What Did You Just Say? You Want to Leave the Sect???

A ringing filled her ears, and her vision went dark as she instinctively staggered back two steps.

But she nearly fell with a stumble.

And in that instant of lost composure, a sentence slipped uncontrollably from her taut nerves:

"Can I leave the sect...?"

Her voice was nearly drowned out by the roaring furnace.

Yet beside her, Senior Disciple Brother Lin Qingfeng's deliberately profound expression froze at once.

I think... I just heard something incredible?

Leave the sect?

She said "leave the sect," right?

No way?

Hadn't she been doing pretty well before?

She'd spoken so confidently about Martyrdom Forges Divine Weapons, so why did she suddenly want to leave the sect?

With that level of commitment, why cultivate immortality? Wouldn't it be better to go home and farm?!

The bustling Artifact Refining Pavilion seemed to fall into an eerie standstill at that moment.

The disciples who had just finished hammering stopped moving and slowly wiped the "bloodstains" from their massive hammers.

The players watching from afar, along with the disciples occupied with other tasks, all put down what they were doing.

Time seemed to freeze.

Then, one gaze after another converged on Su Ling'er.

The first to react was the burly man Shi Gandang, who had just been untied from the forging platform.

"I think I heard 'leave the sect'? Senior Disciple Brother, did I hear that wrong?"

"What the hell? Leave the sect?!"

Another disciple slammed the massive hammer in his hand onto the ground with a bang.

"We can't let her run!"

"How about we break her legs? If she runs away, what happens to the sect's future?"

"Exactly! It wasn't easy getting one at last. Break her legs, then give her a proper education! We can always set them back afterward anyway!"

"Senior Disciple Brother, give the order. I'll do it!"

As several players spoke, they even hefted the massive hammers in their hands, producing dull thumping sounds.

Even more people gathered from every direction, sealing every exit of the Artifact Refining Pavilion so tightly that not even water could pass through.

Their expressions varied, but under the firelight, every one of them looked even stranger and more vicious!

Looking at those savage faces and hearing them say things like "Don't let her run" and "Break her legs," Su Ling'er felt her heart sink to the bottom.

It's over, it's over, I said the wrong thing!

This Demon Den only lets people in, never out!

They won't let me go!

What do I do?

What do I do, what do I do?

She could even imagine them skinning and dismembering her before chaining her inside the sect.

Watching those enormous blood-red iron hammers sway before her eyes, she felt waves of dizziness assault her mind and her legs go weak.

Lin Qingfeng, too, recovered from his shock.

Looking at Su Ling'er's pale face, he could no longer worry about whether she could handle it emotionally.

He had to get to the bottom of this immediately!

If this sole NPC truly dared to leave the sect, then they would have to take coercive measures!

"Junior Sister,"

His expression remained gentle, even carrying a faint smile.

"What did you just... say?"

But when Su Ling'er saw his narrowed eyes, a chill ran down her spine. Never had the threat of death felt so direct.

She had no doubt that if she dared say she wanted to leave the sect, her legs would be snapped clean in half the next second!

In this place where human lives were treated like grass, who knew what else they might do to her!

I can't admit it. Absolutely can't admit it!

Would they brainwash her and turn her into a sacrificial offering willing to serve as a pill catalyst?

She needed a reasonable explanation, one they could barely accept!

Leave the sect... what sounded similar to that?

Shed...

Shed!

Got it!

An idea flashed through her mind.

Su Ling'er hurriedly waved her hands, trying to make her voice sound calm and composed:

"Senior Brother, fellow Senior Brothers and Senior Sisters, you all heard wrong.

What I said just now was not 'leave the sect,' but 'Shedding Sect'—the 'shed' in transformation."

What?

What were you trying to say?

Seeing their suspicious expressions, Su Ling'er knew she had to add more fuel to the fire.

She took a deep breath and swept her gaze over those fellow disciples glaring at her like tigers eyeing prey. She buried every trace of fear and forced herself to calm down.

She cupped her fists toward the crowd and declared loudly:

"Just now, I saw Senior Brother Shi use his body as a vessel and pain as fire, breaking himself down before rebuilding himself, achieving rebirth through nirvana.

Ling'er was shaken as never before!

Such a supreme Great Dao—one that relies on no external object, seeks only oneself, and dares to cast one's own body into the furnace for forging and tempering—is the true path to the heavens!"

"Only now do I finally understand the true meaning behind the words 'Gui Xi' in our Gui Xi Sect!"

"It is not merely a literal phrase. It signifies 'shedding the Mortal Coil and washing away all worldly filth.' Like Golden Cicada Sheds Its Shell, one must abandon the old self before welcoming new life and bathing in the Great Dao Dawn Light!

That is why I could not help but speak of the Shedding Sect. It is the supreme guiding principle of our sect, founded upon 'transformation'!"

The more she spoke, the more emotional she became, until tears even welled up at the corners of her eyes.

Though they were tears of fear, she forcibly twisted her expression into one of worship.

"With such a realm, such boldness, other sects could never catch up even if they rode horses!

All I can say is that the Gui Xi Immortal Sect shall endure for ten thousand generations and one day unite the entire Cultivation World!

Thank you, Senior Disciple Brother, for enlightening me. Thank you, fellow Senior Brothers, for demonstrating this in person for your Junior Sister. Ling'er is endlessly grateful!"

Her stirring speech left the entire Artifact Refining Pavilion in dead silence once more.

Everyone looked at one another, communicating rapidly with their eyes.

Holy shit, this NPC is really good at flattery!

So Gui Xi Sect means shedding the Mortal Coil and bathing in dawn light?

That sounds so damn awesome!

Junior Sister said our Gui Xi Sect is going to unite the entire cultivation world!

Fine, fine. As long as she's not running away, I'll accept that explanation.

Seeing Su Ling'er's face full of worship and gratitude, Lin Qingfeng found it quite satisfying as well.

Shedding Sect?

Why hadn't I thought of that?

Even I, the guild leader, didn't know our sect had such profound meaning!

But... that was right!

Our sect really was this awesome!

This girl truly understood my heart!

As the atmosphere remained tense, Ji, who had just jumped into the Medicinal Soup and resurrected, stepped out to smooth things over:

"Oh—so it was 'Shedding Sect'!

You scared me to death!

That's what I thought! Our Gui Xi Sect is so wonderful, practically a model of the Righteous Path. Everyone longs for it. How could Junior Sister possibly want to leave?"

Someone beside him picked up the massive hammer he had smashed onto the ground earlier and chuckled.

"Looks like Junior Sister knows what she should do. Be good and listen, okay?"

"It's all because Senior Disciple Brother's ears don't work properly. He heard wrong and made such a fuss that he nearly wronged Junior Sister!"

"Yes, yes, it's all Senior Disciple Brother's fault!"

Everyone chimed in, and the tense, drawn-bow atmosphere immediately eased somewhat.

Lin Qingfeng went along with it, smiling as he quietly issued orders in the Sect Channel.

[Lin Qingfeng: @All Members, keep a close eye on Junior Sister's coordinates on the minimap!]

[Lin Qingfeng: If she gets anywhere near the sect boundary, report it immediately and intercept her directly! Do not let her leave the sect's territory by even half a step!]

[Shi Gandang: Received!]

[Ji: Don't worry, Guild Leader!]

[Yan Buyu: Got it. If she tries to run, I'll steal her shoes!]

Only after seeing the replies in the channel did Lin Qingfeng finally relax.

He resumed his lofty master's demeanor and gave Su Ling'er a gentle smile.

"It was your Senior Brother who was too attached to appearances."

"Still, Junior Sister, being able to gain such insight is truly a blessing for your immortal path."

"I don't deserve it, I don't deserve it..." Su Ling'er hurriedly lowered her head.

"Everyone disperse! Go do what you should be doing!"

Laughing and chatting, the crowd gradually dispersed and returned to the great work of artifact refining.

Su Ling'er remained frozen in place. Only after the last onlooker turned away did she dare let out a long breath.

At some point, her back had been completely soaked in cold sweat.

In that instant just now, she had not doubted for a second that if she answered one word incorrectly, she would either lose her legs or die on the spot.

Escaping death... this was what it meant to escape death.

It seemed the Undercover Mission assigned by the Sect Master was ten thousand times harder than she had imagined.

And someone had actually said that Gui Xi Sect was a model of the Righteous Path?!

They really had the nerve to say that!

Breaking people's legs, conducting Living Sacrifices—what part of that looked righteous?

Speaking of which, was the person who had jumped into the Medicinal Soup earlier another brainwashed disciple?

Why couldn't she remember very clearly?

Su Ling'er shook her head. Perhaps the pressure just now had been too great, and she had forgotten for the moment?

But no matter what, at least she... had survived.