Junior Brother Lu still has some conscience, not making things difficult all the time.

Phoenix Fire Pavilion.

The temporary residence of Qingshan Sect disciples.

"What!? You're saying... disciples from other sects are all challenging that illusion realm!?"

Yang Zhengxin could hardly believe what he was hearing.

The illusion realm created by Lu Ze—he would never set foot in it again in this lifetime!

Yet, according to the sect disciples,

disciples from the other four major sects were all frantically competing for the leaderboard!

"That's right... and the Lingxiao Sect even hung the rankings right in the center of the Spirit Gathering Hall for everyone to see!"

The inner sect disciple delivering the news said with a bitter expression.

"Then, how are the other sects performing?"

"The Tianxuan Sect and Lingxiao Sect are fighting for first place, followed by the Cloud Immortal Palace, with the Infinite Sword Sect trailing behind."

"Such enthusiasm..."

After hearing the report, Yang Zhengxin frowned.

He still looked down on Lu Ze's illusion realm.

Yet somehow, it had become a benchmark for sect prestige.

Even if he despised it, he had to consider the sect's reputation.

At the very least, he had to think about his own face.

According to the disciple, his current score was dead last...

"What about Xu Huoyao? Has he participated?" Yang Zhengxin quickly asked.

Xu Huoyao was Qingshan Sect's most outstanding true disciple in recent years, with exceptional comprehension.

If true disciples from other sects were making a name for themselves, Yang Zhengxin believed Xu Huoyao wouldn't lag far behind.

The sect's reputation naturally rested on Xu Huoyao's shoulders.

"Senior Brother Xu? He..."

Before the inner sect disciple could finish, a commotion erupted outside.

"Senior Brother! Don’t be rash... calm down!!"

"Get out of my way! All of you, scram!! I’m going to the Artifact Refining Pavilion right now to smash his head in—let’s see if his spikes are harder or my fists!!!"

"..."

Yang Zhengxin’s hopeful smile froze on his face.

He stood and pushed the door open.

The one shouting outside was none other than true disciple Xu Huoyao.

At that moment, he was being restrained by another true disciple and two inner sect disciples, his black-purple flames erupting uncontrollably.

Clearly, he was furious.

"Fool! Stop this at once!" Yang Zhengxin roared.

A surge of divine might descended, suppressing the wild flames.

"Master..." Xu Huoyao, regaining his senses, hastily bowed. "Forgive me... I acted recklessly..."

"Hmph. Just days ago, I praised your improved temperament to the other elders... What drove you to such fury?" Yang Zhengxin asked coldly.

"I wanted to restore our sect’s honor, so I bought a mini illusion tower and the illusion crystal for Are You a Cultivator? Descend 100 Floors."

"But who knew... it would be so insidious..."

"Those spikes didn’t feel like preset traps—they seemed alive, dodging wherever I moved!"

"I suspect that Lu Ze is manipulating it behind the scenes to humiliate our Qingshan Sect..."

"That’s why I..."

The moment Xu Huoyao recalled his ordeal in Are You a Cultivator? Descend 100 Floors, his face twisted with rage.

He had always been hot-tempered.

After such humiliation, he was beyond furious.

"..."

Yang Zhengxin was speechless.

He had been counting on Xu Huoyao to turn things around.

Yet here he was, even more unhinged than himself...

"Forget it. Focus on preparing for the upcoming martial demonstration."

Yang Zhengxin waved his hand irritably.

"This ranking isn’t worth it."

"When the real competition begins... we’ll show them our true strength!"

......

Lingxiao Peak.

The cultivation hall reserved for true disciples.

Months ago, no one would have imagined that the high-tier illusion tower for true disciples would now be running a crude, low-budget illusion realm.

Inside Zhong Yi’s Are You a Cultivator? Descend 100 Floors, maddened curses and laughter echoed endlessly.

After countless trials,

he still couldn’t fathom Lu Ze’s twisted design.

Take the last attempt, for example.

He entered a new level, saw two apple trees, and immediately sensed danger.

Sure enough, walking past got him crushed by falling apples.

At the second tree, he wised up.

He baited the apple to drop, then dodged with a backflip.

Zhong Yi thought he had cracked the code.

Then he approached the third tree, poised to jump—

Guess what?

The ground wrinkled up and smothered him to death.

At this point, Zhong Yi was still holding on.

But when the fourth tree’s apples stayed put while the trunk zoomed sideways to flatten him, he started losing it.

Then the fifth tree, the sixth...

...

By the time he thought he was about to clear the stage,

a crow swooped in, grabbed the tree, and bludgeoned him to death.

Even someone as steadfast as Zhong Yi couldn’t take it anymore.

He exited the illusion and unleashed his fury on a training dummy.

Mu Yawen watched, stunned.

The dummy was forged from pliant steel, reinforced with advanced formations—nearly indestructible.

Yet Zhong Yi, a cultivator who rarely resorted to brute force, almost pummeled it to scrap with bare fists...

......

Much later.

"I—I’m about to set a new record!!! I’m gonna clear it!!!!"

Zhong Yi’s triumphant roar shook the entire hall.

The outburst yanked Mu Yawen out of his own illusion, and he peered curiously at Zhong Yi’s projected screen.

"Senior Brother, I thought you were going for first place... Turns out you’re just beating your own score."

"A journey of a thousand miles begins—"

"Senior Brother, you’re still 18 levels behind the top rank."

"...Junior Brother Mu, why are you so free? Go cultivate."

"Oh..."

Mu Yawen slunk away.

Zhong Yi’s path to victory was paved with suffering.

Mainly because his reflexes were terrible.

Others relied on talent and speed.

Zhong Yi brute-forced his way through sheer repetition.

Gazing at the new level, he sighed deeply.

He had finally breached ten floors, earning a respectable spot in the top 500 rankings.

"Ha! More apples? Bring it! Let’s see if you can touch me!"

Zhong Yi’s declaration was bold.

At the center of the map, a cannon spewed red apples in a steady stream.

Countless deaths had taught him one thing: everything here was deceitful.

Not just the apples.

Even a blade of grass could be a death trap.

The worst was when he spotted a soul-gathering array and instinctively tried to activate a respawn point.

Turns out, even that could be fake...

Dodging the slow-moving apples with ease, Zhong Yi scoffed.

"Ha. Junior Brother Lu still has some mercy left—it’s not all impossible."

He shook his head with a smile, effortlessly evading wave after wave.

Just as he thought he’d survived unscathed,

a line of text blazed across the sky:

[How many red apples appeared just now?]

"?????"

Zhong Yi’s face twitched violently.

You’ve got to be kidding me...