That day, Shen Mo had just returned from the Tianyin Valley Trade Fair when he saw two familiar figures outside his temporary mansion.
One of them was Elder Song Shenglong from the Celestial Lotus Sect. The Heaven Patrolling Zone was ho to nine sects of extraordinary status, and the Celestial Lotus Sect was one of them, rumored to have a Divine Bridge Realm Heavenly Monarch presiding within. Song Shenglong, on the night the Ancient Vine Sect was assailed, had co to their aid with two other peak Golden Core Realm cultivators. Shen Mo had thus beco acquainted with him, and they had maintained frequent contact since.
The other person was none other than Yuan Jing, who had been 'softly imprisoned' by the Heaven Patrolling Temple for over a decade!
...
Shen Mo imdiately arranged a banquet to warmly entertain the two.
After three rounds of drinks and a hearty al, Elder Song Shenglong of the Celestial Lotus Sect departed, thoroughly satisfied. Only Shen Mo and Yuan Jing, two fellow sect cultivators, remained at the table, along with attendant maids like Liu Siyun, who were pouring wine and tea.
"Peak Master Yuan, how have you fared these past years? Did the Heaven Patrolling Temple subject you to any humiliation?" With Song Shenglong, also a Heaven Patrolling Temple cultivator, present earlier, many topics were inconvenient to discuss. Now, Shen Mo no longer had such concerns.
GLUG. GLUG.
As wine cups clinked, Yuan Jing drained his cup. As Liu Siyun refilled it, he wiped his wine-stained beard and laughed heartily, "Not bad at all! Apart from not being able to move freely, I've enjoyed exquisite delicacies and fine wine, and haven't lacked Spirit Stones or Elixirs. I just treated it as a period of secluded, intensive cultivation."
"My successful formation of a Golden Core this ti is also thanks to the Heaven Patrolling Temple for providing this 'opportunity'!"
Previously, when Shen Mo first saw Yuan Jing, he had noticed a transformation in Yuan Jing's Essence and Qi, indicating he had finally crossed the half-step to Golden Core Realm threshold where he had been stuck for many years. If no new Golden Core Realm cultivators had erged in the Riverside Sect in recent years, Yuan Jing would be the sixth Golden Core Realm patriarch after Shen Mo.
It seed that the Heaven Patrolling Temple had been rather generous.
Of course, this was also due to the changing tis and the shifting situations…
When Shen Mo first arrived in the Heaven Patrolling Zone via the ancient Teleportation Array, he had been pursued for a long ti by a middle-aged Daoist dispatched by the Temple. At that ti, this world had not yet experienced the great changes in Heaven and Earth, nor had creatures from the Outer Zone descended. The Heaven Patrolling Temple, lofty and aloof, monitored the mortal world. It dealt with cultivators and creatures from beyond this domain with extre harshness, even more so than with local evil cultivators and demons. Not to ntion providing cultivation resources for captured foreign cultivators!
It was only later, as worldly affairs changed and the reformist faction within the Heaven Patrolling Temple gradually gained ascendancy, that their thods changed. After capturing Yuan Jing and his disciple Yu Yan, they did not mistreat them. Instead, they not only sent Yu Yan back to the Red Fla Zone but also provided Yuan Jing, during his 'soft imprisonnt,' with a cultivation site, Elixirs, and other resources.
Shen Mo smiled faintly and said, "Peak Master Yuan, you seem to be living quite comfortably. It appears my concern was unnecessary."
"Hahaha, don't tease , young man!" Yuan Jing shook his head and laughed.
However, he did not elaborate on his experiences during his 'soft imprisonnt.' Even though the Daoist temple had not mistreated him and had provided necessary cultivation resources, being reduced to a captive ant his situation was hardly as relaxed and pleasant as he described. Never mind the lack of freedom; even low-ranking attendant disciples in the Daoist temple could berate him as they pleased. The Elixirs provided to him were often skimd or embezzled by those who handled their distribution. Such incidents were too nurous to count!
It was a testant to Yuan Jing's firm Path Heart that, even in such conditions, he could remain true to his convictions, cultivate diligently without pause, and thus earn Heaven's favor to form a Golden Core.
"These past few years, though confined to a single room, I often heard news of you."
"I never imagined… after we parted, in just over a decade, you've cultivated to the middle-stage of the Golden Core Realm and possess such terrifying combat strength!"
"When word ca that you had seized the Taiyi Sword Alliance's sect-guarding treasure and heavily wounded a half-step Evil Monarch, my situation within the Daoist temple improved daily. My release today is also due to your efforts in negotiating on my behalf. I will rember this kindness always!"
"Here, let toast you…"
Shen Mo raised his cup and drank with him. After setting down his wine cup, he offered a few modest words.
In recent years, while he had indeed worked hard through the Ancient Vine Sect and his acquaintances among the Heaven Patrolling Temple cultivators to rescue Yuan Jing, the primary reason for Yuan Jing's release was the shift in the Heaven Patrolling Temple's own stance. Otherwise, given that he hadn't even constructed a Divine Bridge, no matter how much he pleaded or campaigned, he could not have swayed a decision made by such a transcendent power! It could be said that Shen Mo's efforts acted as a catalyst, contributing perhaps a third of the credit.
"By the way, have Red Fla Country and the sect been peaceful all these years? And how did you co to this Heaven Patrolling Zone?"
"You may all leave now!"
Shen Mo waved his hand, dismissing Liu Siyun and the other maids and disciples. He then told Yuan Jing everything that had transpired before he left the Red Fla Zone: The great upheaval of Heaven and Earth, the descent of creatures from the Outer Zone, the Soaring Serpent and Bizarre Dragon devouring most of Qing State, nurous high-level figures vanishing, a large number of sect disciples trapped in the Mountain River Realm, Shen Mo using a Secret Technique to forcibly enter the Dungeon, the bloody purge of perverse trends and evil practices…
This barrage of shocking news struck Yuan Jing like hamr blows to the head, leaving him stunned and speechless for a long ti!
...
With Yuan Jing's current strength, attempting to traverse the turbulent space-ti 'River of the Dead' and cross the Immortal Burial Sea alone would likely an perishing en route.
Therefore, Shen Mo rented another cultivation mansion for him, allowing him to settle down temporarily. When the Teleportation Array is restored, or when Shen Mo himself prepares to return to the Red Fla Zone, he can take Yuan Jing back with him.
Afterward, Shen Mo visited the Ancient Vine Sect again to express his gratitude to Qin Wenzhen, Ge Qing, and the others. From Song Shenglong of the Celestial Lotus Sect, he learned that the Ancient Vine Sect had indeed honored its promise and put in considerable effort regarding Yuan Jing's matter!
"Fellow Daoist Qingyun, your term as an alien minister Elder will conclude in two more years. What are your plans then? Would you consider continuing to serve as an alien minister Elder for our sect?" Qin Wenzhen asked with keen anticipation.
Shen Mo smiled and shook his head. "I will no longer serve as an alien minister Elder."
"Once the ancient battlefield of immortals and demons recedes, the many fellow Daoists gathered here will gradually disperse. It won't be as fraught with conflict and chaos as it has been these past few years!"
"Besides, with a treasure like the Enlightennt Tea Leaves in play, should the Ancient Vine Sect face disaster again, I will do my utmost to assist. Sect Master Qin need not worry that our friendly relations will be severed because of this."
"As for my future plans, I haven't decided yet. We'll see when the ti cos!"
Although the Ancient Vine Sect provided him with abundant spiritual items annually, he would not remain in Caiyi Country after the ancient battlefield of immortals and demons faded into obscurity. Naturally, he would then be unable to fulfill his agreed-upon responsibilities. Making empty promises or deceiving the Ancient Vine Sect for their resources was sothing Shen Mo disdained to do.
Now, he was just waiting for the mont the ancient battlefield of immortals and demons vanished into nothingness, to see if Lin Zhaozai, the Evil Monarch, would erge!
Over the years, Shen Mo had consistently monitored the powerful experts entering and exiting the ancient battlefield. When outside the ancient battlefield, he would dispatch Class IV Demon Soul Generals, such as Yang Chengxiong, to patrol the periphery of the misty radiance. If he entered the ancient battlefield to seek opportunities, he would use the Demon Soul Generals to search for this person's whereabouts. He had also entrusted Ge Qing of the Ancient Vine Sect, other alien minister Elders, and Golden Core Realm cultivators he had befriended over the years to continue this surveillance.
However, as of now, he had yet to find any trace of Lin Zhaozai!
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