Category: A Girl Dies Every Day in Her Dream Life

Chapter 14: The True Daoist Ziyang

“Who’s there!”

With this thunderous shout, Luo Xue felt a jolt in her head.

It was as if she had been stuffed into a bronze bell and struck repeatedly.

A warm liquid trickled between her lips and teeth. If Luo Xue could see herself, she would find that blood was flowing from her seven orifices.

This was just a sharp shout from Daoist Ziyang, not even an actual attack, yet it had already severely injured Luo Xue.

“Discovered?”

Luo Xue ignored her dire condition. Despite the ringing in her ears and her inability to stand steady, she immediately steadied herself.

No, don’t panic…

Luo Xue leaned against the corner, adjusting her posture and calming her ragged breathing.

She didn’t lose her composure because of Daoist Ziyang’s shout. The more dangerous the situation, the calmer she became.

Because in the post-apocalyptic world, Luo Xue had experienced life-or-death crises more than once.

“Thump…”

“Thump… Thump…”

Footsteps…

The footsteps reaching Luo Xue’s ears grew clearer.

Daoist Ziyang… was approaching her.

“I wonder who it could be… It turns out a disobedient little mouse has wandered over.” Daoist Ziyang’s cold laughter rang out. “I presume… you heard everything I just said?”

Luo Xue forced her eyes open, thick blood blurring her vision. Everything she saw was covered in a bloody haze.

And the tall, thin figure in front of her was exactly the same as the one from the carriage.

“It seems I really should correct my habit of talking to myself when I’m alone.”

Daoist Ziyang looked at the ugly girl leaning against the corner, unable to even stand steady, a hint of disdain flashing through his eyes.

He had thought his secret had been discovered by another cultivator, but it turned out to be just a caged little mouse escaping its cage.

As for whether the little mouse had stumbled upon his secret… Daoist Ziyang didn’t care.

Moreover…

“I was already planning to capture you directly and implant the ‘Xuanyin Gu Seed.’ Now that you’ve delivered yourself to me… you’ve saved me the trouble.”

Daoist Ziyang glanced at Luo Xue with disgust and reached out to grab her.

Luo Xue tried to struggle, but a heavy pressure immediately bore down on her, immobilizing her and causing her intense pain.

Foundation Establishment cultivator… Foundation Establishment cultivator… Immortal…

This was the difference between immortals and mortals.

A shout, a glance, and Luo Xue was rendered powerless to resist.

Before an immortal, a mortal could only be treated like an ant.

If not for the fact that Post-Heaven cultivation, the entry point to the immortal path, required one’s own talent and comprehension, Daoist Ziyang probably wouldn’t have bothered with the initial pretense.

Luo Xue’s entire body was icy cold, her blood seemingly frozen, but…

There was still no panic or fear in her eyes.

Facing imminent death, Luo Xue became completely calm.

She struggled, slightly raising her head, her slightly open eyes staring directly at Daoist Ziyang without a trace of fear.

Immortal… so what?

Surrendering was never something Luo Xue would do.

Being stared at like this, Daoist Ziyang suddenly felt a pang in his heart, an inexplicable fear surging within him.

This gaze… he had seen it before.

It was this gaze that had forced him to flee to this remote place, seeking a breakthrough opportunity through evil cultivation methods.

It was… the gaze of someone who wanted to kill him.

The fear that had brought him countless nightmares, a fear he couldn’t forget.

But Daoist Ziyang quickly recovered, followed by uncontrollable rage.

“I was actually frightened by a lowly mortal who can’t even cultivate… Shameful!”

The enraged immortal standing so close caused another spurt of blood to gush from Luo Xue’s seven orifices. Her consciousness was on the verge of collapsing.

But her murderous gaze… remained unchanged.

“What… do you… want to do… to us…”

Luo Xue’s hoarse voice rasped out, yet it was a question, a challenge.

Faced with this, Daoist Ziyang laughed in fury, his voice chillingly low.

“No, I’ve changed my mind. I won’t bestow the Xuanyin Gu Seed upon you, you wretch. I won’t let you die so easily. I… will make you wish you were dead!”

“I will refine you into a Yin Puppet, your soul eternally trapped within your flesh, watching yourself being controlled by me, forever unable to enter reincarnation, never to be reborn!”

He extended his claw-like hand, pinching Luo Xue’s chin, leaning closer, a chilling smile on his face.

“This look in your eyes… I truly hate it… I only hope you can still maintain this gaze after becoming a Yin Puppet.”

“What… do you… want to do…”

Luo Xue mechanically repeated her question, her consciousness fading, but her instinctive obsession drove her to continue questioning Daoist Ziyang.

“What do I want to do? I… might as well tell you.”

Daoist Ziyang sneered. He raised his hand slightly, and Li Zining’s body flew towards him.

“Little wretch, do you know what the Xuanyin Gu Seed is? Do you know why I need it?”

In Luo Xue’s blurry vision, she saw the once arrogant little girl, her eyes now bulging, her pale face filled with shock and disbelief.

Li Zining was dead.

As Luo Xue watched, Daoist Ziyang plunged his hand into Li Zining’s chest, brutally ripping out her heart, then crushing it.

The exploding heart fragments scattered, some of them splattering onto Luo Xue’s face.

Finally, Luo Xue’s eyes changed slightly.

But it still wasn’t the fear Daoist Ziyang wanted to see. Amidst her defiance and rage, there was now a hint of sorrow.

Daoist Ziyang opened his palm, revealing a small, purple glowing sphere amidst the crushed heart fragments.

“This is the Xuanyin Gu Seed, and also… my Master.”

Daoist Ziyang seemed to have put on his usual mask again, his soft voice narrating to Luo Xue,

“She was the last cultivator in the world to practice the evil cultivation method ‘Xuanyin Phoenix Transformation Scripture.’ She died, leaving behind only this peerless inheritance.”

“Why… why is this happening? Why is such a heaven-defying inheritance right in front of me, yet I can’t cultivate it!”

Daoist Ziyang’s face suddenly twisted, and he roared in frustration… the truth he had buried deep in his heart for so many years, a truth he dared not speak.

He had bottled up these words for too long, and they had become a burden on his heart.

Only in front of these mortals, whom he usually wouldn’t even glance at, did Daoist Ziyang dare to be so unrestrained.

“No matter what I do, I can’t cultivate the Xuanyin Phoenix Transformation Scripture. I’ve tried everything, but I’ve failed every single time, even…”

Daoist Ziyang suddenly let out a strange laugh.

“I even severed my own manhood, and I still couldn’t succeed.”

Chapter 13: Li Zining’s Death

This was the first time Luo Xue had witnessed a formation laid down by an immortal.

Faintly glowing runes floated around Li Zining, some of them branded onto her body, looking like chains binding her.

Luo Xue, who hadn’t even formally started cultivating, naturally couldn’t understand the function of this formation, or whether it was beneficial or harmful to Li Zining.

But… since it involved Daoist Ziyang, it couldn’t be anything good.

“Should I disrupt the formation?”

Luo Xue touched the short sword at her waist. Could she destroy the formation by just hacking at it with her sword?

As she hesitated, she inadvertently noticed Li Zining’s arm twitch.

“Hm?”

Luo Xue immediately focused her gaze and quickly confirmed that it wasn’t an illusion.

Li Zining… was struggling!

A pained expression appeared on her face, and the surrounding runes trembled violently, as if about to collapse.

“Ugh…”

A muffled groan escaped Li Zining’s lips as she seemed to be trying her best to open her eyes.

Her face was pale, beads of sweat trickling down her forehead. She was visibly weakening, like a flower that had just bloomed and was already beginning to wither.

“Forget it… I’ll do it!”

Luo Xue couldn’t hesitate any longer. Gripping her short sword, she prepared to act.

This girl might be annoying, but Luo Xue couldn’t just watch a life fade away before her eyes.

Whether in the apocalypse or in this Immortal Martial World, Luo Xue had seen enough death and separation, but it didn’t mean that life had lost its precious meaning.

But just as she was about to step out, a purple light suddenly appeared beside Li Zining, startling Luo Xue back into hiding.

Saving someone’s life didn’t mean she had to gamble with her own.

In other words, sometimes, it was okay to be a coward…

As expected, after the purple light faded, Daoist Ziyang, whom Luo Xue hadn’t been able to find, appeared.

Realizing this, Luo Xue immediately turned around and continued hiding in the corner outside the courtyard.

The books she had read mentioned that cultivators who reached the Spirit Condensation Realm possessed extremely powerful sensory abilities, known as “Divine Sense.”

Even a hidden gaze could be detected instantly.

Daoist Ziyang was a Foundation Establishment cultivator; his Divine Sense would be even more acute.

“Such poor compatibility with the Yin Breath Poison… This seed is probably useless…”

Daoist Ziyang’s voice rang out, no longer gentle and kind, but cold and indifferent.

Just like when he had killed the two traffickers…

Perhaps this was Daoist Ziyang’s true face.

His usual gentle demeanor was merely a facade to coax the girls into cultivating diligently.

At the same time, Li Zining’s weak, childish voice came,

“Master… it hurts… Master…”

“Master… is this… also… cultivation…”

Her voice was filled with confusion and fear. Li Zining didn’t understand why Master had suddenly changed…

Was she not working hard enough?

Had she failed to meet Master’s expectations?

How Li Zining wished Master would encourage her gently, like he usually did.

“Trash.”

Daoist Ziyang said coldly.

“Mas…”

Before she could finish, Li Zining’s voice was completely cut off.

Luo Xue, hiding nearby and hearing all this, felt her heart leap into her throat.

Could Li Zining have been… killed?

“The quality of this batch of seeds is truly terrible. Not even at the Innate Realm can they withstand the ‘Xuanyin Gu Seed.’ It seems the remaining few must at least reach Body Forging before they can be used…”

Daoist Ziyang muttered to himself, his impatience evident, even bordering on madness.

“No, I can’t… There’s no time, there’s no time left… In another month, it will be the deadline… Only one month left!”

“A bunch of trash! All trash! I’ve already used all my Dao Insights to nurture them, for these seeds, I’ve paid so much… yet so few can even reach the Innate Realm!”

Dao Insights?

Was it something that aided cultivation?

Luo Xue was stunned. She suddenly remembered that Su Yiyao had mentioned some strange things to her.

Because of Luo Xue’s instructions, Su Yiyao basically slept through her daily cultivation and meditation.

But even so, her cultivation was still increasing at a visible rate, about one-third the speed of the others.

But the problem was, the other girls were cultivating day and night to achieve such results.

“Could it be… the effect of Dao Insights?”

Unless Su Yiyao had the talent to increase her cultivation while sleeping.

“Right, and Ah Chou… That strange, ugly freak…”

After venting, Daoist Ziyang suddenly calmed down. He muttered to himself, even mentioning Luo Xue.

“A mere ordinary person can actually withstand the Yin Breath Poison that even Innate Realm Xuanyin Bodies wouldn’t dare to absorb all at once…”

Hearing this, Luo Xue’s heart skipped a beat. Was that pill really that potent?

Even those with the Xuanyin Body couldn’t withstand it before reaching the Innate Realm?

Damn!

This old bastard was even more sinister than she had imagined!

“No, no… That’s not right. Is she really an ordinary person? Could it be some kind of special constitution beyond my understanding?”

No, no, no… I really am just an ordinary person… An ordinary person with maxed-out poison resistance…

Luo Xue had a premonition that once Daoist Ziyang set his sights on her, her fate would likely be similar to Li Zining’s.

“But she can’t even cultivate…”

Yes, yes, I can’t cultivate!

Luo Xue almost wanted to applaud Daoist Ziyang’s current thoughts. The useless trash who couldn’t cultivate was her!

“Perhaps it’s just the wrong cultivation method… There was once a disciple accepted by the Buddhist Holy Land who could only cultivate through Buddhist methods, unable to comprehend any other Dao techniques.”

Daoist Ziyang pondered for a moment and continued in a low voice, “If that’s the case… Could she be a peerless genius beyond even my comprehension?”

These words almost made Luo Xue believe him, if she didn’t know that her panel clearly stated “Almost None.”

“…And Su Yiyao.”

Xiao Yao?

Hearing this, Luo Xue’s pupils constricted, her heart skipping a beat.

Why would Daoist Ziyang mention Xiao Yao at this time?

Could it be… that he had already noticed Xiao Yao’s peculiarity?

Or had he discovered that Xiao Yao hadn’t been cultivating seriously this whole time…

Or even, was it possible that he already knew Xiao Yao had woken up in the carriage?

When it came to Xiao Yao, Luo Xue suddenly felt panicked.

Su Yiyao was very dependent on Luo Xue, and Luo Xue was constantly worried about her.

After spending several months together in this strange and dangerous environment, a subtle bond had formed between them.

Just then, Daoist Ziyang, who had been pacing back and forth, seemed to sense something and abruptly looked up.

At the same time, sharp, snake-like pupils instantly appeared in Luo Xue’s vision, and a low shout exploded in her ears,

“Who’s there?!”

Chapter 12: The Eerie Formation

The puppets, who had been following Luo Xue since she left the courtyard, had vanished without a trace.

Since Luo Xue had been focused on the tracks on the ground, she hadn’t noticed when the footsteps had disappeared.

Had they gone to report to Daoist Ziyang?

Or had they exceeded their range and returned to the courtyard on their own?

A breeze blew past, and Luo Xue felt a chill on her skin, her heart pounding in her chest.

If she continued further, there would be no turning back…

Perhaps, she should wait for another opportunity?

Wait for Huang Xinya or Yu Yiling to break through, for another chance when Daoist Ziyang would make his move?

Although those little girls were indeed annoying, Luo Xue still felt a bit reluctant to use them like this.

After all, they were just children, their taunts merely words.

Just as Luo Xue hesitated, she suddenly sensed a familiar aura.

Cold and bone-chilling…

“Yin Breath Poison?”

Luo Xue twitched her nose. A chill permeated her body, then vanished in an instant.

This was the value of 40 Yin Poison Resistance. A trace of Yin Breath Poison, enough to kill an ordinary adult, could be neutralized by Luo Xue with a single breath.

But why was there Yin Breath Poison deep within Mount Ziyang?

Luo Xue examined her surroundings again. The seemingly sinister grass and trees were all tainted with the aura of Yin Breath Poison.

Even the soil…

“It seems the Yin Breath Poison here hasn’t been around for just a day or two.”

Luo Xue knew she was very close to the truth.

The method Daoist Ziyang used for selection was Yin Breath Poison, and Yin Breath Poison permeated the depths of Mount Ziyang. If there was no connection between the two, Luo Xue wouldn’t believe it.

Luo Xue continued forward. The lingering Yin Breath Poison filled the surrounding air, but this deadly place had no effect on Luo Xue.

Having reached this point, Luo Xue no longer needed to pay attention to the path underfoot.

Because in this desolate mountain forest, there was only one path to take, and its end was also boundless darkness.

Withered, sinister branches blocked out the sky, the bright moonlight unable to penetrate this land eroded by Yin Breath Poison. A cold, eerie wind blew around her, and a sickly sweet, strange smell lingered at the tip of her nose.

Even with the mental fortitude of several lifetimes, Luo Xue felt a chill down her spine.

“Having come this far, I can’t give up now…”

Luo Xue gently pressed her right hand against her chest. She could feel her heart beating faster than ever before, the tension almost overwhelming her.

But she quickly regained her composure and continued to move forward.

An eerie silence filled the surroundings. Luo Xue didn’t know how long she had walked before she finally saw a few glimmers of light in the boundless darkness.

A few steps further, she could see that these glimmers came from a courtyard ahead—deep within Mount Ziyang, there was actually a courtyard identical to the one outside!

Luo Xue couldn’t help but hold her breath, slowing her pace.

A cold sweat seeped from her palms. Ahead lay the truth and the answers, but along with them came danger and death.

“…”

A little closer… just a little closer…

Luo Xue tensed her entire body, inching towards the courtyard as quietly as possible, afraid of making any noise that might alert Daoist Ziyang.

However, Daoist Ziyang didn’t seem to be in the courtyard.

When Luo Xue got close enough to see inside the courtyard, she didn’t see the figure she had been dreading.

There was only a small figure lying in the center of the courtyard.

It was… Li Zining!

Li Zining’s eyes were tightly closed, her body covered in runes that Luo Xue couldn’t understand, seemingly forming some kind of formation.

More importantly, Li Zining seemed to have undergone some kind of transformation. When Luo Xue looked at her, she could vaguely sense a pressure on a life level.

Could she have already stepped into the Innate Realm…

From the time Li Zining was taken away until now, it had probably been less than two hours. Even a genius had to follow the basic laws, right?

Or perhaps…

This was Daoist Ziyang’s doing.

Daoist Ziyang had helped Li Zining break through, instantly reaching the Innate Realm.

“Probably even immortal methods can’t help much with Post-Heaven cultivation, so Daoist Ziyang tricked us into cultivating diligently.”

Combining her thoughts from these past few days, Luo Xue frowned and began to speculate,

“Only after reaching the Spiritual Insight stage can immortal methods be used. That’s why Daoist Ziyang was so eager to take Li Zining away… He’s running out of time.”

If not for his impatience, Daoist Ziyang wouldn’t have left such an obvious opening, giving Luo Xue the opportunity to witness this scene she shouldn’t have seen.

However, what was the purpose of the formation beneath Li Zining?

Luo Xue could only sense the surrounding Yin Breath Poison faintly converging towards the center of the formation, but this didn’t seem to be its true purpose.

It was more like Li Zining was actively absorbing the Yin Breath Poison…

What a joke, this was a deadly poison!

Although Luo Xue had Yin Poison Resistance, it didn’t mean she was completely immune, let alone that she would actively absorb such a potent toxin.

Unless…

Luo Xue recalled Daoist Ziyang’s method of selecting five little girls from dozens, and his special treatment of her during these days.

Her long-standing doubts were finally resolved.

“Daoist Ziyang isn’t looking for a constitution with Yin Poison Resistance, but a constitution that can absorb Yin Breath Poison for cultivation!”

Once Luo Xue realized this, many of her questions were answered.

For example, his attention to her and his indifference to Su Yiyao.

Daoist Ziyang thought Su Yiyao’s late awakening after being poisoned was due to her poor constitution and aptitude, so he hadn’t paid much attention to her.

In reality, it was because Su Yiyao had been awake for too long in the dim carriage, her mind severely damaged, which was why she had remained unconscious for so long.

Her slow cultivation speed afterward was due to Luo Xue’s instructions to deliberately neglect her practice. But even so, Su Yiyao was still constantly breaking through.

In other words… perhaps Su Yiyao’s aptitude was the strongest among them.

As for Luo Xue, it was even simpler.

“Daoist Ziyang must be wondering why I can withstand the Yin Breath Poison without a special constitution…”

A bitter smile appeared on Luo Xue’s lips. No wonder Daoist Ziyang had inexplicably given her a Yin Breath Poison pill; he was probably waiting to see her die from the poison.

There was one last question.

Where… was Daoist Ziyang?

Luo Xue was only a few steps away from the courtyard, yet there was still no movement around her.

Only the formation beneath Li Zining flickered faintly, seemingly in operation.

Chapter 11: Walking Alone in the Night

Luo Xue had already experienced the benefits of survival points. After maximizing her poison resistance, she could even withstand an entire Yin Breath Poison pill.

Not to mention there were other attributes on the panel, and even Luo Xue’s tragic cultivation aptitude could be changed.

“Barely There” had to be better than “Almost None,” right?

And acquiring survival points required experiencing dangerous events. Clearly, simply waiting for fate to arrive in the courtyard didn’t count.

Without survival points, she might be caught off guard when encountering similar emergencies in the future.

Like savings, without some survival points in reserve, Luo Xue felt insecure.

Moreover, now that Daoist Ziyang’s plot had finally surfaced, and Luo Xue’s numerous doubts were about to be answered, she had even less reason to sit idly by.

No matter what… it was worth the risk.

At this moment, Yu Yiling and Huang Xinya had already returned to their rooms to intensify their cultivation.

Su Yiyao was still leaning against Luo Xue, her large, apprehensive eyes staring at her.

Luo Xue looked into her eyes, recalling the unforgettable scene in the dim carriage, her gaze flickering.

“…Let’s not take Xiao Yao along for now. One less person means one less risk.”

Thinking of this, Luo Xue held Su Yiyao’s small hand and returned to their room.

At the same time, their maids followed them like shadows.

“Xiao Yao, cultivate for now.” Luo Xue gently rubbed Su Yiyao’s hair and said softly, “But don’t… be too slow. The bad guy will notice.”

Su Yiyao nodded vigorously and obediently closed her eyes.

After Su Yiyao entered meditation, Luo Xue turned to look at the two puppet-like maids, her heart sinking.

Like the two traffickers before, these maids were puppets refined by Daoist Ziyang through some method, but they still retained some faint emotions and self-awareness.

Even an ordinary person could see this after careful observation.

However, the other girls were immersed in cultivation all day long and didn’t have the energy to notice these things.

Luo Xue, on the other hand, had nothing to do since she couldn’t cultivate, so she had conducted many tests and studies on the maids.

They had no ability to monitor or communicate, nor could they report anything to Daoist Ziyang. They were just obedient puppets.

Perhaps they still retained a sliver of soul and reason, but they were mostly controlled by Daoist Ziyang.

And the command Daoist Ziyang had given them was to obey the girls’ orders.

In other words, Luo Xue could openly leave the courtyard in front of the maids; she just needed to order them not to follow.

The only problem was the trafficker guards at the door.

Over the past few months, Luo Xue had tried to leave the courtyard before.

The trafficker guards hadn’t stopped her, but they followed her wherever she went.

Seemingly protecting her, but more like monitoring her.

Luo Xue wasn’t sure if these two trafficker guards could relay information to Daoist Ziyang; she hadn’t figured out these immortal methods yet.

“Let’s try… Just like before.”

Luo Xue took a deep breath. The opportunity was rare now, and she couldn’t delay any longer.

If the guards did alert Daoist Ziyang, she would simply flee back to the courtyard.

Given Daoist Ziyang’s usual behavior, it was unlikely he would expose his true nature in front of everyone.

Of course, this was a last resort. Unless absolutely necessary, Luo Xue didn’t want to expose herself, let alone have Daoist Ziyang notice her peculiarity.

After one last glance at Su Yiyao, who was immersed in meditation, Luo Xue stood up, ordered her maids to wait in place, and gently pushed open the door.

The courtyard at dusk was as usual. Faint lights shone from the surrounding rooms, illuminating the small figures within, absorbing the spiritual energy of heaven and earth.

The last rays of the setting sun added a touch of poetic charm to the quiet scene. Setting aside Daoist Ziyang’s unknown plot, Luo Xue actually liked the environment and life here.

She had experienced nearly ten years of harsh conditions in the apocalyptic world, struggling for survival every day. Recalling it now, it felt like a lifetime ago.

“How long will this dream last…”

Or rather, was this really a dream?

Similar doubts had crossed Luo Xue’s mind more than once.

“Forget it, let’s deal with the matter at hand first. Whether it’s a dream or not, I have to survive first.”

Luo Xue composed herself and looked towards the courtyard gate, her gaze hardening.

Sure enough, the trafficker guards, refined into puppets, stood motionless at the entrance, like two gate gods.

“These two guys are really unlucky, running into a backstabbing immortal… But, those in the trafficking business should be cunning and sly. How could they so easily believe Daoist Ziyang’s promises?”

From what she had overheard in the carriage, these two were veterans in the trafficking world, definitely not kind-hearted people.

However, regardless of their past, they were now puppets. How could mortals fight against an immortal?

Luo Xue took a handy short sword and hung it at her waist. Although without any cultivation or martial arts skills, having a weapon didn’t make much difference, but it was better than nothing.

In the blink of an eye, the sun set, and night gradually fell.

“Ten steps, nine steps…”

Luo Xue walked slowly, trying to maintain her usual pace, approaching the courtyard gate.

The trafficker guards stood still, their puppet eyes not moving at all, until Luo Xue stepped out of the courtyard gate.

“Whoosh!”

Luo Xue looked up, meeting two emotionless gazes.

The trafficker guards stared at her.

“…”

She turned and continued walking forward, the stiff footsteps following behind her.

Just like before…

From afar, one could see Zhang San and Li Si following closely behind Luo Xue, like her most loyal guards.

“Even though I know they are mindless puppets, being stared at like this still gives me the creeps…”

Luo Xue couldn’t help but feel nervous, but she focused her attention, carefully observing the path underfoot by the faint starlight.

Daoist Ziyang and Li Zining hadn’t deliberately concealed their tracks. The trampled grass guided Luo Xue as she followed their footsteps.

Luo Xue followed these tracks, venturing deeper into the mountains.

Time slowly passed, and the bright moonlight shone upon the earth, yet it couldn’t dispel the faint eerie aura emanating from Mount Ziyang at night.

The deeper Luo Xue went into Mount Ziyang, the more apprehensive she felt.

The grass on the ground became increasingly disheveled, and the surrounding trees appeared more sinister.

She looked back, but it was pitch black behind her, nothing could be seen, yet the footprints under her feet continued to stretch forward.

And…

“The puppets… where did they go?”

Luo Xue looked at the empty space behind her, her pupils constricting.

Chapter 10: The Plot Begins to Unfold

Inside Li Zining’s room.

The other girls who had been awakened also gathered here, including Luo Xue and Su Yiyao.

Li Zining’s face was radiant, her expression filled with uncontainable excitement.

Although her appearance seemed unchanged, she inexplicably gave off a feeling of rebirth.

This was the final minor stage of the Post-Heaven Realm—Spiritual Insight. Li Zining’s spirit was gradually transforming, the first step towards transcending mortality.

Next, she only needed to wait for the transformation to complete and achieve introspection of her spirit to step into the Innate Realm and reshape her mortal body.

This step was incredibly difficult for mortals, as it was heavily influenced by talent.

Some entered the Innate Realm immediately upon reaching Spiritual Insight, while others toiled for decades with little hope.

For Li Zining, who possessed exceptional talent, stepping into the Innate Realm was likely just a matter of days, which was why she was so ecstatic.

Daoist Ziyang carefully examined Li Zining’s spirit, then gently breathed a sigh of relief, the anxiety between his brows finally easing.

“Indeed, she has entered Spiritual Insight. The Innate Realm is not far off.”

Daoist Ziyang confirmed the news with a gentle smile.

As his voice fell, Li Zining’s face couldn’t hide her smugness.

Especially seeing Yu Yiling and Huang Xinya gnashing their teeth, the smile on her lips deepened.

However, when Li Zining’s gaze fell on the late-arriving Luo Xue and Su Yiyao, a hint of disdain flashed through her eyes.

So what if they had Master’s favor? So what if they were pretty? Trash would always be trash!

Now, Li Zining no longer bothered mocking Luo Xue and Su Yiyao.

Because she knew that from this moment on, they were no longer on the same level.

“Master is still looking at me. That ugly freak will never receive Master’s favor again, and after I reach the Innate Realm… I will definitely be much prettier than that little bitch Su Yiyao!”

The self-satisfied Li Zining stood up, slightly bowed to everyone and Daoist Ziyang, and said with a hint of arrogance,

“Thank you, Master, for your teachings. If you want to catch up to me, Senior Sisters… you’ll have to put in a lot more effort.”

At this moment, Luo Xue wasn’t focused on the newly-breakthrough Li Zining like the others, but was observing Daoist Ziyang’s expression.

“Daoist Ziyang seems to have become increasingly impatient recently… only relaxing a bit after Li Zining broke through to Spiritual Insight and is about to enter the Innate Realm.

“It seems the timing he’s waiting for… is the Innate Realm.”

What could be done at the Innate Realm?

The Innate Realm was about seizing the essence of heaven and earth, reshaping oneself from the spirit, gradually stepping into a transcendent state.

After experiencing the four minor stages of Cultivating the Soul, Forging the Body, Strengthening the Mind, and Refining the Spirit, one would form a spiritual sea and enter the first stage of immortality, the Spirit Condensation Realm.

This was a realm that mortal martial artists could never reach.

A Spirit Condensation immortal could single-handedly withstand a hundred Martial Arts Grandmasters; their vast spiritual sea was something a martial artist’s internal energy could never match.

Li Zining was ecstatic about becoming an immortal, unaware that she was merely a fish on a chopping block.

They all were.

Luo Xue couldn’t help but cast a pitiful glance at Li Zining, but her eyes met Li Zining’s, and she quickly lowered her head.

Li Zining, who had been smugly looking down on everyone, saw not the expected envy or jealousy in Luo Xue’s eyes, but… pity?

This ugly freak… was pitying her?

How dare she pity her?!

What right did she have?!

A barely perceptible twist of anger flashed across Li Zining’s face, but she quickly suppressed it.

“Forget it, let her look however she wants. From now on… she’ll have no place in Master’s eyes!”

This time, Daoist Ziyang didn’t pay attention to Luo Xue. After all, important matters were at hand. In his eyes, Luo Xue was just a toy for his leisure.

A constitution that could withstand the Yin Breath Poison without being a Xuanyin Body certainly piqued his curiosity and interest, but if she couldn’t cultivate, that was all there was to it.

“Finally, a seed has sprouted… The quality of this batch is truly poor, but thankfully it hasn’t been delayed for too long.”

Daoist Ziyang looked at Li Zining with a smile. Feeling his gaze, Li Zining puffed out her chest, her arrogance and pride evident.

“Since Zining is about to enter the Innate Realm, she can also begin cultivating some of my inheritances.”

Daoist Ziyang waved his sleeve, and the maid standing beside Li Zining immediately lowered her head and retreated from the room.

“She will cultivate with me for the next few days until she breaks through to the Innate Realm. Remember, only by reaching the Innate Realm can one officially become a disciple of Mount Ziyang.”

Daoist Ziyang continued, his stern gaze sweeping over everyone present, taking in their reactions.

Daoist Ziyang had mentioned before that, besides them, there were many official disciples cultivating in other places with richer spiritual energy.

Currently, Luo Xue and the others were merely registered disciples of Mount Ziyang.

As for the prospects of becoming official disciples… Daoist Ziyang had painted a glorious picture, but Luo Xue hadn’t listened to a word of it.

Su Yiyao was the same. She trusted Luo Xue and had already decided in her heart that Daoist Ziyang was a liar.

Daoist Ziyang’s words made Yu Yiling and Huang Xinya’s blood boil, eager to immediately sit down and meditate. Li Zining, needless to say, practically had her nose in the air.

Daoist Ziyang was quite satisfied with everyone’s reactions. He didn’t care about Luo Xue and Su Yiyao; one couldn’t cultivate, and the other’s aptitude was abysmal.

After giving a few more perfunctory instructions, Daoist Ziyang hurriedly left with Li Zining.

However, previously, when Daoist Ziyang left the courtyard, he would use some sort of technique, disappearing instantly without a trace.

This time, for some reason, he and Li Zining were simply walking, not using any techniques.

Their figures, one tall and one short, gradually disappeared into the dusk-lit mountains. Luo Xue and the others watched them leave.

Yu Yiling and Huang Xinya gritted their teeth and ran back to their rooms, seemingly determined to cultivate even harder, striving to be taken away by Master like Li Zining as soon as possible.

Su Yiyao hung her head; she wasn’t interested in any of this. Staying by Ah Chou’s side was the only thing she wanted.

The unknown environment, the unknown plot… The constant fear and anxiety almost consumed Su Yiyao, and only when Ah Chou held her could she feel a sense of peace.

Luo Xue looked at the faint footprints on the ground, her expression darkening.

“Should I… secretly follow them?”

“But, doing so would be very dangerous…”

“No, that’s why I should!”

Luo Xue looked at the bright red “Survival Points: 0” in her vision, her eyes hardening.

Chapter 9: Entering Spiritual Insight

Several months passed in a flash.

Perhaps because the Post-Heaven Realm was too insignificant for immortals, Daoist Ziyang didn’t appear often. Most of the time, it was the maids who guided Luo Xue and the others in their cultivation.

The months of cultivation had mostly yielded results. Li Zining, who had the fastest progress among the five girls, was on the verge of stepping into the Spiritual Insight stage.

Yu Yiling and Huang Xinya followed closely behind. At the peak of Bright Eyes, their gazes alone could kill slightly weaker ordinary people.

In the mortal world, martial artists who could cultivate to Bright Eyes were powerful enough to dominate a region.

Once they reached Spiritual Insight, they would truly possess the qualifications to step into the realm of Martial Arts Grandmaster.

In just a few months, these little girls had gone from powerless young children to a realm that mortal martial artists spent their entire lives striving to reach.

Besides the blessed environment of Mount Ziyang and the immortal cultivation techniques personally compiled by Daoist Ziyang, their extraordinary aptitude was the key.

Even Su Yiyao, with her half-hearted cultivation, had already entered the Sensitive Nose stage. The two traffickers who had kidnapped them were around this level, though actual combat prowess was a different matter.

Unfortunately, Luo Xue remained the exception.

“…It really is almost none.”

Luo Xue looked at Su Yiyao, immersed in meditative cultivation beside her, and sighed heavily.

This wasn’t Luo Xue’s fault. Most ordinary people, even with immortal techniques and guidance, might need to dedicate decades to their studies.

Only when they achieved sudden enlightenment could they truly embark on the path of immortality.

With that much time, it would be better to temper their bodies day and night like mortal martial artists; the chances of reaching the Innate Realm would be higher.

The mediocrity of most mortals wasn’t due to a lack of opportunity, but rather that opportunities wouldn’t help them anyway.

Although Luo Xue’s system panel did have a “Cultivation Aptitude” stat where she could allocate survival points, the biggest problem was that Cultivation Aptitude, unlike Yin Poison Resistance, couldn’t be freely allocated points. Instead, it required a one-time allocation of a certain number of survival points to advance to the next stage.

Luo Xue’s current aptitude was “Almost None.” The next stage was “Barely There,” requiring a total of 100 survival points.

All the points Luo Xue possessed added up to less than 100. The initial 10 points, plus the 30 points from completing a dangerous task, had all been invested in Yin Poison Resistance.

Because as time went on, the “Yin Breath Poison” had gradually seeped into Luo Xue’s internal organs.

However, after her Yin Poison Resistance reached 40, Luo Xue was certain that even if she swallowed the Yin Breath Poison directly, it wouldn’t cause her much harm. It seemed she had reached a certain threshold.

But strangely, Daoist Ziyang didn’t seem to mind Luo Xue’s inability to cultivate. On the contrary, he seemed increasingly interested.

Every time he appeared, Daoist Ziyang continued to show concern for Luo Xue, much to the resentment and jealousy of Li Zining and the other two.

They were cultivating so diligently, wasn’t it to gain more favor from Daoist Ziyang!

They couldn’t understand why Master was so concerned about an ugly freak…

Luo Xue couldn’t understand either, but she could vaguely guess part of the truth.

“It must be because of my inexplicable poison resistance…”

In reality, Luo Xue was in the most dangerous position among them.

Because she didn’t know what Daoist Ziyang wanted from her. The other girls would likely only face mortal danger when their cultivation reached a certain stage, triggering Daoist Ziyang’s scheme.

As for Luo Xue…

Perhaps it would be when Daoist Ziyang lost interest.

However, recently, Daoist Ziyang seemed to have become more impatient. Each time he appeared, he was very concerned about their cultivation progress and had even implicitly taken his anger out on Su Yiyao several times, blaming her for cultivating too slowly.

Thinking of this, Luo Xue sighed softly again.

Why did it feel like no matter where she went, her fate was always a bit tragic…

“Let’s keep trying.”

Luo Xue patted her cheeks, trying to cheer herself up, and looked at the cyan jade slip in her hand.

This was another basic cultivation technique, the “Breathing Technique,” personally bestowed upon Luo Xue by Daoist Ziyang later. It was said to be easier to learn than the “Ziyang Technique” that Su Yiyao and the others were cultivating, but its upper limit was lower.

If the Ziyang Technique could smoothly lead one to the first stage of immortality, the Spirit Condensation Realm, the bottleneck of the Breathing Technique was at the Innate Realm.

Breaking through the Innate Realm with the Breathing Technique was incredibly difficult.

Generally, those who cultivated the Breathing Technique were mortals with no hope of immortality.

Of course, even so, it was still much more difficult to learn than mortal martial arts techniques.

After all, once mastered, becoming a Martial Arts Grandmaster was only a matter of time.

Luo Xue felt that this was already quite impressive. Anyway, she wasn’t interested in cultivating that Ziyang Technique; just hearing the name made her uneasy.

“Spiritual inspiration…”

Luo Xue held the cyan jade slip and slowly closed her eyes.

The so-called Post-Heaven Realm was the first step away from a mortal body.

The Post-Heaven Realm involved opening the five senses: mouth, ears, nose, eyes, and spirit. After completing the Spiritual Insight stage and achieving introspection of the spirit, one would step into the Innate Realm.

Mortal martial artists used internal energy cultivated through physical training to open the five senses, which required a significant amount of time, because besides talent, accumulating profound internal energy also took time.

But immortal methods were clearly different. The ubiquitous spiritual energy in blessed lands was transformed into internal spiritual power through immortal techniques, with talent and the technique itself playing a greater role.

After all, different techniques produced different spiritual power with varying efficiency.

Luo Xue had browsed through many books on Mount Ziyang in her spare time (which wasn’t much different from reading novels) and had seen records of peerless geniuses achieving sudden enlightenment, advancing one realm with each thought, stepping from mortal to Foundation Establishment in three breaths.

To achieve this, one first had to learn to sense the free-flowing spiritual energy in the air, known as “grasping spiritual inspiration.” Therefore, places rich in spiritual energy were better for grasping inspiration.

This profound and mysterious matter couldn’t be taught. Those with dull talent wouldn’t be able to sense it even if they bathed in immortal dew formed from spiritual energy.

…Luo Xue had a premonition that she was one such person.

But no matter what, the opportunity was rare, and Luo Xue still wanted to cultivate immortality, even though she knew Daoist Ziyang harbored ill intentions.

Luo Xue held the jade slip as usual, meditating for a long time, but unfortunately, she still gained nothing.

Just as she was about to give up again, a strange feeling suddenly arose in her heart.

“Spiritual inspiration?”

Before Luo Xue could carefully examine this feeling, Li Zining’s incredibly excited voice came from outside the door,

“I did it! I did it! Ahahahaha… I did it! I’ve entered Spiritual Insight!”

Her loud voice immediately woke the other girls who were meditating. Just as they were about to complain, Daoist Ziyang instantly appeared in the courtyard.

His anxious expression was tinged with joy, and he immediately walked towards Li Zining’s room.

“…Is it true?”

Chapter 8: Innate Puppets

The two traffickers.

Luo Xue had witnessed Daoist Ziyang kill them, countless insects tearing and devouring their flesh.

But now, they reappeared before Luo Xue in this bizarre state.

Daoist Ziyang stared intently at Luo Xue, only softening his expression when he saw the desired confusion in her eyes.

“No, I don’t recognize them…”

Luo Xue whispered, shrinking back, as if shy.

“Don’t be afraid, Ah Chou. They are my guards, here to protect you.” Daoist Ziyang said with a gentle smile. “Although their cultivation is somewhat shallow, they have already reached the Innate Realm.”

Hearing this, Luo Xue recalled Daoist Ziyang’s cold words to the two traffickers, promising to fulfill their wish of reaching the Innate Realm.

So this was how he fulfilled it…

—By turning them into puppets.

Would they eventually be turned into puppets too?

Using such a deceptive facade, meticulously guiding them onto the path of cultivation, was the ultimate goal to turn them into one of his many puppets?

It was certainly a possibility.

But… not a strong one.

From the panel system’s previous prompts, Daoist Ziyang’s realm was Foundation Establishment, a major stage above Spirit Condensation.

With his strength, he wouldn’t need Innate Realm puppets, let alone Spirit Condensation ones.

Moreover, Daoist Ziyang wasn’t coveting their appearances either. After all, the most beautiful, Su Yiyao, was completely ignored due to her poor aptitude.

Then… why?

Luo Xue still had many questions in her mind.

He couldn’t possibly truly want to nurture outstanding disciples, could he?

“Innate!”

Upon hearing that the two guards were of the Innate Realm, the other girls’ attention was immediately drawn, looking at them with a mixture of fear and admiration.

In the mortal world, Innate Realm cultivators were also known as Martial Arts Grandmasters, the foundation of a nation’s strength.

Sometimes, one more Martial Arts Grandmaster could give one nation a crushing advantage over another.

Although Daoist Ziyang had used some sort of technique to blur parts of their memories, these girls still remembered this common knowledge.

Even though they were confident in reaching the Innate Realm under their master’s guidance, at least for now, Innate Realm martial artists were still figures they looked up to.

“I am not often free and cannot always attend to you.” Daoist Ziyang said apologetically. “There are occasionally restless wild beasts on Mount Ziyang. Zhang San and Li Si can protect you on my behalf.”

*Zhang San and Li Si: Placeholder names in Chinese, like “John Doe” or “Joe Smith” in English. They’re used to refer to generic or anonymous individuals.*

The two trafficker puppets, called Zhang San and Li Si, immediately cupped their hands in salute, startling the girls into returning the gesture.

“…These names are too perfunctory!”

Luo Xue twitched her lips. Daoist Ziyang really wasn’t concerned about naming things, no wonder the traffickers had decided on the names themselves back then.

The reason the girls still remembered their own names after waking up was probably also related to Daoist Ziyang.

“Ahead is the residence I have prepared for you. Go and rest first. The maids will take you to your respective rooms.”

Daoist Ziyang pointed towards the distance, where several antique courtyards stood unexpectedly amidst the picturesque mountains and rivers, adorned with birdsong and fragrant flowers.

Zhang San and Li Si walked directly towards the courtyards, their steps seemingly slow, but they reached the courtyards in no time, standing guard at the entrance like two iron towers.

The maids also stood beside their respective masters, half a step ahead, awaiting their instructions.

After giving these instructions, Daoist Ziyang vanished in the blink of an eye.

Only after confirming that Daoist Ziyang had temporarily left did Luo Xue secretly breathe a sigh of relief.

The pressure from a Foundation Establishment cultivator was simply too great; he could take her life with a single thought.

In her current situation, Luo Xue didn’t know whether her death would mean true death or waking up from this dream.

But what was certain was that her death would definitely implicate Su Yiyao, who had always been by her side.

No matter what, Luo Xue couldn’t make any mistakes. Even arousing the slightest suspicion would be extremely dangerous.

Just as Luo Xue was lost in thought, a cold snort suddenly rang out beside her. Looking up, she saw three disdainful gazes.

“Hey, ugly freak, don’t you dare stay in the room next to me. I’m afraid I’ll have nightmares!”

Li Zining crossed her arms, looking coldly at Luo Xue.

She had the highest cultivation among them and, besides Luo Xue, was the disciple Daoist Ziyang valued the most.

The other two little girls, Yu Yiling and Huang Xinya, had similar looks in their eyes when they looked at Luo Xue.

And in their gazes towards Su Yiyao, besides disdain, there was also a hint of jealousy.

“What’s the use of being pretty? You’re still just trash… Once I reach the Innate Realm, I’ll be prettier than you!”

Yu Yiling glanced at Su Yiyao, who was timidly hiding behind Luo Xue, and muttered sourly, looking at her delicate and beautiful face.

Although Huang Xinya and Li Zining didn’t say anything, they likely shared the same sentiment.

However, despite this, the three of them weren’t exactly a close-knit group.

At such a young age, they already understood that immortal destiny had to be fought for. So, besides agreeing on their disdain for Luo Xue and Su Yiyao, there was no shortage of animosity between them in other matters.

Only Luo Xue and Su Yiyao were always inseparable, which they viewed as the weak huddling together for warmth.

Luo Xue could only sigh softly. With her mental age, she wouldn’t bother competing with these little girls.

Moreover, she knew some of Daoist Ziyang’s hidden truths and had no interest in cultivation. Finding a chance to escape was her priority.

However, Luo Xue’s indifference didn’t mean Su Yiyao felt the same.

Seeing Luo Xue’s dejected expression, she thought Luo Xue was affected by the others’ mockery. Her clear eyes showed a hint of redness as she looked at Li Zining and the other two.

“…Let’s go.”

Luo Xue tugged on Su Yiyao’s sleeve. Their two maids appropriately stepped forward, leading the way.

At the same time, Huang Xinya’s high-pitched, fake sweet voice came from behind,

“Be careful, you two. Your cultivation is shallow, don’t accidentally fall…”

Huang Xinya’s childish, affected tone made Luo Xue shudder, her toes almost curling into a fist.

This girl was indeed still young; her mean-girl act wasn’t quite perfected yet.

“Ah Chou…”

Su Yiyao said worriedly, seeing Luo Xue trembling, thinking she couldn’t bear it anymore.

“I’m fine.”

Luo Xue looked up at Su Yiyao’s worried little face, forcing a stiff smile.

“Don’t worry, Xiao Yao. Things will get better. I’m here.”

Ah Chou… even though Ah Chou herself…

But she was still concerned about her…

Su Yiyao’s beautiful eyes welled up slightly. She opened her arms and gently hugged Luo Xue, resting her head on Luo Xue’s shoulder.

“Mmm… with Ah Chou here, Xiao Yao feels safe.”

Chapter 7: Embarking on the Immortal Path

The days on the Cloud Wanderer passed quickly.

Over the past few days, Luo Xue had gained a general understanding of the other girls’ situations.

Besides Luo Xue and Su Yiyao, the other three girls were named Yu Yiling, Li Zining, and Huang Xinya.

But to Luo Xue’s surprise, all the girls had lost a significant portion of their memories.

Only vague impressions remained in their minds. Even Su Yiyao could only barely recall her own name.

As for Luo Xue, her memories before waking up were of the apocalyptic world.

Huang Xinya had directly asked Daoist Ziyang about this, but he claimed to be unaware, speculating that it was the work of the previous bandits.

At this point, Luo Xue knew very well that Daoist Ziyang didn’t want them to pursue the matter further.

So she could only follow his wishes and, like the other girls, begin her cultivation.

This was a world where “Immortals” existed, and the gap between mortal martial artists and immortals was practically the difference between two species.

Countless people yearned for a sliver of immortal destiny, a glimpse into the legendary world of cultivation, to become an immortal beyond the reach of mortals.

And now, this immortal destiny was clearly presented before Luo Xue and the others.

The cultivation methods Daoist Ziyang gave the maids to help the girls embark on the path of immortality were genuine; he was indeed helping them become immortals.

The reason he didn’t directly teach them was simply because they didn’t know how to use the jade slips yet.

Under the maids’ guidance, within a few days, one of the girls, Li Zining, had already sensed the existence of “spirit.”

Although it couldn’t be said that she had embarked on the immortal path, she had already touched the threshold before becoming an immortal, the “Post-heaven Realm.”

The Post-heaven Realm for cultivators wasn’t much different from mortal martial artists. Both had to cultivate their five senses: mouth, ears, nose, eyes, and spirit.

Respectively, these were “Clear Mouth,” “Sharp Ears,” “Sensitive Nose,” “Bright Eyes,” and “Spiritual Insight.” After achieving introspection of the spirit, one could step into the peak that mortal martial artists dreamed of, the “Innate Realm,” also known as “Martial Arts Grandmaster.”

After reaching the Innate Realm, one would have few opponents among mortals, but for the path of immortality, it was still a step away.

Of course, for the girls now, the Innate Realm was still too distant.

However, they were all carefully selected by Daoist Ziyang for their cultivation constitutions, so “grasping spiritual inspiration,” which was as difficult as ascending to heaven for ordinary people, was easy for them.

From Post-heaven to Innate, and even entering the first realm of cultivators, “Spirit Condensation,” would be a natural progression.

After Li Zining sensed “spirit,” the girls were greatly encouraged and pursued their cultivation with all their might.

Not long after, they all successfully entered the Post-heaven Realm. Li Zining, who had grasped spiritual inspiration first, was even approaching “Sharp Ears.”

Su Yiyao was naturally the same, but due to Luo Xue’s instructions, her cultivation could be described as half-hearted, barely reaching “Clear Mouth.”

The only exception… was Luo Xue.

[Current Realm: Mortal (Next Realm: Post-heaven)]

Just as the panel had evaluated her cultivation aptitude as “almost none,” Luo Xue couldn’t sense the existence of “spirit” at all.

Instead, the aura emitted by the “Yin Breath Poison” gradually accumulated in her body, forcing Luo Xue to allocate another 10 survival points to “Yin Poison Resistance.”

Otherwise… before she could luckily cultivate to immortality, she would die from the poison first.

Because of this, the girls often mocked Luo Xue and frequently spoke ill of her behind Daoist Ziyang’s back.

“Master, look at Ah Chou, she hasn’t even entered the door yet. What a waste of Master’s expectations… and that precious pill!”

“If Master could bestow her pill upon this disciple, perhaps this disciple would have already stepped into the Innate Realm!”

Luo Xue had heard similar words so many times that she was numb to them. Between the lines, they were basically coveting the purple pill in her hand.

Moreover, because of Luo Xue’s situation, Su Yiyao was also frequently bullied by them.

Luo Xue really wanted to just throw the pill to them, but unfortunately, whenever Daoist Ziyang heard these words, he would simply smile silently.

At the same time, he would look at Luo Xue with encouraging eyes, making her shudder.

In this strange yet harmonious atmosphere, the Cloud Wanderer soon reached its destination, the secluded place Daoist Ziyang called “Mount Ziyang.”

Even Luo Xue, who had always been wary, couldn’t help but sigh after disembarking the Cloud Wanderer and stepping onto Mount Ziyang… It truly lived up to the worldly imagination of an immortal’s abode.

Atop the endless, steep mountain peaks, ethereal immortal energy swirled. Pleasant chirping came from flocks of birds in the sky, and beautiful, exotic beasts paused to drink from the gurgling streams.

The dreamlike wonderland instantly captivated the girls, their faces filled with uncontainable excitement.

Luo Xue stealthily glanced back and saw Daoist Ziyang watching their backs, smiling gently.

Noticing Luo Xue’s gaze, Daoist Ziyang nodded slightly at her, still with those terrifyingly encouraging eyes.

Only…

Luo Xue’s gaze involuntarily fell on the Cloud Wanderer behind Daoist Ziyang, and the port where it had docked.

The boundless water surface was as calm and peaceful as ever, like a… perfect painting.

“What are you looking at?”

As if in a trance, Daoist Ziyang’s snake-like pupils once again filled Luo Xue’s vision, a sharp glint hidden within the gentle smile in his eyes.

Yet he was still ten steps away.

Luo Xue quickly lowered her head, feigning subservience, not daring to utter a word.

Daoist Ziyang didn’t seem to mind. He simply waved his sleeve, putting away the Cloud Wanderer, then walked straight past Luo Xue.

At this moment, Luo Xue didn’t even dare to breathe. She knew Daoist Ziyang had been paying attention to her, but she didn’t know why.

Was it because she was the only one who hadn’t grasped spiritual inspiration yet?

If so, she, having lost her value, shouldn’t be receiving attention.

Just like Su Yiyao, although beautiful, because her aptitude seemed poor under her deliberate concealment, Daoist Ziyang wasn’t interested in her.

“Follow me.”

Daoist Ziyang’s voice rang in Luo Xue’s ear, just like in the carriage.

…This sound transmission method, he had never used it on the Cloud Wanderer, as if he had deliberately chosen to use it now.

Luo Xue looked up and suddenly saw two figures appear before her, one tall and one short, one fat and one thin.

Their faces were stiff, their eyes devoid of all life and sparkle, just like the maids.

And these two, Luo Xue wasn’t unfamiliar with them.

“You know them?”

Daoist Ziyang’s smile reappeared before Luo Xue’s eyes.

Chapter 6: Nestling Close

After Daoist Ziyang left, the other girls glared resentfully at Luo Xue, their greedy gazes lingering on the pill in her hand.

“What is Master thinking… actually giving the pill to…”

But they didn’t have the courage to snatch the pill. Stamping their feet, they turned and left, returning to their own rooms.

Their assigned maids followed them one by one, leaving only Luo Xue and Su Yiyao’s maids standing in place.

The Cloud Wanderer wasn’t small, and each girl had been assigned a room. The reason Luo Xue and Su Yiyao were lying together was simply for ease of care.

They had been unconscious the longest; the other girls had been awake for at least two or three days.

However, it wouldn’t be a problem if they had to share a room.

The two maids stared intently at Luo Xue, their indifferent eyes seemingly devoid of color, looking more like… puppets.

Luo Xue naturally didn’t dare to question or examine them. After hesitating for a moment, she said,

“Why don’t you… go out first? We don’t need anything from you right now…”

The two maids nodded and immediately turned to leave the room without hesitation.

“So obedient?” Luo Xue blinked, looking at their shadows at the doorway, frowning slightly. “They don’t seem to be here to monitor us…”

That made sense. Daoist Ziyang was a legendary immortal; how could he need to “monitor” a few little girls?

As long as he was on the boat, everything was under his control.

As for escaping… they were surrounded by a boundless expanse of water. Escaping was no different from choosing death.

“In this situation… I can only take it one step at a time and figure out what this Immortal Master is planning.”

Luo Xue sighed and turned to look at Su Yiyao beside her.

Whether due to exhaustion or some other reason, Su Yiyao had fallen into a deep sleep again, her little head resting on Luo Xue’s arm, nestling close.

Just like in the dim carriage.

“Only, the current situation… is much more dangerous than back then.”

Luo Xue smoothed Su Yiyao’s slightly messy bangs, gently laid her down, and then breathed a sigh of relief.

Now… it was time to sort everything out.

Luo Xue took the pill and walked over to the table, sitting down.

With a thought, the red text that had appeared in her vision several times slowly emerged, incredibly clear.

[Survival Points: 30]

“…It was 10 before, now it’s increased by 30?”

Luo Xue wondered where the thirty points came from. The red text shifted again, and when it reappeared, it displayed a record of all survival points.

[Initial Survival Points: 10]
[Survival Points Allocated to Attributes: -10]
[Experienced Dangerous Event – Witnessed Foundation Establishment Cultivator Silencing Witnesses: +30]

So the thirty points were a reward for witnessing Daoist Ziyang brutally murdering the two traffickers…

Luo Xue had seen the conditions for obtaining survival points before; it was based on experiencing dangerous events and the level of danger.

And her stumbling upon Daoist Ziyang’s secret also counted as a dangerous event.

After all, if she had been discovered, Luo Xue would have undoubtedly met the same fate.

“Only 30 points for a near-death experience?”

Luo Xue was startled, but then she thought again, 10 survival points were enough to keep her alive amidst the Yin Breath Poison, and this was three times that amount!

If she wanted to continue surviving, and even escape from Daoist Ziyang’s unknown plot, survival points were essential.

There was one more thing.

Luo Xue looked at the pale purple pill on the table, emitting a faint, sweet fragrance, as if tempting her to swallow it.

No way. This thing smelled exactly like the poisonous mist, a deadly poison.

Luo Xue wasn’t confident that her 10 + 30 Yin Poison Resistance could withstand this pill. Besides, Daoist Ziyang had only told her to sense its aura.

But how could she see the attributes she could allocate survival points to?

With a thought, the red text slowly transformed into a game-like panel, displayed before her.

The dense array of attributes startled her, and she could only barely find the single 10 for Yin Poison Resistance among a sea of zeros.

“If only it could be simpler…”

Luo Xue muttered her complaint, and the panel changed.

[Dream Traveler: Luo Xue]
[Current Realm: Mortal (Next Realm: Post-heaven)]
[Physique: None]
[Cultivation Aptitude: Almost None]

…If there’s none, then there’s none. Wasn’t the wording “almost none” a bit too insulting!

And, compared to the dense attribute table from before, this was too simple, wasn’t it?

“Forget it, as long as it works.”

Luo Xue sighed and shook her head. She wasn’t a peerless genius; in the apocalyptic world, she was just an ordinary person who couldn’t do anything.

“Mmm…”

Just then, Su Yiyao’s soft groan came from the bed again. She struggled to sit up, looking around in a daze.

The reason Luo Xue had been unconscious for so long was because she had directly resisted the Yin Breath Poison.

Su Yiyao’s prolonged unconsciousness was purely due to her severely traumatized state of mind in the carriage.

The reason Daoist Ziyang was colder towards Su Yiyao was because, besides filtering out those with the Xuanyin Body, releasing the Yin Breath Poison also tested the strength of their Xuanyin Body.

The longer they remained unconscious, the lower the efficiency of transforming the Yin Breath Poison, and the weaker their constitution.

Of course, in their current situation, not being noticed might be a better outcome.

“Where is this…”

Su Yiyao instinctively curled up, her eyes meeting Luo Xue’s. She mumbled softly,

“You… are you…”

“Shh!”

Luo Xue quickly put a finger to her lips, then tiptoed over and wrote on Su Yiyao’s arm,

“I’m Ah Chou.”

“It really is…”

Before Su Yiyao could cry out in surprise, Luo Xue quickly blinked and gestured towards the door with her eyes.

Su Yiyao wasn’t stupid. After the initial daze of waking up, she realized that the current situation might not be as beautiful as it seemed.

The inexplicably appearing Immortal Master, the calm yet eerie atmosphere…

Luo Xue thought for a moment and decided not to tell Su Yiyao everything. She simply warned,

“Xiao Yao, don’t tell anyone about what happened in the carriage. And, Daoist Ziyang is not a good person.”

Su Yiyao was, after all, just a little girl under ten years old, unlike herself, who had experienced several lifetimes and had matured considerably.

Luo Xue worried that if she knew the truth, it might lead to uncontrollable consequences.

Su Yiyao’s large eyes stared at Luo Xue, not answering immediately, her teary eyes evoking pity.

“Do you… trust me?”

Luo Xue hesitated slightly and wrote again.

Su Yiyao suddenly smiled, a breathtakingly beautiful smile that made Luo Xue hold her breath for a moment.

“I trust… Ah Chou.”

Chapter 5: Such a View

It was clear that the other three little girls had already learned about Daoist Ziyang’s intention to take on disciples before Luo Xue and Su Yiyao woke up.

Seeking immortality and the Dao was an incredibly rare and fortunate opportunity in this world.

Such precious opportunities were naturally limited, and the one deciding everything was this “coincidentally encountered” Immortal Master.

Whoever he favored would receive more opportunities.

“No wonder these three little girls…”

Thinking of this, Luo Xue understood their actions.

Why the disgust and jealousy…

However, why did it feel a bit like… vying for favor in a harem?

“Ugh—”

A wave of disgust washed over Luo Xue, and she quickly banished this absurd thought from her mind.

After receiving their replies, Daoist Ziyang seemed very pleased.

He waved his hand, and several veiled maids entered, exactly five of them.

“These are maids I took in while traveling around. They are all pitiful people,” Daoist Ziyang said gently.

“Men and women are different, so I will entrust these maids to take care of you. When I rescued you earlier, they were the ones who cleaned you.”

After all, Daoist Ziyang was an Immortal Master; such matters were naturally beneath him.

Luo Xue looked at the maids standing in a row, their faces hidden behind thin veils, only their cold eyes visible.

Noticing the girls’ gazes, the maids lowered their heads slightly and stepped back, each standing beside one of the girls.

The other girls were very excited, secretly sizing up their assigned maids.

But with Daoist Ziyang present, they didn’t dare to make any large movements, which made them look rather comical.

Luo Xue wasn’t excited at all. Seeing these maids, the image of insects gnawing on flesh inexplicably surfaced in her mind, and she barely managed to suppress the urge to vomit.

Su Yiyao kept her head down, squeezing Luo Xue’s hand.

“It will take some time to reach Mount Ziyang. During this period, I still need to pilot the Cloud Wanderer, and I won’t have time to attend to you.”

Daoist Ziyang took out several cyan jade slips and handed them to the maids, continuing,

“Since I have taken you as disciples, I naturally won’t deprive you of the methods to cultivate immortality and the Dao.

“These jade slips contain the most basic cultivation methods, and the maids will teach them to you in the next few days.”

The appearance of the cyan jade slips instantly attracted everyone’s attention. Even Su Yiyao couldn’t help but glance at them a few times, let alone the other girls, whose eyes were practically glued to the jade slips.

However, Luo Xue noticed something else.

“Are we… on a boat now?”

She looked up, her gaze falling on the window nearby.

An endless expanse of water met her eyes, and wisps of light clouds drifted across the azure sky, like swirling immortal energy.

“What are you looking at?”

Snake-like pupils filled her vision, and Luo Xue instinctively recoiled.

Daoist Ziyang looked at her, a hint of coldness seemingly seeping into his gentle eyes.

“The sky, the water, it’s beautiful.”

Luo Xue stiffly forced the words out through gritted teeth. At the same time, she realized something was wrong with her voice.

Her hoarse and raspy voice was extremely unpleasant, like the sound of a broken flute in a gentle breeze.

Hearing this, Daoist Ziyang’s pupils constricted slightly, then returned to their normal shape.

A gentle smile appeared on his lips, as if everything just now had been an illusion.

“The scenery around here is indeed quite nice.”

Daoist Ziyang pondered for a moment, then took out a purplish-red pill and handed it directly to Luo Xue.

“I’ll give this pill to you. Its energy might help you embark on the path of immortality sooner.”

Needless to say, everyone’s gaze instantly focused on Luo Xue, the girls’ disgust towards her instantly turning into jealousy.

Why!

Why was this ugly monster receiving special treatment from Sir!

Luo Xue was startled. She twitched her nose, finding the pill’s scent somewhat familiar.

Wait…

It was before she lost consciousness in the carriage…

“Yin Breath Poison!”

Luo Xue remembered everything. The red text had warned her. If she hadn’t used her remaining 10 survival points to gain poison resistance, she would have already died from that poisonous mist.

At this point, Luo Xue understood everything.

“The other girls in the carriage must have already been poisoned to death.

“It seems that having a constitution that can resist the ‘Yin Breath Poison’… is what Daoist Ziyang needs.”

But why was Daoist Ziyang giving her another Yin Poison pill now?

Luo Xue couldn’t figure it out for a moment, but she still put on a surprised expression and accepted the pill. “Thank you, Master, for the reward!”

If she showed any abnormality at this moment, she might not even have the chance to be poisoned to death…

Luo Xue had witnessed Daoist Ziyang’s ruthlessness. However… it wasn’t so much ruthlessness as it was indifference, like looking at insignificant weeds.

Just like the “Tower People” towards the “Wastelanders”… no matter how many died, it didn’t matter.

Daoist Ziyang nodded slightly, then glanced over the other girls, noticing their unconcealed jealousy.

“I still have plenty of these basic cultivation resources. As long as you cultivate diligently, you will all have them in the future.”

With that, Daoist Ziyang casually glanced at the maids before turning and leaving the room, leaving behind the suddenly overjoyed girls, their childish voices echoing with gratitude.

Unbeknownst to them, after turning around, Daoist Ziyang’s expression lost all its gentleness, replaced by a mask-like coldness and grimness.

He walked to the edge of the Cloud Wanderer, gazing at the horizon, recalling everything that had just happened.

“Not a ‘Xuanyin Body,’ yet able to withstand the ‘Yin Breath Poison’…” (Xuan : Profound)

Luo Xue’s judgment was wrong. Daoist Ziyang didn’t need a constitution that could resist the ‘Yin Breath Poison,’ but rather the cultivation aptitude known as the “Xuanyin Body.”

The ‘Yin Breath Poison’ was fatal to mortals. Just a trace was enough to kill a strong, adult man.

Only those with the “Xuanyin Body” could transform the ‘Yin Breath Poison’ into something akin to spiritual energy, absorbing it to aid their cultivation.

But Luo Xue wasn’t a “Xuanyin Body.” The ‘Yin Breath Poison’ had taken effect in her body normally, but the intense toxicity hadn’t killed her.

It was out of curiosity that Daoist Ziyang had shown so much consideration for Luo Xue in his words.

“Interesting, a mere mortal body can actually withstand the ‘Yin Breath Poison.’”

A cold smile appeared on Daoist Ziyang’s face.

“The unabsorbed ‘Yin Breath Poison’ will only accumulate in her body… I wonder what her limit is?”

“If she can still survive after swallowing an entire pill, she might be much more useful than these inferior ‘Xuanyin Bodies.’”

However, that was absolutely impossible.

Even true “Xuanyin Bodies,” before reaching the Innate Realm, couldn’t withstand this level of ‘Yin Breath Poison’ and could only refine it slowly.

Daoist Ziyang collected his thoughts, looked up into the distance, and narrowed his eyes slightly.

“What a… truly beautiful view.”