Chapter 195: Joining the Jade Cauldron Sect Has Tremendous Benefits
With a series of loud thuds, countless knees hit the ground.
Yang Tianxing and the others knelt faster than anyone else.
"We beg you, Senior Shen Mo, please spare our lives!"
"We were terrified when Yao Yunluo became a Nascent Soul cultivator; betraying Qingxuan Sect was an act of desperation!"
"Senior Shen Mo, while my sect may have parted ways with Qingxuan Sect, we never attacked any of its assets. I have never taken any action against Qingxuan Sect. Please see my sincerity!"
One after another, pleas for mercy filled the air.
They were practically ready to spill their hearts and guts out for Shen Mo to inspect.
Wei Xiongtie, Mo Hanshan, Elder Li, and others looked at Shen Mo with tears welling up in their eyes.
Without Shen Mo, neither the Qingxuan Sect, the Verdant Vine Sect, nor anyone among them would have survived.
Their lives had been saved by Shen Mo!
"Master, I'll leave the handling of traitors to you," Shen Mo said with a smile.
Murong Yue wiped away the tears from the corners of her eyes, full of joy. "Alright!"
With a Nascent Soul cultivator like Shen Mo present, no one dared to resist.
Luo Chaotian, Ouyang Cang, and the others, their spirits completely broken, also surrendered without a fight.
Yao Yunluo was dead, and Su Changqing had fled.
There was no one left to stand up for them.
The situation in Xuanjing Prefecture was thus unified on the day of Yao Yunluo's Nascent Soul celebration.
However, contrary to what the celebration's host and most others had envisioned, it was not Divine Sword Sect that achieved the unification.
It was… Qingxuan Sect!
…
In Divine Sword City, at the Divine Sword Pavilion.
Although the sword aura from Yao Yunluo's Nascent Soul breakthrough had left the pavilion's roof in ruins, it had since been fully restored.
Now, under a sparse moonlit sky, Shen Mo and Lü Dongxuan sat across from each other atop the highest point of Divine Sword Pavilion.
Several jars of fine wine were set between them, filling the pavilion with a rich, intoxicating aroma.
Lü Dongxuan was already slightly tipsy, his face flushed.
Shen Mo, however, remained clear-headed.
"You… you, kid… hic… I've never seen anyone who can drink as much as you!" Lü Dongxuan said, pointing at Shen Mo with a hearty laugh.
Shen Mo shook his head in mild exasperation. "You're pointing at the main pillar of Divine Sword Pavilion, not at me."
Lü Dongxuan paused, turned around, then burst into another round of laughter.
Shen Mo joined in, and the two laughed heartily.
After a moment of jovial laughter, Lü Dongxuan put down his wine jar and finally revealed his intentions. "My friend, we both have the character 'Mo' in our names, heh heh, it must be fate."
"Would you be interested in joining the Jade Cauldron Sect?"
"I can swear on it—if you agree, you'll be my junior brother! Our Ninth Peak hasn't had any newcomers in a long time!"
Shen Mo smiled. "What are the benefits of becoming an elder of the Jade Cauldron Sect?"
Lü Dongxuan laughed loudly. "Many cultivators would be thrilled to join the Jade Cauldron Sect as an elder, but you ask about the benefits first."
"Alright, alright, let me tell you about them."
"The elders of Yuzhou's three great sects range from Nascent Soul to Divine Transformation levels. However, they're divided into ranks from One Cauldron to Six Cauldron elders, from lowest to highest."
"Take me, for instance; although I'm just at the Nascent Soul stage, I'm already a Five Cauldron elder, outranking some Divine Transformation elders."
"The elder ranks are based on contribution and strength."
"But even a One Cauldron elder receives very generous benefits."
"An annual stipend of thirty premium spirit stones!"
"Each year, you may choose one Earth-grade refined spirit weapon!"
"There's also the sect's specialty, the 'One Line Blue' spirit fish. You get ten every year."
"The Great Nascent Transformation Pill—ten bottles annually!"
"The precious item, Star Sand—five taels every year!"
"Plus, the Jade Cauldron Sect's three forbidden grounds, accessible once a year to those meeting the respective rank requirements!"
"Furthermore, the Jade Cauldron Sect's Treasure Pavilion and Scripture Pavilion are similarly accessible to elders at the appropriate rank, with no time restrictions on how long you can stay!"
Lü Dongxuan chuckled slyly.
Shen Mo was slightly taken aback. He had heard before that the three great sects of Yuzhou had all tamed and raised certain rare demon beasts. After thousands of years of domestication, these beasts had lost their wild nature and were often referred to as spirit beasts, distinguishing them from their wild counterparts.
The One Line Blue was one such spirit beast.
A fully grown One Line Blue could weigh up to thirty pounds, and whether steamed or braised, consuming it was like ingesting an Earth-grade treasure.
It was akin to taking a pure elixir with no residual impurities!
The Great Nascent Transformation Pill was an enhanced version of the Nascent Transformation Pill, an essential elixir for Nascent Soul cultivators to advance their levels.
As for Star Sand, Shen Mo knew it was an Earth-grade supreme treasure.
Balanced and harmonious in nature, it had great utility.
When refined into any spirit artifact, it could significantly enhance its properties.
It was a prized item sought after by many cultivators.
And then there were the three forbidden grounds of the Jade Cauldron Sect—although he didn't know what they were, the mere mention suggested they were rich with treasures and opportunities!
Not to mention the Treasure Pavilion and Scripture Pavilion, both places of immense fortune!
"I have a concern," Shen Mo said softly.
Lü Dongxuan nodded. "I know, you're worried about Qingxuan Sect."
"I can assure you of this: the Jade Cauldron Sect has always stood firm, never bowing to the court."
"Once you become a Nascent Soul elder of the Jade Cauldron Sect, the sect will stand firmly behind Qingxuan Sect and secure Xuanjing Prefecture!"
"The hand of the court will not reach here!"
Shen Mo smiled, reassured. "Alright, in that case, I'm willing to join the Jade Cauldron Sect."
Lü Dongxuan laughed heartily. "Excellent, excellent! From now on, I'll call you Junior Brother Shen, and you'll call me Senior Brother Lü!"
"Oh, finally, I, Lü Dongxuan, have a junior brother! Finally, I'm not the youngest on the Ninth Peak!"
Shen Mo blinked.
He had a feeling this Ninth Peak wasn't an ordinary place.
"Junior Brother, take this as a welcoming gift from your Senior Brother."
"According to the rules set by Yuzhou's three sects, you must leave Xuanjing Prefecture and reach the Jade Cauldron Sect within half a month."
With that, Lü Dongxuan handed over a small, polished bead with a "ten" carved on it.
The bead had a glossy, smooth sheen, likely well-worn from Lü Dongxuan's handling.
"What is this?" Shen Mo asked, surprised.
"The Jade Cauldron Bead, a sort of identity token. This one's mine, so take it with you—it'll help you avoid unnecessary trouble on your way."
"When you arrive at the Jade Cauldron Sect, you'll receive your own."
Lü Dongxuan waved his hand.
"Senior Brother doesn't need his own token?" Shen Mo asked.
Lü Dongxuan chuckled, "My face is all the identification I need. There's no one in the Jade Cauldron Sect who doesn't recognize me."
Shen Mo laughed quietly.
Indeed, with Lü Dongxuan's flamboyant personality, he was likely already a celebrated figure in the Jade Cauldron Sect.
"I was sent here on a mission to search for something in Xuanjing and will need at least another month to investigate."
"So, I can't accompany you to the Jade Cauldron Sect."
Lü Dongxuan rose, smiling.
Shen Mo nodded.
Lü Dongxuan thought for a moment, then said, "Before I go, there's one last thing I'll tell you."
"Please, Senior Brother."
Lü Dongxuan clicked his tongue. "Watch out for the Danhe Sect."
"News of your reaching the Nascent Soul stage will soon reach them, and those guys will certainly try to recruit you."
"However, since I helped you at the Nascent Soul celebration, they'll have surely heard of it as well."
"The cultivators of Danhe Sect are notoriously petty, so expect some trouble from them. Stay alert."
Shen Mo understood immediately. "Thank you, Senior Brother."
"Alright, alright, I'm off! See you at the Jade Cauldron Sect!"
Lü Dongxuan waved his hand, turning into a streak of light that disappeared into the night sky.
Shen Mo was just about to sigh.
Suddenly, that streak of light returned.
In the blink of an eye, a few unopened jars of wine on the table vanished into Lü Dongxuan's arms.
His figure reappeared, clutching the jars.
He chuckled.
"Ahem… travel is long and thirst is inevitable. I'm sure my junior brother understands."
Shen Mo laughed quietly, "Travel well, Senior Brother!"
"Alright, alright, I'm really off this time!"
With those parting words, the light streak vanished over the horizon.
Shen Mo cast his gaze upon the dark night sky, and then to the earth below.
"Time to start planning my next steps…"
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