I get it!

’I get it, my ass!’

’I don’t get it, and I don’t want to!’

’You bunch of demons are just trying to mind control me!’

Then, Lin Qingfeng’s tone changed.

"However, sect property is governed by strict rules."

"Every plant and tree on these grounds, every single Spirit Grass, cannot be taken for personal use."

"Once, a disciple gave in to temptation and secretly kept some Spirit Medicine. He was later captured by the Law Enforcement Elder, had part of his Cultivation crippled, and was confined to Siguoya for several hours."

"Let this be a lesson to you. Be sure to remember it."

Su Ling’er: "..."

’Oh, great, Senior Brother!’

’You’re just afraid I’ll till the soil and then steal a few Spirit Grasses when no one’s looking, aren’t you?!’

’You’re already watching me yourself, how would I dare?!’

’And with so many people "helping" just by flapping their gums, it’s pissing me off!’

’And you still have to spell it out for me!’

’Making exploitation sound so righteous, making oppression sound so noble!’

’Them spending money to grow their own things is for "personal gain."’

’But me being forced to work for the sect is for "the greater good"?’

’And to top it all off, you have to warn me not to steal from the sect?’

’Would I dare?’

’With every single one of you staring at me, where am I supposed to steal anything?’

Although she was roaring furiously inside, she still had to keep up appearances.

"Senior Brother... I... I understand!"

"I was being shortsighted! I almost failed to live up to the high hopes of the sect and Senior Brother!"

"I’ll get to it right away!"

After speaking, she avoided everyone’s gaze, turned, grabbed a hoe from the edge of the field, and walked into the three-acre medicine field.

Behind her, the familiar din started up again.

"One swing of the hoe, one drop of sweat! Junior Sister’s Dao Foundation is strong as an iron mountain!"

"Till all three acres of land! Foundation Establishment is not a dream!"

"Dig for immortal fate in the dirt! Success will come naturally with effort!"

Su Ling’er no longer looked at them. She closed her eyes, shutting out all the noise.

She channeled her Spiritual Power into the hoe. As it fell, it turned over the fresh soil.

Her Spiritual Power slowly depleted with the labor and the passage of time.

She glanced around and saw her Senior Brother taking out plates of Spirit Fruits from his storage bag. He and the "atmosphere squad" disciples were sitting right on the greenstones bordering the field, popping plump, purple Spirit Fruits into their mouths.

The disciples, whose faces had been blank just moments before, seemed to come alive again. They chatted with their Senior Brother as they ate.

"Junior Sister’s efficiency is too low. When will our sect ever get ahead?"

"Although, for someone at the Great Perfection of Qi Refining, her Cultivation is already making her very fast."

"I really want to open a secret realm! Why is Junior Sister working so slowly!"

"But it really is hard on her. She’s the only one in our sect, so we can only work her to the bone."

It was as if they remembered something, and they suddenly shouted in Su Ling’er’s direction:

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

After a few shouts, they went back to their food and friendly chatter.

Veins throbbed on Su Ling’er’s forehead as she listened.

’If you think my efficiency is low, why don’t you hurry up and help?!’

’You just sit there watching, offering empty words of encouragement. Have you no shame?!’

’Is there any justice in this world?!’

’You know I’m suffering, but you don’t even offer to help!’

’And what’s this about "she’s the only one"?’

’Are you guys not even human?!’

’So the entire sect is relying on me and me alone to hold it up, is that it?!’

Su Ling’er’s gaze inadvertently met Lin Qingfeng’s, who was in the middle of biting into a Spirit Fruit.

Lin Qingfeng paused his chewing for a moment, looking at his junior sister with some confusion.

Then, a smile of understanding bloomed on his face.

He understood!

’Junior Sister thinks the support group is slacking off. This is precisely when she needs encouragement from her seniors, how can they be so half-hearted?’

He cleared his throat and announced to the people around him:

"Everyone! Junior Sister is physically and mentally exhausted again, so why have you all wilted? Put some energy into it!"

"Beat the drums! Cheer her on!"

DONG! DONG! DONG DONG DONG!

"Till the land well, walk the immortal path early!"

"If you don’t give up, we won’t give up on you!"

Listening to the noise that was now several times louder, and watching that bunch of re-energized idiots, Su Ling’er felt like her head was about to explode.

A passing disciple glanced curiously at the medicine field Junior Sister was tending to.

This startled Su Ling’er so much that she quickly lowered her head, as if she wasn’t even there.

’This is so embarrassing!’

’I shouldn’t have looked at Senior Brother!’

’And now I have to endure passersby staring at me in this mortifying situation.’

’Please, someone, anyone, come and destroy this god-damned demon sect! Aaargh!’

...

Finally, Su Ling’er finished all her tasks.

She placed the jade slip for the completed task on the stone platform in front of the task elder.

The elder fumbled in a storage compartment behind him, pulled out a dusty cloth pouch, and pushed it toward Su Ling’er.

At that moment, a string was gently plucked in Su Ling’er’s heart.

’Finally, it’s not those worthless copper coins!’

She reached out and touched the pouch. The coarse fabric felt very light in her hand, which made her a little suspicious.

Then, she undid the drawstring and looked inside.

In her eyes, which had grown somewhat numb, a look of confusion slowly transformed into shock...

Soon after, a moistness seemed to well up in her eyes.

Although the light in the hall was dim, the object in the bag seemed to emit a faint glow of its own.

Though there were two pieces of silver in the bag, Su Ling’er had already ignored these mundane items. 𝒇𝓻𝓮𝓮𝙬𝙚𝒃𝒏𝓸𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝓬𝓸𝒎

A low-grade Spirit Plant met her eyes. It was green all over with a touch of crimson at its tip, and the faint, fresh scent of grass from its roots wafted into her nose.

A name suddenly burst forth from the depths of her mind.

’Blood Coagulation Grass!’

’It’s actually Blood Coagulation Grass!’

’Even though it’s a low-grade Spirit Grass, judging by its age and size, it must be at least a year old!’

Outside the hall, Lin Qingfeng and his noisy support group were still standing there, waiting for her to begin her next "labor."

Su Ling’er peeked at them. ’They must want to keep watching me go numb, struggle, and finally give in.’

But Su Ling’er was certain that what they didn’t know was that some things in her world had already changed.

Her past at Qingxu Temple once again surfaced in her mind.

Blood Coagulation Grass, for an Outer Sect Disciple with a Pseudo Spirit Root like her, was a Spirit Plant she could hear about but never hope to obtain.

For Outer Sect Disciples like them, who were only at the second or third level of Qi Refining, to want a Spirit Plant?

’Don’t even think about it.’

All the sect would ever give them was a bare minimum: Fasting Pills, a few copper coins, and three Spirit Stones a month.

To be taught the Qingxu Temple’s Heart Method was already considered a supreme blessing.

The aptitude of Outer Sect Disciples was plain to see. Although Blood Coagulation Grass was a low-grade Spirit Grass, giving such a thing to an Outer Sect Disciple was a complete waste.

Even the senior brothers and sisters of the Inner Sect had to accept sect missions and face risks outside the sect to exchange for a single stalk.

And for Outer Sect Disciples like her, those missions were life-threatening.

As for the Direct Disciples?

They, of course, didn’t have to think about a thing. The Sect Leader and elders would deliver the best-aged Spirit Grass, and even refined medicinal pills, right into their hands.

The Direct Disciples had only one task!

To cultivate.

And then, inherit the Dao.

Although she had received a promise from the Qingxu Temple’s Sect Leader, this stalk of Blood Coagulation Grass was a real, tangible temptation right in front of her.

This was a treasure she never would have dreamed she could obtain so easily in a demon sect.

Qingxu Temple had strict rules forbidding disciples from fighting amongst themselves, which was to protect the sect’s resources.

And not many Outer Sect Disciples would be reckless enough to provoke the Inner Sect.

That said, condescending remarks and verbal attacks from the Inner Sect towards the Outer Sect still happened in private.

But at least on the surface, everyone was relatively harmonious. There were no life-and-death struggles, just some mockery at most. No one would actually resort to violence.

But here, in this place she considered a den of demons, disciples killed and ambushed each other, taking the lives of their sect-mates as easily as they chatted. There was simply no order to speak of.

But...

It was also here that she had merely tilled some soil and received a Spirit Plant that even Inner Sect Disciples at Qingxu Temple needed to complete sect missions to obtain.

Compared to this reward, the labor she had put in seemed almost trivial.

’But... why?’

’After just five hundred rounds of "mind control," is this demon sect already willing to spend so much to cultivate a "tool" like me?’

...

[Real World]

[News Archive]

The first product from "Dust World Simulation" studio, "Mortal Tribulation," has officially launched.

Using a complex and near-realistic model, the product simulates the outbreak, spread, and societal response to an unknown plague in a virtual city.

Upon release, the product was flooded with negative reviews, with many users complaining that the process was "depressing" and "extremely stressful." However, it unexpectedly received high praise from the World Health Organization and the disease control centers of several countries, who called it "the most valuable public health simulation model in history."