Senior Disciple Brother, Do You Not Understand Human Speech?!

Lin Qingfeng led the disciples he had brought along to the spot, then clapped his hands.

"Let's begin."

The disciples he had dragged over began moving toward Su Ling'er, closing in around her.

Su Ling'er watched the scene unfold.

Had Senior Disciple Brother finally had a change of heart?

Had he finally brought people to help her?

But in the end, the group stopped in their tracks. They didn't come over to lend a hand or help shoulder any of her workload, as she had hoped.

Wait, what are you doing?

Didn't you come to help me? Are you going to refine me on the spot instead?!

At Lin Qingfeng's signal, the dozen or so disciples quickly spread out.

The burly senior brother at the front took a ceremonial banner from his storage bag.

With a loud unfurling snap, the banner revealed a slogan written in bold, sweeping strokes:

[With an Unyielding Dao Heart, We Strive Without End! The Future Hope of Gui Xi Sect—Su Ling'er!]

Su Ling'er: "?"

Before she could react, the other disciples began their own "cheering" activities.

A number of radiant spirit stones suddenly appeared in their hands.

They gripped the stones and held them high, making them flash in time with the words on the banner. Then they drew breath from their dantians and shouted, arms raised:

"Forge your true self with a Dao heart of iron!"

The other dozen or so disciples also yelled at the top of their lungs:

"Go, Junior Sister!!!"

"Junior Sister, break free from your cocoon and become a butterfly!!"

"Water your path to the Dao with sweat!"

"Hang in there! We believe in you!!"

"Temper your immortal heart through hard work!!"

"You can do it!!!"

"Su Ling'er! Su Ling'er! Climb the immortal path with courage, and never give up!!!"

As they shouted, the spirit stones in their hands flashed on and off, their lights interweaving.

The stones seemed to have some other use as well. As they flickered, they somehow formed a dazzling sea of stars.

One disciple even took out a huge drum taller than a person. Its surface shimmered with a mysterious luster; it was clearly a magical artifact.

Others pulled out jade flutes and chime bells, while one even summoned a flying sword on the spot. It whirled through the air, swordlight and lightning intertwining.

Then they began performing some strange footwork that Su Ling'er couldn't make head or tail of.

At times, the dozen of them crossed their hands over their chests.

At times, they thrust their fists forward.

At times, they traced patterns in the air with the glowing stones in their hands.

They chanted and shouted incomprehensible slogans, every movement seemingly brimming with strength.

Their motions even matched the rhythm of the war drums and immortal music perfectly, creating a small spectacle of light and sound.

"The breeze sweeps the hills; Junior Sister, be strong!"

"One, two, three, four, five—we've waited for you so long!"

"Junior Sister, spread your wings; your senior brothers will always be by your side!"

"If you don't give up, we won't abandon you!"

A female disciple even formed a hand seal, sending lotus petals fluttering down from the sky.

They landed on Su Ling'er's hair, her shoulders, and... the ground she had just finished sweeping.

Su Ling'er: "..."

Su Ling'er's expression froze.

She slowly turned her stiff neck to look at the banner glowing with spiritual light, listen to the deafening war drums, and feel the gusts of wind stirred up by the crowd waving their glowing stones.

Then she saw the female disciple scattering countless petals across the ground she had almost finished cleaning, and she finally snapped.

What were they doing?!

Were they here to make things worse?!'

For crying out loud, I'm exhausted! Fine, don't help me—but could you at least stop making things harder?!

Did you think I hadn't swept enough fallen leaves, so you had to toss some petals onto the ground to give me even more work?!'

She even saw that deranged pack of fiends playing some bizarre game where they used Spiritual Power shockwaves to create a "human wave."

Ripples of Spiritual Power spread out from them in circles. It looked pretty, but what in the world were they doing?!

And they were cheering me on?

To hell with your cheering!

They really are Evil Cultivators! Evil Cultivators!!!!

What kind of heroes just run their mouths?

If you have time to bring out magical artifacts and wave those glowing stones around, couldn't you use those nimble hands to help me sweep the leaves?!'

You're beating drums, playing music, riding swords, and scattering petals—couldn't one of you help me haul some water?!

And you!

The one scattering petals!

Do you think I'm not sweating enough, or that I don't look the part while sweeping? Do you have to add petals to go with the leaves?

So you thought you'd make it look even better by scattering a whole lot more, huh?!

And you lot!

Do you have so much Spiritual Power you don't know what to do with it?

You think using shockwaves is fun?

Why don't you use one to fill those water vats for me?!

You pack of fiends...

You're killing me and crushing my spirit!

You're killing me and crushing my spirit!!!!!

She trembled with rage, her chest heaving. She almost couldn't catch her breath and nearly fainted.

Amid the enthusiastic cheering and performance, a familiar figure appeared before her once more, hands clasped behind his back and a proud look on his face.

His dark robes fluttered in the wind. It was her Senior Disciple Brother, Lin Qingfeng.

Su Ling'er glared at him as if she wanted to tear him limb from limb. She forced a twisted smile through clenched teeth.

"Se...nior...Dis...ciple...Brother...what exactly are you doing?"

"Junior Sister isn't tired. Junior Sister doesn't think she needs any of this."

Senior Disciple Brother waved her words away without a care.

"Little Junior Sister, there's no need to be polite. This is only what your Senior Disciple Brother should do.

"I imagine this dull, repetitive labor has left you feeling rather bored, hasn't it?

"So I specially brought you a cheering squad to help you put even more effort into completing your sect duties!

"Remember, a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. Now hurry up and get to work!"

"We'll always be watching you!"

Little Junior Sister looked at Senior Disciple Brother with a twisted smile.

"Senior Disciple Brother...I'll get right to it...could you...send them back?"

"Little Junior Sister, really, there's no need to worry about it."

Senior Disciple Brother waved his hand again.

"This is only what I should do. Just focus on your work. I'll be right behind you."

"Senior Disciple Brother...Junior Sister really...really...really doesn't need this..."

Su Ling'er smiled through gritted teeth.

But Lin Qingfeng looked at his junior sister with a deeply approving expression.

Just look at her! My little junior sister is so moved by this unexpected surprise that she can't even speak.

She keeps thanking me, too. What a polite, well-mannered girl.

Lin Qingfeng patted her shoulder affectionately.

"Just relax!"

"Though I can't help you much, I can at least offer a little moral support."

"Don't refuse. If you keep being so polite, I'll get angry."

"See those fallen leaves on the ground? They're calling to you! Hurry and sweep them up!"

Another slogan rang out from behind them: "Sweep the dust from your heart; fill the spring of your Dao heart!"

Su Ling'er looked at the person responsible for all this, then at her Senior Disciple Brother, and screamed inside her head.

Didn't I say I didn't need any of this?!

I'm begging you, make these monkeys bouncing around over there go away!

Senior Disciple Brother, do you not understand human speech?!

And you call this moral support?!

Who helps someone like this?

This is mental pollution!

A spiritual assault!

You're banging drums by my ears, waving things around in front of my eyes, and throwing trash onto the ground I just swept. You call that helping me?

You're clearly trying to make me go into qi deviation and explode on the spot, aren't you?!

You demon in human skin!

You despicable, shameless heretic!

Just look at that smug expression. Do you think your methods are especially clever?

Do you get some great sense of accomplishment out of playing me like a fool?!

If you weren't constantly lurking behind me like a ghost, watching me and forcing me to do this endless stream of miserable tasks, would I be in this sorry state now?!

She suddenly thought...

Maybe they weren't the ones who were crazy...

Maybe she was?