su had no choice but to kill that innocent family of three with her own hands to avoid exposing her identity. Did she do it to prove her "demonic heart," and that’s why she’s become like this?!’

’It’s entirely possible!!!’

Su Ling’er’s telepathic voice sounded in their minds again, tinged with a lingering fear as she warned them once more:

[Su Ling’er]: This is where Wang Xiedi tripped up! His Heart Demon was exposed for everyone to see, and the contents... were vile. In short, the whole scene was horrifying. Absolutely horrifying! I don’t want to bring it up again.

[Su Ling’er]: Your Heart Demons had better not be too disgusting or vile. You don’t want to offend the First Senior Brother’s eyes! If he doesn’t decide to kill you, you might be fine. But if he does, even I can’t protect you! You must remember that!

Hearing this, everyone gave Su Ling’er a grateful look.

Even in a situation where she could barely protect herself, Miss Su still took the risk to warn them about these details.

It was clear that even though she was trapped in this den of demons, her personality drastically changed, to the point she’d become a callous killer, she still cared for the safety of her former comrades in the deepest part of her heart. She still cherished the bond they once shared, a bond now sullied by this demonic sect.

Dong Changsheng, in particular, felt a surge of warmth as he watched Su Ling’er’s back.

’Don’t worry, Miss Su!’

’You’re protecting us today. In the future, I swear I’ll repay this kindness a hundredfold!’

The others also reflected on their own lives and figured they had lived openly and honorably. They probably didn’t have any shameful secrets for a Heart Demon to reveal.

As for Wang Xiedi... no one seemed surprised that he would have a Heart Demon so vile that even Miss Su found it unbearable. They even exchanged a few "that figures" glances.

Besides, back at Qingxu Temple, Wang Xiedi was always acting strangely, muttering to himself while staring into a broken mirror. It was always "Grandfather says this," and "Grandfather says that," going on about responsibility and duty.

’Besides, seeing the look of lingering terror on Miss Su’s face... it’s a good thing we never saw Wang Xiedi’s Heart Demon. If we had, we’d probably have developed Heart Demons of our own...’

Just as the disciples were exchanging these silent thoughts—

"Alright, get a move on!" Lin Qingfeng urged impatiently, cracking a sunflower seed between his teeth.

At his words, the disciples looked at each other, all hesitating for a moment.

After all, with the Heart Demon Illusion Realm combined with that terrifying Heart-Reading Skill, no one could be sure that their deepest secrets wouldn’t become the blade that signed their death warrant.

Just then, Li Chunfeng stepped forward!

He was just too desperate to cultivate.