The Beginning of the Plot

With the ability to fly, the unique terrain of Wind Ghost Ravine no longer posed any difficulty for Mo Tang.

He first flew up and retrieved his weapon, the Sharp Spirit Blade. Then, soaring into the sky, he located the direction on the system's World Map and flew straight toward Mo Clan Town on the outskirts of the Demonic Beast Mountain Range.

This expedition into the Demonic Beast Mountain Range had been full of surprises and thrills, but the final result was still very good.

He had leaped from a Seven-Star Fighter to a Six-star Dou Master. Such an outrageous leap in strength would probably terrify quite a few people.

When he was still a thousand meters from the town, Mo Tang found a concealed place to land, then continued on foot.

He still felt it was best not to reveal his Flight Battle Skill. It could serve as one of his hidden trump cards.

After returning to the town, he first reported to the accompanying strong individual from the clan before hiding away in his room.

Although he had already broken through to the Dou Shi realm, no one could see through his cultivation level unless he deliberately revealed it.

After all, the strongest person here was only a Three-star Great Dou Master. Their eyesight was not that sharp.

Over the next few days, aside from occasionally entering the Demonic Beast Mountain Range to search for resources, Mo Tang remained in town.

Still, his gains were considerable. The corpses of several peak First-Order Demonic Beasts, as well as even a few Second-Order Beginner Demonic Beasts, had brought him an income of over ten thousand Gold Coins.

This left many members of the Guard Squad deeply envious.

"Deputy Commander... y-you... you broke through to the Dou Shi realm?"

When they saw that Mo Tang had actually brought back a Second-Order Intermediate Magical Beast, an Earth Roar Tiger, one of Mo Tang's direct subordinates could not help but cry out in shock.

Those words immediately drew the attention of many guards nearby.

Once they understood what had happened, everyone stared at Mo Tang with astonishment in their eyes.

Mo Tang did not try to hide it and said directly, "Yes. I was fortunate enough to break through a couple of days ago!"

"But... weren't you still a Seven-Star Fighter before...?"

Although they acknowledged Mo Tang's position as Deputy Commander, that was based on his terrifying combat strength, which allowed him to fight above his rank.

In terms of cultivation alone, there were still quite a few people in the Guard Squad who had surpassed him.

But... how long had it been?

Had it even been a month?

And he was already a Dou Shi...

Even if you were a genius, wasn't this improvement just a little too fast?!

The commotion also alerted Mo Lin, the Mo Clan Great Dou Master who had been stationed at the base all this time. When he learned that Mo Tang had broken through to the Dou Shi realm, his face was equally full of shock.

Mo Tang naturally had an explanation prepared.

"When I was in the Demonic Beast Forest, I was fortunate enough to find a White Spirit Ginseng Fruit. It happened to catch the eye of a passing alchemist, so I traded it for a Green Spirit Pill..."

"A Green Spirit Pill!" Mo Lin's expression changed as he stared at Mo Tang in shock.

The Green Spirit Pill was a third-rank medicinal pill. It was said that even a Dou Shi could directly raise their strength by one star after taking it!

The advanced version of the Green Spirit Pill was the Three-Patterned Green Spirit Pill. It could directly raise a Da Dou Shi by one star and could also help a Dou Shi break through to Da Dou Shi. Both were extremely precious medicinal pills.

"To be willing to trade a Green Spirit Pill for it, just what kind of medicinal herb was that White Spirit Ginseng Fruit?" Mo Lin could not help feeling envious of Mo Tang's luck.

But...

"Mo Tang, do you know where that alchemist is now? Is he in our town?"

Compared to the Green Spirit Pill, what Mo Lin cared about more was the mysterious alchemist Mo Tang had mentioned!

Someone who could casually take out a third-rank medicinal pill for a trade was at least a Fourth-grade Alchemist, wasn't he?

An alchemist of that level would be treated with utmost respect even if Great Elder of the Mo Clan Mo Cheng came in person...

Although the Mo Clan was an overlord-level family in the Eastern Province, the highest-ranked alchemist they could invite was only second-rank.

A Third-Rank Alchemist had once appeared in Salt City, but even when Mo Cheng personally went to visit, he could not even get through the man's door...

That showed just how high an alchemist's status was!

Seeing Mo Lin's excited expression, Mo Tang naturally knew what he was thinking.

With an inward sneer, he said indifferently, "I don't know about that either. However, that alchemist seemed to be searching for some medicinal herbs and headed straight into the depths of the Demonic Beast Mountain Range. I doubt he would appear in a place like this."

"What a pity, what a pity..."

Mo Lin shook his head and left soon afterward.

Whether Mo Tang's words were true or false, Mo Lin would certainly verify them himself.

It was just that he had not encountered such a stroke of luck himself, which left him feeling rather sour.

Still, no matter what, news of Mo Tang breaking through to the Dou Shi realm had spread throughout the entire town. Every member of the Guard Squad was both envious and jealous of him.

But what could they do about it?

His position as Deputy Commander was now truly deserved. Jealousy would get them nowhere!

For people like them, what mattered more now was trying their hardest to curry favor with Mo Tang...

A Dou Shi so young was destined to have limitless prospects.

If they did not seize the chance to suck up to him now... once he truly grew stronger, they would not even have the opportunity to do so!

And so, another three days passed.

On the eve of Mo Tang and the others' return to Salt City.

An unexpected group suddenly arrived in town...

"Greetings, Eldest Young Master, Second Miss! Greetings, honored members of the Misty Cloud Sect!"

Mo Lin personally went outside the town to welcome the group that had arrived from Salt City atop flying beasts.

Standing amid the welcoming party, Mo Tang's brows rose slightly when he saw them.

Among the group, the handsome young man was the Mo Family's Eldest Young Master, Mo Li. He was the eldest son of Clan Head Mo Lan and also an Inner Disciple of the Misty Cloud Sect.

The girl in red beside him was naturally the Second Miss of the Mo Clan, Mo Linglin...

Yet beside Mo Linglin was a girl in moon-white robes, whose arm Mo Linglin was holding intimately.

The girl wore a moon-white, wide-sleeved, form-fitting robe that trailed along the ground. A pale silver sash wrapped around her slender, willow-like waist, perfectly accentuating its delicate curve.

At that moment, the girl was whispering with the Second Miss of the Mo Clan, Mo Linglin, hand in hand. Her jade-like hands were tender as shoots, her skin smooth as congealed fat, and her lovely brows framed a delicate face. Her charming smile carried a faint air of otherworldly nobility.

Yet beneath that seemingly gentle smile, Mo Tang could see an aloof indifference that kept others at a thousand miles' distance.

Compared to this girl, even Mo Linglin, whom Mo Tang had once considered rather adorably spoiled, instantly lost all luster. An ordinary woman would likely feel ashamed of her own appearance after just one glance at her.

Someone from the Misty Cloud Sect, a stunning young girl paired with an old man who was at least Da Dou Shi-level, with Mo Li, the Mo Family's Eldest Young Master, accompanying them... Why did this look so much like the lineup when Nalan Yanran first appeared in the original story...

But why would they appear in a place like this...?