Chapter 186: The Three Sects of Yuzhou – Supreme Purity Sect, Jade Cauldron Sect, and Dan River Sect
Many Nascent Soul cultivators have found it convenient to differentiate their power levels by classifying them from one to nine lotus stages.
One to three lotus stages are considered lower-grade Nascent Soul.
Four to six lotus stages are considered middle-grade Nascent Soul.
Seven and eight lotus stages are considered upper-grade Nascent Soul.
The nine-lotus Nascent Soul, however, is regarded as a unique and superior entity, known as the supreme-grade Nascent Soul.
The technique of the Divine Sword Sect, known as the Longevity Sword Technique, requires at least a five-layer lotus base to begin nurturing a Nascent Soul, with seven layers being the maximum.
Now that the Flower of Longevity is lost, the old sect master of the Divine Sword Sect has no choice but to settle for nurturing a six-lotus Nascent Soul.
A difference of just one lotus can downgrade the Nascent Soul from upper-grade to middle-grade.
Naturally, the difference is enormous.
The old sect master had been in seclusion for a long time, likely waiting to nurture a seven-lotus Nascent Soul.
However, what exactly are the Supreme Purity Sect and Jade Cauldron Sect?
Are they the major sects of Yuzhou?
I really don't know.
Shen Mo raised an eyebrow and immediately went to the sect master's courtyard.
At that moment, Murong Yue was happily humming a tune while feeding the fish in the pond.
Hearing Shen Mo's question, she was somewhat surprised.
"Huh? Why are you suddenly asking about the Supreme Purity and Jade Cauldron Sects?"
Shen Mo smiled, "I just heard about them, so I thought I'd ask."
Murong Yue nodded. "It's not really a secret."
"The three major sects of Yuzhou are the Supreme Purity Sect, the Jade Cauldron Sect, and the Dan River Sect."
"All three major sects control numerous smaller sects."
"When one of their subordinate sects produces a Nascent Soul cultivator, the three sects will immediately send elders to recruit these cultivators into their ranks."
Shen Mo was shocked, "Why?"
Murong Yue counted on her fingers, "First, if a Nascent Soul cultivator wants to advance, they must either consume medicinal pills and rare treasures or rely on the slow absorption of the world's spiritual energy."
"But Xuanjing Prefecture isn't exactly a place rich in spiritual energy. Those places with abundant spiritual energy are all controlled by the three major sects."
"Additionally, even if you want to obtain pills and treasures, you'd have to go to places with more spiritual energy."
"Second, of course, it's in the interest of the three major sects to strengthen their power."
After hearing this, Shen Mo nodded.
That makes sense.
Nascent Soul cultivators want to become stronger, and the three major sects want to increase their strength.
It's a mutually beneficial arrangement.
No wonder there aren't any Nascent Soul cultivators in Xuanjing Prefecture.
They've all gone elsewhere.
"Which sect did our Qingxuan Sect belong to before?" Shen Mo asked again.
Murong Yue nodded, "The Dan River Sect."
"But when our Qingxuan Sect fell out of the top five sects of Xuanjing Prefecture, the Dan River Sect abandoned us."
"Now, we don't have any sect above us."
Shen Mo raised an eyebrow, "Qingxuan Sect must have had Nascent Soul cultivators in the Dan River Sect at that time, right? Didn't they return to help?"
Murong Yue smiled bitterly, "Of course, we did."
"But the three major sects never interfere."
"Moreover, a Nascent Soul cultivator can directly become an elder of the three major sects, but once they become an elder, they must swear allegiance to the sect, not to their former sect."
Shen Mo nodded in agreement.
That's true.
If someone became an elder in one of the three major sects but still had lingering loyalty to their previous sect, it could lead to corruption and the improper transfer of benefits.
Murong Yue smiled with relief, "Mo'er, it's good that you know all this now. I estimate it'll take you no more than twenty years to gather the treasures you need to nurture a Nascent Soul. By then, you'll be able to join one of the three major sects."
"There, you'll find a much broader world!"
Shen Mo couldn't help but chuckle.
Twenty years?
"How is Master's lotus base growing?" he asked.
Murong Yue gave a helpless smile, "I've only managed to grow three layers. Suitable treasures are too rare and difficult to find."
Shen Mo nodded.
"By the way, Wei Xiongtie and the others found something while clearing the battlefield, in a storage ring belonging to a deceased elder of the Divine Sword Sect."
As she spoke, Murong Yue brought out a jade box.
Inside was a flower entwined with flames.
As soon as it was brought out, the surrounding air noticeably heated up.
"Elder Wei gave it to me, but since all the treasures I've refined before are fire-attributed, I now need an ice-attributed treasure. This one isn't suitable for me."
"But isn't your constitution the Scorching Sun Incineration Body? This treasure should suit you perfectly, right?" {Can anyone remind me of the name of his physique. i am just missing middldle word.}
Murong Yue smiled.
Shen Mo glanced at the flower inside the box, and his expression shifted slightly with surprise.
The Sacred Sun Core!
He hadn't expected it to appear before him in such a manner.
It seemed he didn't even need to go through the trouble of searching for it.
"It truly suits me. Thank you, Master!" Shen Mo accepted the jade box, speaking earnestly.
Murong Yue's smile deepened, "No need for thanks. Qingxuan Sect is yours now. Passing this on to you is only right."
Warmth spread through Shen Mo's heart.
After exchanging a few more words with Murong Yue, Shen Mo finally turned and left.
...
In the Cangqing Mountains, within a secluded valley.
Shen Mo flew directly to this location.
Instead of immediately sitting down to refine the Flower of Longevity and the Sacred Sun Core, he stopped in front of a cave and shouted.
"Awoo! Awoo! I brought food for you!"
After a long pause, a pair of enormous vertical pupils suddenly appeared within the cave.
It was the massive rock python from earlier.
As for the name "Awoo," Shen Mo had come up with it himself.
This creature's life chart revealed that it was the "Fifth Incarnation of Ao Huang."
Shen Mo casually called it "Ao Wu."
And over time, it became "Awoo."
It was just a name, after all.
Shen Mo found it easy to say, and the python seemed to like it as well.
Whether it was fond of the name or just the food, that remained uncertain.
When Awoo saw that it was Shen Mo, its enormous eyes filled with joy.
Its scarlet tongue flickered out, gently brushing against Shen Mo's palm.
Shen Mo pulled out several large baskets of thunder crystals from his storage ring.
These were resources from a thunder crystal mine.
As the young sect master, taking a few baskets was of no consequence.
Seeing this, Awoo immediately became excited.
It grabbed a basket and began devouring it eagerly.
It swallowed both the thunder crystals and the bamboo baskets whole.
After devouring five large baskets, Awoo finally appeared somewhat satisfied.
Shen Mo chuckled and took out another item, waving it in front of the python.
"Look at this, what is it?"
Awoo's eyes widened instantly.
It was the essence of thunder!
Shen Mo dangled the thunder essence in front of it for a while before finally tossing it into its mouth.
Awoo was now completely content.
This thunder essence had also been mined from the thunder crystal field.
Shen Mo had taken a piece without anyone daring to question him.
"Awoo, I'll be cultivating here for a while, and there might be quite a commotion. I need you to stand guard for me."
Shen Mo patted its mouth and smiled.
Awoo nodded up and down, indicating it understood.
Shen Mo smiled faintly.
Typically, when cultivators want to tame a demon beast, they must establish a blood contract.
This was the method used by the cultivators of Verdant Vine Sect.
However, Shen Mo had not signed any blood contract with Awoo.
Considering how entangled Awoo's future was with various things, Shen Mo didn't want to get involved just yet.
Nonetheless, ever since Shen Mo had mastered the first level of the Beast Control Technique, communication between him and Awoo had become much smoother.
This was why he could now entrust Awoo with guarding him.
With his guardian snake in place, Shen Mo settled himself in the center of the valley and sat down cross-legged.
With a simple motion, the Flower of Longevity, still attached to a skull, appeared in his palm.
Shen Mo channeled his spiritual energy and gave a low shout, "Begin refining!"
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