Chapter 97: Chapter 89: Don’t You Love Me Anymore?

By the time they emerged from the Demon-Locking Tower, the sky was already nearing dusk.

Su Ling’er flew ahead on her simple Wooden Sword, leading the way.

Wang Xiedi, who was dangling from the hilt of the sword, had finally calmed down after his fright in the Spirit Beast Garden.

This allowed Su Ling’er to breathe a small sigh of relief. She really didn’t want to recall that horrifying ’Human-Mantis Romance’ scene, as it would destabilize her Dao heart.

"Mr. Wang, the next place is the Asking Dao Ladder."

The flying sword carved an arc through the air, slowly descending onto a platform at the mountain’s peak.

When Wang Xiedi’s feet were back on solid ground, Su Ling’er saw that he was completely stunned by the magnificent sight before him. His expression was identical to her own when she had first seen it.

White jade steps stretched straight into the clouds, flanked by Daoist patterns that flickered in and out of sight. A mountain wind swept clouds and mist rushing down.

Standing at the foot of the stairs, one felt as insignificant as a single grain of millet in a vast ocean, a mere speck of dust, overcome by a sense of unworthiness.

The mountain wind, carrying clouds and mist, rushed down from the stairs, feeling crisp and cool against their faces.

’S-Senior Sister! This sect is incredible! To have such a magnificent sight!’

’This... this is the kind of masterpiece you’d only expect from a top-tier major sect! Qingxu Temple... no, not even the Celestial Furnace Sect could possibly have such a foundation!’

Hearing his heartfelt shock, Su Ling’er had mixed feelings.

’Indeed,’ she thought. ’If you hadn’t seen it with your own eyes, who would believe that a demonic sect that acts so crazily could possess such a celestial heritage?’

’But... Senior Sister, this place doesn’t have any murderous traps like the others, does it?’

’Like, if you can’t climb it, the stairs just suck your soul dry or something?’

His caution gave Su Ling’er a slight sense of relief. ’Good, he hasn’t been scared completely witless yet.’

She turned around, her red sleeves fluttering gently in the mountain wind.

She had to first complete the "superficial mission" her Eldest Senior Brother had given her.

"Mr. Wang, this is our sect’s Asking Dao Ladder, a supreme treasure left behind from ancient times.

This ladder does not test your Cultivation, your physique, or your Spirit Root. It only asks for a heart that seeks the Dao.

As long as your Dao heart is firm, you can ascend.

With every step you climb, you will be rewarded with an infusion of Spiritual Qi. If you can reach the higher steps, you can obtain even greater benefits. A complete transformation of your body would not be out of the question."

Her clear voice echoed from the mountaintop, carrying a certain celestial air.

Privately, however, her slightly exasperated message arrived in Wang Xiedi’s mind via Telepathy at the same time.

’Wang Xiedi, don’t be so jumpy. Everything I just said is true.’

’I didn’t notice any major hidden dangers when I did it. At worst, you might fall into a Heart Demon Illusion Realm when you hit a bottleneck, but you’ll wake up on your own after a while. It’s not life-threatening.’

’Besides, this is where I broke through to the peak of Qi Refining in one go. You can give it a try later. It will only benefit you.’

Despite her words, Su Ling’er didn’t actually have high expectations for him.

This little Junior Brother of hers...

Sigh...

She couldn’t help but facepalm when she remembered how he had fainted dead away at the sight of... well, everything... in the Artifact Refining Pavilion.

Not to mention the Spirit Beast Garden...

That horrifying image of the "Human-Mantis Romance" flashed uncontrollably through her mind, making her shudder.

’With my junior brother’s fragile and bizarre mentality, what kind of monsters and demons will appear in his Heart Demon Illusion Realm?’

Su Ling’er didn’t dare to imagine.

’Forget it, forget it! I have to forget about it!’

’If I keep thinking about this, my own Dao heart will become unstable!’

Just then, they saw that familiar figure again.

Next to the entrance of the Asking Dao Ladder, there was now a wooden desk.

Behind the desk sat an old man with a completely blank expression, sitting upright and proper. It was none other than that Mr. Qian from the sect, who looked exactly the same as before.

He seemed to be everywhere at once, yet also seemed to be nothing more than a soulless decoration.

He sat there quietly, as if he had been there for countless years.

Su Ling’er, knowing the routine, walked up and paid the "ladder-climbing fee" of ten low-grade Spirit Stones for Wang Xiedi.

Mr. Qian accepted the Spirit Stones and waved his hand, signaling for them to proceed.

His expression didn’t change in the slightest throughout the entire process.

With everything ready, Wang Xiedi took a deep breath, his heart a mix of excitement and apprehension, and officially stepped onto the white jade staircase that reached to the heavens.

The first step.

He broke through the illusion with ease.

He walked upward, step by steady step.

The fifth step, the tenth step...

He wasn’t moving fast, but each step was exceptionally firm.

The pressure from the stairs was heavy, but it didn’t make him feel like he couldn’t move an inch.

Su Ling’er stood at the bottom of the ladder, watching in silence.

’Huh?’

’Did I misjudge him?’

’Is his Dao heart actually very stable?’

Just as Su Ling’er was feeling a hint of surprise, she saw Wang Xiedi’s body suddenly go rigid as he stepped onto the fifteenth step.

’It’s here! The Heart Demon Illusion Realm!’

Wang Xiedi felt the scene before his eyes suddenly change!

The surrounding mountain wind and clouds vanished in an instant.

The next moment, he found himself in an incredibly luxurious pavilion.

The walls were adorned with decorations carved from high-grade Spirit Stones, the floor was covered with the fur of ten-thousand-year-old demon beasts, and beneath him was a soft, large bed covered in gold-threaded brocade.

Wang Xiedi’s heart tightened. Just as he was about to focus his mind to resist, he noticed a large lump under the brocade quilt beside him.

’Is someone sleeping there?’

Before he could react, a delicate voice came from the bed. "My little darling... you’re awake?"

That "little darling" sent a shiver down Wang Xiedi’s spine.

’Little darling?! What kind of pet name is that?’

’Could it be that in my Heart Demon Illusion Realm, I’ve become some incredible big shot, adored by a peerless fairy?’

A strange sense of tragic heroism instantly rose in Wang Xiedi’s heart. ’For the sake of reviving my family, for the Longevity Dao, if a fairy truly favors me, I suppose I can sacrifice my body!’

And so, filled with immense anticipation and a grim determination of ’if I don’t go to hell, who will?’, he reached out and threw back the covers!

"..."

Wang Xiedi’s smile froze on his face.

Under the covers, a richly dressed old woman, her hair adorned with pearls and jade but looking to be at least three hundred years old, was lying on her side.

She shot Wang Xiedi an extremely greasy, flirtatious wink while fiddling with a supreme-grade Spirit Stone in her hand.

"..."

Wang Xiedi’s smile froze on his face.

CRACK.

He could have sworn he heard the sound of his Dao heart shattering.

’What foul demon is this?!’

’What the hell is this! Is this the price for "not wanting to work hard anymore"?! Is this the so-called shortcut to Cultivation?! My Heart Demon is to become a kept man with absolutely no shame?!’

"Ah!"

Just then, with a CREAK, the carved wooden door was slowly pushed open, and another old woman, dressed in a great red robe and covered in magical artifact rings, walked in.

She was carrying a bowl of thick soup, but when she saw the horrified Wang Xiedi in the corner and the old woman on the bed, the bowl in her hands fell to the floor with a CRASH.

Her cloudy eyes instantly filled with tears as she cried out mournfully:

"You scoundrel! Who is she?!"

"Did Eldest Sister give you more supreme-grade Spirit Stones than I did? Did you forget the vows of eternal love you made to me last night for a paltry three spirit mines?!"

Wang Xiedi: "???"

’It wasn’t me! I didn’t do it! Don’t talk nonsense!’

’What kind of hell-level Heart Demon is this?!’