"Master Shen, I am Elder Xu Tong of the Gold Toad Tower, and I am here on behalf of our Law Master to invite you to a banquet at our sect!"

Xu Tong was in the late-stage of the Qi Gathering Realm, not far from reaching its peak. His physical body was exceptionally robust, and with the addition of heavy armor, he effortlessly pushed the crowd away with a wave of his hand. The cultivators surrounding Shen Mo, although annoyed, dared not say more!

With a glance, Shen Mo recognized this Elder from the Gold Toad Tower. It wasn't because of his unusual physique or appearance, but the Suanni Armor he wore was too conspicuous. During the auction in Jiyun Town, it was this Xu Tong from the Gold Toad Tower who had spent three thousand Lower Grade Spirit Stones to purchase this armor. At that time, Shen Mo had wondered how to deal with such a powerful figure. Now, however, he no longer had this concern. Even if Xu Tong wore the Suanni Armor, he would not be able to withstand Shen Mo's sword strike!

Given such a peculiar coincidence, Shen Mo found Xu Tong more pleasing to the eye and chatted with him amicably. "Fellow daoist Xu, please wait!" he said. "Once I finish dealing with the Defense Division's duties, I will accompany you to the Gold Toad Tower."

Now, in Hongye City, one major power had been dealt with. If the Tian Clan was wise, they wouldn't cause trouble for him in the immediate future. In the city and the surrounding large towns, most of those remaining were small families. They possessed neither the ability nor the confidence to provoke him. The only ones in the nearby Splendid Mountain Range that still required his attention were the Gold Toad Tower and the Thriving Gold Sect. He needed to gauge their attitudes. After all, many small families and minor immortal sects had intricate connections with these two major immortal sects. If he could successfully handle these two powers... Shen Mo could then sit comfortably at the Defense Division without worrying about various restrictions.

Xu Tong had waited an entire day, so another half-day hardly mattered. He quickly waved his hand, saying, "Fellow daoist Shen, please attend to your matters first. I am not in a rush."

Next, the Qingfeng Master standing beside him saluted Shen Mo. He said, "I, the Qingfeng Master, pay my respects to Master Shen. May I ask, Commander, if rogue cultivators like us receive the same monthly salary as fellow daoists from immortal sects if we enlist with the Defense Division? Furthermore, what would our compensation be if we do not wish to be on duty at the division daily?"

Xu Tong gave Qingfeng Master a subtle glance, his expression unchanging. No wonder he was praising Shen Mo so much earlier, he thought. He had intended to enlist with the Defense Division all along. It wasn't just Qingfeng Master; even Cultivator Zhang, who didn't think highly of Shen Mo, was now crowding around him, asking all sorts of questions! This made Xu Tong also entertain the idea of enlisting with the Defense Division.

Despite being an Elder of the Gold Toad Tower and favored by the Sect Master, life in a minor immortal sect wasn't easy. Suppressed by the Five Great Sects from above and eyed covetously by other sects from below, the Gold Toad Tower was far from wealthy. Or perhaps, it could be said that no cultivator ever truly lived in abundance. The cultivation resources Xu Tong needed usually came from the sect's monthly allowance and whatever extra income he earned from venturing out to slay demons and eliminate evil. From the current look of things, affiliating with the Defense Division seemed to be another good source of income.

Moreover, the Defense Division wasn't an immortal sect to begin with. Whether one hailed from the Five Great Sects or was a rogue cultivator, anyone willing to contribute to resisting the demonic calamity could join. Hence, the term "affiliating." It could be considered an anti-demon alliance with a rather official nature!

Despite his interest, Xu Tong didn't speak up hastily. After all, he was an Elder of the Gold Toad Tower and still needed to consider the Sect Master's wishes.

Soon, Shen Mo entrusted Chen Mengze with the full responsibility of recruiting affiliated cultivators. With a foundation of over seven hundred middle-grade Spirit Stones, the Defense Division could afford to recruit more powerful practitioners. After all, one of the initial purposes of the Defense Division was to redistribute the cultivation resources of the Red Flame Country, biasing them as much as possible... towards cultivators who slay demons! This was instead of letting resources be squandered by those parasitic worms who, despite clinging to life and fearing death, controlled power at the grassroots level.

Chen Mengze handled the tasks quite smoothly. However, the workload became increasingly heavy, causing her to grumble quite a bit. Especially after Shen Mo acted like a hands-off shopkeeper and left with Xu Tong to attend the banquet at the Gold Toad Tower, she stopped putting on a pleasant face for anyone. Even people like Tian Shouren and Zhu Dahai kept their distance, deeply afraid of incurring the wrath of the Commander's favored person!

In the eyes of the Defense Division's cultivators, this fellow daoist Chen clearly had a profound relationship with Master Shen. It was not merely the close bond of a Senior Sister and junior brother from the same sect! Most likely, they were companions on the path, progressing hand in hand. In a way, the speculations of Tian Shouren and the others weren't too far-fetched.

Shen Mo wasn't sure what Chen Mengze thought. But, in his own mind currently, their relationship was more that of fellow daoists than partners. They could trust each other, support each other on their cultivation journey, and even explore for treasures and share the spoils together... However, it wasn't essential for them to become Dao companions in a sense akin to "husband and wife"!

「Meanwhile」

Having pushed all his official duties onto Chen Mengze, Shen Mo, accompanied by Xu Tong, now appeared outside the mountain gate of the Gold Toad Tower.

The grandeur of the mountain peaks where the Gold Toad Tower was situated naturally couldn't compare with that of the Riverside Sect. However, it was by no means desolate and treacherous terrain. It fully deserved to be praised as "brimming with spiritual energy"! The Main Peak, where the Gold Toad Tower was located, was particularly remarkable, its form resembling a golden toad swallowing the sun, giving it a rather mystical appearance. This peak was likely the origin of the sect's name.

Xu Tong must have informed the Gold Toad Tower in advance, as its Sect Master, Wei Ye, accompanied by several Elders, had personally come to the mountain gate to welcome them. Ordinary Qi Gathering Realm cultivators would not warrant such a grand reception. It was likely that Sect Master Wei Ye had learned from Elder Xu Tong about Shen Mo's defeat of Tian Qisheng and therefore regarded him as a peer. That was why he had personally come out to welcome him into the Gold Toad Tower, treating him as an equal.

When others treated him with respect... Given Shen Mo's character, he naturally reciprocated the courtesy. He hurried forward and said with reverence, "Sect Master Wei, you honor me too greatly! How could I trouble you to personally come and welcome me?"

The Sect Master of the Gold Toad Tower, Wei Ye, laughed heartily. "For a peerless talent like fellow daoist Shen to grace my Gold Toad Tower with your presence for a banquet brings great honor to my humble mountain. What is it for me to welcome you personally? Fellow daoist, you first achieved Godlike Swordplay, and then, while at the Qi Gathering Realm, you defeated an expert of the Spirit Sea Realm! With such talent and aptitude, no matter where you go, how could any host not rush out to welcome you with utmost respect!"

Amidst laughter and conversation, Shen Mo followed Wei Ye into the mountain gate of the Gold Toad Tower.

「At the Banquet Hall」

The exquisite spiritual wine, fragrant and rich, shimmered with an amber light in the jade bowls. It was evident that the Gold Toad Tower had meticulously arranged this modest, yet refined, banquet. The spiritual wine served was extraordinary in color, aroma, and taste. Even Shen Mo, accustomed to high-grade nectars, was captivated and pleasantly intoxicated by it. The Spirit Fruits were also no ordinary items; most were rare treasures found deep in the mountains, each worth more than ten Lower Grade Spirit Stones. To Shen Mo's slight regret, the spread was somewhat light, lacking any game or rich delicacies.

After many toasts and several rounds of wine, Shen Mo, his face slightly flushed, smiled and asked, "Sect Master Wei, may I inquire about the purpose of inviting me to this banquet?"

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