Fang Xiao, who was eavesdropping from behind, was stunned. "Seriously? That girl really has a little notebook?"
The two hadn't walked far, so Fang Xiao could still hear their conversation.
Lü Shaoqing was also surprised. "No way, are you really that petty?"
Xiao Yi replied, "Those people are annoying, and I want to beat them up."
Lü Shaoqing shook his head. "Tsk, tsk, that's where you're wrong. They paid money to eat here. Customers are like gods—what's wrong with them making a few comments?"
"What do you mean by gods?"
"Uh, think of it like an immortal emperor."
Xiao Yi scoffed, "An immortal emperor wouldn't be so disgusting. Why do they think they can flirt with me just because they're eating?"
"Second Senior Brother, how about you teach them a lesson for me?"
"I even wrote down where they stay or live in Lingxiao City."
Lü Shaoqing's mocking voice continued, "Tsk, tsk, how ruthless."
Xiao Yi retorted angrily, "You were the one who told me to note it all down."
Lü Shaoqing sighed. "Alright, alright, don't take these things too seriously. Besides, if you take revenge on them, what about Boss Fang's business?"
"What if it affects her business? You call her 'Sister Xiao Xiao'—don't you have some sense of loyalty?"
"Try to be a bit more generous, and have a bigger heart."
Hearing this, Fang Xiao was a bit taken aback. "Wow, he's actually considerate. Seems like he's not such a bad guy after all."
Outside, Lü Shaoqing took Xiao Yi's little notebook. "I'll keep this for now."
"From now on, your task is to grasp sword intent and break through to the Foundation Establishment stage within a month."
Xiao Yi was stunned. "Second Senior Brother, but that's not what you said earlier."
Lü Shaoqing explained, "Well, there was someone else present earlier. You shouldn't say things too confidently—if you fail, it'll be embarrassing."
For some reason, Xiao Yi felt a wave of excitement and hope. "Second Senior Brother, what should I do?"
Having seen how powerful her senior brothers were, Xiao Yi was eager to become as strong as them.
Lü Shaoqing said, "Get a good night's rest, and tomorrow, we'll head to the Sword Cave."
"The Sword Cave?" Xiao Yi's face paled. The Sword Cave had left a deep impression on her.
"Second Senior Brother, isn't that too dangerous? Can't we avoid going there?"
Lü Shaoqing looked at her, and Xiao Yi gradually lowered her head.
"Don't worry. I'm not like First Senior Brother—I'm reliable. If I've handled the Sword Cave, nothing will go wrong."
This sounded suspicious to Xiao Yi. If she were to compare, Lü Shaoqing seemed even less reliable than First Senior Brother.
The next morning, Xiao Yi went to find Lü Shaoqing, but he hadn't gotten up yet. Since she and Lü Shaoqing had grown quite close, she didn't hesitate; she knocked on his door.
"Second Senior Brother, wake up!"
There was no response. Instead, a small red bird, Xiao Hong, flew out.
"Xiao Hong, where is Second Senior Brother?"
Xiao Hong nuzzled Xiao Yi's cheek and chirped twice.
"He hasn't woken up yet?" Xiao Yi stomped her foot. "He told me to come early, and now he's still sleeping in. Unbelievable."
Fuming, Xiao Yi tried to push the door open and barge in, but Xiao Hong stopped her, chirping anxiously.
"Xiao Hong, are you saying there's a trap?"
Xiao Hong perched on Xiao Yi's hand and nodded, spreading its wings and chirping again.
"And it's a dangerous one?"
Xiao Yi was startled. She glanced inside but saw nothing unusual. It was just an ordinary hall, much like her own living quarters.
"It looks perfectly normal to me, no danger at all," Xiao Yi said, skeptical.
Xiao Hong chirped again, trying to stop her from going inside.
Xiao Yi patted its head. "Don't worry, I'm not going to wander around. I just want to wake Second Senior Brother up."
She refused to believe that anything dangerous could be lurking inside a familiar house. Ignoring Xiao Hong's warning, she stepped through the door.
The moment she set foot inside, the scenery around her changed rapidly.
When Xiao Yi regained her senses, she found herself standing on the edge of a cliff. The ground beneath her feet was scorched black and barren, stretching into an endless dark wasteland behind her.
Below, a massive, roaring volcano bubbled with molten lava, sending occasional bursts of flames skyward.
The red flames surged with intense heat, rising high into the sky. Waves of scorching air rushed upwards, making Xiao Yi's face flush red as if she were being roasted.
She felt like she was about to be cooked alive. "This can't be real," she thought, panic setting in.
She had just entered her Second Senior Brother's room—how did she end up here? Was it a teleportation array or an illusion trap? Either way, she didn't dare move. Even an illusion could kill.
Xiao Yi began to cry. "Why would Second Senior Brother's house have something like this? What's he up to?"
Not daring to move, Xiao Yi shouted loudly, "Second Senior Brother, it's me, your junior sister!"
Her voice echoed far, but there was no response from Lü Shaoqing.
Suddenly, the lava below began to stir. What had once been a slow roll turned into violent turbulence.
The volcano seemed on the brink of eruption.
It was as if countless fire dragons lay dormant within, now awakening. The churning lava resembled fiery dragons twisting and turning, and the temperature soared. Xiao Yi felt the moisture being drawn from her body, and panic surged. She turned and ran.
But she didn't get far before the ground began to quake violently.
The volcano erupted.
Dark red magma, engulfed in black smoke, surged skyward like a pack of fiery dragons awakened from their slumber, roaring and wreaking havoc.
Lava poured down from above, and Xiao Yi found herself caught in its path.
She instinctively tried to dodge, but the heatwave was unbearable, and the ground beneath her feet began to crack and crumble. The fiery rain of lava splattered around her, filling the air with the scent of molten rock and sulfur. Each splash of lava burned the ground, leaving smoldering craters in its wake.
Xiao Yi's heart pounded. She felt the burning wind whip her face, and the terrifying sight of the fire dragons surging from the lava made her legs weak. The entire world seemed to be engulfed in a sea of flames.
In desperation, she cried out again, "Second Senior Brother, where are you?"
Suddenly, a voice echoed through the air, tinged with a playful tone.
"Junior Sister, you're too reckless. Who told you to walk in so carelessly?"
Lü Shaoqing's voice felt like a lifeline. Xiao Yi looked around frantically, but she couldn't see him anywhere amidst the inferno.
"Second Senior Brother, help me! I don't know what's going on—why am I here?"
With a chuckle, Lü Shaoqing's voice resonated again. "This is a test, Junior Sister. The Sword Cave isn't the only place that can temper your resolve."
Trembling, Xiao Yi realized she had walked right into one of her Second Senior Brother's tricks.
"How can he be so cruel?" she thought, her fear mingling with anger. "Is he testing me or trying to get me killed?"
But even in the face of her fear, she knew she had no choice but to stay calm. It was all part of the training, she reminded herself.
Taking a deep breath, she gathered her courage and focused her energy, trying to stabilize her mind against the intense heat and the terrifying visions around her.
Lü Shaoqing's voice rang out once more, his tone slightly more serious. "If you can overcome this illusion, you'll be one step closer to grasping sword intent. Do you think you're up for the challenge?"
Steeling herself, Xiao Yi nodded resolutely. "I'll do my best, Second Senior Brother."
"Good. Prove to me that you're worthy of walking the same path as your senior brothers."