Players: All NPCs in the Sect Are Moles

The continuous process of his meridians being repaired and strengthened created a tingling, numbing sensation that Lu Ping actually found rather pleasant.

"Hah..."

Lu Ping yawned.

The little creature finally burst out of his chest. It looked left and right before reluctantly pulling its entire body out of Lu Ping’s torso.

PLOP.

It fell out, then seemed to hear something. After a glance back at Lu Ping, it turned and scurried toward the ventilation opening.

Just then, the mission jade slip in his robes lit up with white light again.

[Mission Complete.]

[Distributing Reward...]

A familiar life energy flooded his body, and the wound on his chest healed in an instant.

Immediately after, a current of Spiritual Power circulated through his meridians. The sensation was so comfortable that Lu Ping almost hummed in pleasure.

He squinted, feeling the tangible, albeit small, improvements to his constitution.

’It may be slow, but this is a real benefit I can claim over and over. I can even do it many more times than the others.’

’Getting stronger without life-or-death battles, without scheming and backstabbing.’

’Isn’t this the Cultivation life I’ve always dreamed of?’

Lu Ping rolled over, his fingers expertly tapping "Accept Again" on the jade slip.

RUMBLE—

The stone bed sank, and a new fleshy egg rose to take its place.

Lu Ping adjusted his position, found a more comfortable angle, and prepared to welcome his next "tenant."

「Transmission Hall.」

Su Ling’er stood on the stone steps before the Transmission Hall, her hands clasped behind her back as the wind fluttered the hem of her red skirt.

Her face was a mask of solemnity and compassion, but the hands hidden in her sleeves were clenched so tightly her knuckles had turned white.

Standing before the hall, Su Ling’er watched the few disciples she had reassigned from mucking out rhino dung and fending off monkeys. She had personally arranged for them to help incubate new life, and the thought finally soothed some of her frustration.

’The process was a bit roundabout, but they’re finally on the right path, learning the weight of life. This should be enough to make them see their errors and return to righteousness.’

Just then, a few figures appeared on the distant path, swaying as they walked.

Su Ling’er’s spirits lifted. ’They’re here!’

’Have they finished the task of helping to incubate new life?’

’Have they realized the weight of life?’

’Judging by the sky, it’s getting late. The fact that they stayed in there for so long must mean they’ve had a profound experience. The results should be good.’

Su Ling’er straightened her robes, preparing to adopt the majestic posture of a guide.

She saw that the men’s legs were trembling as they walked.

This was especially true for the one called Wang; he had to support his lower back every two steps, and his eyes were unfocused.

But the moment those men saw her, their exhausted expressions turned fanatical, as if they were seeing a long-lost relative.

"Miss Su!"

"Miss Su! I’ve had an epiphany! I’ve truly seen the light!"

Su Ling’er: "?"

’What epiphany? Did you realize you should renounce your evil ways and return to the right path? Did you figure out the way down the mountain?’

"Miss Su!"

"Disciple... Disciple finally understands! We were foolish before, blind to the greatness before us! We misunderstood your good intentions, Miss Su!"

As he spoke, he bowed deeply to Su Ling’er.

"Today, this disciple has finally experienced... what it truly feels like to be alive!"

At his bow, the other undercover disciples behind him fell to their knees in a heap, shouting.

"Yes, Miss Su! That feeling of being reborn from destruction, of finding life in the face of death! This disciple will never forget it!"

"So this is the true Great Dao! This is the true meaning of life! To think we were caught up in such trivial matters before... We have truly failed to live up to your painstaking efforts, Miss Su!"

"Thank you for guiding us out of our confusion, Miss Su! This disciple will never forget this grace of rebirth for the rest of his life!"

The expression on Su Ling’er’s face froze.

’You’ve finally, finally experienced... what it feels like to be alive?’

’You finally understand my good intentions?’

’It must be that during the mission, while they were using their own body heat and focus to incubate new life, they became too invested and resonated with the newborn souls.’

’They witnessed the birth of a life, shattering their past indifference. They were reborn from the experience. While witnessing new life, their own spirits were elevated—they even found life in the face of death!’

’Could it be? Have my painstaking efforts awakened the slumbering conscience within these devil-spawn?!’

At this thought, Su Ling’er straightened her back, a sense of pride and gratification welling up inside her.

’Who would have thought? That I, Su Ling’er, would have such a talent for educating and reforming people!’

’It hasn’t even been that long, and I’ve already guided these stubborn seeds of the demonic path toward righteousness, making them recognize the value of life on their own. They’re even grateful to me!’

’I truly am amazing!’

’Of course, it’s mainly because Eldest Senior Brother taught me well. I’m just an ordinary, yet also exceptionally outstanding, guide.’

Her face was impassive as she swept her gaze over the crowd.

"Since you have now experienced the weight of life and understood the cruelty of Cultivation."

"I will now give you a choice."

She cleared her throat, putting on the air of a sect guide.

"...It is not too late for you to have this epiphany." Su Ling’er stood with her hands behind her back, her gaze sweeping over them. "Pain is but a facade, and destruction is also a new beginning. Only by personally experiencing the hardship of nurturing life can one know its preciousness. Everything I have done was to help you break through your attachments and see your true nature."

She spoke with such conviction that she almost believed it herself, feeling as if her own spiritual realm had been elevated.

The undercover disciples below were moved to tears, nodding in agreement. To them, every word from Miss Su contained the supreme principles of the demonic path, striking them to their very souls.

Su Ling’er looked at their "awakened" appearance with satisfaction.

’Very good. The stage is set. Since they’ve seen the error of their ways, it’s time to give them an easy way out, a chance to leave gracefully.’

"So, now, are you still willing... to remain here in the Guixi Sect and continue to perceive the Great Dao?"

As she asked this, her heart was filled with anticipation.

The little person in her mind was already in a farewell pose, waving frantically and screaming.

’Say no! Say you now understand the weight of life and no longer wish to harm living things! Say you don’t want to stay in the sect! I’ve laid the perfect path for you, all you have to do is take the final step! Hurry up and say you want to quit! Then I can just go with the flow and approve your departure. We’ll go our separate ways, and my grand mission of reformation will be a complete success!’

However.

"We are willing! A thousand times, a million times willing!"

Wang was the first to lift his head, pledging loudly, "In life, this disciple is a man of the Guixi Sect! In death, he will be a ghost of the Guixi Sect! This disciple is willing to shed his blood for the sect and for Miss Su without hesitation!"

’Are you kidding me? Leave? My chest has been ripped open several times already, and I’m just starting to taste the benefits. You want me to leave now? Besides, I still have the restriction seals from my original sect on me. Running away means death anyway. I might as well stay here, get reborn from destruction a few times a day, improve my constitution, clear my meridians... It’ll help my future Cultivation. Isn’t this great?’

The gratified smile on Su Ling’er’s face gradually froze, the corner of her mouth twitching slightly.

Before she could react, the others chimed in.

"That’s right! This disciple will follow Miss Su to the death!"

"The Guixi Sect is my home! I love it here! No one is kicking me out!"

"Becoming a disciple of the Guixi Sect is a blessing I’ve earned over eight lifetimes! Please don’t kick us out, Miss Su!"

The undercover disciples scrambled over one another to pledge their loyalty. From the looks of it, if Su Ling’er dared to say no, they would cling to her leg and cry until the end of time.

Su Ling’er’s mind went blank.

’Willing? Willing my ass!’

’Are you people sick in the head? Didn’t you just realize how precious life is? How important it is?’

’Devils! These people are definitely natural-born devil-spawn! Is the dedication to the demonic path among you newcomers really this pure?!’

’Forget it. Getting them to understand the weight and value of life is still a tiny, insignificant success. At least it’s better than them being pure devils... probably.’

"Ahem..." Wang, seeing that the atmosphere had become a little too fervent, hastily added, "Miss Su, we... had a profound epiphany today, but our bodies and spirits are somewhat... exhausted. We’d like to return to our quarters to rest. Tomorrow, we will come back tomorrow to listen to your teachings and continue to experience the weight of life!"

He really was exhausted. No matter how rich the rewards, the mental toll of repeatedly dying was very real.

Su Ling’er nodded helplessly. "Th-that’s reasonable... G-go on, then. Rest well."

’Get lost, get lost! Get out of my sight! It feels like you’ve understood a little, but your demonic hearts are still too strong! Let me be alone!’

From behind her came the respectful farewells of the crowd: "We bid you farewell, Miss Su! Miss Su is truly righteous!"

Then, the group of undercover disciples supported one another as they walked away, excitedly discussing how many times they would experience the "weight of life" tomorrow. They absolutely could not let down Miss Su’s painstaking efforts.

Su Ling’er felt the world spin.

She walked out of the Transmission Hall with heavy steps. The cool wind on her face made her shiver.

She looked up at the evening clouds on the horizon, her heart aching.

Su Ling’er wandered aimlessly along the sect’s bluestone path.

The bamboo on either side rustled in the wind, but to her, it sounded like countless voices mocking her.

’This is too hard.’

’It’s really too hard.’

She looked up at the cold, crescent moon, her heart filled with sorrow.

’Oh, Eldest Senior Brother...’

’I want to save them, to make them better. And it seems to have had some effect, but they still insist on jumping into the fire pit.’

’What has this world come to? Have people’s hearts really become so twisted that even after gaining a bit of kindness and understanding the value of life, they still choose the demonic sect’s way of survival?’

She even began to wonder, ’Was my acting too good?’

’So good that I completely bamboozled them all?’

"Sigh..."

A long sigh, filled with the bitterness and helplessness of a righteous person in a den of devils.

Just then, a light set of footsteps suddenly came from a corner up ahead.

Su Ling’er instinctively wiped the sorrow from her face, resuming the appearance of a cold and aloof Holy Daughter.

’Who’s wandering around out here so late?’

She focused her gaze.

There, under the moonlight, was Eldest Senior Brother, strolling slowly toward her with his hands behind his back.

At this moment, Lin Qingfeng was in an excellent mood. He had just paid to unlock a new sect building—Nabo Garden—which would indirectly bring in more Spirit Stones!