Players: All NPCs in the Sect Are Moles

A hand came to rest on his shoulder. Li Chunfeng had walked up beside him, his gaze fixed on the direction where Su Ling’er had disappeared.

"Hey, man, this is a good thing," Li Chunfeng said, patting Wang Xiedi’s back. "Qingxu Mountain is right next to Anhe City, and it’s not like we don’t know the way. They left first, so we’ll just get there a little later. That’s all."

"We know the way. That’s our biggest advantage. Besides, I learned a Secret Technique for a Lightweight Skill in the mystic realm, so I won’t hold you back!"

...

[Beginner’s Volume - Wind Manipulation Three Stacks]

Harness the wind with Inner Strength for a nimble Body Technique, allowing for brief glides through the air. It is divided into three stacks, each increasing in height. This is the foundation of the entire Body Technique. Upon reaching a certain level of mastery through continuous practice, the next volume can be unlocked.

[Sword Talent - Ten Thousand Miles]

Heaven and Earth are but a brief stop, I am a mere traveler. I draw my sword to sever worldly dust, a song for every step.

I bid farewell to the East Sea at dawn and rest in the mountain vales by dusk. Where the heart yearns, ten thousand miles are no barrier.

Legend tells of a swordsman who, with no fate for the path of immortality and without cultivating Spiritual Power, could roam the world relying on Inner Strength alone.

He observed the vastness of the heavens and earth, felt the transience of human life, and thus created this technique.

Though this technique is not for Cultivation, it allows one to travel by Sword Control. The Sword Intent pierces the void, and the body follows the sword.

When mastered to its peak, one can traverse ten thousand miles of mountains and rivers in a single day, witnessing both sunrise and sunset.

Though this person eventually turned to dust, his title, "One Sword, Ten Thousand Miles," was passed down through the ages, becoming a distant, unattainable legend in the hearts of mortal Martial Artists.

...

Wang Xiedi nodded. "But is it really okay to just leave like this? Miss Su just told me I’m the sect’s guide. If I leave now, wouldn’t that be... wouldn’t that be letting Miss Su down?"

His thoughts were a tangled mess.

Seeing Wang Xiedi’s conflicted expression, Li Chunfeng said, "I think you’re overthinking it. What Miss Su said was probably just a joke. Use your head. You’re just in the Qi Refining Stage. It’s obviously impossible. Would they really entrust the role of sect guide, or even the entire sect, to a disciple who’s only in the Qi Refining Stage?"

Wang Xiedi shook his head. He also felt it was unlikely.

"See? There you have it," Li Chunfeng said, spreading his hands. "Senior Brother and she were probably just saying it casually. Don’t take it to heart."

"So, shall we go?" Wang Xiedi asked, looking at the empty surroundings and then at Li Chunfeng.

"Let’s go, let’s go! Time to head out!"

The two turned and walked toward the sect gate, leaving this place behind as they headed for Anhe City.

Inside the Guixi Sect, eighty to ninety percent of the disciples had already left. Occasionally, a few newly logged-in disciples would emerge from their residences and transform into streaks of light, shooting out of the sect gate.

The sect grounds were deserted, with only the Mr. Qian NPCs still carrying out their daily routines or wandering back and forth with stiff gaits.

At the sect gate, several Mr. Qian NPCs gathered with vacant stares, ready to welcome the next visitor.

...

High above, the wind rustled the hem of Lin Qingfeng’s robes.

With his hands clasped behind his back, he simply floated among the clouds, drifting lazily toward Anhe City.

The mountains and rivers below shrank into inky lines in his eyes. His gaze drifted over the different landscapes, searching for potential scenic spots to check out.

He also sensed a fluctuation of Spiritual Power behind him—a cyan sword light was chasing after him.

Lin Qingfeng recognized Su Ling’er’s aura and frowned slightly.

’Are you kidding me? Didn’t I tell you to stay back and greet people at the sect?! Why did you run off?!’

’You looked so serious back then, I actually thought you were going to hold down the fort! Was all that seriousness only good for this short a time?! I thought you were a model employee, hardworking and uncomplaining, but the second I turn my back, you slack off, skip work, and come out to play, is that it?!’

’You’re unbelievable!’

Lin Qingfeng decided to stop and wait. He wanted to hear what kind of explanation this Su Ling’er could possibly give him.

...

Su Ling’er frantically urged the Wooden Sword beneath her feet onward.

The wind shrieked past her ears as Spiritual Power surged wildly through her meridians, which were already beginning to sting. She pushed her speed to a level she had never reached in her life, her entire being transforming into a streak of light as she charged resolutely toward the figure ahead.

Ahead, Senior Brother Lin Qingfeng’s figure hovered in the air, his robes fluttering.

For her, this speed was a life-burning pursuit; for him, it seemed to be nothing more than a leisurely stroll.

This immense gap in power only served to strengthen the tragic resolve in Su Ling’er’s heart.

’I know Senior Brother definitely isn’t waiting for me; he’s simply not in a hurry. I have to catch up to him before he changes his mind and begins moving at full speed!’

Finally, she shot in front of Lin Qingfeng and forcibly retracted her sword light. The immense inertia caused her to stumble, and she nearly slid into a kneel before him.

Lin Qingfeng looked at her pale face, somewhat taken aback. "Hey, why are you about to perform such a grand salute the moment I turn around! Get up, get up! By the way, didn’t I tell you to stay back at the sect and be the guide? Why did you follow me?"

His question sent a jolt of panic through Su Ling’er’s heart. ’It’s over! Is Senior Brother angry?!’

’Abandoning my post, disobeying a master’s order... in a demonic sect, isn’t every one of those a capital offense? I’m betting my life on this!’

’But what should I say? I can’t just blurt out, "I was afraid you would blood-sacrifice my hometown, so I came to keep an eye on you," can I? If I said that, I’d probably be a corpse in the next second!’

’Should I say my strength is insufficient to watch over the sect? That sounds like I’m showing weakness, but it’s actually questioning his arrangements—it’s a slap in his face!’

Su Ling’er’s brain, oxygen-starved from extreme fear, spun at high speed. Countless ideas arose only to be rejected one by one. Seeing her Senior Brother’s brow furrow ever more tightly, she felt she had been pushed to the brink.

’To hell with it! If I die, I die!’

Su Ling’er abruptly raised her head. The panic in her eyes was not feigned; it was genuine fear and helplessness, and tears welled in her eyes.

"Reporting to Senior Brother... I... I dare not stay behind alone!"

"Senior Brother! The... the other disciples in the sect... they’re just too scary!"

"And ever since the battle in the canyon, having personally experienced life and death, my Dao heart was already fragile. Today, seeing the chaotic horde of demons in the sect, with all the senior brothers looking so bizarre... I... I was truly terrified!"

"The moment I thought about you leaving, Senior Brother, and me having to face those terrifying beings all alone, I was filled with dread. I wouldn’t be able to sleep at night! I’m afraid... I’m afraid that before any new disciples even arrive, I’ll be so scared my Dao heart will shatter and I’ll suffer from cultivation deviation!"

"Besides, what you said earlier, Senior Brother, was a great enlightenment for me! I even feel that without your protection and guidance, my path of Cultivation would be impossible to walk!"

"I believe that only by following at your side, Senior Brother, and personally witnessing you cultivate by immersing yourself in the mortal world and observing its myriad phenomena, can we Cultivators truly temper our Dao hearts!"

"Cultivating behind closed doors is ultimately an illusion, like a flower in a mirror or the moon in the water. I am slow-witted. Only by closely following in your footsteps, Senior Brother, can I survive in this cruel Cultivation Realm... I beg you, Senior Brother... on account of my sincerity, please give me a chance to follow you!"

Lin Qingfeng stared at Su Ling’er in surprise.

He blinked. ’Wait... is your Dao heart really that fragile? You’re so scared of being alone that your Dao heart is about to shatter? Isn’t your mental fortitude a little too poor for a Holy Daughter? And also... you really are clingy, aren’t you?’

’Is there really anything worth contemplating in my words and actions...?’ Lin Qingfeng’s train of thought stuttered.

’Ah, no, wait. What little junior sister said... actually... makes a lot of sense!’

He thought back on his usual behavior—speaking without a filter, doing whatever he pleased, looking for fun everywhere. Isn’t that the highest form of "observing the myriad phenomena of the mortal world" and "tempering the Dao heart"?!

The corners of Lin Qingfeng’s mouth curled upward uncontrollably.

He looked into Su Ling’er’s eyes, which were filled with reverence and resolve, and an unprecedented sense of satisfaction and validation washed over him.

’Look! Just look at this!’

’What does it mean to have an eye as sharp as a torch?’

’This is what it means to have an eye as sharp as a torch!’

’Out of all the disciples in the entire sect, only you, little junior sister, could see through my cynical and playful exterior to the truth with a single glance—the heart of a seeker who is constantly comprehending the Dao!’

’That’s right! Following me is the same as following the Great Dao! That’s the kind of existence I am!’

’Besides, that NPC Qian Buyu is guarding the sect. I already set up a detention function. It even provides food and drink, so no one will die. At worst, when I get back, there’ll just be clumps of new disciples squatting at the sect gate with their hands on their heads.’

’That’s no big deal!’