33: The female protagonist who changed her path of ruthlessness 2

Qin Jiuge looked at her, his eyes filled with mockery: "Su Meng, since you have no heart to Cultivate the Ruthless Dao and harbor resentment towards the Sect, I will give you a choice."

"First, remain in the Sect, start over as an Outer Sect Disciple, and prove your worth with your actions."

"Second, leave the Huanggu Sect now and cease to be a Disciple of the Huanggu Sect from this moment on."

Su Meng's entire body trembled.

Having experienced Rebirth, she had originally intended to use her memories from her past life to seize Opportunities first, strengthen herself, and then take revenge on Ruo Yan and those heartless Senior Brothers.

But now, Ruo Yan's tricks had been exposed on the spot, the Senior Brothers had regained their senses, and her Master had displayed unprecedented strength.

If she left, she would lose the protection of the Sect, and most of the Opportunities from her past life required a Sect background to be obtained.

If she stayed... she would have to start as an Outer Sect Disciple, which was simply a humiliation for her arrogant self.

"I..." Su Meng gritted her teeth, "This Disciple is willing to stay in the Sect!"

She chose to endure.

As long as she remained in the Sect, there would always be a chance to turn things around.

Qin Jiuge seemed to have anticipated her choice, nodding and saying: "Good. Now go report to the Outer Sect and start as a Utility Disciple."

"Remember, the Huanggu Sect does not support idlers. If you want resources, exchange them for contributions."

Having said that, he stopped looking at Su Meng and turned to the crowd, announcing the upcoming reform plans: establishing a contribution system, reopening the trial towers, setting up a Prodigy Ranking, and establishing trade relations with various major Sects...

Every item made the Disciples' blood boil with excitement.

As Su Meng left the plaza dejectedly, she looked back.

Her Master, Qin Jiuge, stood on the high platform, his Aura like a rainbow, as if he could hold up the entire world.

The Senior Brothers surrounded him, their eyes filled with reverence.

As for Ruo Yan, she had already been taken away by the enforcement Disciples, and what awaited her was the fate of having her cultivation abolished and being expelled from the Sect.

"This life seems completely different." Su Meng muttered to herself, but a strong sense of unease rose in her heart.

On the high platform, Qin Jiuge swept his gaze over Su Meng's departing figure, the corners of his mouth slightly raised.

"The game has only just begun."

Three months later.

The changes in the Huanggu Sect were earth-shattering.

The Mountain-protecting Formation covered a radius of a thousand miles, and the Spiritual Qi was so dense it almost turned into liquid.

Nine trial towers rose from the ground, allowing the Disciples to hone their practical combat skills.

Long queues formed in front of the Contribution Hall as Disciples scrambled to exchange for Cultivation Techniques and Medicinal Pills.

The most eye-catching feature was the Prodigy Ranking.

The rankings on the list were updated in real-time; the top 100 could receive extra resource allocation, and the top 10 were even eligible to enter the "Time Secret Realm" to Cultivate, where the flow of time was one-tenth of the outside world—one day of Cultivation was equivalent to ten days.

At this moment, the top three of the Prodigy Ranking were conducting their monthly battle for the top spot in the martial arts arena.

First place, Ye Chen.

Having joined the Sect for only three months, he had soared from a Mortal with no cultivation to the Peak Foundation Establishment Stage, his talent in the Dao of the sword was stunningly brilliant.

Second place, Lin Yan.

Possessing a mysterious flame, he was proficient in Alchemy, Artifact Refining, and combat.

Third place, Lu Ming.

The original Senior Brother, who had broken through to the Nascent Soul stage under Qin Jiuge's guidance, had greatly increased his strength.

As for Su Meng... She stood at the edge of the crowd, watching the three radiant figures on the stage, her nails digging deeply into her palms.

For these three months, as an Outer Sect Utility Disciple, she had done the most bitter and tiring work every day: sweeping the mountain gate, cleaning the beast garden, transporting supplies... and her time to Cultivate was pitifully little.

She had also tried to obtain contributions by completing Sect missions, but every time she received the lowest-level tasks, and the contribution points were negligible.

What made her even angrier was that every time she went to the Scripture Pavilion to exchange for a Cultivation Technique, she would be fobbed off with various excuses—either her contributions were insufficient, the Cultivation Technique had just been borrowed, or her cultivation level was not suitable for that Cultivation Technique.

It was obvious that someone was targeting her.

Su Meng knew that this must be the arrangement of her Master, Qin Jiuge.

He was punishing her and suppressing her in this way.

"Just you wait." A cold light flashed in Su Meng's eyes, "When I obtain that Opportunity, everything will change."

Her greatest reliance after returning from Rebirth was her memories from her past life.

For three months, she had been secretly inquiring and finally confirmed one thing: three days later, an ancient Cultivator's Immortal Cave would open in the "Mist Valley," three thousand miles northwest of the Huanggu Sect.

In her past life, this Immortal Cave was discovered by chance by a Loose Cultivator, who obtained the "Nine-Turn Golden Core" and a Heaven Rank Cultivation Technique from it, breaking through to the Soul Transformation stage in one fell swoop.

In this life, she would get it first!

Three days later, Su Meng made an excuse to go down the mountain to purchase supplies and quietly left the Huanggu Sect.

What she did not know was that just as she left, Qin Jiuge received the news.

Inside the Sect Master's Hall, Qin Jiuge was discussing the Sect Grand Competition with several Elders.

"Sect Master, Su Meng has left the Sect without permission. Should we send someone to bring her back?" The Enforcement Elder asked.

Qin Jiuge chuckled: "No need. Let her go."

"But..." "I have my own arrangements." Qin Jiuge waved his hand to interrupt: "Continue talking about the Grand Competition."

"This time, we must not only invite nearby Sects but also send invitations to those major Sects in the Central Plains."

"The Central Plains?" The Elders were shocked, "Sect Master, although our Huanggu Sect has developed rapidly recently, compared to those behemoths in the Central Plains, we are still..."

"I said invite, so we will invite." Qin Jiuge's tone was flat but carried an unquestionable majesty, "At the Grand Competition three months from now, I want the entire Cultivation World to know that the Huanggu Sect is back."

The Elders looked at each other and finally bowed in agreement.

After everyone withdrew, Qin Jiuge looked toward the northwest, a playful glint flashing in his eyes.

"An ancient Cultivator's Immortal Cave in the Mist Valley? Indeed, not bad."

"However, the trials there are not that simple."

He raised his hand and slashed through the air; a water mirror appeared, showing Su Meng's figure rushing along.

"Let me see how far you can get in this life."

Outside the Mist Valley, Su Meng cautiously observed her surroundings.

The valley was covered in fog all year round, with visibility of less than ten feet, and her Divine Sense was greatly suppressed here.

In her past life, that Loose Cultivator had stumbled into this place while avoiding enemies and accidentally triggered a Restriction, discovering the Immortal Cave.

Su Meng followed the route in her memory, groping her way forward through the fog.

Half an hour later, she stopped in front of a stone wall.

"This is the place." Su Meng bit her finger and smeared blood on a specific spot on the stone wall.

The stone wall vibrated and slowly opened a gap.

Su Meng felt a surge of joy and flashed inside.

The interior of the Immortal Cave was larger than she had imagined, as if it were a separate world.

In the center, there was a white jade platform, and three items were floating on it: a golden, shining Medicinal Pill, an ancient book, and a cyan longsword.

"Nine-Turn Golden Core! A Heaven Rank Cultivation Technique! And this sword..." Su Meng trembled with excitement.

She stepped forward quickly, reaching out to grab them.

Just then, a playful voice sounded: "Young lady, those who see it share it. It's not very nice for you to take it all by yourself, is it?"

Su Meng was alarmed and turned to look, only to see three black-robed figures who had appeared at the entrance, looking at her with a smirk.

The leader was a middle-aged man with a sinister face, and his cultivation was shockingly at the Peak Golden Core Stage!

"Who are you?" Su Meng stepped back, her hand pressing on the hilt of her sword.

"Blood Fiend Sect, Li Wuhen." The middle-aged man licked his lips, "I didn't expect to have such a harvest just by following a little girl."

"We will take the things in this Immortal Cave. As for you... you look pretty good, we'll take you back to be a Cauldron."

The other two men leered and surrounded her.

Su Meng's heart sank to the bottom.

The Blood Fiend Sect was a famous Evil Path Sect in the vicinity, whose members were ruthless and loved to abduct female Cultivators to be Cauldrons.

In her past life, she had heard of Li Wuhen's name; this person had tortured and killed dozens of female Cultivators and had a notorious reputation.

With her current cultivation, facing one Peak Golden Core Stage and two Late Foundation Establishment Stage Cultivators, she had no chance of winning.

"I, I am a Disciple of the Huanggu Sect!" Su Meng tried to use the Sect to intimidate the other party.

"Huanggu Sect?" Li Wuhen was stunned, then burst into laughter, "That bankrupt, down-and-out Sect? Don't say you are a Disciple of the Huanggu Sect; even if you were the Sect Master's direct Disciple, you would still have to come with us today!"

Having said that, he attacked directly, a blood-colored giant hand grabbing toward Su Meng.

Su Meng gritted her teeth and drew her sword, the sword light blooming, but it only shattered half of the blood-colored giant hand, and the remaining power still struck at her.

She barely dodged, but was shaken and retreated, spitting blood.

"Oh? Not bad sword skills." A look of surprise flashed in Li Wuhen's eyes, "But it's useless."

He attacked again, this time with three blood shadows rushing toward Su Meng from three directions.

Su Meng was desperate.

After experiencing Rebirth, was she going to die here?

Just then, the Immortal Cave suddenly shook violently.

A golden light descended from the roof of the cave, precisely enveloping Su Meng.

When the blood shadows touched the golden light, they instantly melted like snow meeting fire.

"Who is it?!" Li Wuhen was shocked.

In the golden light, a figure slowly emerged.

Dressed in white as snow, standing with his hands behind his back, it was none other than Qin Jiuge.

"Sect Master!" Su Meng was pleasantly surprised.

Qin Jiuge didn't even look at her, his gaze falling on Li Wuhen and the other two: "Scum of the Blood Fiend Sect, you dare to touch people from my Huanggu Sect?"

"You, you are the Sect Master of the Huanggu Sect?" Li Wuhen felt the unfathomable Aura of the other party and was horrified in his heart, "Impossible! The Sect Master of the Huanggu Sect is only at the Void Tempering stage, how could you possibly..."

"Void Tempering?" Qin Jiuge chuckled and pointed a finger casually.

Li Wuhen couldn't even resist, his body instantly exploding into a mist of blood, his Divine Soul Flying Away and Spirit Scattering.

The other two were scared out of their wits and turned to flee.

Qin Jiuge flicked his fingers twice more, and the two followed in Li Wuhen's footsteps.

The whole process was understated, like crushing three ants.

Su Meng watched in stunned silence.

She knew her Master was strong, but she didn't expect him to be this strong—a Peak Golden Core Stage Cultivator, killed just like that, without him even moving his hands.

"Sect, Sect Master, why are you here?" Su Meng asked cautiously.

Only then did Qin Jiuge look at her, his eyes cold: "Leaving the Sect without permission, what is your crime?"