Jiuye City was divided into four cities: East City and North City were areas for the exclusive use of the Spirit Beast Sect, while South City and West City were commercial districts. East City and North City were located at the foot of Jiuye Mountain.

And the legendary White Fir Divine Tree was also on Jiuye Mountain.

East City housed the cave dwellings of the disciples of the Spirit Beast Sect, while West City had cave dwellings reserved for entertaining distinguished guests and for temporary leasing.

As Lin Shiming walked through North City, he marveled at Jiuye Mountain and the rows of cave dwellings. The Spirit Vein at Jiuye Mountain was a Fifth Rank vein. The headquarters of the Spirit Beast Sect was not located here, and the cultivators simply couldn''t saturate the Spirit Vein.

Renting out the cave dwellings to loose cultivators and other sect cultivators also brought in significant revenue for the sect.

Even some loose cultivators facing major cultivation bottlenecks could rent a cave dwelling to make a breakthrough.

As an ally of the Spirit Beast Sect, Zi Xuan Hermit naturally had an exclusive cave dwelling in North City.

After a moment of silence, Lin Shiming saw a cultivator in a green robe descend on his sword:

"Junior Brother Lin, the master has summoned you!"

"Thank you for letting me know, Senior Brother!" Lin Shiming thanked him repeatedly, then entered Zi Xuan Hermit''s cave dwelling, where he met Zi Xuan Hermit in a bright and spacious stone chamber.

Zi Xuan Hermit, still in a purple robe, was the picture of transcendence. Next to him on the table, a teapot was brewing Spiritual Tea, wafts of steam carrying spiritual energy drifting up.

"Shiming pays respects to Master!" Lin Shiming stepped forward to pay his respects.

"Not bad, you have reached the Foundation Establishment Middle Stage so quickly!" Zi Xuan Hermit, seeing that Lin Shiming had indeed progressed to the Foundation Establishment Middle Stage as Xie An had reported, was pleasantly surprised.

"Did I hear that you encountered Chen Yunlai from the Heavenly Demon Sect and even managed to counter-kill him?"

"It was pure luck, and it''s all thanks to Senior Brother Xie!" Lin Shiming replied modestly. In front of Zi Xuan Hermit, he did not dare to take credit. It was, after all, Xie An who had consumed the life-exhausting Elixir and held off the Dark Tiger Heavenly Demon Banner, or else none of them would have escaped.

"Xie An also reported to me. There''s no need for excessive modesty; young people should have some sharpness!" Zi Xuan Hermit drank a cup of tea, then looked directly at Lin Shiming.

"Thank you for your teaching, Master. Shiming will keep it in mind!" Lin Shiming, seeing Zi Xuan Hermit''s gaze, was a bit confused but bowed his head in acknowledgment.

At this moment, Lin Shiming was somewhat taken aback. He had not expected the Zi Xuan Hermit to ask him to participate in the Jiuye Dao Enlightenment Platform competition, to vie for one of the only two spots available, and to even give him a Supreme Grade magic sword.

Lin Shiming received the Supreme Grade magic sword and saw that it was a purple sword, enveloped in a purple aura, its sharpness going without saying. Even among supreme grade magic artifacts, it was a rare fine piece, much more powerful than the Cloud Sword he had taken from Lu Changming.

And at this time within the Spirit Beast Sect, he dared not use either the Purple Gold Gourd or the Cloud Sword.

Otherwise, when the Lu Family came knocking, Lin Shiming would inevitably be pursued.

"Thank you, Master. Shiming will go find Senior Brother Xie right away!"

Lin Shiming stowed away the Zilai Sword and then bowed respectfully to take his leave.

Since the Zi Xuan Hermit had requested he participate in the Jiuye competition, wishing not to take part was no longer an option for Lin Shiming.

And if he was to participate, Lin Shiming naturally aimed for one of the two Dao Enlightenment slots.

Of course, what he was curious about was whether the system prompt would lead to unexpected gains.

The scenes of sword dao enlightenment from the Grass Character Sword Technique were still vivid in his mind.

Xie An, as a Sect Cultivator, had also acquired a temporary cave dwelling in the North City district, although its location was off to the side at the foot of the mountains, and the spiritual energy was clearly distinct.

Lin Shiming used a Sound Transmission Talisman, and the latter, having just finished his Cultivation, saw Lin Shiming outside his cave dwelling and promptly invited him in. Your journey continues on empire

Compared to the cave dwelling of the Zi Xuan Hermit, Xie An''s was more rudimentary, but this was not due to Xie An being more frugal; rather, it was simply how the Spirit Beast Sect arranged things.

"Shiming, please take a seat!" After having been through life and death battles together, Xie An was much more familiar with Lin Shiming.

Xie An also quickly fetched a teapot and poured Lin Shiming a cup. The Spiritual Tea was light and fragrant, its aroma lingering but not dispersing, and just smelling the mist of the tea was enough to invigorate the mind and wake the senses.

It was the very Mingxin Tea that Lin Shiming had previously given to Xie An.

"Shiming, this is the information Master asked me to find for you. You have quite a few strong competitors this time..." Xie An took out a Jade Slip but furrowed his brow as he began speaking.

"In the past decade, there have been three successful Dao enlightenments, each directly grasping the nascent form of a Minor Divine Ability. After breaking through to the Purple Mansion, they condensed the Minor Divine Ability, far surpassing the average Purple Mansion cultivator—a discovery I also made during this visit!"