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That's the spirit.

"Many thanks, Master."

Ning Ning responded with a smile. She raised her eyes and discovered two other people in the hall.

Lin Xun was dressed in blue, his ink-black hair tied behind him. When he saw her, his round, bright, puppy-like eyes curved into crescents, and he smiled as he called out, "Little Senior Sister."

It was midday, and golden sunlight poured in through the windows. He stood amidst the shimmering light, his very eyelashes coated in a thin, golden glow, making him look warm and bright.

Pei Ji, standing on the other side, was entirely shrouded in shadow.

He wore the same indifferent expression as before, with a faint, almost imperceptible trace of mockery at the corners of his eyes. His black robes looked even gloomier in the darkness, making his bloodless face appear all the more pale.

"This is your new junior brother, Pei Ji—you two should already know each other."

Tian Xianzi truly seemed unaware that there was such a thing as "jealousy" between people; his heart was boundless, which was no wonder the original owner had dared to stir up trouble so recklessly. "Although he was previously an outer sect disciple, he has now reached the second level of the Golden Core Realm. What is even more precious is his rare Sword Heart. You should spar more often in the future; you will surely gain much from one another."

Ning Ning gave him a faint smile. "Junior Brother."

Oh, oh, oh, she smiles so beautifully! Hurry up and respond to her, Pei Ji! This girl is actually your senior sister; this must be fate!

The sword energy of Chengying twisted within him. The youth frowned, using his spiritual power to suppress it, yet his face remained expressionless. "Senior Sister."

He frowned the moment he saw her. Was he really that annoyed by her?

Ning Ning didn't speak again, turning her gaze toward Tian Xianzi.

"I called you all here today for two reasons."

The young man smiled lazily and gestured with his hand. "First, as fellow disciples, you should get to know one another. Second, to see how much your strength has improved."

Lin Xun's face went pale for a second. "Master, you don't mean for the three of us to... draw our swords and spar?"

Tian Xianzi looked righteous. "Am I the kind of person who would let my precious disciples fight and get hurt?"

The Master was actually so considerate of them!

The Little White Dragon took a breath, overwhelmed by the favor. Before he could even show a grateful smile, he heard him continue: "If you were to get injured, wouldn't I have to pay for the medical expenses? Absolutely not!"

Lin Xun stopped talking entirely.

"So, your master has come up with a better idea."

Tian Xianzi chuckled. "How about you all take a trip into the Futu Tower?"

The Futu Tower was a place for the disciples of the Xuanxu Sword Sect to undergo trials.

The tower had one hundred levels, each containing an illusionary realm. One could only enter the next level by clearing the current one. The difficulty increased with every level, and it held the remnants and phantoms of countless demons and asuras. The intricacy of its scenarios and the vividness of its illusions were no different from the experience of going down the mountain to train in the real world.

"I have already selected the floor; I can make an exception and open it for you directly."

Tian Xianzi said, "The fortieth floor, a night visit to the Zhaixing Pavilion, is just right for Golden Core stage cultivators. I wonder if you all are interested in giving it a try?"

Upon hearing the three words "Zhaixing Pavilion," Ning Ning's brow suddenly twitched.

In the original novel, the original host was in this very hellhole...

She was beaten until her head was bloodied, thrown out of the illusion on the spot, and forced to lie in bed for a full half-month.

The illusion, Zhaixing Pavilion.

Moonlight and starlight, like specks of crushed gold, dotted the river. Flower boats drifted past, and the decadent songs of the singing girls scattered into the wind, enough to make one's bones turn to mush.

The building by the river stood countless stories high. Between the carved ridges and embroidered railings, glazed tiles reflected the bright moonlight, illuminating the high-curved eaves. Dim light flowed slowly from the hollowed-out carved windows, casting a soft halo over the entire high-rise, like a thin veil of mist—a scene from heaven on earth.

It was said that one could pluck stars and embrace the moon from the top of the Zhaixing Pavilion; its entrance was bustling with a constant stream of carriages and horses.

Ning Ning stood alone before the entrance. A woman's delicate, soft laughter drifted from beside her: "Young lady, now that you've come, do you have someone in mind?"

Surrounded by the faint scent of rouge and powder, the flickering light from the lanterns mingled with the shadows, accompanied by the alluring figures of women.

The Zhaixing Pavilion was a brothel.

Tian Xianzi really knew how to pick a place.

Although the three of them had entered the illusion at the same time, they were not together once inside. Before Ning Ning could respond, she heard a commotion.

"Bitch! I only touched you once, don't act so high and mighty here!"

"My apologies, sir, she hasn't been here long and doesn't know the rules—you! Hurry up and apologize!"

Ah, what a cliché plot; it was like the renaissance of a twenty-year-old romance novel.

She knew the plot like the back of her hand. She turned around leisurely, just in time to meet a pair of eyes brimming with tears.

A young man in a yellow robe stood with his brows furrowed and eyes cold, cursing incessantly. A young girl in a white dress covered her face and wept, stubbornly turning her head to the side. When her gaze met Ning Ning's, her eyes flickered slightly.

Ning Ning turned away with an expressionless face.

Brothels and damsels in distress—the plot was so dated, yet those demons were actually still using it as a grand performance.

—This was a trap set by the mastermind behind the scenes.

The bullied girl was fake, and the arrogant, domineering man was also fake. If anyone were to intervene out of a sense of justice, they would be taken to a room by the girl under the guise of "repaying a debt of gratitude."

And then, they would watch as she peeled away her human-skin mask layer by layer, revealing the twisted, hideous monster face beneath.

Zhaixing Pavilion appeared to be an unremarkable brothel, but the women within were actually demons, all kept in check by the White Bone Lady behind the scenes. In their eyes, the patrons were nothing more than a steaming hot meal.

The main quest of the illusion was not actually difficult. Although the White Bone Lady was troublesome, with the combined strength of the three of them, she was no match. The only unexpected development was the appearance of a once-in-a-century encounter within this illusion.

Or perhaps, a high-difficulty Easter egg.

Everyone had exhausted their strength to defeat the White Bone Lady, yet the illusion did not collapse. It was only then that they gradually discovered that a far more terrifying monster was hidden within the building.

The original owner had been beaten to the brink of death by that entity precisely when she was completely drained of energy.

Ning Ning certainly could not repeat that mistake!