The gap between true lineages is greater than that between humans and dogs.

"Senior Brother Zhong Yi, there's something off about this trial."

As soon as she exited the illusion, Mu Yawen frowned, her tone grave.

"What do you mean?"

Zhong Yi, on the other hand, looked as if he hadn’t had enough.

If Mu Yawen hadn’t stopped him, he would’ve continued the trial.

After dying over a dozen times, he felt he’d finally grasped some tricks.

Given another run, breaking five hundred steps wouldn’t be a problem.

"The demonic beast in there… I can’t kill it!"

"..."

Zhong Yi felt his head throb.

"Is there a chance it’s not meant to be killed…?"

"As a righteous sect disciple, how can we not slay a demonic beast when we see one?"

Mu Yawen retorted righteously.

"..."

Zhong Yi was momentarily speechless.

"Junior Brother, this trial is designed for outer disciples to train their survival skills."

"Oh! So because outer disciples can’t defeat a beast of this level, they can only flee!"

"Exactly."

"Then why not have them temper their bodies at the Refining Gold Peak first? Strength comes from the fists!"

"...Forget I said anything."

"But this trial is quite unique. The escape process is fun—no wonder it’s so popular."

"Oh? So Junior Brother Mu tried fleeing too? How far did you get?"

Zhong Yi raised an eyebrow, a hint of smugness in his heart.

Just as he was about to boast about nearly reaching the five-hundred-step mark, Mu Yawen suddenly answered:

"Five hundred and three steps."

"..."

"And you, Senior Brother?"

"Ah, why hasn’t Junior Sister Li Moran come out of the illusion yet? Could she be in trouble?"

Zhong Yi swiftly changed the subject.

Nearby, Li Moran’s delicate brows were slightly furrowed, as if she’d encountered difficulty.

"Seems Junior Sister Li’s escape isn’t going smoothly either!"

Zhong Yi felt somewhat comforted.

Usually, no matter how grueling the trial, his junior sister’s expression never wavered.

Yet here, in Demonic Sect Escape, she was actually frowning?

Truly, even geniuses have their weaknesses.

Losing to Junior Brother Mu wasn’t so shameful after all.

United in shared struggle, Zhong Yi felt a sliver of solace.

Just then, Li Moran suddenly opened her eyes.

Clearly, she’d just exited the illusion.

"Junior Sister, how was it?"

Zhong Yi quickly asked with cheerful concern.

"This illusion shows no traces of the demonic path. It must be the work of a master."

Li Moran nodded faintly.

"You seemed troubled earlier. Did you run into any difficulties?"

"Not exactly difficulties."

Li Moran didn’t hide it, answering calmly:

"After three thousand steps, the path’s shifting speed increased drastically… Then forks appeared with no hints. Choosing wrong meant death. I was just a bit puzzled."

"...You ran how many steps? Three thousand???"

Zhong Yi thought he’d misheard.

He’d been proud of his five hundred steps, yet his junior sister had run three thousand?

The gap between true disciples was wider than that between men and dogs!

"My final score was… five thousand three hundred steps."

Li Moran’s face showed no trace of pride, answering as if it were nothing.

"Senior Brother, the top score on the leaderboard was only four thousand."

Mu Yawen reminded him.

Zhong Yi had exited too hastily earlier and hadn’t noticed the leaderboard.

Now, the top spot was occupied by Li Moran’s name.

Second place was an inner disciple he knew—a Golden Core cultivator with a score just under four thousand.

Third was an outer disciple he didn’t recognize, but outer disciples couldn’t surpass Foundation Establishment. Yet their score was three thousand eight hundred.

Fourth, fifth…

...

The more Zhong Yi looked, the more he felt like a clown for his earlier self-satisfaction.

In the past, it was rare for outer disciples to surpass inner disciples in anything.

Let alone true disciples.

Yet Demonic Sect Escape had made it possible.

And—

whether inner or outer disciples, even he himself was utterly captivated by the game.

He couldn’t wait to play another round!

"Among three companions, there must be one who can teach me! Even true disciples aren’t superior in everything!"

Zhong Yi couldn’t help but sigh.

"Senior Brother, Junior Sister Li is superior in everything…"

Mu Yawen pointed out.

"..."

Zhong Yi glared at Mu Yawen, regretting bringing him along. The latter remained oblivious.

"Senior Brother, look! The leaderboard updated!"

At Mu Yawen’s reminder, Zhong Yi and Li Moran checked the board.

First place was now held by a player named "Nameless," with a staggering score of five thousand six hundred steps!

"Damn, there’s a master among us! The sect truly hides dragons and crouches tigers!"

Zhong Yi exclaimed in awe.

Li Moran stared at the top score, her gaze flickering.

She despised being second to anyone—even in games.

Originally, she’d planned to end the trial and return to the Sword Inquiry Peak to practice her swordsmanship.

Now, she wasn’t so eager to leave.

"By the way, can we use fake names in this trial…?"

Seeing that aside from "Nameless," every other name was real, Zhong Yi fell into deep thought.

By tomorrow,

the news of true disciple Li Moran breaking five thousand steps on her first attempt would spread like wildfire.

If others found out that he, another true disciple, had only managed five hundred…

"Tsk…"

Zhong Yi sucked in a cold breath.

"I need to change my name too!"

"?" Mu Yawen looked puzzled. "Why would you change your name?"

"I mean in the trial… Zhong Yi isn’t imposing enough."

Zhong Yi made up an excuse.

"Then I’ll change mine too."

"Suit yourself."

......

......

Lu Ze sat in the control room, wiping sweat from his brow.

Seeing Li Moran re-enter the game, he finally relaxed.

Close call!

The big spender almost got away!

Earlier, he’d deliberately logged in and scored just slightly higher than Li Moran.

As the game’s designer, he knew the correct way to clear it.

While the illusion sealed all cultivation and innate abilities, basic physical talent remained.

The Primordial Chaos Demon Physique granted him exceptional innate stats, and with his past life’s experience, this was child’s play.

As long as he kept Li Moran stimulated, ensuring her daily playtime, his path to immortality would progress faster.

Amused, he watched the trio’s gameplay.

Li Moran was a given.

In his past life, she’d have been a prodigy gamer—a genius beauty. Without the Primordial Chaos Demon Physique, Lu Ze wouldn’t have dared claim superiority.

Mu Yawen lacked finesse but made up for it with sheer enthusiasm, playing with glee.

As for Zhong Yi…

Of the three, he loved Demonic Sect Escape the most—but was also the worst at it.

Every time he died, he’d analyze his mistakes aloud, praising the level design’s brilliance…

A total chatterbox.

Each time these three died, they contributed varying amounts of Demon Path Points.

Mu Yawen yielded the least, while Zhong Yi provided the most.

The cumulative total of these points was undoubtedly staggering.

Among them, Lu Ze had the highest hopes for Zhong Yi.

Given the man's habit of being reckless yet incompetent, he alone could contribute several hundred Demon Path Points in a single day...

Just as Lu Ze was secretly gloating, a system notification suddenly rang in his ears:

[Host has impressed the righteous cultivator Zhong Yi with sheer strength, earning his admiration. Randomly acquiring one of his abilities.]

[Reward obtained: Ten Years of Martial Arts Experience.]