Chapter 53: Chapter 46: It’s Time to Send the Intel Back to Qingxu Temple...

She didn’t know how long she had been working.

When Su Ling’er completed her one-thousandth task, the task elder gave her a new jade slip with a mission on it.

An additional task was marked on it—a mission concerning the Demon-Locking Tower!

[Slay the Vicious Ghost on the thirteenth floor of the Demon-Locking Tower ten times]

Su Ling’er looked at the new jade slip in her hand. Her eyes, once again weary from the repetitive labor, lit up once more!

Finally!

It was no longer one of those menial chores that made her feel like she was about to grow roots into the ground!

Although tilling the medicinal fields yielded Spirit Grass, and the rewards were indeed tempting...

...the endless repetition was also eating away at her spirit, bit by bit.

She kept trying to convince herself with the rewards she gained, but she still grew weary.

But now, a brand-new mission was laid out before her!

The Demon-Locking Tower!

She could almost imagine the clinking sound of Spirit Stones and smell the unique aroma of the materials!

’Finally, I can openly grind for Spirit Stones and materials!’

At the very least, regardless of the final mission reward, she could earn Spirit Stones just by challenging the tower itself.

’My luck was bad last time, not a single material dropped. Maybe I’ll get some this time!’

Su Ling’er went to the elder of the Transmission Hall and exchanged some Spirit Plants for a new Technique—the Blast Flame Skill.

It was an entry-level offensive magic. While not as profound as more advanced Techniques, its strength lay in its simplicity, directness, and considerable power.

It wasn’t the kind of decisive, deadly magic she had hoped for, but she accepted it.

A hundred thoughts raced through Su Ling’er’s mind.

She realized this sect was like a magnificent jade palace built upon the Nine Nether Abyss.

It hid dazzling, endless treasures, yet was also permeated with a deadly miasma that could devour one’s very soul.

At this moment, she finally understood.

’No wonder the Sect Leader of Qingxu Temple sent me to go undercover here.’

’It’s probably not just because of the Celestial Furnace Sect’s Tithing.’

A demonic sect with such a profound foundation was truly a sword of Damocles hanging over the heads of the righteous sects.

Moreover, their callous disregard for human life was an immense threat to all the people of the world.

’Unfortunately...’

’I’m just a lone boat. Every extra day I spend in this den of demons increases the danger of capsizing.’

’I can only look for an opportunity to send back some intelligence, and use the rest as a bargaining chip to ask the Sect Leader for an extraction, finding a way to escape unscathed!’

With this mix of apprehension and excitement, she headed to the Demon-Locking Tower.

...

Inside the Demon-Locking Tower, it was still the same as her last visit.

After getting a Token from Mr. Qian, she stepped through the incredibly dark gateway.

This time, she was no longer a disciple who could only rely on mortal martial arts.

Since she had already cleared the first four floors last time, she chose to directly challenge the fifth floor.

The Rock Armor Scorpion appeared again. The behemoth that had once severely injured her with a single blow no longer seemed like an unbeatable existence in her eyes.

Her figure flickered as she used the newly learned Star Stepping Skill, easily dodging the Rock Armor Scorpion’s fierce pounce.

She didn’t even need to engage in close-quarters combat like last time. She just had to channel her Spiritual Power into the Wooden Sword, and with a flourish of sword light, she could reap the Rock Armor Scorpion’s life.

’This ordinary-looking Wooden Sword is actually a treasure?’

’And the demonic sect gives such a treasure to new disciples for free!’

Connecting this with the generous rewards for completing tasks, Su Ling’er had an epiphany.

’No wonder, no wonder this demonic sect is so dangerous, yet it still has so many disciples who are even willing to serve it!’

She understood once again!

First, they use repetitive labor as a form of inhumane psychological control, grinding down the edges and spirit of all newcomers, making them realize their own insignificance and powerlessness.

Then, they dangle generous rewards that ordinary sects could never hope to match.

Whether it’s the treasured Wooden Sword given to every person, or the Spirit Plants and Magic that can be obtained so easily.

These are the carrots dangled in front of the donkey, making it willing to turn the millstone!

’After all, why would a great sect with such a profound foundation accept useless disciples with inferior Spirit Roots and terrible talent?’

’What kind of sect would be willing to give such valuable treasures to someone with poor aptitude?’

’Even if your talent is decent, why would they give you these resources so easily?’

’You’re not a heaven-blessed prodigy or a personal disciple of the sect. What are they after?’

This demonic sect, regardless of its ultimate goal, truly gave those who had no hope of attaining immortality in the righteous sects a tangible, visible glimmer of hope!

Even if the end of this hope is an endless inferno;

Even if it means being completely drained of their value by the sect, then willingly going to their deaths to become fodder for others...

But by then, they would have been so thoroughly brainwashed by these methods that they would even feel it was a supreme honor to become "fodder"!

First, they make you despair, then they give you hope. In this constant back-and-forth, you completely lose yourself!

In the end, you take the sect’s will as your one and only guiding light!

Su Ling’er shook her head, suppressing the deductions in her mind.

Though she was deep within a demonic sect, her heart belonged to the righteous path. And right now, the most important thing was to start grinding!

Just like that, she advanced like an unstoppable force, clearing several floors in a row. 𝑓𝓇𝘦ℯ𝘸𝘦𝑏𝓃𝑜𝘷ℯ𝑙.𝑐𝑜𝓂

The variously shaped demonic beasts all turned to green smoke under her increasingly proficient magic and sword techniques.

Soon, the surrounding scene changed again.

When her vision cleared, she found herself in a grim, desolate graveyard.

[Demon-Locking Tower · Thirteenth Floor]

Suddenly!

A vicious ghost with a green face and sharp fangs appeared before her eyes!

It let out a roar, and three ghastly green claw winds howled toward her face!

She casually cast the Blast Flame Skill!

"BOOM—!"

The flames exploded, and the vicious ghost’s body stiffened from the blast. A moment later, a strike of Sword Qi turned it into a cloud of black smoke that vanished without a trace.

On her eighth time clearing this floor...

CLANG.

A crisp sound echoed.

A piece of soul bone lay quietly on the ground where the ghost had been.

Su Ling’er hurried forward and put the spoils into her bag.

After exiting the tower, Mr. Qian distributed the Spirit Stone reward for the thirteenth floor, and completing the sect mission gave her several dozen more Spirit Stones.

A Perfected Qi Refining cultivator could earn so many Spirit Stones from just one trip into the tower. This made her even more motivated to grind the tower-clearing missions.

These past few days, Su Ling’er’s life had fallen into a cycle.

She would go to the medicinal fields to work, exhausting her Spiritual Power in exchange for Spirit Grass.

She would go to the Demon-Locking Tower to fight, exhausting her mental energy to obtain Spirit Stones and materials.

She would use the resources she obtained to draw for more exquisite Magic at the Transmission Hall and forge sturdier Magical Artifacts at the Artifact Refining Pavilion.

Then, she would continue to go to the medicinal fields and continue to challenge the Demon-Locking Tower. Although it was still dull and tedious, it was far, far better than the endless sweeping and water-carrying that only earned her a few copper coins.

Her storage pouch became fuller than it had ever been.

Spirit Grass, Spirit Stones, materials...

These were things that required risking one’s life or spending a great deal of time to obtain back at Qingxu Temple. Here, all she had to do was some chores and kill some monsters.

A part of her was even reluctant to leave this demonic sect...

’But for the righteous path!’

’For the people of the world!’

’For the great path to Foundation Establishment after the Purification of Essence and Marrow!’

’I must resist this temptation!’

At the same time, it was also time to send the intelligence she had selected back to Qingxu Temple...