Half a month had passed, and the number of women in the hundred-member group had drastically dwindled, leaving only half remaining. The most enthusiastic faction, "Becoming the Ancestor's Concubine," was now reduced to just a handful. The faction from the Sect Leader's lineage, "Become the Ancestor's Disciple to Win Him Over and Seize Opportunities to Oppose Other Factions," still had over a dozen members stubbornly holding on. The largest group was the "I'm So Lost I Can Only Drift Aimlessly" faction, consisting of thirty women who had come to serve the Ancestor but had no idea what they were doing each day, huddling together in constant fear.
Most of the casualties from the first two factions were due to recklessly offering themselves up—their overzealousness had cost them their lives. Others had inadvertently triggered some fatal condition and were killed by the Ancestor, who wandered around unpredictably every day. The entire Three Sage Mountain had become like a massive survival game, with a single murderous demon pitted against a hundred people.
The remaining fifty women, watching their numbers dwindle daily under the looming threat of death, appeared haggard and terrified. None knew when or where they might encounter the Ancestor, who seemed like a bloodthirsty demon, and meet their end at his hands.
Here, they were unable to use their spiritual power, leaving them defenseless. Even if they had access to it, they would likely be nothing more than ants before the Ancestor, which only added to their psychological torment.
Sima Jiao was acutely sensitive to human emotions—fear, disgust, jealousy, greed—all these negative feelings were easily detectable to him. Combined with the Sima clan's unique ability, the Oath of Truth, nearly everyone was transparent before him.
"I don’t dare to see the Ancestor! Senior Sister, please spare me!"
Mu Nisheng, who had initially stepped forward to lead the group, now wore a grim expression as she addressed the woman kneeling before her in tears. "What nonsense is this? Wasn’t it your own choice to come and serve the Ancestor?"
The woman’s face was filled with regret. "I don’t want to anymore, Senior Sister. I’m terrified. Has the Ancestor fallen into demonic madness? Why else would he slaughter disciples from our own sect? If he could kill several senior sisters and fellow disciples, he’ll kill me too!"
She had witnessed two of her senior sisters, who had attempted to flee Three Sage Mountain in secret, explode into bloody mist on the vast, pristine jade platform. Who else but the Ancestor could have done such a thing? He had killed indiscriminately before—it must have been him. This cruel Ancestor was nothing like the one she had imagined.
Seeing the fear in her eyes, Mu Nisheng flicked her sleeve with a dark expression. "If you’re afraid, then don’t follow me. I’ve said it before—I came here for the Ancestor. Until the day he accepts me, I will never give up. Cowards like you, who can’t even endure this trial, have no right to earn the Ancestor’s favor!"
Mu Nisheng was a junior from the Sect Leader’s lineage and knew more than the others. Gifted with exceptional talent, she had been raised under the Sect Leader’s personal guidance since childhood. Thus, she had often seen the Sect Leader gazing at Three Sage Mountain with deep concern. From birth, she had known that within Three Sage Mountain resided an Ancestor whose existence was tied to the survival of Gengchen Immortal Mansion for tens of thousands of years. And she—she had been raised specifically for this Ancestor.
The Sect Leader hoped that one day she might become the Ancestor’s disciple. Failing that, even serving by his side would suffice."If you can gain the Ancestor Master's favor, you might save Gengchen Immortal Mansion. If not, I fear our Gengchen Immortal Mansion will be destroyed by his hands." The sect leader had once said this to her.
Mu Nisheng had learned from the sect leader about Ancestor Master Cizang's Fengshan Clan bloodline, the forbidden circumstances of his birth, the tragedies he had caused in the past, and his temperament. She was confident she understood the Ancestor Master better than anyone else here.
In her view, she had indeed received special attention from the Ancestor Master. During this period, the Ancestor Master would often personally kill people—even Yun Xiyue, her greatest rival, had been killed—yet she alone remained unharmed. Every day, she would go to the Central Tower and wait for the Ancestor Master before the permanently closed door.
She had encountered the Ancestor Master several times, but she didn’t rush to flatter him. Instead, she sought to move him with her sincerity, hoping he would see her devotion.
The sect leader had told her that before this Ancestor Master, attempts to hide oneself were futile. She could only expose her thoughts to him in the most devout and humble state. Mu Nisheng followed this advice, and she discovered that the Ancestor Master wasn’t as bloodthirsty as others imagined. He didn’t kill indiscriminately—if he killed, it was because the person had done something to deserve it. And since she harbored none of the schemes others did, even when he saw her kneeling beneath the tower, he never laid a hand on her. He simply preferred to ignore everything.
Mu Nisheng grew increasingly certain of her belief. As long as she persisted, the Ancestor Master would eventually be moved by her.
Those who had once persisted alongside her now refused to join her in waiting daily at the foot of the Central Tower. The Ancestor Master seemed utterly impatient when he saw them, occasionally even killing one or two. Naturally, no one dared return—except Mu Nisheng, who still went every single day.
On this day, she arrived at the Central Tower as usual, kneeling straight-backed before the tightly shut door.
Liao Tingyan, carrying the gloomy aura of a corporate drone on a Monday morning, arrived at the Central Tower and saw the top-ranking leader of their hundred-woman group kneeling there, occasionally calling out, "This disciple has come to serve the Ancestor Master. Please accept me as your disciple."
Liao Tingyan: "..." What a warrior. She would rather hide far away and enjoy her vacation, yet this leader actively sought to face that temperamental ancestor. What mental fortitude—no wonder she was the top dog. That level of dedication was truly unmatched.
If only they could switch places—let her be the one to serve that ancestor.
But it was just a thought. This wasn’t something she could decide. If the ancestor summoned her, even if it meant death, she had to go. That’s just how messed up the world was—what you wanted, you couldn’t have, and what you couldn’t have, you craved.
Her footsteps caught the leader’s attention. The woman turned her head, her once fervently sincere gaze now cold and disdainful.
"You’re still not dead yet."
Liao Tingyan had initially planned to greet her, but now she didn’t feel like it. These people were all the same—every time they saw her, they said the same thing. Dead? Not happening. She could still survive another day.
When she walked straight toward the Central Tower’s door, Mu Nisheng’s eyes flickered with surprise, then quickly turned mocking. Even if this woman had managed to survive until now, today she would likely die beneath the tower. She didn’t stop Liao Tingyan, merely watching coldly, waiting to see how she would meet her end.Recently, everyone who rashly approached the Central Tower had died. The only one who could stay safely in such close proximity was her. Mu Nisheng felt a surge of pride in her heart.
Liao Tingyan walked step by step to the front gate, feeling somewhat troubled. Although the Ancestor had allowed her to take up the position, he hadn’t given her an access card, and now she couldn’t get past the security gate.
She pondered what the consequences might be if she turned around now and went back to sleep, but in the end, she raised her hand and knocked.
Behind her came Mu Nisheng’s derisive snort. The Central Tower where the Ancestor resided—did it open for just anyone who knocked?
The door opened.
Watching Liao Tingyan calmly step through that door, Mu Nisheng’s haughty, disdainful smile froze on her face.
What was going on? She went in? Did that door open just by knocking? Ever since Yun Xiyue angered the Ancestor during her visit, hadn’t that door stopped opening for anyone? That junior disciple just now—how could she enter?
Mu Nisheng thought of all those who had died upon approaching, then of Liao Tingyan, who had just walked right in under her nose. Her eyes nearly bulged out of their sockets as she abruptly stood up and rushed forward.
She had believed herself to be special, only to have that notion shattered in an instant. How could she bear it? She immediately wanted to follow and see what trick Liao Tingyan was playing.
The moment she stepped through the Central Tower’s door, she let out a piercing scream and exploded into a mist of blood.
Click.
Liao Tingyan turned her head in horror. Was that the girl outside screaming just now? But the door had already closed, and she couldn’t see outside.
Standing on the stairs like a ghost, expressionless, was the Ancestor. Noticing Liao Tingyan’s expression, he gave an eerie smile. “That person outside is dead.”
“Do you know why I killed her?” He turned and began ascending the stairs. Liao Tingyan could only swallow hard and force herself to follow with great difficulty.
“Most of the others I’ve killed harbored greed, ambition, or stupidity in their hearts. They were an eyesore, so I killed them. But that one just now was different—she had nothing… A puppet deliberately cultivated to have nothing, of course. Compared to the transparent greed of those others, I despise these mindless, soulless puppets even more. Killing them doesn’t even interest me. But she was too noisy, and it annoyed me.”
For some reason, he seemed inclined to share these thoughts with Liao Tingyan, personally coming down to escort her upstairs and appearing quite amiable.
The first time Liao Tingyan had come here, she had climbed to the fifth floor before the path ended. But this time, following the Ancestor, she kept going up and up, past twelve floors with no end in sight.
So tired. Exhausted like a dog. How could this body, so weak, still be called that of a cultivator?
The fear she had felt toward the Ancestor and the nausea from witnessing another death had completely vanished after climbing ten flights of stairs. Now, all she felt was exhaustion, on the verge of collapse. Staying inside this tower seemed even more unbearable than being outside.
Ahead, the Ancestor’s steps remained leisurely, not even glancing back. Liao Tingyan clung to the railing, crawling like a turtle, occasionally stealing glances at his back. His hair, black and long, cascaded down, and his robes were the same as always.
Liao Tingyan began to suspect he never changed his clothes. If that were the case, wouldn’t the hems dragging on the ground be filthy? Black robes really did hide dirt well.
Sima Jiao happened to turn his head and glance at her at that moment.Liao Tingyan's face tensed up. Wait, he has the Truth Buff, but he shouldn't have mind reading, right? She felt as nervous as she had during her first job interview right after graduation.
"Your courage today isn't as great as yesterday's. Scared to this extent?"
Liao Tingyan wiped her sweat, thinking to herself, well, I was probably more scared yesterday. Today, the sweat isn't from fear but mainly from exhaustion.
"Are you very afraid?"
Liao Tingyan felt her mouth had a mind of its own as it answered, "Not afraid, just tired from climbing the stairs."
Damn it, this grandson activated the Truth Buff again! Does this Truth Buff have a setting that forces an answer when it hears a questioning tone?
Sima Jiao's expression turned slightly strange.
"Tired?" From just these few stairs? People from the Demon Realm are too weak.
Liao Tingyan clearly saw disdain in the ancestor's eyes. Such an obvious and easily understandable emotion—this was the first time she'd seen it on him.
After climbing another five floors, Liao Tingyan collapsed. She thought she might be killed off by the impatient ancestor, but instead, he seemed to have locked onto her, waiting on the side as if to see how many more floors she could endure.
Liao Tingyan slowly dragged herself up the stairs, feeling like the ancestor was just some bored person watching a hamster climb stairs to pass the time.
Finally, they reached the twenty-second floor. It was still an empty space, but this one was enclosed. The most striking feature was a red flame burning within a red lotus. The flame illuminated the entire room.
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