Senior Sister, Why Don't You Think Carefully About What Your Name Is Again?

At this moment, Lin Qingfeng also uploaded Yan Buyu's misdeeds to the Sect Channel and pinned them to the top.

[Lin Qingfeng: Due to disciple Yan Buyu's atrocious behavior, transmission elder Qian Buyu has encountered a BUG and will be unable to conduct technique draws or upgrades until tomorrow's reset.]

[Lin Qingfeng: This incident even nearly caused something to happen to Junior Sister, which means it nearly prevented our sect from completing its advancement!]

[Lin Qingfeng: Please spread the word among all disciples. If you want to settle scores, go find Yan Buyu!]

[Lin Qingfeng: Recording.mp4]

As soon as this came out, countless players still doing quests to prepare for exchanging techniques were immediately enraged. They denounced Yan Buyu in the channel, swearing to make him pay once he came online.

Lin Qingfeng secretly breathed a sigh of relief. Luckily, "Ji" had thrown his life away quickly enough. Truly a professional medicinal catalyst, quality guaranteed!

Looking at Su Ling'er's pale face beside him, he could only grit his teeth and force himself to save face.

"Hehe, don't be afraid, Junior Sister. This is... this is normal."

Su Ling'er turned her head back doubtfully, her eyes filled with terror.

"Elder Qian... he has a special habit. He likes using this method... to temper all of our Dao hearts!"

"Sigh, we're all used to it."

"That person just now was... asleep. And that stuff on the ground is watermelon juice he liked to drink before falling asleep."

As he spoke, Lin Qingfeng forcibly twisted Su Ling'er's head away from the pile of bloody flesh and severed limbs she was staring at, making her face the Affairs Hall instead.

Su Ling'er felt ice-cold all over, while her stomach churned violently.

Asleep?

Watermelon juice?

His head had exploded, and one of his legs was still hanging from a tree. You called that asleep?!

Did you think I was a three-year-old child?!

And what did tempering Dao hearts mean?

Using disciples' lives to temper them?

Chasing people down at every turn, and saying they were already used to it?

This Demonic Sect... its disciples had it this hard just surviving. Not only did they have to guard against fellow disciples, they also had to be ready at any time to be killed by elders like toys for their amusement!

Still, judging by the situation, that elder's cultivation did not seem especially high. Otherwise, how could he have been ambushed and counterattacked by a disciple, only to end up mentally deranged and reduced to repeatedly smashing his head into trees?

This... was the Demonic Sect?

She had really seen it now!

Suppressing her fear, she replied in a trembling voice, "I-is that so! S-so that's how it is... I really did see it wrong..."

Seeing that Su Ling'er believed him, Lin Qingfeng secretly let out a breath.

Thank goodness. This Junior Sister was pretty stupid. She actually believed nonsense that even I couldn't fool myself with.

He hurriedly said, "Come on, come on. The registration desk is right ahead."

At last, Su Ling'er followed Lin Qingfeng to a hall named the Affairs Hall.

The interior was dimly lit. Behind a wooden desk, a steward was slumped over, dozing.

But when Su Ling'er saw the steward's face clearly, her steps froze once more.

That face, that expressionless look...

Wasn't this Elder Qian, the man who killed without restraint?!

Wasn't he still smashing his head into a tree along that road?

How had he come here now?

Other than changing from elder's robes into a steward's uniform, he was exactly the same in every other respect!

A quarter-hour ago, he had been out of his mind from the backlash of an evil technique, ramming his head into a tree. Yet now, he was sitting here completely unharmed?!

Was he some peerless expert capable of Manifestation of Myriad Forms?

No!

If he truly were an unparalleled powerhouse, how could a mere disciple have so easily plotted against him?

Then it was not an incarnation... it was a puppet!

She understood!

So that was it!

They had refined a living person into identical puppets, and there was more than one!

Precisely because it was a puppet rather than a real person, that disciple had dared to be so disrespectful toward his own "master"!

And precisely because these puppets had been produced through evil techniques, they could malfunction and lose control, killing people!

How many unheard-of, vile acts did this evil cultivator Demonic Sect have hidden away?!

Then... could this one before her suddenly slap her to death over some minor disagreement too?

She did not want her head to explode like a watermelon either!

Senior Disciple Brother Lin Qingfeng also noticed that something was off with her.

Of course, he knew that the Elder Qian on the road looked exactly like the one before them.

Could the game studio not make a few more NPC models?

Did they really have to use the same one everywhere to fool people?

At least change the hairstyle, all right?

Look how badly they had scared the only NPC Junior Sister in my sect!

His expression immediately changed into one of solemn dignity as he began another round of acting.

"Junior Sister, there is no need to panic. This is Elder Qian's unique supreme divine ability—[Manifestation of Myriad Forms]!"

"Elder Qian's Dao arts are unfathomable. He has long reached the realm where one is all and all is one.

All those walking within our sect now are manifestations of his Dao arts.

That is also why he alone can manage the entire sect."

Putting on a proud expression, he continued:

"This divine ability is the highest manifestation of our sect's secret art, the [Myriad Transformations Returning to One Art].

Though I perhaps should not say it, even our sect master, who is as elusive as a divine dragon, is actually one of Elder Qian's incarnations!

Junior Sister, you truly came to the right place by joining our sect!"

Su Ling'er nearly coughed up blood from his nonsense, but she felt even more fear.

Senior Disciple Brother was still lying without changing expression!

He clearly knew that this "incarnation" had just gone out of control and killed someone!

Wasn't he afraid that the one before them would suddenly attack too?

Or did he... have absolute confidence that he could restrain it?

And would such a great expert really use a supreme divine ability to manage mundane sect affairs?

If he were truly that powerful, would a disciple have driven him into repeatedly headbutting a tree?

Your explanation was clearly meant to conceal your guilty conscience and cover up the sect's crime of refining living people into puppets!

She clenched the corner of her robe, cold sweat nearly soaking through the clothes on her back.

No, I can't let him see my suspicion and fear!

As an undercover agent, my first priority is to survive!

Su Ling'er took a deep breath and crushed all her emotions deep inside. When she raised her head, her face had already changed into one full of admiration.

Her little mouth hung slightly open, and her eyes darted around.

"Wow! Senior Disciple Brother, so that's how it is! Junior Sister was too ignorant! That's amazing!"

As she spoke, Junior Sister bashfully tapped her head with one finger.

"Hehe~"

Then she lowered her head and repeatedly touched her two index fingers together before her, looking shy and curious.

Seeing this, the stone hanging over Lin Qingfeng's heart crashed down.

Good, good. This high-intelligence-but-stupid NPC just had a slightly exaggerated reaction, but her thought process was simple enough. She was pretty easy to fool.

Maybe... I can even train her to become the next generation's Senior Sister, specially responsible for fooling future newcomers?

Su Ling'er also secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

Good, good. I finally muddled through it. He shouldn't be suspicious, right?

Amid this "harmonious" atmosphere, Steward Qian Buyu behind the desk was awakened by the noise.

He slowly lifted his eyelids, glanced at Su Ling'er, then took out a form according to his programmed settings.

When Su Ling'er's gaze fell upon that form, she froze yet again.

It listed all kinds of baffling questions:

[Name:][Gender:][Age:]

[Height:][Weight:]

[Hobbies:][Specialties:]

[Marital status:][Do you have someone you admire:]

[Life ambitions:]

[Detailed personal assets (including but not limited to spirit stones, magical treasures, pills, heavenly materials, earthly treasures, etc.):]

What... what was all this?!

Did a Demonic Sect really need to ask such detailed questions when recruiting disciples?!

Yet Lin Qingfeng looked at the entry form he had personally designed on the table, and pride welled up within him.

In this game, where playing the sect-management route would inevitably require a great deal of spending, increasing income and reducing expenditure was the foremost priority of sect development.

This form was part of the partnership he had reached with the Marriage Pavilion guild, which specialized in the Dao of matchmaking.

By gathering detailed data on newcomers, they could provide information for the other party's big-data matchmaking and receive valuable spirit stone payments in return.

The scheme was much like the real world: once you registered for or filled out something, spam calls would come one after another.

Because your information had long since been sold to others for a few cents.

And this tiny form had been designed by him as a mandatory procedure for every newcomer.

Of course, it also had one tiny BUG:

Other than having to enter their real game ID, every other field was purely decorative. Even if someone wrote "armed helicopter" in the gender field, Steward Qian Buyu in charge of registration would accept it without question.

This had also prompted many players to unleash their creativity in that field.

And now, it was Su Ling'er's turn. She knew nothing about any of this, despite even risking her life as an undercover agent.

She took a deep breath, understanding that the first step of being undercover was concealing her identity.

Qian Buyu asked expressionlessly, "Name?"

After thinking for a moment, Su Ling'er came up with the most ordinary name she could:

"My name is Li..."

The moment the first character left her lips, a sudden change occurred.

The sleepy-looking Qian Buyu abruptly opened his eyes, which flashed with sharp light.

"You! Your name does not match reality!"

Su Ling'er was somewhat confused.

How did he know?

Did he know I was using a false name?

Or could he truly see through people's hearts?

Could he actually be an ancient great expert capable of Manifestation of Myriad Forms?

Just as her mind trembled with fear, Lin Qingfeng spoke softly.

"Junior Sister, how can you not even remember your own name?

Don't worry. Think carefully. This has to be put on record."

Could this game generate character names on the spot?

If I didn't ask, the NPC would have no name forever, but once I asked, it would start generating one?

Just now, maybe the data stream randomly rolled something, but she started saying her name before it finished generating?

I don't get it.

But to Su Ling'er, Senior Disciple Brother was cooperating with the elder to intimidate her from two sides!

She no longer dared harbor any luck and could only awkwardly state her real name.

"This disciple is named Su Ling'er."

Only then did the sharp light in Qian Buyu's eyes fade, returning him to his half-dead appearance.

He then wrote down her name on the paper.

After being instantly seen through once, Su Ling'er could only report partial truths when faced with the subsequent questioning.

She answered using a mixture of truth and lies.

Then Qian Buyu asked a question that surprised her. "What is your gender?"

The question directly stunned Su Ling'er.

She instinctively looked herself over. Though she was not exactly spectacularly endowed, she was absolutely not a man.

What did that mean?

Could I possibly be mistaken for a man looking like this?

I have a chest too, okay!

Even evil cultivators needed to be reasonable!

Puffing out her cheeks, she glared angrily at Lin Qingfeng. "Senior Disciple Brother, do I have to say this too?"

Lin Qingfeng coughed twice. "Ahem, Junior Sister, it's all part of the procedure. Don't mind these details."

"The road to immortality is right before your eyes. Hurry and tell him."

"Female."

Helplessly, Su Ling'er could only answer honestly.

"Sixteen years old..."

When asked about her height and weight, Su Ling'er's head started to ache:

"Senior Disciple Brother, do you really need to ask even that?"

Seeing that she hesitated to answer, Lin Qingfeng stepped forward to smooth things over. He somehow pulled out a soft measuring tape and a scale, then stuffed them into her hands:

"Junior Sister, don't overthink it. This is only to make it easier for the sect to issue uniforms in a standardized manner and tailor them to fit.

Come on, hurry up and measure yourself."

After Su Ling'er shamefully reported the two numbers, the next question followed close behind:

"Are you married? Is there anyone you fancy?"

Su Ling'er was speechless. Why were they asking this?

What did this have to do with cultivation?

Why did they need to ask that?

This evil path was far too vicious!

They had to be investigating her karmic ties. Were they afraid that if she were turned into a cultivation furnace in the future, they would need to sever her worldly attachments beforehand?

"This is mainly to promote harmony among fellow disciples and show concern for everyone's private lives."

Lin Qingfeng gave an awkward laugh and tried to patch things up.

You high-IQ-disabled NPC, you'd better believe what I'm saying!

Su Ling'er then forced a few words out from between her lips:

"Unmarried, with no attachments in my heart."

At last, the steward's brush tip fell upon the final section of the form: Detailed Personal Assets.

She understood now. This had to be a list prepared in advance for future plundering!

They wanted to trick her into writing down everything she possessed. That way, her weaknesses, her attachments, and all her belongings would become leverage they could use against her!

Seeing his junior sister's expression grow increasingly strange, Lin Qingfeng came over to explain again:

"Junior Sister, don't misunderstand. This is only to assess whether newly arrived disciples need support from the sect.

It's naturally good if your family is well-off, but if you are all alone, we will also make sure you can cultivate in peace without worries."

Finally, after enduring countless hardships, Su Ling'er answered nearly every question. Only the last one remained.

Life ambition.

Su Ling'er raised her head and met Qian Buyu's eyes. It was as if some resolute flame burned within them.

She answered, word by word:

"My ambition is... to seek immortality and the Dao, then ascend to become an immortal!"

"No, it is to become an unparalleled sword immortal!"

Qian Buyu expressionlessly had her press down a fingerprint with vermilion ink, while she swore a blood oath in her heart:

All this pretense and compromise was for the Foundation Establishment path promised by the Sect Master!

And even more so, for upholding the Righteous Path and saving all living beings under heaven!

Watching his little junior sister, Lin Qingfeng merely shook his head.

With talent like hers, becoming a sword immortal was probably impossible. Later, perhaps he could have her try the Artifact Refining Pavilion's Sword Refining Art?

Even if she could not become a sword immortal, becoming an immortal sword in the future would still be quite promising.

At the very moment Su Ling'er pressed down her fingerprint, Lin Qingfeng's sect notification sounded as well:

[Sect Mission "Guide" completed!]

[Mission Rewards: Sect Contribution Points +100, Sect Reputation +10, Cultivation +500]

Looking at the reward panel, Lin Qingfeng let out a long breath:

"Done. I finally managed to fool you into joining."

!!!!

To Su Ling'er's ears, those words were no different from the arrogant declaration of a villain whose scheme had succeeded.

Just as she thought!

This place was an Evil Cultivator sect!

Otherwise, why would Senior Disciple Brother say that he had "fooled" her into joining?

If he were truly open and aboveboard, if this sect were truly so excellent, why would they need to resort to such methods?

Their crimes were simply unforgivable!

However, an even more shocking scene unfolded before her.

Lin Qingfeng merely stood there, yet his entire aura suddenly surged by a level with each breath he took!

What was going on?

Had Senior Disciple Brother broken through?

Why did it have to happen at this very moment?

Why did his cultivation break through right after I completed my registration?!

Could it be...

That document was not an entry registration form at all, but an incomparably vicious demonic-path contract!

It had been disguised as an entry registration form, tricking her into signing it without realizing what it was and voluntarily offering up everything she had!

After signing it, her fortune and origin would be secretly drained away...

Those things she had read about in storybooks...

The truth had now been revealed!

So that was it!

No wonder those disciples had been so excited when they saw her join the sect. Every newly admitted disciple was a walking tonic, fuel for the growth of their cultivation!

At that thought, immense grief and indignation welled up within Su Ling'er.

Sect Master!

For the sake of upholding the Righteous Path, this disciple has already fallen into the Demon Den today!

I signed this contract of sale and made such an enormous sacrifice for the Righteous Path. You must save this disciple when the time comes!

And the Foundation Establishment path you promised me!

Just as Su Ling'er was feeling tragically resolute inside, Lin Qingfeng received a follow-up mission.

[Follow-up Sect Mission triggered: Lead the new disciple to familiarize herself with the sect environment.]

[Mission Description: Lead newly admitted disciple Su Ling'er to familiarize herself with the sect environment and gain an initial understanding of the sect you have built.]

[Mission Locations: Hundred Herbs Valley (0/1), Artifact Refining Pavilion (0/1), Pill Cauldron Pavilion (0/1), Transmission Hall (0/1), Food Pavilion (0/1)...]

[Mission Rewards: Sect Contribution Points +1000, Sect Reputation +10, Cultivation +1800]

Sure enough, there was more to come.

Lin Qingfeng considered where he should take his little junior sister.

It was getting late. How about eating first?

He could also help her collect her beginner equipment so she could experience the sect's benefits and feel a greater sense of belonging!

Thus, he spoke enthusiastically.

"Junior Sister, after walking for so long, you must be tired.

Come, Senior Brother will first take you to collect your identity token and sect robes.

I saw that you were dressed all in red, so I had your sect robes made red as well.

Then we'll go to the Food Pavilion for dinner."

Su Ling'er was startled by his words.

An identity token?

Sect robes?

He had just said he measured her height and weight so the clothes could be tailored to fit, and now they were already finished?

He really had been fooling her earlier!

This liar had not spoken a single truthful word from beginning to end!

She became even more convinced that she had just signed a contract of sale.

Yet strangely, when she examined herself inwardly, she could not sense anything being lost. That was what made it even more terrifying!

This meant that what they had seized was something more fundamental, or perhaps something even more mysterious and profound!

As expected of ancient Evil Cultivators—their methods were truly this sophisticated!