C79 Devil Sect Holy Maiden Likes Me

One of the four disciples clad in black spoke up, "The time has come to open the first stage of the Sky Steps."

Jiang Su gave him a nod of acknowledgment.

Yang Tian inhaled deeply, reassuring himself, "Perhaps Jiang Su is just guessing. My cultivation level surpasses his, so I ought to have confidence. There's no way Jiang Su can defeat me."

At that moment, a diverse crowd had gathered at the base of the First Devil Sect's mountain. Among them were brawny men, teenagers around sixteen or seventeen, and even young children.

They were all there with the same purpose: to join the First Devil Sect.

The air buzzed with their incessant chatter, filled with discussions about the First Devil Sect and the three trials that awaited any new disciple seeking entry.

Standing at the sect's gate, Jiang Su watched as a Water Mirror materialized before him, reflecting the scene at the mountain's base.

His gaze swept over the crowd. The Heavenly Eye's true power would only manifest when someone stood directly before him, so for now, he was merely searching for a potential favorite.

Their chatter was endless, but Jiang Su paid it no mind until a child caught his attention.

Dressed in a black robe, down to his black shoes, the child's gaze was fixed forward, his indifference to his surroundings palpable in his icy demeanor.

Jiang Su watched him intently. Sensing the scrutiny, the child's eyes found Jiang Su beyond the Water Mirror with unsettling accuracy.

This child piqued his interest.

He decided to keep a watchful eye on him going forward.

"Did you hear? Elder Chiu Yue of the First Devil Sect has surprisingly taken a mere cook as his disciple," someone mentioned.

"He's just fortunate to have been chosen by the Ancestral Dragon Martial Spirit. Otherwise, what business would a cook have becoming Elder Chiu Yue's disciple?"

Many voiced their discontent with Jiang Su, feeling it unjust for him to be named the Head Disciple.

Jiang Su was taken aback. He was aware that his new status as Elder Chiu Yue's Head Disciple would be widely known across the Ten Devil Domains, but he hadn't anticipated that keeping his spiritual root, spirit vein, and abilities a secret would lead to such widespread skepticism.

He wasn't bothered by it, but he wouldn't tolerate anyone using it as an excuse to cast doubt on his master, Elder Chiu Yue.

Yang Tian caught these words too. He shot a glance at Jiang Su and suggested, "Eldest Senior Brother, when it's time for the others to test their spiritual roots, why not demonstrate yours publicly? Show everyone the extent of your strength."

Jiang Su's mind flashed back to the moment the Ring of Chaos absorbed the Empyrean Thunder Lightning. Besides, for years, the Spirit Testing Stones in the Cultivation World had only been able to detect spiritual roots composed of the Five Elements. They had never encountered a Celestial Spiritual Root. Therefore, he needed to figure out a way to ensure the Spirit Testing Stone would reveal just one of his Single Spiritual Roots.

Alternatively, he could fabricate a spiritual root, like a Thunder Spiritual Root.

"Sure."

Yang Tian was initially stunned by Jiang Su's response. Had he completed the task given by Elder Bai Yih that easily?

Lately, Yang Tian had been sensing something off about Elder Bai Yih. Why would he fear an Inner Sect disciple with far less cultivation? And why did he instruct them to probe into Jiang Su's aptitude?

As a Nascent Infant Stage Expert, Elder Bai Yih could simply use a talisman to test Jiang Su's spiritual roots upon contact. He just needed to approach Jiang Su or Elder Chiu Yue to discuss it.

How peculiar.

Jiang Su figured, if Bai Yih was so eager to uncover his spiritual root, he might as well oblige.

Through the Water Mirror's reflection, they had begun their ascent of the Heavenly Stairway.

The crowd surged energetically upwards.

Initially, the throng was dense. But as they climbed, the distance between them stretched out. Leading the pack were two youths, one of whom was the black-robed young man Jiang Su had his eye on.

He didn't bother to wipe the sweat from his brow, just kept pressing forward with unwavering determination.

The other, clearly a scion of wealth, was also doggedly climbing.

By now, they had made it to the midpoint of the Thousand Steps.

"You sure have a knack for climbing. I'm at my limit. I'm not going to vie for first place anymore. After all, reaching the top is all it takes to pass."

The black-robed youth paid no attention to the wealthy young man. He strode ahead, seemingly oblivious to the only peer who could match his pace.

"Are you deaf? I've changed my mind. I'm going to challenge you for the top spot!"

Jiang Su observed the two youths most likely to reach the mountain summit first. He planned to assess their abilities more closely later on.

If they could ascend the thousand steps without pausing for breath, their prospects were indeed promising.

Yang Tian had little interest in watching the youngsters scale the steps, a spectacle he had witnessed countless times before. His current concern was discovering Jiang Su's spiritual root.

"Eldest Senior Brother," a woman's voice called out.

Startled, Jiang Su realized he had been so engrossed in the Water Mirror that he hadn't noticed her approach.

He turned to find Shen Yunqing holding a stool, her eyes brimming with tears.

Yang Tian had already sensed a distinctively familiar spirit breath, tinged with a sweet scent. He had suspected it was Shen Yunqing. Seeing her confirmed his guess, and his eyes sparkled with excitement. He hastily straightened his clothes, vigorously patting away dust to the point of nearly ripping the fabric.

Upon noticing Shen Yunqing's tearful eyes, Yang Tian struck what he believed to be an impressively suave pose. "Junior Sister Yunqing, what's troubling you? Share it with me. I've recently acquired a treasure, which I'll present to you shortly."

As he uttered those words, Jiang Su couldn't help but think of him as a dog eager to win its owner's favor.

Shen Yunqing's gaze remained fixed on Jiang Su, utterly disregarding Yang Tian. But Yang Tian wasn't the least bit embarrassed; such indifference was nothing new to him.

The Holy Maiden of the Devil Sect was the object of many a male cultivator's fantasies in the Devil Domain. Yang Tian understood that not winning her affections was the norm, even though he had known her since their early days in the sect.

Jiang Su greeted her with a smile, "Hello, Junior Sister."

Bypassing Yang Tian, who stood in her way, Shen Yunqing approached Jiang Su. She placed the stool on the ground and offered, "Senior Brother, you must be tired from standing. Please, take a seat here."

The modern concept of "ladies first" was firmly etched in Jiang Su's mind. He would never take a seat on the bench if it meant a lady was left standing.

Diverging from the awkward moment, he inquired, "Junior Sister Yunqing, are your eyes red from chopping onions in the kitchen?"

Shen Yunqing couldn't help but laugh, though her voice carried a hint of sadness. "You were hurt in the Compendium Pavilion three days ago, and I didn't come to see you. I didn't even know about it until today. My master confined me to my room for not mastering the Jade Lady's Heart Sutra."

After her explanation, she turned to Jiang Su, who, upon meeting her gaze, perceived an unexpected depth of feeling.

A thought struck Jiang Su. Could Shen Yunqing have feelings for him? Yet, they barely knew each other.