His towering figure, like a petrified stone statue, split into two halves and collapsed onto the ground. Before anyone could react, his body was instantly destroyed. Everyone present was at the Ningyuan stage. No medicinal herbs, no matter how potent, and no heavenly-tier cultivation techniques could save him. The crowd fell silent.
[Six thousand layers, dare you look at my back?]
[The stronger a heretic immortal’s cultivation, the harder it is for their soul to fully dissipate. Lingering resentment and regret will eventually cling to precious treasures of heaven and earth, corroding the minds of cultivators who lack firm resolve.]
[Just like me.]
[Yueshi presents Lin Shuang, Huangpu Yuan… Zhao Keran with the ultimate trial: deliver the final strike to completely erase me from this world.]
Lin Shuang closed her eyes. The sharp sound of claws scraping against fabric emerged from Huangpu Yuan’s sleeve. She took a deep breath, suppressing the nightmare images she hadn’t experienced in a long time.
Bloodstains covered the roadside; the image of the academy’s grandmother was someone she could never catch up with, no matter how fast she ran. He was probably the same.
The figure of her mother running after someone, the footsteps chasing hatred, always a step too late. But today, she had finally reached it.
“You do it,” she rasped.
She didn’t mention his name, but Huangpu Yuan silently gazed at her. Yueshi’s divine consciousness had been utterly obliterated, leaving no trace of information to be uncovered. The warning—”Beware of those around you…”—was left unfinished before he was completely annihilated, just like Wang Heng and Xiao Feng. The Tianji Token within him had barred him from speaking that name. In an instant, it severed every possible chance of survival for this tribulation-refiner.
Yet, the resentment, fury, and remorse of a cultivator who has endured tribulation run far deeper than those of ordinary mortals. Unable to pass on in peace, these emotions would linger in this world for ages.
Yueshi wanted to erase everything about himself from this world. This was his dying wish. And it was also an opportunity for them to sever the karmic ties of Wang Jian Layer.
Lin Shuang turned her head toward Huangpu Yuan. She nodded slightly to him, stepping back. With a flick of her brush, ink spread across the mountains and fields like nightfall, obscuring the sight of all disciples watching through projections. It also blocked the view of Kong Miaoke, Xiao Qi, and Bian Bo Cai.
Huangpu Yuan closed his eyes. He vanished from the spot.
A deafening roar pierced the sky! Soft, cotton-like white fluff, like snow in February, vast and dense, brushed past Lin Shuang’s eyes. Elegant and slender limbs stepped silently on the puddles. Lightly leaping, in the ink-dark night, brilliant nine tails of snow-white, crimson, and fiery red burned like flowing colors in the air, trailing magnificently.
Suddenly, the nine tails expanded, shattering all the scattered spiritual energy in this layer, along with the fourth-tier artifacts and cultivation jade slips held by everyone!
Its delicate fox-like face tilted upward as if chasing the moon, devouring all the remaining calamitous aura like inhaling clouds and sunlight!
Patta.
Four graceful, snow-white paw pads landed on the ground. Landing beside Yueshi’s shattered body, it turned its fox face, marked with swirling flame patterns on the forehead, slowly toward Lin Shuang.
An ancient mythical beast, the nine-tailed fox.
Legend says, one glance from it can bewitch hearts, making people instinctively want to kneel before it.
But Lin Shuang only saw a human-like whisper in its eyes.
Thank you.
Thank you for covering for me.
Thank you for letting me come this far, giving me the chance to end it.
It gently closed its eyes; tears seemed to glisten at the corners, instantly transforming into a human form.
Lin Shuang approached, unable to resist patting it.
“No need to thank me. Pay me back with your time.”
Huangpu Yuan was momentarily stunned, then his phoenix eyes showed a hint of ease after a brief embarrassment.
“You have to let me touch all nine tails.”
“…Only the shed ones.”
“…”
The black ink in the sky dissipated, revealing the shattered artifacts, cultivation jade slips, and water-screen ‘televisions’ before everyone.
Xiao Qi held his head, “Senior Lin, you’re too rough. Brother Meng might faint again from heartache when he wakes up.”
He wanted to joke, but his mood was heavy.
Especially when his gaze fell on the split old man on the ground.
Bian Bo Cai and Kong Miaoke also opened their eyes.
“Qianshanwan Shui Hua (a painting of myriad mountains and rivers)?”
They looked at Lin Shuang in confusion.
Why did she obscure their vision?
Zhao Keran, the only one who had witnessed what happened, opened her mouth and looked at Huangpu Yuan.
She quickly held her head.
Just now, had she not reacted too quickly, fleeing from the ink mountain as soon as she saw Senior Sister pull out her brush—only to see it!
She had seen Senior Sister and Senior Brother Huangpu’s interaction.
Heaven.
Zhao Keran lowered her head, hesitating whether she should pretend not to know anything.
But Lin Shuang had already stepped forward, taking out a peach branch from her Qiankun bag and throwing it to the ground.
It was none other than the one gifted by Elder Yu of the Hundred Flowers Sect earlier.
As Bian Bo Cai and Kong Miaoke looked on in shock and confusion, the peach branch, originally a barren branch the length of an arm, suddenly sprouted new leaves and grew rapidly.
Lin Shuang pointed at the budding branch; spiritual water dripped from her fingertip onto the green leaves, sliding into the soil.
“Four seasons, spring.”
Instantly, Lin Shuang’s aura weakened.
The peach tree shot up to the sky!
Bian Bo Cai and Kong Miaoke: “???”
[!]
[Wait, when did she learn the secret technique of the Hundred Flowers Sect?!]
[Wait, what is she doing?]
The peach branch’s time rapidly regressed from budding to towering tree, its leaves fluttering down.
Blowing past Lin Shuang’s face, the withered Yueshi transformed from an old man with white hair into the young adult version Lin Shuang had seen in adult content.
In his lifetime, Yueshi was a formidable劫-refiner, surpassing her ability to reverse time.
But the Yueshi on the ground, already devoid of life, she could.
Elder Yueshi.
This must be the other meaning you wanted to convey by showing me six different ‘periods’ of yourself.
In the end, letting you return to your youthful, uncorrupted, and untainted self.
Back to the beginning, when your Dao heart was pure.
Lin Shuang lowered her eyes.
Peach blossoms filled the sky, soon petals and leaves buried the young Yueshi.
[Huangpu Yuan, completing the final blow on Yueshi, allowing him to disappear completely. You are awarded Yueshi’s seventh-tier Qianshanwan Shui Ping (Myriad Mountains and Rivers Screen).]
[Lin Shuang, completing the final blow on Yueshi, allowing him to remain in the time he most wished to return to. You are awarded Yueshi’s cultivation notes.]
[Six thousand layers, dare you look at my back? Seven people complete the challenge together!]
An old man’s voice, seemingly sighing, or perhaps Yueshi’s previously recorded voice, echoed in the ears of every disciple in the six thousand layers and the projections.
[Lin Shuang and six others have touched the hidden heartbeats of the elders in the six thousand layers.]
[Don’t follow my path.]
[I once thought that human cultivators could never escape the torment of desires, watching fellow cultivators, juniors, and disciples surpassing you day by day… eventually succumbing to fear, self-loathing, and panic, ultimately yielding to the voice that promised escape from this pain.]
[I once believed that human cultivators could never suppress their selfish desires, sacrificing for disciples and peers only to accumulate resentment, injustice, and anger… eventually becoming vessels for evil spirits to breed and descend…]
[But Lin Shuang, Meng Zi, Huangpu Yuan… you told this old man in the twelve sects’ competition that it’s not like that.]
[It’s not the weakness of human cultivators, but the weakness of this old man himself.]
The sky filled with text, forming a mountainous screen.
It depicted Lin Shuang and the other three seamlessly merging their skills in Zhao Village, their silhouettes questing for truth within the Wang Jian Layer, and their tacit teamwork during the group combat—mesmerizing the audience and ultimately driving away the Wuseng Sect.
(Note: “默契” is translated as “tacit” to convey unspoken understanding, and “hypnotizing” is retained for dramatic effect while ensuring readability. The structure is adjusted for natural English flow while preserving the original’s cinematic imagery.)
Mencius lacked wisdom and talent, yet without him, there would have been no combined techniques of inflation or successful deception in the Hundred Flowers Sect’s written examination.
Lin Shuang was rigid in her schedule and unwilling to wait, but without her, there would be no counterattack techniques or honest interactions among the three.
Huangpu Yuan was trapped in hatred and unwilling to cooperate. However, without him, Meng Zi would not have been able to overcome his concerns about the Spirit Stone or hypnotize Wang Heng to complete the mission at the Auction Pavilion.
No one was perfect.
But as long as they found their place, even fools could accomplish things geniuses couldn’t.
[Human and beast cultivators each have their shortcomings, like cultivation techniques. Looking back on my life, it was this old man’s own troubles and cowardice, unable to admit his own flaws, that led to self-deception.]
Later, he feared being surpassed and ultimately couldn’t resist the temptation, choosing to turn to evil.
As a result, he took a path that did not lead to liberation but instead filled his life with fear.
[Just today in the six thousand layers, I warn you all: Evil spirits are not outside; they may be right behind you.]
Behind—past suppressed negative emotions.
Unable to resolve, unable to face, unable to solve, trying to escape, trying to seek shortcuts, possibly leading down an irreversible path.
[!]
[Will Tianji… Elder Yue…]
[This layer was set as a test by Elder Yue after his repentance!]
[He used his own past to warn us disciples!]
[Elder Yue’s Dao heart, like in the Wang Jian layer, had always been deceiving himself… He thought what he did in the past was right, pursuing self-strengthening, not wanting to be surpassed, what’s wrong with that.]
Until he saw Lin Shuang and the three others in the mid and low-level battles, it was as if he saw himself at different stages.
Lin Shuang was like him when he was in a high position, guiding Shui Qiantan.
Meng Zi was like him after being caught up and surpassed by Shui Qiantan.
Huangpu Yuan was like him when he considered himself a genius and ignored everyone.
In the battles, the three of them cooperated with each other, gradually showing their potential. Every battle made Yue Zhi see his own step-by-step mistakes. He could have been like them, but he took the wrong path!
[Lin Shuang has always been competing with herself; she never thought of cutting wheat in Li Village faster than others, only realizing her cultivation technique lacked a skill for picking things up.]
[…]
[Meng Zi made Elder Yue see that even if he was surpassed by Lin Shuang, it was okay, because he could do many things Lin Shuang couldn’t!]
[Such as?]
[Well, for example, if it weren’t for his thick skin, would our Hundred Flowers Sect’s Brother Bian and Xiao Ke ever be guests at the Clear Water Sect today?]
That’s also correct. If not for his thick skin, they wouldn’t have reached the six thousand layers today, perfected the seven-person combined technique, and defeated the Divine Refiner! Lin Shuang and the other four from the Clear Water Sect might not have been able to win on their own.
Indeed, Meng Zi also played his part. Without Meng Zi in the Queen layer, Lin Shuang wouldn’t have been able to accurately flip the green head card.
Huangpu Yuan is the same. Though he doesn’t fit in and comes across as arrogant, he never hesitates to spend spirit stones—isn’t that a form of effort to integrate and cooperate?
[Our Hundred Flowers Sect isn’t bad either. Look at Bian Bo Cai, beaten up badly, yet the next day he could face no heart demons, not feel ashamed but proud, going to the Clear Water Sect as a guest. I’m impressed.]
[They are all obsessed with themselves.]
[Yes, Elder Yue saw them and realized his Dao heart had flaws. He took the wrong path.]
The projections displayed numerous texts, all analyzing Elder Yue’s situation.
Soon, a line of text floated by.
[I heard in the inner sect’s cave residence that Elder Yue… passed away.]
Instantly, the text fell silent.
Disciples from the Clear Water Sect, the Hundred Flowers Sect, and the Mountain Sea Sect all stopped speaking.
True body, avatars, all destroyed… Today in the six thousand layers was Elder Yue’s final message.
Lin Shuang and the three others made him realize his Dao heart was flawed.
Just like in the Wang Jian layer, Wang Jian eventually met his end.
But Elder Yue, with the last of his tribulation-refining life, warned them how cultivators are gradually corrupted by evil spirits.
Their discussions in the projections were exactly what Elder Yue wanted them to know.
Knowing how he descended into the abyss, thus avoiding it.
“That’s why I felt something inexplicably strange about this layer.”
Bian Bo Cai slumped onto the floor inside the teleportation formation.
The folding fan in his hand had no strength left.
“There was a lot of information that seemed unrelated to completing the challenge.”
[Lin Shuang,…Kong Miaoke, all six thousand layers completed.]
[Please proceed to the resting cave residence to exchange rewards.]
Lin Shuang and the others entered the teleportation formation to rest and recover.
“So those water-screen stories, the different periods of Elder Shui and Elder Yue, were actually his own living lessons.”
It was like an educational film.
Bian Bo Cai kept writing with the brush in his folding fan.
Also recording the life stories of these two elders.
He had only seen one-sixth of the story, but during the combined technique, because of his constant curious questions, Kong Miaoke and others told him the other five fragments they knew.
“Ahh, he contributed a lot in the first half of his life, but made mistake after mistake in the second half. Fortunately, he finally regretted and confessed.”
“It can be considered as having gained liberation.”
“He won’t live in fear anymore, afraid that his crimes will be discovered.”
Kong Miaoke spoke, and Zhao Keran nodded in agreement.
“Lin Shuang, how did you learn the four seasons of spring and time transformation?”
After summarizing Elder Yue’s issues, Kong Miaoke, like an undying little strong one, immediately shook off the heavy atmosphere.
Turning her burning gossipy eyes toward Lin Shuang.
“Don’t tell me,” Kong Miaoke raised her brow, “you already knew it before the team battle.”
Bian Bo Cai lifted his charming eyes with interest, “It must have been after the team battle. Could it be that my Elder Yu secretly taught you?”
Compared to her learning the secret techniques of the Hundred Flowers Sect, the time-altering cultivation method.
They were more interested in the details of how she learned it.
Lin Shuang’s temple twitched.
Actually, she suspected that Elder Yue didn’t realize his Dao heart was tainted because of Meng Zi.
It might be because of those in the Hundred Flowers Sect who only wanted to gossip and didn’t care about their cultivation, making his pursuit of ‘not being surpassed in cultivation’ seem like a complete joke.
Lin Shuang suppressed such speculation and took a deep breath. She honestly glanced at the fan-shaped scroll titled “Supplementary Biography of Elder Yue Zhi” in Bian Bochai’s hand and quickly replied, “I learned it by watching these six water-screen stories.”
Bian Bochai and Kong Miaoke’s curious expressions instantly stiffened.
“What? You not only spontaneously comprehended the Earth-tier cultivation technique ‘I Think Therefore I Am,’ but also grasped the concept of the passage of time?”
Lin Shuang shook her hand. “It wasn’t exactly spontaneous comprehension. Elder Yue Zhi intentionally left guiding divine thoughts within the six segments to enlighten me.”
Everyone wore expressions of sudden realization.
The six stories revealing different periods of Elder Yue Zhi’s life explained why he turned to the dark path.
Moreover, by depicting Yue Zhi’s childhood, adolescence, youth, prime, middle age, and finally his elderly appearance before Lin Shuang, these stories helped her understand the nature of time.
Within the six projections were also varying scents of soil, spring planting aromas, blooming and wilting flowers, and the process of flowers turning into mud before nourishing the next spring blossoms.
“I have the peach branch from Elder Yu of the Hundred Flowers Sect that enlightens disciples, and I’ve personally experienced Zhu Jiao’s seasonal flower transitions. In the copper mirror, I repeatedly watched the cycle of flowers and people aging and rejuvenating…”
Thus, she grasped the structure of “flowers” in different periods within the water.
“I see. Therefore, these six stories have another layer of meaning—they were meant to teach you the passage of time and restore him to his former self after his death.”
Bian Bochai immediately understood.
“That makes sense. This final task’s reward was set by him before his death.”
Huangpu Yuan spoke after a moment of silence.
“He hid three things within the six stories.”
“The first is the time cultivation technique from the Hundred Flowers Sect. The second is how Shui Qiantan initially suppressed his water transformation flaw.”
He looked at Lin Shuang.
Lin Shuang nodded. “That’s why I didn’t need to watch the cultivation technique on the jade slip and repaired ‘The Sea Is All Water’ myself.”
In the six stories, Shui Qiantan’s transformation into water was initially supported by friends and later by his cultivation partner.
The surrounding emotions and constant reminders kept him aware of his humanity.
“Oh, so Senior Sister, your self-created cultivation technique, ‘I Think Therefore I Am,’ is essentially a form of self-reminding?”
Zhao Keran pondered.
“You used to check your completed tasks from the previous day.”
“And after finishing your current tasks, you’d compare them with your planned goals.”
“You’ve always been self-reflective. This self-reflection repeatedly reminds you that you are not water. Therefore, you don’t need others to reflect your image… When you realized that self-reflection could reveal your true self, you successfully repaired the technique, your fear of transforming into water disappeared, and the nine-thousand-layer formation recognized that you had resolved the flaw in ‘The Sea Is All Water’?”
Lin Shuang nodded at her. “Exactly.”
Zhao Keran: “!”
Huangpu Yuan: “…”
Bian Bochai and Kong Miaoke: “…”
So this was the truth behind the technique!
A reward worth two hundred thousand points, eight thousand layers, was based on such a simple principle!
But to examine oneself three times a day—easier said than done?
Especially for cultivators who lose track of time once they enter seclusion.
But for Lin Shuang, it was a long-established habit.
Zhao Keran sighed.
“Senior Sister, you could occasionally rely on me too.”
She seemed a little disappointed.
“I can remind you every day.”
Lin Shuang shrugged. “I’d like to, but I was locked inside the copper mirror just now and couldn’t talk to you.”
Zhao Keran reluctantly accepted and leaned closer.
“Besides, what if I travel for three or five years and don’t bring you along…”
“Ow, Senior Sister!”
Huangpu Yuan automatically made space for Zhao Keran.
Watching them play around, his phoenix eyes involuntarily softened with a hint of a smile.
Originally, he had more to say, but now, forget it.
Thirdly, Yue Zhi intended to use this trial to provide them with a clue—the Heaven Scheme will still have people among the Twelve Sects.
So, he couldn’t directly tell the elders of the Mountain Sea Sect’s disciplinary hall?
Instead, he forcibly pulled them into layer six thousand to inform Lin Shuang this way.
Only Lin Shuang could view all six memory fragments in their entirety.
Yue Zhi chose Lin Shuang as the observer because she was intelligent enough, or because… she was the one disciple he was certain wouldn’t turn dark?
For instance, Meng Zi underwent Yue Zhi’s test at this layer, but Yue Zhi didn’t trust him directly.
So how did Lin Shuang earn Yue Zhi’s trust?
Huangpu Yuan lowered his phoenix eyes.
“It seems you noticed too?”
Lin Shuang ruffled Zhao Keran’s head and glanced at him.
“I’m on the top list of the next batch of tributes.”
Huangpu Yuan’s pupils darkened, flashing a hint of suppressed crimson.
The tribute offering.
It hadn’t ended completely after they disrupted it.
Yue Zhi’s death proved there was someone stronger than him within the Heaven Scheme.
The tribute offering to “that soon-to-return him” would continue.
His mother was a past tribute.
Lin Shuang was the current tribute.
Huangpu Yuan lowered his eyelids, seeing Lin Shuang’s pale, bloodless lips from excessive strain.
He turned his head away.
“This time, he won’t.”
“Lin Shuang, I owe you one. Before I repay it, no one will take you away.”
At the same time, Lin Shuang almost simultaneously blurted out with him.
“Don’t worry, before you repay me by letting me ruffle your nine-colored fur for seven days and nights, I’ll never let myself be captured!”
They spoke in unison.
Then silence.
Huangpu Yuan: “…”
Lin Shuang: “…”
Why?
This damned habit of thinking the same thing at the same time had returned again!
Lin Shuang coughed lightly.
Why did her mouth move so fast?
Zhao Keran covered her forehead, leaning closer. “Senior Sister, isn’t this the storybook I told you about, ‘Two Alphas Fighting Will Produce an Omega’? So, are you turning Omega, or is Senior Brother Huangpu…”
Sigh, this little junior sister, you’ve completely gone down the wrong path.
Lin Shuang: “…”
“Senior Sister has told you many useful things. Don’t just remember these mushy storybook details.”
Zhao Keran pressed her temple. “Senior Sister’s emotional fluctuations mean I was right.”
Lin Shuang: “…”
Huangpu Yuan glanced sideways, then quickly turned back.
Instinct told him this wasn’t anything good.
In an instant, the group was teleported outside to the rest cave dwelling at layer six thousand of Zhenchuan.
Yue Zhi had sent them back.
When they emerged, Lin Shuang noticed that Zhenchuan indeed had a new batch of elders overseeing it.
Xiao Lv wasn’t at layer six thousand.
Instead, there was a middle-aged woman whose face somewhat resembled Elder Chen Wu Shui. She looked stern, with deep frown lines even when silent.
[Elder Chen Ji: Distant relative of the Chen Wu Shui lineage, third generation removed.]
[Cultivation: Transcendence Foundation.]
As Lin Shuang emerged, the book “Current Elders of the Clear Water Sect,” now in Meng Zi’s spatial pouch, automatically popped up.
Water-formed text swirled around the elder’s body, finally appearing on her forehead.
What disrespect this book showed!
Elder Chen Ji wore a patched robe soaked in ink, with cinnabar stains on the left sleeve.
As Lin Shuang and the others bowed, another line of water-formed text automatically condensed from Meng Zi’s book and floated grandly out.
[Elder Chen Ji’s preferences: Talented disciples; when not on duty.]
[Dislikes: When disciples repeatedly fail a trial at Zhenchuan, reportedly because she gets too anxious watching them, developing wrinkles.]
Xiao Qi helplessly moved aside to shield Meng Zi’s pouch.
This book, “Current Elders of the Clear Water Sect,” was shamelessly projecting text onto the elder’s face and forehead!
Since earlier, Meng Zi had been unconscious and unable to control it.
“No need for formalities.”
Elder Chen Ji’s mouth curved downward seriously as she looked at Lin Shuang.
Without the text prompt, others might have thought she disliked Lin Shuang.
But on the contrary, the downward curve of her mouth suggested she had been observing their battle against Elder Yue Zhi and the dark cultivators, nearly worrying herself into a state of distress.
Elder Chen Ji, at Transcendence Foundation, waved her hand, sending seven yellow paper talismans flying toward Lin Shuang and the others.
Before the talismans reached them, they felt their spiritual consciousness calm, easing the tension from facing Elder Yue Zhi and the dark cultivators.
The pain from their overexerted spiritual sea and dantian was greatly alleviated.
“All of you have unstable spiritual consciousness and turbulent dantian, having forcefully entered a breakthrough threshold.”
“If your condition isn’t properly handled, you might regress in cultivation or stray onto a wrong path.”
As Elder Chen Ji spoke, the reward tablet at layer six thousand, originally located at the teleportation formation, instantly flew to the seven of them.
“This elder suggests you redeem a cave dwelling to rest, reflect on what you’ve gained, and consolidate your progress.”
[Elder Chen Ji’s expertise: Talismans. She is the foremost talisman expert among the Chen elders, with classes that are hard to enroll in.
Teaching locations: Random. Layer six thousand of Zhenchuan, Transmission Hall, Elder’s cave dwelling, or outside the sect, depending on her mood.]
Lin Shuang quickly scanned the information, and when she read “students are advised to reserve seats with talismans the night before class,” her mouth twitched.
University seat-reservation memories attacked her again.
Lin Shuang nodded in gratitude. “Thank you, Elder Chen.”
“Elder Chen Wu Shui has just sent me a message. She has returned from the Mountain Sea Sect. If you teleport out, choose cave dwelling number six thousand for rest. She will personally guard you.”
Lin Shuang received this transmission in her spiritual sea.
At the same time, two beast heads appeared on her robe.
Layer five thousand eight hundred, layer six thousand!
The plaque above the rest cave dwelling at layer six thousand of Zhenchuan suddenly changed.
[Chief Disciples of Zhenchuan Layer Six Thousand: Lin Shuang, Meng Zi, Huangpu Yuan.]
[Bian Bochai, Kong Miaoke, Xiao Qi, Zhao Keran, your performance was also excellent. However, you are not disciples of the Clear Water Sect, or your respective layers are below three thousand. Thus, your names do not appear here.]
“The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.”
“Move forward, do not look back.”
Lin Shuang nodded to Elder Chen Ji.
Zhao Keran collected their disciple badges and went to redeem the rewards.
As the property manager, the more items the disciples redeemed, the more rewards she could obtain.
A win-win situation.
Zhao Keran happily followed Lin Shuang’s instructions and redeemed the rental rights for the cave dwelling at layer six thousand.
“How many days, Senior Sister?”
Lin Shuang thought for a moment. “Ten days.”
Her gaze fell on the plaque at the rest layer of Zhenchuan, where her name was listed as a chief disciple.
Not for long.
Soon, they would continue upward.
Soon, this cave dwelling at layer six thousand would be obsolete.
Zhao Keran nodded.
At the rest layer, the surrounding disciples, including Dao Fa and others, stood silently.
Lin Shuang emerged from layer six thousand, and the projection hadn’t ended yet.
Because—today, a new chief disciple of layer six thousand had been born!
Moreover, on Lin Shuang’s robe appeared the beast head emblem of layer eight thousand, radiant with seven colors, dazzling and eye-catching.
Ordinary disciples couldn’t even look at it without feeling a sense of awe.
Dao Fa sighed and took a half-step back, entering the trial stone layer.
Months ago, she was still sparring with his juniors.
Months later, she had surpassed him.
Layer three thousand, six thousand, eight thousand… her speed wasn’t just beyond the reach of Dao Dong and Dao Xi, even Dao Fa himself no longer dared to speak of competing.
Yue Zhi’s heart demon was a question posed to all disciples like him!
You thought you were no worse than others, yet someone dazzlingly brilliant came along and knocked you into the dust.
Turning you from a self-proclaimed heavenly prodigy into an ordinary person among the masses.
Then… what will you do?
After Dao Fa left, all the disciples at the layer six thousand rest area nodded to Lin Shuang and Huangpu Yuan as they prepared to return to their cave dwellings.
Then they all departed for different trial layers to pursue their own cultivation.
Along this path, cultivation, growth, surpassing, and being surpassed.
Along this path, decline, disappointment, anxiety, self-doubt…
Defying heaven, defying one’s own potential, was never easy.
“Shall I drive today?”
Meng Zi was unconscious.
Zhao Keran volunteered.
Bian Bochai and Kong Miaoke used their techniques, petals swirling. Before Zhao Keran could act, they had already formed a flower boat rushing toward the inner sect of the Clear Water Sect.
“You guide the way, Junior Sister Zhao.”
Lin Shuang glanced at Meng Zi, who was slung over Xiao Qi’s big sword. His spiritual energy surged chaotically, eyes tightly shut in pain, sweat rolling down his forehead.
No one knew how long it would take him to digest the experience.
‘Lin Shuang, be careful of those around you…’
Who was this referring to?
Lin Shuang looked at Meng Zi, as if seeing Elder Yue Zhi before his death.
He had tested Meng Zi and entrusted most of his cultivation to him, so it wasn’t about Meng Zi.
Lin Shuang then turned to Huangpu Yuan, who was reading a storybook.
—The Princess’s Exposure.
Since the Li Family Village trial, she had lent him this book revealing hidden identities. He never returned it.
Others thought he was reading a storybook, but in reality, he was reminding himself to endure hatred.
Huangpu Yuan shared the same goal with her.
Reaching layer nine thousand.
Meng Zi and he could be directly excluded.
When Lin Shuang reached this thought, she bitterly smiled and rubbed her forehead.
Elder Yue Zhi’s single sentence had made her begin to ‘doubt’ those around her.
The Heaven Scheme.
Truly manipulating and destroying cultivators’ Dao hearts.
Just like Huangpu Yuan always believed—his mother was harmed by a friend. Did the Heaven Scheme always do such things?
If there was truly someone from the Heaven Scheme among her close ones, as Elder Yue suggested, then in the future, she would no longer easily trust those around her as before.
And people’s attitudes would interact, spreading and influencing each other.
Distrust and suspicion would grow like hidden tumors, slowly spreading among them.
Affecting her, thus affecting Meng Zi and Huangpu Yuan, affecting her junior sister, and then affecting those around them, continuing to spread.
Gradually, cultivators would be filled with doubt.
The sect, inner sect, outer sect, elders’ council… all would be under the shadow of mutual suspicion, unable to entrust their backs to each other.
It was as if Mei Xin had set a test of tacit understanding for them; one wrong answer at the beginning meant ten more errors followed.
Lin Shuang took a deep breath.
Before long, they had arrived at the 6000th Cave Mansion.
It was located less than ten meters behind the Inner Sect’s administrative office, making it very convenient to pick up tasks.
To the left was the Inner Sect’s Hall of Transmission.
This 6000th Cave Mansion, located at the peak of the mountain, had spirit stones and jade tablets at its entrance, as well as three transmission stones.
These could be picked up directly to summon the assigned Dao boy to clean, prepare meals, or handle chores.
The mountain where this cave mansion was located only had two cave mansion numbers:
5999 and 6000.
Each number occupied three entire floors.
[5999: Dao Fa.]
[6000: Lin Shuang.]
Zhao Keran was surprised, “So this is where Senior Dao lives.”
But since he wasn’t here, they were spared the neighborly greetings.
Cave Mansion 6000 occupied the upper half of the mountain. A hundred-foot waterfall cascaded down in front of the mansion, forming a curtain-like entrance.
In front of the cave mansion, there was also a private area for raising immortal cranes.
Even a teleportation formation directly leading to Rongbao Studio was available.
Inside the cave mansion, there were three floors in total, each equipped with a spirit-gathering formation for disciples to recover their energy.
There was even an opportunity for a weekly transmission from the elders—when urgent cultivation issues arose, they could ask questions anytime; a rotating elder was responsible for answering.
“Incredible! This is vastly different from the cave mansions around number 3000.”
Zhao Keran walked around and fell in love immediately.
“Pity Senior Meng is unconscious. Otherwise, this mansion, costing at least three hundred thousand a month, would be too tempting. He probably wouldn’t sleep for even a breath.”
Lin Shuang pressed her temple, “Once he wakes up, don’t mention the price to him.”
Otherwise, he might go deliver food to pay the rent.
It was expensive, but they had become the layer masters of two levels in the 6000s, receiving a rental discount of nearly one million spirit stones.
These ten days were essentially free.
“W-what… three hundred thousand… per month…”
Meng Zi raised his neck.
With the effort of an old man, he gasped and struggled to lift his neck from the big sword ‘stretcher’ carried by Xiao Qi.
His eyes were still closed.
He sniffed a few times.
“Ow…! Such a rich spiritual stone scent! A fourth-tier spirit-gathering formation, worth one million each. During Rongbao Studio’s discount season, three for two hundred and fifty thousand…”
He suddenly opened his eyes.
Xiao Qi: “…”
Zhao Keran: “…”
Lin Shuang pressed her forehead.
Huangpu Yuan smiled faintly, “Junior Brother Meng, how do you feel?”
Meng Zi showed a pained expression, “Such a waste! Why buy three spirit-gathering formations for the cave mansion? It’s unnecessary. Can I return mine and get spirit stones instead?”
But soon he felt a headache and sensed his spiritual sea.
“I… damn… turned into a mobile spirit-gathering formation!?”
A continuous stream of spiritual energy surged from the crystal in his spiritual sea.
Since just a moment ago, it had been tempering his body, meridians, and dantian!
Just by breathing and sitting up, his cultivation had reached the first stage of Soul Refinement… and was still pushing toward the next threshold!
Meng Zi opened his eyes wide and saw the complex expressions of Lin Shuang and the others.
The fool had his lucky breaks.
“He said he would take me as a disciple and give me a pile of spirit stones… and it wasn’t a dream…”
Meng Zi recalled, his expression a mix of crying and laughing, bitterness and helplessness.
“Where… is he?”
Xiao Qi pressed on his shoulder.
His soul had scattered.
His body remained in the 6000th layer.
Spiritual energy… or, as Elder Yuezhi had put it himself, he had transformed into a part of Meng Zi, walking forward together with him.
However one wished to understand it, that was acceptable.
Meng Zi fell silent.
For the first time, despite receiving a massive amount of spirit stones (spiritual energy equivalent to spirit stones), he didn’t feel the happiness he had imagined.
“Ding, Xiao Ai reminds you, the next schedule: your one incense stick of reading time is up.”
“Starting in twelve breaths. Remember to adjust your stamina, spirit, mood, and willpower.”
The Xiao Ai talisman inside Lin Shuang’s sleeve sounded the alert.
“Okay, let’s do the schedule first.”
Receiving the reminder, Lin Shuang glanced at the soundproof formation inside the cave mansion.
As she pondered, she took out the final reward Yuezhi had given her, as a complete send-off—”Yuezhi’s Notes on Cultivation Methods.”
As soon as she opened it, she saw bold, freshly written characters exuding a strong scent of ink.
—[“I Was Originally a Mountain”] Detailed Explanation of the Cultivation Method…
“Strange, even though he took Junior Brother Meng as a disciple, why did he give this to you, Junior Sister Lin?” Bian Bocai, fanning himself, didn’t understand.
Although Meng Zi wasn’t particularly gifted, he was still the last disciple, so he should have received the cultivation method rather than Lin Shuang.
Lin Shuang glanced at Bian Bocai and answered indirectly, “Trouble Senior Brother Bian and Xiao Ke to plant flowers and various grasses around this 6000th cave mansion.”
“?”
“!”
After Lin Shuang spoke, Huangpu Yuan, as if having an idea, flipped through his own storage pouch and handed her the peach branch given by Elder Yulu.
Everyone was stunned.
At that time, Elder Yulu had given each of them one plant.
In an instant, Lin Shuang took the branch, pinched the dry, leafless twig with her index finger.
Pink petals and leaves grew in layers, then scattered and fell.
“Four Seasons… Spring.”
“Turn.”
Then, the fresh ink on “Yuezhi’s Notes on Cultivation Methods” began to flow and disappear stroke by stroke, the words gradually fading!
Revealing the previous layer of writing!
—[“Heavenly Mechanism’s List of Bases”]
“!”
“!!”
Kong Miaoke and Bian Bocai frantically activated the plants in their sleeves, instantly filling the 6000th cave mansion with flowers and grasses, covering the entire mountain!
Zhao Keran suddenly understood, “Elder Yuezhi knew from the start that Senior Sister had two peach branches!”
He had Lin Shuang contemplate the Spring of the Four Seasons in the 6000th layer, using his own ‘corpse’ to return to his original intention.
That was just a trick.
To avoid the gaze of those who might also be observing the 6000th layer trial.
The real intention was to have Lin Shuang learn the Spring of the Four Seasons’ time flow technique and use it on this notebook!
She could only reverse one incense stick’s worth of time.
Therefore, the ink on this book was very fresh, just left by Yuezhi in the 6000th layer.
Lin Shuang narrowed her eyes, looking back at the old ink revealed after wiping away the new ink—the list of names from a past era!
Tai Sui Yellow Amulet Paper FuLu Taoist Love Talisman Traditional Chinese Spiritual Charm Attracting Love Protecting Marriage