CHAPTER 368: CHAPTER 368: FEAST OF WOLF HOWLING RIDGE_1

The Red Carp Inner Armor, which Shen Mo had repaired several times, was not difficult to remake. However, the beautiful scenery he had witnessed earlier kept replaying in his mind. With Chen Mengze sitting beside him observing his work, Shen Mo found himself unavoidably distracted. After ruining several spiritual materials, he finally managed to reforge this inner armor to the top-grade!

Afterwards, Shen Mo stayed for a few more days. He checked on the progress of Qian Xiaohu’s cultivation, paid a visit to Elder Shentu Gui, and also visited the Gold Toad Tower and the Thriving Gold Sect as a guest.

Besides these two immortal sects, various local minor sects, Cultivating Families, and rogue cultivators had somehow learned that Shen Mo had successfully established his Spirit Sea and become a core disciple candidate for the Riverside Sect. Consequently, they all cordially invited Shen Mo to banquets. Attending each one would have consumed an immense amount of time... Shen Mo naturally lacked the leisure for such engagements.

Upon learning of Shen Mo’s attitude, the various groups unexpectedly organized a "Victory Celebration" for pacifying the Monster Calamity at Wolf Howling Ridge! Although it was called a victory celebration, several months had passed since the Heavenly Demon passage was sealed. The real intention was to curry favor with Shen Mo under the guise of a banquet!

The location was chosen on a steep mountain not far from Wolf Howling Ridge. Since many of the Qi Gathering Realm cultivators from the Defense Division originated from these forces, Shen Mo couldn’t excuse himself and had to invite Chen Mengze to accompany him.

There were many cultivators attending the banquet. Elder Shentu Gui, Sect Master Wei Ye from the Gold Toad Tower, and Sect Master Jiang Sheng from the Thriving Gold Sect were also on the invitation list. Body Tempering Realm and Qi Gathering Realm cultivators were even more numerous; the place was bustling with activity.

Of course, only the leaders of the various forces were permitted to ascend to the mountain peak and sit with Shen Mo and the others. Everyone else could only remain on the mountainside, at the foot of the mountain, or on the surrounding hills. Some low-class cultivators even spontaneously formed circles to exchange information and trade various resources. Shen Mo suspected that about seventy to eighty percent of all cultivators within a hundred miles had come!

"The younger generation certainly commands more respect. When I first came to Wolf Howling Ridge, there was no such grand display." Elder Shentu rarely joked. However, paired with his usual cold and stern demeanor... it nearly scared the leaders of the minor factions who had organized this "victory celebration" into a cold sweat.

When Shentu Gui had arrived previously, they had indeed merely presented him with congratulatory gifts. This wasn’t entirely their fault. Who could blame them, given Elder Shentu’s well-known harsh reputation and the fact that his prospects within the Riverside Sect were far less promising than Shen Mo’s?

Although Shen Mo was currently just a core disciple candidate, the formidable strength he had displayed during this Monster Calamity had been witnessed by many minor factions. They believed his ascension to a core disciple position in the Riverside Sect was merely a matter of a few years. Once he successfully advanced to be a core disciple, his status would be even higher than that of a regular elder in the Riverside Sect. Looking further ahead, he could at the very least attain the position of a Hall Master!

As for Shentu Gui, who was not of core disciple origin, no matter how many contributions he made, the most he could hope to achieve was the position of Deputy Hall Master. Of course, if he could advance to the Golden Core Realm... That would be a meteoric rise, elevating him directly to the status of a Supreme Elder in the Riverside Sect. But how many individuals in the entire Riverside Sect, let alone the entire cultivation world of the Red Flame Country, could actually cultivate to such a realm?

Shen Mo, however, knew that this Elder of his was simply like that by nature and didn’t genuinely care about such matters. Seeing the Qi Gathering Realm leaders at the banquet looking rather jittery, Shen Mo quickly interjected with a smile, "Elder Shentu, you’re mistaken. This feast was arranged to celebrate the quelling of the demonic scourge at Wolf Howling Ridge."

"All who contributed to slaying demons and pacifying the disaster deserve our respect and praise!"

"Fellow daoists, let the drinks keep flowing!"

The atmosphere eased, and lively conversation resumed.

A bit further away, Tian Hong of the Tian Clan was gloomily drinking alone. At the behest of his grandfather, Tian Zhaoquan, the Hall Master of the Riverside Sect’s Affairs Hall, Tian Hong had voluntarily relinquished his position as Patriarch of the Tian Clan to an elder kinsman. Even the Patriarch’s ceremonial sword, the spiritual-level Flowing Shadow Sword, had been surrendered!

However, Tian Hong still believed in his heart that his original strategy to suppress Shen Mo was correct.

I still underestimated this brat. When he first showed his ferocity, I should have suppressed him at all costs.

Even if it meant... letting Third Uncle or Zhiyu take action, secretly slaying him!

Now, this brat has already gained unstoppable momentum... I’m afraid it won’t be long before he challenges Zhiyu and seizes his core disciple position...

It’s a pity Grandfather deemed me incompetent and forced me to relinquish the Patriarch position.

When this brat uses Zhiyu as a stepping stone to rise, Grandfather should finally understand the painstaking efforts I made back then!

Thinking like this, Tian Hong took another sip of his spiritual wine.

Guests were seated according to rank, and the spiritual wine and delicacies served also varied in quality. The wine in his cup naturally couldn’t compare to what Shen Mo and the others were enjoying. It was even inferior to the spiritual wine he used to drink daily when he was still the Tian Clan Patriarch. Mulling this over, Tian Hong found the wine in his mouth growing increasingly bitter!

As he looked towards the head of the banquet, he happened to see Shen Mo’s gaze on him. Immediately, he felt a jolt of guilt and lowered his head, not daring to look again.

"What’s wrong?" Chen Mengze, who was sitting next to Shen Mo, noticed his unusual gaze and asked.

Shen Mo shook his head with a faint smile, raised his crystal wine cup, and took a light sip. "Nothing. I was just wondering... how strong are the sect’s nine core disciples?"

He already knew that Tian Zhiyu, who occupied the ninth seat, possessed a cultivation at the Fourth Layer of the Spirit Sea Realm. The first-ranked core disciple, moreover, was at the peak of the Spirit Sea Realm! However, a cultivator’s actual combat prowess was determined by numerous factors, not solely by their Cultivation Realm.

This was especially true for the nine core disciples of the Riverside Sect. Including those from the outer sect, they had risen through fierce competition and battles among over one hundred thousand disciples. Each one possessed extraordinary innate talent. Their cultivation Talent, soul and body, proficiency in magic and martial arts, combat experience, magic artifacts, and talismans—all were exceptional! Even Tian Zhiyu, ranked last among the core disciples, could overcome a gap of two or three Minor Realms to fight and defeat ordinary mid- to late-stage Spirit Sea Realm cultivators.

Shen Mo was confident that after advancing to the Second Layer of the Spirit Sea Realm, he could definitely triumph over Tian Zhiyu. But with his current ambition, he was unwilling to settle for being merely the lowest-ranked core disciple! After initiating a challenge, if he successfully defeated the disciple in the ninth seat, he would earn the right to sequentially challenge those in higher seats: the eighth, then the seventh, and so on, until he was defeated.

It will be extremely difficult to rush to the first seat in one go!

However, if I miss this opportunity, the next one would be two years later. I should try my best to break into the third, fourth, or fifth seat.

The ranking of core disciples was typically re-evaluated every three years. The cultivation resources and benefits allocated to each seat differed significantly! Consequently, the advantages brought to their respective Main Peaks also varied enormously.

Furthermore, if a Hall Master, Peak Master, or even the Law Master were to perish or advance to the Golden Core Realm and become a Supreme Elder, the disciple holding the first seat would have the priority to fill the vacancy. For instance, if it were confirmed that Yuan Chengshan, the Hall Master of the Immortal Welcoming Hall, had indeed perished in the Immortal Burial Sea. Then the current first-ranked core disciple could decide whether to assume the position of Hall Master of the Immortal Welcoming Hall.

Typically, the first-ranked core disciple would aim for the positions of Peak Master or Law Master and would decline the role of a Hall Master. The offer would then pass to the core disciple in the second seat, who could decide if they wished to accept it. If they also declined, the offer would continue down the ranks.