Chapter 416 - 397: Eldest Senior Brother, I Really Deserve to Die

Chapter 416: Chapter 397: Eldest Senior Brother, I Really Deserve to Die

She saw the endless darkness being torn asunder as a warm ray of light enveloped her.

At this moment, she felt as if she had returned to the safest harbor. All her exhaustion and grievances were soothed away in an instant!

’This... How on earth was this made?! This texture... It’s both smooth and rich! Every time one of the eyeball-shaped morsels bursts in my mouth, it feels like a small fish is swimming freely through my meridians!’

’This... This stuff is truly incredible!’

She felt a warm current spread throughout her body. Not only had her strength increased, but her body also felt lighter than ever before!

Although she could sense that this state would only last for about an hour, its effects were already comparable to what could be called Spiritual Food!

’So what kind of experience would the delicacies in the Spiritual Food Area be? What kind of ultimate gustatory pleasure would a dish from a private room, one that costs thousands or even tens of thousands of Spirit Stones, provide?’

The next second, a tidal wave of regret and guilt instantly overwhelmed her.

’I... I misjudged Senior Brother back then!’

An image surfaced in her mind: the scene back at the Dining Pavilion, when Senior Brother had placed this bowl of divine substance and another bowl of what looked like immortal soup before her at the same time.

’Senior Brother... Senior Brother wanted to give me something this good from the very beginning! He was trying to enlighten me! To teach me not to judge things by their appearance! He was prepared back then to tell me, in this way, that even though he was in a den of demons, his heart still yearned for the light! He was looking for a companion! But I... I didn’t notice at all!’

’Back then, I actually doubted him! I even chose that unremarkable bowl of braised pork and let Senior Brother down! Senior Brother, I... I really deserve to die!’

Outwardly, she calmly finished the entire bowl, even licking her lips as if wanting more, but inwardly, she was already weeping a river of tears.

’If only I’d known... if only I’d known it was this delicious and would make me feel so energized, I would have just eaten it back then!’

’My three hundred-some low-grade Spirit Stones! The pain! This script isn’t going according to my plan at all! Not only did I fail to discourage anyone, but I’ve also gotten myself roped into this! Aaaahhh!’

Seeing everyone full and looking invigorated, Su Ling’er felt a wave of helplessness.

"Alright! Since we’ve finished our meal, let’s... let’s go wander around somewhere else!"

’I refuse to believe I can’t save a single one of them today!’

However, just as she led her fan club, who now worshipped her to an extreme, to the entrance of the Dining Pavilion, she saw a familiar figure.

The person was walking over slowly, preparing to have a meal.

It was Senior Brother!

’Why is Senior Brother here?’

...

In the backyard of his cave residence, Lin Qingfeng watched the [Alien Queen] feasting voraciously on a pile of demon beasts. As it ate, he started to feel hungry himself.

So, he decided to head to the Dining Pavilion to get a better meal.

But as soon as he reached the entrance, he saw his little junior sister and the massive crowd of newcomers behind her, all of them looking at her with tearful gratitude.

’Oi, my judgment is as good as ever. How long has it been, and she’s already got this group of newcomers completely under her thumb? I guess I’m just a great mentor!’

’But...’

’Why is that pile of people with negative tags like [Gluttonous and Lazy] and [Deceitful and Cunning] still here, with not a single one missing? And all those others who clearly have no potential are still around too.’

’Our Guixi Sect has high standards for recruiting players. In the early stages, putting up with people like you and Little Junior Brother for the sake of leveling up was one thing, but the sect is already level two. Why are they still letting just anyone in?’

’And Little Junior Sister, aren’t you afraid that if a few more "talents" like Dong Changsheng slip in this time, you’ll be the one feeling frustrated? What is this quality...?’

As he was lamenting this, he couldn’t help but mutter under his breath, "Sigh, why are... there still so many people..."

His voice wasn’t loud, but Su Ling’er, who was right in front of him, heard it clearly.

BOOM!

Those words struck Su Ling’er’s heart like a bolt of lightning!

She looked at Senior Brother, her face filled with guilt.

’It’s over! Senior Brother is still not satisfied! He gave me the great responsibility of ’purifying the sect and expelling the newcomers,’ but after all my efforts today, I haven’t discouraged a single person. Instead, I’ve just made them want to stay even more!’

’I... I’m so useless!’

’Senior Brother! I will! I will absolutely not disappoint you again!’

’But what can I do to...’

She made this vow in her heart, but because she was in a "demonic sect," she was afraid that the Demon Venerable, who might be watching from the shadows, would see through her. So, she could only suppress all her guilt, not daring to let a trace of it show on her face.

Lin Qingfeng, on the other hand, thought about it and decided he didn’t give a damn. Even if they really did recruit disciples like Dong Changsheng or Ye Longtao, his little junior sister would be the one getting frustrated. What did it have to do with him, the hands-off manager?

’She’s the guide now. This is her trial, and her destiny. If there really are disciples like that, then let her be the one to get frustrated. As long as it’s not me, I’m fine.’

’Besides, looking at that pained expression on Little Junior Sister’s face, she must be having a tough time with these newcomers! Gyeheheheheh! I was so wise to dump the responsibility of being the guide on her!!!’

But he still needed his little junior sister to keep working hard. Thinking of this, he decided to properly encourage his diligent, uncomplaining little "Palu" junior sister. He would paint her a grand picture of the sect’s future to keep her motivated and burning with passion for the cause.

He took a step forward, looked into Ling’er’s eyes, which were slightly dim with guilt, and said slowly, "Ling’er, raise your head."

"I know your heart is filled with confusion and regret. However, the path of the Great Dao is a journey of cultivation to separate the false from the true. The responsibility of a guide is not merely to lead people through the door, but to see through illusion and transcend worldly tribulations."

"Everything you have done today has, in fact, invisibly planted a seed of cause. As for when it will bear fruit, that is not for you or I to decide. It is the will of the Celestial Dao."

"I have high hopes for you. Your Dao heart will surely grow ever firmer after being tempered by fire. One day, when you have overcome this trial of being a guide, there will be a place for you atop the sect’s mountain peak, from which you can look down upon the sea of clouds!"

As he spoke, he released the oppressive might of the Nascent Soul Stage!

VMMMM—!!!

In that instant, the very air at the entrance to the Dining Pavilion froze!

The mortals felt as if they were being crushed by a divine mountain. Their thoughts instantly grew sluggish, their breath was stolen from them, and their knees went weak, nearly causing them to collapse to the ground right then and there.

As for the undercover agents, their pupils contracted violently in an instant, and their Dao hearts trembled uncontrollably!

In the face of this oppressive power, the Spiritual Power within their bodies was instantly suppressed to a standstill. Even circulating it for a single minor cycle became an impossible luxury!

’This... This is... the might of a Nascent Soul! No! It’s even more condensed than that of an ordinary Nascent Soul elder from my sect!’

’I have only ever felt a faint trace of such power from afar, and that was when I was in the presence of the Sect Leader! Miss Su’s senior brother... is this terrifying?!’

’He... He’s already a Nascent Soul Stage expert!! How could that elder from the Celestial Furnace Sect have possibly escaped alive?’

In an instant, the way all the undercover agents looked at Su Ling’er completely changed.

’No wonder... No wonder she, a mere Foundation Establishment cultivator, acts so domineeringly! So she has such a powerful backer behind her!’

Su Ling’er, for her part, was moved beyond words by Senior Brother’s speech and display of power, and the guilt in her heart deepened.

’I... I haven’t even managed to drive a single person away, yet Senior Brother still thinks so highly of me and encourages me like this! He even went so far as to reveal his Cultivation to back me up! I... I am truly unworthy of Senior Brother’s trust!’

’No! No matter what, I have to take them to every single place in the sect that could possibly discourage them! I refuse to believe I won’t find one that works! At the very least... at the very least, I must live up to Senior Brother’s expectations!’

She faced Lin Qingfeng and performed a Daoist salute.

"Disciple... thanks Senior Brother! After hearing your words today, I now understand that the Great Dao is formless and resides within the heart. It was this disciple who... was attached to appearances."

"This disciple now finally understands why Senior Brother, despite being in this... in this place, can maintain a Dao heart as firm as a rock and cultivate such a magnificent Sword God Dharma Idol! It is because Senior Brother has long since seen through illusion, views all living beings as chess pieces, and walks the supreme Great Dao of transcending sentiment through ruthlessness!"

"To have Senior Brother, a being like a bright lamp in the dark night or a bridge for a lost ship, guiding this disciple’s path forward is truly the greatest fortune of Ling’er’s life!"

Lin Qingfeng listened to his little junior sister’s heartfelt reflections and felt very satisfied.

’Sigh, painting a grand picture really works. The ancients did not lie! Not only does it motivate the employee, look how moved she is. Excellent flattery! I’m very satisfied! I really am a being like a bright lamp in the dark night!’

’She deserves a reward!’

He was overjoyed, but his expression remained as calm and nonchalant as ever. He casually pulled a heavy Spirit Stone Pouch from his storage bag and, without even looking at it, tossed it to Su Ling’er.

"Take it. To see through illusion for the sect, one also needs resources. Don’t let yourself be held back by trivial worldly possessions."

Su Ling’er caught it instinctively. When her Divine Sense swept over it, she froze on the spot.

"A... a thousand low-grade Spirit Stones?!"

’A thousand?! I... I was just agonizing over those three hundred-some Spirit Stones, my heart bleeding with pain, and feeling unbearably guilty for failing Senior Brother’s mission... and yet... yet Senior Brother just gave me a thousand in the blink of an eye?!’

’This... What incredible trust! What immense value he places on me! In Senior Brother’s eyes, my paltry expense wasn’t even worth mentioning! What he truly cares about is my Dao!’

’I... I must... I must complete the mission Senior Brother has given me!’

The mortals were fine; they had no real concept of a thousand Spirit Stones. They just thought it was awesome that the immortal master was handing out rewards so casually.

But the undercover agents just couldn’t hold it together anymore!

’A... a thousand low-grade Spirit Stones?! What did he just say? Trivial worldly possessions?!’

’My god! In all my life, I’ve never seen so many Spirit Stones piled up together! To think that I slave away like an ox in my sect, working myself to death for a month without eating or drinking, just to save up a hundred-odd stones! And he... he just casually rewards her with a thousand because his junior sister praised him a little?!’

’Why wasn’t I the one who was tricked into coming here?! Why do I have these damned sect restraints on me?! No wonder! No wonder the sect had to place restrictions on us! Who the fuck could resist a temptation like this?!’