Chapter 124: Entering the Profound Frost Cave
A surprised voice rang out.
Shen Mo turned his head to see a slender yet strong female disciple. It was none other than Zhao Rou.
"You've been assigned here too?" Shen Mo smiled.
Zhao Rou nodded, "When I heard that Big Brother was coming, I requested to come along with the elders' approval."
Shen Mo nodded slightly, "I didn't expect the Stormy Rain Sect to hand over the Profound Frost Cave so readily."
Zhao Rou chuckled, "Yes, I heard that at first, the elders of the Stormy Rain Sect were unwilling, demanding that we at least give up twenty fertile medicinal fields before they would consider relinquishing the Profound Frost Cave to us."
"But then, for some unknown reason, they suddenly changed their minds and agreed without hesitation. In the end, we only had to pay the price of five fertile medicinal fields to take control of the Profound Frost Cave."
Shen Mo nodded.
The Profound Frost Cave yielded many treasures; acquiring it for just five fertile medicinal fields was a huge profit.
Zhao Rou whispered, "Sister Shengnan said it might be because of orders from the Verdant Vine Sect, which made the Stormy Rain Sect so agreeable."
She pursed her lips and added, "Sister Shengnan also suggested that it might be because Mo Yuheng, that vixen, has taken a liking to you, which is why this happened…"
As she said this, her tone carried a hint of jealousy.
Shen Mo couldn't help but laugh.
He had barely interacted with Mo Yuheng a few times.
Moreover, he possessed no extraordinary fate or charm like "immortal grace" or "elegant demeanor."
How could someone suddenly fall for him like a character in a cliché harem novel?
To him, this was merely a diplomatic move by the Verdant Vine Sect.
"Oh, right! Senior Brother, since you're here, you've saved me the trip back to the sect."
As if suddenly remembering something, Zhao Rou solemnly took out a storage ring and handed it to Shen Mo.
Shen Mo took it and looked inside, only to find thirty pieces of ice-blue amber.
Among them was a droplet of blood, even more brilliantly blue.
This was the special product of the Profound Frost Cave, the Profound Frost Amber.
"So much has been mined in just a few days?" Shen Mo was surprised.
Zhao Rou smiled brightly, "No, after Elder Song and Hall Master Wei led us to take over this place, the elder from the Flying Frost Sect who had been stationed here surrendered."
"All these Profound Frost Ambers were found in his storage ring."
"That guy was pocketing the wealth. Every month, he reported to the Flying Frost Sect that only thirty pieces were mined, but in reality, a third went into his own pocket, which he sold at a high price under another identity."
Shen Mo smiled faintly.
Embezzling public resources.
People like that could be found everywhere.
Zhao Rou continued, "My brother, Sister Shengnan, and Liu Yunxuan each got three pieces, while Elder Song and Hall Master Wei took five pieces each."
"After some discussion, Elder Song and Hall Master Wei decided to send the remaining thirty pieces to you."
"As for the share for the other elders, it will be decided later."
Her tone was full of envy.
If he were just an ordinary young sect master, his treatment might only be slightly better than that of a true disciple, but not by such a wide margin.
But Shen Mo was different.
He had already reached the Core Formation stage, while Zhao Ting, Luo Shengnan, and Liu Yunxuan were still at the peak of the Foundation Establishment stage.
Additionally, Shen Mo had made significant contributions recently.
No matter who saw him, they would respectfully call him "Young Sect Master."
Such a massive allocation of resources was only natural.
Hearing this, Shen Mo couldn't help but laugh.
These two sure knew how to conduct themselves.
"Young Sect Master, why did you come here so suddenly? You didn't even inform us."
"Hahaha, yes, it's been a while since I've seen the Young Sect Master. I've missed you."
At this moment, two hearty laughs rang out from a distance.
Song Chaofeng and Wei Xiongtie strode over, greeting Shen Mo with cupped hands from afar.
Even though Shen Mo was younger and of a lower cultivation level than them, they showed no hint of disrespect.
Shen Mo nodded with a smile, "I'm just interested in the Profound Frost Cave and wanted to take a look. You don't need to worry; I'm not here to supervise your work."
Song Chaofeng and Wei Xiongtie both nodded.
"Young Sect Master, since you're here, we ought to accompany you. However, the formations in the Profound Frost Cave haven't been set up yet, so we need to hurry," Song Chaofeng said hurriedly.
"Formations are of utmost importance," Shen Mo nodded in agreement.
The Profound Frost Cave lies further north of the Profound Frost City, one of the four cities controlled by the Flying Frost Sect. Of course, now it has become a city under the Qingxuan Sect.
Further north of the Profound Frost City is the territory of the Blood River Sect.
Because of this, the Profound Frost Cave holds a strategically important position, and coupled with the treasure of Profound Frost Amber found here, it becomes even more crucial to strengthen the formations to prevent a sudden attack by the Blood River Sect.
Song Chaofeng and Wei Xiongtie had already considered this.
However...
Shen Mo glanced at the life panels of the two men.
Wei Xiongtie would die surrounded and killed by three elders of the Blood River Sect.
Song Chaofeng would be severely wounded by the sect master of the Blood River Sect, refusing to surrender even in the face of death, and he too would be killed.
More than half of the stewards and disciples within the Profound Frost Cave would die, with less than thirty percent managing to escape.
Zhao Ting, Luo Shengnan, and Zhao Rou, refusing to submit to the Blood River Sect, would also be slain.
In short, if events unfolded according to their predetermined fate, a bloodbath would occur here in two days.
Since he had the ability to change it, Shen Mo naturally would intervene.
He didn't want to see these familiar people die in vain.
"Zhao Rou, why don't you accompany the Young Sect Master and show him around?" Wei Xiongtie suggested.
"Yes," Zhao Rou nodded.
"Senior Brother, where would you like to go? I can take you there," Zhao Rou asked with a sweet smile.
Shen Mo smiled lightly, "Take me into the Profound Frost Cave."
"Sure! But the Profound Frost Cave is like a maze inside, so you better stick close to me!"
"Haha, don't worry, even if you get lost, I won't."
With that, the two of them entered the Profound Frost Cave.
Inside the cave, the constant sound of mining echoed—ding, ding, ding—the noise of pickaxes at work.
However, the cave was so cold that ordinary people couldn't enter. Thus, those mining amber here were no ordinary people; they were at least Outer Sect disciples who had reached the Great Completion of the Body Tempering stage.
Of course, the rewards for mining amber here were abundant.
As a result, the disciples eagerly vied for the chance to come here.
Shen Mo surveyed the area and saw at least a hundred Outer Sect disciples.
Each of them was energetic and excited, eager to dig from morning until night.
Before long, someone excitedly shouted that they had found Profound Frost Amber.
The surrounding disciples looked on in surprise and envy, their eyes lighting up.
This was followed by the usual talk of treating everyone to a meal and not forgetting one's brothers after getting rich.
At that moment, hurried footsteps suddenly approached from below.
An Outer Sect disciple suddenly appeared, clutching his chest, his body covered in wounds.
Upon spotting Zhao Rou from a distance, he called out anxiously as if seeing a savior, "Senior Sister Zhao Rou! A demon beast has suddenly appeared on the second level. We can't handle it; several senior brothers in the Qi Condensation stage have already been injured!"
Zhao Rou frowned, "Wait here, I'll be there right away!"
Shen Mo asked, puzzled, "Are there many demon beasts?"
Zhao Rou shook her head, "Recently, a lot of demon beasts have appeared in the Profound Frost Cave, and their numbers and strength have increased."
"However, they're usually found on the third level or lower. Why have they now appeared on the second level?"
Shen Mo nodded, "You go help them."
Only then did Zhao Rou hurry toward the area.
As Shen Mo watched her departing figure, he fell into deep thought.
The strange activity of the demon beasts in the Profound Frost Cave was likely related to the Ice Dragon.
After all, it was the corpse of a sixth-tier demon beast, and any kind of mutation could occur around it.
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