CHAPTER 101: CHAPTER 101 RETURN_1

This Bodhi Seed was indeed a valuable treasure for Shen Mo. If he could find a few complementary herbs and refine them into a Bodhi Elixir, even if it couldn’t guarantee helping him condense his primal intent ahead of time, it would still provide an opportunity.

However, the Gold Turning Brush in Lu Ming’s hands attracted him more than the Bodhi Elixir. Although Lu Ming didn’t practice the Talisman Path and therefore had no use for it, Shen Mo, on the other hand, had a wealth of experience in making talismans. In a few more months, if he worked diligently, he could accumulate enough experience to advance to a Grade II Spirit Talisman Master. Having purchased various raw materials for talisman making in the Market numerous times, he knew just how rare and valuable a top-notch talisman-making brush could be.

Compared to gambling on the odds of the Bodhi Elixir, Shen Mo preferred the Gold Turning Brush, which was tangible, accessible, and could instantly enhance his talisman-making skills.

"Is Junior Brother Shen really willing to trade?" Lu Ming’s face lit up with delight; he hadn’t expected Shen Mo to agree.

"Of course, I’m serious." Shen Mo generously handed over the Bodhi Seed to Lu Ming, completing the exchange.

As time passed, Shen Mo and his group spent their last day in the Mountain River Realm. When the ten-day period concluded, the spatial power of the Mountain River Realm began to reject them, teleporting them all out.

After a moment of darkness, Shen Mo opened his eyes to find himself in the Mountain River Valley, within Qing State. Elder Huang and the others were still waiting on the outskirts of the valley for the remaining disciples to return.

Some of the eliminated disciples opted to stay behind, waiting to return with the main group via the Teleportation Array. However, many more had already used their artifacts to return to the sect, choosing not to linger. After all, the training period in the Mountain River Realm was quite long; those eliminated early would have had to wait for several days and nights. Few possessed the patience to wait indefinitely, unlike those like Elder Huang who were assigned by the sect and required to wait for all disciples to return.

However, the disciples of the Ghost Corpse School and the Profound Moon School, who had been teleported out earlier using Space Breaking Talismans, had all remained. Their sects were quite distant from this location; if they were to leave the group and return alone, the journey would be too long and unsafe. Thus, they could only wait for everyone to emerge and rely on their elders to use the Teleportation Array for their return.

"It seems it’s time; they’re all out now," one of the elders remarked as Shen Mo and the others were teleported out, causing the long-waiting elders from the various sects to perk up.

"How did it go? What were your gains? Did you manage to explore the tomb the Peak Master told you about?" Elder Huang Changqing’s gaze fell first on Lu Ming. He was clearly most attentive to and familiar with this new disciple of the Peak Master.

"We explored the tomb of the Spirit Talisman Venerable," Lu Ming reported. "The tomb’s Prohibition was quite formidable. We couldn’t breach it alone, so we invited disciples from the other two sects to join us."

"We did make some gains, but..." Lu Ming proceeded to inform Elder Huang about the rewards he and Shen Mo had acquired. He added with some regret, "Out of five jade boxes, our Riverside Sect only managed to secure two. The remaining three were taken by members of the Profound Moon School and the Ghost Corpse School."

"We have no idea what treasures their jade boxes contain."

Given that the treasures were left by the Spirit Talisman Venerable, they were surely remarkable.At the very least, they would be rare wonders on par with the Bodhi Seed and the Gold Turning Brush.

"Those from the other sects certainly got the better end of that deal," Huang Changqing muttered, somewhat disappointed to learn that Lu Ming had been forced to invite disciples from other sects to help break the Prohibition, and that they had taken most of the jade boxes. This was Riverside Sect territory, yet they had allowed disciples from two other sects to walk away with the lion’s share.

"Enough. We’ll discuss this further once we’re back at the sect!" With that, Huang Changqing waved his large sleeve, turned, bid farewell to the elders of the Profound Moon and Ghost Corpse immortal sects, and led his group away.

He embedded ten middle-grade Spirit Stones into the Teleportation Array. A dazzling golden light flared, and the spatial power distorted once more. The group was quickly teleported back to the Riverside Sect.

Upon entering the mountain gate, the elders of Rising Sun Peak, Bright Moon Peak, and Stars Peak parted ways, each leading their disciples back to their respective peaks.

「Stars Peak, within Purple Heaven Palace.」

Elder Huang returned with the disciples from his peak to report to the Peak Master. The Peak Master, Zhou Shili, was seated on a rush cushion in the center of the palace. After receiving Elder Huang and the returning disciples, he offered a few casual words of encouragement to everyone before dismissing them. He had only Lu Ming and Shen Mo stay behind for a private conversation.

Does the Peak Master have some special matter to discuss? Shen Mo was quite taken aback when he heard the Peak Master ask him to stay. Previously, because he and Cao Ren were in different groups, he hadn’t had a chance to retrieve his Universe Bag from him. He was currently anxious to get his Universe Bag back, convert the spiritual medicine he’d gathered in the Mountain River Realm into funds, and purchase cultivation supplies. Why would he suddenly ask Lu Ming and me to stay behind?

Despite his confusion, Shen Mo didn’t dare to ask. He simply stood quietly before the dais, awaiting the Peak Master’s instructions.

"Lu Ming," the Peak Master began, "in the Mountain River Realm, you must have encountered the Proud Disciples of the Profound Moon School and the Ghost Corpse School, correct?"

"I had some contact with them," Lu Ming nodded.

"In your opinion, what is the caliber of the new Inner Door disciples from the Profound Moon School and the Ghost Corpse School?"

"Quite exceptional."

Despite Lu Ming’s arrogant nature, he had to admit that Proud Disciples like Xiao Ling’er of the Profound Moon School, and Li Chen and Xun Tian of the Ghost Corpse School, were no less skilled than him. Perhaps even superior.

"The new disciples of these two sects are not yet the true, top-tier Proud Disciples among the five major sects." Zhou Shili rubbed the bridge of his nose and said lightly, "I’ve heard that the Heaven Sword Sect has produced someone with a Natural Sword Body this year."

"At the Tianshan Convention in half a year, you will represent our sect. That individual with the Natural Sword Body will be your true rival."

Tianshan Convention? Shen Mo listened quietly to the conversation between Lu Ming and the Peak Master, carefully searching his memories. He seemed to have no information about this Tianshan Convention. The reason the Peak Master had kept the two of them behind seemed to be related to this matter.

Seemingly noticing Shen Mo’s confusion, Zhou Shili glanced at him. "This boy seems unaware? Lu Ming, explain the details of the convention to him."

"Among this year’s newly promoted disciples from the Three Peaks, your performance was the best. The two spots for new disciples from our Riverside Sect in this year’s Tianshan Convention have been assigned to you two."

"For the next six months, you must cultivate diligently. Strive to achieve a good result at the Tianshan Convention, and also fight for more industrial interests for our Riverside Sect this year."

"If you perform meritoriously, the sect will naturally reward you generously upon your return."

With that, Zhou Shili waved his hand, signaling that the two could leave.

"Senior Brother Lu, what exactly is this Tianshan Convention?" Shen Mo was utterly clueless from beginning to end. The Peak Master had inexplicably asked him to stay, yet hadn’t said much to him directly, only mentioning that he had secured a spot for him in the Tianshan Convention.

"You don’t know about Tianshan Mountain in the Zhong State of the Red Flame Country?" Lu Ming was rather surprised by Shen Mo’s confusion. He seemed to find it unthinkable that Shen Mo was unaware of the Tianshan Convention.

"Tianshan Mountain?" Shen Mo pondered for a moment, then shook his head.

In truth, he knew very little about the Red Flame Country. The body’s original owner had remained within the Riverside Sect since birth, essentially confined to the outer areas for decades, just getting by. Not only had he never left the sect, but he also knew very little about the world beyond it. He only occasionally heard some tales of the outside world from Uncle Chen, who was responsible for leading new disciples on demonic beast hunts. But even those were mostly limited to wilderness survival in the Linjiang Mountain Range and various accounts concerning different cultivation Realms.