Painful groans and strange bursts of laughter echoed from the Stairway of Seeking the Dao.
Many disciples stood frozen in place. After a brief daze, they lost their footing and tumbled back down the steps.
This was what happened when one’s Dao Heart lacked purity and became seduced by an Inner Demon.
The steward in charge exchanged a mysterious smile with Elder Sun.
Both of them saw the same anticipation reflected in each other’s eyes.
That girl…
She’ll definitely react even more dramatically.
Even more crazily.
After all, even the outer sect disciples who had genuinely passed the first trial through their own strength could not withstand the Inner Demon trial of the Stairway of Seeking the Dao.
How could a mere early Qi Refinement cultivator who had cheated her way through possibly endure it?
The two men fixed their eyes on Xie Zhengxing.
However…
What unfolded before them was nothing like they had imagined.
The young woman calmly climbed the stairs one step at a time, passing disciple after disciple who had already fallen victim to their Inner Demons.
Her expression remained utterly relaxed.
Her footsteps were steady and unhurried.
Elder Sun involuntarily leaned backward.
“???”
The steward beside him voiced the question both of them were thinking.
“Sect Elder… what’s going on?”
It wasn’t only Elder Sun and the steward who were astonished.
Even Xie Zhengxing herself was thoroughly puzzled.
Why hadn’t her Inner Demon appeared yet?
Deliberately, she slowed her pace.
She was genuinely curious about what her own Inner Demon would look like.
【Awake at 3 A.M.: Spirits above, spirits below… please let Xingxing’s Inner Demon appear…】
【Little Hut: What exactly is an Inner Demon? They don’t exist in our world. I really want to broaden my horizons.】
【Your Strong One Has Arrived: May the Emperor of the Federation bless us! Please let our streamer finally meet her Inner Demon today!】
Xie Zhengxing clasped her hands together as well and prayed earnestly.
“Whether I stick my head out or hide it, it’s still one slash either way.”
“Inner Demon, hurry up and come out.”
“Let’s hit our KPIs so we can both get off work sooner.”
The instant she finished speaking—
A blurry, azure-colored figure suddenly appeared before her.
Xie Zhengxing’s eyes widened.
It had appeared!
The livestream chat immediately erupted in excitement.
【Your Strong One Has Arrived: Finally! The streamer’s Inner Demon has appeared!】
【Who Do You Think You Are: So that’s what an Inner Demon looks like? It kind of resembles a mesoparticle… It doesn’t seem dangerous at all. Wouldn’t a gust of wind blow it away?】
【Even Dogs Get Kicked When I Pass By: According to the ancient references I’ve read, Inner Demons are usually related to a person’s past experiences or deepest obsessions. So… this thing is hers?】
While the viewers speculated enthusiastically…
Xie Zhengxing rubbed her chin and stepped closer, carefully examining the bluish figure.
It looked…
Completely ordinary.
It possessed neither an imposing aura nor extraordinary beauty.
It didn’t even have a complete face.
She couldn’t help muttering,
“My Inner Demon looks kind of weak…”
Hearing her mumbling, the blue figure fell silent for a moment.
Xie Zhengxing waved her hand dismissively.
“Forget it.”
“Since you’re already here…”
“Come on, Inner Demon.”
“Show me how terrifying you are.”
If this Inner Demon turned out to be entertaining…
It might make for excellent livestream content.
“Heh.”
The blue figure actually laughed in exasperation.
“Show you my ass…”
Xie Zhengxing blinked.
“…Wait.”
“Why is my Inner Demon so rude?”
“As a streamer, I’m always polite.”
“I promote truth, kindness, beauty, love, and peace.”
“If I spread negative energy, the platform gives me warnings.”
The blue figure visibly fluctuated several times before finally roaring at her.
“HAVEN’T YOU FIGURED IT OUT YET?!”
“I’M NOT YOUR INNER DEMON!”
“I’M THE STAIRWAY SPIRIT OF THE STAIRWAY OF SEEKING THE DAO!!”
Rows of translucent question marks floated across the livestream.
【Little Hut: ???】
【Awake at 3 A.M.: So it’s not Xingxing’s Inner Demon… That’s kind of disappointing.】
【Don’t Date Someone You Found in a Dumpster: Sigh… What a letdown.】
【Who Do You Think You Are: According to ancient records, weapon spirits, stone spirits, and all those other spirits are always either devastatingly handsome men or stunning beauties. Why is this guy… just… nothing?】
The viewers weren’t the only disappointed ones.
After a brief moment of shock, Xie Zhengxing also sighed.
“If you’re the Stairway Spirit…”
“Why were you standing in front of me pretending to be an Inner Demon?”
The blue figure exploded with rage.
“When did I ever pretend to be your Inner Demon?!”
“I was about to ask you!“
“You don’t even have a Dao Heart anymore!”
“You don’t have the slightest desire to attain the Dao or become immortal!”
“So what exactly are you doing participating in a Dao Heart Trial?!”
The Stairway Spirit truly felt speechless.
A Dao Heart Trial examined one’s Dao Heart.
If someone didn’t even possess a Dao Heart…
Where would an Inner Demon come from?
And she actually had the nerve to look disappointed!
Xie Zhengxing froze before laughing awkwardly.
“Oh…”
“So if you don’t have a Dao Heart…”
“You don’t get an Inner Demon.”
“Ha…”
“Ha…”
“Ha…”
The Stairway Spirit took a deep breath.
Grinding his teeth, he growled,
“Enough.”
“Get lost already.”
“Stop occupying the toilet when you aren’t even going to use it.”
After angrily throwing out those words, the blue figure disappeared in the blink of an eye.
【Who Do You Think You Are: Hahaha! I take back what I said earlier about him being nothing. He is something—he’s an idiot! When he got angry, he accidentally insulted himself too!】
【Don’t Date Someone You Found in a Dumpster: ‘Occupying the toilet without using it.’ Legendary.】
Xie Zhengxing rubbed her nose.
“Such a terrible temper.”
“Careful, or you’ll end up with breast nodules.”
After saying that, she stopped wasting time.
She easily passed the disciples who remained crouched on the stairs, trapped by their Inner Demons.
Half running and half skipping…
She bounded all the way to the summit.
By the time she arrived, many disciples had already reached the top.
Du Xinbao was among them.
Apparently, their struggle against their Inner Demons had consumed an enormous amount of mental energy.
Every one of them looked pale and exhausted.
They all sat with their eyes closed, silently recovering.
Only Xie Zhengxing stood there as though nothing had happened.
Her face wasn’t even flushed.
She wasn’t breathing heavily in the slightest.
The immortal-looking elder with white hair and youthful features exchanged glances with the steward beside him.
Both wore expressions of utter disbelief.
This girl’s Dao Heart…
Could actually be this unwavering?
Impossible.
Absolutely impossible.
Yet the Stairway of Seeking the Dao could not lie.
She had genuinely passed the second trial.
The golden sun gradually dipped toward the horizon.
Warm orange evening light bathed the distant mountain peaks in shimmering gold.
Standing beneath the glow of the setting sun, Elder Sun and the steward wore identical expressions—
Shock.
Confusion.
And the bitterness of having been thoroughly proven wrong.
Half an hour later…
Some disciples had fallen from the staircase.
Others had reached the summit.
At last, the Stairway of Seeking the Dao stood completely empty.
The Outer Sect Promotion Tournament had officially come to an end.
After the results were tallied—
One hundred twenty-eight disciples had passed the early Foundation Establishment challenge.
Fifty-two had passed the middle Foundation Establishment challenge.
Twenty-eight had passed the late Foundation Establishment challenge.
And only fifteen had successfully cleared the Foundation Establishment Great Perfection challenge.
Everyone lined up according to the highest Foundation Establishment opponent they had defeated during the first trial.
They then began receiving their Inner Sect formal disciple tokens and selecting the disciple courtyards where they would reside from then on.
Elder Sun handed a token toward Xie Zhengxing.
His eyes resembled two searchlights as he carefully scrutinized her from head to toe.
Xie Zhengxing thanked him and reached out to accept the Inner Sect disciple token—
It didn’t move.
The old geezer was gripping it with all his strength.
【Riding Grandma Across the Galaxy: He’s not convinced. His eyes are practically screaming that he suspects the streamer.】
【Awake at 3 A.M.: Holy crap! This old geezer clearly doesn’t want Xingxing to have the disciple token!】
Didn’t want to give it to her?
She had legitimately passed the promotion tournament.
Whether he liked it or not…
He had no choice.
Xie Zhengxing secretly put more strength into her grip.
She twisted left.
Twisted right.
Only then did she finally snatch the token away from Elder Sun’s hand.
Forcing a smile onto her face, she looked up at him.
“Many thanks, Sect Elder.”