Xue Mingzhao rolled her eyes, striking while the iron was hot to test the waters. “Then let's agree beforehand. Once this is done, can I go into the sect treasury and take one more treasure?”
Huang Siqi's face was expressionless. “No.”
Nan Mingzi was instantly displeased. “There are so many treasures in the Heavenly Origin Sect's treasury. What's wrong with my disciple taking one more? It's not like they're worth that much anyway!”
The veins on Huang Siqi's forehead throbbed. What did he mean by "not worth that much"? Those were sect treasures, not weeds by the roadside!
He slowly closed his eyes. Since he needed their help, he would endure it!
“According to sect rules, exceptions are only made for those who achieve great merit, win the Great Sect Tournament, or make outstanding contributions. This is a private matter, so no exceptions can be made.”
Xue Mingzhao continued to make demands. “Then I want to enter the highest floor of the Library Pavilion and browse freely for three months!”
Huang Siqi replied helplessly, “It is not that I will not allow you to go, but the Library Pavilion has ten floors, and each floor has restrictions. You have not even reached Foundation Establishment yet; you cannot even get past the second floor.”
Nan Mingzi leaned in and whispered, “My disciple, he is not lying to you about this. It is true.”
Xue Mingzhao pondered for a moment before throwing out a bold request. “Then I want to be an elder.”
Before Huang Siqi could reply, Nan Mingzi raised his hand and gave her a flick on the forehead. With a thud, he tapped her brow. “You haven't even crossed the threshold of Foundation Establishment, yet you dare dream of becoming an elder? Your master only obtained this position after bitter cultivation to the Soul Transformation realm!”
Xue Mingzhao clutched her forehead, grimacing in pain.
Huang Siqi's temples throbbed. “I am afraid that will not work either. Choose another.”
Nan Mingzi scolded her, wishing she would show more promise. “Hurry up and ask for a normal request!”
Xue Mingzhao tilted her head and thought for a long while before spreading her hands. “Then I have nothing else.”
Nan Mingzi immediately grew anxious. Tugging her sleeve, he leaned close to her ear and lowered his voice. “Are you foolish? Obtaining a promise from the Sect Master is something others cannot even beg for! If there is an advantage to be taken, take it!
“Ponder on it some more! If you really cannot think of anything, ask him for more spirit stones. His personal wealth is incredibly abundant!”
Huang Siqi took a deep breath. Even if they were discussing this, they could at least try to avoid him! He was not dead yet! He could hear them!
Xue Mingzhao blinked. “Then can I leave it pending for now, and raise it when I think of something?”
Huang Siqi let out a sigh of relief. “Very well. You may come find me whenever you have decided in the future. As long as it does not harm the interests of the sect, I will grant it.”
Xue Mingzhao nodded and turned to leave.
After taking two steps, she realized Huang Siqi was not keeping up. She stopped and turned back to urge him, “Hurry up, Sect Master! If we are late and something happens to Senior Sister Shen, whose fault will it be?”
Huang Siqi was temporarily speechless. He was the master of a sect, yet he was being outpaced by a junior who even turned back to urge him on, showing absolutely no manners.
Nan Mingzi saw through his slight displeasure at a glance and immediately defended his chick. “What? My disciple is eager to save your disciple, and you are unhappy instead?”
Huang Siqi waved his hand to dismiss the subtle emotion. “No, I only wanted to ask if she knows the way.”
With that, he summoned his Zhenlan Sword. The blade flowed with a faint blue light, carrying an extraordinary aura. “Get on. I will take you there.”
...
At the top of the Heaven-Inquiring Ladder.
Yun Yanchen was pacing back and forth, as anxious as an ant on a hot pan.
Shen Chaoyue was still trapped in the illusion, her brow tightly furrowed as she constantly muttered nonsense.
“That is mine! My opportunity!”
“I will pay a hundred times the price! Give it to me!”
“You cannot refuse me! You cannot!”
“Who on earth are you?!”
Xue Mingzhao raised an eyebrow upon hearing this. Since Shen Chaoyue could not wake up, could it be because she had snatched her opportunities?
She glanced at Huang Siqi, then looked at her own fist. Although the request was a bit absurd, being able to trade it for a promise from the Sect Master was a massive profit!
Huang Siqi smiled at her awkwardly. “Lin Yue, sorry to trouble you.”
“No trouble at all! I am just a naturally warm-hearted person!”
Xue Mingzhao rolled up her sleeves and was about to take action when Shen Chaoyue suddenly murmured something in a low voice, causing her movements to abruptly freeze.
“Kill her!!”
Xue Mingzhao's expression instantly turned solemn.
This phrase... she had also heard it when she first touched that poison dragon skeleton.
If anyone else had said this, she might have just treated it as gibberish from the illusion.
But the person before her was Shen Chaoyue, and she indeed had successively intercepted several opportunities that should have belonged to her.
Xue Mingzhao's heart sank. Could the female lead have actually developed intent to kill her?
Seeing her stand there hesitating to strike, Huang Siqi mistook it for fear of being held accountable afterward, so he quickly urged, “Go ahead. I will bear all the consequences. Your senior sister will definitely not make things difficult for you because of this.”
Xue Mingzhao returned to her senses, took a deep breath, and punched Shen Chaoyue in the chest.
...
There was absolutely no reaction.
She looked up at Huang Siqi.
Huang Siqi hesitated. “Try punching her a few more times. Previously, Lin Yi was punched several times before he woke up.”
Xue Mingzhao delivered several more solid punches to Shen Chaoyue's chest, but she still remained completely motionless.
The group looked at one another in silence.
Huang Siqi's fingers tightened unconsciously. It seemed he had indeed overthought things.
With Lin Yue, it might have truly been a coincidence.
At this moment, Su Ye leaned in and whispered a suggestion, “How about... trying to punch her face? Back then, my junior sister punched me right in the face, and I woke up instantly.”
The others exchanged looks and silently agreed to this method.
Xue Mingzhao found the right angle, gathered her strength, and threw a punch.
After the punch landed, Shen Chaoyue's eyes remained tightly closed, showing no signs of waking up.
However, her intermittent, non-stop muttering suddenly came to a halt. Her lips pressed tightly together, and the expression on her face grew increasingly tense. The restlessness within the illusion seemed to be forcibly suppressed, becoming so quiet that it felt suffocating.
Huang Siqi's eyes lit up. “It is working! Quick! Give her a few more punches!”
Su Ye cheered from the side, “Sister! Use the same strength you used on me!”
Xue Mingzhao delivered two more heavy punches. Sure enough, Shen Chaoyue's tense expression relaxed, and her furrowed brow smoothed out.
Nan Mingzi slapped his thigh in excitement. “It is working! It is working! Keep going, keep going!”
After several successive punches landed, Shen Chaoyue finally opened her eyes slowly.
“Hiss—”
She touched her face. Why did it hurt so much? It felt as if she had been beaten up.
She looked up—
Five people, ten eyes, were all staring at her in unison.
Shen Chaoyue: “...”
Huang Siqi was overjoyed and called out loudly, “Fantastic, Chaoyue! Quick! The last step, come up quickly!”
Shen Chaoyue was dazed for a moment, but she quickly snapped out of it.
Right! This was the Heavenly Origin Sect. She was a disciple of the Heavenly Origin Sect, and she was currently climbing the Heaven-Inquiring Ladder!
She immediately steadied her mind, stepped onto the final stair, and successfully reached the top.
Yun Yanchen breathed a sigh of relief. “Junior Sister, you finally—”
Before he could finish his sentence, the entire Heaven-Inquiring Ladder suddenly lit up with a strange golden light.
Spiritual light surged in midair, and an auspicious beast slowly materialized from the dense, misty glow.
Its entire body was covered in pure, snow-white fur. It had the face of a lion, the horns of a goat, and a white beard that drifted in the wind.
A pair of golden glazed pupils saw through everything, leaving the obsessions in everyone's hearts with nowhere to hide.
An invisible pressure enveloped the surroundings, causing everyone present to feel an inexplicable sense of awe and reverence.
Nan Mingzi's mouth fell wide open, and he could barely speak clearly: “Th-The Divine Beast Baize!!”
Xue Mingzhao's eyes also widened. The blessing of a divine beast was actually real?!
She had thought it was just chicken soup for the soul cooked up by the Heavenly Origin Sect to trick their disciples into practicing hard!
Rate on N.U.
