A sea of clouds drifted past the mountaintops.
The Spiritual Power within her body still seemed to hold the scorching heat from the radiant light of the hundredth step of the Asking Dao Ladder.
The words "Peak of Qi Refining" burned ceaselessly in her mind.
The hushed whispers of those Artifact Refining Pavilion disciples seemed to echo in her ears again, like the incessant BUZZING of flies.
"She has to cultivate this Sword Refining Skill!"
"Don't worry, leave it to me..."
In her mind's eye, the Immortal Sword named "Selfless" flashed past, its blade reflecting the profile of her own despairing face.
'I can't panic.'
'I absolutely cannot let them know I heard them.'
'Otherwise, the consequences...'
Su Ling'er lowered her eyelids, burying all her emotions deep within her gaze. She then put on a mask of dazed confusion, as if mentally and spiritually exhausted.
She had already been teleported to the bottom of the Asking Dao Ladder.
DONG.
DONG.
DONG.
Steady footsteps drew near, and Lin Qingfeng stopped in front of her.
His tall frame completely enveloped her in shadow.
Backlit, his face was obscured and hard to read. Although he wore a kind smile, it exuded a sinister chill that made her shudder.
"Congratulations, Junior Sister."
"To be able to reach the hundredth step shows that your Dao heart is extraordinary. This is truly a joyous occasion."
Su Ling'er looked up and answered awkwardly, "Yes... Thank you, Senior Brother."
Lin Qingfeng suddenly asked,
"What did you see just now on the Asking Dao Ladder?"
"What was your Heart Demon? I can help you analyze it."
Su Ling'er's heart leaped into her throat.
"It... It was just me, facing some old obsessions and a few terrifying illusions."
Seeing that his junior sister was unwilling to elaborate, Lin Qingfeng didn't press the matter.
'It's a Heart Demon, after all... Those who know, know...'
"To be able to witness the illusions of the hundredth step without being trapped by them proves your Dao heart is clear. To be able to sever your past attachments proves your will is lucid."
"With such an astonishing will, wouldn't it be a terrible waste not to pair it with a supreme cultivation method?!"
She looked up, a hint of confusion and hesitation appearing on her face at just the right moment.
"Senior Brother, you mean..."
Lin Qingfeng thought for a moment. Considering his junior sister had been very resistant to the Sword Refining Skill before, he decided not to be direct.
'I should take her to the Sword Mausoleum to finish the quest first. Besides, there's a good show waiting for her there!'
"Before that, I need to take you somewhere."
"Within the sect, there is a 'Sword Mausoleum.' It is the place where generations of Sword Cultivators have passed away, and it is also where the Sword Dao legacy of our Guixi Sect is preserved."
Lin Qingfeng clasped his hands behind his back, once again taking on the air of a proselytizing Grandmaster.
"Although your innate talent is poor and you only have a Pseudo Spirit Root, your Dao heart is firm, and your will is truly commendable."
"Come with me. Let's go and see where the path of a Sword Cultivator truly leads."
He didn't give her the option to refuse. In fact, the atmosphere he created made the very thought of refusal impossible for her to form.
It was the kind of compassion that said, "I am planning for your future," and the kind of finality that declared, "This is your only way out."
In this situation, what else could Su Ling'er say?
She could only go with the flow and nod at her senior brother.
"Yes, Senior Brother."
'Keep acting. Just keep acting.'
'If it really comes to a point where I have no choice but to cultivate the Sword Refining Skill...'
'Then...'
'Then...'
'Then... I'll just take it one step at a time!'
...
「The Sword Mausoleum.」
When Su Ling'er followed Lin Qingfeng into this area, she was utterly stunned by the surrounding sight.
Even Qingxu Temple lacked such a profound heritage. She had only ever read about places like this in storybooks.
There was none of the blood and resentment she had imagined.
Countless broken, ancient, and rusted swords were thrust among gray mountain rocks, forming an ancient forest of innumerable hilts.
The surroundings were dead silent.
Myriad swords stood in silent testimony, yet an invisible Sword Intent seemed to permeate the air.
It was grim, solemn, and even carried the weighty atmosphere of a pilgrimage.
'Could it be... this is a sacred place for the Guixi Sect? A place these demons actually treat with respect?'
Su Ling'er's thoughts raced.
'The Asking Dao Ladder tested the heart, allowing me to see my path clearly and strengthen my Dao.'
'Then this Sword Mausoleum...'
'Is it for me to choose a suitable weapon?'
'Can I finally stop using that Wooden Sword?'
'Or perhaps...'
'...this place doesn't bury Sword Cultivators at all.'
'Instead, it's the final resting place for countless victims just like me, forced to cultivate the Sword Refining Skill, refined into human-shaped flying swords, and ultimately discarded as scrap?'
'Is an unwilling soul buried beneath every single sword?'
As soon as this thought emerged, a chill spread from the depths of her heart as she looked upon the forest of swords again.
"This place is the final home of swords."
Lin Qingfeng's voice drifted over from her side.
He stood before the forest of swords with his hands behind his back, his gaze sweeping over the thousands of broken weapons. In reality, however, he was looking at the sect's Sword Mausoleum zone information panel, which only a player could see.
"Three hundred meters to the left is the 'Fearless Zone.'"
"The swords here were all weapons of a hundred battles. Their former masters were all brave warriors who charged into the fray. Their Sword Intent is purely offensive, never defensive, always pressing forward."
He began to walk as he spoke.
Su Ling'er's mind couldn't help but make a connection.
'So-called 'fearless'—isn't that just using disciples as cannon fodder?'
'They refine the most unruly disciples into flying swords, imprisoning their souls, and then have the gall to call it 'always pressing forward'!'
"Five hundred meters ahead is the 'Bladeless Zone.'"
"The swords here are artless yet masterful. Their masters were all Guardians of the sect. They sought not to kill, but to protect. Their Sword Intent is heavy and immovable as a mountain."
Su Ling'er made another connection.
'They must have refined those tough, thick-skinned disciples into shield-swords, specifically to block attacks, right?'
'Immovable as a mountain' indeed! Use them and toss them aside, saving even the Spirit Stones for repairs. Truly a demonic sect!'
Lin Qingfeng finally stopped in the most desolate area of all.
Most of the swords here were as pristine as new, yet they were lifeless.
"All who are interred here were Sword Dao geniuses of the highest caliber."
"Unfortunately, they were trapped by emotion, their Dao hearts were clouded by dust, and in the end, both their swords and their lives were broken."
"Since ancient times, deep emotion has only led to regret, a regret that stretches on without end."
Su Ling'er understood!
She understood again! And again! And again!
'The Fearless Zone is for cannon fodder.'
'The Bladeless Zone is for meat shields.'
'And this Heartless Zone... it must be the burial ground for those geniuses who discovered the sect's true nature and tried to resist, only to be ruthlessly eliminated!'
'First, they lure you in with benefits, then they refine you with brutal torture!'
'And in the end, they even spin the story of your resistance into some tale about being 'trapped by emotion,' using it as a warning to future generations in this Sword Mausoleum!'
Just as the terrifying truth of this demonic sect was being further perfected in Su Ling'er's overactive imagination, Lin Qingfeng finished leading her through the final area.
Just as he was about to give a few concluding remarks to elevate the sect's image, a game notification sound suddenly rang in his ear:
[Guidance Quest: Sect Guide (Completed)]
[Quest Evaluation: A (Although the process was tumultuous and the target NPC's mental state is extremely unstable, she has developed some interest in the sect. Contribution quest complete!)]
[Quest Rewards: Sect Contribution Points +500, Spirit Stones +750, Cultivation +5000, Sword Control Skill upgraded to Grandmaster level, Ancient Sword 'Unnamed' from the Sword Mausoleum has acknowledged you as its master x1]
At this point, Lin Qingfeng couldn't be bothered with his Grandmaster image. Staring at the generous rewards he'd obtained, he directly tapped [Claim].
The next moment.
BOOM—!!!
...
「The Real World」
[News Archive: New Subsidiary Established]
Ashen Heaven Group has announced the establishment of a new, independently operated game studio.
"Dust World Simulation."
According to the official announcement, the studio will focus on developing an ultra-high-fidelity social simulation sandbox. Its products will no longer prioritize entertainment, but rather aim to provide an unprecedented digital laboratory for fields such as sociology and economics.