CHAPTER 102: CHAPTER 102: WINDFALL_1

"Tianshan Mountain is an Immortal Mountain in the Red Flame Country."

Seeing his complete ignorance of the matter, Lu Ming explained everything to him from beginning to end.

As it turned out, this Tianshan Mountain also holds a rather legendary status within the cultivation world of the Red Flame Country.

Legend has it that a Heavenly Monarch in the Divine Bridge Realm once cultivated on this mountain for some time.

When this Heavenly Monarch departed, he left behind a sword Qi that has not dissipated for a thousand years.

The pressure exerted by this sword Qi transformed this once ordinary mountain range into a forbidden land.

The Five Great Sects, witnessing the terrifying pressure of the Tianshan Sword Qi—which grew more potent the closer one approached the sword Qi at the peak—decided to use this place as the venue for competitions and exchanges among their newly admitted disciples.

They utilized the remnant power of the Heavenly Monarch’s sword Qi on Tianshan Mountain to test the potential and resilience of the disciples.

The competition was based on ascending the mountain, for which nine hundred and ninety-nine stone steps were established on Tianshan Mountain.

The closer a disciple got to the sword Qi at the peak, the greater their achievement was considered.

Of course, if that was all there was to it, the Tianshan Grand Ceremony would have been merely an exchange meeting for the new disciples of the immortal sects.

It would hardly be considered a major event.

Nor would it have garnered such special attention and concern from the sects.

"Thousands of years ago, when the Five Great Sects were establishing themselves in the Red Flame Country, relations were quite tense due to disputes over cultivation resources and the spirit mine industry."

"In those days, the major immortal sects rarely reached a consensus. They demarcated spheres of influence and vied for cultivation resources purely through military conquest and mutual attacks, which was exceedingly bloody and violent."

"However, the situation changed a hundred years ago when the spatial rift to the Lower Realm in the Red Flame Country opened, and the Heavenly Demons descended."

Lu Ming recounted the past, "These Heavenly Demons are bloodthirsty creatures from the Lower Realm that feed on humans, specifically growing stronger by seizing the lives and cultivation of cultivators.

Therefore, they are the public enemy of the cultivation world."

"The threat of the Heavenly Demons compelled the Five Great Sects to unite—an unprecedented event. They needed to cooperate to resist the Heavenly Demons invading the Red Flame Country from the Lower Realm. Naturally, the immortal sects could no longer engage in constant slaughter over resources and mines as before."

"To maintain harmony, the Five Great Sects established a rule: henceforth, newly discovered cultivation sites and spirit mines in the Red Flame Country each year would be allocated according to the rankings of the new disciples from the various immortal sects in the Tianshan Grand Ceremony."

"If a sect’s disciples rank high, they can secure more benefits for their sect."

"This way, the Five Great Sects can focus their energy on nurturing outstanding disciples and strengthening the cultivation world of the Red Flame Country, rather than on internal strife and conflict."

"This rule has been in place for several decades. Even after the Heavenly Demon passage in the Red Flame Country was closed twenty years ago, and the Heavenly Demon scourge was temporarily resolved, this rule has been maintained."

Therefore, a disciple’s performance in the Tianshan Grand Ceremony not only earned prestige for their sect but also secured substantial cultivation resources and benefits.

No wonder it was regarded with such importance.

"The next Tianshan Grand Ceremony is scheduled for six months from now."

"At that time, the newly promoted prodigies from the Five Great Sects will gather on Tianshan Mountain to compete for rankings."

"You and I still have half a year to prepare."

Hearing Lu Ming’s words, Shen Mo nodded slightly but said nothing more.

With half a year, he didn’t know to what extent his cultivation could improve.

At least for now, the gap between him and top disciples of the immortal sects like Lu Ming, Xiao Ling’er, and Xun Tian was significant.

If our strengths are comparable by then, I can give it a shot. But if the gap has widened, then it’s better to just lay low.

Judging by the sect’s attitude, they value Lu Ming more than me. Even if my performance is ordinary, it probably won’t disappoint too many people.

Shen Mo thought to himself, not particularly intent on making a name for himself at the Tianshan Grand Ceremony.

He seldom dwelled on the distant future.

Diligent cultivation and living each day well is the proper path.

After leaving the Purple Heaven Palace, Shen Mo returned to his cave mansion.

He placed the Spirit Storage Rat, which was hidden in his sleeve, on the small wooden bed located on the cliff edge of his cave mansion, allowing it to rest well.

It’s been five days, and there are still no signs of it waking up.

I wonder how long it will take to awaken.

Seeing the Spirit Storage Rat lying unconscious on its back, paws in the air, Shen Mo sighed.

I originally thought this little fellow would digest the impact of the Divine Sense imprint in just two or three days, then awaken and allow me to witness the transformation of a divine pet of its generation.

But unexpectedly, the Spirit Storage Rat’s slumber seems to be quite prolonged.

I don’t know when it will finally awaken.

I’ll ignore this little fellow for now. If it doesn’t wake up, it actually saves me some trouble.

If the Spirit Storage Rat weren’t comatose right now, it would definitely be tugging at my trouser leg, begging for roasted meat.

Its temporary slumber also granted me some peace and quiet.

I should first find Cao Ren and get my Universe Bag back.

His gaze moved away from the Spirit Storage Rat.

Shen Mo’s first thought was to immediately take all the spiritual medicines harvested from the Mountain River Realm to the Market to sell them.

「Sect Gate, Dedao Lane.」

After retrieving his Universe Bag from Cao Ren, Shen Mo entered the sect’s Market.

My haul this time is considerable. Selling it outside wouldn’t be safe; it’s more reliable to sell it within the sect’s Market.

He didn’t try to get a stall number to set up a stall and hawk his wares along the street.

After all, his Universe Bag contained at least several hundred items, including spiritual medicines and cultivation resources.

If he relied on selling them at a stall, it might take ten days or even half a month, and he still might not sell everything.

So, upon entering the Market, he went straight to the Treasure Pavilion, which was run by the sect.

"Shopkeeper, I have a batch of goods to exchange for Spirit Stones. I wonder if your shop can take it all?" Shen Mo asked the Shopkeeper, who was at the counter, fiddling with the beads of an abacus.

"A batch?" The Shopkeeper stroked his mustache, squinting as he looked Shen Mo up and down. "Is there anything this establishment can’t take?"

"As long as your items are genuine and the price is fair, I’ll take as much as you bring!"

As a shop backed by the Riverside Sect, specializing in providing cultivation materials for the sect’s disciples, the Treasure Pavilion had an enormous daily flow of customers and naturally wasn’t worried about being unable to take on a large quantity of goods.

"Then please appraise them for me, Shopkeeper."

Shen Mo nodded, taking out all the spiritual medicines and spirit ores he had prepared.

"This... so much?"

The Shopkeeper, who initially had a nonchalant demeanor, watched as the spiritual medicines Shen Mo took from his storage bag piled up into a small mountain within the shop. His smile gradually faded.

His expression was replaced with undisguised astonishment.

"Where did you get all this? Don’t tell me you robbed the sect’s medicine repository?"

He stepped forward and carefully inspected a few of the spiritual medicines. Confirming they were all genuine, he looked at Shen Mo suspiciously.

Under normal circumstances, what disciple would bring so many spiritual medicines to sell?

Therefore, the Shopkeeper had to confirm repeatedly. If their source was illegitimate, he would be implicated, even with his connections in the sect’s upper echelons.

"Shopkeeper, you’re overthinking things."

"This is my harvest from the Mountain River Realm. There’s nothing illicit about it," Shen Mo explained.

Walking out of the Treasure Pavilion, Shen Mo caressed the Universe Bag at his waist, a rare sense of exhilaration filling his heart.

From the large quantity of spiritual medicines and Dark Crystal Ores he had gathered in the Mountain River Realm, he had only kept a select few that he could use.

The rest were all sold.

These items brought Shen Mo an income of forty middle-grade Spirit Stones.

Forty middle-grade Spirit Stones. Converted at the standard ratio, that’s four thousand low-grade Spirit Stones!

Even after deducting the two hundred Spirit Stones promised to Cao Ren, I still have three thousand eight hundred low-grade Spirit Stones.

This trip to the Mountain River Realm has truly been a windfall!

This was the largest sum of wealth he had earned since he transmigrated to this world.