Chapter 134: The Fragrance of White Rock City
"The master drives away wild dogs with a stick. When one day the wild dog becomes a domesticated pet, the stick that once drove it away will inevitably be broken out of resentment."
Ji Shilong gazed southward, muttering these words to himself.
Standing quietly beside him was Luo Shuanghan.
Luo Shuanghan had rushed back from Qingxuan Sect at top speed and relayed every word Shen Mo had spoken, without missing a single detail, to Ji Shilong.
"What do you think he means by this?" Ji Shilong suddenly asked.
Luo Shuanghan shook his head, "I do not know."
Ji Shilong sneered, "It's not that you don't know; you just don't dare say it."
Luo Shuanghan remained silent.
How could he dare say anything?
Ji Shilong spoke calmly, "He believes I'm the cudgel of Yuzhou Prefect or perhaps even the cudgel in the hand of Emperor Jing."
"This kid is quite interesting. While Xuanjiang Sect is on the brink of destruction, he has already seen my future."
Luo Shuanghan still kept his silence.
"What's the movement from the Five Sects of Xuanjiang?" Ji Shilong asked, regaining his composure.
Only then did Luo Shuanghan speak, "Divine Sword Sect, Sword Sovereign Zhou Qingcang has successfully condensed a Seven Kill Golden Core and entered the Core Formation stage."
"Verdant Vine Sect, Demon Sovereign Mo Yuheng has successfully condensed a Ten Thousand Demons Golden Core and entered the Core Formation stage."
"Rising Sun Sect, Fiery Sovereign Hong Chiyu has successfully condensed a Red Sun Golden Core and entered the Core Formation stage."
"Thunderfire Sect, Wanjin failed to condense his Golden Core and is gravely injured, bedridden for at least three months."
"Heavenly Water Sect, upon hearing the news of Feng Lianshan being killed by Shen Mo, Yin Xuege fainted on the spot. It is said that Sect Master Zhang Mo is already grooming Bai Ziyue as a successor."
Ji Shilong's face remained unchanged, "For five sovereigns of Xuanjiang, the gap seems a little too wide."
"And what about Heavenly Water Sect? There should be some movements, right?"
Luo Shuanghan nodded, "Sect Master Zhang personally met with Lu Xinyue, the sect master of White River Sect, but no one knows what they discussed."
Ji Shilong nodded, "Nothing else from Verdant Vine Sect other than Mo Yuheng's Core Formation?"
Luo Shuanghan shook his head, "No, Verdant Vine Sect has been very quiet recently, mostly researching poisons and taming demon beasts."
Ji Shilong waved his hand, "You may leave."
"Yes."
Once again, Ji Shilong was left alone in the courtyard.
He furrowed his brows slightly, "No action from Verdant Vine Sect? No, they must have done something, but it slipped past my eyes and ears."
"Verdant Vine Sect and Heavenly Water Sect must be planning a chess game through Qingxuan Sect."
...
Deep within Profound Frost Cave.
Shen Mo crouched next to the ice dragon's remains.
In his right palm, the Red Lotus Flame blazed, slowly melting the ice dragon's body.
The Red Lotus Flame could gradually melt the remains of the ice dragon.
This was a trick he had only discovered in the past few days.
Though the process was slow, in a whole day he had only managed to melt the dragon's tail.
But he had obtained a few drops of ice dragon blood.
At least, with persistence, he would eventually melt the entire ice dragon.
Its bones, tendons, and blood—all could be taken at once.
Once the ice dragon's body was fully melted, the temperature of Profound Frost Cave would gradually rise, and the place would lose all its value.
Whether he sold it to other sects or abandoned it didn't matter.
Moreover, after several consecutive days of melting, Shen Mo also realized that his rapport with the Red Lotus Flame was improving.
Even though the flame had been subdued by him, it didn't necessarily obey all his commands.
Now, through repeated use, their synergy was growing stronger.
"Has there been any recent activity from Heavenly Water Sect?" Shen Mo casually sat on the ground, melting the dragon's corpse while observing his life panel.
[Destiny: You will stop at the late stage of the Core Formation. Three months from now, Qingxuan Sect will be attacked, and you will die under the sword of Zhang Mo, the sect master of Heavenly Water Sect.]
[Opportunity 1: Today, the progress of melting the ice dragon's body will accelerate significantly, melting half the corpse. You will obtain one ice dragon bone and one ice dragon tendon.]
[Opportunity 2: In more than half a month, you will completely melt the ice dragon's body and store all its treasures in your storage ring.]
[Opportunity 3: A month from now, you will consume the last Great Replenishing Pill and successfully reach the late stage of Core Formation.]
[Upcoming Turn 1: After entering the late stage of Core Formation, you will hear about a strange fragrance near White Rock City, suggesting a great treasure has appeared. On your way to investigate, you will pass by White Rock City and fall into a trap set by White River Sect. You will discover the trap ahead of time, but White River Sect will send a Core Formation elder and three Core Formation elders to hunt you down. Ultimately, you will fall into White River Sect's hands and be used in exchange for Profound Frost Cave.]
[Upcoming Turn 2: After being captured by White River Sect, you will be tortured, and your dantian will be crippled. When Qingxuan Sect trades you back, you will be a useless person.]
Shen Mo raised an eyebrow slightly.
It seemed that the act of killing Feng Lianshan, the Sect Master of Blood River Sect, had already caused a shift in his predetermined fate.
Zhang Mo was clearly losing patience.
"The key is that I fell into White River Sect's trap, and after being captured, my dantian was crippled."
"Murong Yue will surely be enraged by this and attack White River Sect, even though her strength is weaker than theirs."
Shen Mo was deep in thought.
With the destruction of Flying Frost Sect and Blood River Sect, White River Sect had become the only first-rate sect under Heavenly Water Sect's command.
Moreover, after taking over part of Blood River Sect's industries and personnel, White River Sect's power had undoubtedly grown significantly.
Shen Mo had long known that White River Sect would make a move.
He just hadn't expected that they would come for him directly.
"There's a strange fragrance in White Rock City, detectable from dozens of miles away… It's likely Thousand-Mile Fragrance, which, like the Thousand-Handed Lotus, is a rare treasure used to cultivate the Nine-Lotus Nascent Soul. I must obtain it."
"White Rock City—why not go?"
"The only thing to be cautious about is that Core Formation elder."
Shen Mo pondered.
Elders were typically Core Formation cultivators over four hundred years old.
Due to their seniority and age, they were referred to as "elders."
These individuals usually went into deep seclusion, only appearing when their sect was on the brink of destruction.
Elders were few in number.
While the Five Sects of Xuanjiang certainly had elders, the exact number was never publicly disclosed.
Some powerful, long-established first-rate sects also had elders.
White River Sect was one such sect.
As for Qingxuan Sect, some of their elders had perished in the battle against Heavenly Water Sect long ago, and the rest had all passed away over the past fifty years.
Thus, Qingxuan Sect no longer had any elders.
"Elders are typically at the peak of the Core Formation stage. Due to their deep experience and extensive knowledge, their strength surpasses that of younger Core Formation peak cultivators by several degrees."
"However, each battle they fight accelerates their aging, effectively burning their life force. That's why they are reluctant to fight unless absolutely necessary."
"For White River Sect to deploy an elder against me, they are clearly determined to capture me."
"Dealing with such people is not impossible."
Shen Mo understood the strengths and weaknesses of elders well.
They were powerful and had rich combat experience.
But their greatest weakness was their inability to sustain long-term battles.
As long as he avoided direct confrontation and used tactics to wear them down, he might be able to defeat one.
If this elder were to fall, it would surely deal a devastating blow to White River Sect.
At that point, Qingxuan Sect could seize the opportunity and attack White River Sect in one swift move!
In this way, Flying Frost Sect, Blood River Sect, and White River Sect—these three arms would be severed.
No matter how much Heavenly Water Sect resisted, they would have no choice but to intervene personally!
"The plan is set. Now, I just have to wait for that day to come."
Shen Mo's expression remained calm.
🌟 Unlock Exclusive Early Access on Patreon! 🌟
Hello, beloved readers!
Join my Patreon community to enjoy:
📚 Daily Updates: Never wait for new chapters—get your story fix every day!
📖 20 Chapters Ahead: Access new chapters far in advance of RoyalRoad/Webnovel releases.
Support the creation of the stories you love and dive deeper into my world!
Patreon.com/Alex_Cruise
Your gift is the motivation for my creation. Give me more motivation!
Creation is hard, cheer me up!
I tagged this book, come and support me with a thumbs up!
Like it ? Add to library!
Have some idea about my story? Comment it and let me know.
Chapter 135: So It Was Him
In the deepest part of Profound Frost Cave, all was silent.
Time passed slowly, bit by bit.
The Red Lotus Flame blazed fiercely.
At a certain moment, a large portion of frost suddenly melted.
Shen Mo's expression brightened slightly, and he quickly inspected the situation.
"So, the ice dragon's body is already hollow. No wonder it melted so quickly."
Shen Mo shook his head slightly.
Looking inside through the hollow, he saw that most of the ice dragon's body had already been emptied.
Only a few bones remained.
The tendons were almost gone as well.
All that was left were a few pockets of frozen ice dragon blood still clinging tightly to the inside of the body.
He roughly estimated that there was just enough blood to fill two more vats.
"Not sure if that will be enough for what I need."
Shen Mo sighed lightly.
He had thought it would be a great source of blood.
The upkeep for his demon armor required a constant supply of blood, and even this might not be enough to satisfy the insatiable beast.
...
Time flew by.
In the blink of an eye, a month had passed.
Shen Mo sat quietly in his room, refining the medicinal power of the Great Replenishing Pill.
This particular bottle of Great Replenishing Pills was not the one Murong Yue had given him.
Instead, it was something he had taken from Feng Lianshan's storage ring after killing him.
Feng Lianshan hadn't used them all, leaving two pills behind, which now benefited Shen Mo.
Just as his life panel had predicted, after swallowing the Great Replenishing Pill, Shen Mo immediately felt the bottleneck that had trapped him for so long begin to loosen.
At a certain moment, the bottleneck broke open.
His internal energy surged.
The Infernal Gold Core within him expanded significantly.
Heavy, brilliant, flames rising, smoke swirling.
It was far more powerful than the average cultivator's Gold Core.
"Core Formation stage, fully achieved!"
Shen Mo felt a rush of excitement and immediately got up, heading outside.
Breathing in the fresh air, he smiled.
Shen Mo quickly walked out of his residence.
After only a few steps, he overheard two stewards nearby discussing something.
"…I heard that recently there's been a strange fragrance filling the air near White Rock City, but no one knows what's going on."
"Many people say it's the birth of a great treasure, and some even speculate it could be Thousand-Mile Fragrance, a rare treasure perfect for nurturing Nascent Souls! Quite a few Core Formation cultivators have already headed there."
"What a shame. If only we were at the Core Formation stage, we'd go try our luck too. Who knows, that kind of fortune might fall right into our hands!"
"Any elders from our sect going?"
"No way. Think about how fast our sect has expanded recently. With so many industries and cities to protect, there's no elder with free time. Naturally, they won't get involved."
"That's true… What a pity. That must be an incredible treasure."
Shen Mo's interest was piqued.
He approached them casually and asked, "What's the situation in White Rock City right now?"
The two stewards were startled, but upon seeing that it was Shen Mo, they quickly bowed respectfully.
Then, they relayed everything they knew in detail.
"Young Sect Master, are you planning to take a look?" one of them asked.
Shen Mo nodded slightly. "It does seem interesting. Go inform Elder Song and Hall Master Wei that I'm heading to White Rock City, and they don't need to worry about my safety."
"Yes, I'll go right away."
Shen Mo took to the air, heading north toward White Rock City.
As the Young Sect Master, his identity and status were too important for him to simply disappear without notice.
By informing Song Chaofeng and Wei Xiongtie, if they wanted to look for him later, they would at least know where to start.
...
White Rock City.
This city was located to the north of Profound Frost City, roughly in the central region of Xuanjiang Prefecture, rather than the southern region where Qingxuan Sect was based.
White Rock City had once been under the control of Blood River Sect.
But after Blood River Sect was destroyed, the city became the center of a power struggle among Qingxuan Sect, White River Sect, Storm Rain Sect, and Purple Star Sect.
The four sides had been in a deadlock for a long time, and none had been able to fully claim the city.
Considering that such a stalemate would consume a huge amount of manpower and resources, and with Qingxuan Sect expanding rapidly and having many industries to defend, Murong Yue had convened a meeting of the elders and decided to temporarily withdraw from White Rock City, pulling out the two stationed elders.
As a result, White Rock City had become divided among three factions.
However, despite this division, a large portion of the city remained unclaimed.
These unclaimed territories had become the playground of rogue cultivators.
Powerful Foundation Establishment rogue cultivators formed various gangs, recruiting others and carving out their own territories in White Rock City.
Today, the city was in utter chaos.
Murder and robbery in broad daylight had become commonplace.
At this moment, a young figure arrived at the entrance of White Rock City.
He wore a half-mask with fire patterns, covering his eyes and nose, leaving only his mouth exposed.
There were many people wearing masks like him.
He didn't stand out.
This young man was Shen Mo.
Even before approaching White Rock City, he had already donned the mask.
In this way, he concealed his face, avoiding unnecessary trouble.
"Indeed, such a fragrant aroma!"
As soon as Shen Mo arrived at White Rock City, he immediately caught the rich fragrance in the air.
Just a light sniff filled him with a sense of relaxation and delight.
Even the rotation speed of his Infernal Gold Core had accelerated.
"The scent of Thousand-Mile Fragrance."
Shen Mo's spirits lifted.
"But how should I find it? This treasure is definitely underground, and without any clues, it's going to be difficult to locate."
He took a few casual steps and noticed several corpses lying on the roadside.
Not far away, the sounds of clashing weapons and fighting rang out.
Clearly, two groups of rival cultivators had started a battle.
Some rogue cultivators cast their eyes on Shen Mo, showing fierce intent.
However, after Shen Mo swiftly killed a few of them, the rest of the rogues immediately transformed from hungry wolves into obedient sheep, bowing in submission.
He continued walking for a while until he suddenly sensed someone following him.
Shen Mo smirked, then abruptly moved at high speed, circling around several times.
In no time, he had shaken off his pursuers.
After a few more turns, he casually walked into a teahouse.
"Shopkeeper, a bowl of cold tea."
Shen Mo sat down and spoke calmly.
"Coming right up, Daoist! Please wait a moment!"
The shopkeeper wasn't a powerful cultivator, just at the Body Refining stage.
His cultivation level was quite low, barely at the mid-stage of Body Refining, not much stronger than an ordinary strong mortal.
Soon, a bowl of cold tea was brought to him.
Shen Mo's mask only covered the upper half of his face, allowing him to drink freely.
While sipping his tea, he also listened to the conversations of the cultivators in the teahouse.
"Look at that girl, she's a real beauty. How about we…"
"Shh, didn't you see the person next to her? He's a disciple of Qingxuan Sect. That sect's riding high right now, we better not provoke them."
"Qingxuan Sect… are they really that powerful? I don't remember hearing much about them."
"Are you kidding me? You don't know Qingxuan Sect? Are you even from Xuanjiang Prefecture?"
"No… I'm from the neighboring Jiande Prefecture. My sect was wiped out…"
"Uh, brother, that's rough."
"Come on, tell me, what's Qingxuan Sect? I only know about the Five Sects of Xuanjiang."
"Heh, if you're talking about Qingxuan Sect, you have to mention one person: their Young Sect Master, Shen Mo! This guy once dominated the Hundred Sects Grand Tournament, defeating countless geniuses to take first place! Let me tell you another thing: he's only at the early Core Formation stage but managed to kill a peak Core Formation cultivator. Now, tell me if that's impressive or not!"
"Wow, that's incredible!"
"..."
Shen Mo couldn't help but chuckle.
He hadn't expected that even here in White Rock City, deep in the central region of Xuanjiang Prefecture, people were talking about his deeds.
But a Qingxuan Sect disciple?
From the corner of his eye, Shen Mo glanced toward a pair of young men and women sitting in a corner of the teahouse with their backs to him.
The man was tall and dashing, while the woman was petite and delicate.
Out of curiosity, Shen Mo subconsciously checked their life panels.
"So, it's him?"
He laughed quietly to himself.
🌟 Unlock Exclusive Early Access on Patreon! 🌟
Hello, beloved readers!
Join my Patreon community to enjoy:
📚 Daily Updates: Never wait for new chapters—get your story fix every day!
📖 20 Chapters Ahead: Access new chapters far in advance of RoyalRoad/Webnovel releases.
Support the creation of the stories you love and dive deeper into my world!
Patreon.com/Alex_Cruise
Your gift is the motivation for my creation. Give me more motivation!
Creation is hard, cheer me up!
I tagged this book, come and support me with a thumbs up!
Like it ? Add to library!
Have some idea about my story? Comment it and let me know.
You may also Like
Paragraph comment
Paragraph comment feature is now on the Web! Move mouse over any paragraph and click the icon to add your comment.
Also, you can always turn it off/on in Settings.
GOT IT