It’s possible for a teleportation array to malfunction. Overuse, aging, and fading array patterns can cause the teleportation speed to drop from instantaneous to taking hundreds of breaths or even several days. When sects discover this, they send people to maintain and repair the array.
Lin Shuang threw out her four little Ais and tested the spiritual energy of the array patterns. “We’ll probably be out in about the time it takes to drink a cup of tea. Everyone, calm down and prepare for the next step.”
“What?”
Meng Zi widened his eyes and stood up, gripping his blade. His twitching gaze flickered between the still-angry Pu Yuan with his “permed hair,” and the fox and tiger spirits whose souls were dispersing. The spirits had been respectfully watching them, as if finally relieved, with tears brimming in their eyes. But upon closer inspection, their expressions were bitter.
“This is a huge deal, and not just one thing—I haven’t even sorted it out yet. How can you expect me to calm down over a mere cup of tea?”
Meng Zi didn’t know where to look anymore.
At first, it hadn’t seemed that bad, but now that Lin Shuang had mentioned it, his scalp prickled.
Looking now, the two spirits—tiger and fox—were faint and flickering. They should have returned to the natural cycle upon completing the trial, achieving ultimate liberation.
But now, due to the delay in their teleportation array, the two spirits remained in a painful, half-dispersed state.
Without a complete soul, one cannot enter reincarnation.
This has always been the belief. If a cultivator’s soul does not dissipate upon death, it retains its consciousness for a long time.
If these residual souls cannot be freed, it is like being trapped in a tormenting purgatory, enduring endless suffering.
The higher one’s cultivation, the more severe this torment becomes.
Meng Zi inhaled sharply and immediately pulled out spirit stones from his spatial pouch.
Lin Shuang: “?”
Pu Yuan lowered his head: “…”
“Can’t I just calm myself down a little?!” Meng Zi snapped.
His hands trembled slightly as he held three spirit stones.
He steadied himself slightly after gripping four.
He swallowed hard and looked again at Pu Yuan, the “permed one.” This time, the man had turned slightly away from him.
Those eyes, usually drooping and filled with a sickly aura, now radiated a different kind of violent energy, even while sitting.
A chilling crimson gleamed from his pupils as he glanced at the spirit stones in Meng Zi’s hand.
“…”
Meng Zi took out a fifth spirit stone and pressed it tightly. His peach-blossom eyes twitched violently.
“Wait, putting aside everything else, our sect, Qing Shui Sect, has always opened its doors to accept youkai, treating them the same as human cultivators!”
“Xiao Bai, who lives with me, is also a youkai.”
He couldn’t understand.
“Senior Brother Yuan,” Meng Zi held spirit stones in one hand and gripped his sword hilt with the other, looking up at Pu Yuan, whose long hair now dragged on the ground, and at the crimson strands of hair seeping out from his perm, “…you’re a youkai?”
“Why did you hide it?”
Meng Zi was deeply hurt.
“I, Meng Zi, swear on the spirit stones in my spatial pouch that I have never discriminated against youkai!”
“I’ve only ever discriminated against Lin Shuang.”
“…”
Lin Shuang sipped her tea, her fingers reaching out to continue wrapping talisman paper around Pu Yuan’s growing hair strands.
What kind of grudge do we have?
Her eyebrow twitched.
Pu Yuan lowered his eyelids. The growing, thickening strands of hair paused their transformation for half a breath.
After a long pause, his crimson gaze turned to Lin Shuang.
“A part of you is also here. What does that mean?”
His voice was as cold as ice.
Meng Zi inhaled sharply again, pulling out a sixth spirit stone and looking at Lin Shuang.
Lin Shuang, while continuing to wrap the permed strands in talisman paper, signaled one of her little Ais to bring her tea.
She thought for a moment.
Then she nodded.
“Senior Brother Meng. Senior Brother Yuan, well, I’ll call you that for now.”
Pu Yuan’s eyebrows lifted mockingly.
She had actually sensed keenly that he was not truly a disciple of Qing Shui Sect.
“Everyone,” Lin Shuang glanced at Pu Yuan, “every youkai has their own secrets.”
Meng Zi hooked his little finger and pulled out a seventh spirit stone.
Looking slightly guilty, he glanced at the Mask of Annihilation in his spatial pouch.
“We haven’t known each other for long. Expecting full honesty might be too much.”
Lin Shuang had her little Ais set down the teacup.
She gazed toward the lingering shadow of Hui Niang in the distance.
Separated by the array, she could not sense the other’s spiritual fluctuations.
Perhaps only Pu Yuan, with his nine-tailed bloodline and status as the leader of the fox clan, could perceive it.
“But special circumstances call for special handling.”
Lin Shuang sighed.
“The Nine Thousand Trials hide deeper secrets. Today, we accidentally touched something we were not meant to know.”
Meng Zi fell silent.
“Who knows what we might encounter as we go higher? It could be the souls of youkai or the remnants of human cultivators…”
Lin Shuang paused.
“Now that we’ve discovered this secret, what will be done with us?”
“This layer trapping living souls—was it the work of a rogue cultivator, a sect elder acting unilaterally and secretly? Or was it tacitly approved by the entire Shan Hai Sect?”
Meng Zi pressed his hands to his head. Not even spirit stones could stop his knees from trembling.
“Qing Shui Sect and Shan Hai Sect were once one sect, later diverging clearly.”
“But Senior Brother Yuan previously mentioned that the Nine Thousand Trials of Zhen Chuan and the Nine Thousand of Yuan He were originally built together. Could it be that even the reclusive ancestors of Qing Shui Sect are implicated?”
Meng Zi inhaled sharply.
If that were the case, would the three of them, having discovered the secret, be targeted for elimination by the reclusive ancestors of both Shan Hai Sect and Qing Shui Sect?
What level of cultivation do those ancestors possess?
This is no joking matter!
Li Min, the supervising elder of the 3,000 layers of Zhen Chuan, is at the peak of the Nascent Soul stage. Meng Zi had once been knocked flat by just one finger from him!
What’s going on here? They can’t possibly fight them!
They wouldn’t even be able to escape!
“Of course, that’s the worst-case scenario.”
Lin Shuang waved her hand reassuringly.
“That’s also improbable. If the sect’s leader and elders tacitly approved of this, why would they go through the trouble of testing their disciples’ loyalty within the sect?”
Meng Zi patted his chest and exhaled in relief.
Pu Yuan’s eyes were filled with mockery.
“So I deduce that only a few elders are involved, not all.”
Lin Shuang took out paper and ink and wrote it down for them to see.
“For now, let’s tentatively assume that not all stone layers are problematic. We’ll analyze this layer’s Wang Jian Trial as a starting point.”
— The original elder who constructed this layer is problematic
— The elders responsible for subsequent maintenance of this layer are problematic
— The supervising elders of this layer are problematic
— Any two or all three of the above are problematic
Meng Zi and Pu Yuan instinctively looked over.
“Assuming the Yuan He Nine Thousand of Shan Hai Sect follows the same elder system as Zhen Chuan.”
Previously, in Zhen Chuan, Lin Shuang had already gained a rough understanding.
The Nine Thousand Trials were constructed by the first sect leader of the Qing Shui Sect along with several elders.
Upon completion, the founding leader and the first group of highly cultivated elders ascended.
Only a few elders with slightly lower cultivation remained, later becoming the reclusive elders of Qing Shui Sect. Most of them exhausted their lifespan, with only a few surviving to the present, rarely emerging.
Subsequently, Zhen Chuan was opened once every ten years.
Over time, the puppets, arrays, and even trial questions in the stone layers gradually fell behind the development of the disciples.
Therefore, the contemporary elders became the maintainers of the Nine Thousand Trials—essentially repairing or updating some of the questions to better align with Qing Shui Sect’s new techniques.
These elders were mostly active in the sect’s management.
The third category, even lower, were the junior supervisors like Xiao Hong and Xiao Lu.
“The first category, the original founders, need not be mentioned—they are the reclusive ancestors.”
Lin Shuang’s eyebrow twitched.
“Ah, Ascended-stage experts.”
“The second category, the contemporary elders maintaining the Nine Thousand Trials… if they are the problem, that’s relatively better for us, since they aren’t as terrifying as the ancestors. But could they be at the Transcendence Stage?”
“The third category, the supervising elders, are at the Nascent Soul Stage.”
Lin Shuang wrote Xiao Hong’s name behind this line.
With a cultivation level similar to Li Min.
Meng Zi glanced at it and felt it would be much better if it were the third category.
“Just Nascent Soul… hahaha…”
Although Nascent Soul is still unbeatable, it’s much better than Transcendence or Ascended!
But Pu Yuan sneered, filled with mockery.
Lin Shuang looked at him and nodded solemnly, then turned to Meng Zi with a heavy expression. “The third category is the least likely, since if the supervisors altered the array of the trial layer, it would be hard to escape the eyes of the contemporary elders maintaining the trials.”
“So…”
She emphasized the line for “contemporary elders maintaining the trials” on the paper.
“This is definitely the key point.”
Meng Zi opened his mouth, then closed it.
Indeed.
Who could possibly tamper with the trial layer without the contemporary elders noticing?
Either the contemporary elders are covering up the crimes of the original founders, colluding with them or too afraid to resist.
Or the contemporary elders themselves are the culprits, colluding with the supervisors, or the supervisors’ cultivation is far inferior to that of the contemporary elders, making it impossible for them to detect the elders’ issues.
“In other words, we’ll at least face pursuit from contemporary elders at the Transcendence Stage…”
Meng Zi reached out to grab Pu Yuan’s waist.
Pu Yuan frowned, his crimson gaze lowering.
“I don’t care. If I’m going to die, Senior Brother Yuan, once we get out, lend me your spatial pouch—I’ll forgive you for deceiving me all this time.”
“…”
“And you too, Lin Shuang!”
Meng Zi turned and glared.
“Fine, both of you entered Zhen Chuan with your own purposes, but me…”
Lin Shuang smiled bitterly. “I only realized Senior Brother Yuan’s anomaly because of you.”
Pu Yuan paused for a moment. “It was all because my junior sister brought me along.”
“…”
“…………”
Even at a time like this, they still tried to shift the blame onto each other!
They exchanged glances, then quickly looked away.
It wasn’t really shifting blame.
It was the truth.
Without each other, they wouldn’t have discovered these issues.
“Thirteen sets of youkai elders’ remains are missing.”
Pu Yuan spoke, gazing toward Hui Niang.
“After searching all four realms and chasing rogue cultivators for over twenty years, we still haven’t found them.”
Meng Zi’s pupils contracted. “What were the cultivation levels of those youkai elders—”
“All above Transcendence.”
Meng Zi closed his eyes.
Lin Shuang’s speculation was correct.
“We’ve searched everywhere, but there are a few major sect strongholds that we youkai cannot enter.”
Pu Yuan gazed into the distance.
“That’s why in recent years, more youkai like Bai Yu have entered cultivation sects.”
Lin Shuang frowned.
“They say it’s internal strife among youkai, that they have no place to survive, but in reality, you’re infiltrating human sects to investigate.”
Pu Yuan turned to look at her. Even though his eyes still held traces of blood, they couldn’t hide a glimmer of admiration.
She was indeed clever.
Back then in the ruined temple, his instinct to target her had been correct.
He gritted his teeth, suppressing the metallic taste in his throat and the surging murderous intent.
“Humans have always been wary of youkai. Even though some youkai have high cultivation, they can never reach the core of human sects.”
“In Zhen Chuan, very few youkai have passed the puppet trials.”
The supervising elders can temporarily change the questions.
They had already experienced this once before.
Pu Yuan lowered his eyelids and looked at Lin Shuang. “Very few humans, even, solve the trials the way you do.”
Passing the puppet trials doesn’t necessarily reveal the truth.
Not every layer of the Nine Thousand Trials is problematic.
In the same puppet trial, the Li Family Village had no clues at all.
This time, without her, he wouldn’t have reached this layer of Shan Hai Sect and discovered the fox clan’s residual soul.
A pity.
Pu Yuan gazed at Lin Shuang’s snow-white face and the faint, silken spiritual energy swirling around her.
She was quite pleasing to the eye.
Too bad she was human.
Lin Shuang also looked at him with mutual respect. “If Senior Brother Yuan weren’t so temperamental, and couldn’t sense youkai souls, I probably would never have found my enemy in this life.”
Pu Yuan raised an eyebrow.
Meng Zi groaned and pressed his hand to his head. “What kind of reincarnated beings are you two, huh?”
Always talking about enemies at the Transcendence Stage?
Lin Shuang put down the paper and ink she had been using to write about the elders’ speculations, then immediately lit a fire talisman, burning it to ashes.
She then untied the red string on her left sleeve, pulling back a large portion of her blue robe.
A hideous scar, running the entire length of her arm, was revealed on her pale, exposed arm.
Though fainter now, it was still shocking.
Lin Shuang’s left hand moved to her chest.
“I was once dead… cough, but maybe I was near some miraculous treasure when I died, so I came back to life.”
“But I have no memory of anything. I don’t know who did this to me.”
“What does this have to do with the Nine Thousand Trials?”
Meng Zi was puzzled.
Lin Shuang nodded. “It’s just a guess.”
She took out several finger bones from the spatial pouch—remnants of the hammer-wielding Liu Ba—and placed them next to the wound on her left little finger.
“Don’t they look similar?”
Meng Zi: “…”
Pu Yuan frowned.
“I don’t have much evidence.”
Lin Shuang spread her hands. “That’s why I entered Zhen Chuan—not only to become an elite inner disciple, but also to obtain the *Shao Ming Companion for Talisman Crafting* at the 6,000th layer.”
“I want to learn the time-reversal talisman, to trace back the timeline of this body and find the culprit.”
Revenge can wait for now.
At the very least, I need to know who my enemy is.
Pu Yuan looked at her long scar on her arm and nodded. “A wound running through the chest—enough to rip out your entire upper body skeleton.”
Meng Zi: “…”
“Of course, this is just my guess. There’s a good chance my ‘death’ has nothing to do with any of this.”
Lin Shuang nodded.
“But as we continue upward, we will draw the attention of that person.”
“I have to prepare for the worst-case scenario. If that person is my enemy, if parts of my body are under their control in the Nine Thousand Trials…”
Meng Zi: “…”
“There’s also my missing memories,” Lin Shuang took out a storybook. “Seeing Hui Niang’s residual soul made me wonder—if I can’t remember, maybe it’s because part of my soul was… severed.”
Meng Zi: “…”
Pu Yuan: “…”
Then you’re truly a reincarnation of a deity.
And you still have 108 divine consciousnesses.
“That’s why I must be prepared. From now on, every step in the Nine Thousand Trials must be carefully taken.”
Lin Shuang pulled her sleeve back down.
She had her little Ais help her retie the red string into a loose bow.
“Next time we enter, we must immediately determine whether there are residual souls or remains trapped in the array.”
“To assess the level of danger.”
Meng Zi nodded.
Although he had never harbored such hatred himself, there was no turning back now. Continuing through the Nine Thousand Trials might lead to uncovering things that were never meant to be discovered.
He needed to find a way to protect himself. If he ever had the chance to determine who was guilty and who was innocent, he would report directly to the Sect Leader!
Perhaps the Sect Leader would even reward him with spirit stones!
Then he could be fine again.
Lin Shuang nodded. “High risk brings high reward. Entering the Nine Thousand Trials was always a multi-purpose endeavor. Hmm, we’ll be teleported out in 102 breaths.”
“Have you both adjusted your emotions yet?”
“As disciples of Clearwater Sect, having broken through and taken first place in the competition, earning the position of Floor Master of Mountain-Sea Sect, we should be filled with joy right now~”
Meng Zi, who had been nervously gripping his blade since earlier: “…”
Pu Yuanhu, whose eyes still held traces of crimson, lowered his eyelids.
Both remained tense or expressionless as they gazed at her.
Lin Shuang: “…”
Pills!
Lin Shuang pulled out a humorous picture book and handed it to them.
She inserted a silver claw that massaged the scalp onto Meng Zi’s head as he sat.
She took out earplug talismans that played cheerful background music and, standing on tiptoe, inserted them into Yuanhu Pu’s ears.
Brushing past his silver hair near his ears, she pressed both ears gently.
“Getting angry doesn’t help.”
“But holding it in can damage your health.”
“I’ll let you stay angry for another 96 breaths… no longer than that.”
“Their residual souls are temporarily safe. This floor is being used for the competition, so no disciples will come here for now.”
“We’ll go upward and find another chance to release them.”
Pu Yuanhu’s crimson pupils reflected the sight of her hand covering his ears.
Her bright features looked like she was coaxing a child.
His pupils slightly shifted.
Why was it always her words that he wanted to hear?
He turned his head away.
In the Nine Thousand Trials, attacking any section would trigger the defensive formation of the Nine Thousand Trials of the Abyssal River.
Forcefully breaking through the formation would alert others, and without knowledge of formation runes, might harm the residual souls trapped inside.
Perhaps only reaching the top floor and completing the entire Abyssal River would reveal the truth of the final formation and fully release these residual souls.
Pu Yuanhu closed his eyes.
He opened them quickly again.
His crimson pupils gradually returned to black.
Just a faint red remained, flickering briefly.
“What are you doing, Senior Apprentice-Master?”
The girl’s index finger, which had been gently stroking his ear, now moved through his hair.
Caressing.
Soft and ticklish.
Her fingertips were gentle and warm.
His Adam’s apple moved slightly. The soft, sensitive hairs on his ears involuntarily bristled with pleasure.
“Don’t move. I’m drawing a calming talisman on you.”
“…”
Taking the chance to pet him while drawing the talisman, Lin Shuang grinned mischievously as she lowered her head.
She was also afraid and nervous facing the powerful enemy in the tribulation.
Her hands trembled uncontrollably.
She needed to relieve the stress too!
“No need to thank me, Senior Apprentice-Brother,” Lin Shuang’s voice trembled slightly with fear.
“…”
The next moment, a blinding light appeared before the three of them.
The sound of flowing spring water surrounded them.
Lin Shuang reluctantly removed her hand and, under Yuanhu Pu’s now entirely dark gaze, along with Meng Zi, who was enjoying the massage claw and holding the picture book, was teleported to the Resting Boat at the 6000th floor of the Abyssal River of Mountain-Sea Sect.
Disciples from the five major sects were all waiting for them.
Also present were spectators from Mountain-Sea Sect and other sects.
“Hi.”
Lin Shuang smiled, hiding her trembling hands behind her back.
“We came out late.”
“We were just so happy that we accidentally broke the teleportation formation.”
Mountain-Sea Sect disciples: “…”
Five Major Sect disciples: “…”
Pu Yuanhu removed the talisman from his ears and politely nodded toward them like a courteous gentleman.
“The teleportation formation of Mountain-Sea Sect has some aging runes. I will contribute 50,000 spirit stones for its maintenance.”
Meng Zi hissed, nearly crumpling the picture book in his hands, “Should I start learning formation arts now? Could you just give me the maintenance fee directly, Senior Apprentice-Brother Yuanhu?”
The Mountain-Sea Sect disciple’s eye twitched, and he almost wanted to turn and leave!
It was just too infuriating.
Was Mountain-Sea Sect so short on money that Clearwater Sect had to fix their teleportation formation?!
Suddenly, a radiant light enveloped them.
The authoritative voice of the elder from Mountain-Sea Sect, who was overseeing the competition, rang out, “For the middle and lower stages of the Foundation Building Realm, the second round of the competition—”
“The rankings have been decided!”
Everyone looked up to see the red leaderboard in the sky.
[1 Clearwater Sect 270 Completed
2 Hundred Flowers Sect 115 Pseudo-Completion
3 Ten Thousand Monks Sect…Pseudo-Completion
4 Mountain-Sea Sect…Pseudo-Completion
5 Apothecary & Alchemy Sect…Pseudo-Completion
6 Inscription Weight Sect…Pseudo-Completion]
Silence spread across the Resting Boat at the 6000th floor of Mountain-Sea Sect’s Abyssal River.
The twelve great mountains watching the competition were also silent.
They had already known the result, but seeing it with their own eyes was still a huge shock to their consciousness.
Clearwater Sect first, leading by over 150 points!
Hundred Flowers Sect, which had believed they would definitely take first place, even used the “Four Seasons Complete Guide to Flowers” to accelerate time, but to what avail? All their efforts were spent on a single painting!
A pseudo-ending meant all their efforts were in vain.
The word “pseudo” hanging behind their rankings was like a public mockery of the five major sects’ disciples.
The five major sects didn’t want to speak.
【Haha, I’m from Clearwater Sect, and I finally get to speak in the projection! I’ve been waiting for this day for so long!】
【Hey, our middle-stage Foundation Building juniors and seniors in the Nine Thousand Trials of Zhenchuan, experiencing the pain of being dominated by outer disciples, now you five sects can taste the same bitterness!】
【Unbelievable! Just a moment ago, you were boasting about how my senior apprentice-sister Lin Shuang had no experience with the mannequin trials.
She may not have much experience, but she does have the experience of leading by over a hundred points.】
【What? The Floor Master of Mountain-Sea Sect is from Clearwater Sect!】
【Pseudo, so funny!】
【…】
【…………】
【Mountain-Sea Sect has exited the projection viewing area.】
【Hundred Flowers Sect has exited the projection viewing area.】
…
【Apothecary & Alchemy Sect has exited the projection…】
【…】
【… How childish, can’t take the heat!】
【Don’t worry, as soon as the next round starts, we’ll flood the chat to annoy them. Haha, great satisfaction. Good job, Senior Apprentice-Sister Lin Shuang.】
【If you can’t handle it, don’t watch the projection in the next round!】
Lin Shuang and the others quickly noticed that the surrounding disciples, after glancing at the projection stone, were giving them rather unfriendly looks.
The twelve great elders present also left with strange expressions.
Lin Shuang coughed lightly, “Let’s go, time to claim our rewards.”
As soon as she spoke, a distant river suddenly transformed into a water dragon.
It surged straight toward the three of them.
Meng Zi and Pu Yuanhu both flickered their eyes.
They barely managed to suppress the urge to retreat!
Fortunately, the spiritual energy didn’t target them. Instead, a beast head resembling golden threads appeared, slowly forming on their Clearwater Sect robes.
The Floor Master insignia!
It was almost identical to the beast head of Clearwater Sect.
The Mountain-Sea Sect disciples looked on with a mix of envy and frustration.
The disciples from the five sects also had complex expressions.
“Senior Apprentice-Sister Lin, you go first to claim your reward.”
Xiao Qi was the first to step forward, smiling as he held his cloth-wrapped sword.
“I originally wanted to spar with you, uh, have a friendly match. But there’s no rush now. I’ll take you to the reward inscription first!”
Her first-tier partner who had faced life and death with her—Xiao Qi.
Pu Yuanhu and Meng Zi both looked at him, their eyes showing a flicker of understanding.
At the same time, they unknowingly revealed a hint of superiority.
They were second-tier~
“You two go ahead. We’ll visit you three at the rest cave dwelling later. Senior Apprentice-Sister Lin, Senior Apprentice-Brother Pu, Junior Apprentice-Brother Meng.”
Bian Bo, the Hundred Flowers Sect contestant beside them, waved his fan politely and left first.
Other sects’ competition disciples, originally intending to stay, also quietly left after hearing his words.
After all, compared to Clearwater Sect, they had barely managed a pseudo-ending in this round, suffering a crushing defeat with nothing much to claim as reward.
Staying would only bring them humiliation.
“Senior Apprentice-Sister Lin, every three thousand floors has a Resting Boat.”
Xiao Qi smiled and bid farewell to the two senior apprentices from his team before explaining to Lin Shuang.
The resting layers of the Nine Thousand Trials of the Abyssal River were shaped like boats.
Behind the long stone table selling cave dwellings on the deck stood a figure suspected to be a supervising elder—a pale-faced man with a long beard.
Lin Shuang suddenly used the massage claw on her own scalp to relax.
Meng Zi twirled spirit stones in his hands.
Pu Yuanhu held a silver hand warmer.
The supervising elder of the Wang Jian layer, as previously analyzed, was either of weak cultivation or colluded with the elder who built the layer.
He might be on the wrong side!
Unavoidably, the three of them had a different frequency of aura compared to before.
The pale-faced, long-bearded elder couldn’t help but glance toward them, but after seeing their strange actions, the corner of his mouth twitched.
He truly overlooked their abnormal tension.
“…Eh, may I ask, what exactly are the three of you doing?”
Xiao Qi carefully raised his hand and asked.
Lin Shuang coughed lightly, “How should we address this elder?”
“Oh, you mean Elder Wang?”
Lin Shuang and the others: “…”
Wang?
What kind of joke was this?
Was it the same “Wang” as in Wang Jian?
The three of them immediately continued using the massage claw, spirit stones, and hand warmer without pause.
Xiao Qi: “…So, what exactly are you doing?”
“Hisss, could this be the method Senior Apprentice-Sister Lin previously mentioned for relaxing and enhancing spiritual senses?”
Lin Shuang: “…”
“Ah, yes, exactly.”
Meng Zi: “…”
Pu Yuanhu: “…”
Xiao Qi smiled, indicating he had taken note, “I’ve learned something new again. Thank you, Senior Apprentice-Sister Lin, for teaching me.”
He led them forward, out of the supervising elder’s sight.
To the left ahead were colorful shelves displaying various treasures, as well as the reward inscription.
To the right were twelve teleportation boats, which could take them to any of the Abyssal Rivers for trials.
The layout here was similar to that of Zhenchuan.
The two sects’ cultivation techniques complemented each other; it seemed not to be a lie.
Lin Shuang finally caught her breath and put away the massage claw, “Any good recommendations?”
The fastest way to learn about an unfamiliar environment—instead of figuring it out alone, just ask senior apprentices or apprentices who already know the area.
Xiao Qi immediately switched his cloth-wrapped sword to his left hand.
With his right, he activated the inscription for Lin Shuang, swiping her disciple badge over it.
[Completed Floor 3903: Reward of 3903 Sect Contribution.]
[Additional reward of 3903 Contribution for completing the hidden ending of Wang Jian’s suicide.]
[Lin Shuang is a Clearwater disciple, so the reward is converted to Clearwater Contribution.]
Lin Shuang nodded. It was pretty smart.
Pu Yuanhu and Meng Zi both leaned in to observe.
[Additional Floor Master Reward.]
[1. 50,000 Spirit Stones, can be used to offset 1–3900 costs for purchasing/renting cave dwellings of Clearwater or Mountain-Sea Sect.]
[2. 30,000 Spirit Stones, can be used to offset expenses such as spiritual energy costs for Mountain-Sea or Clearwater Sect.]
[3. 30,000 Spirit Stones, which can be used to offset purchases such as precious pills or other items from the Mountain-Sea Sect or Clearwater Sect.]
[4. 20,000 Spirit Stones, can be used for all purposes.]
Usable in both sects.
Lin Shuang narrowed her eyes. Since she was studying at Mountain-Sea Sect, she should definitely buy something unique to Mountain-Sea Sect.
Otherwise, she wouldn’t be able to buy it once she returned to Clearwater Sect.
She swiftly closed the Danbao (treasure pills) section and reviewed the other available options.
The other list popped up instantly.
[Mountains and Rivers Painting by Sect Leader Wang (Volume 1) – 20,000 Spirit Stones.]
The three of them simultaneously narrowed their eyes.
Sect Leader Wang… Wang… Wang Jian.
A painting of mountains and rivers…
What was going on here.
Everyone in Mountain-Sea Sect seemed to have the surname Wang!
You might as well call it Wang Sea Sect.
This first item on the exchange list was too shocking, making Lin Shuang want to pull out the massage claw again.
Her scalp truly tingled.
She pressed her forehead, “Is the Mountain-Sea Sect Leader a painter?”
Did the clues have to be so obvious?
Xiao Qi laughed heartily, unaware of the seriousness of the issue.
“What are you thinking? Of course not. Our Mountain-Sea Sect’s successive leaders naturally cultivate the Mountain Techniques, swordsmanship, formations, and such.”
“But many elders in the sect enjoy traveling through mountains, collecting landscape paintings, and occasionally painting themselves.”
“The Sect Leader is no exception.”
Lin Shuang blinked.
“This Volume 1 is just a casual work from when the Sect Leader was younger. Our sect’s great cultivators often unconsciously reveal their insights into mountain-related techniques in their daily lives, let alone in paintings?”
Xiao Qi looked at Volume 1 with a trace of longing and reverence.
“A disciple with high comprehension might gain some insight into Sect Leader Wang’s understanding of the realm of mountains from this scroll, thus enhancing their cultivation techniques. So even though Sect Leader Wang is not a specialist in painting, spending 20,000 spirit stones is not a loss.”
Lin Shuang nodded.
Pu Yuanhu had already made the purchase.
“Ah, there aren’t many water paintings in it, mostly mountains,” Xiao Qi hadn’t expected him to act so quickly, scratching his nose, “I wonder if it will be useful to Clearwater Sect.”
“No problem, appreciating the Sect Leader’s work from Mountain-Sea Sect,” Pu Yuanhu smiled, “who knows when we’ll have the chance after today.”
Xiao Qi nodded after hearing this, “Indeed, this is only available in our sect.”
“Ah, you can also check out some senior apprentices’ explanations about the Nine Thousand Trials of the Abyssal River?”
He said, pointing to the following item.
“You Need to Know One or Two Things About Building the Abyssal River” (Volume 1) – 15,000 Spirit Stones.
“In the upcoming major competition, we’ll probably still be in the Nine Thousand Trials of the Abyssal River.”
In Xiao Qi’s eyes, the inner sect competition wasn’t important; he was still an outer sect disciple.
He didn’t even have the mindset that the inner sect of Mountain-Sea must take first place.
Instead, he felt it was unfair for disciples from other sects to come to Mountain-Sea Sect for trials and competitions.
A cultivator should be free of guilt.
Xiao Qi felt that even if they won, winning with an advantage was not a true victory.
Therefore, he immediately recommended this book to Lin Shuang and the others.
Lin Shuang was about to decline when Pu Yuanhu purchased it again.
Lin Shuang: “…”
Meng Zi: “…”
This rich guy was also spending money at an incredible speed.
In just a short while, Pu Yuanhu had almost used up all the spirit stone rewards for purchasing other items and the universally applicable spirit stones.
Xiao Qi was delighted, “Senior Apprentice-Brother Yuanhu is so generous. Senior Apprentice-Sister Lin, Senior Apprentice-Brother Meng, uh, didn’t you find anything you liked? Then would you like to take a look at the cultivation notes of our Mountain-Sea Sect elders?”
Fortunately, the two senior apprentices on his team had already left.
They were truly like teammates who brought nothing but trouble.
They had practically sold out their own sect’s information.
He wore an expression that clearly said, “I’m telling you all my secret techniques.”
Lin Shuang almost broke into a sweat; she would never again easily confide secrets to Xiao Qi in the future.
Meng Zi finally met someone even more innocent than himself and was delighted, “Let me see.”
Xiao Qi immediately flipped through the list for them to view:
“Personal Interpretation of the Nine Mountain Techniques by Elder Yue Shi” – 15,000 spirit stones.
“How to Defeat the Clearwater Sect – Detailed Explanation of the Thirteen Cuts of Mountain and Sea” – 15,000 spirit stones.
“Three Steps to Counter Clearwater Sect’s Water Spirit Sword” – 20,000 spirit stones.
Meng Zi, the practitioner of the Thirteen Cuts of Mountain and Sea: “…”
Lin Shuang, wielder of the Water Spirit Sword: “…”
Huangpu Yuan, who does not practice sword or blade: “Hehe.”
Xiao Qi felt extremely awkward. This was his first time reaching the 3,900th floor, and he hadn’t expected the ‘other’ exchange options near the 4,000th floor to be so explosive. They were practically right up against Clearwater Sect.
“It’s a misunderstanding,” Xiao Qi said, his face turning red as he reached out to swipe away the list.
However, all three cultivation techniques were purchased by Lin Shuang.
Meng Zi sucked in a breath, “Wait, you didn’t buy the Thirteen Cuts to Defeat Clearwater Sect for me, did you? I don’t want it. Return it!”
It was too expensive.
Lin Shuang refused, “Didn’t you just have Senior Huangpu pay for it?”
Meng Zi uttered in surprise, “Oh, then it’s fine. Junior Brother Xiao Qi, give me another twenty bottles of fifth-tier pills!”
Huangpu Yuan: “…”
Lin Shuang quickly browsed through all the table of contents. She then spotted a book titled “Detailed Explanation of Known Evil Cultivators’ Techniques” and was quite tempted, never expecting such a good find on the 4,000th floor.
But Meng Zi immediately grabbed her.
“Don’t buy it!”
Meng Zi gritted his teeth, “Don’t ask why. Whatever you want to know, you can ask me!”
He silently looked down at the wanted scroll from the Annihilation Pavilion hidden in his storage pouch, which updated in real time.
Huangpu Yuan looked at him thoughtfully.
Lin Shuang was momentarily puzzled but soon understood.
“Alright, then let’s replenish our pill consumption and return to the competitors’ cave dwelling to rest.”
Xiao Qi had no objection. After they exited the Yuanhe Trial, he summoned four muscular cranes with strong, mountainous wings.
The cranes should have had an ethereal, refined demeanor, but in Shanhai Sect, they had none of that. All four looked like they had come straight out of a gym, with developed backs and leather seats strapped on.
“You all hold on tight. These are special mounts prepared for the disciples participating in the competition.”
After the competition, they would be too tired to fly by sword. This arrangement was very considerate.
Lin Shuang climbed on, feeling as if she were sitting between the humps of a desert camel. She placed her hand on the strong back of the crane, at a loss for words.
Had the Shanhai Sect made the cranes lift weights? What was with those back muscles?
Before long, they flew out of the Yuanhe Trial area and into the inner sect of the Shanhai Sect, where mountains stretched out before them. The layout of the cave dwellings was similar to that of the Clearwater Sect.
[Little AI No.3 Backup (Meng): Is there something wrong with Master Wang?]
Lin Shuang paused slightly.
Wasn’t it nice to enjoy a brief moment of peace?
[Little AI No.2 Backup (Big Treasure), renamed to Little AI No.2 Backup (Huangpu).]
Lin Shuang: “…”
Meng Zi: “??”
[Little AI No.2 Backup (Huangpu): Don’t mention the names of any elders or masters at the Transcendence Stage in the Shanhai Sect. Negative emotions like fear, resentment, or murderous intent can be easily detected by Transcendence Stage cultivators.
We’ve already left the 9,000 Trial area and entered the inner sect.]
Through the Little AI communicator, the three completed their first exchange of information.
Under the guidance of the naive Xiao Qi, they soon arrived at the cave dwelling for the competing disciples—numbers 3500 to 3600.
In the entire mountain, the Clearwater Sect’s team leaders and disciples occupied six cave dwellings, all located at the mid-level of the mountain.
“Senior Lin, shall we go greet the other sects?” Xiao Qi asked.
The Hundred Flowers Sect was located at the best spot—the mountaintop.
“Hundred Flowers Sect? Hmm, aren’t they in their cave dwellings?” Xiao Qi had just spoken when he looked up and noticed the cave doors were all closed.
“They went to visit the flower gardens in our inner sect,” a fellow disciple, who had been riding on the same crane, answered Xiao Qi.
Xiao Qi nodded in understanding.
Then, the crane descended.
At the second level of the mountaintop was the cave dwelling for the Ten Thousand Monks Sect from last year.
As the crane flew by, only the quiet tapping of a wooden mallet could be heard from within.
Great, no need to go greet them either.
Xiao Qi was speechless and signaled the crane to descend further.
The third place, Danqi Sect.
Again, the cave doors were shut.
“Oh,” Lin Shuang waved her hand, “the young couple must be doing something behind closed doors; we shouldn’t disturb them.”
Xiao Qi: “…”
Huangpu Yuan and Meng Zi: “…”
Why are you so perceptive?
Fourth place, Mingzhong Sect, was also absent.
“I heard that the nearby cultivation market has different customs from theirs, so they went shopping.”
“They said they wanted to relax after the second round of the competition.”
A senior disciple from the fifth level of the Shanhai Sect walked out with a smile and explained to Lin Shuang and the others in the air.
Then he added with a hint of disdain.
“To put it nicely, they probably went to the cultivation market to buy formations… preparing for the next round of the competition.”
From the seventh level down to the foot of the mountain were those who had already been eliminated.
“They also went shopping.”
“There’s apparently an auction at the neighboring market these days, with many spirit herbs and ancient treasures…”
The senior disciple from the Shanhai Sect invited Lin Shuang and the others.
“The auction is rare. You might find some treasures there.”
But buying things at auctions cost spirit stones.
Meng Zi shook his head.
Huangpu Yuan was also not very interested.
Lin Shuang checked her schedule. She had shopping as an activity for today.
But today, most disciples from the twelve sects, both observers and competitors, had gone shopping.
The market would definitely be packed.
Even a small bookshop would probably have long queues at checkout.
It would waste time and energy.
“Thank you for the suggestion, Senior Brother. We’ll go later.”
Lin Shuang accepted the invitation politely.
Xiao Qi, on the other hand, was eager to go, “Then Senior Lin, you rest well today. Tomorrow is a double-numbered day. We’ll burn some fat tomorrow.”
With that, he chased after his senior brother, also preparing to go to the market.
“Senior Brother, wait for me! Let’s go buy a sword sheath or something.”
Lin Shuang smiled and watched them leave.
Just as she was about to enter Zhao Keran’s cave dwelling, she was called over by Elder Li Daowei from the Outer Sect Transmission Hall.
“Lin Shuang, come here. The results of the outer sect competition are out.”
Lin Shuang paused her steps.
Looking at Li Daowei, she saw his face beaming with a smile she had never seen before.
He looked radiant, every wrinkle on his face stretched wide.
The joy in his eyes seemed ready to overflow like a lake.
Lin Shuang smiled accordingly, “Master Li, have you broken through?”
Li Daowei nodded with satisfaction and a gaze full of pride.
“I’ve been in the outer sect for many years, with mediocre talent, only reaching the Soul Refinement stage.”
“But I’ve taught a genius disciple who won the first to twelfth places in the outer sect all at once…”
Lin Shuang: “…”
Meng Zi and Huangpu Yuan: “…”
Li Daowei couldn’t stop smiling, his spiritual energy brimming with happiness.
“It’s like a long drought finally receiving nourishing rain. I am overjoyed, and the shackles of my Soul Refinement stage have finally been shattered, advancing me into the Nascent Void stage!”
All the elders from the twelve sects who had not gone shopping, sightseeing, flower viewing, or engaging in romantic activities in the resting mountain came out.
They all looked toward Lin Shuang and Li Daowei, their eyes filled with jealousy and admiration.
Continuous messages and paper cranes flew out from the mountains.
And there were occasional roars echoing.
“Look at them… Do you still have the face to go shopping? Return and cultivate!”
“A disciple’s excellence can elevate their master to transcendence. This is a tale for the ages! Don’t look at the flowers anymore. Return and think about how to improve!”
“Look at Clearwater Sect. No more romance. Get up! Open the door!”
“Whether I can break through depends on you little brats. Get into meditation now!”
Disciples from the other eleven sects: “…”
Li Min and Duan Wufang from Clearwater Sect, the two team leaders of the inner sect competition, also came out of their resting cave dwellings.
They looked at Meng Zi and Huangpu Yuan behind Lin Shuang with shining eyes.
“When will I ever have such a moment of joy?” Li Min, in pink robes, spoke first.
Duan Wufang, in green robes, earnestly looked at Meng Zi and Huangpu Yuan, “It might be too much to ask you to take the top twelve spots in the inner sect. I’m not that unreasonable. How about simply securing the top three?”
“I’ve been stuck at the Nascent Void stage for a long time.”
“Long drought, finally met nourishing rain. I want it too.”
Meng Zi and Huangpu Yuan: “…”
Lin Shuang: “…”
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