Chapter 59

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Chapter 59: Is That All? Mu Lin Blasts the Crowd

During his first attempt at the Tower of Illusions, Mu Lin charged straight to the enemy base. In his second assessment, he lured out the foes and slaughtered them.

His swift execution allowed him to clear two levels within mere moments—barely an hour of meditation. Outside, many students hoping to mock him hadn’t even finished their own preparations.

When Mu Lin suddenly reappeared, some gaped in disbelief, blurting out: "Out already? Trash stays trash—no powerful ally can change your rotten luck…"

"Tch. You’re just holding Miss Chu Lingluo back…"

By conventional logic, they assumed even with Chu Lingluo’s help, clearing the second level would take significant time. Mu Lin’s rapid exit surely meant failure. Too busy jeering, none bothered checking the Tower of Illusions’ surface.

Yet instead of shame, Mu Lin’s lips curled into a faint smirk. This infuriated his envious critics further.

"Zero dignity after failing, you—"

The taunt died mid-sentence. Letters shifted on the Tower’s façade—Mu Lin and Chu Lingluo’s names now blazed across the second level. Success.

The crowd froze.

"Impossible!"

"How’d he stop the ambush?"

"At this rate… could they have beaten the third level?"

Silence swallowed the scene. Finally, someone croaked:

"S-so what if they cleared three levels? All Chu Lingluo’s doing! That trash contributed nothing!"

Disdain made them credit Chu Lingluo alone. Normally, such claims drew eager agreement. Now, only sparse murmurs answered.

They hated Mu Lin but weren’t fools. A two-person team clearing levels this fast implied Chu Lingluo rivaled—even surpassed—Ji Xue in power. Yet how could her delicate demeanor match Ji Xue’s sharp brilliance?

Reluctantly, they admitted the truth: Mu Lin wasn’t worthless. He might be gifted.

Had Mu Lin extended kindness then, he might’ve gained allies. But he saw no value in their hollow camaraderie. Nor could he afford peace—not with Teacher Dongfang Ya’s mission hanging over him. Her favor outweighed peer approval.

As the students stewed in silence, Mu Lin shot them a mocking grin.

“Is that it?”

“?!!”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

Mu Lin’s voice drew the gazes of many Taoist Palace students.

At that moment, they had no idea what was coming for them.

Glancing between them and the Tower of Illusions, Mu Lin shrugged, perplexed. “I kept hearing how impossibly hard the Tower of Illusions was. I even got a little nervous.”

“But this? Really?”

“I barely lifted a finger, and those monsters dropped dead. Hey, someone explain—where’s the actual challenge here?”

“And you’re all second-class talents? How’d you fail something this easy?”

“……”

Mu Lin launched into a scathing rant at his gawking classmates, especially targeting those who’d mocked him before. Deep down, he convinced himself this was to ignite their fighting spirit, not revenge.

*Believe it or not, I’m doing this for their own good.*

His biting remarks hit harder than expected. Students’ faces twisted with rage. Some who’d planned to avoid conflict now seethed.

“You bastard!” someone shouted. “You only cleared the Tower’s second level because of Miss Chu Lingluo!”

“I cleared the second level.”

“That wasn’t your skill!”

“I cleared the second level.”

“You’d fail alone!”

“I cleared the second level and I’m tackling the third next. Oh, and the Taoist Palace will reward me regardless. Mad? Jealous?”

“You…!”

Mu Lin’s taunts hit their mark, leaving the crowd fuming. His antics also caught a teacher’s eye.

Teacher Ma, already biased against Mu Lin for his Yin Eight Sect ties, frowned. “Decent talent, but that arrogance will ruin him.”

Several nodded agreement.

Dongfang Ya’s face darkened. She shot her colleagues a glare. “I ordered this. Any objections?”

“What?” Teacher Ma and others froze. Even her friends looked confused.

“Since joining the Formal Class,” Dongfang Ya explained, “our second-class talents grew lazy. Skipping studies for parties? That mindset won’t master Taoist arts—it’s suicidal.”

“Mu Lin’s my solution. His presence forces them to work harder or face humiliation.”

Normally she’d stop there. But seeing MuLin surrounded by glares, she added more.

“Choosing Mu Lin wasn’t random. I see potential in him—enough to consider him as my disciple.”