CHAPTER 367: CHAPTER 367: RETURNING THE SECRET TREASURE_1

The cultivators on guard duty, patrolling the city wall, naturally recognized Shen Mo, the former Commander of the Defense Division.

They were all astonished and envious of his advancement to the Spirit Sea Realm!

After all, Shen Mo had only been a late-stage Qi Gathering Realm cultivator when he left Wolf Howling Ridge...

Even his former subordinates didn’t dare to be remiss, examining Shen Mo multiple times with the Bone Viewing Mirror before opening the Formation to allow him entry.

Such caution and meticulousness could not be faulted.

If they accidentally allowed a Class III mutated Heavenly Demon to enter, the consequences would be dire, and all the cultivators within the city walls would suffer!

Especially since Shen Mo’s promotion was so rapid; it seemed abnormal no matter how one looked at it.

"Hm? Tao Dong?"

The Qi Gathering Realm cultivator patrolling the city wall was an old acquaintance of Shen Mo’s.

"I never imagined... Master Shen would still remember me. It is truly this humble one’s honor," Tao Dong replied, his voice filled with excitement.

Several months ago, when Shen Mo first arrived at Hongye City, Tao Dong had been on duty at the city wall. By coincidence, he was also the first to greet Shen Mo today.

At that time, however, he was still receiving his monthly stipend from the Tian Clan.

Shen Mo chatted with him briefly. Learning that Tao Dong had recently apprehended a Class II demon head attempting to infiltrate the city, earning a commendation from the Defense Division, Shen Mo felt a sense of gratification.

"Cultivate diligently. Who knows, perhaps your Tao Family will one day become a prominent local clan!"

Shen Mo offered him a word of encouragement, then retrieved a bottle of Qi Gathering Pills from his Universe Bag and handed it to Tao Dong.

To be the first to welcome Shen Mo on multiple occasions was also a stroke of good fortune for Tao Dong.

Amidst the envious gazes of the other cultivators, Tao Dong expressed his profound gratitude to Shen Mo before watching him walk towards Envoy Chen’s residence.

「...」

Within the thick city walls, many vacant spaces on the uppermost level served as residences and cultivation spots for the stationed cultivators.

After Chen Mengze took over as Commander of the Defense Division, she naturally acquired the room with the best view and the most space, second only to that of Elder Shentu Gui, who guarded this place.

At this moment, she was in her room, cultivating the Pure Jade Mantra.

Although it was daytime, a radiance like moonlight enveloped her.

Ice crystals, formed from nature’s spiritual energy, floated and sank within this moon-like glow, resembling wisps of crystalline dust that danced with her breath.

Due to the unique properties of her cultivation method, Chen Mengze’s already exquisitely delicate skin had become even more translucent.

The flesh and blood, muscles and bones beneath her skin seemed like the purest jade marrow, exuding an otherworldly quality!

Several months had passed since she last saw Shen Mo. She had successfully advanced to Layer VIII of the Qi Gathering Realm and was currently accumulating Pure Jade Mana to expand her Qi Sea. Once her foundation was consolidated, she could attempt to break through to Layer IX!

Just then, her frost-covered eyelashes trembled slightly, and she slowly ceased her cultivation.

Her spiritual sense swept over a faintly vibrating talisman nearby.

A look of joy immediately appeared on her face. She swiftly waved her jade-like hand, dispersing the Prohibition that enveloped the room.

CREAK!

The door to the room was pushed open, and a handsome figure walked in from outside.

Chen Mengze wondered if it was her imagination or something else, but after not seeing him for some time, she felt that the person before her seemed to have become even more attractive.

Little did she know, Shen Mo had similar thoughts when he saw her.

The improvement in his appearance was thanks to his Basic Destiny being upgraded to [Handsome].

As for Chen Mengze, it was due to her cultivation of the Pure Jade Mantra, which had made her skin even more delicate than before, so tender that even a newborn’s could not compare!

「...」

"Senior Sister Chen, are the siblings Qian Xiaohu and Qian Xiaofeng still at Wolf Howling Ridge?"

"I’ve been entrusted by someone to assess Qian Xiaohu’s cultivation. Additionally, I need to bring Qian Xiaofeng back to the Riverside Sect so she can join the outer sect to cultivate!"

Shen Mo casually sat down opposite Chen Mengze, took out the Jadescent Nectar he had acquired from the Demon King Palace, and gave her a bottle.

Chen Mengze adeptly concealed the joy in her eyes, her expression returning to its usual composure as she replied, "Qian Xiaohu has taken some men to patrol the countryside. He should be back in about two Shichen."

"Qian Xiaofeng, however, is cultivating in her residence. I’ll summon her over now..."

Shen Mo waved his hand and said with a smile, "There’s no rush for that."

Saying this, he retrieved the Yin-Yang jade disk from his Universe Bag and placed it before Chen Mengze.

"This is..."

The moment Chen Mengze saw the artifact, she felt a sense of recognition, yet she couldn’t be certain if it was the secret treasure from the inner chamber of those ruins!

After all, as far as she knew, that secret treasure was in the hands of Dasheng Mountain and Purple Bamboo Valley.

And the Vermilion Bird Master of Dasheng Mountain was a powerful expert at Layer VII of the Spirit Sea Realm!

Meeting Chen Mengze’s excited, astonished, and bewildered gaze, Shen Mo nodded slightly. "Indeed. It is the Yin-Yang jade disk, the secret treasure from the inner chamber of the ruins your Chen Family once controlled."

"AH!"

Chen Mengze, for a rare moment, lost her composure. Her hand, cradling the Yin-Yang jade disk, trembled slightly.

To her, this treasure was not merely a family heirloom; it represented her deepest, lingering regret...

Then, Shen Mo recounted everything to Chen Mengze in detail: his journey to Sishui City; his confrontation with the Spirit Sea Realm cultivators from the two immortal sects; how he dealt with the remaining cultivators of the Liu and Wu Families; and finally, how he retrieved this secret treasure.

Chen Mengze listened quietly. After a long silence, she said softly, "In the future... please don’t take such dangerous risks!"

"The Fire Sparrow Master of Dasheng Mountain suffers from a chronic illness; his strength is far inferior to that of an ordinary late-stage Spirit Sea Realm cultivator. Therefore, it wasn’t truly that much of a risk."

"Besides," Shen Mo added, "I took the liberty of tying up the loose ends for you. You mustn’t blame me for that!"

Knowing her as he did, Shen Mo figured that if she had been present, she likely wouldn’t have spared the Body Tempering Realm cultivators of the Liu and Wu Families.

"Why would I blame you?"

Chen Mengze murmured, "If it weren’t for you, with those people hidden within the sect, I would have been powerless against them."

"Now, all the wicked culprits who bore the blood debt of my Chen Family members have been exterminated."

"As for the others, whether they live or die no longer matters!"

After the earlier annihilation of the Liu and Wu Families and the subsequent slaughter, Chen Mengze’s obsession with revenge had largely dissipated, and her killing intent was not as strong.

Moreover, Shen Mo had not spared any of the villains whose hands were stained with the blood of the Chen Family.

Shen Mo smiled faintly. He then began to explain the wondrous uses of the Yin-Yang jade disk to Chen Mengze.

Then, naturally, there was a bit of back-and-forth "disagreement"... Shen Mo had already prepared his arguments and quickly persuaded Chen Mengze to accept the Yin-Yang jade disk.

"Oh, right. I obtained quite a few rare spiritual materials in the Immortal Burial Sea."

"Senior Sister Chen, please give me your Red Carp inner armor. I want to reforge it, aiming to upgrade it to the top-grade profound level."

Although this inner armor is of a low grade, its foundation is quite good. There’s no need to alter its form or appearance. I just need to replace the original components with spiritual materials like scales, sinews, and bones from Class III Marine Race demon heads, and then inscribe some more runes. It’s much easier to reforge than an exquisite magic artifact like the Flawless Dharma Eye!

"Mm."

Chen Mengze acknowledged, then walked behind the jade screen and began to disrobe.

"COUGH!"

"Senior Sister Chen... have you forgotten that I am now a Spirit Sea Realm expert?"

"Even if this screen has a Prohibition talisman and can block the five senses and spiritual sense of Qi Gathering Realm cultivators, it cannot block mine..."