"It's her!"
After a brief mont of thought, Gu Mo imdiately guessed the other party's identity. But she shouldn't be in the Qinghe Cultivation World—how had she co to the Tianyuan Cultivation World?
"Apologies, honored guest, but you don't et the standards to join Shennong Valley."
At one corner of Juxian Platform's plaza, there was a special testing area.
This testing area wasn't for ordinary mortals without cultivation, but rather opened specifically for loose cultivators who wished to join Shennong Valley.
However, it was very difficult for a loose cultivator to enter Shennong Valley.
A top sect like Shennong Valley preferred to cultivate disciples from the very beginning. Such disciples would have stronger loyalty. Of course, if a Nascent Soul True Lord–level powerhouse wished to join, Shennong Valley would still welco them, granting them the title of guest elder.
As for ordinary loose cultivators, unless they possessed talents Shennong Valley urgently needed, or were of extraordinary genius, their chances of being accepted were slim.
Even if one did join, a loose cultivator's prospects were limited. Even Gu Mo, because he hadn't trained within Shennong Valley since childhood, had his treatnt capped short of true-transmission disciple status.
Yet despite such harsh conditions, whenever Shennong Valley opened its doors to recruit disciples, countless loose cultivators still ca to try their luck.
After all, different tis called for different needs. A few years ago, Shennong Valley was in great need of alchemists. This year, they might be short on artifact refiners.
Missing no opportunity was vital. If chance favored them and they managed to join Shennong Valley, it was no different than securing a lifelong official post.
"Senior, I do have so expertise in cultivating Sword Bamboo."
Rejected from entry, the veiled girl hurriedly offered up her specialty.
But her words drew no attention from the disciple overseeing the test. The disciple only shook his head repeatedly. Shennong Valley had no shortage of spirit-plant specialists. As for Sword Bamboo cultivation, Shennong Valley already had Ding Shiyan, a top-level expert. Why would they need another spirit-plant master of that skill?
"Th-this…"
To realize that her greatest strength was utterly worthless here sent the girl's mind into a spin.
Nearby loose cultivators shook their heads at the sight. It wasn't uncommon—many believed that just because they were spirit-plant masters, they could surely enter Shennong Valley.
They failed to consider that Shennong Valley was the most elite sect of spirit-plant cultivation. How could they possibly lack such talent? And what was an outside inheritance compared to Shennong Valley's own?
Thus, paradoxically, becoming a disciple of Shennong Valley as a spirit-plant master was actually the most difficult. Those of other paths often had higher chances.
"Fellow Daoist, why not join my Crane Mountain Sect instead?"
Dejected after leaving the testing platform, the veiled girl was quickly approached. Shennong Valley didn't need spirit-plant masters, but smaller sects certainly did.
Every ti a top sect recruited, countless minor sects would linger nearby, picking up those rejected.
Especially in this case—the veiled girl was heavily covered, her face concealed, yet the single exposed pair of alluring eyes made it plain she was a natural beauty with a charm-laden physique.
The Crane Mountain Sect representative was deeply tempted. To dual-cultivate with a woman possessing such a body would be the height of pleasure.
"Crane Mountain Sect?"
Hearing this, doubt flickered in the girl's eyes. Before coming, she had studied the major sects of Tianyuan Cultivation World. She had never heard of a Crane Mountain Sect.
There were only two explanations. Either the sect didn't exist at all, aning this man had bad intentions, or it was rely a small Golden Core–level sect.
Such minor sects were everywhere in Tianyuan—so many that they weren't even registered. New ones sprang up or were destroyed daily.
Only Nascent Soul–level sects endured long enough to be officially recorded.
Whatever the case, she could never join. What she needed was a great backing that could help her resolve the troubles burdening her mother and clan.
"Hmph, you're only at Foundation Establishnt early stage. My Crane Mountain Sect is willing to take you in—that's your good fortune."
Stung by her rejection, the man grew angry. "Hiding your face like that, who knows what karmic entanglents you carry."
At those words, the other sect representatives who had been about to approach halted at once.
Those sent to recruit might lack power, but they could never lack discernnt. Many had already noticed her charm-laden body, hence their eagerness to recruit her.
But this man's words made them cautious. Such physiques weren't rare in the cultivation world; so could even be forged through special cultivation thods.
It was said that in the demonic path, one sect specialized in such arts. Its n and won alike all cultivated charm-laden physiques, often used to infiltrate the righteous path as spies.
If the veiled girl carried such karmic ties, then bringing her into a sect could only invite disaster.
The girl didn't argue back. She truly did carry karmic entanglents. That was why she needed a great power to help her resolve them.
Her silence only deepened everyone's suspicion. Soon, soone reported her to Shennong Valley.
"I…I'm not—"
When disciples of Shennong Valley's Law Enforcent Hall appeared, the girl finally panicked and tried to explain. But it was already too late.
She was imdiately taken away. Resistance was impossible—she was only a spirit-plant master without combat strength, while the law enforcers were all elite. Their leader was a Golden Core cultivator.
Such a figure would be a sect master or elder in those minor sects. Yet in Shennong Valley, he was rely a captain of the Law Enforcent Hall.
"Senior, I…I truly…"
The veiled girl struggled to defend herself, but perhaps too anxious, her words stuck in her throat, only making her seem more flustered.
"Don't worry. A great figure wishes to see you." The Golden Core leader reassured her.
"A great figure?"
She clutched her robe tighter. At first, she thought so grand figure had noticed her charm-laden physique and desired her.
But then she reconsidered. Soone who even a Golden Core expert called a great figure—how could they possibly covet her physique?
Confused and uneasy, she was led into a quiet chamber at Juxian Platform. There, she t the so-called great figure.
Not a white-bearded elder, nor a burly, fierce man—
But rather, a gentle-faced young man with the air of an elder brother.
"Lingi, don't you recognize your teacher?" Gu Mo looked at the bewildered Lu Lingi before him and smiled.
The veiled young woman was none other than Lu Lingi, daughter of the Lu clan—one of Cloudsky Immortal City's suppliers. Her mother, Fang Jiaoyan, had once shared a brief romantic encounter with Gu Mo, and Gu Mo had also guided Lu Lingi in cultivating sword bamboo, making him her teacher of sorts.
"Ah, you're Master Hu!"
Lu Lingi gazed at the young man before her, eyes full of shock. No wonder she hadn't recognized Gu Mo—back then, he had rented the Lu family's spiritual fields under the false na Hu Shuo.
That false identity was no longer necessary. Now Gu Mo was a true disciple of Shennong Valley. The exposure of his disguise in the Qinghe cultivation world posed no real problem.
Even if their enemies, the Fenghua Sect, found out, what of it? Would they dare strike at a Shennong Valley true disciple? Even leaving aside that identity, with Gu Mo's current strength he was no longer afraid of an ordinary Nascent Soul True Lord.
Once Lu Lingi was certain of his identity, she removed the veil from her face, revealing her striking beauty. Gu Mo had noticed her natural charm back then; with the passing years, she had blossod like a flower in full bloom, radiant and alluring.
"Master, please help my mother, please help our Lu family." Finally having found a powerful supporter, all the years of suffering and grievance surged forth, and tears fell from Lu Lingi's eyes like rain. She knelt before Gu Mo, her voice choked with pleading.
"Rise, and tell everything in detail." Gu Mo had left the Qinghe cultivation world many years ago. Because the regions were far apart, information between them was scarce. As such, he knew little of Qinghe's present state.
"Yes!"
Lu Lingi wiped her tears and recounted what she knew.
Naturally, the matters she knew most clearly were those concerning her own clan. When Gu Mo's identity had been exposed and a Fenghua Sect Nascent Soul True Lord ca hunting him, Gu Mo had instructed the Lu clan to move into Cloudsky Immortal City so they would not be implicated.
As one of the city's suppliers, the Lu clan ought to have been safe from direct reprisal—surely Fenghua Sect would not dare provoke Cloudsky Immortal City over a small clan.
Indeed, they did not strike openly. But in the shadows, they set obstacles that a small Lu clan could never withstand.
By the ti Lu Lingi left, the Lu clan had already been thoroughly isolated. Their cultivation resources were nearly cut off. Left that way, sooner or later they would fall from a cultivation family to re commoners—and afterward, a single accident could wipe them out entirely.
In search of a way out, the clan spent their final reserves to send their most talented mber, Lu Lingi, away from the Qinghe cultivation world to the Tianyuan world, hoping she could one day return in strength and resolve their crisis.
After listening, Gu Mo nodded. The Lu clan's karma had arisen because of him, so naturally, it fell to him to bring it to an end. Of course, the root of the matter lay with Fenghua Sect.
Fenghua Sect had two Nascent Soul True Lords. In the Tianyuan world, such a sect was not remarkable—but in the Qinghe cultivation world, it was undoubtedly a peak power.
With Gu Mo's current strength, dealing with Fenghua Sect was not difficult. Even facing their Nascent Soul True Lords directly, he had nothing to fear. But to destroy the sect utterly—that would not be so simple.
Every sect had nurous hidden safeguards against annihilation. If Gu Mo wanted Fenghua Sect gone, he would need an ally.
"Is there any news of the Qinglu Sect?"
Gu Mo asked Lu Lingi. To destroy Fenghua Sect, no ally would be more fitting than Qinglu Sect, so he wanted to know their situation.
"This junior does not know."
Lu Lingi shook her head. Since being destroyed by Fenghua Sect, Qinglu Sect had gone into hiding. News of them was scarce. The only reports were that, from ti to ti, so of their disciples were captured and executed in public by Fenghua Sect in an attempt to draw out survivors. But the plan had never worked.
"Has Elder Zhuo still not broken through to Nascent Soul?" Gu Mo murmured to himself.
Back when he t Chu Feifei of Baihua Sect, Gu Mo had learned that Yuan Nia's master, Elder Zhuo Suzhu, had already resolved her heart-fire problem. With that obstacle gone, and with her talent, her chances of advancing to Nascent Soul were very high.
If Zhuo Suzhu achieved Nascent Soul, then with Gu Mo's support, eliminating Fenghua Sect would be far easier. Yet it seed she had not made a move.
In truth, it was not that Zhuo Suzhu was inactive—she simply dared not attempt it without full preparation.
In Shennong Valley, Gu Mo had personally witnessed two breakthroughs into the Nascent Soul stage: Xiaohua and Qi Chunde. Both had faced tribulation, yet both succeeded. Their success ca not only from their own foundations but also from the Valley's vast resources—formations and treasures to aid in tribulation. That was the heritage of a top sect.
In comparison, Qinglu Sect had nothing to support Zhuo Suzhu's attempt. In such conditions, she naturally dared not risk it lightly. At the very least, she would need several treasures to aid in tribulation, so that her chances would be higher. To attempt rashly—if successful, all would be well; but if she failed, Qinglu Sect's plight would only worsen.
"I will help resolve your clan's matter. For now, stay here." Since they had crossed paths, bringing Lu Lingi into Shennong Valley was easy enough—with his current status, it was just a word.
"Thank you, Master!"
Hearing she could stay in Shennong Valley, Lu Lingi was overjoyed.
"From now on, don't call Master. Call Senior Brother." Gu Mo waved his hand. He was the senior disciple of the Myriad Arts lineage; any disciple joining the lineage had to address him as Senior Brother.
"Greetings, Senior Brother!" At that, Lu Lingi bowed again.
"Mm."
Gu Mo gave a slight nod, even as his mind turned to planning his return to the Qinghe cultivation world. Settling this karma had always been part of his plans.
Even if he had not t Lu Lingi, he had intended to return once he broke through to Nascent Soul. Now, circumstances demanded he advance the titable.
But advancing did not an going imdiately. He would first need to make preparations. Besides, he still had another troubleso matter at hand—his sword cultivator incarnation.
The news of Grand Yan Sword Sect's Lin Wu regaining his strength and slaying the fleshly body of a Nascent Soul demonic lord of the Yin Corpse Sect had already spread like wildfire.
As a result, the demonic sects had raised Gu Mo's incarnation to the highest level of wanted status, offering a bounty equal to that for a late-stage Nascent Soul cultivator. For one in the Golden Core realm to rit such a bounty—it shocked everyone.
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