Firewall?

"So what? That little girl is just a Steward Disciple, her aptitude is clearly not good," the old man snorted.

The young man, however, smiled and said nothing.

Throughout the entire Azure Origin Sect, the one who valued disciples' Spiritual Root aptitude the least was probably his Master.

He clearly rejoiced inwardly at finding a good seedling, yet he insisted on playing it cool.

Meanwhile, Bai Lan broke free from the illusion and began to review the incident with the System.

"Host, do you think I should install a firewall or something?" The System began to doubt its own existence.

It's a System! How could a System be fooled by illusions from the cultivation world?

It's over, the Host must be doubting my professional capabilities now.

Bai Lan shook her head. "A firewall won't make you smarter, don't waste your effort."

System: "..."

A System quietly shattered.

After waiting at the spot for a moment, a Foundation Establishment stage Uncle-Master walked out of the hall.

It was the same Foundation Establishment cultivator who had presided over her duel with Long Aotian today.

"Nephew-Disciple, your disposition is excellent. During the duel on stage today, you also displayed comprehension far exceeding that of cultivators at the same level," the person said with a smile, looking at Bai Lan with a gaze full of admiration.

"Advancing by retreating, you learned your opponent's moves within just a few dozen exchanges and reversed the tide of the battle. If I'm not mistaken, you simultaneously used five types of Spiritual Energy for your Mystical Techniques during that fight?"

And how!

Bai Lan had repeatedly reloaded the save file, reviewing Long Aotian's sword techniques dozens of times over.

Even if one's brain was slower, if the same set of moves was repeatedly played in front of them dozens of times, they could still learn a few moves by imitation.

"Uncle-Master flatters me. I did indeed use five different elemental Mystical Techniques simultaneously during the battle, but those were merely low-level techniques, nothing to speak of."

The young man's eyes held a smile. "Many cultivators with five Spiritual Roots lament their fate due to being labeled with waste Spiritual Roots, but you are different from them."

And how!

She wanted the five Spiritual Roots.

"So, about the generous gift you mentioned earlier..." Bai Lan was not so dazed by the young man's barrage of praise that she lost her reason. She went straight to the point, without any ambiguity.

The young man, surprised by Bai Lan's directness, chuckled and shook his head. "You are truly straightforward. You'll naturally receive your due benefits. Come with me."

Having said that, the young man turned around with his hands behind his back, leading Bai Lan further inside.

"My name is Ji Feng. You can call me Uncle-Master Ji," the young man said with a smile.

Ji Feng? Bai Lan's mind flashed with Long Aotian's storyline. Following Ji Feng's name, she quickly located a relevant plot point.

It was approximately the protagonist's standard rebellious nature; he wouldn't be a protagonist without experiencing being hunted across the world for opposing it.

Both Long Aotian and Bai Ling had a period of rebelling against the Azure Origin Sect in their later stages.

And in Long Aotian's script, after he rebelled against the Azure Origin Sect and a bounty was placed on his head, there was a sword cultivator from the Azure Origin Sect who, holding the bounty order, relentlessly pursued him across the world.

That person was named Ji Feng.

Bai Lan's eyes instantly lit up.

From the protagonist's perspective, those who oppose the protagonist are villains.

But from the villain's standpoint, those who oppose the protagonist are allies!

As long as you have a grudge against Long Aotian, then we're good friends!

While Bai Lan was thinking, she had already followed Ji Feng to a higher level of the pavilion.

"Master, I've brought the person."

Bai Lan looked up at the middle-aged man sitting at the head of the table, drinking tea.

White hair, black robes, a stern expression, and an aura of righteousness.

Could this be the Core Formation stage cultivator who discovered the System's trace in the previous playthrough? Bai Lan's eyes flickered.

"This is the current Hall Master of the Law Enforcement Hall, True Lord Lingxiao," Ji Feng introduced to Bai Lan.

Bai Lan cupped her fists and bowed. "True Lord Lingxiao."

"No need for formalities," True Lord Lingxiao said, waving his hand with a smile. "Although you are a Steward Disciple, you have been in the sect for several months now. You should know what the Law Enforcement Hall truly signifies."

Law Enforcement Hall = The Azure Origin Sect's internal police force.

She saw right through it.

"Do you have the intention of joining the Law Enforcement Hall?" True Lord Lingxiao asked, as if casually.

Bai Lan remained silent for a moment, then nodded. "However, the Law Enforcement Hall is not a place one can join after passing two illusions. If there are any assessment requirements, True Lord may as well state them directly."

The young girl's expression was serious.

True Lord Lingxiao and Ji Feng exchanged a look, their expressions momentarily surprised, then they burst into hearty laughter.

"Since that is the case, I will be direct. The disciples of the Law Enforcement Hall are engaged in acts of combat. Most of the time, they must be prepared to kill cultivators of the same level alone, or even kill cultivators of a higher cultivation level than themselves," Lingxiao said with a solemn tone. "Therefore, the conditions for joining the Law Enforcement Hall are very simple. You have already passed the first layer of the assessment. The second layer of the assessment is: using your Qi Refining stage cultivation, single-handedly kill a Foundation Establishment stage demonic cultivator."

Bai Lan's eyes suddenly sharpened.

Did everyone in your Law Enforcement Hall play this big?

The assessment target is for Qi Refining stage cultivators to kill Foundation Establishment stage cultivators across realms.

The two illusions just now were merely appetizers.

By this standard, wouldn't the strength of your Law Enforcement Hall's disciples be heaven-defying?

"How is it, do you dare to try?" True Lord Lingxiao asked with a smile. "Life and death are determined by fate, and fortune lies in heaven. If you feel timid, there's no need to force yourself; just follow your heart."

"If I felt timid, I wouldn't have come to the Law Enforcement Hall for this appointment," Bai Lan chuckled. "Before I reach Foundation Establishment, I will definitely bring back the head of a Foundation Establishment stage demonic cultivator to show you."

"Good!" True Lord Lingxiao clapped his hands and laughed heartily. With a wave of his sleeve, three wooden boxes appeared before Bai Lan.

"As a generous gift for you passing through the illusion array, you may choose one item from these three wooden boxes to take with you." Ling Xiao looked at Bai Lan with a smile.

Bai Lan's spirits lifted.

Here it comes. Here it comes.

The long-awaited prize-claiming segment.

Under normal circumstances, this is when one gambles with luck.

Children of Destiny are usually favored by the rules of the Heavenly Dao, so even in a situation with three choices, they can usually pick the best reward.

As for others, it's hard to say.

Although Bai Lan doesn't have luck, she has her golden finger.

She could completely choose all three boxes and then reload the save to pick the item that best suits her desires.

She decisively saved her progress.

Then, taking the first wooden box, Bai Lan opened it to take a look.

It was a divine ability, Myriad Thunderous Might, an Earth-grade high-tier skill, seemingly one of Long Aotian's abilities.

Bai Lan shook her head slightly and reloaded her save to choose again.

The second wooden box contained... a high-grade Foundation Establishment Pill.

For a Qi Refining stage cultivator, this pill was indeed a rare and precious treasure. One pill was worth ten thousand Spirit Stones, and a high-quality Foundation Establishment Pill was something that money couldn't even buy.

However, compared to choosing this Foundation Establishment Pill now, Bai Lan would rather learn alchemy herself.

Once she mastered it, she could refine a hundred or so pills, and Foundation Establishment Pills would be as common as boiled eggs for her to eat.

This reward wasn't cost-effective.

Shaking her head again, Bai Lan decisively reloaded her save, her gaze finally falling on the third wooden box.

Inside was another divine ability, named Azure Dragon Spear Art.

It's a spear art?

Bai Lan looked slightly surprised. Didn't she have a spare long spear in her storage bag?

The Soul Severing Spear, which grew stronger with blood, its power increasing with more battles.

Bai Lan had been wondering what suitable divine ability to use with it. Among spears, swords, bows, and sabers, the weapon she was least familiar with was the spear.

Precisely because of this, Bai Lan was even more eager to try learning it.