CHAPTER 48: CHAPTER 48 RETURN TO THE CLAN_1

However, the difference between being full once and being full every meal eventually led it to make a decision.

The Spirit Storage Rat leaped onto Shen Mo’s shoulder, nuzzling its head against his cheek.

"From now on, you will accompany me on this long path of cultivation," Shen Mo said, a hint of joy on his face as he gently patted its head.

With this matter settled, he had no further regrets.

After returning to his room and confirming that everything necessary was packed, he left his cave mansion.

By this time, Chen Mengze had also packed her belongings and was waiting outside the cave mansion.

Seeing him and the Spirit Storage Rat on his shoulder, Chen Mengze asked in surprise, "It’s willing to go with you?"

During this period, although Chen Mengze often left early and returned late, she had still witnessed Shen Mo feeding this large rat on several occasions.

So, she knew he had a good relationship with it.

However, she was unaware of the Spirit Storage Rat’s unique bloodline.

Nor had she seen the Spirit Storage Rat spit out a gift for Shen Mo every time it finished eating roasted meat.

She simply assumed it was an ordinary Gold-devouring Rat.

"Yes," Shen Mo nodded.

"When you return to the sect, if you wish to formally take it as your Spirit Pet, you can go to the Deacon Hall to obtain the Contract Magic."

Chen Mengze glanced at the dazed Spirit Storage Rat and said, "Once a Spirit Pet Contract is bound, a complete master-servant relationship is established."

"You can constantly sense the Spirit Pet’s location and condition, and even communicate mentally, allowing otherwise mute Spirit Pets to interact."

A Spirit Pet that accompanies and tempers a cultivator is often a crucial part of a low-level cultivator’s cultivation journey.

But most cultivators spend their entire lives without finding a Spirit Pet.

This is because Spirit Beasts are often proud and would rather die than easily acknowledge a Human Cultivator as their master.

Taming a demonic beast that has awakened its spiritual consciousness into a Spirit Pet requires not only strength but also a degree of luck and opportune encounters.

From Chen Mengze’s perspective, this large rat was merely an ordinary Gold-devouring Rat with no potential for cultivation.

If this Gold-devouring Rat were to awaken its spiritual consciousness, taking it as a Spirit Pet would be quite a fortunate encounter, she thought.

Hearing Chen Mengze’s reminder, Shen Mo nodded. "Alright, once I return to the sect, I’ll find an opportunity to visit the Deacon Hall."

Chen Mengze added, "I only mentioned it to you, but signing a Spirit Pet Contract is a matter that requires careful consideration."

"Before reaching the Golden Core Realm, a cultivator can only sign one contract, binding a single demonic beast as a Spirit Pet."

"Unless the bound demonic beast dies, once a cultivator forms a contract, it cannot be changed, nor can they sign a contract with other demonic beasts."

After saying this, she looked towards the cave mansion and said, "Let’s go first. Senior Brother Guo is still negotiating with the disciple taking over; it will probably take some more time."

Actually, waiting for Guo Zhao wouldn’t have taken very long.

However, Chen Mengze did not want to leave with him.

Presumably, his abrupt confession some time ago made her feel awkward whenever she saw him, making her want to keep her distance.

"Alright."

After all, I’ve received quite a few benefits from Guo Zhao, Shen Mo thought. I should stick to my professional ethics, put in a good word for him, and insist the three of us return to the sect together. But seeing Chen Mengze’s expression... if I say we should wait for Senior Brother Guo, she’ll probably leave first. Then I’d have to walk back to the sect by myself.

The words died on his lips, and he simply nodded.

"Hold on tight!"

With a flick of her sleeve, a pale cyan Longsword transformed into a streak of light, gently landing before them.

She stepped onto it first, then pulled Shen Mo up as well.

WHOOSH!

Once they were both on the Flying Sword, Chen Mengze formed a seal, guiding the Flying Sword into the sky.

Shen Mo, afraid the Spirit Storage Rat might fall, tucked it securely inside his robes.

Amidst a boundless sea of clouds, over vast mountains and rivers, the Flying Sword pierced through clouds and mist, speeding towards the Riverside Sect.

「Riverside Sect, mountain gate.」

After some travel, Shen Mo and Chen Mengze finally returned.

They showed their Identity Tokens to the disciple guarding the mountain gate and smoothly entered.

"Here, the reward I promised you."

Chen Mengze handed Shen Mo a bulging bag of Spirit Stones and said, "I’m going to the Deacon Hall first to report the completion of this sect task."

With that, she turned and left.

Shen Mo stored the Spirit Stones in his Universe Bag and hurried towards the living quarters of the outer disciples.

"Finally back."

Having been away from the sect for two months, Shen Mo was in quite a good mood. "By my calculations," he said to himself, "the Purple Sun Red Fruit should be ripe by now!"

Upon returning to his residence, the first thing he did was secure the doors and windows, then open his hidden cellar to check on the growth of the Purple Sun Red Fruit.

"Just as I thought! Fully ripe!"

Descending into the cellar, he gazed at the spiritual soil on the Eight Immortals table, covered by the Spirit Banned Cover, his heart filled with joy.

The Purple Sun Red Fruit cultivated in the spiritual soil was fully mature, the thundercloud patterns on its skin even clearer and more distinct.

He lifted the Spirit Banned Cover, and the fruit’s fragrance immediately filled the air.

HAAAH!

Shen Mo took a deep breath, feeling a sense of comfort wash over him. "Next," he resolved, "I just need to wait until my accumulation reaches its peak, then I can consume it and attempt to break through to the Qi Gathering Realm!"

SQUEAK!

Nearby, the Spirit Storage Rat that had come with him was also enticed by the Purple Sun Red Fruit’s aroma.

It leaped onto the table, appearing eager for a taste.

"You can’t eat this," Shen Mo said, hurriedly putting it into his Universe Bag. He added with a faint smile, "If you’re hungry, I’ll roast some more meat for you."

After he picked the Purple Sun Red Fruit, the vine it grew on quickly withered, its spiritual qi dissipating.

Shen Mo collected the spiritual soil as well.

Then, he roasted a Red-browed Deer leg for the Spirit Storage Rat, instructing it to eat slowly at home and not to wander off.

He then went to the area where Cao Ren lived.

That fellow has been in seclusion for almost four or five months now, Shen Mo thought. He really should be coming out soon.

In Cao Ren’s residence, Shen Mo didn’t find him but instead encountered Cao Ren’s father, Cao Shanyue.

"That boy was in seclusion for three months, though he did come out once during that time," Cao Shanyue said. "His first attempt to break through failed. He took some Elixirs to mend his foundation and went back into seclusion ten days ago."

He failed? Shen Mo sighed inwardly upon hearing this.

For bottom-rung cultivators like them, lacking illustrious backgrounds or supreme cultivation Talent, every step on their path is incredibly arduous.

Fortunately, I have Destiny!

Shen Mo reflected that just before Cao Ren had entered seclusion, his own cultivation had only been at Body Tempering Realm Layer VI; now, he was already close to Perfection.

Perhaps he might even advance to the Inner Door before Cao Ren.

Shen Mo knew that all of this was thanks to the Destiny Panel.

The Destiny Panel didn’t offer the exaggerated benefits found in the online novels of his previous life, such as a single strike yielding 999 damage or obtaining divine skills through sign-ins. However, it had indeed been steadily broadening his Fate, enhancing his Adventures, outlook, and cultivation...