Finally, Chen Mengze accepted the two jade slips and the seven Big Dipper Swords!

She took Shen Mo's words to heart.

She gained some understanding and also developed a new aim and ambition.

Perhaps her path deviated slightly from what Shen Mo had described, but as long as she persevered, she wouldn't dwell on whether the cultivation methods and Dao swords were too precious or not!

She engraved Shen Mo's warning to her in her heart.

However, she did not say much in the way of thanks. True gratitude was something to be kept inside; speaking it aloud would seem meaningless.

After seeing Shen Mo off, Chen Mengze pricked her finger, letting out seven ruby-like droplets of blood, which she dripped onto the seven small swords, refining them into her destined magical artifacts.

However, she didn't immediately cultivate the *Big Dipper Seven Star Sword Formation* or the *Sword Control Spirit Technique*.

Instead, she sat cross-legged once again on her bed and resumed cultivating her main cultivation method, the *Pure Jade Mantra*.

Strangely enough, after Shen Mo spoke from the heart, she felt a sense of enlightenment...

Cultivating this *Pure Jade Mantra* subsequently became incredibly smooth and satisfactory, and her proficiency in the cultivation method continuously progressed and increased!

The Spiritual Qi transformed into ice crystals, floating and rippling around her, as if leaping in joy.

While Chen Mengze's skin became crystal clear, the Flesh and Blood beneath her skin also seemed to transform into pure jade marrow, gradually becoming more mystical.

Feeling her long-stagnant cultivation gradually starting to improve again...

A long-lost smile appeared on her crystal-clear, ice-like face!

Contrary to Shen Mo's expectations, Chen Mengze did indeed regard catching up to him as her current obsession.

But ultimately, it wasn't out of resentment, jealousy, or any similar emotions.

Rather, it was because she didn't want to be left further and further behind him... ultimately ending up like a humble firefly amidst the weeds, gazing up at the brilliant moon hanging in the vast night sky.

The *Pure Jade Mantra* required the cultivator's Path Heart to be as clear and pure as ice.

It wasn't asking the cultivator to sever emotional ties and desires, to abandon all feelings and wants.

Humans aren't unfeeling stones; how could one not possess the seven emotions and six desires?

Even evil cultivators and Heavenly Demons couldn't achieve such a state; on the contrary, their desires were even more fervent than those of ordinary cultivators!

Chen Mengze, however, discarded all distracting thoughts, leaving only one conviction in her heart—

That, even after hundreds or thousands of years, she could still stand by Shen Mo's side!

Everything else was like fallen leaves and dust in a mountain spring, swept away by the GURGLING current.

This kept the spring water perpetually clear and pure!

Inadvertently, she came to align even more closely with the stringent requirements of the *Pure Jade Mantra*.

One could only say that the profundity of Dao Methods and magic could be glimpsed from this!

「...」

Standing under the night sky, Shen Mo sensed moonlight and Spiritual Qi continuously converging on Chen Mengze's residence, and he finally felt relieved.

Not long after she had come to Hongye City to help, Shen Mo had gradually noticed something amiss.

After being around each other day and night, he became even more certain of his judgment.

It was just that he hadn't found the right moment to have a proper talk with Chen Mengze.

Shen Mo looked up at the bright, clear moon and exclaimed with heartfelt emotion, "The boundless white snow and the lustrous moonlight reflect each other, truly as beautiful as a painting!"

I wonder if Lingyin is concocting elixirs or enjoying the scenery?

Just as he was thinking this, his Sound Transmission Talisman began to vibrate.

It was a greeting from the beauty thousands of miles away: "The moon is beautiful tonight, but alas, a vast distance separates us!"

「...」

「Several days later.」

Shen Mo's figure appeared before Star Hall.

With his and Elder Shentu's joint recommendation, coupled with Chen Mengze's own merits, the sect deliberated and ultimately issued an order appointing her as Commander of the Hongye City Defense Division.

After that, Shen Mo was pleased and returned to the sect. However, before going up the mountain, he took a detour to Jiyun Town.

These past days, he had refined a large number of elixirs, talismans, and magic artifacts.

Of course, as usual, Shen Mo didn't tell Shopkeeper Qian the true source of these spiritual items.

Instead, he told him that the elixirs were refined by his mentor, Mo Shen.

And the talismans and magic artifacts were refined by his close friends from the sect!

Shopkeeper Qian may have had his suspicions, but he was a shrewd man and never pried or asked too many questions during their transactions.

After all, Shen Mo owned the majority shares in the four stores, including Baodan Pavilion.

Moreover, as Shopkeeper Qian gradually reduced his contributions to his family—like a frog in slowly heated water—his relationship with the Qian Family and Qian Fuming grew increasingly strained. Consequently, he came to rely more and more on Shen Mo as his supporter.

Compared to previous years, the amount of Spirit Stone savings he personally retained had increased severalfold.

This allowed him to better provide for his children, Qian Xiaohu and Qian Xiaofeng!

Thus, Shopkeeper Qian became increasingly deferential in Shen Mo's presence.

At least, even if he had to be deferential, he no longer had to tremble and kneel before Qian Fuming, too scared to even breathe loudly, as he had in the past.

After Shen Mo completed the transactions of supplies and Spirit Stones, he immediately requested to borrow a large quantity of raw materials needed for making talismans, Alchemy, and Forging.

Shopkeeper Qian didn't ask many questions about the reason and directly allowed Shen Mo to empty the inventory of the four stores.

Furthermore, he allocated all liquid funds and, through various connections and networks, purchased a large batch of raw materials.

Enough for Shen Mo to use for ten months of closed-door cultivation!

This made Shen Mo quite pleased.

His foresight paid off. When he left Wolf Howling Ridge, he had specifically asked Chen Mengze to look after the siblings, Qian Xiaohu and Qian Xiaofeng.

Shen Mo had consumed Spirit Stones and specifically used his "Insight into All Beings" ability to assess the siblings.

He discovered that Qian Xiaohu's Talent was quite decent, but he was far surpassed by his sister, Qian Xiaofeng.

This girl, though not born with a Spiritual Body, possessed Talent only slightly inferior to one, which was quite remarkable.

Shopkeeper Qian's Realm was not high, and Qian Xiaofeng was naturally playful and mischievous, so her cultivation progress wasn't very fast.

Therefore, Shopkeeper Qian had not yet discovered this.

However, Qian Fuming, as a powerful cultivator in the Spirit Sea Realm, could tell at a glance that Qian Xiaofeng possessed exceptional Talent.

Such a rare talent, a true gem—yet this Elder Qian of Rising Sun Peak had not sent her to the Riverside Sect. Instead, just like Qian Xiaohu, she was left to cultivate in Green Sheep City. One couldn't help but wonder about his motives!

When Shen Mo told Shopkeeper Qian about this, the usually amiable and smiling man showed a look of utter hatred for the first time.

Shen Mo also promised him that in a few days, he would bring Qian Xiaofeng to the Riverside Sect and arrange for her to cultivate in the outer section for a period.

Once she advanced to the Qi Gathering Realm and went through the competitive selection for new inner disciples, Shen Mo would then plead with the Peak Master and Elder Huang to allow her to cultivate on Stars Peak.

After leaving Jiyun Town, Shen Mo flew straight back to the sect.

He didn't go directly to Star Hall but instead went to the Lake Heart Cottage on Spirit Gathering Peak.

He lingered with Zhao Lingyin for the better part of the day before reluctantly making his way to Star Hall.

Peak Master Zhou Shili had already been informed by his disciples that Shen Mo had returned to the sect. Consequently, he had set aside his miscellaneous tasks and refrained from closed-door cultivation, specifically waiting for Shen Mo at Star Hall. However, he ended up waiting for the better part of the day.

In the end, Zhou Shili had to use a talisman to send a message, summoning Shen Mo back from Spirit Gathering Peak.

If it had been any other disciple from his Peak, and not Shen Mo, he would have undoubtedly given them a harsh reprimand!

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