Dustwind Hidden Valley gathered once more.
But today…
No one looked excited.
No one stood proudly.
No one pretended to be brave.
Because Floor 6 had awakened.
And Floor 6… was **Mental Purity**.
Tien hid under a bench.
Lin Ruyin clutched a mop like a religious charm.
Aurelius had polished his armor three times in one hour.
Jin Haru prayed for his intrusive thoughts to behave.
A glowing sign hovered over the tower entrance:
[FLOOR 6 — CLEAN YOUR MIND
(OR WE WILL CLEAN IT FOR YOU)]
The disciples screamed.
Miyu floated forward, hugging her pillow.
"…Begin."
The gates groaned open like the universe regretting everything.
---
⭐ 1. The Chamber of Thoughts
Inside was a perfectly white room.
Too white.
So clean it hurt to look at.
A glowing orb floated in the center.
On it, text appeared:
[YOUR THOUGHTS WILL MANIFEST]
[IF THEY ARE CLEAN, THEY HELP YOU]
[IF THEY ARE DIRTY, THEY ATTACK YOU]
Tien immediately ran.
"Nope. NOPE. I WILL NOT BE JUDGED BY MY OWN BRAIN—!!"
Auntie Bao caught him with one hand.
"There, there. Let the room fix you."
Tien shrieked as he was tossed inside.
---
⭐ 2. Tien's Trial — The Sinful Brain
Tien stood in the white room.
He tried to think pure thoughts.
He truly tried.
He really, really tried.
His thoughts:
*Don't think of food*
*Don't think of noodles*
*Don't think of the pretty girl from Floor 5*
*Don't think of that embarrassing thing you did as a child*
*Don't think of the time you—*
Suddenly—
A giant living noodle monster materialized.
Tien screamed.
"WHY DOES MY BRAIN HATE ME—?!"
Then three illusionary versions of the Floor 5 pretty girl appeared.
Tien screamed louder.
"NO NOT AGAIN—!!!"
The noodle monster chased him.
The three girls judged him.
A giant spoon manifested and scolded him.
Outside, the disciples watched with horror.
Lin Ruyin whispered:
"…His mind is a disaster."
Aurelius nodded.
"It is… catastrophic."
Solene gently added:
"He is beyond help."
Miyu blinked.
"…He will survive."
Tien did not agree.
---
⭐ 3. Lin Ruyin's Trial — Anxiety Amplified
Next, Lin Ruyin was shoved in.
She entered and immediately thought:
*Don't panic. Don't panic. Don't panic.*
The room interpreted this as:
**PANIC.**
Suddenly, an enormous floating word appeared:
PANIC
It chased her around the room.
Lin Ruyin shrieked:
"WHY IS MY EMOTION LITERALLY CHASING ME—?!"
She tried to calm herself.
*It's okay. It's okay. It's oka—*
A second giant word appeared:
OKAY?
And it looked offended.
She ran harder.
Outside, Elder Orchid took notes.
"Yes, yes. Her anxiety has shape. Fascinating."
Aurelius whispered:
"She may not survive…"
Miyu floated calmly.
"…She will. Eventually."
---
⭐ 4. Jin Haru's Trial — Intrusive Thoughts of Doom
Jin Haru entered the chamber.
He took a deep breath.
He focused.
He thought:
*Okay. Clean thoughts. Clean thoughts.
Do not think of anything embarrassing.*
His brain:
*Remember when you tripped in front of the entire sect?*
A giant illusion of him tripping appeared.
*Remember that time you spilled tea on Floor 5?*
The tea illusion attacked him.
*What about your crush—*
"NOOOOOOOO—!!!"
A giant version of the Floor 5 girl appeared.
She held a teacup ominously.
Jin Haru collapsed.
"My brain is bullying me—!!"
Outside, Solene patted Miyu gently.
"Master… their minds are… very complicated."
Miyu blinked.
"…Messy."
Auntie Bao cried.
"They need more vegetables."
---
⭐ 5. Aurelius' Trial — The Perfect Mind
Aurelius entered.
The room scanned his thoughts.
A single illusion appeared:
A checklist.
[POSTURE: PERFECT]
[DISCIPLINE: PERFECT]
[CLEANLINESS: EXCELLENT]
[MENTAL STATE: STERILIZED]
The room chimed.
*PASSED IN 0.7 SECONDS*
Everyone outside gasped.
Tien yelled from inside the room:
"SOME OF US HAVE NORMAL BRAINS, YOU MONSTER—!!"
---
⭐ 6. Miyu Enters — The Room Panics
Suddenly, the orb glowed bright gold.
Solene froze.
"Master… the tower requests *you* to enter."
A hush fell upon the valley.
Even the clouds paused in fear.
Miyu floated in.
The room scanned her thoughts.
A single word appeared.
CLEAN.
Then three more.
CLEAN EVERYTHING FOREVER.
The room trembled.
The orb flickered.
Illusions began multiplying—
brooms, mops, cloths, dusters, vacuums—
a divine army of order.
But instead of attacking…
They bowed to Miyu.
The chamber chimed.
*MENTAL PURITY: BEYOND MEASUREMENT*
*CLEANLINESS LEVEL: ANCIENT*
*RESPECT LEVEL: MAXIMUM*
Miyu floated out calmly.
"...Clean."
Aurelius knelt instantly.
Tien sobbed.
"She's not human…"
Lin Ruyin whispered:
"She's a cleanliness demigod…"
Auntie Bao proudly nodded.
"That's our Master."
---
⭐ 7. Ending — Floor 7 Awakens
The tower rumbled.
Power surged.
A new sign appeared:
[FLOOR 7 — THE FINAL TRIAL: ???]
Solene's eyes widened.
"The final floor…
Its rules are unknown…"
The disciples trembled.
Aurelius saluted.
Tien fainted.
Lin Ruyin hid behind a mop.
And Miyu…
Hugged her pillow.
"…Tomorrow."