Finally, the leader replied, “I'm afraid that's impossible too...”

  May had expected this. Cultivators could live for hundreds of years. In addition, May was considered a genius, so it would not be surprising if she became an Elder of the sect in the future. If someone so high-ranking did not pay taxes, the losses for the sect would be astronomical.

  “I'm not asking for a lifetime exemption from taxes,” May replied, knowing that it wasn't even remotely possible. “But... maybe for ten years?”

  This time, everyone made strange faces again. Originally, they were confused by how absurdly exaggerated her request was... but this time, they were amazed at how clueless the request was!

  “Uhm...” Xinsu pondered. “Are you sure? Until the age of twenty, young people are exempt from taxes of what they earn anyway…”

  Tax exemption for ten years? How much money could such a child earn? No one believed that by the age of twenty she would be able to get rich enough to make it worthwhile.

  “Yes, I wanted to start my own business, and in that case, I would have to pay taxes, and I have a few ideas for making money...”

  “I understand, but...” Xinsu was slightly surprised and decided to make sure once again. “Wouldn't it be better to ask for the same thing Zu Chen asked for?”

  If she had asked for money, she would have gotten 30,000. No one in the room believed that her venture would be able to save more money by not paying taxes.

  After all, my company's earnings would have to exceed hundreds of thousands for it to be more profitable for me.

  Such cases were rare, and in fact unheard of.

  “I'm pretty confident about that.”

  “In that case, I agree. But of course, some rules need to be set.” He said thoughtfully. “After all, many people could try to take advantage of this. It will really have to be your company. No one from outside will be able to use you to avoid taxes! We will monitor this and make sure that no one uses this fact to commit fraud!”

  May nodded: “That sounds logical.”

  It wouldn't be hard to imagine a situation where a wealthy merchant found out that a girl was exempt from taxes and tried to use her to reduce his own company's costs.

  “Other rules still need to be established as to how this will work, but... All right. May Shang, until the age of twenty, and all her companies and ventures will be tax-free,” he said, agreeing to her request. “I won't lie, I'm curious to see what you've come up with.”

  “Thank you, leader,” she said, bowing her head and returning to her place.

  May saw that some people were looking at her with pity, while others were looking at her with a mocking smile. Shuguang Gong, in particular, seemed amused by her arrogance. His expression seemed to say: Does this idiot really think that just because she has a little talent for cultivation, she is suddenly also a genius at money-making? I can't wait for her to learn the realities of this world!

  To be honest, May herself wasn't sure if it would ultimately pay off. She could have just taken the thirty thousand. However, she decided to take the risk. Only time would tell if she had made a mistake or the best decision of her life.

  An Fuqi took the initiative, standing up again and returning to his role as chairman of the entire ceremony.

  “It was certainly quite unexpected, but luckily everything turned out well!” He laughed awkwardly. “But let's move on to the next part already! The next section will take place in a slightly different location!”

  All the elders rose from their seats.

  Elder An continued, “Hmm, but some of you will have to stay here for now... There has never been a situation before where more than one person participated in the ceremony...”

  Ze Yun nodded in agreement with An Fuqi's judgment. “Yes, you're right. If they saw their peers taking the test, it could interfere with the results.”

  “Hehe, I'm glad you agree with me. So who goes first?”

  May was the first to respond this time. She took a step forward and raised her hand.

  Previously, she had been last, so now she decided to go first. She didn't really feel like waiting for everyone else to finish.

  Not to mention that since they would be separated anyway, whether she went first or last, she still wouldn't know what the test was about until the very end, so she would rather get it over with.

  “So, cultivator May Shang, very well, follow me. The rest of you stay here. I will come for you when your time comes!”

  May walked away, following Elder An. The other High Elders seemed to have gone another way. So May was left alone with An Fuqi. Although he was an Elder of the sect, he was of comparable height to May and looked even younger.

  When they had walked a little further, he finally spoke to May. “It's been a while since we last met, hasn't it, May?”

  “Indeed, Elder Fan Qi.”

  “Haha, forgive me for the false name. It's an old habit.”

  “That doesn't sound like a very healthy habit, Elder.” May replied, rolling her eyes.

  “Indeed. But you know, it is those small, seemingly insignificant things that sometimes allow us to preserve our identity, even as hundreds of years pass,” he replied, still smiling. “They let us deceive ourselves, to believe that we are still the same as we once were.”

  May did not answer. They continued walking through the stone corridors. Sometimes they descended; at other times, they climbed upward. One moment they turned right, the next time left. It was a true labyrinth, one that seemed to have no end.

  “Elder, do you know what this test will involve?” she asked, hoping to learn more.

  He whistled a few times, then replied, “Of course I do. But I wouldn't call it a test.” He spat some saliva onto the floor, and May felt disgusted. It was thick and long. “Hmm, don’t worry about it too much.”

  With your saliva or the test!?

  “Even if you say so, Elder…”

  “It will even be to your advantage. But you will learn more soon.” He replied, walking extremely slowly.

  “And all the Elders of the sect will be watching me?”

  “Naturally,” he replied, turning his head toward her with a sly grin. “But you needn’t worry, they won’t distract you or anything like that. You won’t even notice their presence.”

  “That sounded ominous.”

  An Fuqi merely shrugged.

  May could hear faint knocks and tremors echoing through the palace. Though she was surrounded by cold, solid stone, she felt as if she were inside something alive. She was certain of one thing, she wouldn’t want to be here alone.

  In the distance, May saw a light glimmering ahead. Until now, their path had been lit only by a feeble torch carried by Elder An Fuqi.

  The light coming from that chamber, however, was far more vivid, alive, even.

  “We’re almost there,” An Fuqi whispered.

  If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

  May nodded silently. They entered the chamber. It was enormous, most likely beneath the surface.

  The ceiling rose several meters high, and the walls were covered with grayish-brown tiles made of some unknown material. The room was oval in shape. The closer one got to the center, the more the floor sloped downward, gradually, but noticeably. At the very center yawned a dark pit.

  The precise arrangement of the tiles and the perfect symmetry of the chamber filled May with unease. What could such a dreadful, empty place possibly be used for?

  Beside the pit stood the sect leader, Xinsu Yun. May, together with the Elder, approached until they stood right before him. She swallowed hard.

  May looked down. The hole wasn't as deep as it seemed from a distance, maybe two or three meters at most.

  Looking around, she noticed that the Elders of the Sect were nowhere to be seen. It appeared that the three of them were completely by themselves. May finally couldn't contain her curiosity and asked, breaching the silence: “What is this place?”

  “We commonly call it Devil's Hole,” said An Fuqi, baring his teeth.

  May grimaced. The name didn't sound inviting at all. They didn't want her to go in there, did they?

  “Elder An,” Xinsu's leader spoke up, glaring at him.

  “Okay, okay, sorry. Only I call it that,” he said. “I just wanted to scare you. You made such a silly face! I can't believe...”

  Xinsu spread his arm and covered his mouth.

  “Enough. Entrusting you with such an important function was a mistake,” he said, touching his temple. “Let me explain.”

  In short, when the first cultivators arrived in this area, they decided to climb the highest peak: Junlin, where they were now. Such places often concealed various treasures or natural phenomena.

  This was also the situation in this case. When the first cultivators, which included the first leader of the sect, fell asleep at the top of the mountain, they were haunted by nightmares all night long.

  However, these were not ordinary nightmares. Pain and suffering, constant death. It all seemed real. They considered the place to be haunted.

  Years later, deep inside the mountain, the source of these nightmares was found. This room was built to isolate them from the rest of the mountain.

  “What was the source of these terrible nightmares, leader?” May asked, looking into the dark hole, where she saw nothing unusual.

  “The details are secret. However, it was an ancient evil. Older than our sect, and perhaps even older than the first humans. It was already dead, but it continued to cause trouble,” he replied thoughtfully. “You don't need to worry about it. Everything is safe now. However, I would ask you to keep this a secret.”

  “I can attest to that. Elder Xuan Jiang regularly maintains the formation here, and I inspect the overall condition of this place every year. We have never had any problems.”

  The leader nodded. “As Elder An says. There is no cause for concern.”

  May, however, was not entirely satisfied. It sounded like the most outlandish idea. Ancient evil? What was that supposed to be? It sounded like a recipe for disaster!

  “Uhm, but I don’t fully comprehend one particular aspect. What would be the purpose of putting me through those hellish nightmares? It doesn’t sound particularly pleasant, and strictly speaking, I have failed to see any positives in that.”

  Xinsu Yun shook his head.

  “Originally, this place was only meant to isolate that power. However, it was only after hundreds of years of sealing that power that we discovered we could also benefit from it,” he said, looking into the dark hole. He pointed to its center. “Elder Xuan Jiang created a complex formation system that allowed us to harness that power.”

  May remembered this woman. She hadn't thought much of her before, but if he was telling the truth, it was truly impressive.

  An Fuqi interjected, “Although the nightmares are not very pleasant, thanks to the formation, we have managed to make them power the enhancement of soul strength!”

  May cocked her head contemplatively. It sounded quite extraordinary, but to be truthful, she wasn't really sure what it meant. She didn't know much about souls.

  Of course, she had learned about them, and people believed in them, but May herself didn't know if they really existed or if they were just a fabrication. Sometimes it was hard to tell the difference between truth and falsehood in this world.

  “You may not know much about it, but it is extremely beneficial. In fact, even the largest sects in the region would be jealous if they knew about it... Normally, it is only intended for the Elders of the sect, but we made an exception and it was made a reward and incentive for the younger generation.”

  “I see...” May replied thoughtfully, realizing that it was a great privilege, although she did not fully understand the benefits of strengthening the soul. She had no reason to refuse.

  “But don't think that there are only benefits,” An Fuqi said suddenly, and Xinsu looked at him angrily. However, he didn't care and continued. “When you're in your dream, we'll be able to check your results.”

  “My results?” May was surprised, not sure what could be tested in nightmares.

  “Yes... Dreams bring out our true selves. You won't know it's a dream, so your behavior will be sincere,” the boy explained, smiling. “We won't know what will happen there, but thanks to the item I created, we will find out what kind of person you really are.”

  Hmm, that doesn't sound so bad... I think that even subconsciously, I am ultimately a good person. I'm not a saint, of course, but I think it's a pretty simple test for me.

  “I understand. I think.”

  “Haha. It's going to be a little unpleasant, so be prepared,” he said, motioning for her to enter the hole. “You know how dreams always seem longer, right? It will be the same here. For us, it will only be a few minutes, but for you, it could be a few hours.”

  “Elder An, that's enough. You're scaring her unnecessarily. In fact, the first time may seem awful, but I believe you'll recover quickly, so relax and clear your mind,” he said, trying to calm her down.

  May jumped inside.

  Damn, it's cold in here.

  The temperature was much lower there, and goose bumps appeared on her body. She also noticed that smoke appeared with each breath she took. She was slightly concerned about this.

  “We're about to start.”

  Suddenly, she thought of something.

  Hey, Minnie?

  “What is it?” she asked, not expecting May to suddenly talk to her, especially in the current situation.

  How much would it cost to tell me that it's safe?

  "Hmm, let's see. 200 [mu].

  I can't take the risk. I'll buy it!

  In the worst case scenario, she should still be able to escape from this stupid hole.

  "So?"

  May calmed down a little. Nothing was completely safe, so she decided it was worth the risk. She didn't intend to ask what these “conditions” were, because she knew that such a question would be extremely costly.

  May suddenly thought of something else.

  Hey Minnie, I have a question.

  “Do you want to buy something again? I'm all ears!”

  No, I don't want to buy anything, I just want to ask you something. Since you can talk to me in my mind, is it possible for you to talk to me in my dreams?

  Minnie thought about it. “I don't know, I've never tried it. If you want, you can definitely buy that option from the system to be sure—”

  No, I don't want to buy it. You should be able to do it without any additional costs, shouldn't you?

  “Like I said, I don't know. I haven't tested it. Why would I talk to you in my dreams? Do you think you're Joseph of Egypt or something?”

  What kind of comparison is that? Ugh, never mind, stop it. Anyway, could you try?

  “I mean... I can try, but I can't guarantee anything. Especially if you don't want to buy it,” she replied uncertainly. “But why, actually?”

  May rolled her eyes at Minnie's goofiness.

  In this dream, they'll be examining my character. Talk to me, and maybe I'll realize it's just a dream. If I'm self-conscious, I'll be able to conduct myself in a way that will yield favorable results.

  “Huh...”

  Come on! You'll benefit from it too! If my results are good, I'll be treated better, and if I'm treated better, I'll earn more, which will mean more spending for the system, and that's what you want, isn't it?

  “Yes, but...”

  Then it's settled!

  “Can we begin?” Eldern An asked.

  “Yes...” May replied, and before she knew it, she lost consciousness...

  ───── ??☆?? ─────

  She was abruptly awakened from her sleep.

  The sound pierced her ears.

  She was so damn tired, she didn't want to get up. 6:00 a.m.

  Argh.

  It was still dark outside, and she had to get up already? She quickly turned off the annoying sound and decided to sleep a little longer.

  She wondered for a second if it was worth choosing a cheap apartment, but so far from the university. Her commute was too long, and she wasted so much time on it.

  However, she quickly fell asleep again.

  The second alarm rang.

  Damn it.

  6:15 a.m.

  She turned it off again. It was the next-to-last alarm, but she didn't have the strength to get up. She had only slept for four hours today. She had stayed up all night for the fourth night in a row. Social life? Now? Ha! It wasn't the beginning of the year anymore, when she could hang out in clubs.

  The third alarm. 6:30.

  She had no choice now. She had to get up or she would be late.

  She dragged herself out of bed and opened the blinds. Not that it made any difference, it was still dark outside.

  May felt like having a coffee, but because she had procrastinated for so long, she didn't have time. She had to get dressed.

  She turned on her phone and checked the time.

  Damn... At this rate, I will be late.

  She was about to leave when she remembered that she had forgotten her lab coat! Damn, that would be bad, she had labs today!

  She quickly left the apartment and ran out of the elevator straight outside, hoping against hope that she wouldn't be late!