Chen Ming returned unhurriedly to the Mo Mansion, thinking, Now that my strength has been revealed, all the factions have been cowed. They're only mortals, after all. Knowing that I'm now an immortal cultivator, these martial sects certainly won't dare provoke the Mo Mansion again. The only real concern now is the Yu Family, a cultivation clan!
There was no use overthinking it. He should improve his strength first. With that thought, he returned to the training room and began cultivating.
Time hurried past. Spring gave way to autumn, year after year, and everything remained uneventful. No conflicts arose during those two years, as though everything had settled back into quiet normality.
In those two years, Chen Ming's cultivation reached the tenth qi refining layer, nothing like what one would expect from someone with only a fake spiritual root.
Zhang Tie's perseverance was quite impressive as well. He had spent long stretches training by the sea and brought his Elephant Armor Skill to the ninth level, though much of that was thanks to the pills Chen Ming kept feeding him. Zhang Tie was now a martial artist at the fifth level of the Xiantian realm, and his Elephant Armor Skill had reached its limit.
He needed a different cultivation method to make further progress, so Chen Ming taught him his own supreme martial art. With the foundation provided by the Elephant Armor Skill, he believed Zhang Tie would soon break through to the Martial Dao Grandmaster realm.
Martial Dao Grandmaster was the highest realm currently known to martial artists. Even the strongest Martial Dao Grandmaster of the Zhao Kingdom Royal House was reportedly only at the eighth level of the Grandmaster realm. To this day, no one knew whether another realm existed beyond it, for human strength had its limits, and even the longest-lived mortals lived only a hundred years.
Over those two years, with Chen Ming's constant supply of pills, everyone in the Mo Mansion improved their cultivation. Even Mo Caihuan, the most playful of them all, had attained the cultivation of a first-rate martial artist.
Mo Fengwu, who had the greatest talent, was the most astonishing. She had actually reached the seventh level of the Xiantian realm, giving her the highest martial cultivation in the Mo Mansion.
Mo Yuzhu worked hard and was no less talented. She was only one level behind Mo Fengwu, at the sixth innate layer. During this time, Chen Ming also taught her the method for controlling You Tanzhi.
Even the wives had all reached the first level of the Xiantian realm. As the saying went, when one person attained the Dao, even their chickens and dogs ascended to heaven. That perfectly described the Mo Mansion now!
Calculating the timing, Chen Ming reckoned it should be about time for the Wild Wolf Gang's surprise attack on the Seven Mysteries Sect. He pondered whether he should go and seize Han Li's fortuitous opportunity.
Venerable Golden Light possessed an Ascension Token for the Yellow Maple Valley. Chen Ming was deeply conflicted. He had never wanted too much involvement with Han Li, simply because Han Li had the Small Bottle and could enter its space at any time.
Moreover, a few years later, when the demonic path invaded the Zhao State's cultivation world, the Yellow Maple Valley would flee without a fight and even sell out its allies.
"Master, someone from Spirit Beast Mountain has come to visit!"
While he was wrestling with his decision, a servant hurried over to report.
"Oh! Have him wait in the reception hall. I'll be there shortly!"
After a moment of surprise and uncertainty, Chen Ming gave his reply.
Why has someone from Spirit Beast Mountain suddenly come calling? What exactly does he want? As he wondered, he straightened his clothes and headed toward the reception hall.
Upon entering the reception hall, he saw a bald, overweight middle-aged man with a drooping mustache, holding a horsetail whisk and wearing a pale blue Daoist robe. No matter how he looked at him, the man hardly resembled a cultivator from Spirit Beast Mountain. He looked more like a Daoist priest from the mortal world!
"Your esteemed self is from Spirit Beast Mountain...?"
Chen Ming studied the man carefully, then asked in puzzlement.
"I am Yuan Wulang, an outer sect elder of Spirit Beast Mountain. Others call me Elder Yuan!"
Yuan Wulang stroked his mustache with his left hand and spoke haughtily.
"May I ask what brings you here, Elder Yuan?"
Taking his cue from the other man's words, Chen Ming continued his questions.
"You must be Mo Juren! Hmm! Not bad. Two years ago, you were only at the seventh qi refining layer, and now you've reached the tenth. I've come today to invite you to join our Spirit Beast Mountain!"
Yuan Wulang smiled at Chen Ming and spoke at a leisurely pace.
"Mo Juren left Jiayuan City seven years ago. After being poisoned, he joined a minor sect called the Seven Mysteries Sect, then returned to Jiayuan City two years ago. Surely I don't need to spell it out any further! Haha! We're both clever men, aren't we, Doctor Mo?"
Before Chen Ming could answer, Yuan Wulang continued with a smile.
The man had dug up his entire past. Chen Ming was terrified that he might suddenly say, "You aren't the original Mo Juren." Then he would be in serious trouble!
"Since you've been so straightforward, Elder Yuan, I have nothing more to say. I can only agree! But once I join Spirit Beast Mountain, what will you need me to do?"
Chen Ming thought that, since the man knew his background so thoroughly, he surely wanted something. He answered calmly anyway. A dead pig had no fear of boiling water.
"For now, you don't need to do anything. You only need to return to Spirit Beast Mountain with me!"
With that, Yuan Wulang headed outside.
Chen Ming could only follow helplessly. As he passed the main gate, he happened to see Mo Caihuan skipping home from outside and said, "I'm going away for a while, and I don't know when I'll be back this time. Cai'er, go tell your mother and aunts."
"Since you've already begun cultivating immortality, why haven't you severed your ties to the mortal world?"
Yuan Wulang looked at Chen Ming questioningly as he spoke.
"I am human to begin with. Why should I cast off the mortal world?"
Chen Ming answered evenly.
"Aren't you afraid your Dao heart will become unstable, making it difficult to attain the Dao?"
Yuan Wulang looked at Chen Ming in surprise as he asked.
"This is my Dao!"
Chen Ming merely answered softly.
Yet at that moment, Chen Ming's feelings were extremely complicated. Thoughts whirled through his mind as he cursed inwardly without pause. All I did was consider whether to steal Han Li's fortuitous opportunity! Damn you, Heavenly Dao, do you really have to screw me over like this? A heaven-appointed protagonist really is a heaven-appointed protagonist. Some things you can't even think about!
Several days later, they arrived at the foot of a mountain range. From a distance, one of its mountains resembled a fierce tiger. That was Spirit Beast Mountain!
Yuan Wulang took Chen Ming to register at the outer sect, gave him an identity token and clothing, then assigned him to serve under him as a pill-refining attendant.
Through their conversations on the road, Chen Ming learned that Spirit Beast Mountain had originally had no intention of accepting him. However, a short while ago, several of Yuan Wulang's pill-refining attendants had suddenly disappeared, and by sheer coincidence, he happened to arrive in Jiayuan City that very day.
While collecting medicinal ingredients from the Spirit Smoke Pavilion, he happened, by yet another coincidence, to hear news of Chen Ming. Yuan Wulang had originally planned to find a few pill-refining attendants at random after returning to Spirit Beast Mountain, but after hearing about Mo Juren, he had found himself coming to his door!
After hearing Yuan Wulang's account, Chen Ming's face darkened with exasperation, and his anger reached its boiling point. He had fallen into this trap just because he had thought about something he should not have. It was utterly absurd.
Why do I feel even more wronged than Dou E? There really is no justice under heaven! God! Save me!
"What are you thinking about?"
Seeing Chen Ming suddenly standing there in a daze, Yuan Wulang could not help asking.
"Nothing. I was just wondering whether the sky looked a little dark!"
Chen Ming looked up at the sky as he spoke.
"Hmm! It may rain. Why aren't you heading back? Report on time tomorrow!"
Yuan Wulang glanced at the sky, then spoke sternly.
At Spirit Beast Mountain's outer sect, a figure hurried down the mountain.
Chen Ming watched the person running through the rain with a puzzled look.