Returning to the Sect

However, the difference between one full meal and a lifetime of full meals ultimately led it to make its choice.

The Spirit-Hidden Rat leaped up, landing on Shen Mo's shoulder, and rubbed its head against his cheek.

"Then, from this day forth, you shall accompany me on this long, arduous path of immortality."

Seeing the large rat's actions, a look of joy appeared on Shen Mo's face as he gently stroked its head with his palm.

With this matter resolved, he had no more regrets.

He returned to his room, confirmed that all his belongings were packed, and then stepped out of the cave dwelling.

At this moment, Chen Mengze had already finished packing and was waiting outside.

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

During these past few days, although Chen Mengze left early and returned late, she had still seen Shen Mo feeding this large rat several times.

Thus, she knew that his relationship with the creature was quite good.

However, she was unaware of the Spirit-Hidden Rat's ancestral bloodline.

Nor had she seen how the Spirit-Hidden Rat would spit out a gift for Shen Mo every time it finished eating its roasted meat.

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

"Yes."

Shen Mo nodded.

"Upon returning to the sect, if you wish to make it your spirit pet, you can go to the Deacon Hall to obtain the method for the contract."

Chen Mengze glanced at the dazed Spirit-Hidden Rat and said, "Once the spirit pet contract is bound, a master-servant relationship is permanently established."

"You will be able to sense your spirit pet's location and state at all times, and you can communicate through your thoughts, allowing a spirit pet that cannot speak to interact with you."

A spirit pet that stays by one's side and strives forward together is often a crucial link on the path of cultivation for low-level cultivators.

Yet, most cultivators struggle their entire lives without ever finding a spirit pet.

This is because spirit beasts often possess great pride; even in the face of death, they will not easily acknowledge a human cultivator as their master.

To tame an awakened demonic beast as a spirit pet requires not only strength but also a certain degree of destiny and luck.

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 had truly awakened, taking it as a spirit pet would be a decent stroke of fortune.

Hearing Chen Mengze's advice, Shen Mo nodded. "Yes, after returning to the sect, I will find an opportunity to visit the Deacon Hall."

Chen Mengze added, "I only mentioned it so you would know, but you must be cautious when signing a spirit pet contract."

"Before reaching the Origin Core Realm, a cultivator can only sign one contract to bind a single demonic beast as a spirit pet."

"Unless the bound beast dies, a cultivator cannot change or sign a contract with another beast once it has been established."

Having finished this topic, her beautiful eyes wandered toward the direction of the cave dwelling. "Let us depart first. Senior Brother Guo is still negotiating with the disciples handling the handover; it will likely take some time."

In truth, waiting for Guo Zhao would not have taken long.

But in her heart, Chen Mengze did not wish to travel with him.

It seemed that his abrupt confession of feelings some time ago made Chen Mengze feel awkward whenever she saw him, and she simply wanted to distance herself.

"Very well."

Shen Mo had, after all, received many benefits from Guo Zhao, and he had intended to uphold his professional ethics by putting in a good word and insisting they all return together.

But seeing Chen Mengze's demeanor, he realized that if he insisted on waiting for Senior Brother Guo, she would likely just leave on her own.

In that case, he would be forced to travel back to the sect on foot, so he swallowed his words and nodded instead.

"Stand firm!"

With a flick of her sleeves, a pale green longsword transformed into a streak of light and descended slowly before them.

She stepped onto it first, then pulled Shen Mo up behind her.

"Whoosh!"

Once both were on the flying sword, Chen Mengze formed a seal with her hands, driving the sword as they soared into the sky.

Fearing the Spirit-Hidden Rat might fall, Shen Mo tucked it securely into his lapel.

The sea of clouds was boundless, and as they flew over mountains and rivers, the sword pierced through mist and clouds, racing toward the River-Facing Sect.

River-Facing Sect, mountain gate.

After their journey, Shen Mo and Chen Mengze had finally returned.

They showed their identity tokens to the disciples guarding the gate and successfully entered the mountain.

"Here, the reward I promised you."

Chen Mengze handed a bulging bag of Spirit Stones to Shen Mo and said, "I am going to the Deacon Hall to submit this sect mission first."

With that, she turned and left.

Shen Mo tucked the Spirit Stones into his Qiankun Pouch and headed toward the area where the outer sect disciples resided.

"Finally, I've returned."

Having been away from the sect for two months, Shen Mo felt quite pleased at this moment: "Calculating the time, the Purple Sun Vermilion Fruit should be ripe by now!"

After returning to his residence, his first order of business was to secure the doors and windows before opening his hidden cellar.

He went to check on the growth of the Purple Sun Vermilion Fruit.

"Indeed! It's fully ripe!"

Descending into the cellar, he gazed at the mound of spirit soil covered by the Spirit-Suppressing Cover on the Eight Immortals table, his heart filled with joy.

The Purple Sun Vermilion Fruit nurtured atop the spirit soil had completely matured, and the Thundercloud Pattern on its skin had become increasingly clear and distinct.

He pushed aside the Spirit-Suppressing Cover, and instantly, the fragrance of the fruit overflowed.

"Hoo!"

Shen Mo took a deep breath, feeling a sense of comfort throughout his entire body: "Next, I only need to wait until I reach my limit, then I can consume it to charge toward the Qi Gathering Realm!"

"Ying ying!"

Beside him, the Spirit-Hidden Rat that had followed him over was also enticed by the aroma of the Purple Sun Vermilion Fruit.

It leaped onto the table, appearing somewhat eager to try it.

"You cannot eat this."

Shen Mo hurriedly tucked it into his Qiankun Pouch and smiled faintly: "If you're hungry, I'll roast some more meat for you to eat."

After he plucked the Purple Sun Vermilion Fruit, the branches, leaves, and vines withered rapidly, and the original spiritual energy dissipated as well.

Shen Mo gathered up the spirit soil as well.

Afterward, he roasted a Red-Browed Deer leg for the Spirit-Hidden Rat, instructing it to eat slowly at home and forbidding it from running outside.

He then headed out to visit the area where Cao Ren resided.

Counting the time, that fellow had been in seclusion for nearly four or five months.

He should be coming out of seclusion by now, surely.

At Cao Ren's residence, Shen Mo did not find him, but instead ran into Cao Ren's father, Cao Shanyue.

"That brat was in seclusion for three months, though he did come out once during that period."

Cao Shanyue spoke up: "He failed his first attempt at breaking through. He took some spirit pills to repair his foundation, and ten days ago, he went back into seclusion again."

"He failed?"

Hearing this, Shen Mo could not help but sigh inwardly.

For cultivators like them at the bottom, without a prominent background or peerless talent for immortality, every step was truly incredibly difficult.

Fortunately, I have my Destiny!

Shen Mo thought to himself; before Cao Ren went into seclusion, his own cultivation was only at the sixth level of the Body Tempering Realm, but now, he was nearing perfection.

Who knows, perhaps in the future, he would promote to the inner sect faster than Cao Ren.

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

Although the Destiny Panel did not provide the exaggerated assistance found in the web novels of his past life—like "one slash for 999 damage" or gaining divine skills through daily check-ins—it was indeed, step by step, broadening his destiny, enhancing his fortuitous encounters, his vision, and his cultivation.